New & Delicious Wines

This past week I have had some new and absolutely delicious wines that I would like to share with you. For our family Sunday dinner last week my wife made a large pot of Pasta e Fagioli and I made a bunch of Kobe Beef Cheeseburger sliders. Both turned out fabulous.

With these dishes I opened up two new wines that I had purchased the day before from 56º Wine in Bernardsville, NJ. As I have mentioned before, Master of Wine Chris Cree is forever bringing in wines from small artisanal wine makers, so when I read about his visit to Domaine Breton in the Loire Valley of France I knew I had to try the wines. The red varietal of the Loire is Cabernet Franc, which is a particular favorite of mine. Catherine & Pierre Breton are traditional wine makers who use only indigenous yeasts in their fermentations. The resulting wines are stunning, at least the two I tried were. Prior to sitting down to our meal we enjoyed a 2010 Catherine & Pierre Breton Anjou Rose de Saigne La Ritoumelle. The purity of this Rosé knocked my socks off. Importer Kermit Lynch writes, “Pierre Breton's idea is to make a rosé that approaches the pinnacle of naturalness. It is cold fermented to about 1.5% residual sugar. It is then racked and further chilled to stop the fermentation. It is bottled with approximately 0.5 atmospheres of pressure. There is only a very small addition of sulfur-dioxide just before bottling, so the wine has wonderful purity”. This was absolutely delicious, even my wife, Miss Arneis Blanghe loved the wine. At $25 a bottle it is as good a value as you can find.

With our meal we drank an absolutely perfect bottle of 1986 Catherine & Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Perrieres. 100% Cabernet Franc from one of the most prized hillside parcels in Bourgueil, this was awesome. The wine possessed an intoxicating earthy bouquet on the nose and was pure and rich on the palate with a lengthy and elegant finish. Here is a completely round wine with soul. Fermentation and élevage (aging) is done in large (550L) barrique of which some are new. A bit pricey at $95, but well worth the price. Both wines are available at 56º Wine.

On Monday night Carol and I dined at Fin Rawbar & Kitchen in Montclair, the sister restaurant of Salute located a few doors south on Glenridge Ave. Only open a few months, owner Gerry Cerrigone has a hit on his hands. As the name implies, Fin is about seafood, and in this case pristinely fresh seafood. On this evening Carol began, as she always does here, with Crispy Spring Rolls that are stuffed with lobster and shrimp and served with Asian mustard and & sweet dipping sauces. These are very crisp and tasty spring rolls and always a great starter. I started as I always do with a half dozen of wonderfully fresh East coast oysters.

Carol patiently sipped her 2010 Brovia Rorero Arneis “Sanche di Vezza" while I devoured a bowl of New England Clam Chowder. Studded with Mahogany Clams and Apple Smoked Bacon it was the perfect answer to the chilly night air. The Brovia Arneis is wonderful. From one of Piedmont Italy's top producers, it is crisp and delicious on the palate and a great accompaniment to seafood. $23 at 56º Wine.

While I enjoy the Brovia Arneis I wanted to try the 2009 Olga Raffault Chinon Champ Chenin that I purchased a few months before. Located in the tiny commune of Chinon in the Loire Region of France, Domaine Olga Raffault produces stunning reds from Cabernet Franc and whites from Chenin Blanc. The wine was a terrific compliment to the meal. It was very crisp and pure on the palate with well-balanced acidity. This is still very much a baby and the fruit is not yet at full expression. I would give this wine a few more years of cellar aging. $30 at Chambers Street Wines, NYC.

Our main courses consisted of Crispy Skin Salmon (Carol) served with an Asian glazed radicchio, spinach and napa cabbage sauté, and Fish N Chips (me). Both were delicious; the salmon was moist and full of flavor and my battered codfish was fried to perfection, crunchy and yummy. I substituted mashed potatoes for the chips and they were smooth and creamy. A delightful and tasty meal.

Wednesday found me in NYC for a tasting of the 2010 vintage of Joseph Drouhin Burgundies. I must admit that while I enjoy these wines the fact that the tasting was being held at a private room above Restaurant Benoit was my reason for going. Not long ago while watching a Food Channel episode of The Best Thing I Ever Ate, the French Onion Soup at Benoit was featured. I simply had to try it and boy am I glad that I did.

This is the mother of all onion soups. It takes 5 hours to prepare. (I know this because the recipe was printed in the NY Times on January 27th of this year. Click here for the recipe). While the individual components of the soup, the onions, the Gruyere Cheese, the baguette bread and the broth are all fantastic on their own, in combination they soar to new heights. This is one great crock of soup and that ain't no crock!

The Benoit has a wonderful and reasonably priced wine list. However since we were going to a tasting immediately after lunch we decided to ask for a recommendation for a glass of white wine to accompany our lunch. Chief Sommelier Andre Compeyre suggested 2010 Domaine Felines Jourdan Picpoul de Pinet, a wine from the Languedoc region of France that we were not familiar with.

