Wined and Dined

My aunt was in town over the weekend, perfect opportunity to open up some fun wine. Dinner was couscous with mixed vegetable "stew", creamed sweet potatoes, roasted beets with feta, apple-fennel-mint salad, grilled asparagus, merguez (harissa-spiced lamb sausages) and lemon-chicken kebabs. For dessert, a Malaysian mung-bean congee, made with coconut milk and palm sugar. A feast!

2007 Domaine de la Pépière (Marc Ollivier) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine - crisp, tangy, salty, tart, and delicious. Perfect for getting into a cooking mood.



N.V. André Clouet Champagne Brut Rosé - J.F.'s ancestors were print-makers, and the tradition has stuck, the various bottlings are variations on this theme. Our favorite pink sparkler.



1999 Movia Puro Rose - with the lees, immediate taste is a bit confused, bitter, but creamy. Opens up later with lots of apricot/peach aromas, minerality, quinine, good body and well balanced by the acidity. yum. I'm also getting a sneaky suspicion that I might be mildly allergic to the lees... last two times I've had more than a glass or two of this, I've awoken in very poor shape. Worth it, but will be more careful next time.



2004 Melusine Lyra Gruner Veltliner Lyra (14%) - holy smokes... Beautiful nose, apples, lemon, that smell of a freshly washed bunch of Thompson grapes, cauliflower, lentil, a light whiff of smoke. Wonderful concentration and balance, broad, silky, oily, but simply lovely acidity to match. Clean, springwater, lemon juice and stones, with a lovely pepper bitter bite to finish. Superb. Not as angular as, say, the 07 Prager Stockkultur, but every bit as satisfying. I loved this, absolutely. The cork, by the by, is emblazoned with a very tarty mermaid, probably the siren's friend.



1986 Chateau Musar Rouge - clear rusty/ruby colour, some brown tones, but healthy looking. On the nose, only lightly lifted, beef broth tones, some roasted/nutty notes and a touch of brown sugar. On the palate, round, spicy, exciting, very sanguine, sweet, deep, delicious. Soft tannins, but still quite alive, very nice balance, medium-bodied and good length. Not as complex as the '88, much more animal. Disappeared quickly. R. passed, naturally.



1982 Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge - Dark garnet colour, very youthful looking. No VA or brett, but not aromatically challenged - red berries, plum, tomato leaf, and clay. Tannins are smooth but full (these are v.tannic on release), delicious spiciness, medium bodied, good balance, rich but not thick or sweet, elegant yet feisty, and an interesting spiced finish of anise and cinnamon.



Freihof Marille Edelbrand - Tuesday's experience reminded me that I've been ignoring these bottles for too long, so it was the perfect opportunity. The nose is a bit terrifying, because it certainly smells strong, but oh, so smooth, with spot on sweet fruit. <img alt="group" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/SkkjN_p_9kI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/Mfl5ygfdx9E/s400/IMGP0937.JPG" width="400"><br />My aunt was in town over the weekend, perfect opportunity to open up some fun wine<span class="fullpost">. Dinner was couscous with mixed vegetable "stew", creamed sweet potatoes, roasted beets with feta, apple-fennel-mint salad, grilled asparagus, merguez (harissa-spiced lamb sausages) and lemon-chicken kebabs. For dessert, a Malaysian mung-bean congee, made with coconut milk and palm sugar. A feast!<br /><br /><b>2007 Domaine de la Pépière (Marc Ollivier) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine</b> - crisp, tangy, salty, tart, and delicious. Perfect for getting into a cooking mood.<br /><br /><br /><img alt="clouet rose" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/Skkk_UwpK3I/AAAAAAAAAQ8/NaHUZH9clGU/s400/IMGP0955.JPG" width="400"><br /><b>N.V. André Clouet Champagne Brut Rosé</b> - J.F.'s ancestors were print-makers, and the tradition has stuck, the various bottlings are variations on this theme. Our favorite pink sparkler.<br /><br /><br /><img alt="movia puro" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/Skkk_hWwaBI/AAAAAAAAARE/Rp4OKbl6G80/s400/IMGP0952.JPG" width="400"><br /><b>1999 Movia Puro Rose</b> - with the lees, immediate taste is a bit confused, bitter, but creamy. Opens up later with lots of apricot/peach aromas, minerality, quinine, good body and well balanced by the acidity. yum. I'm also getting a sneaky suspicion that I might be mildly allergic to the lees... last two times I've had more than a glass or two of this, I've awoken in very poor shape. Worth it, but will be more careful next time.<br /><br /><br /><img alt="melusine" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/Skkk_-edCLI/AAAAAAAAARM/XNRf3Lrqx58/s400/IMGP0949.JPG" width="400"><br /><b>2004 Melusine Lyra Gruner Veltliner Lyra</b> (14%) - holy smokes... Beautiful nose, apples, lemon, that smell of a freshly washed bunch of Thompson grapes, cauliflower, lentil, a light whiff of smoke. Wonderful concentration and balance, broad, silky, oily, but simply lovely acidity to match. Clean, springwater, lemon juice and stones, with a lovely pepper bitter bite to finish. Superb. Not as angular as, say, the 07 Prager Stockkultur, but every bit as satisfying. I loved this, absolutely. The cork, by the by, is emblazoned with a very tarty mermaid, probably the siren's friend.<br /><br /><br /><img alt="Musar" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/SkklAIq54dI/AAAAAAAAARU/1XFacqKoHII/s400/IMGP0953.JPG" width="400"><br /><b>1986 Chateau Musar Rouge</b> - clear rusty/ruby colour, some brown tones, but healthy looking. On the nose, only lightly lifted, beef broth tones, some roasted/nutty notes and a touch of brown sugar. On the palate, round, spicy, exciting, very sanguine, sweet, deep, delicious. Soft tannins, but still quite alive, very nice balance, medium-bodied and good length. Not as complex as the '88, much more animal. Disappeared quickly. R. passed, naturally. <br /><br /><br /><img alt="gassac" border="0" height="250" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/SkknhjmiijI/AAAAAAAAAR0/gZx24tCsQA0/s400/IMGP0950.JPG"> <img alt="daumas" border="0" height="250" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/Skknh9ISGfI/AAAAAAAAAR8/bkw2wDScMGc/s400/IMGP0951.JPG"><br /><b>1982 Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge</b> - Dark garnet colour, very youthful looking. No VA or brett, but not aromatically challenged - red berries, plum, tomato leaf, and clay. Tannins are smooth but full (these are v.tannic on release), delicious spiciness, medium bodied, good balance, rich but not thick or sweet, elegant yet feisty, and an interesting spiced finish of anise and cinnamon.<br /><br /><br /><img alt="edelbrand" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/SkkmQYVIBzI/AAAAAAAAARs/pRPPJw-8Yog/s400/IMGP0959.JPG" width="400"><br /><b>Freihof Marille Edelbrand</b> - Tuesday's experience reminded me that I've been ignoring these bottles for too long, so it was the perfect opportunity. The nose is a bit terrifying, because it certainly smells strong, but oh, so smooth, with spot on sweet fruit.</span>

