Tom Gannon is the playwright in residence at Rothmann's Steakhouse in New York City. He is also the sommelier and serves as America's Host. UncleLuther@gmail.com
Last week I had a table of six collectors come in for dinner with some Rhone wines to burn. I have a deal with them (and some other groups) that I think is very advantageous for all. Waive the corkage fee, I decant and serve all the wines and taste as well. Usually difficult in the middle of service to taste, oversee the wine service in the rest of the dining room and still take some notes but it was only six wines, so I had time to go back to my glasses resting on top of the notebook near the kitchen as needed. This was the group that brought a vertical of Screaming Eagle one night a couple of years ago and a Dal Forno dinner last year so when I get the phone call for a reservation my curiosity is piqued, knowing the theme will change every time.
So to begin, Chateau de Beaucastel Blanc Vielles Vignes 2003. From 75 year old vines they made 500 cases of this 100% Roussanne. Honey, sweet almond, marzipan, candied walnut, candied orange peel, acacia flowers and star anise on nose. On the palate it is rich and luscious, surprisingly balanced- the finish was a bit shorter than I expected, but I think that may be chalked up to the 2003 vintage being so screamingly hot. I love aged white Chateauneuf-du-Pape but I don't think this one is in for the long haul. Open a bottle for me in five years and prove me wrong.
Next up Vidal-Fleury Cote-Rotie 1978. From a legendary vintage in the northern Rhone, This wine had smoke, meat, earthy black and white pepper and fig on the nose. It was soft on the palate with a dried herbal edge. Not a long finish but showed very well. I would like to know how much Viognier was in the blend...
Then another northern Rhone star, Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 1989. Anyone who read my homage to the 1998 may have an idea I might got a few things to say about this wine. Blackberry, sage, smoked meat, blueberry reduction, bacon fat, black pepper, absolutely stunning on the nose. Still tannic on the tongue, long mineral finish with tingling herbs, smoke and meat. Would love at some point soon to taste the legendary trio of '88, '89, '90 side by side by side.
And now back down south to CNP. I had decanted the magnum of Chateau de Beaucastel 1995 as soon as the table sat down. Beaucastel uses a higher percentage of Mouvedre than is typically found in other CNP houses. They also use all thirteen CNP varietals in the final blend- a nod to tradition also utilized by Chateau La Nerthe (they also use a higher percentage of Mouvedre than the norm). It was served an hour after decanting. Based on how it showed if you do have this laying around in magnum, I would have patience for 6-10 years. Not to say we didn't enjoy it...Gunpowder earthiness, black pepper, herbs de Provence, spearmint on the nose and added rich sen sen, black cherry liqueur, melted licorice, lavender, minerality and surprisingly soft tannins on the finish. Still, I would wait just a few more years even in 750ml format.
But we had the good fortune of having the Chateau de Beaucastel 1986 as well for reference. This apparently is a bit of a controversial wine that many feel is past it's peak- some feel it never was a great vintage for Beaucastel. This bottle showed very well with dried cherry, tar, white pepper and a soft dried herbal edge. Gamey sweet leather, strawberry, funky wet tobacco and clove and a long soft earthy finish. Over all 1995 is the greater vintage and a better expression of Beaucastel's style but I was glad to see the 86 stand up for itself. Some at the table felt it was the wine of the night. I would disagree, but good form 86 good form sir.
So to finish up with a little sweet sweet. It ain't the stickiest of the icky and considering the label looked like it had been hit by a blowtorch and an illegible cork crumbling as I opened it I had my doubts...still the Chateau Filhot Sauternes 1975 had orange marmalade, cinnamon toast, bruised pear, honey butter, mango chutney and an India rubber edge. Pineapple and honey fruit in mouth, lighter than I would have thought, not as long of a finish as you would hope, but given the condition of the bottle the fact that it had structure at all was a nice surprise. Wouldn't spend time tracking it down.
Blind tasting group tomorrow in the AM. Taste early taste often. Duty calls.
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Value on a relative scale...a weighty Hermitage
Tom Gannon is the playwright in residence at Rothmann's Steakhouse in New York City. He is also the sommelier and serves as America's Host. UncleLuther@gmail.com
The wine list at Daniel evokes Spaulding Gray's Monster in a Box. More DRC than you could buy with all the bailout bonuses in New York, leather bound with a fighting weight of about three pounds this is one to peruse at the bar or online a few days before a romantic or otherwise strategic meal. Because with lists like these you go back and forth, get lost in Alsace, resurface for conversation after eight minutes spent in Bordeaux and then wander about the rest of the world until they lay an amuse bouche in front of you that would easily pass for a $20 app at many other much less heralded dining rooms.
I had not been in Daniel since a lunch for 50 NY sommeliers five-six years ago to launch the joint venture between Mondavi and Rosemount. Remember those wines? I don't even know if they wound up in the market as it happened shortly before the unraveling of the Mondavi empire. The wines were unremarkable but being in Daniel never is. The man himself came out to thank the attendees as they left, most of us impressed to see a high profile chef actually in the restaurant that bears his name.
