I do of course realize it’s Thursday – we took a little vacation yesterday! And Terry, our wine expert, was also busy at work this past week at a marathon of wine tasting events in New York that mark the spring season of new arrivals. She met with some of the giants of the wine industry who were there to unveil their latest wares. Here she’ll share with us an inside peek at several of these events.
Each year hundreds of suppliers, producers, growers, owners and winemakers make their trek to New York City from all over the world to show their new vintages or barrel samples of wines that have been bottled only for these special tastings.
The events become a pure zoo of people sipping, asking questions, getting together with old friends that have moved around in the industry and a good place to make new acquaintances. If I were to list all the wines that I have tasted in the past week this blog would be a hundred pages long. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of wines to sort through.
As this is a true industry-only event, the tasters are professionals who know in order to get through a number of wines they must learn to taste and spit into the appropriate bucket otherwise someone will be carrying them off the floor.
New York is always a fun place for these producers, etc. since they also get a chance to visit wine stores and restaurants that support their products throughout the year as well as some of the new hot spots in New York City such as Marea on Central Park South (above), A Voce (below) at the Time Warner Building and Eleven Madison Park (two below).
Photo: Hannah Whitaker
Photo: Lars Klove for The New York Times
We started our day yesterday with a sit-down seminar with Greg La Follette, previously the winemaker for Flowers Winery (known for their stunning single vineyard chardonnays and pinot noirs), who recently launched a new winery last year called La Follette. Greg was an amazing presenter who explained how he combines science with old world winemaking techniques to produce wines that are a true product of the terroir.
We had 7 of his wines during the seminar followed by lunch with 10 more that were in the portfolio of wines from Wine Creek Cellars, including a delicious
2009 Quivira Fig Tree Sauvignon Blanc paired with sautéed diver scallops and the 2009 Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier Torbreck blend served with the grilled diver scallops.
My favorite course, however was the fabulous blueberry souffle for dessert. Here we are at the Porter House Restaurant in NYC that Michael Lomonaco (the original chef at Windows on the World) now calls his home.
Greg La Follette is not only a winemaker but also an artist and scientist and believes that complexity in wine is not an accident – rather, an exceptional wine is coaxed from the earth with equal measures of faith and understanding. For Greg, winemaking is an intuitive, emotional and sometimes risky process. Greg has the Burgundian touch to his winemaking and travels to the barrel makers in Burgundy to find just the right trees for his. He sources different barrels each year from Meyrieux depending on what style of oak he needs for his wines.
We also had the opportunity to taste with Sir Peter Michael one day who is noted for his winery’s great Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernets. Helen Turley was their original winemaker who put them on the map. Peter Michael is very rarely seen at tastings as he is a world traveler and really doesn’t need to be behind a tasting table.
David Ramey, another icon in our industry, was at one of our tasting days. I met David over 20 years ago when he was the original winemaker for Chalk Hill in California when the vineyard was first purchased by Mr. Firth, a San Francisco business man. David has since climbed the ladder, made wine for Rudd Vineyards (Mr. Rudd is one of the owners of Dean and Deluca) and has had his own winery for quite some time now. He is known for his Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignons which consistently get high scores from the wine writers. Here, at the Metropolitan Pavillion on West 18th Street in NYC, is David Ramey on the left with one of his national representatives on the right.
Our final tasting was for Bressler Vineyards. They are very small producers of super-premium Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Their current production is under 500 cases of estate wine yearly, sourced exclusively from their family vineyard on the west side of St. Helena. Bob and Stacey Bressler, below, are both former Silicon valley executives.
Thank you Terry, as always, for an expert’s look inside these events that showcase some of the latest and greatest in winemaking.
Anything that begins with a fig has to be wonderful. Quivira.
Thanks for sharing the interview, and thank you to Terry. So now I have a new wine or two to try.
Hope that you have a wonderful weekend, q.
