Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
attendees: Ira, Marc, Brian, Jeff, Jayson, John, Chris
Another gathering at the quiet end of a wine shop in a far-flung side of Manhattan. Don't get me wrong, we're opposite a Lamborghini dealership and there's a Danny Meyer restaurant on the corner. But we are at some remove.
I arrive a half hour after starting time and, don't you know, Ira and Marc have already got the bottles lined up from light to heavy. I guess I'm supposed to work my way from right to left -- they're facing Ira, who is sitting across from me -- so here goes:
J. B. Becker 2013 Wallufer Walkenberg Riesling Spatlese Trocken, Alte Reben - 37030 003 14, 13.5%, tangy, structured, fruitless, this sets a new standard for 'austere'; several people say this is better than most other Becker bottles they've tried but I find this too taut to be at all enjoyable
Dom. Pepiere 2000 Muscadet "Cuvee Eden" - This cuvee is no longer made. Its schisty components have been reassigned partly into the Gras Mouton and partly into the Saint Fiacre bottlings. I find this bottle nice but not distinctive; others like it better... "Pineapple" -Jayson, "Foccaccia" -John
Luneau-Papin 2002 Muscadet "Semper Excelsior" - made from old old vines from Clos des Noelles, this bottle is more attractive... good acidity, flavors are a tad ripe, there is a hint of something else (oak? caramel?)
Marco Carpineti 2017 Bianco "Capolemole" - IGT Bellone, hand-carried, anise and turmeric, this is rich and boldly yellow-fruity, we all like; on Days 2 and 3 this continues strong, heading even vaguely towards creamsicle flavors
Pascal Henriot 2017 Coteaux de Champlitte - shy at first, but then bursts into a floral mid-palate, strong in the nose but plays nicely with food
Oikonomoy 2012 Sitia White VQPRD - the maker is transliterated "Econemou", vilana 70% thrapsathiri 30%, wine from Crete, released only when the maker thinks it is ready, juicy, perhaps very slightly ox'ed but nice texture, bring on the seafood
O. Horiot 2013 Rose des Riceys "En Valingrain" - palest red, potent nose, red fruit and baby aspirin, just-so astringency, wow bottle
Lapierre 2000 Beaujolais "Le Cambon" - this is a single vineyard bottling of very old vines at Ch. Cambon (J-C Chanudet), but, alas, this bottle of it is corked
Balagny 2016 Fleurie "En Remont" - wine from the eponymous parcel (but blended in this year with some juice from another nearby parcel), "peppers and pickle juice" -Jayson, great nose, almost like a Chinon (but less aggressively green), palate is a bit flat so overall good but does not persuade me to buy
Ceritas 2013 Pinot Noir, Hellanthal Vineyard - strange thing: the pinot flavors are charmingly cherry-berry but the finish stings way above its 12.5%, meh
Bernard Gripa 2016 Saint-Joseph - taut, earthy, dry and drying, seems really good but desperately young and hard to evaluate, do not disturb for 5-10 years
Ravenswood 1991 Merlot "Sangiacomo" - great Right-Bank nose, tobacco and orange peel, my only complaint is it is a little thin on the palate, perhaps had they blended a bit of that other common stuff (I think it's cab) into it?
Ch. Montelena 2000 Petite Sirah - "Barrel 95-146, Specially Selected by Sherry-Lehman on Friday, May 17, 2002", TANNINS, STRUCTURE, FRUITLESS, quite the bookend to the Becker
While we're here we may as well taste the store's pours:
Maccario Dringenberg 2017 Dolceacqua "Luvaira" - What kind of an Italian name is Dringenberg? anyway, this is reduced, skinny, OK by the boatload, if you catch my drift
Bedrock 2017 Old Vines Zinfandel - 14.4%, hot, sweet, "Tutti-frutti and hot" -Jayson
Luneau-Papin 2017 Muscadet "L d'Or" "Granite" - great wine, stony, stern but with a little fruit, bring on the shellfish!
