Not a great tasting but the lectures were as good as promised.Honors for the cheese from igourmet.com. Proof that quality could be delivered at value price. Boschetto al Tartufo Stagionato, an amazing white truffle cheese and Dorset Drum English Farmhouse Cheddar were amazing.
Among the survivors of this wine tasting, I noted:Monarchia Monarchia Oliver from Irsay Olivier grapes. Looks like a native Hungarian grapes. Fresh hays, kiwi, and a strong acidity placing it one step above the Sauvignon Blanc in terms of freshness. Introduced as "a pool deck wine". You have a pool, great I have the wine!
A mention for Water Crest 03, an herby Chardonnay with mineral flavor from the North Fork.
The Duet from Louis Latour. The Chardonnay gives thickness and elegance to the nutty flavor (almost caramelized) of the Viogner. An original blend for $11.99.
Patz & Hall Dutton Ranch Chardonnay 2003. Lively wine, well balanced. It's well done, it's a famous winemaker so it's expensive. $41
!!!Outraged by Wine Spectator touting the 2003 German Riesling. As the marketer was saying, it's as great as lemonade. Forget lemonade, wine is for grown-ups. By the way what lemonade brand tastes like honeysuckle and pineapple? 03 was an exception that messed up the fundamental balance acidity/sweetness. We are not trading Riesling for lemonade, ever !!!However the 2003 we tasted weren't that ripe as they are coming from Mosel in North Germany. The 2003 Prum Essence had nice acidity, nose of ripe apples and pears and somewhat of a milky flavor. Very weird for a wine that doesn't go through malo. I can’t wait to get Bruce to the meeting. Director of Wines of Germany, he is importing Riesling and growing wine in Long Island.
For red, the Lincourt Vineyards was an elegant 2003 Pinot Noir. Too alcoholic to my taste but nice acidity with some cherry flavors, $21.
St Francis Old Vine Zinfandel 2001 was a well rounded wine. Nice ripe red fruits, some smoke and discrete oak. As usual old vines restrain yield and improve the flavor. Only $20 and it's a Cal !!!!
Preaching to the choir was a Schneider Cabernet Franc 2000. If you want to try one Long Island Wine this is it. For $18 you get the fruit the Loire Valley struggles to deliver and a nice balance. Was tasted against a 2001. Buyers beware; the 01 is not as elegant.
Spain is still producing nicely balanced wine. The Ramon Bilbao 2001 Tempranillo was a great example of long oak maturation, 14 months, with complex flavors of wood and ripe fruits. Yours for $12.99. Plus it's from Rioja Alta, the best county in Rioja. No comment on Antinori wines .
The more I taste, (Santa Christina, Villa Rosso Toscana), the less I want to jump the gun to buy the Ornellaia ($150). Super Tuscans are all the hype. We need a serious tasting check on those guys.
