Hiatus!

Le Monstre is on vacation this week. Won't be much wine, but should be lots of fun and some truly memorable experiences with all my loved ones...

See you in a week.

JCB the 4th

Big Glass of Hater-ade...I mean, Bordeaux, Please!

I never fell in love with Bordeaux...

Back when I was just a wine lovin' fool, I took a class at the WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) in New York City. While listening to my instructor extol the virtues of fine Bordeaux, I raised my hand and made some smart-alack remark about how Bordeaux wasn't the end-all, be-all of wine. My teacher shot back something to the effect, "If one doesn't understand and adore Bordeaux, one could never truly be an expert in this field." Despite my internal temperature starting to peak, I shut my mouth. My early feeling was that Bordeaux couldn't shine Burgundies shoes and I was darn happy that everyone else loved it except me. Less people grasping at Beaune meant I would have an easier time getting my hands on it.

But I have softened my stance...at least a little. Time and experience (as well as very generous friends and colleagues) have offered me tastes of mind altering wines from Bordeaux, 1st Growths and little satellite wines alike. To me, there are two kinds of people in the world, Bordeaux people and Burgundy people. Bordeaux is regal; it's the grand-daddy of them all. I can respect that even though there definitely seems to be a "type" to the personality of a Bordeaux lover. You guys like big things...Cabernet, tannins, tooth-staining and mouth-coating wines. I completely get it! It's seductive as hell...I like to think of myself as a Burgundy guy. We're a little geeky, sorta pensive and like to speak in over-flowery language like the wine poets we are, waxing on about terroir and the soil differences between Vosne Romanee Les Beaux Monts vs. Vosne Romanee Les Malconsorts. Also Burgundy guys tend to be a bit more immediate-gratification types. Bordeaux is damn-near undrinkable in its youth (or is it...read below) and requires 10-20 years of patience before one can experience the nirvana of Margaux. Hell, I'm a spry 40, but I don't know if I've got the stick-to-it-iveness to wait these suckers out.

And then I run across a wine like the 2004 Chateau Pape Clement Pessac-Leognan, a surpirsingly drinkable and absolutely delicious blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Despite being so lovable currently, this will no doubt turn into a swan in 15 years as well because of the plethora of black fruit, dark chocolate, cassis and melted licorice notes propped up by plush tannins. This wine struck me so deeply that my faith in Bordeaux has been restored, renewed and recharged. It's funny how wines can do that to you, even when you least expect it.


JCB the 4th

The Simple Things in Wine...

I got a call from my friend today thanking me for a gift I gave to him. It was a bottle of (no link, there's none left) 2008 Ameztoi Txacolina "Rubentis", a tasty Rose wine from the Basque area of Spain that I spoke about a month or so ago on this blog. He opened it with some wine loving friends and apparently everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. I gave the bottle to him as a huge "merci beaucoup" for supplying the wine and food for the aforementioned Sunday Night Debauchery listed below. Mind you, this is a guy with one of the most amazing cellars I've ever seen, filled with extremely well selected "best of the best" Old World classics. That night we probably plowed through a few thousand bucks worth of unreal juice; such a great education I received. Why in the world would JCB the 4th think that a proper offering would be a $23 bottle of Rose Txacolina?

Because there is bespoke beauty in the simplicity of wine, the things that move one's soul. It's not ratings...it's not who's is bigger. It's the right wine for the right meal with the right crowd and the fit is exacting and precise. It's like the perfect riff', so basic at its core and refreshingly pure.

Wine is quite a wonder to behold if you can allow your mind to accept all it is...

JCB the 4th

Sunday Night Debauchery

My good friend and wine biz associate, Doug, invited me to his gorgeous home for a night of sheer wine masochism. No photos to protect all involved but witness this gory mess...

1985 Krug
1995 Billecart Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois Billecart
1991 Coche Dury Meursault Perrieres
2004 Roagna Barolo Vigna Rionda
2004 Giacosa Barolo Falleto (white label)
1992 Niellon Batard Montrachet
1992 Ramonet Batard Montrachet
1993 Rousseau Chambertin
1993 Bachelet Charmes Chambertin
2006 Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie Cote Blonde
1990 Giacosa Barolo Collina Rionda (red label) - corked - like a stake thru the heart!
1978 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape
1988 Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve de Celestins
2002 Neveu Sancerre Vielles Vignes
1999 Berthet Bondet Jura Chateau Chalon
1989 Huet Vouvray Cuvee Constance
1995 Dal Forno Nattare Passito

And a Cuban...the only misstep of the night.

