Author Archive

Ed Tiedge the owner and distiller of Comb Vodka and Gin who has the distillery in Port Chester NY stopped in to the Station Plaza Wine Tasting Bar for a vodka tasting. Perfect timing, 10am on a Friday, after a late night wines tasting on Thursday we had a bit of a hangover, but they say your senses are sharpened by a hangover so we tasted and were impressed! The spirits have been written up in, The Westchester Magazine, The Journal News, Port Chester Patch and Spirits Review.

This Friday, Oct. 15th Ed will be doing a tasting at the Station Plaza Wine Tasting Bar from 5-9pm. He'll share a few special recipes and talk about how the vodka is made. Stop in for free tasting, we would love to see you!

NY Residents can buy the Vodka and Gin online at Station Plaza Wine

Cheers,

Kevin

 Check Out Station Plaza Wine on Facebook.

Another Wine Stud visits the Station Plaza Wine Tasting Bar. This wine ROCKS!!!

We are big fans of the Page Wines and they are always a hit when we have them open at the tasting bar!

Cheers,

Kevin

At Station Plaza Wine we love Plumpjack and Cade wine! When Kristina Doxon from PlumJack stopped in to chat about the wines a bit we were ecstatic. Here is what she had to say:

Stop in for some PlumpJack today!

Cheers,

Kevin

So we were at the Friars Club in NYC having lunch with Gianni Russo and you guessed it, enjoying one of his own wine's, the Gianni Russo Prosecco. You see Gianni has a line of wine called, El Padrino wines. There is a Prosecco, Merlot, Chianti and a Montepulciano D'Abruzzo and a few Super Tuscans. Gianni is telling us about his travels with the Rat Pack, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. One of the best was a story about a Candy Store on Rodeo Dr. that was really a full blown club. You would walk through the store where there were girls dressed in red and white skirts just like an ol time candy store but through the special door it opened into a blazing night club. Just what the story was about will be in Gianni's movie that should be out by 2011 by producer Brett Ratner, Jeffrey Dash, and director George Gallo. Gianni is a full of life character and so is his Prosecco. For $16 this prosecco makes a regular event into a special one. If you want a signed bottle when you are checking out let us know under special instructions and we'll try to get it signed for you! Gianni also told us about enjoying the Prosecco with Al Pacino at La Cerc, where they pour it by the glass, and discussing the new movie where Al Pacino will play Carlo Gambino. This should be some movie. You can hear more about the adventures of Gianni at the Station Plaza Tasting Bar on Friday Dec. 3rd from 5-9pm. He'll be presenting his wines and signing bottles or any Godfather memorabila you may want signed. I'm sure you know Gianni played Carlo Rizzi in the Godfather… Here is a photo of a couple of Wine Studs, Gianni and Miguel at the Friars Club in NYC: Salute, Kevin

Another WIne Stud stopped in to The Station Plaza Tasting Bar. Jason Moore the founder, owner and winemaker of Modus Operandi Wine. Not only was his wine poured at our tasting bar, his Sauvignon Blanc was poured in the White House in the first course for Obama's first State Dinner (check out the menu Here) hosting the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh. Jason's success is a motivating story about a young Texan who sells everything and moves to California to follow his passion. But just wait until you taste his wine!

A few fun tidbits: He will not tell anyone what his Proprietary Red Wine Blend. (we got it out of him though) He also has a smart chip that sends a text to the new generation smart phones to verify authenticity.

Modus Operandi Wines available at Station Plaza Wines.

Here is another cool video about Jason and the Wines:

Cheers,

Kevin

This Blog is called The Wine Studs and at our Tasting Bar the Winemakers and Vineyard Owners are the STUDS! These guys work their ass off all year and put it all on the line with every vintage. They take all the risk. They roll the dice each year, worrying about the weather. Rain, heat, cold, insects, drought, you name it their are so many variables that go into their finished product that no one really knows or thinks about. When things go their way, and the wine rocks, and makes hundreds of wine drinkers happy the sense of accomplishment is phenomenal. That's when we like to capture these STUDS on our blog!

Here is Justin Hunnicutt Stephens of DR Stephens Estates talking about his wines -- and rolling with the punches. We had a power outage, but he kept on going. His buddy Sean Larkin walkes into the shop to make a video next but Justin keeps on rolling! Thats the spirit that goes into the wines!

Hunnicutt Wines:

Cheers,

Kevin

At the Station Plaza Tasting Bar we are fortunate to be visited by many different winemakers when they are in NY. Last week Sami Ghosn the Chairman of Massaya Wines stopped in for a tasting and we were very impressed with the wines and the Lebanese Ark, an anis liquor!  He also shared some interesting stories about what happened over the last few years in Lebanon and with the vineyard and how it was a fight to keep control. We can tell you about those in person though.

The Massaya Arak is smooth and if you add a drop of water or an ice cube to the Anis Liquor it turns a bit white like magic. It's the preferred cocktail while the sun is setting over the Mediterranean.

