Zachys Winter Champagne Soirée 2023

Zachys has been a wine and spirit retailer and auction house since 1944. They had a store in Scarsdale for many years but ended up moving their operations to Port Chester in 2022.

Like many fine wine shops, they often host wine tastings. Some are complimentary and some are more extensive tastings that you have to buy a ticket to.

I attended one of those extensive tastings last May which featured a wide selection of wines of the world. On December 2nd they held their Winter Champagne Soirée tasting for the upcoming Christmas and New Years Eve holidays.

Many of the large Champagne houses were on hand to pour several of their wines from their “regular” bottles to their uber luxury label.

I have to say, this tasting had an excellent price to quality ratio. For the modest cost of the ticket, you had the opportunity to sample some really high-end wines.

Some of the wines I sampled:

Bollinger: Le Grande Annee 2014, PN Brut AYC 2018, Special Cuvee Brut NV.

Laurent Perrier: Grand Siecle Iteration 26, Brut Cuvee Rose NV, La Cuvee Brut NV.

Ruinart: Blanc de Blancs NV, Brut Rose Second Skin NV.

Tatttinger: Comtes de Champagne Rose 2008, Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2012, Brut La Francaise NV

Charles Heidsieck: Rare 2018, Rose 2008, Brut Rose Reserve NV

Deutz: Amour de Deutz Blanc de Blancs 2011, Brut Rose NV, Classic Brut NV

Veuve Clicquot: La Grande Dame 2012, Rose NV, Brut NV

Gosset: 12 Ans de Cave a Minima Brut, Grande Reserve Brut NV

Krug: Grande Cuvee 171st Echoes Limited Edition NV

Dom Perignon: Blanc de Blancs 2013

They also had a selection from a few small, mom & pop grower champagne producers such as Laherte Freres, Larmander Bernier and Pierre Moncult.

Scarsdale Music Fest 2023

The 3rd annual Scarsdale Music Festival was held this year on June 6th. Not surprisingly it was held in the village of Scarsdale which is a 45-minute train ride on Metro North. It was held in the village center which is conveniently in front of the train station.

The event which was presented by Morgan Stanley, was to “bring together people of all ages to celebrate their love of music, food and community”.

There were 10 bands playing on two stages with food trucks and a couple of bars providing food and drink to the festival goers.

The “Grand Tasting Tent” was sponsored by Zachys wine shop and had a selection of wines from the major wine producing countries of the world.

They seemed to have fewer wines available for tasting this year than in last year, probably because they had their big wine tasting at their shop a couple of weeks ago. For the tasting they offered small, plastic cups to sip from which did nothing to enhance the tasting experience.

Some of what I sampled:

NV Piper Heidsieck Brut Reserve Rosé

2022 Domaine deTriennes Rosé

2021 Rombauer Caneros Chardonnay

2021 Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo d’Alba

2020 Domaine Ferret Pouilly Fuisse Autor de La Roche

2019 Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

2019 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco

2018 Castellare di Castellina I Sodi di San Niccolo

2018 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Montfaletto

2018 Castello dei Rampolla Chianti Classico

2017 Tenuta Nuova Casanova di Nervi Brunello di Montalcino

2017 San Lorenzo Brunello di Montalcino

2016 Castello dei Rampolla Vigna D’Alceo

Scarsdale Music Festival 2022

On June 6th, I attended the Scarsdale Music Festival located, not surprisingly, in the village of Scarsdale, New York which is a suburban town about a forty-minute train ride North of Manhattan. As you step out of the train station you are in the scenic village center where the festival was held. The festival was held to raise money for Feeding Westchester.

There were several food trucks scattered around the town center and a stage where a rotating selection of live music played throughout the afternoon.

The purpose of my visit was to experience the Grand Tasting Tent which was sponsored by local fine wine shop Zachys (now moved to Port Chester). I attended the last time the festival was held pre pandemic and I found that for a consumer event, the wine tent poured a nice selection of wines, and they did not disappoint this year. It made for an enjoyable sunny afternoon of wine drinking.