Thank you, kind Sir!

JCB the 4th

Love From Wall Street...

Big shout out to the folks at the Wall Street Journal for recognizing out little shop this weekend. In a question about temperature control, they referenced 56 as a champion of all things chilly. We appreciate the love...

Below is my newsletter to our clients about the article and why we freeze our butts off at 56...

TEMPERATURE RULES! ASK THE WALL ST. JOURNAL...

Despite the name of the store, sometimes folks come in shocked at the temperature. "How can you stand it in here?” the common question heard. Quite honestly, we care more about your wine than we do our own comfort. It's that important. Just take a look at the recent Wall Street Journal article by Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, where they tackle the question of storage temperature and champion our store as a place to get perfectly stored wine. They explain superbly what we've know for quite a while; temperature is of paramount importance. So critical that we staked our name on it.

The bad things that happen to wine occur at breakneck speed when the temperature rises. Produce is kept cool at the supermarket and during transport so the food stays fresh and allows the natural flavors to shine. Wine is no different. We want to provide you with the brilliant flavors the winemaker coaxed from the fruit that was naturally and carefully harvested. And while we have many offerings that are rarities, we care just as much about the storage of the $12 white from the Touraine.

We'll gladly suffer for our winemakers art and your pleasure.

Cheers!

Joe Bembry
Director of Wine

JCB the 4th

Ronchi di Cialla - The Best Italian Whites, IMHO...

Picture late May and you’ve just come off a 10 hour connected flight horror show, piled 7 adults in a mini-van and drove an hour to Friuli. After multiple tastings, you wander hungry and exhausted back in the van. Finally, you drive up a dusty, windy hill that opens up into a plateau with a gorgeous garden surrounding a 15th century home with vines of Ribolla Gialla, Picolit, Verduzzo, Scioppetino and Refosco in full bloom. This is the oasis known as Ronchi di Cialla, the best of crus in Friuli and home to the most memorable white wines I’ve ever tasted from Italy, period.

The Rapuzzi family has owned the property for 45 years and Paolo Rapuzzi relentlessly holds on to the traditions of the area. His staunch stance on only using indigenous varietals is about more than money. It’s about history…and it was history that he made when he “rescued” the Scioppetino grape from extinction. He was given an award by the Italian government for doing so in 1975. Legendary, yes, but how are the wines?

Amazing…just take a sniff and swirl of these wines and you’ll be in love. They are unique, extremely food friendly and age effortlessly (I tasted back to 1997 at the winery) continuing to gain depth and intrigue. They are superb blends of Ribolla Gialla, Verduzzo and Picolit.

2007 Cialla Bianco – One year in bottle and one in barrel give this the tools to display its waxy white fruits, almond and lemon drop tones. Long finishing and young with a vibrant tangerine note in the resolution. $38

2004 Cialla Bianco – More developed nose and palate with briny tones, white fruits, spice cake, floral honeysuckle notes and hints of apricot. This is a dynamite wine with white asparagus risotto, as I can personally attest. $52

1999 Cialla Bianco – Outstanding aromas of vital white fruits, this seems to have barely aged a bit. Very fresh fruit cocktail, clover honey, melons, macadamia, and sea salt. Like breathing in fresh ocean air, this is what wine dreams are made of…miraculous length and freshness. Wow! $65

These wines are great, period...end of story!

JCB the 4th

20 Seconds Away from Wine...

The final stroke has been played and Jay-Beezee is the 2009 Mercer County Match Play Champion 2nd Flight. A long winded title for a minor achievement that was none-the-less extremely satisfying. Not only because I dusted off a 16 year old flat belly phenom 5 & 4 (five holes up with four holes to play, for you non-golfers) but also because my father was there to witness the carnage in the final match. Pictured at left, showing perfect form at Trump National last year, he even was giving my brother in Los Angeles text message updates during the match...erroneously, I might add. Once I got up by 4 holes, he began to fib about what was going on; relaying things like my opponent holed from the bunker to close the gap, just made a string of birdies, 50 foot putts and other miraculous, big fat whopping lies. See, I told you he was diabolical!