The wine was beautiful. Its crispness and purity leaped from the glass and danced on the palate. It had wonderful acidity and balance and was perfect match for our raw oysters, lobster salad and onion soup. The Picpoul grape is primarily grown in the Rhone Valley and Languedoc regions of France. Its name means "lip-stinger" and refers to the high acidity of the grapes. I fell in love with the wine and a quick visit to Wine Searcher told me it was available at Chambers Street Wines, NYC. At $16 bottle I called Jamie Wolfe at Chambers and ordered a case.

A final note that may be of interest to some. The Benoit wine list offers back vintages of high-end wines by the ounce. For example if you are so inclined and do not mind spending $48 an ounce you can partake of a 1997 Chateau Petrus. For $16 an ounce you can drink 1986 Guigal La Landonne. An interesting idea.

Saluté

Cafe Matisse

One of my favorite restaurants on the planet is Café Matisse in Rutherford, NJ. Chef/owner Peter Loria is a great chef who really enjoys pushing the envelope when it comes to providing a dining experience…and each meal here is a dining experience. Chef Loria puts a lot of ingredients, many in unique combination, on each plate and somehow they really work. Each ingredient is pristinely fresh and cooked to absolute perfection. The resulting dishes are a marvelous combination of flavors and textures that dance on the palate.

Café Matisse is a small intimate space that matches the food with first class service. Maitre’d Larry and his staff provide courteous and professional service from start to finish. The restaurant is BYOB and the wine service is magnificent. Wine is decanted with a smile and there are always appropriate glasses to match the wine. Café Matisse also owns a small wine shop that is located at the front entrance where you may also purchase wine to enjoy with your meal.

The only thing I enjoy more than going to a great BYOB restaurant is going with friends who share my passion for wine, as the wines that show up for the night never disappoint. Tonight was no exception and they went beautifully with chef's creative menu options.

The menu concept here is what Peter calls a “grazing menu”. He explains, “…we do not offer traditional appetizer or entrée portions. All of our portions are grazer portions. Grazer portions are larger than an appetizer yet smaller than an entrée. We offer three and four course grazer options.”

On this evening the six of us grazed on the following;

Pan Seared Cajun Spiced Cubed Tuna with Crab, White Bean Pancake and Asian Slaw with Sesame Soy Vinaigrette Topped with Tempura Fried Avocado and Julienned Scallion Drizzled with Wasabi Jus. Cool & a bit spicy on the palate, it was the perfect match for the NV Demiere-Ansiot Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru. This is a terrific champagne from a great small producer that produces only 2000 cases a year, and only in years he deems good enough to put his name on the label. 100% Chardonnay, the wine is round and sensuous on the palate. It set the stage for the wines that followed. $50 at 56º Wine, Bernardsville, NJ.

Crispy Panko Crusted Crabcake, Cheddar Glazed Shrimp with Dollop of Guacamole, Sweet Corn Jus, Corn Jalapeno Relish, Chipotle Foam and Cilantro Yogurt also matched nicely with the champagne. This crab cake preparation will redefine crabcakes for you. Kind of crabecakes on steroids.

Rye Toasted Reuben with Fresh Sliced Pork Loin, Spec Ham, Tasso Ham with Smoked Gouda, White Cheddar, Caramelized Onion, Dill Pickle, Hot Mustard Mayo and Side of Braised Green Cabbage with Apples and Caraway Seeds. My absolute favorite “grazer”. I order this whenever it appears on the menu. The combination of 3 types of pork with cheese, etc. is an absolute tour-de-force.

Apricot Chili Glazed Chicken Wing, off the Bone with Gorgonzola Fig Jam Wrapped Scallion Pancake Topped with Cracklin and Pear Celery Relish Drizzled with Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette Pear Jus. Did not taste, but my wife gave it a definitive thumbs up.

Grilled Cheese with Oven Roasted Tomato, Endive, and Duck Confit with Side Salad of Heirloom Tomato, Peruvian Sweet Peppers, Burrata Cheese and Arugula Pesto Topped with Crispy Fried Onions Dusted with Smoked Paprika and Drizzled with Tuscan Olive Oil, Pepper Jus Vinaigrette. A new menu item that takes this classic sandwich to new heights. It had me applauding loudly.

The red wines that we began the evening with were a 1994 & 1986 Giuseppe Quintarelli Ca del Merlo Valopolicella . From Quintarelli’s single hilltop vineyard, Ca del Merlo, this wine is aged for a longer period in barrel. It is a Valpolicella that in my opinion is better than any other producer's Amarone. While both bottles were terrific and soared from their glass, the 1986 had more lively fruit than the 1994. Do not know if this was due to bottle variation or the vintage. In any case these were typical of Quintarelli wines, they had a great sense of place and were balanced and pure on the palate with a lengthy finish. $100. The Pluckemin Inn Wine Shop, Bedminster, NJ.

