Recently, John Paine of Rosenthal Wine Merchant met with us to to taste over 20 new releases from their portfolio. The wines were so good and unique that we purchased 15 new wines. This Saturday, we are offering you an opportunity to taste four of the selections. We’re pouring 2-5. Read on for the Tasting Notes.
Complimentary Tasting May 25
The Pours:
Thevenet St. Veran “Clos de l’Ermitage” Vielles Vignes 2010: This prestige cuvée is produced from the domaine’s oldest vines in a five hectare parcel which is a monopole of the Thevenet family. The average age of the vines, located in Prissé, are 70 years old. This highly concentrated wine is very limited in production and is not aged in oak, preserving the purity and richness of the fruit.
Marc Deschamps Pouilly-Fumé “Les Vignes de Berge” 2009: This wonderful domaine consists of a little over eight hectares of vineyards in the legendary sector of Les Loges which is known as “the hamlet of the vignerons”. Harvest is manually done, fermentation is done in stainless steel and cement tanks and only natural yeasts are used. While the wines are left on the lees for a considerable time, malolactic fermentation rarely occurs keeping the bright acidity and mineral qualities of the wine in tact. Their wines are classic examples of Pouilly-Fumé, rich, powerful, great minerality and precision.
Etienne Becheras Saint Joseph 2009: This is one of the most exciting wines we have ever tasted from St. Joseph. The quality here is on par with Jean-Louis Chave’s estate wine, yet it is very different. This is a wine of intensity, purity and a depth not normally found in the appellation. The vineyards sit on soil composed of schist and granite with a very thin top soil which provides excellent drainage. They are organically farmed, and harvested by hand. Aged 18-24 months in large barrels, and then bottled without fining or filtration.
Monseco Gattinara 2006: I was first introduced to Gattinara wines in the 1970′s when I worked on the weekends at 67 Wines & Spirits in Manhattan. I was amazed of the aging ability of the wines and the purity of expression of the terroir. This is a Piedmont wine, produced from the Nebbiolo grape and a small amount, perhaps 5%, of Uva Rara. It is a weighty wine of depth and density. The wines are manually harvested, aged for at least three years prior to bottling, then held in bottle for additional time to provide some bottle age. This is a stunning wine.
Come by on Saturday to taste these terrific wines.
Ric