Buy Massaya Wines at www.StationPlazaWines.com

Fisehatak,

Kevin

Margaux, the owner of Tropling Mandot and winemakers daughter is the oldest of 5 sisters and handles the tour for her father. She jokingly assures us that her and her sisters treat her father like a prince. The Chateau, the vineyards and the estate are beautifully situated on top of a hill overlooking Chateau Pavie and the ancient city of Saint Emilion.

Troplong Mandot was elevated to a Premier Grand Cru Classe B in the 2006 reclassification of St. Emilion from a Grand Cru Class. The one wine we tasted was nice, I believe ti was the 2007. I did not rush back and take it into the shop though, however I was impressed enough to taste the other vintages when I have the chance and hopefully find one we will take in.

                  They are just completing a bed and breakfast where you can dine with the family and enjoy the vineyard life. If you want you can work on the vines for a day or so. When it's harvest time they bring in Gypsies. Interestingly some of the same families for over 50 years. They feed them well and claim the food and wine keeps them coming back year after year. I'll tell you that the meals we had at the different Chateaus were very enjoyable and something we will not soon forget. Winemakers and Chateau owners take eating and drinking very serious. Just think it's their life. I would highly recommend it!

Chin Chin!

Kevin

One of the most impressive visits in Bordeaux was Chateau Clinet in Pomerol. Ronan Laborde the CEO had passion and charisma as he described the wine making process. This 3 video post brings you from the vineyard where Ronan talks about the grape growing process and the blend. Then we move into the crushing room with the steel tanks. And just before we taste through a flight from 2001-2007 we visit the wood barrel aging room. PS the 2009 Chateau Clinet scored 97 -- 100 points by robert parker. The bottle cost is less than $160, contact us if interested. The wine is available at Station Plaza

Over 350 Grand Cru Bordeaux Wines Tasted and the Winners are:

Station Plaza Wine just got back from Bordeaux and tasted over 350 Classified wines.  We had dinner and lunch at Vineyards and visited several wine estates. I’ll keep this short and sweet. I’ll list the wine that we are taking in the shop and talk a bit about the vineyard.  The winemakers have also promised when they make it to NY they will stop in and do a customer tasting at the Station Plaza Tasting Bar. (sign up for  our newsletter to keep informed about our events and specials)

1)      Chateau Clerc Milon – We tasted the 2007 and the 2005, these wines were amazing!  We took the 2004, 2005 into the shop as well as a 2006 6 Liter (aka Imperial size)

     The wine is rated a 5^th Growth in the 1855 Classification. Baron Philippe de Rothschild purchased this estate in 1970 for the paltry sum of one million francs after the property fell into disarray. He spent lots of money fixing up the property and now the wine ROCKS!

The little village of Milon is situated near Chateau Lafite, but vineyards of Clerc-Milon themselves are is situated in the northernmost part of the Pauillac appellation, closer to Mousset. Here Baroness Philippine de Rothschild – Baron Philippe’s daughter – can oversee activity at Clerc-Milon, Mouton-Rothschild and d’Armailhac, whilst keeping up to date with progress at her other interests in Chile (Almaviva) and California (Opus One), as well as the branded side of the business – such as the infamous Mouton Cadet. They produce about  14000 cases per annum, the label of which depicts a pair of dancing clowns made from precious stones, a facsimile of a 16th century piece currently housed in the Museum of Wine in Art at Mouton-Rothschild. There is no second wine.

2)      Chateau Clinet, Pomerol – This is not a Classified Estate but the wines ROCK! We visited the estate and met with Ronan Laborde the CEO and tasted a flight from 2001 – 2007. Very, very impressive! This was one of the first wines we took into the shop upon returning to the States and will most likely be a staple for a very long time. I’m already dreaming of paring dinners at our home and who to invite.  – You’ve gotta see the videos of Ronan describing the vineyard and the winemaking process, what a charismatic fellow with charm and enthusiasm for the process and the end product. Thats what it’s all about!

They produce about 3,000 cases and in 1989 received 100 points from Robert Parker.

3,4 and 5) The De Fieuzal 1999 Blanc was AMAZING, unfortunately I have not been able to locate any just yet to take in to the store. But man, was I surprised by a 10+ year old white. I literally could not get over it. Then came the best white I have ever tasted, a 1989 Saduiraut Sauturn ( a sweet desert wine) that we took into the shop faster than you can say caramel, honey, apricot and lemon explosion.  At $50 a half bottle it’s worth every drop.

Lastly I’ll just say that I have a new found appreciation for aged Bordeaux’s. Time really does make a difference with these wines. We saw it over and over in vertical tastings ( tastings of several vintages). It was basically true without exception the older the wine the better.

I’ll have a lot more to follow, including several more winemaker videos and tasting notes.

Chin chin,

Kevin