Teresa
xoxo
Wow this was fun and interesting! Ever since my trips to Napa and Bordeaux, I am fascinated wine, the process and the many beautiful vineyards. We went on a private tour last year in Napa and I think went to Bressler..have to ask my hubby. I am no expert and wouldnt’ pretend to be, just know that when I love a good wine…I am a loyal follower. I am going to jot down some of the ones above that were well received….what a fun event!
PS Adding you to my blog roll…always enjoy coming here!
That first shot of the glasses is gorgeous!
I enjoy wines from small vineyards as well and loved going to a few in the Finger Lakes region (mmm riesling!)
xoxo,
Chic ‘n Cheap Living
I am joining The Enchanted Home and adding you to my blog list. Your posts are always so well done. Nice to have this group in NYC…taxi!
sounds like a lot of fun in New York…
those pinot noir are looking pretty good right now too…
maureen
Interesting and educational as always. We are headed to Napa next week and have appointments at a few wineries that must be near Bressler, may have to add them to our list!
This looks like one fabulous evening, good heavens! It is always so much fun to learn new things through your posts, I do enjoy them!
Hope your Thursday goes swimmingly,
tp
PS: You had me at blueberry souffle.
That sounded like a great time. I just read that for the first time the US is out selling France in wine so it has to say something about our winemakers. Wonderful post as always.
Now this does sound fabulous! I come from quite an old wine making area in Australia, populated by numerous boutique wineries, and nothing beats a Saturday afternoon drive through the contryside visiting and tasting (designated driver of course) whenever I am home. The reds are fabulous taking on the cahracteristics of the local soil!
11 Madison Park…now that’s my kind of place. Just beautiful. As are you, my friend. It is so good to see photos of you out & about, having fun. And, this post is so interesting. Believe me, I’m saving these names for my next visit to NYC. One of my girlfriends lives on Park Avenue in the condominium building next to the Regency Hotel, she has a driver, and the most wonderful husband…whenever I visit she always entertains me. Sending love, cutie.
I loved this post. Especially since most of these are my favorite Chardonnay’s. I love Flowers and have drank it for years. I will have to try Gary’s new label. Peter Michael is one of my all time favorites along with Paul Hobbs, Aubert, Kistler, Hanzell, etc. but not always in my budget. Ramey is sooo yummy and if your ever in wine country – it’s on the Healdsburg side / Russian River side – opposite of Napa they do an AMAZING wine tasting. I usually have had all the boutique wineries because that’s where we tend to taste when were up there and will have to add the Bressler to my list and research it a bit more. Sounds yummy! My favoite WEDNESDAY blog / Thursday :)
What a wonderful event, sounds like it was a lot of fun with all the wine experts as well as delicious! I’ll be coming back to take notes for my next party! Thanks for sharing!
xo Mary Jo
Now that is my type of event! Love the wines you featured today too! XX
OK I want to change places with you!!! How much fun was that? I had my birthday dinner at 11 Madison Park a few years ago. So much fun. We used to come to New York every year in November for my birthday, but missed this year. I will definitely be saving the names of these places and the wines. Great post!!!!!
If you get a chance stop by and see my interview with Greet Lefevere from Belgian Pearls. She’s giving her take on Belgian gardens and landscapes. Really interesting. I just love her.
What a fun time you had! I like Chardonnay and would like to try the Flowers. I am coming to New York next month and will try 11 Madison Park restaurant now that I have heard so many good reviews of it from your readers!
Enjoyed your wine review and notes on people behind them. I am looking forward to try 11 Madison Park soon. Marea is one of my favorites. I went to Ai Fiori Tuesday and had a heavenly risotto.
Looks like a really fun time! Very interesting post. I can only imagine how wonderful the food paired with these fabulous wines were together!! Lucky you!!
joan
I always love your “wine” posts any day of the week. Have you been to “The Italian Wine Merchants” on 16th street. We attended a birthday party there that was incredible. We had some of the best wines and the next day, I woke up feeling just fabulous. The sign of really good wines and friends sharing and celebrating life!
pve
What a great looking bar at Marea!! Another informative Wednesday Wine day on a Thursday! ; )