TN: Jay's Party (Jan 10, 2015)

J

Jeff Grossman

Jeff Grossman
attendees: Jay + Arnold, Suzanne + Kenny, Scott + Ann-Marie, Andrew + Jennifer, Jeff + Jim, Chris + Lisa, Marshall + Mrs., Paul + Sandy, Don + Melissa, Dale + Betsy, Brad

It is a gathering of the tribe. The NYC wine demi-monde has turned out in force and they are all in Jay & Arnold's apartment plus birds, plus dog, plus piglet (that last was roasted).

Plus the smell of gougeres all the way down the hallway. Mmm.

In addition to the piglet there were huge trays of other good Filipino treats. Honestly, I could just dig in with a spoon, who needs the lettuce leaf to wrap it in?

And just a few wines:

ESJ 1993 Syrah "Durrell Vineyard"
ESJ 2012 "Rocks and Gravel"
Ch. Musar 1991 Rouge
Ogier 1997 Cote-Rotie
Voge 1998 Cornas
Beaucastel 1990 Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Dom l'Aigueliere 1995 Montpeyroux "Cote Rousse"
Jasmin 1997 Cote-Rotie
Foreau 1989 Vouvray Demi-Sec
F. Rinaldi 1996 Barolo
Felsina 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva "Rancia"
Fatt. di Milziade Antano 2005 Sagrantino di Montefalco
Beringer 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon "Private Reserve"
Phelps 1995 "Insignia"
Ch. La Louviere 1990 Graves
O. Raffault 1979 Chinon "Les Picasses"
Bow and Arrow 2012 "Rhinestone"
Huet 2002 Vouvray Petillant (first release)
Huet 2002 Vouvray Sec "Le Haut Lieu"
Huet 2007 Vouvray Demi-Sec "Le Haut Lieu"
Champalou 2013 Vouvray
Eminence Road 2012 Gewurtztraminer
Nikolaihof 1999 Riesling Reserve "Steiner Hund"
Nikolaihof 1999 Riesling Jungfernwein "Im Weingebirge"
Bereche et Fils ?? Champagne Extra-Brut Rose "Campania Remensis"

I came with paper and an iPad but decided to enjoy all the folks instead of taking notes. So, here's what I can recall now:
- Ch. Musar was WOTN, by universal acclaim
- Rinaldi was pretty and pure but still tannic and tight, do not disturb
- Fatt. Antano was tannic and gritty, DNPIM
- Insignia was woody and tired, bleh
- Raffault was gorgeous
- Bow and Arrow was crisp and very gamayish despite 40% pinot noir
- Huet Pet was a good bottle (Jay is working his way through them)
- Ch. La Louviere was corked
- Eminence Road had good acidity and not over-the-top smellies, a gewurz for people who don't care much for typischen Wein
- "Steiner Hund" may have been the best white wine on the table

I'm pretty sure that Jay has a ton of leftover food. Wonder what he's going to do with all of it?

- - - - -

A few pix:

Brad hides behind Jennifer
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The glowing mini-UFOs are circling Paul, ready to strike
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Sandy wields her Bordeaux stem with one hand and a light saber in the other, but Ann-Marie is unimpressed
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Per Dale Williams (who you left off the attendees list, along with Betsy):

The Nikolaihofs were the '99 Steiner Hund and '99 Im Weingeberge

Nice lineup of wines, and nice set of digs, Jay.

Mark Lipton
 
A wonderful day. I'll get some pictures up later tonight. Btw, the '85 Beringer was the Private Reserve and the L'Aigueliere was the '95 and the Cote Rousse bottling.
 
My WOTNs were the 1990 Beaucastel, 1991 Musar and 1999 Steiner Hund (my first time trying the 1999!)

There was debate as to which Nikolaihoff was better, I fell on the SH side but the IW was pretty darn good. The 1993 Durell had the most amazing nose but was still a bit tight on the palate. Good now (improving with air) I'd give it a few more years if you have the patience.

I only opened the one 2002 Huet Petillant. Jeff misheard my comment that my last bottle was shot to mean that I opened it that morning but it was from a few weeks ago. This one was excellent but I'm going to keep working through them. I'm just so frustrated that I want them out of my cellar.

Seems there was a consensus that the 1990 Louviere was corked though I didn't notice it. Still, I'm not the most tca sensitive person out there.

Loved the Bereche Rose, very structured, I'd like the chance to follow it a little more closely over the course of an evening next time.

Jeff's anti-pet prejudice is showing as he didn't take any pictures of Zippy who was looking unbearably cute with a pink bow in her fur.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
My WOTNs were the 1990 Beaucastel, 1991 Musar and 1999 Steiner Hund
Click to expand...

Same here, with an honorable mention to the '89 Foreau demi-sec, which I was thrilled to try as I've been searching for a bottle for at least ten years and have never seen one.
 
originally posted by Brad Kane:
originally posted by Jay Miller:
My WOTNs were the 1990 Beaucastel, 1991 Musar and 1999 Steiner Hund
Click to expand...

Same here, with an honorable mention to the '89 Foreau demi-sec, which I was thrilled to try as I've been searching for a bottle for at least ten years and have never seen one.
Click to expand...

Dale W also mentioned that his bottle was the sole entry for it in Cellatracker, not a good sign.

Mark Lipton
 
A few more pics.

Dinner is served.
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Jay, Paul, Dale, Suzanne & Jeff.
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The Rices and the Munro Clark/Scotts, aka team Eminence Road Farm Winery.
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That's either a cult winemaker, or an occult winemaker. I get the two confused.
IMG_4263.jpg
Andrew and Coad.
IMG_4271.jpg
Herr Cod is all about Twitter these days.
IMG_4272.jpg
Jenn and Lisa.
IMG_4291.jpg
The whites.
IMG_4292.jpg
The Rhone types.
IMG_4298.jpg
The other reds.
IMG_4299.jpg
 
Mark, Brad, Jay - Thank you. Post edited with all corrections offered.

As to Miss Z, you are perhaps right that I should have taken this opportunity to take a picture as I'm sure she has eaten the other bow that used to be in her hair and is well on her way to diverticulitis, or at least spilkes, before much longer.
 
I'll quibble about a Rose Champagne being included as a white and Musar being included as a Rhone type but other than that some good pictures.

Zippy managed to get the other bow out of her fur last night but thankfully refrained from eating it.
 
Jay can you confirm that there were two bows in Zippy's fur? I say two, Jen says one. It's getting pretty tense.

The Steiner Hund was brutally tight early on but started giving at the end. The Im Weingebirge showed a nice patina of age that I initially mistook for barrel until Coad pointed out my glass was a Zalto "Hedonizer" which apparently turns any wine into an oak drenched, 100 point red.

The Rhones were a real treat and the '79 Picasses was just perfect.

What a great jeebus. And an historic event in that there was no Burgundy present. Barely even any pinot!
 
When guests arrived there was only one bow. She had managed to get the second bow off the night before.

But I can provide a picture of her with two bows upon request.
 
originally posted by Brad Kane:
originally posted by Jay Miller:
My WOTNs were the 1990 Beaucastel, 1991 Musar and 1999 Steiner Hund
Click to expand...

Same here, with an honorable mention to the '89 Foreau demi-sec, which I was thrilled to try as I've been searching for a bottle for at least ten years and have never seen one.
Click to expand...
Yup, one of the greats.
What a bottle line-up and feast, happy new year to you all!
 
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