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

There are two main ways to make a rose:

Roses de saignee are obtained by "bleeding the vats". The winemaker decides to open the vats early in the maceration to let the first juice out. This decision is made to produce a more tannic red and/or a rose de saignee.

Roses made by skin contact. The juice is in contact with the skins for few hours only. The method known as "blending" (mix white wine with red wine) is discouraged and not very common (except in Champagne, but even there winemakers don't use this method very often).

Roses containing white grape varietals are very rare!  Roses are easy to pair with all kind of food, being even more versatile than white wine or red wine. Light food (salad, seafood, chicken, etc.) calls for a light and crisp rose (Cotes de Provence, Anjou, Tavel, Chinon, etc.), while heavier food (steak, cheese, etc.) would pair perfectly with a darker, "fruitier" rose ("Il Mimo" for one, Italian rose made from Nebbiolo grape). More generally, roses pair very well with good company, sun, swimming pool, barbecue, etc.   Have fun and drink chilled roses all summer long!

Villa Trasqua www.villatrasqua.it

Their Super Tuscan, Trasgaia was awsome!

Di Lenardo Vineyards www.dilenardo.it

Great desert wine, Pass the Cookies.

Villa Calcinaia www.villacalcinaia.it

Great Chianti Classico’s – we took in a few!

Visitors stroll the beautiful landscaped premises, tour the romantic underground cellars and taste a variety of award winning wines.

You can browse through their “History of Brotherhood exhibit. Learn interesting facts about grape growing and winemaking. Tour the underground cellars while their guides briefs you on Champagne making, barrel aging and more!

2)  Don’t rush your tour. A visit to 1 or 2 wineries in the morning. 1 for lunch, 2 or 3 in the afternoon is ideal.

3)  Taste responsibly — its perfectly OK to spit out a wine, even if you like it and don’t forget to snack between visits.

4)  Avoid wearing perfume, aftershave or sunscreen. It will effect the wine’s bouquet.

5)  Do not chew gum, use mints or cough drops.

6)  If you don’t know the difference between wine varieties, don’t be afraid to ask. Winemakers and tasting room staff are happy to explain.

7)  Bring a notebook to record the wines and what you liked about them.

8)  When you find a wine you like, buy several bottles. Bring a cooler especially during the Summer.

9)  Tour hours may vary from one winery to the next so call ahead. If you’re traveling in a group of 15 or more, you’ll need to schedule your tour.

10)  Remember to bring ID. Winery staff will check if you look under 21.

11)  Make the most of your visit. Check out sites like: www.LocalWineEvents.com , www.newyorkwines.org for special events that may be going on in Wine Country.

Aperitif
It’s always festive to start out with sparkling wine, especially when it comes to the holidays and special occasions.

Champagne
Nothing sets the tone better than Champagne. Champagne matches well with salty food but remember Champagne goes with almost anything so your dinner can have bubbly through the night and forget any other wines.

1. Heidsieck & Co MonopoleBlue Top Brut
2. Domaine Pierre Moncuit Brut Blanc de Blanc
3. Pierre Peters Champagne Cuvee
4. Gaston ChiquetBrut Tradition

Or ring in the New Year with a special bottle:

1. Moet & Chandon Dom Pérignon 1982
2. Piper HeidsieckRare 1999
3. Louis RoedererCristal Brut 2000

Or if you feel more International…
     1.  Juve y Camps Reserva de la Familia

     2.  Gianni Russo Prosecco

Fish and Shellfish
There are, so many choices talking about seafood (Type of fish, Kind of sauce, and whether it’s grilled, sautéed, broiled, or steamed). Champagne either Brut, Blanc de Blancs, or Rosé, goes well with most fishes. But we have some wines for you to consider.

Þ Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé
These Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley in France generally Light, crisp, herbal, flinty and mineral.
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1. Domaine A. Cailbourdin Pouilly Fume Cuvee de Boisfleury 2007
2. Domaine Fernand Girard Sancerre la Garenne 2008

Þ Sauvignon Blanc
New Zealand with there bright and grapefruit flavors are the stars from the other face of Sauvignon Blanc.

1. Gravitas Sauvignon Blanc 2006
2. Cade Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Þ Pinot Noir or Burgundy
Never heard of Red wine with fish? Well Pinot Noir wine from Oregon or California or from France are great matches for several seafood dishes. Remember if there is any red wine involved on the preparation of the food, you’ve got the perfect match.

         1.  Coho Stanly Ranch Pinot Noir 2007

         2.  Maison Champy Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2006

Pork, Game, and Veal
Medium-Bodied red are ideal for any of these foods, or Champagne or White or Rose.

Þ Pinot Noir or Burgundy
Medium-bodied Pinot Noir with good acidity, fruit, and low tannins make a Pinot Noir/Burgundy one of the best choices for most dishes. We at Station Plaza cheer Go PINOT!

1. Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir 2007
2. Maison Champy Chambolle Musigny Les Bussieres 2004

Þ Tempranillo
With Rioja taking the banner for this grape varietals. We would need a medium-bodied Crianza or Reserva with their elegant aroma, rustic flavors and well balanced tannins.

1. Marques de Tomares Crianza 2005

Þ Syrah
Most of the wines with this grape are food friendly. Generally medium-bodied with balanced acid and fruty and rustic flovors.

1. Zaca Mesa Syrah 2005
2. Vasse Felix Margaret River Shiraz 2005

Lamb and Beef
All of the whites and red mention above are good choices and will make the lamb and beef dishes happy. It’s time to match the weight of the meat (and sauce) with the gravity of the wine.

Þ Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux
A big and robust Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa it will be the star. Bordeaux, particularly a first growth, would be unobjectionable and well received, but don’t forget the second label or second growths or actually, any Super Tuscans.

1. Groth Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
2. Fisticuffs Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
3. Chateau Lachesnaye Haut Médoc 2003
4. Château Pontet Canet Pauillac 2003

Þ Malbec
This country is one of the world’s biggest beef producers and produced probably the best Malbec with an inky dark color and robust tannins makes Malbec be consider the Argentine Banner.

1. Catena Zapata Catena Malbec 2007
2. Luca Malbec 2007

Þ Rhone
Medium to Full-bodied Croze-Hermitage with almost 100% Syrah makes this wine a perfect match for is fruity, earthy and mellow tannins.

1. Laurus Gigondas 2006
2. Lemenicier Cornas 2005

Þ Barolo and Barbaresco
Barolo and Barbaresco wines are dark, inky, powerful reds with heavy tannins. Which require aging to soften them. Their grape varietal is Nebiolo.

1. Malgra’ Barolo Marvenga 2003
2. Paolo Scavino Barolo 2001
3.  Cantina del Pino Barbaresco 2004
4. Sottimano Barbaresco Fausoni 2004