Debbie and I spent an incredible ten days in NYC (Sept. 12-21) and we had many good, and a few outstanding meals while there. The same held true for wines, some were good and a few were great. This, of course doesn't include the off-line we attended on Sept. 16 with Dale and Betsy Williams and Ramon and Marina Cabrera, which was fantastic. Dale has already reported on that here.
Please note that in some places I opted for beer over wine, either because of the meal (ribs) or the hot and humid weather on the first weekend, so there aren't many WTNs.
So, here goes.
Donna Marzia
Negroamaro Salento Canti
Zecca
2005
Consumed at Tavern on the Square in Montreal the night before we left.
Dark cherry red in the glass.
Smoky nose, sweet fruit, floral, with a hint of blood pudding.
Medium weight, fairly rich, thick, smoky, good tangy cherry fruit, iodine, smoky, spicy, muted floral notes.
Very smooth and enjoyable.
Glass of Shooting Star Syrah 2005 (J. Steele)
Consumed at Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar, W 31st and 5th
Quite dark red in the glass.
A huge nose, leather, earth, smoke, lots of dill and freshly sharpened pencil.
Leather, black cherry, a bit of a tang, medium weight, lots of dill, black olives, dark chocolate, lots of obvious oak (which I normally don't like, but I did here).
The wine keeps openeing up throughout the glass.
Glass of Corvina and Rondinella
Solane Valpolicella
2005
Consumed at Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar, W 31st and 5th
Almond paste on the nose.
Light bodied, tangy cherry, mild bitter streak, fruity, red and black licorice. There was an odd stewed-cooked fruit sensation about it.
Fontal Tempranillo Roble 2004
Bodegas Fontana
La Mancha
Consumed at Il Camponello on W 31st, between 5th and 6th
Spicy nose
Tangy, spicy, medium weight, raspberry, black cherry, good acidity, fairly full in the mouth, red licorice, quite rich, almost oily.
A long finish.
Folie a Deux Menage a Trois 2006
Napa
A blend of Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet
Comsumed at Angus McIndoe , W 44th, in the theatre district
Very spicy nose.
Very rich and fruit forward, cherry, raspberry, cranberry, tangy, red licorice, quite spicy, thick and full in the mouth, chocolate, smoky. Somewhat over the top, but we both enjoyed it.
Hecht and Banner Syrah 2005
Minervois
Consumed at Cafe Boulud E 76th
Smoky, earthy, herbal, with tangy fruit on the nose.
Medium bodied, quite tangy, raspberry and cherry, black licorice, lightly floral, lightly tarry, red licorice, herbs. Very clean and refreshing.
Tangy fruit, herbs and tarry on the finish.
Glass of Prosecco di Valdobbiadene
Col de' Salici NV
The next three wines were consumed at i Trulli, E 27th
Light yellow in the glass.
Good mousse
Light to medium bodied, tangy, light lemon fruit, lightly toasty, clean and refreshing.
Clean finish.
Tenuta Del Portale
Aglianico Del Vulture Reserva 2003
Dark red.
Rich nose, leather, dark chocolate, earth-barnyard.
Medium weight, thick, very rich, black cherry, raspberry, almond, a hint of fennel, a bitter bite which grew in intensity.
Bitter on the drying finish.
A very nice wine.
Glass of Primitivo di Maduria 2006
Cantastoria
Puglia
Very black in the glass.
Perfumed, chocolate and floral nose.
Floral, spicy, leather, dense, black cherry, medium bodied, good acidity, very intense.
Les Restanques De Pibarnon 2005
Bandol
Was informed this is a "second label" for the great Chateau Pibarnon.
Consumed at Marseilles, W 44th and 9th
Dark red.
Spicy, red licorice on the nose, which was rather muted for the first half of the bottle.
Medium weight, tangy, nice edge, spicy, raspberry, cherry, red licorice, floral, round and smooth, showing some heat toward the end. The wine was a bit closed at first, but gradually opened up throughout the course of the evening.
Not much on the finish.
Am told that this wine is made from younger vines and uses a higher percentage of Grenache. I think it would benefit from some additional cellar time.