Wine Media Guild of New York

New member Robert Simonson is the first with a write-up of Wednesday’s lunch. Click through to his blog, “Off the Presses” to check out his thoughts on how New York State Riesling ages ten, twenty and even forty years. And see a picture of the giant striped bass we had!

MEMBERS’ MEMOS

Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing Mulligan are writing the ninth in the Dummies wine series (10th book overall) titled California Wine For Dummies (John Wiley), due out in September.

We forgot to mention last month that David Rosengarten was a speaker on four panels at the Professional Wine Writers Symposium held at Meadowood (Napa Valley) February 19-22…At the Symposium, attended by 50 wine writers (including 5 from the WMG), David and Pat Savoie announced they are co-authoring a book on how to navigate restaurant wine lists and recognize and work with a variety of sommelier types. Expected publication in 2009.

Tidbits (more…)

MEMBER MEMOS

* CONGRATULATIONS to Tyler Colman, who has been contracted by Simon & Schuster to write “a practical and fun wine book.” S&S has put the book on a very fast track: it will be released this fall! So, if Tyler is absent from a couple of tastings, it’s because he is writing the book and editing galleys! This is Tyler’s second book due out this year.

* Four WMG members will attend the fourth annual Professional Wine Writers Symposium in Napa Valley at Meadowood Resort. The Symposium is for wine writers only and involves four days of meetings, speakers, panels, lunches/dinners, wine tastings, and a day at the CIA. The four are Marisa D’Vari, Tyler Colman (his third and a writing Fellowship winner), Pat Savoie (her third and a writing Fellowship winner) and Mort Hochstein (a Judge for the Fellowship writing competition; judging was done blind by the way). The Symposium takes place Feb 19-22. For information: www.winewriterssymposium.org

* DATE CHANGE ALERT FOR JUNE BORDEAUX TASTING (more…)

Congratulations to Philippe Newlin and Robert Simonson for being elected the newest members of the Wine Media Guild of New York.

Philippe Newlin is the Tasting Director at Wine & Spirits magazine. He also teaches wine classes at Columbia Business School, contributes to Devour.tv, and is studying for the Master of Wine.

Robert Simonson writes the monthly “In the Cellar” column and contributes other wine stories for the New York Sun. He has also contributed articles to Salon.com, Wine Spectator, and Time Out New York. His blog, “Off the Presses,” has a summary of our Chateauneuf du Pape lunch here.

SOLD OUT Wednesday Jan 9: Wine Media Guild Luncheon 11:30am-2:00pm. Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Felidia Restaurant. If you have reserved and are not able to attend, please notify Pat Savoie asap as there is a wait list. psavoie@nyc.rr.com

Trade events:
Monday Jan 14: - Vias Portfolio Tasting. (more…)

The Wine Media Guild ended the year with a bang–or perhaps a “pop” since there were many Champagne corks around.

Member and Hall of Fame inductee Ed McCarthy arranged the tasting of 23 grandes cuvees from Champagne, which astounded the 35 members and guests at the luncheon. One member said it was the best Champagne tasting he’d ever been to. With Krug, Cristal, Dom Perignon among twenty other Champagnes, it would be hard to disagree.

For tasting notes on this month’s lunch, we send you elsewhere. Specifically, check out guest attendee Jeremy Parzen who wrote up a thoughtful overview of the lunch, including pictures and many vignettes.

Also of note, member Tyler Colman write up his thoughts on these bling bubblies on his blog DrVino.com.

And finally, Barbara Neibart, a guest of Paul and Linda Zimmerman, was so inspired at the lunch that she drew her own Champagne tasting cartoon! Head over to Bailey Zimmerman to check it out in hi resolution.

See you in the new year for a great lunch in January: Chateauneuf du Pape with speaker and member Terry Robards.

Wine Media Guild November Newsletter
Ron Kapon, Editor

Members’ Memos

Carol Berman began her “Class in a Glass Wine Buy of the Week” segment Thursday October 18th on “Food Talk” with Mike Colameco on Radio 710 WOR. Her minute-long segments will air every Thursday at approximately 11:45AM. Or you can go online at www.wor710.com . Her “Wine Buys” are also posted on her website www.classinaglasswine.com . Carol was on Arthur Schwartz’s show on WOR from 1999-2004.

John Mariani and his brother, Robert, have written a very personal book, Almost Golden, about growing up in the Pelham Bay area, an incredibly idyllic place in the North Bronx, during the 1940’s and ‘50’s. It is not yet available in bookstores, so to purchase a copy ($14.95) go to www.amazon.com or to www.bbotw.com/Product.aspx?ISBN=0-7414-3017-7 .

I attended part of the “Special Harvest Edition” of Wine Camp in mid-October on the North Fork of Long Island. Sponsored by local wineries and Bed & Breakfasts, it is a 4 day/3 night event. The next Wine Camp will take place in March 2008. For more information: www.winecamp.org

November Tastings (more…)

The best ever lunch? So declared one member as the lunch got underway. Indeed, our most recent lunch was packed and the theme–old vine grenache–and wines won lots of praise from the attendees. For the first time, we polled attendees about their favorite wines. After tabulating the results, the top two wines were the Gilles Troullier 2005 from the Rousillon and the Domaine de la Janasse 2004 from Chateauneuf du Pape.