As good as the Quintarellis were the next wine, a 2001 Salvioni Brunello di Montalcino soared even higher from the glass. Made from 100% Sangiovese Grosso (per Italian wine law) this is a stunning example of how good traditionally made wines can be when left in the hands of an artisan wine maker. Each sip of this wine transported me to the hilly terrain of Montalcino. The wine had it all, intoxicating earthy bouquet, pure and rich expression of fruit, stunning balance and a lengthy and elegant finish. $155. The Pluckemin Inn Wine Shop, Bedminster, NJ.

Keeping pace sip for sip with the Salvioni was a 2001 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo. There is really no sense in repeating myself, as everything I said about the Salvioni applies here. The only difference is the Nebbiolo grape in the Mascarello. Maria-Teresa Mascarello, who took over the reins when her father passed away a few years ago, continues to make wine the way her grandfather and father did before her, by blending the grapes from their four vineyards Cannubi, San Lorenzo, Rue and Rocche into one spectacular Barolo. Fermentation is in old cement tanks with aging in large old Slavonian Oak for 3 1/2 years. The resulting wine seems to be deified as this bottle was on this night. $118. De Vino Wine, NYC.

Finally dessert. Banana Crème Pie With Almond Graham Cracker Crust, Caramelized Bananas and White Chocolate Malted Mousse Topped with Strawberry Ginger Jam and Candied Almonds, Drizzled with Malted Honey Vanilla Jus. As a banana cream pie freak, this did not disappoint.

Another enjoyable evening with friends, food and wine.

Saluté

A Most Enjoyable Dinner & Tasting

I was recently invited to join a small but long-standing wine group comprised of 5 personable and knowledgeable wine guys. The group meets monthly at a local BYOB restaurant. One member is responsible for the wine and another for the dinner tab. Notes on the wines are provided. This month the tasting and dinner took place at Fascino in Montclair, NJ. Owner/chef Ryan DePersio's menu tends to focus on what I would categorize as Nouveau Italian Cuisine. The restaurant has received rave reviews. As I prefer more rustic traditional Italian food, I am not a regular here. I did discover that on Tuesday nights (the night we met) chef DePersio has a selection of more traditional Italian dishes. Right up my alley. I thoroughly enjoyed an appetizer of seared Foie Gras and a main course of perfectly al dente Rigatoni in a tomato fennel sauce. The others had similar comments about their selections, however I did not pay close enough attention to them to report on them.

Emil was responsible for the wines on this evening and his selection of four red Burgundies and one Chateauneuf-du-Pape made for a great tasting. The wines in the order we enjoyed them were:

1983 P. Dubreuil –Fontaine Pere & Fils Corton Bressandes Grand Cru
This was a new producer for me. Funky barnyard nose upon opening the bottle that never really left. I have not had much experience with older Burgundies, so not sure what to make of it. It did not have the classic Burgundy nose or palate that the ensuing wines possessed. For me the wine had passed its prime and was in decline. $140

2006 Denis Bachelet Gevry Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru
While the bouquet upon opening was distinctly Pinot Noir, it possessed, as Jeff commented, a distinct California Pinot Noir nose. On the palate however there was no mistake that it was from Burgundy. I have always enjoyed the purity that Bachelet wines have and this was no exception. A rich and lush wine with a lengthy finish that should age beautifully for many years. $77

1995 Francois Gaunoux Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chenes
I thought this was a very nice Volnay especially when considering the difficulty of the 1995 vintage in the Cote de Beaune. As with be Bachelet this was wonderfully pure and balanced on the palate. I thought the finish was a bit short however. $90.

1999 Meo Camuzet Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Aux Boudots
This bottle from a top Cote de Nuits producer drank very well. It was completely round and elegant on the palate with a lengthy finish. $180

2001 Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf-du-Pape Reserve
This was to be the back up wine in case any of the primary wines were corked or otherwise flawed. We opened it anyway and as I might have guessed it was the wine of the evening. I have had many vintages of this wine and they always leave me speechless. There really are no words to describe the CDP wines of Rayas other than they are completely round and delicious. $200.

All of the wines for the evening were purchased from The Pluckemin Inn Wine Shop in Bedminster, N.J. The Pluckemin Inn is one of NJ’s top restaurants with a great wine list. They also have a very well stocked wine shop of great wines at reasonable prices.

All in all it was a terrific evening. Thanks fellows for inviting me into your group.


Saluté

The Numbers Game

Readers of this blog know that I do not subscribe to point rating systems, including the most revered system on the planet; Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Mr. Parker is well known and revered and his rating system has had a tremendous affect (unfortunately) on the wine world, especially in the making of wine. Today far too many producers all over the world have begun to make wine in the style (high alcohol, dark color and lots of oak) that Parker likes in hopes of receiving a high score from him. These high alcohol fruit bombs are replacing wines of character and elegance. Look at what has happened in Spain. With the exception of Lopez de Heredia and a few other old wine producers, Spanish wines are a far cry from what they used to be 30 years ago.