But it really was a thrill to accomplish the feat and a treat to have him see it. 20 seconds is up now, back to wine, so read above...

JCB the 4th

Today's Best

Look out for the new vintage of Seis de Azul y Garanza, the best selling wine in the history of 56. The 2006 version can be found HERE and while there are a couple cases left of it, the 2007 will be arriving shortly and it is devastating. There is just a little more of everything, juicy ripe dark berries, complex coffee tones, heady aromatics and supple tannins. This might be one that will age a bit as well for those who like things a bit more mature. But for those seeking sex appeal, I can't think of a better burger candidate than this right now, perfect for the holiday weekend. Fire up the grill, make mine medium rare, and don't forget the cheddar!


As an aside, there is a little wine by the same producer called Abril de Azul y Garanza that is done in cement tank and is a cheap, juicy dynamo. Look for that in September...

Just landing today is THE white of the week, a minerally yet luscious Gruner Veltliner that goes by the name KALMUCK. It is a Federspiel (think Kabinett if this was Germany) but its bone dry with beautiful weight, crispy white fruits and just a measly 12.5% alc. Could it be the perfect wine? Well, it's darned close because it's just $16.50 and that makes it one to load in the trunk by the case.

Friday night is staff holiday party night. So much Txacolina, Cialla Bianco and Chateauneuf we'll feel it coming out of our pores Saturday morning!

JCB the 4th

Wildin' out on the West Coast...

The delay in posts stems from a short jaunt I made to Vegas, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Short in the respect that it was 3 places in four days, but long in the fact that I took planes, (air) trains and automobiles to accomplish the journey.

Las Vegas was...well...Las Vegas. I won't go into what went on, as like the commercial states, it stays there. But I did have a very good meal at Bouchon in the Venetian's Venezia Tower. This Thomas Keller run restaurant showcased wonderful dishes like Salade de Poulpe, marinated octopus and flageolet bean salad with parsley vinaigrette and garlic toast. It went superbly with the 2007 William Fevre Chablis AC, showcasing all the steely, taut citrus fruit. Moving on to Gigot d'Agneau, a roasted leg of lamb with ratatoille and sweet garlic jus, I opted for a magnificent, albeit outrageously priced 2007 A. Clape Cotes du Rhone. Gloriously fragrant and delicious Syrah from the Northern Rhone that really shouldn't be $90 on a list. It's freakin' COTES du RHONE!! Actually, if you poured it in a glass for me and asked if I'd think it was worth it, I'd say "Hell yeah!" as it's that good. But what is this world coming to when Cotes du Rhone is $90? A rhetorical question that I wish I never asked. I sound like an old man who walked to school everyday...5 miles...uphill...both ways...in a snowstorm.

After leaving Vegas, the journey led to Santa Barbara where a meeting with the great Greg Brewer of Brewer Clifton and Diatom was on the docket. I've always been a fan of their wines, even purchasing a bunch on my own dime back in the day. Greg is a thinker, a generous soul and a guy who seems fairly unfazed by his fame in the world of wine. Tasting his 2008 Diatom Chardonnay Babcock Vineyard showed just how wonderful California Chardonnay can be when unfettered by oak. Citrusy, tangerine-toned, bright and sunshiny, this wine keeps the emphasis squarely on the fruit as he uses 6% new wood with the rest older oak. The freshness of the wine is really impressive. We will be receiving a small amount of this wine very shortly, so get some while you can. We followed up with tank samples of the not yet bottled Brewer Clifton Chardonnays (the Santa Rita Hills and the Gnesa were my favorites) and finished with the Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir (fragrant cherry and green tea), Melville Vineyard Pinot Noir (amazing spicy, Gevrey reminiscent wine that's locked, loaded and needing cellaring) and Mount Carmel Pinot Noir (lush and sexy, juicy and ripe black fruit). An astoundingly fantastic tasting and I thank Greg for his patience and generosity!

Finally, Los Angeles, where my brother resides, has never been my cup of tea. It's like a bunch of sprawled out communities with no real grit. I mean, where are the city blocks, the subways, the flavor? How can you love a place that never rains, never gets cold, has earth quakes and Kobe Bryant? But there is a charm to Santa Monica and after a good burrito and margarita at Lula's, we had dinner at Chaya in Venice. A fun and loud spot that has lousy service, but solid food and one wine by the glass that rocked, the 2008 Claude Branger Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie "Le Gras Moutons". Briny, spiny and shiny, this is tasty quaffing wine with Peruvian Salmon Ceviche with Red Onion, White Corn and Chili Lime Sauce as well as Lobster Enchiladas with Cilantro Cream Sauce.

