NYC Day 1 Part II - "Fancy Meeting you here in New York City"

Before handing over the twenty or so dollars for Kermit Lynch's classic homage to French wines and the people who grow them, I quickly glanced to see how Kermit signed my fresh copy of Adventures on the Wine Route.

"Fancy meeting you here in New York City," it read, a satisfying note and fine way to end what was an enjoyable, if crowded, tasting at Chambers Street Wines. Meeting Mr. Lynch was long overdue. I did not engage in small talk, industry chat, or even much in the way of wine speak. The man comes across like his wines: straight ahead and confident; relaxed, knowledgeable, and easily capable of relating a story. Whether he was discussing visiting his college aged kids in New York, his latest discovery in Burgundy (Domaine Cherisey in Meursault, whom he thinks is making some of the best Chardonnay based wine around) or his tastes in Burgundy ("Coche Dury ain't bad...Raveneau's pretty good...."), Kermit was adept at conversing with a wide range of his customers, and I was content to listen while I tasted.

The usual suspects were showing terrifically. 2008 Domaine Ostertag Les Vielles Vignes de Sylvaner was all pure, rounded citrus fruit. Softly textured, juicy and supported by vibrant acidity. 2008 Foillard Morgon Cotes de Py...well, enough said right there. Effortless focus, delectable tiny red berry fruit, well structured but not unyielding. If this wine were a lady I'd marry her after just a month of dating. 2007 Domaine Tempier Bandol is a very young pup, but already showing its neat trick of balancing such ripe, spicy and intense sun baked flavor with real structure not merely from fruit and tannin but acidity as well. Mourvedre is a low acid grape that somehow picks up a bit more acidic drive in the right terroir with the right stewardship, as is the case with Tempier or Pradeaux for that matter.

A few relative newcomers excited me less. White Graves from Chateau Graville-Lacoste? I'll pass. Ditto the 2007 Domaine de la Cadette Bourgogne Vezelay "La Chatelaine" from close to Chablis. 2006 Cedric Vincent Beaujolais for $20? Shave $5, take a look at the back label to remind myself of the importer and, well, it still seems to under-deliver.

There were a couple pleasant surprises as well, though. The 2000 Chateau Aney Haut-Medoc Cru Bourgeois was every bit of what a maturing claret should be - muscular but beginning to show good secondary flavor development and savor while still retaining some cherry fruit. And that 2005 Domaine Cherisey Meursault Blagny 1er Cru "Genelotte" ? It was very good - even a non white Burg lover such as myself could appreciate the breed and terroir in that wine. As well one should for north of $80.

It goes without saying that Kermit Lynch is a big reason why we have so many wonderful, characterful, imported wines available in the US these days. I suppose one could say he is also a reason why there are so many shitty imported wines as well. For every Joe Dressner there are a few __'s (insert any importer du jour of small estate bottled, unfiltered wines, though of simple and dubious character). Enough of that line of reasoning, though. Clearly Kermit Lynch is owed a great deal of gratitude for all of his efforts, even from an occasionally hypercritical, armchair importer, young whippersnapper soon to be grouchy old retail guy such as myself. It was a pleasure to meet the man who founded a company which imports into the Unites States wines made by so many terrific, benchmark and iconic French estates.

Governor Brown Redux?

With our mayor's dropout from the CA gubernatorial race, it's looking like a potential return to another era. While I never really got into the Dead Kennedys, I guess I'll have to wait and see about Mr. J. Moonbeam Brown. I've heard some stories, but did not really follow California politics in the 80's.

NYC Day One, part I: JFK to LES

[This post was originally drafted the good old-fashioned way, putting pen to paper - no typing, no blogger, certainly no thumbing it in on the mobile. Just a college ruled yellow pad, medium point blue pen, and hand movement. Writing is liberating, I highly recommend you re-visit it if it's been a while.]

