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A Night of Terror!
I had to eat dinner last week at a restaurant which had won a Wine Spectator Award for Excellence!
The Award for Excellence is your guarantee:
- The restaurant will have lots of smart-looking diners wearing lots of clothing that was recently sent to their dry cleaners
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The dishes will be terribly complicated and you will feel a sense of inadequacy when you read the menu and have absolutely no idea what you will be putting into your mouth.
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There is an army of personnel to set-up, clean, serve, deserve and take care of you.
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They will ask you if you have any questions before taking your order.
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They will stop at your table during the meal and ask how things are going, as if you are performing brain surgery.
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They will call your main dish an entrée, even though everyone knows that the word entrée is the beginning of a meal, not the main course.
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Each dish will be a battleground of different flavors, spices and preparations tending on the sweet side.
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There are lots of "cool" cocktails....cocktails are in fashion these days.
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There will be a voluminous wine list which doesn't necessary work with the restaurant's cuisine, but which has all the key recognizable names that get written about in the The Wine Press.
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Grower Champagnes Rock....as do DP and several other of the Grandes Marques
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The California list has at least one Marcassin even though the sommelier can't stand the wine
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There is also a Bryant Family, Aruajo and Colgin, again wines the sommelier wouldn't be caught dead drinking
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Lastly, as night follows day, the dessert wine list always includes a Muscat de Beaumes des Venise from Domaine Durban!
In contrast, eating delicious pork preparations at Rue Cler in North Carolina ten days ago was a truly refreshing and delicious experience. I walked around the restaurant and could not find a single person wearing dry cleaned clothing. In North Carolina, they still use water.
And, I can't wait to get to France and eat some bécasses at The First Annual Louis/Dressner Paulée des Vins de Loire to be held at the mysterious Site de la Cantrie in St Fiacre.
My fear of mass dry cleaning and Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence has dramatically increased my debt to Zipcar, as I find that I am irresistibly drawn to Brooklyn when I want to dine out.
Despite the evening's terror, we dined with a charming young couple who are fleeing New York to move to Portland, Oregon. They hope to live as eternal graduate students under the fertile Wilamette Valley soil. They are disgusted by how New York has turned out. We had a great time with them and are sorry they are leaving our grand city.
Louis/Dressner Loire Valley Tour Beginning in Muscadet on Saturday, February 2nd
Our 34th annual tour will begin soon and will launch in the Muscadet.
Saturday is the annual Muscadethon at Marc Ollivier, featuring vintages back to 1921!
Sunday morning is an early morning tasting at Luneau-Papin followed by a clandestine luncheon featuring Bécasses!
Stay tuned for more late-breaking details.
Vast Quantities of Pork Consumed as Very Very Serious Italian Real Wine Attack Conquers North Carolina and Ends
It has been nine days of hectic tastings but the Attack is finally over.
It was a very very serious nine days.
There was an insane amount of enthusiasm across the country. Many of our customers know real French wine, but putting together so many natural Italian wines in one tasting was something new for many wine lovers around the country.
Below are some highlights:
Chambers Street Packed With Italian Real Wine Fans!
They came from as far away as Red Hook and West 86th Street!
The Italian Real Wine Attack continues to pick up steam. Tomorrow we head to Durham, North Carolina for the exciting finale on Sunday night and Monday afternoon.
I've already received word on Saturday night that: the pork bellies are braising.
147 Slocum Salespeople and 36 Clients Attend New Haven Tasting!
Highlights included the French buffet.
Italian Real Wine Attack in Boston!
The trade tasting starts at 11 am and will be followed by a ceremonial burning of a rotofermenter.
Tonight, is the annual Italian Jeebus at Joe Perry's home. Don't miss it!
New York City Italian Real Wine Attack Tasting a Big Success!
47% of the participants had retail stores or restaurants in Brooklyn.
The highlight of the day was the ceremonial "Dunk the Spoofer'' in new oak barrels competition.
Northwest Italian Real Wine Attack a Giant Success!
The Seattle City Council declared Monday Luca Roagna Day and the Portland City Assembly made Tuesday Arianna Occhipinti Day!
There were various civic festiviities and huge crowds at several trade and consumer events.
Tonight, we are taking the red-eye flight into New York City for tomoroow's tasting at noon sharp at Madison Square Garden's Felt Forum.
See you then!
Italian Real Wine Attack Begins January 14th!!
Veni, Vini, Vici 2008 will Span Seattle to Portland to New York to Boston to New Haven to North Carolina!
Meet and taste the wines of 7 natural winemakers from different regions of Italy.
They all work organically and/or biodynamically, they use little or no sulphur, use only natural yeasts, no enzymes, no rotofermentors, no fancy consultants and they make delicious wines.
These winemakers will be presenting new vintages of their extraordinary natural wines along with other Italian Wines from Louis/Dressner Selections.
The vignaioli are:
- Arianna Occhipinti is from the Vittoria region of Southern Sicily. She has been making wine for ten years, but will present her 3rd vintage of Frappato and Nero d’Avola from the 2006 vintage.