Journalist Gary Rivlin wrote in a 2006 NY Times article, "Some fear that the worldwide influence of Mr. Parker, who has been described as the planet's most powerful critic, will eventually mean a homogenization of wines." Unfortunately this seems to be what is happening today. California, Australia, Italy (Super Tuscans), Spain, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, with a few exceptions, make wines to please Parker. The only thing that distinguishes these wines from one another is the grape variety. They are all high in alcohol, over extracted and oaky. In my opinion they lack character, elegance and soul. I find them very boring.

Some friends recently attended a wine dinner consisting of wines from Mr. Parker's cellar. He himself was in attendance. During the conversation about wines and his rating system he indicated that people who don’t believe in the system (me for one) just do not have enough wine knowledge to understand what goes into it. I am the first to admit that my knowledge of wine pales by comparison to Mr. Parker’s, but his statement is about the most inane thing I have ever heard. Hugh Johnson is one of the world’s most widely recognized wine writers and has been since 1960. My friend Chris Cree holds one of only 29 Master of Wine degrees in the USA. Neither of these gentlemen subscribes to any point system, and I think it is safe to say they are, at the very least, every bit as knowledgeable on the subject as Mr. Parker.

As for his system, I believe that I do understand what goes into it and probably more so than the people who employ it to buy their wines. In my opinion it is in fact “what goes into it” that makes it so ridiculous. The system uses a 100-point scale. Allow me to explain how the system works. A wine earns 50 points for being wine and showing up in the glass. I find this interesting and puzzling. Perhaps prior to the start of a football game each team should be given 7 points just for being a football team and showing up.

The system continues with a wine receiving up to 5 points for color. What color has to do with the quality of a wine escapes me. Is darker better than lighter? Is an opaque wine that is a deep crimson red like a California Cabernet better than a translucent red Burgundy? I recently had a couple of bottles of 2010 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Pineau D'Aunis Rosé. It's color is best described as cloudy pink, not very appealing, but oh what a marvelous wine. I wonder If this component of the rating system were applied to art would the rather muted color of the Mona Lisa lose points when compared to the vibrant colors of a work by Peter Max?

Next the system rates the nose (bouquet) of the wine with up to 15 points being awarded. Call me naïve, but a wine either smells good or it doesn’t. If a wine received 7 points in this category, does that mean it smells half bad or does it mean it smells half good. I'm curious, how would you score the bouquet of these 3 items? A fresh white truffle, a fresh red rose and a freshly opened can of anchovies? 3 very different and distinct noses here and each has its own characteristics. Is one better than the other? I happen to like the smell of all three. Assigning a rating to each of them would be preposterous.

I feel the same about the palate, which is worth 20 points per Mr. Parker. Each wine is its own wine. You may prefer one wine’s palate more than another’s just as you may prefer vanilla ice cream to chocolate ice cream. All that counts is what you like. There are no in betweens or absolutes.

The final 10 points in this system are for overall impression. Isn’t that all that really matters. You like the wine, you hate the wine, you love the wine, etc. Also if you scored the wine high in all other categories I would think your overall impression would be good. Then what is the purpose of the other categories?

Having said all of this, what is the most amazing aspect of his system is that he tastes (spits actually) up to 125 wines twice a week and claims that he can “precisely assess the worth of every single wine that passes his lips”. I personally find this very hard to believe. Apparently others do also. See the article on this by Tony Hendra by clicking here.

So what is the bottom line with these number systems? As far as I am concerned they completely cast aside the intrinsic qualities of the wine. There appears to be no consideration given to what they are paired with, how the wine will evolve in the glass while you drink it or how it will develop over time. It is simply pour, sip, spit and score. Amazing…no check that I think bizarre is a more appropriate word.

Consider the following review of the 1998 Fernando Remírez de Ganuza Rioja Reserva (Spain) from John Gilman (traditionalist) and Parker (modernist).

Gilman:
“To the best of my recollection, this is the first wine I have ever tasted from Remírez de Ganuza, which I found decisively mediocre in quality. The deep, modern and boring nose offers up scents of roasted cherries, leather, a bit of barnyard, salty soil tones, spice and a generous blast of new wood. On the palate the wine is medium-full and a bit “pinched” by its new wood, with tangy acids, respectable depth and a fair bit of uncovered wood tannins drying out the finish. Is this really supposed to be cutting edge Rioja these days? Wow, I am unimpressed. (Drink between 2011-2020). 81 points. Tasted 2011”.

Parker:
“The 1998 Remírez de Ganuza Rioja Reserva was diminished a bit by late harvest rainfall. Even so, it is an elegant, savory, complex wine that has good depth and concentration. It should drink nicely for another decade. 93 points. Tasted 2010”.

These reviews could not be further apart. Here are 2 very knowledgeable wine guys with very different palates and these differences are reflected in their comments and scores. Chocolate and vanilla my friends. The message is clear to me, drink wine that tastes good to you for your reasons, not someone else’s. And when you do I promise you that a world of incredible wines from places like the Jura and Loire in France, and Liguria, the Val Dosta and Friuli Venizia in Italy await you.