Tuesdays in the City

Was invited by a friend to attend a trade tasting in New York yesterday, focus was on Champagne, Germany, Austria and Spain. A great scene, some interesting wines, and a chance to meet more than a handful of (mostly Austrian) winemakers. Even better was being invited to join the hosts and winemakers for dinner at Braeburn in the Village. A tremendous afternoon/night out.


CHAMPAGNE

THE standout wine for me here was the N.V. Pehu-Simonet Selection Brut, savoury nose, dry but wildly exotic, carnivalesque palate. Other wines I enjoyed were the N.V. Henri Goutorbe Rosé from Aÿ (bright red fruit, silky but well structured and balanced), the 2003 Pierre Gimonnet Cuvée Paraodoxe (intriguing notes of cinnamon and vanilla, but zero oak), and the Marc Hébrart wines.

There were three "blanc des blancs" with particular verve - the N.V. Marc Hébrart (surprising body), the N.V. Jean Milan Spéciale Brut (juicier), and especially the N.V. René Geoffroy Cuvée Voluptée, which had an alluringly sexy and musky palate to spite its completely restrained nose.


HUNGARY (yeah, a couple, and it all used to be part of Austria, right?)

Pannonhalmi Apatsagi - the Tricollis white reminded me a bit of Heidi Schröck's furmint wines. The rosé is also very decent, both are under $100/cs wholesale. Will have to see if I can figure out what the standard retail markup is.

Kreinbacher - organic, aged in Hungarian oak. The Oreg Tökék is a blend of Welschriesling, Furmint, and Hárslevelű, which again reminds me of Schröck - waxy, woolen, and lanolin, dry, with interesting spicy/gingery elements.


GERMANY - I tried a couple of things in the closing minutes, but mostly drank these at dinner when I had ceased taking notes... Donnhoffs, Reuscher-Haart, Meulenhof, Geil, Kruger-Rumpf... not my speed, at all. The only wine that I enjoyed was the '08 Schlossgut Diel Goldloch Kabinett.


AUSTRIA - overall impression, the '08 rieslings/g.v.'s are very much all over the place. Don't know if it is simply youth or what, but there was a lot of "cidery" action going on, especially for Lower Austria (Wachau/Kamptal), not always the most pleasant thing. Case in point, the '07 Hiedler Thal, which I think is just about everything G.V. should be... for me, the '08 isn't even a pale shadow of it...

Heidi Schröck - The '08's are intriguing. The Weissburgunder was nutty, musty, weissbier-ish, soft but bitter. The Furmint was more astringent, quinine, stony, lemon jelly, shrimp shells, and woolen. But the Muscat was the winner for me... toasted caraway on the nose, not at all sweet, savoury and delicious.

Prieler - The Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay were both too fat and sweet for me. The Blaufränkisch was very reasonable, done in a juicy, lighter, non-inky style which is appealing, had a touch of broth and pepper. Not a hugely characterful wine, but tasty.

Lehrner - 3 '07 Blaufränkisch's presented, and I think each well done, in a very approachable, easy style. The St. Laurent was also in a very light style, but also an '08, so not quite sure what to make of it. It actually reminded me a lot of the Prieler Blaufränkisch. Given the stylistic approach of the latter, it kind of makes sense.

Sattler - Erich Sattler told me that he goes for "soft" wines, and that is exactly what he's made. Not a fan. For me, only the '06 St. Laurent "Reserve" had redeeming qualities.

Glatzer - sadly, didn't make it to his table in time.

Ecker - ditto

Schwarzböck - from the Weinvierttel, for me probably the most consistent '08 G.V.'s - I would buy/drink any of these, especially the Kirchberg - bitter and angry, earthy yet creamy and staunch acidity. The '08 Riesling Pöcken was also good, dry, well-fruited and balanced, with only a touch of cider (I'm hearing that this is a result of a wet, but not hot season, which led to more botrytis, but not so much concentration).

Setzer - Another successful batch of '08 G.V.s from the Weinviertel, and a nice, clean, restrained '08 Riesling as well, but I think his Roter Veltliner was the best in class.

Berger - yet another table I couldn't get to.

Nigl - found their sekt to be too grapey for my tastes. The '08 Kremser Freiheit G.V. had classical proportions, but a touch of the cider bringing it down. The Privat also seemed a bit off to me, and the prices have really climbed. I thought the two '08 rieslings in a better, cleaner place.

Salomon - friendly husband and wife team here, I think I just like Austrian winemakers. An excellent lineup of '08's, across the board. I would totally buy Salomon Undhof in 2008.

Willi Bründlmayer - I did skip over this table, Willi wasn't there and I figured I'd just had most of these. Now I'm slightly kicking myself, I should have checked out the '08's, and I'm hearing after the fact that his Zweigelt Rosé was excellent.