Frank Bruni is not the best food critic the Times has had on the payroll but I think he is right on with his recent four star reassessment of Daniel. Three courses for $105 is expensive, but amuse-bouches, petit fours, level of service and being in the room (go on ladies take off your shoes and wiggle your toes in the carpet under the table). The place is a splurge for most of us, but it over delivers on almost every level.
I am not employed by the Times I'll let the man work and Daniel doesn't need me to tell you that the experience is sumptuous, or any other Gael Greene foodie orgasmic sputterings. But I was surprised to find wines that are pricey but...especially in a place like this, worth it. I did not expect to find much in Burgundy that I was prepared to pay for and knew that Daniel, being from Lyon would probably have a few things kicking around from the Rhone. I went back and forth between a couple of things but could not get away. I was caught and $300 was going to the Jean-Louis Chave 1998 Hermitage. The Chave family has been producing wine as they proudly list on the label since 1481. His wines are life changing, both the white Hermitage and red.
Again, relative value. To buy this wine at auction would be in that neighborhood with added on taxes and buyer's premiums and the usual worry about provenance...we're talking around $300 anyway, so for such profound syrah...
Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 1998
Decanted, beautiful dark red no sign of age at the edge, blackberry with spearmint, sage, bacon fat, leather, earthy and rich texture with even black pepper popping in and out with both dried and lightly jammy red fruit. The finish lasts for well over a minute, was still tasting the tingle of spice in the cab twenty minutes later. The impression had not left me this morning (although I did have a half bottle of Bollinger shortly after getting up and even still my mind goes back...) Classic Hermitage, one to prowl the auctions or fine wine stores for. Like all auction/grey market buyer beware. This wine appears to be at it's peak where it should stay for another 3-6 years. It may go much longer. If I can get my hands on it I will not have that kind of will power.
The wine list at Daniel evokes Spaulding Gray's Monster in a Box. More DRC than you could buy with all the bailout bonuses in New York, leather bound with a fighting weight of about three pounds this is one to peruse at the bar or online a few days before a romantic or otherwise strategic meal. Because with lists like these you go back and forth, get lost in Alsace, resurface for conversation after eight minutes spent in Bordeaux and then wander about the rest of the world until they lay an amuse bouche in front of you that would easily pass for a $20 app at many other much less heralded dining rooms.
I had not been in Daniel since a lunch for 50 NY sommeliers five-six years ago to launch the joint venture between Mondavi and Rosemount. Remember those wines? I don't even know if they wound up in the market as it happened shortly before the unraveling of the Mondavi empire. The wines were unremarkable but being in Daniel never is. The man himself came out to thank the attendees as they left, most of us impressed to see a high profile chef actually in the restaurant that bears his name.
Frank Bruni is not the best food critic the Times has had on the payroll but I think he is right on with his recent four star reassessment of Daniel. Three courses for $105 is expensive, but amuse-bouches, petit fours, level of service and being in the room (go on ladies take off your shoes and wiggle your toes in the carpet under the table). The place is a splurge for most of us, but it over delivers on almost every level.
I am not employed by the Times I'll let the man work and Daniel doesn't need me to tell you that the experience is sumptuous, or any other Gael Greene foodie orgasmic sputterings. But I was surprised to find wines that are pricey but...especially in a place like this, worth it. I did not expect to find much in Burgundy that I was prepared to pay for and knew that Daniel, being from Lyon would probably have a few things kicking around from the Rhone. I went back and forth between a couple of things but could not get away. I was caught and $300 was going to the Jean-Louis Chave 1998 Hermitage. The Chave family has been producing wine as they proudly list on the label since 1481. His wines are life changing, both the white Hermitage and red.
Again, relative value. To buy this wine at auction would be in that neighborhood with added on taxes and buyer's premiums and the usual worry about provenance...we're talking around $300 anyway, so for such profound syrah...
Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 1998
Decanted, beautiful dark red no sign of age at the edge, blackberry with spearmint, sage, bacon fat, leather, earthy and rich texture with even black pepper popping in and out with both dried and lightly jammy red fruit. The finish lasts for well over a minute, was still tasting the tingle of spice in the cab twenty minutes later. The impression had not left me this morning (although I did have a half bottle of Bollinger shortly after getting up and even still my mind goes back...) Classic Hermitage, one to prowl the auctions or fine wine stores for. Like all auction/grey market buyer beware. This wine appears to be at it's peak where it should stay for another 3-6 years. It may go much longer. If I can get my hands on it I will not have that kind of will power.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Plane in Hudson, Skydiver Devoured by Starving Birds
Tom Gannon is the playwright in residence at Rothmann's Steakhouse in New York City. He is also the sommelier and serves as America's Host. UncleLuther@gmail.com
Last week there was a plane in the Hudson River. In the water exactly a mile and a half west of us. It was on the TV's behind the bar. My friend Mike, one of the other managers, saw it go down from his window on the west side before he walked to work. We all agreed it was amazing and got ready for what we hoped would be a busy dinner.
Almost. Thursday is typically our busiest night in the heart of the midtown financial district but the news in this area has been dominated by dominoes of falling institutions- remember when Bear Stearns collapsed and the next few weeks L'il Lehmann Bros. was being praised for leading the way in doing the right thing? Way to go braahhs. So we had a so-so Thursday. I didn't think about the plane the rest of the night.
