Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
attendees: Roy Hersh, Dan Tisch, Suzanne Camhi, Greg Tatar, Mike Whitehead (& the lovely Mrs.), Jeff Grossman
Another visit to Brooklyn by Roy Hersh. Another visit to a (Park Slope) local Greek restaurant, Athena, that has BYO, good food, and very nice people. The table was soon overflowing with grilled sardines, roasted Cornish hen, loukaniko with lemon, and a slew of lamb dishes.
And wine.
Whites to start:
Lucien Le Moine 2002 Corton-Charlemagne - Suzanne brings us the most wonderful leftovers; opened yesterday; cloudy; lots of lemon and cream, lanolin, still fresh and very rich
Konyari 2008 Sigillum Loliense - a Hungarian wine that Greg is considering bringing in; a field blend of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and olaszrizling; practically transparent, good zip, sweetness kinda like a halbtrocken (he complains that no one there makes a really dry wine)
Flight:
Unti 2002 Syrah "Benchland" - fragrant nose, blueberries and just-turned earth, very forward and suave, less interesting in the mouth though
Clos Martinet 2001 Priorat - a little modern, shiny and vivid and slinky, but not too terribly ripe, better with food
Flight:
Dom. des Remizieres 1999 Hermitage "Cuvee Emilie" - the inside of a new Hush Puppy shoe; slightly hot, slightly stinging tannins, kinda generic
Chave 1994 Hermitage Rouge - a little shy, damaged?; half an hour later it's gone all spearmint, bleh
Ch. de Fonsalette 1999 Cotes du Rhone - brett city, one-dimensional; others at the table like it better than I do
Flight:
Pod. Gagliole 2004 IGT Rosso - 90% sangiovese and 10% cab; painfully young (meaning: so tannic I can't tell what it is)
Ch. Cantenac Brown 2000 Margaux - Much better!
Finishing up:
Diamond Creek 1983 Cabernet Sauvignon "Volcanic Hill" - This is the real deal; good balance of tertiary flavors with the last whisper of fruit that was ripe but not jammy; wow
Grahams 1983 Vintage Port - not spoiled but not right, either; Roy thinks it could have used 6-8 hours of decanting
Manuel Eugenio Fernandes, Over 40 Years Old, Verdelho - 48 years of age, from a producer who is not known off the island; it was very tight when poured and I did not join the after-party to taste it again
A big thank you to everyone who brought wine, and their good selves, to the table.
Another visit to Brooklyn by Roy Hersh. Another visit to a (Park Slope) local Greek restaurant, Athena, that has BYO, good food, and very nice people. The table was soon overflowing with grilled sardines, roasted Cornish hen, loukaniko with lemon, and a slew of lamb dishes.
And wine.
Whites to start:
Lucien Le Moine 2002 Corton-Charlemagne - Suzanne brings us the most wonderful leftovers; opened yesterday; cloudy; lots of lemon and cream, lanolin, still fresh and very rich
Konyari 2008 Sigillum Loliense - a Hungarian wine that Greg is considering bringing in; a field blend of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and olaszrizling; practically transparent, good zip, sweetness kinda like a halbtrocken (he complains that no one there makes a really dry wine)
Flight:
Unti 2002 Syrah "Benchland" - fragrant nose, blueberries and just-turned earth, very forward and suave, less interesting in the mouth though
Clos Martinet 2001 Priorat - a little modern, shiny and vivid and slinky, but not too terribly ripe, better with food
Flight:
Dom. des Remizieres 1999 Hermitage "Cuvee Emilie" - the inside of a new Hush Puppy shoe; slightly hot, slightly stinging tannins, kinda generic
Chave 1994 Hermitage Rouge - a little shy, damaged?; half an hour later it's gone all spearmint, bleh
Ch. de Fonsalette 1999 Cotes du Rhone - brett city, one-dimensional; others at the table like it better than I do
Flight:
Pod. Gagliole 2004 IGT Rosso - 90% sangiovese and 10% cab; painfully young (meaning: so tannic I can't tell what it is)
Ch. Cantenac Brown 2000 Margaux - Much better!
Finishing up:
Diamond Creek 1983 Cabernet Sauvignon "Volcanic Hill" - This is the real deal; good balance of tertiary flavors with the last whisper of fruit that was ripe but not jammy; wow
Grahams 1983 Vintage Port - not spoiled but not right, either; Roy thinks it could have used 6-8 hours of decanting
Manuel Eugenio Fernandes, Over 40 Years Old, Verdelho - 48 years of age, from a producer who is not known off the island; it was very tight when poured and I did not join the after-party to taste it again
A big thank you to everyone who brought wine, and their good selves, to the table.