NY Wine Expo

Attended the First Annual New York Wine Expo - at Javits - in conjunction with the umpteenth International Restaurant and Food Show - advertised 600 wine vendors - a lot but not 600 - limited one glass per entrant - taking care of both red & white - lots of security - the customary trade show directory - absent pages for wine notes - absent pencils - i.e. - a wine tasting to the trade run like a a jewelery show - still - there were some standouts - including Fulcrum - my take home wine of the event -

• Old Ghost - Zinfandel - 2005 - refined - spice - very nice - seek it out - $37 retail - 15% alc - √√√
• D Cubed Cellars - Howell Mountain Zinfandel - 2005 - bigger  - more fruit - √√
• D Cuber Cellars - Napa Valley Zinfandel - 2004 - classic - spice - smooth - √
• D Cubed Cellars - Late Harvest Zinfandel - 2005 - this is a WOW - because its different - very sweet - lots of acid - on the thin side versus the traditional late harvest which runs to syrup - the wine-maker likens it to Zinfandel infected with Botrytris - seek it out - √√√
• Ridge - East Bench - 100% Zinfandel - 14.9% Alc - brand new - like it - Ridge does it again - √√√
• Giuseppe - Zinfandel - Neese Vineyards - sweet - lacks spice - $14 retail - √
• Klinker Brick - Old Vine Zinfandel - 2005 - $17 retail - √√
• Medusa - Lover's Lane - Old Vine Zinfandel - Mendocino - 100% Zinfandel - light - 14.6% alc - √√
• Medusa - Pig Pen Vineyard - Old Vine Zinfandel - Amador County - 100% Zinfandel - did not like the level of tannins - OK - √
• Medusa - Hoodoo Creek - Old Vine Zinfandel - Lake Country - 100% Zinfandel - Biggest of the Medusa group - more acid - spice - √√
• Red Truck - Pinot Noir - 12.6% alc - Central Coast - $10 - good bang for the buck - √√
• Red Truck - Red Wine - Sonoma Coast/Central Coast - 13.9% alc - blend of syrah, petite sirah, cab franc, grenache, mourvedre - best way to describe is "nice" - what's not to like - $10 - drinkable everyday - table wine - great bang for the buck - 2 check marks - √
• Mariah - Zinfandel - 14% alc - not big enough - √
• Wild Thing - Carol Shelton - Zinfandel - 2004 - $28 retail - 90 pts wine spectator - very light - √√
• Rocky Reserve - Carol Shelton - Zinfandel - 2004 - 91 pts parker - light still - taking away from the classic Zin experience - $33 retail - √
• Fulcrum - Pinot Noir - Anderson Valley - 2006 - 14.2% alc - unfined - unfiltered - my take home wine of the event - in fact - tried to buy a bottle on site - but the NY State SLA had already put the fear of God into everyone - its very nice - very Pinot - starting with the nose - aroma - just classic - very nice level of fruit - well balanced - the alc is 14.2% - the wine-maker said its actually a bit lower - but I never believe any wine-maker's published alc level - first year of production - made 1197 bottles - i.e. - just shy of 100 cases - he's planning on doubling production for next year - and a doubling after that - I wish him the best of luck - this is a great first product - pricing is now $52 - under valued - should be in the $60 range - one final note - wonderful packaging - the body of each bottle is wrapped in paper - creating what looks like a decorated external label - classy - √√√√
• Picket Fence - Pinot Noir - Russian River - 2005 - Nice - Burgundian - √√
• Rodney Strong - Pinot Noir - 2006 - Russian River Valley - very nice - √√
• Rodney Strong - Cabernet Sauvignon - 2004- Alexander Valley - tannins a bit too strong for me - lay it down- √√

Enjoy -

HBH

Comments

[Morgen McLaughlin]

Wondering if you tasting any of the Finger Lakes wines at the NY Wine Expo? Wine Spectator recently rated 34 of the 2006 Finger Lakes Rieslings and gave scores between 89-85. Visit http://www.fingerlakeswinecountry.blogspot.com for the the complete list of the top-scoring wines.