- Stefano Bellotti is owner/winemaker of Cascina degli Ulivi in Piedmont. He has been biodynamic organically farming his vineyards since 1983 and has been an influence to many new young winemakers. He will present his Gavi, Dolcetto, Barbera wines.
- Alessandra Bera and her brother Gianluigi are winemakers in the heart of the Asti hills in Piedmont where they produce Moscato through a process that is pure and historic. She will also pour their Barberas and Dolcettos.
- Luca Roagna is the newest generation of the Roagna family to carry on the traditional Barolo winemaking practices that have made their estate famous in Barbaresco and Barolo. He will have a lot of wines to pour and a few more things to say.
Portland Trade Tasting, Tuesday, January 15th from 12:00 to 3:00 pm
Call Triage for information at 503.236.6262
- Nadia Verrua is now in charge of winemaking on her family estate, Cascina ‘Tavijn. While her mother and father tend the vineyards, Nadia makes the wine, does the cellar work and runs the day-to-day business of this winemaking farm in the Astigiano hills of Piedmont where forgotten grapes like Ruché and Grignolino excel.
- Mauro Vergano spent many years making limited amounts of Chinati as a passion to give to like-minded friends while he kept his day job. A trained chemist and enologist, he first learned to make Chinati from a pharmacist relative. A few years ago, he decided to give more time to his passion and create these unique and delicious homebrew tonics.
- Silvio Messana makes Chianti Classico and other red wines in the hills outside of Florence where his father planted grapes in the 1970’s. For many years, the grapes were sold to other winemaking companies. Silvio began to vinify and bottle wines from his own grapes in 2000, all the while searching for ways to work naturally in the vineyards and in the cellar.
Seattle Trade Tasting, Monday, January 14th from 12:00 to 3:00 pm
Contract Triage Wines at 206.883.0543 for information
Portland Trade Tasting, Tuesday, January 15th from 12:00 to 3:00 pm
Call Triage for information at 503.236.6262
Portland Consumer Tasting at Liner & Elsen, Tuesday, January 15th from 6:00 to 7:30 pm
2222 NW 22nd St (corner Quimby St) tel: 503.241.9463
New York City Trade Tasting, Wednesday, January 16th from 12 to 4 pm
Contact Louis/Dressner Selections at 212.334.8191
Boston Trade Tasting, Thursday, January 17th from 11 am to 3 pm
Contact Carolina Wines at 781.278.2000
New Haven Trade Tasting, Friday, January 18th from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Contact Slocum and Sons at 203.668.3148
New York Consumer Tasting, Saturday, January 19th, From 4 to 7 pm
Chambers Street Wines
160 Chambers Street, Phone 212.227.1434
Durham, North Carolina Trade Tasting, Monday, January 21st from 11 am to 4 pm
Contact Centerba at 919.598.7151
Happy New Year
I have been absent from this space for a few weeks. I travelled through Albania, was busy watching Twilight Zone marathons and was often drunk in a failed quest to find a Bourbon or Rye which doesn't stink of heavily charred new oak.
2007 was a bad year for me and I expect 2008 to be even worse.
Happy New Year to All of You!
My good friend and mentor André Iché from the Minervois died in late November. A year earlier my father had died and the loss of André and Sam are great losses for me. The appreciation of André which was on this site has now moved to the official and legitimate Louis/Dressner site.
On a brighter side, Christian Chaussard is coming to New York and I had lunch with Lyle Fass today!
New Vignerons: Mathieu Chedid, Jeanne Cherhal, Bertrand Belin & Pauline Croze
You don't want to miss this fabulous clip from Mathieu Chedid. You can advance to midpoint in the video and then let it play:
Mathieu Chedid
Then, there's a great duet from Bertrand Belin and the remarkable Pauline Croze:
Bertrand Belin & Pauline Croze
Of course, there is also Jeanne Cherhal waiting her man:
What does this have to do with Wine Anyhow?
Totally unrelated is the following clip:
Kamilya Jubran & Gilles Coronado
American blues and R&B were largely ignored by white America throughout the 50s and early 60s. It took a group of British bands to import that music back to America to get it both known and loved.
Is it possible that Europe will now rediscover the 1960s?
I'm a nostalgic guy. I certainly hope so.
Does anyone know how many versions of David Bowie singing Heroes can be found on the internet?
The Wine of the Year
The tasting panel met yesterday and we've come up with a unanimous decision.
This year's winner is the Emmanuel Houillon/Pierre Overnoy Savignin Vieilles Vignes Ouillé 2000!
Savignin Grapes from the Houillon/Overnoy Estate.
This is not a Vin Jaune, but is a Savignin without the voile from three constantly topped-off barrels which were aged for nearly seven years.
Frankly, this was one of the most profound wine experiences I have had in years. I love using the word profound when describing wines. The wine revealed instense Savignin characteristics, but with astonishing freshness and precision. I love using the word revealed when writing tasting notes.