So what is the point (did I say point)? It is simply this. I think there is value in the writings of wine critics, but it lies not in the scores they give to wines but rather in the information they provide about the wine and its pedigree. When I read about a wine that appears to have the characteristics I enjoy, I try it and then decide for myself if I like it or not. Points simply do not enter into the picture.

For those who are interested in learning more about Parker’s rating system and what goes into it, etc, I suggest you check out Elin Mccoy’s book, The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr., and the Reign of American Taste.

Saluté

Tony's Barolo Birthday

On the occasion of my good friend Tony P. Jr.’s 48th birthday, six of us and the birthday boy gathered at one of our favorite Italian restaurants, Il Capriccio in Whippany, NJ, to celebrate the day with him. The combination of Tony Grande’s outstanding food, an awesome selection of wines, most of which were older Barolos, and spirited conversation made for a lengthy, but memorable afternoon.

As we waited for our appetizers we started with a bottle of 1996 Rocche Dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna Cappella St. Stefano di Perno, This has always been one of my favorite Barolos, even though the wine is aged in Barrique. The oak is completely integrated into the wine and does not distract from the purity of the fruit. The wine had a gorgeous earthy bouquet and a lengthy finish. $95. DeVino Wine, NYC.

The appetizers began with a spectacular seafood platter that was comprised of pristinely fresh small cubes of raw Pesce Spada (swordfish) drizzled with a fine extra-virgin olive oil, Baccala (dried salt cod) salad and Sarde (sardines) in Soar. The later dish is a specialty of Venice in which fresh sardines are fried and then marinated for a couple of days in a mixture of caramelized onions and pignoli nuts. I had this magnificent dish for the first time number of years ago at Trattoria Alla Madonna, near the Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy. This version was equal to what I had there.

As the second wave of appetizers came, an assorted hot seafood platter, we reveled in a 1996 Giuseppe Rinald Barolo Brunate La Coste. This incredible Barolo is drinking superb right now and will continue to do so for many years to come. The wine is a beautifully crafted old world gem. It literally soars from the glass, entices your palate with it's lovely purity and richness and finishes with elegance and length. A wine with soul. $195. The Rare Wine Co., San Francisco, CA.

Since the birthday boy was born in 1964, 3 of us including Tony, brought a 1964 Barolo. As I have said in previous blogs these older Barolos are usually a crapshoot, ranging from awesome to undrinkable. On this afternoon we rolled a seven, an eleven and then crapped out.

The seven and eleven rolls belonged to the 1964 Capplellano Barolo and the 1964 Aldo Conterno Barolo. The Cappellano had a nice brick red hue, seemed a bit funky on first pouring, but began to open after about 30 minutes in the glass. This bottle came from my cellar and was the last of 3 bottles that I had purchased a couple of years ago. All came from the same reputable source. The first bottle was spectacular, the second less so and this one was in the middle. I think that given another hour or two it would have become a match for the first bottle. The Conterno was just terrific. It too had a transparent brickish hue similar to the Cappellano, only a bit deeper.

The wine drank extremely well and kept evolving in the glass. This was clearly the best bottle of ’64 on this day. (The Conterno ison the left). The final bottle of the three a 1964 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo came up snake eyes. Unfortunately this bottle was corked, oxidized and undrinkable. Oddly enough on this same birthday occasion a year prior we had the same wine, and it was spectacular. It has been my experience with older Barolos that they can be risky, even when they are purchased from reputable sources. If you do purchase any, be sure to ask what the policy is if the bottle is bad. In most cases you, the purchaser, are taking a risk.

With a perfect plate of Rigatoni alla Amatriciana we drank a 2001 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino. This drank very well. Nice earthy bouquet with well-balanced fruit on the palate and a very nice finish. While this producer uses more modern techniques in the wine making process, he still uses large, old Slovonian Oak in the aging process, which I believe, imparts a nice roundness to the wine. 2001 was a great year for Brunello, so if you can find this expect to pay upwards of $100 a bottle.

The final course arrived, whole oven roasted Bronzino. The fish is covered in a thick layer of Kosher salt and then roasted in the oven. The salt keeps the fish very moist as it cooks while remaining neutral in terms of salting the fish. The crust is then chipped away and the fish filleted tableside. It was served with a delicate lemon and olive oil dressing. The fish was delicious.

To accompany the Branzino we opened the final red, a 1999 Giuseppe Quintarelli Rosso del Bepi, which soared from the glass, tantalized the palate with its lush, pure fruit and finished with great length. As I reported on the 2002 Vintage of this wine in a previous blog, Rosso del Bepi is only made in vintages when Giiuseppe feels that the grapes do not meet his strict standards to be labeled Amarone. Thus he declassifies the wine and calls it Rosso di Bepi. It is in fact his Amarone at ½ the price. About $130 a bottle. De-Vino Wine Boutique, NY Wine Warehouse, Italian Wine Merchants, NYC.