Schloss Gobelsburg - a slight consolation is that I tasted heavily on S.G., so if WilliB's imprint is here, then, ok, good. I think the '08' Rieslings and G.V.'s here are for the most part clean and classical, especially the rieslings. I especially liked the Riesling "Gobelsburger". I found the G.V. Steinsetz a touch sweet/flabby, and even the regular G.V. "Gobelsburger" a touch exotic, but still pretty nice. The Zweigelt was...

Hiedler - I thought the '08 G.V. Loess superior to the Thal (cider was distracting), though it too was a bit sweet. Both rieslings had the cider, with the Urgestein also being on the soft side. The Heiligenstein Reserve was a better drop, easily. The '07 Weissburgunder was intriguing, apply and bitter, but the level of complexity was not Schröcking.

Hirsch - Didn't much care for the wines, I though the G.V.'s a let down. The '07 Lamm has been classified as half-dry, the '08 Heiligenstein was flabby. So was the '08 Riesling Zöbing, and the '07 Riesling Heiligenstein was so sweet, that it's been classified as somewhere between halbtrocken and auslese (something called "lieblich", approximately equivalent to molleux). She also poured the '06 and '07 Riesling Gaisberg, which I thought were both far superior to anything else on the table. Given the choice, I'd go with the drier, crisper '06.

Alzinger - oof... too much cider on the '08 G.V.'s, the '08 Riesling Hollerin Smaragd was soft. Not this time, thank you.

Nikolaihof - These guys, biodynamic, don't produce anything in the lower reaches of the price scale (just like our BD friends at Prager). The G.V. Hefeabzug has a very nice petrichor note along with smoky savoury grilled squid notes, which is just very interesting. Not for everyone. The more expensive wines were, well, more expensive, but not better, to my taste. I though the '08 Riesling Vom Stein Federspiel very pretty to smell, but a bit flabby.

Reisetbauer - an Austrian maker of eau du vie, or as they call them in Austria, obstbrand - distinguished from schnapps in that it must be distilled from 100% fruit (or vegetable). We have a couple of bottles at home from Freihof, a marillen (Austrian apricot) and a raspberry, so this was a fun tasting.

- carrot - not the garden carrots, but the less sweet animal feed carrots. The right choice I think, this was a really great spirit, carrot greens and vegetal sweetness.

- wild cherry - flavour and aroma was right on, but maybe too right on, felt so correct as to be impossibly so.

- blue gin - complex, and an amaxing note of nutmeg fruit (not the seed, not the fibrous netting around the seed (mace), but the actual fruit)

- rowanberry - these are apparently toxic raw, but quite ok when cooked or distilled. It really drank well, in full 3-D - tasted like you could feel berry flesh and little seed textures. Interesting stuff, very expensive (about $100 for a 375ml bottle). It was flowing like water at the end of dinner.

- ginger - wow! This was like a Thai curry in a glass. Galangal (that thick, not so strong Thai/Malaysian ginger, but apparently this is actually some Chinese ginger which is flown from China at exorbitent cost). With lemongrass and coconut milk highlights. Yum!


SPAIN - I wasn't planning on tasting any of the Spanish wines, but I was getting fatigued and I did need a break. It was short, I promise. Most of these came my way at dinner anyways... if only I'd known, I'd have finished off the Austrians.

La Rioja Alta - the '04 Viña Alberdi was nicely lifted, a bit of funk, and quite elegant. The 2000 Viña Ardanza was a bit smokier and bigger, but very tight and tannic. Needs some cuddling and naps. The '97 Gran Reserva 904 was very delicious indeed, elegant. The '94 Gran Reserva 890 was a touch more savoury, nice soy and umami notes, I liked this even better.

2005 Clos Martinet Priorat - strange paint smells, like shellac, with broth and mud. Bretty and something vaguely chemical. Weird.

2006 Clos Mogador Priorat - nice nose, smoky, funk, brett, red fruit and a splash of vanilla, on the palate good umami and spice to go with the fruit. Of the CM's I've had, I'm liking this one best right now.

2003 & 2004 Mauro Tudela del Duero Terreus - big and full and plush, with some spice and so on. Very in your face.

2006 Pintia Toro - interesting nose, red fruit with that barbecued red Chinese sausage and vanilla notes. Very tannic right now, can't see the forest for the trees, but tasty fruit lurking about and nice acidity, dark elements and alcohol well contained. Or beaten with sticks.

2005 Alion - everything you'd expect - red/black fruit and oak, medium bodied, nice structure, tasty, but I wasn't overwhelmed. U.S. prices for this are absurd

1999 Vega Sicilia Unica - had this at dinner, elegant perfume, silky mouthfeel, minerality, plush dark fruit, but light and elegant. Very delicious. For $400, it ought to be.

