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American Wine Distribution -- Does it Matter Who You Buy Your Wine From?
I don't want to be politically correct, but....
With the increased concentration of the wine trade, should retailers and restaurants be concerned with the honestly, origins and reputation of their sourcing? Business is business and everyone winds up going legitimate. Armies of lawyers make sure everything is on the up-and-up.
No one seems to care. Big companies with long histories of moving product of all sorts are very good at the logistics of delivery. You get answers and action a lot quicker than you do when you call our office. They have been delivering services and good for decades now and know how the job should get done. The train runs on time.
Maybe it doesn't matter.
Too bad.
More Information than a Father Needs to Know!
My 19-year-old son is on a flight to Milan as I type. He will be working at a vineyard for the next few months and going back to college in September.
I decided to check if my son's flight went off on time and took a look at the Continental web site. Not only do they list the takeoff time of the flight, but they have map which constantly shows the flight's progress.
I've developed a morbid fascination with the site and am checking in every 15 minutes to see how far the flight has gone.
Am I being an overly intrusive father? Am I being overprotective? Or a I a father trying to exert his last power of control by clicking on browser's reset icon with my mouse?
Having children is often difficult.
Six Things I Like About François Pinon of Vouvray
1. His rillons.
2. His rilettes.
3. Those crazy wine cellars.
4. The fireplaces in the wine cellars.
5. His cap.
6. His wines.
Six Things I Like About Eddie of Wrinkerman of Domaine Wrinkerman!
1. His lovely and charming wife Edie.
2. The view from his tasting room.
3. France's only wine cellar with a Wifi connection.
4. His imitation of Louis Nye.
5. His 5 O'Clock Shadow.
6. His wines.
Six Things I Like About Nadia Verrua of Cascina 'Tavijn!
1. She is one of only two people we work with who does not speak English or French.
2. Her father still does all the work in the vineyards.
3. She's the youngest of all our winemakers.
4. Grignolino
5. Ruché
6. Barbera
Six Things I Like About Evelyne de Jessey de Pontbriand of Domaine du Closel!
1. It is great working with someone who is almost as eccentric as I am.
2. Her mother is a hoot, admirable and terrifically intelligent.
3. How sensitive she is about my nobility jokes.
4. It is so much fun working with a châtelaine!
5. Her constant search for ways to improve her wines.
6. Her wines.
Six Things I Like About Marc Ollivier of the Domaine de la Pépière!
1. Marc hunts bécasse (woodcocks) and sometimes serves them at the mind-blowing meals he and Genviéve make.
2. His beard
3. The way I think I'm at a high altitude when I'm in the Muscadet when I'm actually at sea level.
4. Reading back issues of Bécasse Passion in Marc's bathroom .
5. His contempt for my dog Buster (whom he views as one of the ugliest mutts in God's creation).
6. His wines.
Six Things I Like About Franck Peillot!
1. The man cooks the most amazing meals I have ever eaten.
2. The vineyards in Montagnieu are amazingly steep and beautiful.
3. The amazing meals he cooks.
4. Franck's father is a laugh riot and a bécasse hunter (woodcocks). Sometimes, we get some bécasse when Franck cooks an amazing meal.
5. Franck's command of the English language.
6. His wines.
Real Wine Countdown -- Six Things I Like About Each of the Vignerons Who are Attending!
Every day, I will be listing six
things I like about each of the vignerons who will be participating in the 2006 Real Wine Assault.
The first vignerons are Catherine Roussel and Didier Barrouillet from the Clos Roche Blanche.
1. They serve great goat cheese from their goat farmer friends.
2. The fossil collection on the window ledges around the house.
3. Pif and Margot, their dogs.
4. The private bedroom downstairs where I sleep, complete with my own fully appointed bathroom.
5. Their old bottles of Romorantin which I force them to serve me.
6. Their wines.
Real Wine Assault Schedule!