After a long, unrestful red eye flight from San Francisco, my wonderful lady/ travel companion Natalie and I were happy to dump our bags and meet up with David McDuff, who was in town to attend a few of the Dressner and Kermit events taking place in New York last weekend, as well as to hang out with some like minded bon vivants such as the Brooklyn Guy, Cory, Guilhaume and me (more on that later). As McDuff pointed out, the east village is home to the city's greatest concentration of ramen spots. We agreed to meet at Setagaya. Small and casual, Setagaya consists of a small counter, some small tables and a communal table for eight (think high school cafeteria style communal table - not the large, handsome, solid piece of wood table you might find at your nearest locavore modern American eatery). We each ordered a bowl of the Shio ramen. Warming, translucent broth, simple but with terrific clarity of flavor, with perfectly toothsome noodles, a soft boiled egg adding richness and textural contrast, and the star of the dish, a few delicious, slightly fatty and smoky pieces of pork. Such a perfectly harmonious, satisfying bowl of nourishment has convinced me to partake in ramen more often. We also shared a small plate of kim chee, soft layers of thin cabbage (napa?) which represented a slightly vinegary, but spicy and tasty, vegetable addition to our meal.

After ramen, we headed to 9th Street Espresso for some excellent espresso drinks. I must have been due for my annual killer cup of espresso (I do drink espresso more often, just that it's seldom good). Jet lag temporarily stayed, we strolled over to the Essex Street market, where David introduced us to Benoit, who was manning the counter of Saxelby Cheesemongers. We tasted two cheeses from Vermont, our favorite of which was the Menuet from Laughing Cow Farms. In cheese speak, it's earthiness brought to mind a tomme de savoie, while the slight caramelized and nuttier notes reminded me of aged gouda. A delicious cheese, and particularly useful for late night soaking up of the wine we would drink later at The Ten Bells.

For a taste of something sweet, we consulted Natalie's list of food spots to visit, and headed to the famed Doughnut Plant. If you're a Bay Area doughnut fan, think Dynamo Doughnuts. The quality of the ingredients, which are organic whenever possible, as well as the terrific textures and intense flavors, make these some of the world's tastiest doughnuts, and elevates them to the realm of first class pastry. While the strawberry jelly doughnut with peanut butter glaze and the seasonal pumpkin cake doughnut were tasty, the tres leches and blackout were the true standouts. Each had a custard center (tres leches for the tres leches, liquid chocolate for the blackout), which I found to be cool innovations in the world of the cake doughnut. As the gentleman behind the counter proclaimed several times, in a classically proud New Yorker inflection, these donuts were truly "first rate." He also gently chided McDuff for his Phillies loyalties.

Up next: tasting Kermit Lynch wines with... Kermit Lynch; bookending a long and raucous evening at The Ten Bells.

JACKIE!

Hip-Hop Friday takes its occasional reggae diversion today, with a classic jam from the keyboard king of Studio One, Jackie Mittoo. So much soul. In my mind Mittoo is right up there with Jimmy Smith, as far as the unforgettable melodies and tones he'd coax out of that Hammond B3. Not nearly as mind blowingly technically proficient, but still a nasty player, stylist and master arranger/ session organizer.

New York Here I come, and an apology

New York City

Off on the red eye to New York tomorrow night. Art, food, wine and wedding. Anyone who wants to link up, we (i.e. a list that is probably getting way too numerous to spell out here) will be at Ten Bells on Friday night.

Apology

My last entry, I provided a tasting note for a 2007 Eric Texier Brezeme. Clearly I was not too enthused about the wine. However, on day 3 it has really woken up. Bright, yet boisterous, dark plum and blueberry aromas, a bit towards the confiture side, are leading to fresh fruit flavors with a really pleasing roundness in texture yet bracingly fresh acidic drive. The wine has not previously tasted nearly as good and complete as it does tonight, on its third day open. Looks like this bottle needs at least a few years to come around, as any experienced imbiber more hip than I probably knew already. Apologies to Mr. Eric Texier and anyone who was mislead by my rash judgement.

Alright, hope to see a few of you in New York.

Three Red Wines from the Big Three (France, Spain, Italy)

Southern Rhone Valley, France

2007 Eric Texier Brezeme

100% Syrah from the one of the northernmost points of the Cotes du Rhone. This was tense, bordering on strict, out the gates. I decanted and followed intently for a couple of hours. Yes, there were the woodsy, peppery northern Rhone (though this is still in the south) Syrah aromas, and darkish blue fruit, with a touch of savory frying bacon, on the palate. The fruit on the mid palate fleshed and rounded out with some air, but I wouldn't say the wine gained too much in complexity, freshness, or deliciousness. The slowly expansive core of fruit did lend some balance to the wine, but not enough to change my opinion: this wine does not taste ripe enough. If I'm saying 'not ripe enough' as opposed to the opposite description for a red wine, then perhaps this really is not quite ripe enough? Maybe I'm being too picky or judgemental, but that's my impression. I re-tasted the wine today (should probably note that the wine did spend 4 hours in a decanter before I re-bottled it) and it is a mere shell of it's former decent if not exciting self. Fainter fruit, oxidative tartness beginning to surface.