East Coast represent...

JCB the 4th

60 Seconds Away from Wine

Yes, Le Monstre du Vin does more than wine and music. I have two other passions, the first of which I'll reveal now...

I have been a golfer ever since going to college. My father, who is the smartest and most steady person I ever met, diabolically introduced me to the game as a young kid. I don't know if I should thank him or flip him the bird. For after all these years of bashing balls, spending money, traveling to courses all over the country and incessantly seeking a golf ideal (the perfect round) that really doesn't exist, I have finally come to peace with the game. Golf has a way of exposing your every facet. It's a game based on honor. The rules and etiquette involved are revered, as well they should be. In what other sport do you call penalties on yourself? Have you ever seen an NBA player that actually thought they EVER committed a foul?

Bad rounds of golf used to kill me. I'd take that sinking feeling with me off the course and often let it affect my life outside the links. These days, I'm so busy with work, fatherhood, family issues, musical endeavors and just generally living, that I rarely get that upset by golf. It's the fun diversion that it should be unless your name is Tiger. I'm proud to say this new outlook has manifested itself in my reaching the Finals in the Mercer County Match Play event, by winning my match this morning 2 & 1. Since I have been enjoying just playing, I've actually been playing better and having more fun in the process. Don't get me wrong, I'm still extremely competitive and want to beat your brains out on the course. But it doesn't rule or define me. Le Monstre just might be growing up after all.

Since this should have taken you less than 60 seconds to read (unless you read slow like me), I'd like to get back to wine for just a second. A couple days ago, I had the 2007 Lamblin Bourgogne Chardonnay, a super tasty white from declassified Chablis vines. It was so lovable and so cheap, just another re-affirmation of the value spectrum and how fantastic wines can still be made for a song. So tasty with Chinese food from Sesame in Montclair on Sunday night.

JCB the 4th

Battle Royale...The Sweet Science of Wine Pairing & Transformation

I've always thought that wine and food make music when they come together. Sometimes it's raucous, sometimes it's serene and sometimes it's profound, ponderous. But there is almost always a difference between having wine (and assessing it) on its own vs. with a complimentary meal. I was reminded of this just a couple of days ago, while speaking to a group of corporate clients at the Pluckemin Inn on Thursday. It got me to thinkin'...

I walked everyone through a comparative tasting of classic French and Italian wines. My idea was to keep it real, as in true, indigenous varietals made in the traditional fashion. No pumped up, micro-oxygenated, cone-spun, water added, over-extracted, tuti-frutti, Johnny-Come-Lately's allowed! We began with a delicious Champagne, NV Gatinois Champagne Brut Ay Grand Cru , which was superb with its toasty, zippy, copper-tinged Petit Pinot d'Ay fruit. We stayed with that wine through the amuse and then dived into two whites from 2007, the fantastic Ronchi di Cialla Colli Orientali del Friuli "Cialla Bianco" and the Domaine Bzikot Puligny Montrachet AC. Right out of the box the Bzikot was all pedigree, minerals and definition, the way more exuberent wine. On the surface it didn't seem like a fair fight, like sticking me in the ring with Lennox Lewis. But I'm scrappy, and so is the Ronchi di Cialla, so with a bit of air time AND the dish presented (Scallops, White Eggplant Puree & Riviera sauce) which had just a hint of honey character, Ronchi transformed like a pheonix and made music. It was tremendous! And like the true champion, the Bzikot put on a brilliant display as well, but slight nod to the underdog.

Next up, we gave Piemonte a chance to bump heads with Burgundy as we pitted the 2001 Scarzello Barolo Vigna Merenda against the 2002 Domaine des Chezeaux Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes 1er cru. Ah, now there's a match of heavyweights! Decanting the Barolo for 2 hours prior gave it the early lead in aromatics and presence, but never underestimate Laurent Ponsot's accumen. And never underestimate Chambolle Les Charmes ability to allow the flavors of Organic Zucchini Risotto, Parmesan, Roasted Quail & Squash Blossom Tempura to envelope your senses. The Barolo actually was amazing on its own, but when the food arrived, I longed for red meat or maybe a veal chop. The Chezeaux was magic with the dish as its delicate fragrance yet deep and penetrating black cherry fruit soared.