OK, there were almonds, there were leaves, there was honey, there was rocks, there was savignin fruit. Lots and lots of savignin fruit. The wine constantly shifted, moving left, moving right, refusing to be pinned down. I know I'm supposed to write about all the other fruits this reminded me of, but the only fruit which kept coming to mind was the Savignin grape grown in limestone, picked at maturation and raised without sulphur for seven years.
This wine has not yet been imported to America and very little will arrive here. It will be expensive, although considerably cheaper than 2005 Musigny from Roumier.
To view an interesting video showing how the judges came to their decision, please click on the link below:
Wine of the Year Deliberations
Don't Miss Tomorrow's Dramatic Wine of the Year Announcement!
Assuming, my fingers don't hurt too much to type.
I used to be a far active blogger until I developed rheumatism around my thumb joints. It is now acutely painful to type. I've tried seven different ergonomic keyboards and none of them help.
The only reason I can write this blog is that my new doctor just put me on tramadol hydrochloride acetaminophen, which does much to alleviate my pain. While I can now blog and answer e-mails, I have mixed feelings about this drug. The problem is that the drug makes me dizzy and tired.
Yesterday, for instance, I ran over a pedestrian on the corner of 5th Street and The Bowery while riding by bicycle home under the influence. I was looking up at one of the new towers being built on The Bowery, which Mayor Bloomberg is renaming to Dubai on the Bowery, and didn't notice an older woman coming right at me. Luckily, she was only slightly bruised and was able to get up and continue on her way to her Mitchell-Lama apartment on 4th Street and the Bowery which is scheduled for demolition next spring to make way for another luxury hotel.
The New Bowery Skyline
So, at this point, I am only taking this drug on a day-to-day basis. Today, I am driving to a Thanksgiving celebration in Great Neck, where many members of my immediate family live. The neighborhood has many orthodox Jews who don't drive on Thanksgiving and need to be in walking distance of their Turkey dinner. I will not be taking the drug, as I fear running over an Orthodox Jew walking to a Thanksgiving celebration at sundown.
The Torah doesn't take off on Thanksgiving!
I still have warm childhood memories of the ceremonial blowing of the Thanksgiving Shofar before my mother took out the turkey and the Cranberrry Chorases sauce!
Don't Miss Tomorrow's Dramatic Wine of the Year Announcement!
Assuming, my fingers don't hurt too much to type.
I used to be a far active blogger until I developed rheumatism around my thumb joints. It is now acutely painful to type. I've tried seven different ergonomic keyboards and none of them help.
The only reason I can write this blog is that my new doctor just put me on tramadol hydrochloride acetaminophen, which does much to alleviate my pain. The problem, is that the drug makes me dizzy and tired. Yesterday, for instance, I ran over a pedestrian on the corner of 5th Street and The Bowery while riding by bicycle home under the influence. I was looking up at one of the new towers being built on The Bowery, which Mayor Bloomberg is renaming to Dubai on the Bowery and didn't notice an older woman coming right at me. Luckily, she was only slightly bruised and was able to get up and continue on her way to her Mitchell-Lama apartment on 4th Street and the Bowery which is scheduled for demolition next spring to make way for another luxury hotel.
My Thanksgiving Wine Choice!
Like most of America, I will be opening a bottle of Nathalie Gaubichet and Christian Chaussard's You Are So Beautiful!.
This thrilling wine from the Coteaux-du-Loir is 50% Pineau d'Aunis and 49% Côt.
Frankly, it is a fruit bomb.
Exciting Tasting at Chambers Street on Saturday, November 10th
Denyse and I are going to be serving 22 wines. Each bottle will be covered by a sock and you are going to have to guess which wine you are tasting.
This will be an exciting contest and we are looking forward to seeing many of you on Saturday. The event starts at 4 pm, but the store will be closed from 3:30 pm to 3:45 pm to prepare all the samples and cloak them in socks. We will be using Thorlo Level 3 King Size Running Crew Socks, all in Black, for the event.
Real Wine Italian Offensive Coming in Mid-January!
We'll be coming to Seattle, Portland, New York, Boston, Connecticut and North Carolina!
Participants will include:
Luca Roagna and his Barberesco and Barolo
Alessandra Bera and her Moscato, Arcese, Barbera and Dolcetto
Silvio Messana from Montesecondo with his Chianti
Stefano Belloti from Cascina degli Ulivi with his Gavi
Nadia Verrua from Cascina ‘Tavij with her Grignolino and Ruché
Chinati Vergano with their Stunning Chinatos
Direct from the New York Wine Experience!
I learned on Friday, too late to buy tickets, that New York is full of wine world worthies this weekend. They are all here to celebrate The New York Wine Experience!
I didn't realize what a big deal event this was, until I happened upon Corrine Mentzelopoulos of Château Margaux taking the Number 1 Train downtown to attend the festivities. At first, I wasn't sure it was her, as this is Halloween weekend and many New Yorkers take to disguising themselves as famous celebrities. But, all my doubts disappeared when I spied Lamberto Frescobaldi of Marchesi de' Frescobaldi getting on the 42nd Street Shuttle.
Don't miss the live video feeds of this great event:
Live Video Feeds from The New York Wine Experience