Charter member Paul Zimmerman volunteered to share his notes from the tasting. Take it away, Paul…

* * * *

As requested, I am sending along my notes on the Old Vine Grenache tasting on Oct. 3, 2007. They are totally personal, some are probably skewed because someone bumped my arm and put me in a bad mood, some weren’t given enough attention, others found total disagreement in the room. That’s why they’re called PERSONAL notes. At least I got to taste everything, and, surprise, within the allotted time. My grades are based on the old UC Davis 20-point system, with 15 being around a B over B-
Yours for better understanding among certain individuals,

Paul Zimmerman

(Wines are listed as they appear on the sheet)

2006 LA CONRERIA d’SCALA DEI BRUGUERES, WHITE—I got nut shell in the nose (lots of sneezing followed) and in the taste. Not in a bad way. Interesting. Some complexity. 16

2006 LAFAGE CUVEE CENTENNAIRE, GRENACHE BLANC—Fine body, a real feel of class, a nicely made wine. Slight touch of alcohol but lovely with the meal. Remember Bonny Doon’s Le Sophiste, which I believe was the best wine they made at the time? A blend of Marsanne and Roussanne? This reminded me of it very much. 17-/16+

2006 STEPHEN PANNELL GRENACHE ROSE—Simple berry on the nose, taste was criticized by some as being a little one dimensional in the candyish department, but I could see this wine on the patio during the summer, after you chilled the hell out of it, bringing great joy on a summer day. And as I kept thinking of it, I kept raising the grade, until it settled on the upper reaches. The 20 buck price tag was not joyful, though, but I know what they’re doing. They’re using the 1.85 formula. You take the age of the vines (37 years in this case), divide by 1.85 and that establishes the price. 17- (more…)

Members’ Memos

Perry Luntz has a new book coming out in November: Whiskey and Spirits for Dummies (John Wiley & Co.). Perry’s newsletter, “Beverage Alcohol Market Report Online” will reappear as a bi-weekly, free online newsletter in October.

If any members have a book coming out, please let me know.

October Events (more…)

Just how multi-faceted is grenache? And what does the increasingly common but unregulated term “old vines” mean? We will find out in our October tasting where the theme is old vine grenache.

With wines from Spain, France, Sardinia, and Australia, we will taste through 20 examples of grenache including: two examples of white grenache, a rose, several reds and grenache-dominant blends, and a Banyuls dessert wine.

Jean-Francois Ey, 30, will be the speaker. Grenache is his favorite grape. We’ll taste some of his wines along with many others including:

* La Conreria d’Scala Dei, Les Brugueres white 2006 - Priorat/Spain
* Lafage Cuvee Centennaire 2006 (Grenache Blanc) - France/Roussillon

* Stephen Pannell Greanche Rose 2006 (from 37-year-old, dry-grown bush vines in Blewitt Springs) - Australia/McLaren Vale

* Capçanes, Cabrida 2004 (100% Grenache from 90 to 105-year old-vines) - Spain/Montsant
* Francesc Sanchez Bas, Montgranatx (organic, 95% very old vine garnacha/5% cabernet sauvignon) - Spain/Priorat
* Pasanau Germans, La Morera de Montsant 2003, (62% old vine garnacha/24% cabernet sauvignon/14% merlot) - Spain/Montsant
* Janasse, Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes 2004 (organic) - France/Rhone
* Domaine de Marcoux CdP 2004 (40 to 60-year-old vines. Organic) - France/Rhone
* Domaine La Roquete Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2003 (70% Grenache) - France/Rhone
* Saint Jean du Baroux, l’Oligocene (75% Grenache and the rest Syrah, Carignan, and Cinsault; Ventoux) 2004 - France/Rhone
* La Soumade, Fleur de Confiance 2003 - France/Rhone
* Gilles Troullier, l’Esprit du Temps 2005 (80 year old vines, biodynamic) - France/Roussillon
* Ey Vineyards Ey Vigne d’en Gaume 2004 - France/Roussillon
* Ey Vineyards Vigne las Collas, 90% Grenache - France/Roussillon
* Clos des Fees, Petite Siberie 2004 - France/Roussillon
* Mas de la Dame Coin Cache - France/Provence
* Sella & Mosca Cannonau 2004 (the oldest grapes in the world) - Italy/Sardinia
* Villa Creek Cellars, old vine garnacha 2005, - USA/Paso Robles
* Yalumba, bush vine grenache 2006, - Australia/Barossa
* De Lisio (100% dry-grown bush vine Grenache from 70-year-old vineyard in Blewitt Springs) - Australia/McLaren Vale
* Pirramimma, old bush vine Grenache 2003, - Australia/McLaren Vale
* Kaesler Grenache “The Fave” 2005 (single vineyard, 80-year-old vines) - Australia/Barossa
* Yalumba OV Grenache “Tricentenary” (vines over 100 years old) - Australia/Barossa

* Ey Vineyards Banyuls 100% Grenache - France/Roussillon