With coffee we drank a glass of 1997 & 1988 Chateau d’Yquem from 375ml bottles side by side. D’Yquem is Tony’s favorite wine of all. The wines were very good. Both wines had a citrusy bouquet and were rich and complex on the palate. My only problem with the wine is the finish, which for me is medicinal. Expect to pay upwards of $150 per 375ml bottle.

With the one corked exception all the wines were great. In my opinion the 1996 Rinaldi and the 1999 Quintarelli were the wines of the day, with the 1964 Conterno and 1964 Cappellano finishing 2nd & 3rd respectively. Each of these wines had songs to sing, and did so beautifully.

It was a great lunch. Happy Birthday Tony!

Saluté

Hart Davis Hart BYOB Tasting

This past Tuesday evening I was invited to a BYOB wine tasting and dinner at The Dutch, a 10 month old restaurant located at 131 Sullivan St. NYC. Hart Davis Hart Wine Company, a leader in wine auctions as well as retail wines located in Chicago, hosted the event. And what an event it was. While there were only 14 of us present, each brought a great bottle of wine to enjoy with chef Andrew Carmellini’s (formerly of A Voce and Locanda Verde in NYC) terrific “fun” food. It was a great evening.

Since Gino, Tony & I arrived early, we settled in at the bar and ordered a Huet Vouvray 'Le Haut Lieu' Sec 2010 Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley to drink with a dozen of pristinely fresh East Coast oysters, spicy octopus, tripe and little oyster sandwiches. The oyster sandwiches were plump, fried oysters served on a homemade tiny sesame bun with a upscale tartar sauce. I could have eaten a dozen. I have lauded the wines of Huet many times as I have never had a bad one. They are expertly crafted and are a beautiful expression of how good the Chenin Blanc grape can be when placed in the hands of a master. This wine, which will live on for many years, had a wonderful fresh complexity with a lengthy and elegant finish. Wine Legend in Livingston, NJ is currently offering this wine for under $30, an absolute steal.

As we gathered in the private downstairs dinning room we began with a NV Demiere-Ansiot Blanc de Noir Grand Cru, Oger. Made from 100% Pinot Noir, this grower-producer wine had wonderful balance with and a delicious citrous finish. With production limited to about 200 cases a year, this is a sparkler to pay attention to and seek out. Very reasonably priced at about $50. I just picked some up from 56º Wine, Berdardsville, NJ.

We then moved on to a four remarkable French whites, 2 from Burgundy and 2 from the Northern Rhone. The first to be poured was Francois Raveneau Grand Cru 'Blanchots' 2000. If there is a better producer of white wine in Chablis I do not know who it is. This wine was completely round, elegant with a long and seductive finish. Unfortunately wines like this do not come cheaply. However they are worth it, especially for that special occasion. $200

Next in the glass was Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru 'Pucelles' 2004. I began buying Leflaive wines three years ago and only wish I had known of them earlier, as they are amongst the best white Burgundies you can find. The wine exhibited a lovely yellow gold hue, lemony bouquet and soared from the glass. A beautifully pure and round wine. $200

With these wines we nibbled on what I believe was tempura fried rock shrimp with a spicy salsa dipping sauce. A great choice with the wines.

As we settled into our seats our glasses were filled with Jean Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 2004. Considered by many as the finest producer of wines in the Northern Rhone, this beauty, made from 100% Marsanne grapes, would definitely support that belief. While I have this vintage in my cellar, I had yet to open a bottle, an oversight that will soon be corrected. The wine had an intoxicating citrus bouquet, a sensuous oily and viscous texture on the palate and a glorious round finish. Delicious. $200

Along side this we were poured a glass of M. Chapoutier, Ermitage Blanc, Le Meal, 2001, another 100% Marsanne wine. Another spectacular Norther Rhone white from yet another highly regarded Northern Rhone winemaker that drank beautifully; the wine had very nice minerality, however the high acidity was a bit of a distraction. It was not a match for the Chave on this evening. $150

As we tasted these wines our family style dinner began with a terrific salad of Beets, Smoked Egg, Apples & Horseradish; Octopus a la Barca, a delicately spiced dish that was tender and delicious; Fried Chicken Wings that were so off the chart, they will make you forget “Buffalo Wings”. These had a delicate sweet and spicy taste and were incredibly crispy. I could have made a meal of them and the delectable house made French Fries that made up our final first course.

We then moved on to the reds. I am not sure of the exact order but I believe we started with Château de Beaucastel Hommage à Jacques Perrin 2004. This is one of the great wines from CDP. It is only made in exceptional vintages from very old Mourvedre vines yielding tiny quantities of intensely ripe, concentrated fruit. The Hommage contains a higher percentage of this varietal than their normal bottlings. On this evening the wine, even after a few hours of decanting, never really blossomed and was surpassed in my opinion by the Chateau Rayas 2004 we drank alongside it. This was a classic Rayas with incredible purity and roundness on the palate and long velvety & elegant finish. Beaucastel $450, Rayas $160.

