Last weekend, on a gorgeous and balmy Saturday afternoon, consumers packed Bergamot Alley in Healdsburg to drink Aglianico, Ribolla Gialla, Semillon, Trousseau Gris and Trousseau Noir from “a veritable Who’s Who list of many of the hottest small wineries in California” — Arnot-Roberts, Wind Gap, Ryme, Matthiasson, Massican, Broc Cellars, Scholium Project.  These may not be household names, but amongst the trade, these producers have a lot of pull and have garnered a fair amount of attention.  And deservedly so.  They are making exciting wines.

But in order for these producers to keep capturing our imagination, they need to secure the raw materials, the grapes, to keep producing these wines.  And as Jon Bonne pointed out in a post over a year ago, “the vast majority of California up-and-comers” don’t have the resources to own their own vineyards.  Instead, they’re buying fruit from growers.

These farmers and vineyard owners are the unsung heroes of the “new” California.  They may be growing unheralded grapes, planting vines in areas consumers are only starting to discover, or holding on to old vines that still manage to eek out enough grapes to make a barrel or two.  And at the same time, they are helping fuel a very exciting and dynamic part of the California wine industry.

Sadly, this wine world recently lost one of these daring vineyard owners:  George Vare.  George’s wine career included many blue-chip names:  Geyser Peak, Beringer Vineyards, Henry Wine Group.  But he also had a sense of adventure, founding Luna Vineyards and being the first to introduce Ribolla Gialla to California.  George planted about 2.5 acres in his own vineyard in Napa and shared the grapes and his knowledge of Ribolla from various trips to Italy and Slovenia with a talented group of winemakers.  I never met George, but I admired what he did, and have talked to many who directly benefitted from his vision, his moxie, and his friendship.  Here’s what the Napa Valley Register had to say about George and his Ribolla upon his passing:

His last great project arose as a result of his work at Luna and the many friendships and visits he made to vintners in the Collio region of Friuli, Italy, and Slovenia. George loved small family winemakers, and became interested in the ancient Friulian grape variety Ribolla Gialla. An idiosyncratic grape, tough to grow, different to make wine from, and hard to pronounce, it is also fascinating to taste, great with food, and represents a long tradition in Italy of toiling out of love, rather than following the latest trend. George loved this about the variety, and decided that it would be his retirement project.

…

As much as George loved Ribolla Gialla, he was equally passionate about the help he could give to young winemakers with a vision, whether his help was advice, encouragement, or access to his precious Ribolla Gialla grapes, which he shared with a group of young iconoclastic winemakers.

From his time at Luna, where he provided an incubator for young winemakers, to his Ribolla Gialla vineyard, George was a sort of godfather for the current “new wave” of California winemakers. Ribolla Gialla to him was more than just a grape variety … it represented everything impractical but meaningful about the wine business — the business he loved and help lead for 40 years.

At events like the 7% Solution, I find myself wondering if there are enough vineyard owners who have the vision and daring to follow in George’s footsteps.  People who are willing to take a gamble on unknown grape varieties even though they could get more dollar-per-acre or ton for Cab.  Farmers dedicated to making sure that California — a state with a very young winemaking history in the grand scheme of things — continues to figure out what-grows-best-where.

I worry that with all the talk of a California grape shortage, vineyard owners (large and small) will try to play it safe and focus on brand name grapes and AVAs and try to maximize production at the expense of quality.  I worry that they may rip out old vines or be tempted to sell solely to large, mass-produced brands that they know will be around 5 years from now, and  less willing to take a chance on a year-to-year contract with a young winemaker just starting out.

We can and should continue to celebrate the winemakers who are experimenting with lesser known grapes and sourcing from lesser known places.  But we also need to tip our hats to and encourage vineyard owners and farmers who are providing the very ground upon on which these winemakers stand.

I’m hoping that attending some of these events will help calm my nerves.

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Wed. Sept. 26:  LIOCO wine dinner at Local Mission Eatery (Mission) 

Local Mission Eatery
3111 24th Street
San Francisco, CA

Four courses $36 (plus $18 for wine pairing)

LIOCO co-founder Matt Licklider will be pouring three different wines in the Mission tonight, including the 2010 Russian River Chardonnay, the 2010 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, and the 2011 “Sativa” blend (which I’m assuming is a new blend, and a play off of their delicious Indica blend).  Full menu here.

