Sparkitus

I see a lot of tasting notes here, and I am curious as to how useful you all find them. I keep notes myself on just about all the wines I taste. Being a sommelier/wine buyer, I try very hard never to list anything I haven't tasted myself, hence the notes, which I prepare verbatim for my staff to use (even though many of the comments would not be appropriate for public consumption). So, would it be useful for me to post these collections, some of which are fifty-plus wines at a crack. Or is that just spamming the thread?

Surely, you don't mean Alsatian Chenin Blanc?? BTW, passed the blind tasting and the service exam, did not pass the written test. Will have to retake the whole thing in April. EXCELLENT learning experience, though, and I will be better prepared the next time. Damn that's one arcane test.

Yes, because of tannins (but you knew that). That's why Merlot is so popular.

1. Welcome to NYC. 2. You will need to find a temperature-controlled facility, possibly self-storage. If you have a lot of wine, say upwards of 50-100 cases or more, give the auction houses a call and see what they recommend. They have a staff on hand that evaluates collections and they are sure to know several facilities that their clients have used. They will not store the wine for you themselves, mind you. But they could be very helpful. You might also call some of the larger, prestigious wine stores (Zachy's, et al) and ask for a recommendation. Good luck!

For the money you have to spend on a good Sauternes/Barsac, you can drink it as cold as you want. But I have to agree, the older or more subtle the wine, the warmer it should be drunk. At my restaurant, we serve 1975 Yquem at cellar temperature, chilled if requested. It simply shows better that way. Cheap-ass Sauternes *need* to be chilled heavily because they don't taste very good otherwise. As for the food pairings I've read here, green olives??? with Ham? Ok, I guess I'll have to try that before I diss it completely. My rule of thumb is that, with dessert, the wine has to be markedly sweeter than the dessert or it doesn't work well. With savory foods, Sauternes' characteristic acidity (in high-quality wines that is) helps tremendously with rich foods like foie gras or, god forbid, calf's liver. Never heard of Canadian ice cider, but I guess it makes some sense, given that their greatest wines, arguably, are their ice wines from Riesling from the Niagara region. So why not apples, too? Unless that was a typo.

I guess it pays to be in the restaurant business (but not nearly enough), because I have Riedel glasses that only cost me $5 a stem. They have come out with something they call the "Restaurant" line of glasses - they are not crystal but glass, and very sturdy, and in the same shapes as the Vinum line I believe. You will never find them retail, they are sold through distributors to restaurants only. Very well-balanced and if you break one - as I did the very first day I got them home - it's not a tragedy. I use the Zinfandel/Sangiovese glass as an all-purpose glass for tasting or entertaining, but I have a few stems of the Vinum Burgundy around just in case. I am not brand loyal, but damn they look good on the table and the price is right.

I saw this episode a couple of months ago and I heard they were re-running it. I was studying for the MS Advanced exam at the time and it was painful to watch, but even with his attitude, I think the Faker acquitted himself well, as evidenced by the results of his "final exam." I wish my own exam was that easy.

Hey, I just popped in here to this thread, but let me disavow some mistaken notions: the restaurant is real. They did it in 7 weeks (it was part of the deal). Anyone can go there (if you can get a reservation). It was not a "set" it is in fact in the space where Commune used to be on 22nd street. Product placement was not an accident (Coors, Pellegrino, et al). What will be interesting, I'm sure, is now that the cameras are gone, the business of running a restaurant becomes real - how will it go?

I might advise you that all you really need is one more red, unless your guests are pretty heavily into wine. But it's a wedding, and everyone will be there for you, not for the wine list. You have already selected an intelligent range of wines, go with that and keep it simple for your guests. I might humbly suggest you pick a Merlot or a lookalike for those who just want a glass of red wine they can be comfortable with in case they don't know what the Salice is. Congrats, by the way.

Personally, I'm grateful for an opulent vintage like 2000 because it means at the lower end of the price/quality spectrum I'm going to be drinking some real gems over the next couple years - you know that the petits chateaux are not taking price hikes like the Grand crus are! I did taste about 38 of the top chateaux at Vinexpo last year (2000 vintage), and I would have to agree with those who declare a mixed bag. The Poujeaux was one of the very best of the lot and the Figeac was disappointing, go figure.

I think nature did most of the toning down in those years. 1994 and 1997? Hardly Bordeaux's best in recent years - 1995 and 1996 were easily the best vintages of that decade by consensus. 94 and 97 are not for the long haul, but admittedly are drinking easily now ("restaurant vintages" as they say) if they are a little simple by comparison.

I don't believe there is a "superieur" designation allowed in the cru bourgeois classification, or at least have found no reference to it in my library of wine books. There is a Cru Artisanal which comes in just below Bourgeois but is not recognized by the EU (yet). The classifications are exactly as CTGM stated, however. But Craig is correct in that where the term "surperieur" or "superiore" is used it is to recognize a higher level of ripeness (between .05 and 1 degree higher alcohol, depending on the appellation).

The advice I have been given, which I think is sound, is to taste the wine first and determine whether or not it can stand up to decanting - especially necessary for all those pesky 100-plus year old bottles hanging around at dinnertime. Personally, I think decanting of wines less than 10 years old is overdone, although I also have an example of a simple little $10 country wine that needs to be opened 2 days ahead of time... My rule of thumb in the restaurant is that 1) if it is a point of service - a chance to wow the guest or make them feel taken care of - then I will decant anything they want including whites, and 2) other than wines that I know to throw sediment, I will just automatically decant anything from 7 to 10 years old or older, especially dark, tannic reds, so they will be at least more enjoyable by the time the entree arrives.