Next in our glasses was Chateau Figeac 2000. What was interesting is that in one glass we had the wine after being decanted for 3 hours, while in another glass the wine was opened 30 minutes prior to being poured. The decanted wine was much better. It was riper and more complex on the palate. Alas I am not a big fan of Bordeaux and this wine did not change my mind. $160

The second Bordeaux was Chateau Ausone 1962. I guess if your are a Bordeaux fan you would like this highly touted and very expensive wine. It had nice complexity but lacked the roundness and elegance of the Burgundies that followed. $500 - $800

We then moved onto Burgundy, beginning I believe with Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot 2005. A classic red Burgundy with terrific purity and complexity. I would like to revisit this wine in about 5 years when I think it will begin to peak. $174 This was followed by Joseph Drouhin Chambertin 2002, which drank very well even at a very young age. Pure and complex on the palate with a velvet finish. This wine, in my opinion, needs another few years in the cellar for it really be appreciated. $245

The next wine, Domaine Leroy Romanee St Vivant 2000, was the wine of the evening for most of us, myself included. Domaine Leroy is one of the top producers in Burgundy and this wine certainly lived up that claim. The earthy bouquet soared from the glass. On the palate it was delicate, round and pure with a sensous finish. Definitely a wine with soul. I could not track this beauty down, but if you are able to find it expect it to be pricey.

Alongside this wine we tasted Domaine Leroy Romanee Chapelle Chambertin 1980. Made prior to 1989 when the domaine moved to biodynamic wine making, this wine, while good, was no match for the 2000. I was unable to find this wine's availability or price. Like the Romanee, these are collector wines that are usually only found at auction.

The final red was Altesino Brunello di Montalcino, Montosoli 1997. For me this was just okay. It was not very exciting on the palate and had a somewhat bitter finish. I think this wine has passed its prime. $160

With the reds we were served four entrées family style. The dishes included a marvelous Steak Tartare served with Romaine lettuce and a Ceasar dressing. It was perfectly seasoned, pristinely fresh and just outright delicious. Sea Scallops served over Saffron Rice with a spicy Gumbo sauce. The rice and sauce were the stars of this dish. Farfalle (bowtie shaped pasta) with Black Kale Carbonara and a farm egg. Not a lot of flavor here. In fact the dish was really ho-hum. The 4th plate was Pecan Duck with Celery and organic dirty rice. As I am not a duck fan, I passed on this, but the others at the table raved about the dish.

With dessert we enjoyed Chateau Climens 1971. This was wonderful, full of honey, pineapple and apples. It enticed the palate and had a monster finish. A terrific Sauternes that I prefer to d’Yquem. This wine has many more years ahead of it. $400

I don’t recall the two desserts served with the Climens as I had requested one of the desserts on special that evening, Banana Cream Pie. One of my all time favorite desserts, and this was superb and went perfectly with the Climens.

If you are interested you can find where to purchase most of these wines on Wine-Searcher.com. You can also contact Hart Davis Hart Wine Co. as they may have access to them.

My sincere thanks to the folks of Hart Davis Hart for making this event happen and for inviting me to it.

Saluté

What WWN Readers Drank for the Holidays

I thought it would be fun if the readers of WWN emailed me with what they drank over the Christmas holidays. I want to thank those of you who replied. As you can see a number of terrific wines were enjoyed.

The first to report in was Geore U. He writes, “I started Christmas Eve afternoon with a Macallan 25 & a 25 year old Cuban Dunhill & a nap. Now we are getting ready for some food & wine. Starting the weekend with some Ornellaia, Masseto & Valdicava." George went Italian with two well-known Italian producers.

Ornellaia is a Super-Tuscan cult wine, very modern in style, that is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot (Bordeaux style) made by Tenuta dell’Ornellaia. It is aged in 70% new French oak barrels (barrique). It is a big wine and sought after by those that like this style. Not cheap, expect to pay upwards of $125 a bottle, depending on the year.

Masseto, also made by Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, is also a modern style wine that is made with 100% Merlot and one of Italy’s biggest cult wines. I must admit to not being a fan of the wine as I do not like the Merlot grape and modern style wines and I think the price tag of several hundred dollars a bottle is well beyond the caliber of the wine. However since the wine routinely is given high numbers (scores) many feel justified in anteing up the cash required to purchase a bottle.

Valdicava is a very good Brunello di Montalcino from Tuscany. The wine is consistently good and made in the more traditional, old world style that uses old large Slovonian oak botti (barrels) to age the wine. The top wine from this producer is Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano. 2001 was an exceptionally good year for both wines and the prices reflect it.

Erik B. enjoyed a 2005 Francesco Borgogno Barolo. I am not familiar with this wine, however after doing some research it sounds like my kind of old world wine. It is aged in Slovonian oak for 3 years followed by a year in the bottle. About $40. For information on the winery click here.