In the final Smackdown, we aimed to create a deathmatch of the quintessential regions of each country, Bordeaux and Brunello di Montalcino. 2005 La Gravette de Certan Pomerol was pitted against the 2003 Collemattoni Brunello di Montalcino. Once again, the Bordeaux was decanted 2 hours prior giving it excellent pronounced aromas of blackberry, plums, spice and graphite. The Collemattoni is the best 2003 Brunello I have tasted (after sampling scores of disappointments) and it showed like the supremely balanced wine it is on that night. When the cooked-to-perfection Roasted Lamb, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Crushed Spring Potatoes, Favas & Young Onion arrived, I was hard pressed to decide which was better. But what a difference with the food. The earthy, gamy tones of each wine came to the fore and the fruit seemed to explode with vibrancy. Just the ever-so-slight advantage to the Pomerol, despite my Bordeaux bias against, it was other-worldy stuff, only in need of another decade of cellaring.

The Pluckemin Inn rocked it out once again, and with the battle over and the blood drawn, I was left with just one thought...

What's for dessert? Professional Pig, at your service!


JCB the 4th

Intruder ALERT! A Visit to Riecine...

Sometimes its tough for an outsider to be welcomed with open arms. Such is the case with one particular Tuscan estate with a rich storied history that I visited last month called Riecine. Savvy 56 clients know the name Riecine as makers of ultra-fine Chianti Classico. But it is the work of Sri Lankan-born, Londoner Sean O'Callaghan, who made the move to Riecine in 1991 after finishing his studies in Germany, that has really set them apart. He was not exactly greeted to resounding applause by the Tuscan natives upon his arrival, leery of an "outsider" coming to the great Chianti Classico region. Were they worried he would tarnish the "straw flask" ideal that has done so much to "uplift" Chianti in the past? But his emphasis on the classic approach to vinifying Sangiovese, organic farming and now bio-dynamic practices, has won over just about everyone who ever comes in contact with his wines.

I was lucky to visit the estate last month and even luckier that the birthday party they had for Sean at the winery the night before left him still upright. A slightly hungover, but none-the-less charming and accommodating, Sean, showed us his wares in the cellar as we tasted barrel samples of some upcoming vintages. Later, we retired to a local restaurant, Badia a Coltibuono, for a serious test run of the 2007 Chianti Classico, the 2005 Chianti Classico Riserva and a special treat, of 2005 & 1994 Riecine La Gioia, a Super Tuscan-like Sangiovese based wine that is aged for 2 years in older and new barriques. The 2007 Chianti Classico is elegance personified. All of the roundness one could hope for juxtaposed with the acid tension that makes Sangiovese so alluring. The 2005 Chianti Classico Riserva ramps up the intensity without screaming, sorta like listening to Toto's Africa through super high-quality speakers and gently rolling the volume knob. There is a superb depth of fruit and spiced wild berries, smoke and white pepper with superior length.

Finally, the La Gioia is a Tuscan dream wine. The 2005 version was stunning; the wine reminding me of great encounters I've had with top vintages of Flaccianello or Cepparello. Powerfully made and structured for the long haul, this young wine struts out of the glass with brash, brazen black fruit, plums, raspberry and spice, leather and tobacco. Finally the 1994 La Gioia was seductive, self-assured and sultry...lots of lovely dark fruit, truffles, incense, pomegranate, pan drippings and aged balsamic notes melding in harmony. Very long finishing and a lustful, guilty pleasure, I hope like hell that we can get some of this in the near future as it's tremendous, aged wine.

Alas, the visit had to come to an end. And all intruders eventually return home. But maybe if you live in the fruits of the area long enough, you can create your own reality and subsequently, find a space in the world that is new and uniquely yours. I think Sean has done just that.

JCB the 4th

Fresh As a Daisy...

It's time, people!

As I stare out into the parking lot of the U.S. Post Office in Bernardsville, NJ 07924, the solar glow shines through the window of my corner office. It's a little ray of sunshine to a space that's not very sexy. If you'd ever had a chance to see my desk with various printed wine propaganda strewn about, you'd know what I mean. Certainly it's clutter, but it's my clutter...and I know just where to find whatever I need.

