July 2006 - Recent Notes and Postings

It’s been about a month since I’ve posted on the main page but I haven’t stopped tasting wine and in fact, have been adding to tasting notes and have also come across a fantastic restaurant specializing in Alsatian food and wines but its biggest selling point might be a list of over 150 beers from all across the world.

It being summer, we’ve been tasting a lot of white wines. The best of which has been the 2003 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr from Selbach-Oster, a Riesling Auslese from the Mosel Saar Ruwer region of Germany. It’s a beautiful wine that can be enjoyed now but could also benefit from a couple more years of bottle age. Another great find is the 2005 Gramona ‘Gessami’ from Spain, a blend of Moscatel and Sauvignon Blanc that is crisp and refreshing with a lot of minerality. On the value end is the 2005 Jardin de la Fruitiere from the Loire region of France, another bright, crisp wine for summer drinking and a great find at about $10 a bottle. The best red of the month was the 2004 Domaine Alfred Pinot Noir - Chamisal Vineyards from Edna Valley in Central California. It’s an excellent Pinot Noir and at approximately $30, it stacks up well against other Central Coast Pinot’s for $50 or more.

As for restaurants, try and check out Café D’Alsace on the Upper East Side, a fantastic restaurant with great Alsatian food, a fine wine list and an excellent selection of beers and ales from all over the world.