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Thurs., Sept. 27:  Sicilian Wines @ Arlequin (Hayes Valley)

Arlequin Wine Merchants
384 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA

6:00pm – 8:00pm – $20

Island wines / wines from volcanic soils have become popular themes for wine tastings in the Bay Area.  Get a bit of both Thursday night as Arlequin pours a selection of Sicilian wines from Arianna Occhipinti, COS, Marco de Batoli and others.  Special bonus: get to hang out with Jeff Vierri from Farm Wine Imports.

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Thurs., Sept. 27:  Blind Tasting Seminar – Price vs. Value @ Ferry Plaza (FiDi)

Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA

6:30pm – 8:30pm – $65 (click on link above for ticket information)

Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant’s Peter Granoff leads you through a blind tasting with the goal of “considering the relationship between value and price.” Interesting, no?

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Sat., Sept. 29:  Burgundy Tasting at SF Wine Trading Co. (Bernal)

San Francisco Wine Trading Co.
250 Taraval
San Francisco, CA

2:00pm – 5:30pm – $10

Interesting line-up for Saturday’s Burgundy tasting at SF Wine Trading Co.

• Lucien Boillot, Volnay “Caillerets” 1er Cru
• Domaine Harmand Geoffroy, Gevrey Chambertin “Lavaux Saint Jacques” 1er Cru
• Domaine Robert Chevillon, red Nuits St.-Georges “Perrieres” 1er Cru
• Meo-Camuzet, Marsannay Bourgogne rouge
• Domaine des Croix, Beaune Bourgogne rouge
• Trenel, white Saint Veran “Hommage à Andre Trenel”

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Sat., Sept. 29:  Burgundy Tasting at K&L (SoMa)

K&L Wine Merchants
638 4th Street
San Francisco, CA

12:00pm – 3:00pm

As if you needed more Burgundy.  Wait a minute.  You do.  You definitely need more Burgundy in your life.

A year ago this week, I was in the Loire Valley visiting producers as harvest was in full swing. On the morning of September 17, 2011, I was on my way to meet with one of Dressner’s producers, François Cazin in Cour-Cheverny, but decided to take a detour to stop by Jean-Marie and Thierry Puzelat’s Clos de Tue Boef (another member of the Dressner portfolio).  In front of the small, unadorned winery, there was an old 1950s/60s blue Ford Tractor with one of its headlights dangling from the socket.  I whipped out my camera to take a few pictures.  Out walked Jean-Marie Puzelat – a round, jolly man wearing overalls.  He was laughing, amused that I wanted to take pictures of his “crappy tractor” (cleanest translation I could muster for what he actually said).  We chatted, and he apologized for not being able to do a formal tasting, but asked if I wanted to taste through a few wines in tank.  I happily accepted the invitation.

We talked a bit about the U.S. market, and when I mentioned that I was a fan of the Dressner book, he lit up.  He explained how much he owed Joe for bringing his wines into the U.S., and as he talked about Joe, his voice changed.  It was a mix of admiration and reverence, and he sported a wry, knowing smile as he spoke.  I got the impression that he and Joe had shared some memorable (and probably late) nights together.

After my winery visits that day, I went back to the little gite I was staying in above L’Herbe Rouge to rest up for Le Bal de Vendengeurs — a harvest party hosted by a group of winemakers called “Les Vins du Coin,” which included Clos du Tue-Boef and Olivier Lemasson’s Les Vins Conté, yet another Loire producer represented by Dressner. (Many thanks to Etheliya Hananova for the invite!).

I checked my Facebook and Twitter account. That’s how I learned that Joe had passed away. Post after post from U.S.-based sommeliers, retail buyers, and consumers flooded my social media universe.

