Located in the village of Chichée, just to the southeast of Chablis proper, the Picq family has tended to its small parcels of vines for several generations. Brothers Didier and Pascal quickly established themselves as rigorous growers after taking over this 32-acre domaine from their father, Gilbert, who retired in 1976. Pascal is in charge [...]
Archive for the ‘Recommended’ Category
Gilbert Picq Chablis 1er Cru Vaucoupin 2008
Posted in France, Recommended, tagged Chablis, Gilbert Picq Chablis 1er Cru Vaucoupin 2008, Polaner Selections, Vaucoupin on June 24, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The Jura
Posted in France, Recommended, Restaurants | DC, tagged Chef Frank A. Ruta, Domaine de l'Aigle a Deux Tetes Côtes du Jura En Quattre Vis Vieilles Vigne, Domaine de l'Aigle a Deux Tetes Côtes du Jura Vieilles Vignes en Griffez, Domaine Ganevat Côtes du Jura Plein Sud, Emmanuel Houillon Arbois Pupillin Maison Pierre Overnoy Chardonnay, Emmanuel Houillon Poulsard Arbois Pupillin Maison Pierre Overnoy, Hubert Clavelin Crémant du Jura Brut, Jacques Puffeney Trousseau Arbois Les Berangères, Palena, Philippe Bornard Arbois Pupillin L'Ivresse de Noé, The Jura on May 9, 2011 | 1 Comment »
There have been a number of regions/wines in the last few years that have grabbed my attention. The Rhône valley, Muscadet, Beaujolais and Spain all have been on the short list in the last few years. A couple of years ago I had my first wine from the Jura wine. People will call them nerd [...]
Domaine Gramenon Sierra du Sud Côtes du Rhône 2009
Posted in France, Recommended, tagged Côtes du Rhône, Domaine Gramenon Sierra du Sud Côtes du Rhône 2009, Kermit Lynch, Michelle Aubery-Laurent on March 6, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Domaine Gramenon is one of the most respected producers in the Rhône. In his book on the wines of the Rhône valley, Robert Parker classified Gramenon in the same category as Beaucastel and Fonsalette. In 1998, owner Phillipe Laurent nearly doubled the area of his vineyards by purchasing some 50 acres in Vinsobres. A year [...]
Gulfi Neromàccari Nero d’Avola 2000
Posted in Italy, Recommended, tagged Gulfi, Gulfi Neromàccari Nero d'Avola 2000, Nero d'Avola, Pachino, Selected Estates of Europe, Sicily on February 21, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Gulfi is a relatively new producer of organic wines — their wines aren’t widely available but worth seeking out. Astor Wines in NY and the Wine Exchange usually have some of their wines in stock. Gulfi was established in 1996 and current production is about 20,000 cases. It is made from the Sicilian red grape [...]
Thibault Liger-Belair Moulin-à-Vent La Roche Beaujolais 2009
Posted in France, Recommended, tagged Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent, Thibault Liger-Belair, Thibault Liger-Belair Moulin-à-Vent La Roche Beaujolais 2009, Vineyard Brands on January 9, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Many have said the 2009 vintage is the best ever for Beaujolais. I’m not going to argue with that having enjoyed just about all of the 09s. Jean-Paul Thévenet and Marcel Lapierre’s wines have been my favorites to date, though each time I have a bottle of Lapierre it seems to distance itself from all [...]
Bodegas Vinedas Ponce La Casilla 2007
Posted in Recommended, Spain, tagged Bobal, Bodegas Vinedas Ponce La Casilla 2007, Bodegas Vinedas Ponce La Casilla Estrecha 2007, Juan Antonio Ponce on November 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Juan Antonio Ponce heads up this small family run bodega who began bottling their own wines in 2005, after generations of traditional grape-growing that continues today, with the adoption of biodynamic techniques. The Ponce family has 22 hectares of vineyards in the municipality of Iniesta (in the province of Cuenca). Only traditional methods are used [...]
