Red Is Life

Not A Plain Jane

Jane is an American bistro on Houston Street - very simple decor - very good food - nice selection of wine -

Pinot & Cubans

Invited for a cigar - perhaps some wine - maybe dinner - to the Grand Havana Room - used to be Top of the Sixes - 39 floors above 5th Avenue -

Myuge

New to me - Myuge - Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa - CA - 2005 - on the list at Ouest - at several merchant shops in NYC -

Very dark coloration - OK - not a terribly distinctive nose - expecting high tannins - asked that it be decanted - still tight - swirls plus 1/2 hour needed - mellowed sufficiently to pass muster with world's toughest tannin critic - i.e. - wife - lots of alcohol - 15% - but no heat - slightly tart taste - final judgment - good not great - too hard for simple dinner accompaniment - nothing that one would go out of one's way for - √√

So Little Time For So Much Wine

Major wholesaler's tasting to the trade - thought it was 12 to 6 - showed up at 4:30 - informed "we're going to start wrapping up at 5:00" - needed a plan - New World - one varietal only - aw-shucks - it would have to be a Pinot exclusive afternoon - i.e. - its off to the races -

Wine Notes

We did eight wines - seven grapes last night - Sauvignon Blanc - Merlot - Mourvèdre - Bordeaux - Cab Franc - Riesling - Cabernet Sauvignon - wide ranging tastes - wide range of vintages - 750 & 375 bottles - i.e. - diversity -

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 -

Classic Pinot

Coyote Canyon - Big Pond - Pinot Noir - 2003 - aroma and first sip - marked it as a classic Pinot - slightly tart - high oak - high alc - rich texture - tasting group split 50/50 on identifying it as a Pinot or Zin - personally would have liked more fruit - low production - $52 list - picked it up for $39.99 at Wades Wines - on the money description from the retailer - have another bottle - going to let it sit for a year or two - 3 click enjoyment - good bang for the buck - will not replenish pending aging outcome of second bottle - 

Prix Prize

Prix - Reserve - Late Harvest Chardonnay - 2006 - low complexity - high acid - 14% alc - absolutely delicious - almost ice wine'ish - $38 for a 375 ml - worth every drop - and its kosher !!!

Zin Night

Dinner party in the "country" for some "city" folk - we took a spin to the "local" wine merchants - putting about 30 or 40 miles on the car - so suburban -

Ended with two first rate Zins - adding a third that was already in the house -

Only Nice

Looking for big fruit Cab at Beacon - distilled the list with restaurant manager - ending with Chappellet 2005 -

Nice nose - immediately tasted dry (14.9% alc !!!) - no heat - classic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon without the super aroma - only moderate fruit - not as big as the expectation - almost European construction - did not distinguish itself - or - rise to the level of the meal - 2.5 checks -