I went to the party with a bit of a heavy heart, knowing that Joe had really been a champion for some of my favorite producers in the region.  The party was in a big outdoor area or “camping” about 10 minutes from where I was staying.  I was waiting in line for a sausage and a glass of wine when I felt a tap on my shoulder.  It was Jean Marie.  He smiled and asked me how the rest of my day went.  We chatted for about 5-10 minutes, but I don’t remember much of what was said.  All I could think about was if he had heard about Joe.  I thought for a brief second that I should tell him, that he would want to know that someone who meant so much to him had passed.  But I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Winemakers, harvest workers, young and old mingled and danced on a brisk September night.  Torches made out of trumpets and trombones warded off the darkness.  A band, L’atelier de la casserole, played everything from jazz to Balkan street music, and drew nearly every out to the dance floor.  There was this one chubby kid, probably no older than 8 years old, tearing it up while sporting an untucked button down shirt and red-plaid fedora.  He looked happy.

I don’t know why, but it occurred to me that this is something Joe would have appreciated:  a community of winemakers coming together to celebrate harvest and embrace the simple pleasures of life — food, drink, family, friends.  And I also thought that this was something that, in no small way, Joe had made possible.

Joe Dressner passed away on 9/17/2011.  More fitting and eloquent tributes from those who actually knew him can be found on the Louis / Dressner website.  

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Wed. Sept. 19:  Charles Neal Selections at William Cross (Russian Hill)

William Cross Wine Merchants
2253 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA

6:00pm – 9:00pm – $15

William Cross is hosting importer Charles Neal for some  Jura, Savoie, and Bugey.  I’m particularly fond of the Labet.

NV Domaine Labet Cremant du Jura
2010 JP & JF Quenard Chignin Savoie
2009 Domaine Labet Fleur de Savagnin Cotes du Jura
2009 Julien Labet “Grains Nobles” Savagnin Cotes du Jura
2011 Maison Angelot Gamay Bugey
2010 Charles Trosset et Fils Vin de Savoie Arbin Prestige des Arpentes
2010 Bernard Rondeau Bugey Cerdon

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Thurs., Sept. 20:  Corsican Wines @ Arlequin (Hayes Valley)

Arlequin Wine Merchants
384 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA

6:00pm – 8:00pm – $20

Kermit Lynch never ceases to amaze me.  Just when I think I’ve got a handle on the wine world, he brings in producers from a less heralded region and forces me to keep exploring.  Such is the case with Corsica.  I’ve only had the Abatucci Cuvee Faustine Rose, but whoo-weee — that is one heck of a wine. Anyhow, Matt Gerloff from Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants will be at Arlequin on Thursday, pouring 9 wines — at least one from each of the seven Corsican producers in the Kermit portfolio.  Here are the wines for the night

2011 Gioielli Cap Corse Blanc
2011 Leccia Biancu Gentile
2011 Arena Patrimonio Blanc ‘Carco’
2011 Clos Canerelli Corse Figari Blanc
NV Abbatucci Gris Imperial
NV Abbatucci Rouge Frais
2011 Maestracci Corse Calvi Rouge ‘Clos Reginu’
2011 Leccia Ile de Beaute Rouge
NV Ministre Imperial Rouge (out of magnum!)

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Sat., Sept. 22:  Beaujolais Tasting at SF Wine Trading Co. (Bernal)

San Francisco Wine Trading Co.
250 Taraval
San Francisco, CA

2:00pm – 5:30pm – $10

You saw my little ode to Beaujolais last week, so I need not tell you again how much I love these wines.  If you want some yummy glou glou, stop by SFWTC on Saturday.  Well worth the trip for the Foillard Fleurie and Cuvee Corcelette alone! Looks like there’s a lot of 2009 being poured, so read this to get yourself ready.

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Sat. Sept. 22:  Riesling Party @ Vintage Berkeley (East Bay) 

Vintage Berkeley-Elmwood
2949 College Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94705

3:00pm-7:00pm

The good folks at Solano Cellars/Vintage Berkeley know their Riesling.  And they’ll be sharing their knowledge and wines with the rest of us on Saturday afternoon.

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Tues., Sept. 25: Do California Wines Age Well ? @ SF Wine Center (SoMa) 

SF Wine Center
757 Bryant Street
San Francisco, CA

6:30pm – 8:00pm – $75 (reserve ahead of time)

Taste some wines from the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s and see how they’ve held up over time.  The class will be led by Food & Wine Magazine Guide to Wine author Mary Burnham and “will focus on California’s terroir, key varietals, winemaking practices, and all other factors that’ll help us find the keys to unlock this important mystery.”  Take a look at this article from a recent issue of F&W for a little primer.