But this beam of hope and warmth can only mean one thing...Rose is a must. Just the thought of that copper colored elixir cuppled with the radiating rays brings joy to my mind. Any worry-some thoughts shrink and one's ability to expand the possibilities available increases. Sheesh, it's just good shit!

My favorites this summer are the 2008 Robert Sinskey Vin Gris Los Carneros , a California Rose of Pinot Noir from vines that quite honestly could be making amazing Pinot. For Rob, this wine is a labor of love, a triumph for the palate and probably a bit of a headache. Everyone wants more than the supply provides and you can't please all. They don't even have it still at the winery. I feel very fortunate to be able to get a modest amount of this. True story, a gentlemen came to our store yesterday from Manasquan (a good hour and 15 minutes away) just for Vin Gris. It's so good, it'll make you do unusual things just to get it. Scary, eh?

For value, the 2008 La Ferme Saint Pierre Cotes du Ventoux "Cuvee Juliette" Rose can't be beat. It's all Grenache (used to think it was Syrah...misinformation) and so lively and fresh with that deliciously mineral thirstquenchability that is a requirement for me with Rose wines. I love to slug this back while I'm doing my cooking and sometimes there isn't enough left for the meal. Be careful though, as this isn't 8% alc a la Riesling. But it's so refreshing that it's hard to hold back. Just look at that label...so rosy it's making me nuts!

Real men drink pink.

JCB the 4th

The Top 5 Grubs in Italia

Sorry for the delay in posts, but I've been abroad, soaking up Italia on a whirlwind romp that had me in six regions in six days...

If it seems I've been waxing on and on over Italy, I have. Every time I run across a new Italian find, I have a new favorite wine of the moment. I don't know why Italy is striking a chord with me at present, but my recent journey to Italia from top to bottom has only fed into my Jones. Let's leave wine to the side for the moment to focus on the five best Italian dishes EVER (or at least that I consumed while there)!

1 - Risotto at Trattoria Al Parco - Paolo Meroi is not only the owner of his eponymous winery in Friuli, but he and his wife have a phenomenal restaurant called Trattoria Al Parco in Buttrio. The only wines served are his, where apparently 80% of the wine is sold. His simple Risotto with a local herb was life changing. I have never had (nor probably ever will) another Risotto done with such skill. A testament to the simple approach and the perfection of cooking to the proper doneness. The best dish, bar none.

2 - Carne Cruda at Gillardi's Home - Giacolino Gillardi's mother made us a magnificent lunch capped off with the best version I ever had of Carne Cruda. Raw meat mixed with a few simple spices and drizzled with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Seems easy, right? This is one raw food movement that I can actually get behind. My God, unbelievable...


3 - Fried Stuffed Zuchini Flowers at Carpe Diem - In Piana di Monte Verda, serious back-water Campania, we had what I can only describe as an appetizer filled with cheese infused crack cocaine! Impossible to stop eating them and amazing with a particular white from Pellagrello Bianco by Alois called "Caiati". The chef has promised to come to Bernardsville and recreate the experience for our clients. If he doesn't, I will hunt him down!

4 - Pasta all'Amatriciana at Casale del Giglio - This is a classic, rustic Lazio dish that was a magnificent foil to their Satrico Bianco, but I might prefer it with a lighter red, even Nebbiolo perhaps. I got 5 things for you...Olive Oil, Short Rigatoni, Sausage, Guanciale (pig jowl) and Pecorino Romana. That's it! Amazingly simple and astoundingly good. Even I can do this one, if I can ever find Guanciale in NJ...


5 - Pasta alla Patate at Carpe Diem - (In a cheesy DJ voice) "Carpe Diem checking in with 2 dishes in our top five countdown, this is Enrico Battisti's favorite thing in the world to eat." He even went in the kitchen to help and he didn't screw it up. This is Mac-n-Cheese for adults, little bits of potato and layers of flavor. This chef rocks and I wish I could remember his name. But if you ever find yourself in Piana di Monte Verda, you must go to Carpe Diem. And then head for Rome pronto...

More on the wines to come, as they will be arriving soon. The first of which will hit next week as we'll uncover some gems of Friuli from Ronchi di Cialla, one of the most gorgeous estates I have ever seen, period.