There were a few others that also came round at dinner which for the life of my I can't place a note for... the '06 Finca Torremilanos Cyclo, for example... I know it was there in front of me... Was invited by a friend to attend a trade tasting in New York yesterday, focus was on Champagne, Germany, Austria and Spain. A great scene, some interesting wines, and a chance to meet more than a handful of (mostly Austrian) winemakers<span class="fullpost">. Even better was being invited to join the hosts and winemakers for dinner at Braeburn in the Village. A tremendous afternoon/night out.<br /><br /><br /><b>CHAMPAGNE</b><br /><br />THE standout wine for me here was the <b>N.V. Pehu-Simonet Selection Brut</b>, savoury nose, dry but wildly exotic, carnivalesque palate. Other wines I enjoyed were the <b>N.V. Henri Goutorbe Rosé</b> from Aÿ (bright red fruit, silky but well structured and balanced), the <b>2003 Pierre Gimonnet Cuvée Paraodoxe</b> (intriguing notes of cinnamon and vanilla, but zero oak), and the Marc Hébrart wines.<br /><br />There were three "blanc des blancs" with particular verve - the <b>N.V. Marc Hébrart</b> (surprising body), the <b>N.V. Jean Milan Spéciale Brut</b> (juicier), and especially the <b>N.V. René Geoffroy Cuvée Voluptée</b>, which had an alluringly sexy and musky palate to spite its completely restrained nose.<br /><br /><br /><b>HUNGARY</b> (yeah, a couple, and it all used to be part of Austria, right?)<br /><br /><b>Pannonhalmi Apatsagi</b> - the Tricollis white reminded me a bit of Heidi Schröck's furmint wines. The rosé is also very decent, both are under $100/cs wholesale. Will have to see if I can figure out what the standard retail markup is.<br /><br /><b>Kreinbacher</b> - organic, aged in Hungarian oak. The <b>Oreg Tökék</b> is a blend of Welschriesling, Furmint, and Hárslevelű, which again reminds me of Schröck - waxy, woolen, and lanolin, dry, with interesting spicy/gingery elements.<br /><br /><br /><b>GERMANY</b> - I tried a couple of things in the closing minutes, but mostly drank these at dinner when I had ceased taking notes... Donnhoffs, Reuscher-Haart, Meulenhof, Geil, Kruger-Rumpf... not my speed, at all. The only wine that I enjoyed was the '08 Schlossgut Diel Goldloch Kabinett.<br /><br /><br /><b>AUSTRIA</b> - overall impression, the '08 rieslings/g.v.'s are very much all over the place. Don't know if it is simply youth or what, but there was a lot of "cidery" action going on, especially for Lower Austria (Wachau/Kamptal), not always the most pleasant thing. Case in point, the '07 Hiedler Thal, which I think is just about everything G.V. should be... for me, the '08 isn't even a pale shadow of it... <br /><br /><b>Heidi Schröck</b> - The '08's are intriguing. The Weissburgunder was nutty, musty, weissbier-ish, soft but bitter. The Furmint was more astringent, quinine, stony, lemon jelly, shrimp shells, and woolen. But the Muscat was the winner for me... toasted caraway on the nose, not at all sweet, savoury and delicious.<br /><br /><b>Prieler</b> - The Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay were both too fat and sweet for me. The Blaufränkisch was very reasonable, done in a juicy, lighter, non-inky style which is appealing, had a touch of broth and pepper. Not a hugely characterful wine, but tasty.<br /><br /><b>Lehrner</b> - 3 '07 Blaufränkisch's presented, and I think each well done, in a very approachable, easy style. The St. Laurent was also in a very light style, but also an '08, so not quite sure what to make of it. It actually reminded me a lot of the Prieler Blaufränkisch. Given the stylistic approach of the latter, it kind of makes sense.<br /><br /><b>Sattler</b> - Erich Sattler told me that he goes for "soft" wines, and that is exactly what he's made. Not a fan. For me, only the '06 St. Laurent "Reserve" had redeeming qualities.<br /><br /><b>Glatzer</b> - sadly, didn't make it to his table in time.<br /><br /><b>Ecker</b> - ditto<br /><br /><b>Schwarzböck</b> - from the Weinvierttel, for me probably the most consistent '08 G.V.'s - I would buy/drink any of these, especially the Kirchberg - bitter and angry, earthy yet creamy and staunch acidity. The '08 Riesling Pöcken was also good, dry, well-fruited and balanced, with only a touch of cider (I'm hearing that this is a result of a wet, but not hot season, which led to more botrytis, but not so much concentration).<br /><br /><b>Setzer</b> - Another successful batch of '08 G.V.s from the Weinviertel, and a nice, clean, restrained '08 Riesling as well, but I think his Roter Veltliner was the best in class.<br /><br /><b>Berger</b> - yet another table I couldn't get to.<br /><br /><b>Nigl</b> - found their sekt to be too grapey for my tastes. The '08 Kremser Freiheit G.V. had classical proportions, but a touch of the cider bringing it down. The Privat also seemed a bit off to me, and the prices have really climbed. I thought the two '08 rieslings in a better, cleaner place.<br /><br /><b>Salomon</b> - friendly husband and wife team here, I think I just like Austrian winemakers. An excellent lineup of '08's, across the board. I would totally buy Salomon Undhof in 2008.<br /><br /><b>Willi Bründlmayer</b> - I did skip over this table, Willi wasn't there and I figured I'd just had most of these. Now I'm slightly kicking myself, I should have checked out the '08's, and I'm hearing after the fact that his Zweigelt Rosé was excellent.<br /><br /><b>Schloss Gobelsburg</b> - a slight consolation is that I tasted heavily on S.G., so if WilliB's imprint is here, then, ok, good. I think the '08' Rieslings and G.V.'s here are for the most part clean and classical, especially the rieslings. I especially liked the Riesling "Gobelsburger". I found the G.V. Steinsetz a touch sweet/flabby, and even the regular G.V. "Gobelsburger" a touch exotic, but still pretty nice. The Zweigelt was... <yawn><br /><br /><b>Hiedler</b> - I thought the '08 G.V. Loess superior to the Thal (cider was distracting), though it too was a bit sweet. Both rieslings had the cider, with the Urgestein also being on the soft side. The Heiligenstein Reserve was a better drop, easily. The '07 Weissburgunder was intriguing, apply and bitter, but the level of complexity was not Schröcking.<br /><br /><b>Hirsch</b> - Didn't much care for the wines, I though the G.V.'s a let down. The '07 Lamm has been classified as half-dry, the '08 Heiligenstein was flabby. So was the '08 Riesling Zöbing, and the '07 Riesling Heiligenstein was so sweet, that it's been classified as somewhere between halbtrocken and auslese (something called "lieblich", approximately equivalent to <i>molleux</i>). She also poured the '06 and '07 Riesling Gaisberg, which I thought were both far superior to anything else on the table. Given the choice, I'd go with the drier, crisper '06.<br /><br /><b>Alzinger</b> - oof... too much cider on the '08 G.V.'s, the '08 Riesling Hollerin Smaragd was soft. Not this time, thank you.<br /><br /><b>Nikolaihof</b> - These guys, biodynamic, don't produce anything in the lower reaches of the price scale (just like our BD friends at Prager). The G.V. Hefeabzug has a very nice petrichor note along with smoky savoury grilled squid notes, which is just very interesting. Not for everyone. The more expensive wines were, well, more expensive, but not better, to my taste. I though the '08 Riesling Vom Stein Federspiel very pretty to smell, but a bit flabby.<br /><br /><b>Reisetbauer</b> - an Austrian maker of <i>eau du vie</i>, or as they call them in Austria, <i>obstbrand</i> - distinguished from schnapps in that it must be distilled from 100% fruit (or vegetable). We have a couple of bottles at home from Freihof, a <i>marillen</i> (Austrian apricot) and a raspberry, so this was a fun tasting.<br /><br />- <b>carrot</b> - not the garden carrots, but the less sweet animal feed carrots. The right choice I think, this was a really great spirit, carrot greens and vegetal sweetness.<br /><br />- <b>wild cherry</b> - flavour and aroma was right on, but maybe too right on, felt so correct as to be impossibly so.<br /><br />- <b>blue gin</b> - complex, and an amaxing note of nutmeg fruit (not the seed, not the fibrous netting around the seed (mace), but the actual fruit)<br /><br />- <b>rowanberry</b> - these are apparently toxic raw, but quite ok when cooked or distilled. It really drank well, in full 3-D - tasted like you could feel berry flesh and little seed textures. Interesting stuff, very expensive (about $100 for a 375ml bottle). It was flowing like water at the end of dinner.<br /><br />- <b>ginger</b> - wow! This was like a Thai curry in a glass. Galangal (that thick, not so strong Thai/Malaysian ginger, but apparently this is actually some Chinese ginger which is flown from China at exorbitent cost). With lemongrass and coconut milk highlights. Yum!<br /><br /><br /><b>SPAIN</b> - I wasn't planning on tasting any of the Spanish wines, but I was getting fatigued and I did need a break. It was short, I promise. Most of these came my way at dinner anyways... if only I'd known, I'd have finished off the Austrians.<br /><br /><b>La Rioja Alta</b> - the '04 Viña Alberdi was nicely lifted, a bit of funk, and quite elegant. The 2000 Viña Ardanza was a bit smokier and bigger, but very tight and tannic. Needs some cuddling and naps. The '97 Gran Reserva 904 was very delicious indeed, elegant. The '94 Gran Reserva 890 was a touch more savoury, nice soy and umami notes, I liked this even better.<br /><br /><b>2005 Clos Martinet Priorat</b> - strange paint smells, like shellac, with broth and mud. Bretty and something vaguely chemical. Weird.<br /><br /><b>2006 Clos Mogador Priorat</b> - nice nose, smoky, funk, brett, red fruit and a splash of vanilla, on the palate good umami and spice to go with the fruit. Of the CM's I've had, I'm liking this one best right now.<br /><br /><b>2003 & 2004 Mauro Tudela del Duero Terreus</b> - big and full and plush, with some spice and so on. Very in your face.<br /><br /><b>2006 Pintia Toro</b> - interesting nose, red fruit with that barbecued red Chinese sausage and vanilla notes. Very tannic right now, can't see the forest for the trees, but tasty fruit lurking about and nice acidity, dark elements and alcohol well contained. Or beaten with sticks.<br /><br /><b>2005 Alion</b> - everything you'd expect - red/black fruit and oak, medium bodied, nice structure, tasty, but I wasn't overwhelmed. U.S. prices for this are absurd<br /><br /><b>1999 Vega Sicilia Unica</b> - had this at dinner, elegant perfume, silky mouthfeel, minerality, plush dark fruit, but light and elegant. Very delicious. For $400, it ought to be.<br /><br />There were a few others that also came round at dinner which for the life of my I can't place a note for... the '06 Finca Torremilanos Cyclo, for example... I know it was there in front of me...</span>