Domaine Gramenon Ceps Centenaires La Mémé 2000
Posted in France, Recommended, tagged Domaine Gramenon, Domaine Gramenon Ceps Centenaires La Mémé 2000, Kermit Lynch, MacArthur Beverages, Michelle Aubery-Laurent, Phillipe Laurent on November 6, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Domaine Gramenon is one of the most respected producers in the Rhône. In his book on the wines of the Rhône valley, Robert Parker classified Gramenon in the same category as Beaucastel and Fonsalette. In 1998, owner Phillipe Laurent nearly doubled the area of his vineyards by purchasing some 50 acres in Vinsobres. A year [...]
Daikokuya, Los Angeles
Posted in Recommended, Restaurants | Los Angeles, tagged Daikokuya, LA Restaurant, Ramen on October 31, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
I am a big fan of ramen. Years ago, I went to the original Momofuku location and was impressed how they transformed the dish – the pork, egg and broth stood out for what has to be the best bowl of ramen I have ever had. I have been back a number of times and [...]
Langer’s Deli, Los Angeles
Posted in Recommended, Restaurants | Los Angeles, tagged Al Langer, Deli, Langer's Deli, Los Angeles, Pastrami on October 25, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Langer’s has served more than 4 million pounds of pastrami since its inception. The story begins in 1905, with the arrival at Ellis Island of Harry and Rose Langer, from Odessa, Russia. A tailor by trade, Harry settles with Rose in Newark, New Jersey. They have three children — Joe, Al and Morris. In 1924, [...]
Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sevre et Maine L D’Or 2002
Posted in France, Recommended, Value Pick, tagged Domaine Pierre de la Grange, Louis/Dressner Selections, Luneau-Papin, Melon de Bourgogne, Muscadet, Pierre Luneau, Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie Le L d'Or 2002 on October 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Domaine Pierre de la Grange is considered one of the best domaines of the Nantais, a region that marks the most northwestern point of all France’s vineyards. Pierre and his wife Monique are the seventh generation (the family has owned the property for more than 200 years) to run Domaine Pierre de la Grange, though [...]
Domaine Richaud Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne 2007
Posted in France, Recommended, tagged Cairanne, Côtes du Rhône, Chambers Street Wines, Domaine Richaud, Joe Dressner, Louis/Dressner Selections, Marcel Domaine Richaud, Marcel Richaud on October 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Marie and Marcel run Domaine Richaud, with Marcel as winemaker and Marie as manager. Marcel makes some wonderful wines, mostly of the little known village appellation Cairanne. Many consider him one of the top 2 or 3 producers in the appellation. His estate is made up of plots inherited from his parents as well as [...]
Michel Brégeon Muscadet Sevre et Maine 2002
Posted in France, Recommended, tagged André-Michel Brégeon, Kermit Lynch, Michel Bregeon Muscadet Sevre et Maine 2002, Muscadet on October 1, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Muscadet is produced at the western end of the Loire Valley, near the city of Nantes in the Pays de la Loire region neighboring the Brittany Region. More Muscadet is produced than any other Loire wine. The Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine sub-appellation is the most productive and notable region of Muscadet, producing more than three quarters [...]
Pepiere Muscadet Sevre et Maine “3″ 2005
Posted in France, Recommended, tagged Louis Dressner Imports, Marc Ollivier, Muscadet. Joe Dressner, Pepiere Muscadet Sevre et Maine "3" 2005 on August 28, 2010 | 1 Comment »
In the early 1980s, Marc Olivier (an engineer at the time) decided to move to the country for a slower pace of life. His father owned some vineyards in the cool Atlantic-influenced zone of Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine but was not a winemaker. He took over his father’s vineyards and bought a parcel called Clos de [...]
Fausse Piste Viognier Découvertes 2009
Posted in Recommended, Washington, tagged Fausse Piste, Fausse Piste Viognier Découvertes 2009, Gang of Pour, Hospice du Rhone, Jesse Skiles, Peter Weygandt, Viognier, Weygandt Wines on August 26, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Peter Weygandt of Weygandt Selections and Weygandt-Metzler, met Jesse Skiles of Fausse Piste at Hospice du Rhone 2009. This summer, Fausse Piste wines found their way to the shelves at Weygandt Wines in Washington, DC. Fausse Piste produces very limited quantities of stellar Rhone-style reds and whites from small, well-placed vineyards in the Yakima Valley [...]
