Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
Racines NY is a calm space. Well, at least until it fills up. Then, the hard surfaces start bouncing noise around and the staff doesn't turn the radio down. Aural management isn't the strong suit here.
The seasonal menu, simple and luxurious, with just a bit of flashy technique: this is a strong suit here.
A long table is ready for us.
And here comes Kelley Fox. She is tall and blond. She does not have the gruff manner of the world-weary New Yorkers. She is sitting at one end of the table, among the Chambers Street crowd, but she pays attention to everyone, visiting the far end of the table for each flight, comparing and contrasting the two growing seasons (2013 was a rather hot year that ended in a miserable deluge while 2014 was warm all the way through), providing details about her vineyard and cellar techniques and how she coordinates them with the biodynamic calendar (e.g., spring pruning of the vines on a leaf day).
A few tasting notes:
Horiot - What a good choice for starter. Even more vigorous than I remember it, this is a really full rose, mineral-inflected, dark earth, just-so ripe, really fresh pinot noir.
Mirabai - The 2013 is perfumey and bright and lightweight and runs up into your nose fast. There's a faint hint of roastiness way up high, like sitting in a garden and an unexpected whiff of roast beef blows your way from the kitchen. The 2014 is darker, heavier, still stuttering some on leesy and paraffin smells. It is rather more like a Burgundy, while the 2013 is more like a Poulsard.
Momtazi - This 2013 is also light and lifted, a hint of orange peel and coffee grounds and cinnamon. The 2014 seems more essential and earthy, some black tea in the finish. Jim W says he's had other '13s from Oregon that also show light but strongly aromatic. Both of these will age nicely but they'll end up in very different places.
Maresh - This 2013 is more substantial than the others and more fruit-forward: cherries and raspberries and a bit of kirsch; later, there's face-powder and a bit of old lady handkerchief. The 2014 is complex, very tactile and mineral; later, it starts to close up.
And when dinner is over, the schmoozing begins in earnest. Lots of Loire wines are opened, quelle surprise (I recall a pour from a really good bottle of Foreau 2008 fizz).
Many thanks to Kelley, Racines NY, and Chambers Street for the lovely evening.
The seasonal menu, simple and luxurious, with just a bit of flashy technique: this is a strong suit here.
And here comes Kelley Fox. She is tall and blond. She does not have the gruff manner of the world-weary New Yorkers. She is sitting at one end of the table, among the Chambers Street crowd, but she pays attention to everyone, visiting the far end of the table for each flight, comparing and contrasting the two growing seasons (2013 was a rather hot year that ended in a miserable deluge while 2014 was warm all the way through), providing details about her vineyard and cellar techniques and how she coordinates them with the biodynamic calendar (e.g., spring pruning of the vines on a leaf day).
A few tasting notes:
Horiot - What a good choice for starter. Even more vigorous than I remember it, this is a really full rose, mineral-inflected, dark earth, just-so ripe, really fresh pinot noir.
Mirabai - The 2013 is perfumey and bright and lightweight and runs up into your nose fast. There's a faint hint of roastiness way up high, like sitting in a garden and an unexpected whiff of roast beef blows your way from the kitchen. The 2014 is darker, heavier, still stuttering some on leesy and paraffin smells. It is rather more like a Burgundy, while the 2013 is more like a Poulsard.
Momtazi - This 2013 is also light and lifted, a hint of orange peel and coffee grounds and cinnamon. The 2014 seems more essential and earthy, some black tea in the finish. Jim W says he's had other '13s from Oregon that also show light but strongly aromatic. Both of these will age nicely but they'll end up in very different places.
Maresh - This 2013 is more substantial than the others and more fruit-forward: cherries and raspberries and a bit of kirsch; later, there's face-powder and a bit of old lady handkerchief. The 2014 is complex, very tactile and mineral; later, it starts to close up.
And when dinner is over, the schmoozing begins in earnest. Lots of Loire wines are opened, quelle surprise (I recall a pour from a really good bottle of Foreau 2008 fizz).
Many thanks to Kelley, Racines NY, and Chambers Street for the lovely evening.
