Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
Five makers say howdy to NYC. I believe these are all European Cellars imports and Jon-David Headrick Selections.
Michel Delhommeau: Muscadet
Placed right by the door so he gets a cold blast every time the door opens (and it's busy in here so it's pretty drafty). And the poor guy speaks almost no English. We get along on my wine-inflected French but it ain't easy.
Famille Delhommeau 2015 Muscadet "Vignes St-Vincent" - young vines, clean, well-made, typique, yeah
Famille Delhommeau 2011 Muscadet "Harmonie" - older vines, adding some waxy-cheesey interest, I'd like to try this again in 2-3 years
Charlotte Carsin: Anjou
I think her husband, Thomas, was there, too, but he wanted her to do the talking.
Clos de l'Elu 2015 Anjou Blanc "Ephata" - old vines, so great substance, but it's 15% chenin made in amphora, no
Clos de l'Elu 2015 Anjou Rouge "L'Aiglerie" - older vines, this is 12.5% cab franc, bright, pure, delicious, yes
AND she has a pineau d'aunis varietal, "L'Esperance", coming in a few months (it’s her baby)
Thierry Michon: Fiefs-Vendeens
A cheerful guy who, I think, enjoys the wine and isn't terribly worried whether anyone else does.
Dom. Saint Nicolas 2017 "Gammes en May" - incredibly fragrant gamay, rather ordinary in the mouth however
Dom. Saint Nicolas 2017 Pinot Noir - yup
Damien Laureau: Savennieres
Serious and talkative (and excellent English so we can discuss soil a bit more).
Damien Laureau 2013 Savennieres "La Petite Roche" - the young vines cuvee (seriously... 3 yrs old!), does not taste particularly much like Savennieres but it does have really good cut and juiciness
Damien Laureau 2013 Savennieres "Les Genets" - the middle-aged vines cuvee, this has pronounced Savennieres character
Damien Laureau 2013 Savennieres "Le Bel Ouvrage" - older vines from a micro-schist outcropping near Epire, also not much Savennieres character but really good minerality, interesting on its own
Claude Riffault: Sancerre
Another focused and serious vigneron, aware that the whole world has heard of Sancerre.
Claude Riffault 2017 Sancerre Blanc "Les Boucauds" - this is the main vineyard (approximately half the domain), very Sancerre with an insistent nose but more accommodating in the mouth, good
Claude Riffault 2014 Sancerre Rouge "La Noue" - pinot noir, of course, zesty and mid-weight, decent complexity, too
Michel Delhommeau: Muscadet
Placed right by the door so he gets a cold blast every time the door opens (and it's busy in here so it's pretty drafty). And the poor guy speaks almost no English. We get along on my wine-inflected French but it ain't easy.
Famille Delhommeau 2015 Muscadet "Vignes St-Vincent" - young vines, clean, well-made, typique, yeah
Famille Delhommeau 2011 Muscadet "Harmonie" - older vines, adding some waxy-cheesey interest, I'd like to try this again in 2-3 years
Charlotte Carsin: Anjou
I think her husband, Thomas, was there, too, but he wanted her to do the talking.
Clos de l'Elu 2015 Anjou Blanc "Ephata" - old vines, so great substance, but it's 15% chenin made in amphora, no
Clos de l'Elu 2015 Anjou Rouge "L'Aiglerie" - older vines, this is 12.5% cab franc, bright, pure, delicious, yes
AND she has a pineau d'aunis varietal, "L'Esperance", coming in a few months (it’s her baby)
Thierry Michon: Fiefs-Vendeens
A cheerful guy who, I think, enjoys the wine and isn't terribly worried whether anyone else does.
Dom. Saint Nicolas 2017 "Gammes en May" - incredibly fragrant gamay, rather ordinary in the mouth however
Dom. Saint Nicolas 2017 Pinot Noir - yup
Damien Laureau: Savennieres
Serious and talkative (and excellent English so we can discuss soil a bit more).
Damien Laureau 2013 Savennieres "La Petite Roche" - the young vines cuvee (seriously... 3 yrs old!), does not taste particularly much like Savennieres but it does have really good cut and juiciness
Damien Laureau 2013 Savennieres "Les Genets" - the middle-aged vines cuvee, this has pronounced Savennieres character
Damien Laureau 2013 Savennieres "Le Bel Ouvrage" - older vines from a micro-schist outcropping near Epire, also not much Savennieres character but really good minerality, interesting on its own
Claude Riffault: Sancerre
Another focused and serious vigneron, aware that the whole world has heard of Sancerre.
Claude Riffault 2017 Sancerre Blanc "Les Boucauds" - this is the main vineyard (approximately half the domain), very Sancerre with an insistent nose but more accommodating in the mouth, good
Claude Riffault 2014 Sancerre Rouge "La Noue" - pinot noir, of course, zesty and mid-weight, decent complexity, too