Ribera del Duero, Spain

2002 Dominio de Basconillos Viña Magna Crianza

Several months ago, I read a reliably thorough and thoroughly reliable entry from Manuel Camblor, containing a tasting note from one of New York based importer Alex Ellman's (Marble Hill Cellars) Spanish selections. A few weeks of email correspondence and some samples later, I purchased some wine from Ms. Ellman for the shop, and this is probably my favorite of the wines I bought. Without a doubt the best, most complete and satisfying Ribera del Duero I've had in a year, probably since the 1998 Valduero Reserva I drank a year ago. Not like there is much competition out there, though. Ribera del Duero generally is annoyingly grapey, overly oaked, flabby, over-extracted juice and one of the regions that I would suggest you avoid like the plague if you do not already do so. That having been said, I would seek this wine out for an example of Ribera del Duero that has aged into a delicious wine: rich and dark fruited yet balanced with enough acidity, some oak clearly contributing to the structure but not causing it to topple over, and enough development to contribute a subtle, savory braised meat character that does not rob the immediacy of the ripe fruit. In fact there is still plenty to like in the bottle I'm drinking now which I opened four days ago! It's worth noting that 2002 was generally derided and panned as a weak, damp vintage in Rioja and Ribera del Duero. I'd counter that it helped provide this wine with the balance and acidity to be drinking perfectly now and for another five years at least. I'd more than willingly put this wine up against any new wave hot shot from the hyped 2005 vintage (Pingus included) in five years and be confident that it would take the crown.

Toscana, Italy

2007 Poggiarellino Rosso di Montalcino

I have tasted this wine a few times over the past two months, and shared a bottle with none other than McDuff the wine dog when he came over for dinner last month. Poggiarellino makes honest, imperfect, Sangiovese based wine that shows off its Montalcino terroir and wears on its sleave its rustic qualities (some may say 'flaws'). What does that mean? Big barnyard like nose, with noticeable brett, and rich cherry aromas that draw you closer to take a sip. All of the previous descriptors apply to the palate, writ large. Big cherry fruit, tell-tale brett, tannins that are assertive (don't think they care too much about 'tannin management' here) and acidity that vears towards slightly volatile. Sound exciting? It is, and more importantly, it's honest and engaging. I've no idea how the wine might age, but it sure is an exciting drink right now. Especially with a New York strip steak as I last enjoyed it.

THOUGHTS ON WINE EMAIL OFFERS

Hey man, those Five dollar bills are like, cruising through the ether and shit

How do you feel about retailer (and e-tailer, for that matter) wine emails? Do you find them to be of any interest to you? Do you learn something? Are they annoying? Too bombastic? Over-selling? Too frequent? Lacking creativity? Perhaps a little too precious and self-indulgent?

If you're not already familiar with a producer's wine, what is it about an email that appeals to you, that makes you either think about pulling the trigger and purchasing wine or actually buying wine? Or would you never think of buying wine merely off of a well-written sales pitch?

This is not market research, nor a gathering of opinions to help me with crafting my own sales emails (I think I'm pretty good, but fact is much of the stuff I'm selling in email blasts you all would not for a moment consider buying - high acid, natural and Spain/Portugal/Chile/Argentina do not go together so much). I just would love to hear some personal opinions from anyone, in the trade or not.

Today, for instance, I received the same email from two SoCal based retailers selling '93 Oenotheque for $199.99 - the currently ubiquitous "was $__, now $__" closeout email. In another offer, I was told of a glorious Cahors, whose final quantites were heroically whisked away from the Asian market and brought back to deserving, discriminating American palates. There was a classy grenache offer from New York City. Fortified wines from another successful New York store. Twenty percent off all wine from a medium sized neighborhood shop in Washington, DC. You get the point, many different variations on the single theme of "Buy my shit."

Please comment early and comment often, I want to hear your thoughts on this. Oh, and I'm sorry to get a little bit too industry or Warksian on you. I promise to do either a tasting note(s) or some irreverent some such next post.