Domaine Lucien Crochet

We had the great pleasure of meeting Gilles Crochet, expert wine maker of the benchmark Sancerre estate Domaine Lucien Crochet. We have caried Lucien Crochet's Sancerre's on our list since the day we opened. Gilles stopped by Swoon last week as part of his Up-state/Berkshires tour. He brought with him all his current releases. Domaine Lucien Crochet has always been the standard bearer of what Sancerre should be-in my opinion anyways, a nose of chalk and citrus, bracing acidity, and a roundness in the finish that few others can achieve. The most remarkable of all the wines was the 2002 Vendange du 19 Octobre. This is not a typical late harvest wine.This wine is picked just 2 weeks after his normal bottling and fermented completely dry. The extra 2 weeks on the vine add such a greater richness in color and flavor. A must try, if you can find some. The regular Sancerre bottlings were as great as always with the La Croix de Roy, exhibiting surprising depth and the 05 Le Chen showing off it's trademark muscular minerality.He brought 2 reds with him as well the 05 La Croix du Roy Rouge, an elegant quaffer for any meal as well as the 03 Sancerre Rouge Cuvee LC, which had that trademark 03 ripeness, combined with the acidity and balance that is Gilles style.
What a fun afternoon, to be able to drink the wines of and speak with one of the great winemakers today here at Swoon was fantastic.
Thank you Gilles for stopping by.

Like visiting a friend

Martinborough, New Zealand is one of the only places in the world outside of Burgundy that makes Pinot Noir worth drinking. Ata Rangi is my favorite. The nose shows real terroir, a dusty, fruity, freshness and a little stinky--kind of like the sheep that cover the landscape.
Its not Burgundy and its not trying to be. The fruit is ripe. Not over ripe though. It's juicy, not over extracted and not stewed. Instead, it is a bright red, with great acidity and a long finish across the entire palate. And it's in that finish, that the minerality and slight funk (the terroir), return and finish each sip with a sense of place.

In January of 2001, Nina & I went to New Zealand for a few months of adventure and a journey through the different Kiwi wine regions. By mid-March, we hit the south end of the North Island and in Martinborough, scored a couple weeks work at Ata Rangi. We plucked leaves to let in the sun, pulled fencing staples, ran irrigation lines and all sorts of other farm labor. We were just happy to be in such a great place and be outside in the warm sun in March. So naturally, I have a bias toward this wine. Clive Patton, the owner and wine maker at Ata Rangi was fantastic to us. He went out of his way to spend time with us, talking about the growing and wine making process - over a beer or two of course. The 01 is our vintage. We sweat on those grapes-maybe that's what some of the funk is in the nose??? A sniff, a sip, takes us right back to that beautiful land on the other side of the planet.

A 31 Year Old Beauty

Nina & I had the pleasure of sharing a bottle of 76' Giscours the other night. Nina had bought it for me as a gift a few months back, and we finally had the right night to relax and enjoy it.
For a 31 year old 3rd growth, with a messed up label-looking like hell, it sure drank great. When we first opened it the nose was young, tight almost, full of leather, wet earth and ripe fruit. The palate was rich and lush, drinking beautifully, long finish of tobacco, chocolate & licorice. Over the hour or so that we drank it, the fruit softened, deepened and the finish became more focused, great minerality.

We ate Osso Bucco with baby brussels sprouts, onions, tomato & pasta. An awesome 1 pot meal.

Taste of the Hudson Valley

We had a table at the taste of the Hudson Valley this past Sunday. It was at the Grandview in Poughtown this year instead of at the CIA where is has always been before.

We were paired with Chateau & Estates, and were pouring Trimbach Fredrick Emile Riesling 2000 & 2001. I love these wines! Nobody makes dry Riesling the way Trimbach does such austere minerality, bright acidity & lush mouth feel. The 2000 was drinking pretty close to perfect, the 01 was still a little tight but will no doubt be great in a year or two.

We whipped up some pates for the occasion. A classic pairing in my mind.



Country pate made from ground pork shoulder & duck liver as well as a duck & chicken liver mousse pate. Delicious and low maintenance on site.

Roumier-The master of elegance

Nina & I drank an 04 Roumier Bourgogne Rouge last night. It was incredible. If you have ever seen my wine list at Swoon you know I am a HUGE Roumier fan. I think he is making some of the purest, most elegant & beautiful Burgundies of any winemaker today-Period! The 04 Bourgogne Rouge is a baby Chambolle Musigny-where Roumier is based and his heart is centered. The nose-dirt, wet stones, cherries & plums(fresh plums not stewed plums like some over ripe pretentious Carneros pinot). Fabulous in the mouth as well, starts w/ spicy earth & fruit, rounds out mid palate w/ decent weight for a Bourgogne Rouge, and finishes long w/ great minerality.

This wine is not easy to find, but worth seeking out, like any Roumier. I could get only one case, we now have 11 Bottles left.

What Happened to the Martini as a Cocktail/Aperitif???

Tonight I start a new "Label" that will allow me to express my opinions on drink, which are at least as strong as those on food. A Martini has long been a great aperitif, but in recent years it has become not an aperitif or even a cocktail, it's straight chilled alcohol, be it gin or vodka. If you order just a "Martini" in a restaurant these days there is no vermouth it's just booze shaken or stirred w/ ice. This is not a cocktail or an aperitif , it's a chilled shot in a martini glass & usually way too big, the supersize me, Sams Club mentality has even taken over the cocktail. What's the point of a 14oz Martini if its warm by the time you are half way through?? & at $13-$14 a pop? why not a traditional portion at a more reasonable price, that is still cold on your last sip? I enjoy a proper Martini as an aperitif before dinner. My Vermouth of choice is Vya, it is made by Andrew Quady, a California winemaker best known for his sweet wines. This Vermouth BLOWS AWAY Martini & Rossi or any other high production-mass market vermouth out there. Vya's floral & herbal notes bring the martini back to the aperitif it was meant to be! Don't worry it's not sweet, it's not cloying, it has FLAVOR-Depth & Finesse. Try a Proper Martini I think you will enjoy it as much as I do!

It doesn't hurt to have a little Neal's Yard Stilton & crusty bread to go with it!