Some personal favorites, in a traditional style: Coudert Clos de Roilette (Fleurie), Alain Demon Cotes Roannaises Gamay, and Hubert Lignier (great Burgundy producer) Passetoutgrains 2000 (gamay/pinot noir).

US Wineries selling first releases at these ridiculous prices (and from young vineyards, no less) are simply trading on the insecurity of the consumer. The mindset is that if the price tag is high, it will create demand - and it does. It doesn't require any discernment, just a willingness or need to keep up with the Joneses.

My 2 Cents: Aside from not being a fan of Pinot Grigio with the exception of some of those wines advocated by others here, I am very reluctant to list them (I consult for a country French/Italian restaurant in Boston) and would certainly not consider pouring one by the glass for the simple reason that they would sell to the exclusion of other wines in such a disproportionate way. I am going to list one on the new list I'm working on, but it will have to be around $25 a bottle (and taste good, of course). There are simply too many other great little wines out there to have them be obliterated by the brand Pinot Grigio, and I have actually gotten raves from other restaurant wine buyers who applaud the resistance to pouring PG as an act of faith in the consumer to be willing to experiment with, say, a Godello from Spain.

Actually, St. Supery winery produces both a Meritage Red and White in some small amounts. A curiosity, perhaps, but both have been well-recieved by the critical wine press. While many wineries prefer to use proprietary names in addition to, or rather than, Meritage, to obtain a license and use the term Meritage a wine must meet the following criteria: · A red Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the following varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, St. Macaire, Gros Verdot, and Carmenere. No single variety may make up more than 90 percent of the blend. · A white Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the following varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Sauvignon Vert. No single variety may make up more than 90 percent of the blend. The second quote is from the Meritage Association website, which makes no mention of price point requirements, but does (obviously) require that those using the term be a licensed member. Not to be argumentative, but I post this to refute a couple of points made earlier in the thread in the spirit of accuracy. Personally, I agree with Craig that it's an idiotic marketing tool.

Toro is indeed a really up-and-coming region in Spain that has tons of value to offer. These regions are also starting to recognize what they have in terms of grapes and soils and they are now coming up with more expensive bottlings (hence the Numanthia). Even the pricier wines represent value, however, as their French or Italian counterparts are going for well over a hundred dollars a bottle now (super Umbrian, anyone?) Also look for wines from Costers del Segre (Raimat Estate), Tarragona and Jumilla for some nice, affordable surprises. Importers are starting to turn their attention to Spain since the rest of the Old World has pretty much been plumbed. Bully for us.

I believe they are growing Chardonnay in Alsace in earnest, but I don't believe that it is currently approved for any AOCs. It would probably have to fall into the category of one of the vins de table, especially if labelled as a varietal wine which is rarely done, if ever. In fact, only cremant d'Alsace (the sparkling wine) may legally include Chardonnay in the blend. Edelzwicker, which is not legally defined, doesn't normally include Chardonnay. Hope this little bit of arcana helps :)

Wow, this is always a hot topic and I'm glad to see it handled in a fairly intelligent manner here. As a long time server and sommelier, I have always considered it just a matter of course that I tip 18 to 20% on my bill regardless of the wine purchases. When I tip a server 15% or less, they must have pissed me off or they just didn't care. But that's me. People who don't tip on wine, or worse - don't tip on a gift certificate - I write them off and thank god I work in a pooled house which allows the entire staff to absorb the affects of the inconsiderate or ill-bred. Now, having had my say on that matter, I will point to an angle that hasn't really been addressed here as yet: someone (like myself) goes through a lot of training and trouble and expense to create a wine list, train their staffs and purchase (and replace) stemware. Bringing your own wine to a restaurant is cool if it's a bottle not on the list and is "special." Anything by Kendall Jackson or Turning Leaf will probably never appear on a list I write, frankly, so if someone brings in something like that it is because they are trying to save money, which is no sin, but honestly- you are still going to pay at least a $20 corkage fee, so you will drink better if you order a wine of the equivalent price off the list. And I certainly hope you called ahead to get an ok from the wine guy to bring that bottle in (which most people never do, btw), because in most cases (as in MASS where I worked for years) it is totally illegal. That said, if someone shows up with wine, it is not good hospitality to approve or disapprove of the bottle, and I will always serve what they have brought cheerfully and professionally. If they bring something "special" like an older or rarer bottle that I don't list, then I will certainly treat them well and might even consider waiving the corkage fee if they're willing to share a taste with me or my staff. The only time a restaurant should really put their foot down is when someone shows up with a wine that is already on the list, even if they vintage is slightly different (say, within, three or so years); that is just out of the question. And I've seen wholesale reps do this (and then wonder why they can't sell me more wine in the future). The upshot is that bringing your own wine in to a restaurant, especially one noted for its wine programs, you should expect to pay a corkage fee and do so gladly. And no, you should not tip on the corkage fee, sorry fellow waiters.

Regarding Little Italy, I agree that it is a total tourist trap and there is very little in the way of real food there anymore. However, in SOHO there is a place called Peasant which comes very highly recommended (I have not been myself) by people I know in the restaurant business including Michael Romano of Union Square Cafe. Check it out. Hope this helps.

Just a quick note to Roz: the wine you had was "Notarpanaro" from the south of Italy, I want to say Campania, and if memory serves me correctly, it is from the negroamaro grape, dark and earthy stuff. Also a bang for buck. Shouldn't be too hard to find (I've seen it at Union Square wines for about $20).