I thought about wine. And how some of the wines I bought in the last six months with certain palates in mind could be sitting in the cellar awhile. I'm not sorry the wine is downstairs but more than a few guests I've known for years are not in the area on a regular basis since they don't have offices or companies any longer. Bottomless expense accounts have dried up and swallowed the flesh attached to the wallet.
It's also evident in the "allocated" wines that are offered. It's no secret in any market in the US that if a certain distributor has a cult/WS top 3/Parker 98+/57%Shiraz 43% Heroin blend black hearted roasted kidney stones on the nose with Gobs of blue fruit and propane propelled felched asphalt that everyone is going to want it. Always pay to play. They leverage a case or two or three bottles against getting a wine by the glass (or two or three) if you are a restaurant or prime shelf space and a 100 case drop on another SKU if you are a retail account. Whether or not you hold your nose say you hate those wines whether or not you will actually taste those wines there is a demand and that demand dictates huge profit even on a modest markup simply because they (your guests and clients) can't get it anywhere else. But other accounts are turning down their allocations. They don't want to front the money for the inventory because they don't know if it will sell anymore. Now calls come in that give you a verbal wink-wink and let you know that YOU can have as much X as you want. Those wines are out there now in ready availability and at (again, relative) bargains because like every other commodity they only went up. Until they didn't.
We will see in the Zachy's auction that began today (look for them to record another "record" even if the only buyer's name begins with Z) and the upcoming auctions how far the prices will fall. There may be some real bargains in March there may be steals in May. If you are going to prowl the auction markets I would wait for spring. But you still have to worry about provenance and buyer's premiums scream Nader investigation (they do, very high pitched, only 17-25% of wine collectors can hear them).
But amid all the doom and gloom I remind myself although we are not as busy as last year we are busy. I am still buying, selling and drinking wine. The Harlan 2004 at $1350 and both bottles of '82 Haut-Brion at $1500 (Haut-Brion '82 for $1500? What a bargain, that is a bargain for me I think I will buy some) were among a batch of bottles a group went through this past weekend. But I face the same dilemma. Is it worth it to restock high priced wines right now? Do you trust the provenance at auction and the solvency of your guests, clients and even yourself?
Last week there was a plane in the Hudson River. In the water exactly a mile and a half west of us. It was on the TV's behind the bar. My friend Mike, one of the other managers, saw it go down from his window on the west side before he walked to work. We all agreed it was amazing and got ready for what we hoped would be a busy dinner.
Almost. Thursday is typically our busiest night in the heart of the midtown financial district but the news in this area has been dominated by dominoes of falling institutions- remember when Bear Stearns collapsed and the next few weeks L'il Lehmann Bros. was being praised for leading the way in doing the right thing? Way to go braahhs. So we had a so-so Thursday. I didn't think about the plane the rest of the night.
I thought about wine. And how some of the wines I bought in the last six months with certain palates in mind could be sitting in the cellar awhile. I'm not sorry the wine is downstairs but more than a few guests I've known for years are not in the area on a regular basis since they don't have offices or companies any longer. Bottomless expense accounts have dried up and swallowed the flesh attached to the wallet.
It's also evident in the "allocated" wines that are offered. It's no secret in any market in the US that if a certain distributor has a cult/WS top 3/Parker 98+/57%Shiraz 43% Heroin blend black hearted roasted kidney stones on the nose with Gobs of blue fruit and propane propelled felched asphalt that everyone is going to want it. Always pay to play. They leverage a case or two or three bottles against getting a wine by the glass (or two or three) if you are a restaurant or prime shelf space and a 100 case drop on another SKU if you are a retail account. Whether or not you hold your nose say you hate those wines whether or not you will actually taste those wines there is a demand and that demand dictates huge profit even on a modest markup simply because they (your guests and clients) can't get it anywhere else. But other accounts are turning down their allocations. They don't want to front the money for the inventory because they don't know if it will sell anymore. Now calls come in that give you a verbal wink-wink and let you know that YOU can have as much X as you want. Those wines are out there now in ready availability and at (again, relative) bargains because like every other commodity they only went up. Until they didn't.
We will see in the Zachy's auction that began today (look for them to record another "record" even if the only buyer's name begins with Z) and the upcoming auctions how far the prices will fall. There may be some real bargains in March there may be steals in May. If you are going to prowl the auction markets I would wait for spring. But you still have to worry about provenance and buyer's premiums scream Nader investigation (they do, very high pitched, only 17-25% of wine collectors can hear them).
But amid all the doom and gloom I remind myself although we are not as busy as last year we are busy. I am still buying, selling and drinking wine. The Harlan 2004 at $1350 and both bottles of '82 Haut-Brion at $1500 (Haut-Brion '82 for $1500? What a bargain, that is a bargain for me I think I will buy some) were among a batch of bottles a group went through this past weekend. But I face the same dilemma. Is it worth it to restock high priced wines right now? Do you trust the provenance at auction and the solvency of your guests, clients and even yourself?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