As always, many thanks to Marc for hosting us.
Another gathering at the quiet end of a wine shop in a far-flung side of Manhattan. Don't get me wrong, we're opposite a Lamborghini dealership and there's a Danny Meyer restaurant on the corner. But we are at some remove.
I arrive a half hour after starting time and, don't you know, Ira and Marc have already got the bottles lined up from light to heavy. I guess I'm supposed to work my way from right to left -- they're facing Ira, who is sitting across from me -- so here goes:
J. B. Becker 2013 Wallufer Walkenberg Riesling Spatlese Trocken, Alte Reben - 37030 003 14, 13.5%, tangy, structured, fruitless, this sets a new standard for 'austere'; several people say this is better than most other Becker bottles they've tried but I find this too taut to be at all enjoyable
Dom. Pepiere 2000 Muscadet "Cuvee Eden" - This cuvee is no longer made. Its schisty components have been reassigned partly into the Gras Mouton and partly into the Saint Fiacre bottlings. I find this bottle nice but not distinctive; others like it better... "Pineapple" -Jayson, "Foccaccia" -John
Luneau-Papin 2002 Muscadet "Semper Excelsior" - made from old old vines from Clos des Noelles, this bottle is more attractive... good acidity, flavors are a tad ripe, there is a hint of something else (oak? caramel?)
Marco Carpineti 2017 Bianco "Capolemole" - IGT Bellone, hand-carried, anise and turmeric, this is rich and boldly yellow-fruity, we all like; on Days 2 and 3 this continues strong, heading even vaguely towards creamsicle flavors
Pascal Henriot 2017 Coteaux de Champlitte - shy at first, but then bursts into a floral mid-palate, strong in the nose but plays nicely with food
Oikonomoy 2012 Sitia White VQPRD - the maker is transliterated "Econemou", vilana 70% thrapsathiri 30%, wine from Crete, released only when the maker thinks it is ready, juicy, perhaps very slightly ox'ed but nice texture, bring on the seafood
O. Horiot 2013 Rose des Riceys "En Valingrain" - palest red, potent nose, red fruit and baby aspirin, just-so astringency, wow bottle
Lapierre 2000 Beaujolais "Le Cambon" - this is a single vineyard bottling of very old vines at Ch. Cambon (J-C Chanudet), but, alas, this bottle of it is corked
Balagny 2016 Fleurie "En Remont" - wine from the eponymous parcel (but blended in this year with some juice from another nearby parcel), "peppers and pickle juice" -Jayson, great nose, almost like a Chinon (but less aggressively green), palate is a bit flat so overall good but does not persuade me to buy
Ceritas 2013 Pinot Noir, Hellanthal Vineyard - strange thing: the pinot flavors are charmingly cherry-berry but the finish stings way above its 12.5%, meh
Bernard Gripa 2016 Saint-Joseph - taut, earthy, dry and drying, seems really good but desperately young and hard to evaluate, do not disturb for 5-10 years
Ravenswood 1991 Merlot "Sangiacomo" - great Right-Bank nose, tobacco and orange peel, my only complaint is it is a little thin on the palate, perhaps had they blended a bit of that other common stuff (I think it's cab) into it?
Ch. Montelena 2000 Petite Sirah - "Barrel 95-146, Specially Selected by Sherry-Lehman on Friday, May 17, 2002", TANNINS, STRUCTURE, FRUITLESS, quite the bookend to the Becker
While we're here we may as well taste the store's pours:
Maccario Dringenberg 2017 Dolceacqua "Luvaira" - What kind of an Italian name is Dringenberg? anyway, this is reduced, skinny, OK by the boatload, if you catch my drift
Bedrock 2017 Old Vines Zinfandel - 14.4%, hot, sweet, "Tutti-frutti and hot" -Jayson
Luneau-Papin 2017 Muscadet "L d'Or" "Granite" - great wine, stony, stern but with a little fruit, bring on the shellfish!
As always, many thanks to Marc for hosting us.