Here's the final schedule, more or less, of the Real Wine Assault 2006:
Saturday March 18th, 4-8 pm, Chambers Street Wines
There will be a fabulous tasting followed by a fabulous dinner at the fabulous 360 Van Brunt restaurant in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Dinner reservations must be made through Chambers Street. Vignerons include:
1. Catherine Roussel & Didier Barrouillet: Clos Roche Blanche
2. Franck Peillot, Bugey
3. Marc Ollivier: Domaine de la Pépière
4. Evelyne & Isaure de Jessey-de Pontbriand: Domaine du Closel
5. Nadia Verrua: Cascina ?Tavijn in Piedmont
6. Mario Zanusso: I Clivi from Friuli
7. François Pinon, Vouvray (along with several of his daughters)
8. Eddie Wrinkerman, Domaine Wrinkerman in Pacherenc-de-Vic-Bilh
9. Pierre Breton, Bourgueil
10. Thierry Puzelat, Clos du Tue Boeuf in Touraine
11. Sylvie & Thomas Morey, Domaine Bernard Morey in Chassagne-Montrachet
12. Grégoire Hubau, Château Moulin Pey-Labrie (Canon-Fronsac)
Monday March 20th, 5-8pm, Tasting at CRUSH Wines on 57th Street
This tasting will include all the above, plus:
Jean-Paul Versino, Bois-de-Boursan in Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Jean Manciat, Mâcon
Tuesday March 21st, 10-5, Puck Building, Polaner Selections Portfolio Tasting
This is a trade tasting, by invitation only, which will include 28 producers who work with Eric Solomon, all of our producers listed above, and:
Jean-Paul Brun, Domaine Terres Dorées in Beaujolais
André Iché, Château d'Oupia in Minervois
Alain Coudert, Clos de la Roilette in Fleurie
Catherine Le Bihan, Mouthes le Bihan in the Southwest
Christine and Eric Nicolas, Domaine de Bellivière, Jasnières
Eric Texier , Rhône Valley
Wednesday March 22nd, 6-8pm, Prospect Wines, Park Slope in Brooklyn
Jean Manciat, Mâcon
Nadia Verrua: 'Tavijn
Thursday, March 23rd in PORTLAND, Oregon
That's right, Wednesday is a travel day and we are off to the West Coast. There will be two main events:
Trade Tasting at 1 pm: Studio 1050 at 1050 SE Water Avenue
Contact Domaine Selections, our fabulous wholesaler, for more information.
Fabulous Public Tasting Organized by the Guy Du Vin! 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the same spot!
Call the Guy Du Vin at 971.244.1596 to reserve a spot.
The following vignerons will be appearing:
1. Catherine Roussel & Didier Barrouillet: Clos Roche Blanche
2. Franck Peillot, Bugey
3. Marc Ollivier: Domaine de la Pépière
4. Isaure de Jessey-de Pontbriand: Domaine du Closel
5. François Pinon, Vouvray (along with five of his daughters)
6. Eddie Wrinkerman, Mas de Wrinkerman in the Côtes-de-Toul
7. Pierre Breton, Bourgueil
8. Thierry Puzelat, Clos du Tue Boeuf in Touraine
9. Jean-Paul Versino, Bois-de-Boursan in Châteauneuf-du-Pape
10. Jean-Paul Brun, Domaine Terres Dorées in Beaujolais
11. André Iché, Château d'Oupia in Minervois
12. Alain Coudert, Clos de la Roilette in Fleurie
13. Catherine Le Bihan, Mouthes le Bihan in the Southwest
14. Christine and Eric Nicolas, Domaine de Bellivière, Jasnières
15. Eric Texier , Rhône Valley
Friday, March 24th in SEATTLE, Washington
We have rented a private plane to zoom us up to Seattle that morning.
There will be a trade tasting, two delicious dinners, and an in-store tasting.
Triage Wines Trade Tasting
1:00-4:12 pm at the Palace Ballroom
Dinners at Campagne (206-728-2800) and Le Pichet (206-256-1499)
The vignerons will be splitting up and there will be dinners at the above restaurants. Please call each restaurant for reservations and details. Catherine Roussel from the Clos Roche Blanche will be appearing at both restaurants simultaneously.
Saturday, March 25th at McCarthy and Schiering -- Tasting with Pierre Breton and Thiery Puzelat
Pierre and Thierry will be pouring at the store's two locations:
McCarthy and Shiering
Ravenna Shop from Noon to 2:00 pm
6500 Ravenna Ave NE
206-524-9500
Queen Anne 2:30-5:00 pm
2401 Queen Anne Ave N
Phone 206-282-8500
Saturday, March 25th at SAN FRANCISCO's K&L Wines from 1:00 pm to 4:12 pm
This event will include acrobats, clowns, oysters, star chefs and prominent television personalities. Everyone will be there who was in Portland, except for Thierry Puzelat and Pierre Breton. They have to go home! Contact K&L for all the details
Sunday Morning, March 26th at 10 am -- Ride San Francisco's Famous Cable Car with Catherine Roussel of Touraine's Clos Roche Blanche
The group will be leaving Market and Powell at 10 am. Please contact MUNI for further information.
Sunday Night, March 26th -- Fabulous Dinners at Cav Winebar (415 437 1770) in San Francisco and Baywolf (510-655-6004) in Oakland
Please call each restaurant for details. The Baywolf dinner is being organized with Paul Marcus Wines of Oakland. The vignerons will split up but Catherine Roussel from the Clos Roche Blanche will be appearing at both restaurants simultaneously.
Monday, March 27th Estate Wines Ltd. Tasting at Fort Mason from 1:00 pm to 4:12 pm
This is a trade-only tasting which will include everyone still standing except for Jean-Paul Versino, who has to go home.