“These days, there is probably no wine that I am more excited about (well, along with the reds of the northern Rhône) than Beaujolais. I drink it at home, I drink it at restaurants, I push it at RN74. I cannot get enough of it.” – Jordan Mackay / Rajat Parr, Secrets of the Sommelier

Most wine fans fondly remember that one wine that made them think, “Whoa, there's a lot going on here!” And from that moment, they're hooked. They start buying wines from different regions, varieties, and producers. They start asking questions about vineyards, soil, and winemaking practices. Before they know it, they've jumped down the rabbit hole. For me, that wine — my gateway drug — was Cru Beaujolais. At their best, these wines display an enjoyable combination of fruit, minerality, and acidity that can be appreciated by everyone from the novice wine drinker to the seasoned expert.

Knowing my affinity for Beaujolais, my friends over at wine app startup Delectable have invited me to talk about my recent trip to the region and host a tasting next Wednesday, September 19 from 7pm – 9pm. I was able to pick up wines from great producers (Lapierre, Foillard, Sunier, Clos de la Roilette and Descombe), including wines from the 2007-2010 vintages. And here's the kicker: you can win an invite to join in on the fun.

Here's how you can win:

1. Download the free Delectable app for iPhone.
2. Use Delectable to take a picture of your favorite Cru Beaujolais.
3. In the comment section, use the hash tag #sfwineblog.
4. Use Delectable to share your wine on Twitter.
5. The first three folks to do so will win an invite to the tasting on Wednesday, September 19!

And here's what I'll be pouring on Wednesday (we picked them up at Arlequin Wine Merchant):

• Julien Sunier Regnie 2010
• Clos de la Roilette Fleurie 2010
• Jean Foillard Fleurie 2007
• Descombes Morgon Vielles Vignes 2009
• Jean Foillard Morgon 2008
• Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2010

Hope to see you next week!

Jean Foillard in Cote du Py (Morgon)

Posted with Blogsy

I also wanted to share some news I’ve been gushing about for the past week.  As many of you know, I spent part of last year working harvest with Duncan and Nathan of Arnot-Roberts Winery in Healdsburg.  I can’t say enough about these guys: not only do they make great wine, but they are amazingly warm and friendly people.  So I was very excited to see them featured front-and-center in this New York Times article by Eric Asimov.  In this piece, Asimov acknowledges the “superb wines of balance and restraint” coming from Arnot-Roberts, and (rightfully) praises Duncan and Nathan for making wine from an off-the-beaten-path variety, Trousseau Noir.

“Like the best Jura trousseaus, the Arnot-Roberts trousseau is a paradox. It’s pale (almost as pale as a dark rosé) and light-bodied, yet it’s intense, with a firm tannic grip. It’s also energetic, floral-scented and uplifting with a lovely refreshing bitterness.”

I have always had a lot of respect for the risk Duncan and Nathan took in making wine from a variety that only the geekiest of wine consumers is familiar with.  It was a bold move.  The fact that they’ve made such compelling wine from Trousseau (and that a paper with the New York Times readership and clout has praised their effort) should help continue to pave the way for other winemakers to experiment and try to figure out what else California terroir is capable of producing.

It is this possibility of continued exploration that makes me excited about the California wine industry.  There’s an ever-growing sense that we, as a relatively young winemaking nation, are just starting to scratch the surface of our potential.  And the future looks bright!

Congrats, D&N, and thank you!

Arnot-Roberts 2011 Trousseau tank w/ J. Puffeney

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Tues., Sept. 11:  Maximin Grunhaus Tasting @ Biondivino (Russian Hill)

Biondivino
1415 Green Street
San Francisco, CA

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – $10

Summer of Riesling gets extended at least through Tuesday, as Biondivino hosts winemaker Dr. Carl von Schubert from noted German (Ruwer) producer Maximin Grunhaus.  This is a real treat:  these wines are widely praised as some of the best in the Mosel.  Four wines from 2010 and 2011 vintages will be poured.

