Tastings, Part I

After, several days of Dionysian celebration*, Gotham Gastronomy is back! We have much to report, and we'll begin, well, at the beginning. On Friday, we took full advantage of the wine promotions offered by New York's steakhouses, (and not coincidentally overlapping with the industry's tasting.) A visit to Maloney & Porcelli yielded some mediocre service, great conversation, beef "meating" but not exceeding standards, and the opportunity to drink several different wines for ten dollars total. The bottles sampled were not spectacular, but several were quite tasty! (They all retail for between fifteen and thirty-five dollars.) Here's the report...

Piper Sonoma, Brut, Sonoma N.V. - Champagne does not simply clean the palate; Champagne actually freshens the palate. A flute of that chalky bubbly is the best way to begin a meal or tasting. Needless to say, we did not have said option, but the sparkling white wine presented to us sufficed. The methode champenoise offered by the Piper rep served its purpose. The wine was tart and tasted overwhelmingly of green apples, with many medium bubbles and acidity from swish to finish. Krug has nothing to fear, but Gruet does.

Chateau Greysac, Medoc, Bordeaux 2000 - Here is a product to make Poe proud;
the nose offered up must, evoking memories of dusty cellars peppered with cobwebs. However, this bottle was no cask of Amontillado despite the heavy concentration. The wine offered a wonderful menagerie of strawberries, cassis, and grape jelly making it the undisputed star of the afternoon.) The finish was long and tannic. For lovers of the New World, here is a French product well suited to the American palate, and for Francophiles, such as myself, the millennium was a historic year for Bordeaux; on can not complain about anything from 2000 (except the prices!)
Parker Station, Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara 2004 - These Pinot Noir indubitably hailed from the West Coast, not from Vosne Romanee. The color was intense, the concentration was amongst the highest that I have experienced in the varietal, and the nose had some cranberry , tangerine, and light citrus, but these aromas were all but eclipsed by enough heat to power a Fiat. The taste offered more citrus, a hint of acidity, and strong flavor that we identified as a chocolate or coco. The wine was actually well balanced and the medium finish appropriate. We described the wine as a "non-Pinot Pinot" and if one accepts this appellation as a destination, the ride is pretty enjoyable.


Stonestreet, Merlot, Napa 2001 - Toasty wood in Sonoma wine? Wait, it's not oak! My tongue and nose were traumatized top encounter cedar in the Stonestreet. Has someone robbed my humidor? Cherry and plum were abundant on the taste, and a bit of pepper lingered on the medium finish. (Nice mid level wine if you are into the Napa style.)
Carpineto, Chianti Classico, Tuscany 2003 - This Tuscan is a mix of Sangiovese and the standard 10% of Canaiola resulting in the typical intense ruby red, heavily concentrated juice. The bottle reminded us that all Chiantis do not come in straw surrounded bottles destined to serve as candle holders in low grade Italian restaurants and dorm rooms; however, the product still paled in comparison to the boot's elite. The taste was heavy in cherry and boisonberry, almost offering a continental version of a the Cali jam-bomb. The finish lingered slightly, but the final acid tang was an unwelcome guest in the Hotel Itallia. (they haven't had that spirit there since 1999.)

Villa Mt. Eden, "Grand Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa 2002 - In the business, we have a technical term for this variety of vino: quaffing wine. The winemaker tried hard, and the balance is there (sort of,) but at the grapes simply are just not that into you. I detected lots of fruit and oak (surprise, surprise) as well as some plum and currant. The marketing rep told me that there was also mint and vanilla, but I think that he was lying. Drink only if you receive this bottle for free.
St. Francis, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma 1998 - When we were served this wine, I expected the steward to bang on a pan and beginning singing some Led Zep; everything about this wine screamed Cali. It is big, alcoholic, opaque in color, and holds a concentration bordering on syrup. (Oh, did I mention that Coastal staple, oak?) Once again, chocolate was also present on the buds as was currant and boisonberry. The bottle age was not only nice, but necessary. The '98 is drinking now, but tannins persist; expect it to hold up to seven more years of cellaring.R.H. Phillips, Chardonnay, Dunnigan Hills, 2004 - I'm sorry; I just don't like New World Chards, particularly bad ones.

* Some might call cruelly label said endeavors a "bender".