JCB the 4th

The Best Down the Gullet This Week...

These were remarkable and consumed this week...

Didier Larue came to our store this week with the intention of showcasing his gorgeous wares from St. Aubin and Puligny. Indeed they were stunning; none moreso than the flashy 2006 and 1999 Murgers des Dents de Chiens 1er cru . It was a case study on young and older White Burgundy, showing the classic hallmarks of each wine in its respective evolutionary stage. Those prefering younger, more vibrant wine would gravitate to the 2006, as it was just so precocious and showy. The 1999 was boisterous aromatically but really showed what an aged St. Aubin is all about on the palate. Lots of glycerine, tangerine tones and plenty of terroir. $50 and $57 respectively make them a steal for 1er cru wines of their stature.

What can I say? I can't get enough of the 2008 Ameztoi "Rubentis" Getaraiko Txacolina . Unfortunately, this is one of those rare wines that is just $23...and allocated! Crazy, but they just don't make much of this deliciously crisp, minerally and vibrant Rose Txacoli. We've got about 3 cases of it left. Let's see if you can beat me to them as I'm out of the office the next couple days. You ready, set, GO!

Want a great way to encounter gastrono-oenologic bliss in NYC. Head over to Txikito in Chelsea on 9th Ave between 24th and 25th Sts, for a true Basque experience. The small plates are delectible with my favorite being the Piperrak (pictured), flash fried Basque peppers sprinkled with sea salt. Every once and while you'll get one that will set your mouth ablaze. A little rolling of the gastronomic dice, perhaps? You'll need a bottle of lovely Txacoli to wash it down. They pour the wine in the traditional method with the bartender holding the tumblers low and the bottle overhead. Great wine theatre! Who cares if his hair is reminiscent of A Flock of Seagulls circa 1983?

JCB the 4th

Vintage, Vintage, Vintage...I Want My Vintage!

Ok, I'm going to go out on a limb, here. Vintage ain't all its cracked up to be...

Now before you click off this blog, never to return again, let me expand upon the notion a bit. My opinion is that vintage is important, as the laws of terroir tell us that climate factors are crucial to grape development and the resulting wines. But I think that our American pysche of "only the best will do" can betray us at times. If one becomes consumed with only the best vintages, you will miss out on magnificence to the 10th degree in the form of an underdog. I can't tell you how many times I've tasted great (yes, great) wines from supposed "off-vintages". They just needed some time to come around, like those high school movies where the geeky girl becomes the bombshell.

Here's how it works in the world of wine...

Wine experts, in the form of the press, travel and taste, as well as talk to the producers to hear about the new vintage. These are all good things! Hell, I try to do as much of it as possible to understand what is in the bottle and why it tastes the way it does. But somewhere along the line, the word gets out on the greatness or not-so-greatness of a vintage, in general terms. A broad brush paints everyone's mind who hears about it and that's that. But wines change and evolve from barrel to bottle. And no one likes to go back and say that they might be wrong about a vintage characterization. So that pervasive notion remains...it's a shame.

But what is wrong with a wine that is not from a great vintage? If it is still pleasing to drink and enjoy, why not do just that? It would be a boring wine world if every vintage was great, even if every wine I drank was great. There is a profoundness in the differences that can tell the story of a family's passion. Maybe about the trials and tribulations associated with the challenges to make a good wine when nature threw curve balls in the dirt. I love that.

JCB the 4th

Love in a Clear Bottle Heads the List...

Liquid love in a clear bottle was consumed a few days ago in the form of 2007 Aveleda Vinho Verde Grinalda Reserva, a seriously delicious wine for the heat that just recently broke. At a non-mind boggling 11.5% alc, I damn near killed this one off on my own. Just really refreshing Louiero, Trajadura and Alvarinho from a winery with a long history that is cheap and lovely, one of my favorite combinations. Perfection with tilapia simply prepared with a squeeze of lemon...

Ahh, now that the reds from Joseph Roty have hit, what more can I say about the 2006 Joseph Roty Bourgogne Cuvee de Pressonier, it has exceeded my expectations from tasting it at the cellars of Roty in January. The vines are located in Gevrey Chambertin; part of them village level and part Bourgogne. But this is about as tasty a bottle of value Gevrey (it really drinks like village) you'll see and its a perfect indicator of just how good the 2006 reds are. If you don't buy some 2006 Red Burgs, you may be kicking yourself down the road...same as those who poo-poo'd the 2001 vintage. I won't discuss the other reds from Roty, as I don't want anyone buying them. There ain't much left and I sleep better at night knowing that they are still here!