g-sake

Saw this SakeOne/Momokawa product for the first time, had to give it a shot, as in the past we've enjoyed their "Silver" and "Diamond" sake - "g" is an Oregon junmai ginjo genshu, milled to 60%, SMV +3 and a full 18% abv. It is also described as "roughly filtered", which sounds like it might be like a muroka, but not sure. The website for the company doesn't say so, but "g" does sound a bit like a play on jizake.

Sadly, swish packaging, didn't much care for the contents. Nose was good, creamy, rice tones, a bit of melon and some herbal sharpness, with a slight cheesy funk. The palate though just didn't do it for me... smooth entry, with melon and "green" fruit notes, but almost aggressively dry, with a hot, harsh finish.

All this at room temperature. Will give it another go chilled and see if there's any improvement. Right now though, disappointed. <img alt="g-sake" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/Sj2cfs0uP7I/AAAAAAAAAQs/b1tkF769fFA/s400/IMGP1813.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;"><br />Saw this SakeOne/Momokawa product for the first time, had to give it a shot, as in the past we've enjoyed their "Silver" and "Diamond" sake - "g" is an Oregon <i>junmai ginjo genshu</i>, milled to 60%, SMV +3 and a full 18% abv. It is also described as "roughly filtered", which sounds like it might be like a <i>muroka</i>, but not sure. The website for the company doesn't say so, but "g" does sound a bit like a play on <i>jizake</i><span class="fullpost">.<br /><br />Sadly, swish packaging, didn't much care for the contents. Nose was good, creamy, rice tones, a bit of melon and some herbal sharpness, with a slight cheesy funk. The palate though just didn't do it for me... smooth entry, with melon and "green" fruit notes, but almost aggressively dry, with a hot, harsh finish.<br /><br />All this at room temperature. Will give it another go chilled and see if there's any improvement. Right now though, disappointed.</span>

Blum in Rose

A tasting with Dr. Kent Rosenblum. Love that he's a veterinarian (still, occasionally, practicing) and supports animal welfare projects. Not been the biggest fan of all these wines, but we've enjoyed the single-vineyard zinfandels, and we love the charity work.

First off, Dr. Rosenblum is a jovial guy, from Minnesota, full of midwestern spirit and corny jokes. Lots and lots of corny jokes.

