Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
At Mosaic restaurant on Long Island, with a bunch of family to celebrate Dad's 81st birthday:
J P Brun NV "FRV100" - An easy sell to the relatives, fizzy, festive, fruity, pink. A reliable quaff.
Huet 2009 Vouvray Sec "Clos de Bourg" - Plenty sweet, despite the designation, this is another wine that is easy to peddle to casual wine drinkers and which I can appreciate, too.
Gonon 2005 St-Joseph - I saw this on the list for a reasonable price and, although I suspected it might be a tad OTT for the other red drinkers, I had to try it. The wine was quite heavy, assertive, funky, porky, and altogether showing kinda older than its years.
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On another night, just the two of us at home:
Les Vergers Lafrance 2009 Cidre de Glace, Saint-Joseph-du-Lac, Quebec - 375ml, 10.5%, made from Mcintosh, Cortland, Spartan, Empire, and Golden Russet. This was excellent. The apple flavors have taken on just a hint of brioche or bake-y-ness. The acidity is zingy but not sharp, and gives it the texture of a mid-weight dessert wine. It can, in its lithe way, hint at apricots and brown sugar without being goopy or dull.
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Tonight, with leftover seder food:
Ayala NV Champagne Brut "Rose Majeur" - pale salmon color, fine mousse, not at all leesy or chalky (something of a disappointment, that), this comes across very vinous and red-fruity, a good match to a cheese board (epoisse, robiola, bleu d'auvergne, morbier) and then gefilte fish with horseradish
Ch. Cabrieres 2009 Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Tradition" - the usual GSM+Cinsault mix, this is rather light and flowery for CdP, I can't imagine having to lay this down for any reason; just sturdy enough for the brisket
J P Brun NV "FRV100" - An easy sell to the relatives, fizzy, festive, fruity, pink. A reliable quaff.
Huet 2009 Vouvray Sec "Clos de Bourg" - Plenty sweet, despite the designation, this is another wine that is easy to peddle to casual wine drinkers and which I can appreciate, too.
Gonon 2005 St-Joseph - I saw this on the list for a reasonable price and, although I suspected it might be a tad OTT for the other red drinkers, I had to try it. The wine was quite heavy, assertive, funky, porky, and altogether showing kinda older than its years.
-----
On another night, just the two of us at home:
Les Vergers Lafrance 2009 Cidre de Glace, Saint-Joseph-du-Lac, Quebec - 375ml, 10.5%, made from Mcintosh, Cortland, Spartan, Empire, and Golden Russet. This was excellent. The apple flavors have taken on just a hint of brioche or bake-y-ness. The acidity is zingy but not sharp, and gives it the texture of a mid-weight dessert wine. It can, in its lithe way, hint at apricots and brown sugar without being goopy or dull.
-----
Tonight, with leftover seder food:
Ayala NV Champagne Brut "Rose Majeur" - pale salmon color, fine mousse, not at all leesy or chalky (something of a disappointment, that), this comes across very vinous and red-fruity, a good match to a cheese board (epoisse, robiola, bleu d'auvergne, morbier) and then gefilte fish with horseradish
Ch. Cabrieres 2009 Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Tradition" - the usual GSM+Cinsault mix, this is rather light and flowery for CdP, I can't imagine having to lay this down for any reason; just sturdy enough for the brisket