What are the Grape Varieties in the 2004 Eric Texier Côtes-du-Rhône?
We have started selling Eric Texier wines again and are getting many questions about what exactly is in the 2004 Côtes-du-Rhône. Americans like exact details and tend to view all wines as varietal compositions.
A prominent Manhattan wine shop has done an extensive lab analysis and recently e-mailed us the details:
Grenache -- 59.681 %
Carignan -- 14.835 %
Cinsault -- 10.044 %
Clairette Cultivar N°1 -- 4.987 %
Clairette Cultivar N°2 -- 5.031 %
Roussanne -- 5.021 %
Sauvignon blanc -- 0.003%
Zinfandel -- 0.002%
Petite arvine -- 1.044%
Without Any Particular Identity : Everything else
There is no merlot, petit verdot or chardonnay.
This is a delicious wine and comes highly recommended by the wine press.
Don't Miss the Fabulous K&L Real Wine Assault Tasting on March 25th in San Francisco!
San Francisco retailer, K&L, released the following press release today. Or maybe it was an e-mail:
Real Wine Assault Comes to San Francisco!!
This special event will take place on Saturday March 25th from 1-4pm in the parking lot adjacent to K&L's San Francisco store (638 4th St between Brannan and Townsend). Joe Dressner, Importer and Internet Wine Personality will be on hand with his group of vigneron from various regions in France to meet you and present their wines along with appetizers from some of SF's most famous names. Dressner's collection of growers are known throughout the industry for producing honest, unmanipulated wines that are never “over-anything”. All the wines you will taste are made with these guiding principles in mind: Wild Yeasts, Hand Harvesting, Low Yields, Natural Viticulture, No or Minimal Chaptalization, Non Filtration, Non-Interventionist Winemaking and Quality Control... expressions of the places and the people. Tickets ($50) must be purchased in advance while they last.
Jeff Vierra from K&L in Mareuil-sur-Cher planning the Real Wine Assault
In addition to the wines and growers that will be detailed below, Hog Island Oyster Company will be on hand shucking away, Charles Phan of The Slanted Door will be tempting you with inspired small bites and Doralice Handel new proprietor and cheese guru of The Cheese Shop of Healdsburg will be force feeding a selection of regional French and American cheeses. All guests will receive a free wine glass from Riedel.
Pouring their wines that day will be: Catherine Roussel and Didier Barrouillet from Clos Roche Blanche in the Touraine, Jean-Paul Brun from Domaine des Terres Dorées in Beaujolais, Christine and Eric Nicolas from Domaine de Bellivière in Jasniéres, Franck Peillot from the Bugey, Marc Ollivier from Domaine de la Pépière in Muscadet, Isaure de Pontbriand-Cribiore from Domaine du Closel in Savennières, Eric Texier from the Rhone, Suzanne and François Pinon from Vouvray, Alain Coudert from Clos de la Roilette in Beaujolais, Jean-Paul Versino from Bois de Boursan in Chateaunuef du Pape, André Iché from Château d'Oupia in the Languedoc and Catherine le Bihan from Mouthes le Bihan in the Southwest.
Along with some select older vintages that the growers have sent over, too many wines will be poured and too much fun will be had... so don’t miss out! This event will surely sell out well in advance, so get your tickets now. Any cancellations must be made at least 72 hours before the event.
Tickets are available online at: http://www.klwines.com/product.asp?sku=1020169
K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
Back in New York!
I finally finished my 25 day swing through France and am back in New York.
The trip was awfully tiring but I stayed energized thinking about how glamorous a job it is to be a wine importer.
I know it is a glamorous job, because I constantly receive e-mails from people who want to break into the glamourous wine importing business. For instance, I received the following inquire during my absense:
Dear Joe:
As a dental supply executive and a commercial landlord, and as the in-house
lawyer for both of these enterprises, I have read "Grape Varieties, Lawyers
and Medications" and asked myself this: were you being sarcastic when you
called the day glamorous? To me it sounded pretty darn that (except for the
doctor's visit, of course).
Don't get me wrong, I'll never tire of answering the ubiquitous cocktail
party "So, what do you do?" with that perfect trifecta of sexy careers
mentioned above. Oh, the ass I could get! If only I weren't happily
married. (By the way, don't ask for the plastic cups dentist's use - we
don't handle them.) And yet, I'm interested in starting something new, as a
sideline, something perhaps closer to my heart, something I might be able to
stand having a conversation about: importing wines from Spain. I grew up
speaking Spanish (ever met a Mexican Jew before?) and I've spent a fair
amount of time in Spain. I'd like to spend more.
I've been reading up on the biz for some time, especially the legal
regulations. Then I came upon a rarer source, one from the actual industry,
The Wine Importer. Pump this guy for info, I told myself right away.