2008 "Vintner's Cuvée" Blanc. 73% Chenin Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Viognier. This was offered as a 100% Sauvignon Blanc, so it was rather confusing, as it did not at all conform to type (and rather gave me hope for the varietal). We did arrive late to the tasting, so we didn't get a chance to ask the question. As it turns out... not the case. Nose of apple, whiteflowers, and absolutely no S.B. cat pee or tropicality. On the palate, juicy, a little soft, apple and honey tones. A bit too soft, but probably ideal for a mixed summer crowd.

2006 Chateau La Paws Côte du Bone Blanc, a viognier, roussane, marsanne, sauv. b. and chardonnay blend. Lightly musky nose, apple, mead, musk melon, yellow fruit and dryer sheets. Juicy and lightly sweet, medium acidity, a bit non-descript, but look, it supports animal welfare, and again, I think a crowd pleaser.

2007 "Kathy's Cuvée" Viognier. Kent reckons this should be drunk fresher than this! Oy! Bright nose of apricot, lemon peel, melon, reminds me of some botrytised wines, a bit of mineral and apple cider. Nice bitter entry, apple-y, reminds me a bit of Turkish delight, but very soft.

2006 "Heritage Clone" Petit Sirah. Strong vanilla blueberry milkshake nose, but with a touch of sour cherry, sweaty sock and bacon fat. Rich and thick, soft but drying tannins, a bit of clay/mineral, quite juicy, and the 14.8% is well contained.

N.V. "Vintner's Cuvée XXX". Mostly '06 grapes, this is Rosenblum's biggest seller. 100,000 cases! Lighter nose than recent Rosenblum Zins, bright, red fruits, a bit of stone. On the palate, definitely fruit forward, soft and juicy, with a slightly stemmy, sweet and short finish.

2006 "Contra Costa" Zinfandel, warmer, fruiter nose than the cuvée, a bit warm on the palate, juicy plum and cherry, a bit tighter, with a touch of smoke, and less sweet. Simple but tasty, a little bit of character, and not over the top. A welcome change from earlier vintages, and a notch or two down in alcohol content (14.4%).

2006 "Richard Sauret" Zinfandel. Interesting nose, prune, candied walnuts, raspberry liqueur... palate is rich but not sweet, smooth, full, a red fruit with a touch of blue cheese funk. This is the end of Rosenblum that we like, and again, welcome to see the alcohol content dropping below 15%.

N.V. "Désirée" - a "chocolate" dessert wine, about 19% abv. I did not enjoy this... it really does smell like chocolate, but in a Nestlé Quik sort of way.

Well, there you go. It was a boisterous group of 25 or so people, the wines were ok, but you know what, we like Kent a lot, we chatted a little bit about Feline Leukemia, and we'll probably continue to buy. <img alt="rosenblum" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/SjxsihDt3TI/AAAAAAAAAQk/IntXchbHOjc/s400/Rosenblum+Logo+Web.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 183px;" /><br />A tasting with Dr. Kent Rosenblum. Love that he's a veterinarian (still, occasionally, practicing) and supports animal welfare projects. Not been the biggest fan of all these wines, but we've enjoyed the single-vineyard zinfandels, and we love the charity work<span class="fullpost">.<br /><br />First off, Dr. Rosenblum is a jovial guy, from Minnesota, full of midwestern spirit and corny jokes. Lots and lots of corny jokes.<br /><br /><b>2008 "Vintner's Cuvée" Blanc</b>. 73% Chenin Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Viognier. This was offered as a 100% Sauvignon Blanc, so it was rather confusing, as it did not at all conform to type (and rather gave me hope for the varietal). We did arrive late to the tasting, so we didn't get a chance to ask the question. As it turns out... not the case. Nose of apple, whiteflowers, and absolutely no S.B. cat pee or tropicality. On the palate, juicy, a little soft, apple and honey tones. A bit too soft, but probably ideal for a mixed summer crowd.<br /><br /><b>2006 Chateau La Paws Côte du Bone Blanc</b>, a viognier, roussane, marsanne, sauv. b. and chardonnay blend. Lightly musky nose, apple, mead, musk melon, yellow fruit and dryer sheets. Juicy and lightly sweet, medium acidity, a bit non-descript, but look, it supports animal welfare, and again, I think a crowd pleaser.<br /><br /><b>2007 "Kathy's Cuvée" Viognier</b>. Kent reckons this should be drunk fresher than this! Oy! Bright nose of apricot, lemon peel, melon, reminds me of some botrytised wines, a bit of mineral and apple cider. Nice bitter entry, apple-y, reminds me a bit of Turkish delight, but very soft.<br /><br /><b>2006 "Heritage Clone" Petit Sirah</b>. Strong vanilla blueberry milkshake nose, but with a touch of sour cherry, sweaty sock and bacon fat. Rich and thick, soft but drying tannins, a bit of clay/mineral, quite juicy, and the 14.8% is well contained.<br /><br /><b>N.V. "Vintner's Cuvée XXX"</b>. Mostly '06 grapes, this is Rosenblum's biggest seller. 100,000 cases! Lighter nose than recent Rosenblum Zins, bright, red fruits, a bit of stone. On the palate, definitely fruit forward, soft and juicy, with a slightly stemmy, sweet and short finish.<br /><br /><b>2006 "Contra Costa" Zinfandel</b>, warmer, fruiter nose than the cuvée, a bit warm on the palate, juicy plum and cherry, a bit tighter, with a touch of smoke, and less sweet. Simple but tasty, a little bit of character, and not over the top. A welcome change from earlier vintages, and a notch or two down in alcohol content (14.4%).<br /><br /><b>2006 "Richard Sauret" Zinfandel</b>. Interesting nose, prune, candied walnuts, raspberry liqueur... palate is rich but not sweet, smooth, full, a red fruit with a touch of blue cheese funk. This is the end of Rosenblum that we like, and again, welcome to see the alcohol content dropping below 15%.<br /><br /><b>N.V. "Désirée"</b> - a "chocolate" dessert wine, about 19% abv. I did not enjoy this... it really does smell like chocolate, but in a Nestlé Quik sort of way.<br /><br />Well, there you go. It was a boisterous group of 25 or so people, the wines were ok, but you know what, we like Kent a lot, we chatted a little bit about Feline Leukemia, and we'll probably continue to buy.</span>