Joe B. is the wine director for 56º Wine in Bernardsville, NJ. He has one of the best palates in the business as well as being one of the most knowledgeable wine guys I know. I was delighted that he shared his wines for us. He reports that for Christmas Eve began wirh Tuna Tartare & Leg of Lamb w/ Harissa (a hot sauce or paste used in North African cuisine, made from chili peppers, paprika, and olive oil), Apricots and Olives. With the Tuna he drank a NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs "Initial". I tasted this champagne once with Joe and it blew me away. Anselme Selosse is considered the most original winemakers in Champagne. His Champagnes do not come cheap, but wine like this never does. I remember that on the night I drank it with Joe that the wine kept evolving in the glass and an hour after being poured it was soaring from the glass. Not the typical experience one has with Champagne. About $150 a bottle. To read more about Selosse, click here.

With the Lamb he drank a 2001 Schiavenza Barolo Bricco Ceretta. I am not familiar with this wine and I was unable to find out much information about it. I am sure if it was on Joe’s table it was a great bottle. $50.

For Christmas Day there was more Tuna Tartare, Wild Mushroom Risotto and Dry Aged Rib Eye Steak. As you can see, Joe knows how to eat well also. For the meal he began with NV Demiere-Ansiot Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne. While I am not familiar with this Champagne producer, a little research has told me that Demiere-Ansiot is a Becky Wasserman Selection. Mrs. Wasserman, known by many as Mother Burgundy, is an exporter of exceptional French wines. Her portfolio of wines is considered one of the best in the business. The wines I have in my cellar from her portfolio are some of my best treasures. $54 a bottle at 56º Wine.

This was followed by a 2010 Donnhoff Riesling Grosses Gewachs "Felsenberg" from magnum. From the Nahe region of Germlany, Donnhoff is one of the finest producers of Riesling wines in the entire world. While I have not had this particular wine, I have a number of Donnhoff wines in my cellar. They are simply delicious as I can imagine this one was. $58 a 750ml bottle at 56º Wine.

Next up was a wine I am not only familiar with, but a big fan of, 2004 Roagna Langhe Rosso. Roagna is one of Piedmont’s top producers of Barolo and Barbaresco. The grapes that do not make it into the Barolo or Barbaresco go into the Langhe Rosso. The result is a wine that while it lacks the depth and complexity of their Barolos or Barbarescos, it has great purity, balance and elegance on the palate. $30. Amanti Vino, Montclair.

Staying in Italy, but moving to Chianti in Tuscany for a 1995 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva. I reported on this wine in my blog, Lunch at Maialino. I hope Joe’s bottle was as good as the one we had on that October day. Some additional information. This wine did not receive a high rating from Parker. In fact according to him it is well past its drinking time. The wine, in my opinion, is at its peak at the moment. So much for numbers. $50.

For his final bottle Joe chose a 1973 CVNE Rioja Gran Reserva Vina Real from Spain. If you recall I reported on the 1976 vintage of this wine a couple of weeks ago. Talk about old world elegance, CVNE wines from before 1990 were amongst the best in Spain. Unfortunately they have since succumbed to more modern wine making and the wines just do not have the soul they used to have. $199 at The Spanish Table, Berkley, CA.

The last to report was my friend Bucky. Here is what he drank along with his notes. 2004 Massolino Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva. “Was not decanted and probably a little young but after a half hour difference was amazing. Dark fruity and smooth.” One of my favorite producers, Massolino’s wines are a phenomenal expression of traditional, old world winemaking. I tasted this wine at a tasting in NYC a few months ago and it showed great depth, complexity and balance. Finish was pure and elegant. Alas, Bucky you are right it is too young to drink. Put it away for at least 5 years. $125.

2004 Roagna Barbaresco Asili "Very surprised this wine on this night was better than the Massolino. Again this was young but smooth and the fruit not as dark." Another one of my favorite old world producers. While I have not had the Asili from this vintage, I have no doubt of its pedigree. Again, this will benefit from 4-5 years of cellar age. $90.

2009 Aubert Chardonnay "A strong Chard and I know not one of Mark’s favorites. Went great with a couple appetizers". Bucky's right I am not a big fan of California Chardonnay as I find them very oaky in most instances. Marc Aubert, who was the wine maker at Peter Michael before starting his vineyard, makes very good Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. The Chardonnays that I have had from him in the past have had well integrated oak and were drinkable for me. Not easy to find and not cheap. Expect to pay about $100 a bottle if you can find them.

2000 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo "Decanted for 3 hours. Surprisingly to me this wine tasted like it is at its peak. Ruby and light in color went perfectly with dinner". World class Barolo here. The essence of terroir and purity in wine. I have had this vintage on numerous occasions and have enjoyed each bottle. Since I have not had it though in 2 years, based on Bucky's comments I need to open a bottle soon and give it a taste.

Thanks again for each of you who shared your holiday wines with us.

Saluté