So here's my idea (assuming you're still with me):
One of our buildings is in Manhattan, on 21st between 5th and 6th. A fine
restaurant neighborhood, as you probably know. It has a shop window that's
been closed up for many years. My plan is to have the window restored, and
to install a beautiful, first-class display. "Cavador, LLC ~ Wines from
Spain's Finest Boutique Producers ~ To the Trade Only." The same building
has a very nice corporate apartment on the top floor (for out-of-town guests
of the dental business). I could get access to this for tastings. Another
of our buildings has a lot of empty storage space in the basement, where
it's cool and dark.
I set all this up, then sit back and wait for Danny Meyer to call. Okay, so
that's not going to happen. But does this sound like the foundation for a
realistic business plan? Can I do this and still keep my day job? Or am I
likely to blow through my life savings just getting labels approved, with
nothing to show for it in the end? Already, with my limited knowledge of
the regulatory landscape, I see so many issues! Are they just hoops you can
jump through if you try? Or is it really a minefield of business-killers?
(I'm not sure what's in it for you, to help me with this.)
Sincerely,
N.................
A Fabulous Luxury Spot to Stay in Beautiful Avignon
Micaela Pererra, Avignon's famed restaurateur to the stars; has finally opened her own luxury bed-and-breakfast.
I've just spent a week of hedonistic luxury here at Chez Micaela, and can't recommend the new place highly enough.
Rooms are booking up fast; so rush and make your reservations while there are still vacancies.
Click to go to Fabulous Resort in Avignon!
Tell them that Joe Dressner, The Wine Importer, has sent you and you will receive a complementary basket of homemade cornbread with your breakfast. That's right, cornbread made from Fanny Reboul's ancient provencal recipe!
Francois Pinon Vouvray Petillant Saved My Life!
Details to follow.
Off to France
I'm leaving today to tour viticultural France and will be back on February 23rd.
I don't travel with a laptop and rarely have an internet connection when visiting vignerons, so I don't expect to be on here frequently, except to write the definitive biography of star New York sommellier Bryon Bates (which I promised three months ago).
I'm going to the Loire for an extended trip, then down to Burgundy, the Mâconnais, the Beaujolais, then off to the Bugey and the Savoie, then to the Rhône and finally winding up in the Languedoc.
I haven't been in the vineyards and the cellars since August and even though the weather sounds horrible all over France, I always look forward to my winter trip. Conventional wisdom is to take a trip to a warm climate and you'll feel new and rejuvenated. But for me, after five months of business dealings, buying and selling, talking to customers and suppliers, hearing all the gossip about which distributor is buying which distributor, I need to get back to the vineyards. The Wine Industry is about commodity -- it can get so tiresome and so depressing. It can wear you down.
It is always a joy to get out into the vineyards and back to the vine, the cellars and the vignerons. This remains a joyful and passionate occupation and going to the source reminds me, every year, of how priviliged we are to be importing wines from so many great vignerons and great regions.
I'll miss my wife, my kids and my dog and wish I could bring them along. I'll also miss my readership here, each and everyone of you, and hope you all have a good month. Work hard, drink good wine and do something that will bring joy and peace to everyone around you!
I'll try to write in every so often. See you all soon!
Real Wine Assault 2006!
An enormous group of vignerons will be making it to America starting March 18th. Various members of this troupe will be touring New York, Portland, Seattle and San Francisco. Some will be in all four cities, some only in New York, and one will only be coming to Seattle because they want to make a Nirvana pilgrimage and see the original Starbucks.
That's right, this year there is going to be a big West Coast swing!
Vignerons include:
1. Catherine Roussel and Didier Barouillet from Clos Roche Blanche
2. Jean-Paul Brun from Domaine des Terres Dorées
3. Christine and Eric Nicolas from Domaine de Bellivière,
4. Franck Peillot from the Bugey
5. Marc Ollivier from Domaine de la Pépière
6. Various Mothers and Daughters from Domaine du Closel
7. Eric Texier
8. Suzanne and François Pinon from Vouvray
9. Alain Coudert from Clos de la Roilette
10. Jean-Paul Versino from Bois de Boursan
11. André Iché from Château d'Oupia
12. Claude Maréchal from Burgundy
13. Pierre Breton from Bourgueil
14. Jean Manciat from Mâconnais
15. Nadia Verrua from Cascina 'Tavijn,
16. Thierry Puzelat from Clos du Tue Boeuf
17. Sibling Desvignes from Louis-Claude Desvignes
18. Catherine le Bihan from Mouthes le Bihan
19. Sylvie and Thomas Morey from Chassagne-Montrachet
There will be more information in the next few weeks. Lots of exciting events and door prizes.
Don't miss out!
Whatever Happened to the Expression Mind-Boggling?
"That wine is awesome!"
I hear people say that all the time, but I never hear them say:
"That wine is mind-boggling!"
What happened to the expression mind-boggling? Has it gone the way of "too far fucking out?"