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Thurs., Sept. 13:  Pinot In The City @ Golden Gate Club (Presidio)

Golden Gate Club
135 Fisher Loop
San Francisco, CA

6:00pm – 9:00pm – $65 (tix here)

Over 70 Oregon wineries drop in, bringing loads of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris with ‘em.  Some highlights include Eyrie Vineyards (a historic winery with a stellar lineup), Brooks, and JK Carriere.

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Thurs., Sept. 13:  Importer Acid Inc. Selections @ Arlequin (Hayes Valley)

Arlequin Wine Merchants
384 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA

6:00pm – 8:00pm – $20

Having tried a good number of the wines in the Acid Inc. portfolio, I’m excited to see what they’ll be pouring on Thursday night at Arlequin.  If you stop in, make sure to say hi to my friend Jay Latham while you’re there!

UPDATE:  I’m excited about this line-up.  Have had a fascination with the Zidarich wines for quite some time now, and I brought a bottle to dinner in DC last week (it was a hit!).  And the Dettori wines are also striking.  A few weeks ago, I had the Bianco at La Ciccia — a perfect place to explore Sardinian food and wine.  

2009 Zidarich Malvasia
2009 Zidarich Vitovska
NV Dettori Renosu
2009 Dettori Bianco
2007 Dettori Otto Marzo

ALSO — Acid Inc. will be pouring wines from Italy’s Casebianche on Wednesday September 12 at Biondivino.   

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Sun. Sept. 16:  Hirsch Vineyards Dinner @ Heirloom Cafe  (Mission)

Heirloom Cafe
2500 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA

$105 for 6 wines / 5 courses (tix here)

David Hirsch planted Pinot and Chardonnay north of Jenner on the Sonoma Coast back in 1980, when few people thought this area was hospitable to vineyards.  Today, Hirsch Vineyards is considered one of the premiere sites for California wines.  Jasmine Hirsch will introduce the wines, paired with a meal prepared by the Heirloom team.  Full menu below:

MENU

L’Epicerie Au Bon Manger (Reims, France)

L’Epiciereie au Bon Manger should be every food and wine lover’s first stop in Reims. This small shop –no bigger than San Francisco’s Tartine bakery– has a jaw dropping display of cured meats and cheeses, shelves stocked with artisanal spices and foods stuffs, and a stellar grower Champagne selection. Georges Laval? Yup. Benoit Lahaye? You got it. Marie Courtin, Pasqual Doquet, Emmanuel Brochet? Yes, yes, and yes. David Léclapart? Ran into him at Au Bon Manger the night after polishing off a bottle of his L’Apostrophe.

Aline and Eric, the dynamic and personable husband-wife team behind Au Bon Manger, are nothing short of inspirational. They left Paris four years ago and changed career paths to lauch this little slice of heaven. They hand select every item in the store, can tell you the story of each of the producers, and provide a warm and inviting atmosphere that made this little place feel like a Champenoise version of Cheers.

My stomach is grumbling as I write this post and picture all the great food I hade during my multiple visits to Au Bon Manger:  sea urchin caviar, pork rilletes, some lovely smoked salmon, and heaps of fresh and flavorful cheeses.  I remember the sheer look of joy on an Aussie friend’s face when a well appointed plate of charcuterie arrived at the table. I remember lingering in the store during a torrential rainstorm, chatting with Aline about her favorite wines.  And I remember the silence that fell over the table as we sipped on a bottle of David Léclapart’s mind blowing Champagne.  Whether you pick up a bottle and some fixins for a picnic, or stop in to open a bottle of wine with some snacks, you won’t forget your visit to Au Bon Manger.

L’Epicerie au Bon Manger
7 rue Courmeaux, Reims, France
+33 3 26 03 45 29

More on Au Bon Manger:

• Peter Liem:  ”The Epicerie au Bon Manger is a welcome and badly needed addition to the Champenois gastronomic landscape….”
• Le Fooding:  ”…le haut de la bulle en champagne!”

I like big bottles and I cannot lie.  / You other brothers can’t deny  / That when a mag walks in with a biggy biggy waist and a round thing in your face, you get ….

