TN: A Gathering in Honor of Joe Dressner (Nov. 12, 2011)

Jeff Grossman

Jeff Grossman
attendees: Chris & Lisa, Manuel & Josie, Don & Melissa, Jayson & Laura, Cliff, Andrew, Brad, Greg, Jay, Jeff

Although a few important folks could not attend, we gathered quite a number of the original NYC tribe to celebrate the life and works of Joe Dressner. Once everyone was assembled and had grazed the groaning board a bit, we settled into the *********** and started telling Dressner stories. We had heard, or experienced, many of them before but they bear re-telling and especially so at this moment.

The food was splendid: a fabulous plate of (Murray's) hot coppa, bresaola, saucisson sec, (handmade) sweet and hot soppressatta, and (other) speck, and fresh mozzerella. There was a whole whitefish, shrimp cocktail, pieces of roast chicken, and more and more.

All the wines are LD or LDM imports, save the Muller-Catoir.

Leclapart NV Brut Champagne 1er - a little lemon, a little chalk, gentle fizz, nice enough but a quiet sort of wine tonight

Robert Denis 1989 Touraine-Azay-le-Rideau "Vignes de la Gaillarderie" - still way too young, like The Man Said; supple texture, good pit-fruit flavors , maybe a hint of soft caramel in the finish, excellent

Closel 1996 Savennieres "Papillons" - the usual oxidation but I'm OK with it tonight, which is a surprise; and it doesn't suit Cliff tonight, which is also a surprise

La Petit Chambord (Cazin) 2001 Cheverny - graceful and grapefruity, another restrained showing

Chidaine 2000 Montlouis "Clos Habert" - grippy, minerally, marmaladey, wow

Occhipinti 2010 IGT, "SP68" Bianco - blend of albanello and zebibo, thank you very much; this spends 8 months (or so) on the skins; very floral but some fennel seed and a curry sort of thing in it

Morey 2000 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er "Les Caillerets" - corked

Pernot 1996 Puligny-Montrachet "Folatieres" - does not suit me at all; others say this is drinking quite nicely

Luneau-Papin 2005 Muscadet "Pueri Solis" - a rarity: muscadet that spent more than 3 years on the lees, went through wild fermentation and malo, and has residual sugar; great texture, drinks like normal muscadet mixed with a little orange oil; interesting and good

Chidaine 2002 Montlouis "Clos Habert" - fresher than the 2000 but I like the other one better

Frick 2008 Cremant d'Alsace - marked with a "Z" (meaning?); oxidized

Baudry 1997 Chinon "Croix Boisee" - school-paste brett, can't enjoy it

Dom. de Belliviere 2000 Coteaux du Loir "Hommage a Louis Derre" - dry, maybe even a little astringent, but also deep and minerally and bitter chocolate (perhaps surprising for pineau d'aunis which always seems so light); one of my favorites tonight

S. Esmonin 2001 Gevrey-Chambertin "Clos St Jacques" - slightly stinging, good material but too oaky

Clos Roche Blanche 1997 Touraine "Cuvee Cot" - intense and dark, but also bretty

Marechal 1999 Pommard "La Chaniere" - this is yummy, good grip, still so youthful

Cappellano 2001 Barbera d'Alba "Gabutti" - textbook wine, rather tannic for barbera

Knoll 1986 "Honifogl" Ried Loibenberg, Loibner Gruner Veltliner - gorgeous

Druet 1995 Bourgueil "Vaumoreau" - from centenarian vines, this has wonderful depth and still has more to give

Eminence Road 2010 Cabernet Franc, Elizabeth's Vineyard - minerally and not too green or too ripe, I like

Eminence Road 2010 Gewurztraminer, Elizabeth's Vineyard - this is correct; others like it more than I do

Eminence Road 2010 "Cuvee Acidalia", Seneca Lake - made with -4% petit verdot, this is a Bordeaux blend, and it's good, grippy, leafy claret

Eminence Road 2010 Riesling, Elizabeth's Vineyard - kinda non-descript, sorry

Dom. des Petits Quarts 1996 Bonnezeau "Le Malabe" - gorgeous, sweet but not overly so, sipping simmered apricots

Dom. des Petits Quarts 1997 Bonnezeau "Le Malabe" - open for three weeks so, although it is clearly similar wine, this is much darker and not as fresh

Ch. Pierre Bise 1997 Coteau de Layon Beaulieu "Les Rouannieres" - very pretty, not too ripe, decent acidity, but very very sweet, I like it

Muller-Catoir 1998 Haardter Mandelring Scheurebe Auslese - 51740791699, the nicest Windex ever made from grapes, also a whiff of pink grapefruit, really good

Francois Pinon 1989 Vouvray "1er Trie" - yellow-fruity and sweet but my palate is exhausted at a fifth dessert wine in a row
 
The Knoll isn't LDM either. But it was gorgeous. Fell apart after about 2 hours though.

I'm the non-LDM culprit but really it was Brad's fault.

The Clos Roche Blanche Cot was beautiful and a real treat.
 
Oh yeah, the Belliviere red was lovely. That, the Denis, Knoll, Druet and CRB were all WOTN.

The mark of Zorro allegedly indicates no sulfite.
 
Several years ago, maybe 6 or 7, it seemed like brett was endemic in the 1997s of Bourgueil and Chinon. But lately all my bottles have been fine, and mostly beautiful.
 
was this the famous 1986 Honifogl "Honivogl" ? Great wine, although the last time I had it was from magnum.
 
originally posted by .sasha:
was this the famous 1986 Honifogl "Honivogl" ? Great wine, although the last time I had it was from magnum.
No, this was the Loibenberg, specified above. A bit downstream.
 
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