Koshi no Hatsuhana Junmai Ginjo [1 Koku - 75]

Koshi no Hatsuhana - "first flowers of Koshi". Brewed by Kanemasu Shuzo in Hokuriku, Niigata Prefecture. Koshi is the old name for the Hokuriku district. A junmai ginjo-shu, gohyakumangoku rice milled to 55%, SMV +3, acidity 1.4, and 15% abv. We've had this a few times, very enjoyable stuff. Pale ginger colour, restrained nose with green rind-y notes and herbality, plus a top-note of cinnamon I don't recall from previous bottles. On the palate, dry, still not fruity, cucumber-water, a touch of citron, good length on the finish, and bitters all over. R. says it's also got hints of pear and melon, but she's always got more insight as to these things. <img alt="koshi no hatsuhana" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/Sjp-fGgiMbI/AAAAAAAAAQc/IE1ARNeB_x0/s400/IMGP1812.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;"><br /><i>Koshi no Hatsuhana</i> - "first flowers of Koshi". Brewed by Kanemasu Shuzo in Hokuriku, Niigata Prefecture. Koshi is the old name for the Hokuriku district. A junmai ginjo-shu, <i>gohyakumangoku</i> rice milled to 55%, SMV +3, acidity 1.4, and 15% abv. We've had this a few times, very enjoyable stuff. Pale ginger colour, restrained nose with green rind-y notes and herbality, plus a top-note of cinnamon I don't recall from previous bottles. On the palate, dry, still not fruity, cucumber-water, a touch of citron, good length on the finish, and bitters all over. R. says it's also got hints of pear and melon, but she's always got more insight as to these things.

Kaishu [1 Koku - 76]

A futsu-shu from Senkin Shuzo in Tochigi Prefecture. SMV +1, acidity 1.7, and 14% abv. Nose is inviting, steamed rice, cream, sweet peaches. Light and simple, sweet springwater, good minerality. The alcohol, even though low, is a bit exposed on the mid-palate, yet curiously this finishes cool and fairly clean, with a touch of woody spice and bitters. R. very much enjoyed this. <img alt="kaishu" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/SjZukkulUFI/AAAAAAAAAQU/Jp2JkacqLDI/s400/IMGP1800.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;"><br />A futsu-shu from <a href="http://www.senkin.co.jp/item.html" target="_blank">Senkin</a> Shuzo in Tochigi Prefecture. SMV +1, acidity 1.7, and 14% abv. Nose is inviting, steamed rice, cream, sweet peaches. Light and simple, sweet springwater, good minerality. The alcohol, even though low, is a bit exposed on the mid-palate, yet curiously this finishes cool and fairly clean, with a touch of woody spice and bitters. R. very much enjoyed this.

Champagne tasting with Paul Goerg (mostly)

Hosted by Mario Rinaldi, Goerg's brand ambassador. My first time trying this Co-operative producer from Vertus. 13 farmers, primarily Premier Cru and some Grand Cru sites, with a strong inclination for Chardonnay. No Pinot Meunier.

While waiting for the session to begin, a methode traditionelle sparkling wine was poured, the N.V. Quartz Reef "Chauvet" from Central Otago in New Zealand. Turns out the wine-maker is one Rudi Bauer, an Austrian who studied winemaking in both Gumpoldskirchen and Bad Kreuznach, sites of two of my more memorable wine experiences. 43:57 PN/Chardonnay. Fresh, "green" nose, green apples, field greens (clover), and sweet tones. On the palate, light toast, crisp and bright, but also juicy and lightly sweet. Medium body, good bitter edges, not much complexity, but would make a fine aperitif. Pity about the price - $30.

Onto the Goerg. According to Mario, the non-vintage wines are consistently a blend of reserve wines in the following proportions: 50% 2000, 30% 1999, and 20% 1998. Dosage is done with a still chardonnay and cane sugar.

N.V. Brut Tradition - 60% Chardonnay. Medium-fine bead. Nose is perfumed, honey, white flowers, and an interesting melon notes... reminds me of something, I couldn't quite place it. Medium-bodied, light toast and citric edges, apple/pear juice, rather soft and round. Ok.

N.V. Brut Blanc de Blancs - hmm... something quite in common to the Tradition on the nose... what is it? It's a perfume... I tried smelling one of the empty glasses to see if it was a detergent, but no. I don't think it was the person sitting next to me (R. couldn't make it tonight). On the palate, nice brioche, citrus, good acidity, light but caressing. A bit more spirited than the Tradition, but actually, I found this a bit too foamy in the mouth.

N.V. Brut Absolu - also 100% chardonnay. Slightly musky, smoky, richer nose, appealing. Full, rich, leesy, musky, cheesy, sooty, smoky... very interesting, good acidity, can't help but feel it's a little bit tired, but overall I enjoyed this quite a bit. After the first two, I felt certain that this was non-dosage, and sure enough.

N.V. Brut Rosé - 85% Chardonnay. Interestingly, this Rosé is not made by either saignée or at final blending. Instead, the PN is vinified prior to blending and secondary fermentation. A stunningly salmon-pink colour, lots of red fruit on the nose, plus rhubarb and citric notes. Nicely integrated, great rosé character, good bitter tannins, dark elements, less like a Champagne than you'd think, but quite nice. Probably my WOTN.

1998 Cuveé Lady - 95% Chardonnay. Lighter, cleaner nose than any of the others, but again that perfume is there... and I think I know what it is... Calvin Klein CK One... seriously. This time, it's in springwater, so not as obvious, but definitely there. Fine bead, and on the palate, good acidity, light, mineral, springwater, and a touch of toast. Not terribly complex, but certainly elegant.