Some of what I sampled:

NV Bollinger Special Cuvee

2008 Charles Heidsieck Rare Millesieme

2011 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne

2020 Patrick Piuze Chablis

2009 Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva

2015 Franco Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino

2016 Castello dei Rampolla d’Alceo

2016 Piancornello Brunello di Montalcino

2017 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino

2018 Heights Justice Vineyards Pinot Noir

2018 St.-Estephe de Calon Segur

2018 Ricasoli Colledila Chianti Classico Gran Sellezione

2018 Castello dei Rampolla Chianti Classico

2018 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru

2018 Montinore Estate Pinot Noir

2019 Ridge Vineyards Three Valleys

2019 Joseph Drouhin Cote de Beaune

2019 Joseph Drouhin Gevrey Chambertain

2019 Volpaia Chianti Classico

2019 Ornellaia

2019 Sassicaia

2020 Le Volte dell Ornellaia

Scarchella Music Festival 2019

 

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On Saturday, September 14th the Scarsdale Business Alliance hosted the first annual Scarchella music festival which supports local charities to help fund community programs.

The festival was held in the town of Scarsdale in Westchester county which is just under an hour north of New York City via the Metro North rail line and was located in the Scarsdale village center which is conveniently located just off the train station. It’s also where Zachys wine shop is located.

It was an afternoon of live music from various local bands, food trucks for the hungry and more importantly, the Zachys wine shop sponsored Grand Tasting Wine Village.

The wine shop has a good reputation for throwing good wine tastings so I had high hopes for the event. It did not disappoint and was well worth the fee that was charged for the quality of the wines that were offered this afternoon. There were a couple of quirks under the tent this afternoon. One was that none of the vendors pouring provided water to rinse out a wine glass, and the other was that you weren’t allowed (by State law apparently) to use your own wine glass. I always bring a proper wine glass with me when I go to consumer events because I know that sometimes the “glassware” consists of plastic wine glasses as it was in this case. Who knew?

In any case there were some nice wines poured this afternoon while being serenated with live music.

 

As usual I like to start the day with some Champagne.

2009 Dom Perignon Blanc de Blanc

2008 Louis Roederer Cristal

NV Deutz Classic Brut, Brut Rosé

Over 100 wines poured, some highlights:

2016 Dominus Estate Napanook: Decanted. Dark red, dried leaf on the nose, concentrated dark fruit, balanced, long finish.

2015 Spring Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon: Decanted. Dark red to black, crushed red berry and mint on the nose, concentrated with some oak on the firm finish.

2016 Chappellet Signature Cabernet Sauvignon: Decanted. Cloudy dark red, crushed black berry on the nose, concentrated, dark dusty, firm fruit.

2016 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia: Medium purple, green herbs and black olives on the nose, tight, smoky fruit and a peppery finish that drops a bit at the end.

2016 Castellare di Castellina Chianti Classico Riserva: Medium amber, tar nose, silky red fruit, dusty, firm finish.

2016 Castellare di Castellina Poggia Ai Merli: Dark red with a purple rim, cooked fruit on the nose, thick and dusty.

2015 I Greppi Greppicaia Bolgheri Superiore: Medium red, sweet cherry on the nose, dusty black cherry on the firm finish.

2015 Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: Light red, sweet cherry nose with sweet red fruit on the moderate finish.

2014 Ridolfi Brunello di Montalcino: Light amber, sweet tar on the nose, silky sweet fruit on the firm and balanced finish.

2013 Poggio Antica Brunello di Montalcino: Light amber, closed nose of tar, tight with big tannins.

2016 Fattoria Le Pupille Saffedi: Dark red, sweet tar and leather on the nose, starts juicy ending tight and tannic.

2016 Louis Jadot Gevrey Chambetin Poissenots: Medium red, toast and tree bark on the nose, foral,silky red fruit with great balance.

2008 Duhart Milon Rothschild: Medium red, amber rim, sweet perfume, minty black fruit, tight and crisp with dried leaf notes on the finish.

2016 Duhart Milon Rothschild: Medium purple, pretty perfume of tree bark and dark fruit, silky red licorice fruit with crushed nuts on the firm but balanced finish.

2016 Haut Bailly: Medium purple, dusty dried leaf on the nose, tight and concentrated, firm finish.

2010 Marquis de Murrieta Ygay Gran Reserva Limited Edition: Medium red, sweet red tar on the nose, red fruit with a firm, balanced finish.