JCB the 4th

A Digression..

Just a quick post to say that I made my debut on guitar this past weekend. Despite performing on stage as a vocalist for 20 (that's right, I said 20 for those not familiar with "Rock-n-Roll Joe") years, I haven't felt nerves like this since I first became a man at the not so tender age of 16. Talk about performance anxiety!

The show went off without a hitch, or at least that is the report that I have been given. And while my performance at 16 was way, way shorter, this one was pretty gratifying. I took guitar lessons as a 12 year old for about a year. But when my teacher insisted on showing me scales rather than how to play "Strutter" from Kiss, my enthusiasm waned. Fast forward to this past January and I made myself three tiny resolutions for the new year: learn French, drink more Italian reds this year (check) and pick up the guitar. Since my 11 year old son, Isaiah, has been playing for a year and a half now, I have been inspired to do the same. Every time he'd came over, I'd pick up his guitar and noodle around. In February, I bought a Fender Telecaster (Burgundy colored of course) and started hacking away. And now "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" will always have a special place in my heart. Just like that first time...

JCB the 4th

Viva Italia! - The "Grown Folks Zone"

Without question, the one place in the world of wine that use to mean nothing to me was the wines of Italy. I'll chalk it up to one part ignorance, and two parts immaturity. While I'm still pretty immature in some ways, (like my love for peanut butter & jelly sandwiches on wheat bread) when it comes to Italian wines, I have come into the "grown folks zone". By that, I mean the period when you wise up, and learn that its not all about T & A. And that a little age isn't necessarily a bad thing. Kinda like the difference between Justin Timberlake "Sexy Back" and Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On". Need I say more?

Italian wines always struck me as hard and fruit-less when I was a littler in the wine world. These days, I drink them more than wines from any other country and that includes my beloved France or more specifically, Burgundy. The value can be staggering. I'm in love with little Dolcetto's with pizza, Barbera's with pork and Chianti Classico with Bolognese. And let's not forget the whites, like Verdicchio and Pigato, San Zuan and Vermentino, perfect for quaffing and superb with seafood. In the land of a thousand grapes, the list is endless.

Sometimes patience is required for the more noble wines like Barolo and Brunello to come into their own. But isn't that what being a "grown folk" is all about? Wisdom, patience, knowledge, understanding...

Dim the lights, and let's put on some Marvin, cook up some pasta and open a bottle of Bonarda from Oltrepo Pavese. Who says getting older isn't fun?

JCB the 4th

Sweatin' the Small Stuff

Happy Easter! My apologies for the long delay between posts. Life intervenes times a slight malaise equals no output. Which brings us to this holiday thought...

I try to make it a point of never forgetting about the inexpensive wine. If you are a 56 devotee,(which I hope you are if you're reading this) you know we call these Cellar Defenders. It describes the wine equivelent of a "defense" against constantly raiding ones cellar and consuming all the collectibles at breakneck speed. I am often guilty of not having Cellar Defenders handy, but sometimes it's a joy to be "forced" into opening something special at a not-so-special moment. It can make a night.

So as I enjoyed my Easter dinner at my fathers house, without wine, I returned to my Montclair lair and opened a bottle of 2005 Chateau Lauriol Cotes de Francs made by the Stephane Derononcourt and the Thienpont family of Vieux Chateau Certan and Le Pin fame. This wine is so delicious, that it re-affirms my faith in inexpensive wine. Not that my faith has ever waivered but everyone needs afirmation. God bless drinkable, juicy Bordeaux that is less than $20. So drinkable that it doesn't even require food right now. It's that lovable.

I went to dinner at Culinariane in Montclair on Thursday Night with one of our clients. I brought a 1996 Marquis d'Angerville Volnay Les Taillepieds 1er cru that was about as pure a wine as you'll ever encounter. I was in ecstasy. I'm getting NEARLY as much joy from this little Cotes de Francs tonight. The former wine is about $100 and the latter is $19.50. Value is alive and well people! Ya gotta just know where to look.

JCB the 4th