2002 Champagne Marc Hebrart Special Club Millésime. This spot had been reserved for a Goerg Demi-Sec, but apparently it didn't quite make it over from France in time, so we got to try this from Terry Thiese's portfolio. Such a different character - 75% PN, can definitely feel the power on the nose, plenty of mineral, almost marine. On the palate, good acidity, apples, crushed stone, smoke. <img alt="goerg" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/SjJn_c8BTVI/AAAAAAAAAQE/sRJbmmpQP4U/s400/goerg4.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 293px;"><br />Hosted by Mario Rinaldi, Goerg's brand ambassador. My first time trying this Co-operative producer from Vertus. 13 farmers, primarily Premier Cru and some Grand Cru sites, with a strong inclination for Chardonnay. No Pinot Meunier<span class="fullpost">.<br /><br />While waiting for the session to begin, a <i>methode traditionelle</i> sparkling wine was poured, the <b>N.V. Quartz Reef "<i>Chauvet</i>"</b> from Central Otago in New Zealand. Turns out the wine-maker is one Rudi Bauer, an Austrian who studied winemaking in both <i>Gumpoldskirchen</i> and <i>Bad Kreuznach</i>, sites of two of my more memorable wine experiences. 43:57 PN/Chardonnay. Fresh, "green" nose, green apples, field greens (clover), and sweet tones. On the palate, light toast, crisp and bright, but also juicy and lightly sweet. Medium body, good bitter edges, not much complexity, but would make a fine aperitif. Pity about the price - $30. <br /><br />Onto the Goerg. According to Mario, the non-vintage wines are consistently a blend of reserve wines in the following proportions: 50% 2000, 30% 1999, and 20% 1998. Dosage is done with a still chardonnay and cane sugar. <br /><br /><b>N.V. Brut Tradition</b> - 60% Chardonnay. Medium-fine bead. Nose is perfumed, honey, white flowers, and an interesting melon notes... reminds me of something, I couldn't quite place it. Medium-bodied, light toast and citric edges, apple/pear juice, rather soft and round. Ok.<br /><br /><b>N.V. Brut Blanc de Blancs</b> - hmm... something quite in common to the Tradition on the nose... what is it? It's a perfume... I tried smelling one of the empty glasses to see if it was a detergent, but no. I don't think it was the person sitting next to me (R. couldn't make it tonight). On the palate, nice brioche, citrus, good acidity, light but caressing. A bit more spirited than the Tradition, but actually, I found this a bit too foamy in the mouth.<br /><br /><b>N.V. Brut Absolu</b> - also 100% chardonnay. Slightly musky, smoky, richer nose, appealing. Full, rich, leesy, musky, cheesy, sooty, smoky... very interesting, good acidity, can't help but feel it's a little bit tired, but overall I enjoyed this quite a bit. After the first two, I felt certain that this was non-dosage, and sure enough.<br /><br /><b>N.V. Brut Rosé</b> - 85% Chardonnay. Interestingly, this Rosé is not made by either saignée or at final blending. Instead, the PN is vinified prior to blending and secondary fermentation. A stunningly salmon-pink colour, lots of red fruit on the nose, plus rhubarb and citric notes. Nicely integrated, great rosé character, good bitter tannins, dark elements, less like a Champagne than you'd think, but quite nice. Probably my WOTN.<br /><br /><b>1998 Cuveé Lady</b> - 95% Chardonnay. Lighter, cleaner nose than any of the others, but again that perfume is there... and I think I know what it is... Calvin Klein CK One... seriously. This time, it's in springwater, so not as obvious, but definitely there. Fine bead, and on the palate, good acidity, light, mineral, springwater, and a touch of toast. Not terribly complex, but certainly elegant.<br /><br /><b>2002 Champagne Marc Hebrart Special Club Millésime</b>. This spot had been reserved for a Goerg Demi-Sec, but apparently it didn't quite make it over from France in time, so we got to try this from Terry Thiese's portfolio. Such a different character - 75% PN, can definitely feel the power on the nose, plenty of mineral, almost marine. On the palate, good acidity, apples, crushed stone, smoke. </span>

Bishonen Junmai Ginjo [1 Koku - 77]

From Kumamoto Prefecture, SMV +2, Acidity 1.7, 15% abv. Nose is rich, roasted rice predominates. Full and round, good rice flavour, sweet-ish, perhaps a bit one-dimensional, but with a pleasing bitter finish.

R. and I had enjoyed a bottle of this in the fall, so when we heard Bishonen had ceased operations as of April, I definitely wanted to try and track down one last bottle. Was I concerned about the tainted rice scandal which helped bring Bishonen down? No! Ok, maybe their supplier had been passing on moldy Chinese rice, but hey, moldy rice is part of the sake process, right? Anything nasty would surely be killed by the alcohol. No recall, just shaken consumer confidence (and some dodgy loans from their supplier)... I say the sake still tastes fine. And reports have it that there is a consortium preparing to resurrect the "Beautiful Boy"... <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/SixeK2utzkI/AAAAAAAAAP0/IVz4znsKzMQ/s400/IMGP1782.JPG"><br />From Kumamoto Prefecture, SMV +2, Acidity 1.7, 15% abv. Nose is rich, roasted rice predominates. Full and round, good rice flavour, sweet-ish, perhaps a bit one-dimensional, but with a pleasing bitter finish. <br /><br />R. and I had enjoyed a bottle of this in the fall, so when we heard Bishonen had ceased operations as of April, I definitely wanted to try and track down one last bottle. Was I concerned about the tainted rice scandal which helped bring Bishonen down? No! Ok, maybe their supplier <i>had</i> been passing on moldy Chinese rice, but hey, moldy rice is part of the sake process, right? Anything nasty would surely be killed by the alcohol. No recall, just shaken consumer confidence (and some dodgy loans from their supplier)... I say the sake still tastes fine. And reports have it that there is a consortium preparing to resurrect the "Beautiful Boy"...</span>