Well we all know the rest of these lyrics, so I’ll put an end to my ode to Sir Mix-A-Lot

I was reminded how much fun large format bottles can be when I (with the help of 4 friends) polished off a 1.8L bottle of sake at Namu Gajii.  Also didn’t hurt that the food at Namu is amazing (definitely get the stone pot, the ramyun, and burger).

That night brought back memories of my time in Champagne.  In this slideshow, Melanie Tarlant (of Champagne Tarlant) and Anne-Victoire Jocteur Monrozier (proprietress of “Miss Vicky Wine“)  demonstrate how to open a magnum of Champagne Tarlant Zero Brut Nature.

Gregoire Japiot, founder of Silicon Terroir, wisely steps in in the last few frames, to lend a helping hand.

U.S. consumers now have access to a broad range of Champagne that range from the laser-sharp acid-and-rocks Blanc de Blanc to the more traditional brioche-and-toast voluptuous cuvées.  The rising popularity of grower Champagne — “Champagne made by the same people who grow the grapes” –  has had a direct impact on the diversity of Champagne, and we are lucky in the Bay Area to have a great group of importers and retailers that make these wines readily available.

Last month, I was able to visit two well-regarded small producers:  Laherte Frères and Agrapart et Fils.  Both Laherte and Agrapart participate in an annual tasting called Terres et Vins de Champagne.  Started in 2009, TetV is a showcase for a group of “generally young, hip and highly talented [producers], with strong leanings towards natural viticulture.”  At the tasting, these producers present both their finished wine and their vins clair — the still base wine that has competed alcoholic fermentation, but has not gone through the secondary fermentation that produces the Champagne bubbles).  By so doing, TetV is sending a clear signal that Champagne should be more than just a fun, fizzy New Year’s Eve quaffer, and that (at its best), Champagne is a wine with complexity and a sense of place.

Champagne Laherte Frères

Founded in 1889, Champagne Laherte Frères is located about 15 minutes south of Epernay in Chavot.  Brothers Christian and Thierry Laherte own the winery, and Thierry’s son Aurélien (pictured above) is heavily involved in both the vineyard and cellar. As Aurélien guided us through the winery, I noticed a ledge with a series of empty bottles.  Chateau Musar (Lebanon); Ganevat (Jura); Texier (Rhone).  France is a fiercely regional country when it comes to wine, and the diversity of wines on display at Laherte was rather unique.  Aurélien said that he has a group of winemaker friends in the region who like to try wines from all over, trying to learn through tasting.  <<fist bump>>.

Laherte sources grapes from 10 hectares of vineyards — including some parcels of ungrafted rootstock — located south of Epernay, in the Côte des Blancs, and the Vallée de la Marne.  Each vineyard is vinified separately, an act that reflects Laherte’s focus on terroir-driven wine.Laherte has two large presses (partial pic above)  – a significant investment for a rather small producer, but one which they believe allows them to ensure that grapes are pressed as soon as they are brought in during harvest.  They use a mix of bottle caps and natural cork closures during secondary fermentation.

There are a large number of cuvees in the Laherte portfolio, including a Brut Nature and two different rosés (one made by assemblage, another by saignee).  My two favorites:

• Les Clos — a field blend from a parcel planted in 2003 that contains seven varieties:  Fromenteau , Arbanne, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier, and Petit Meslier (NOTE: I’ve also seen this wine labeled as “Les 7.”).  Everything you would want – good fruit and acid balance and striking aromatics.
• Les Vignes d’Autrefois – 100% Pinot Meunier from 40+ year old vines, with a surprising amount of chalky / mineral notes.

One thing to note:  some of Laherte’s wines are labeled as NM (Négociant-Manipulant) as opposed to the usual RM (Recolant-Manipulant)  expected of small, grower-producers.  It’s my understanding that the immediate family members of the Laherte family each owns vineyards which they then individually sell to the estate.  Under Champagne’s strict bureaucratic rules, the estate is a Négoce, because they buy their grapes from “others.”  Details, details.

Here are other pictures from my visit to Laherte Frères.

Champagne Agrapart et Fils

If you follow the blog regularly, you know I have a soft spot for Agrapart.  It’s been a go-to producer for me, one which I’ve shared with friends, and a wine that I opened this past New Year’s Eve.  So I was thrilled to have the chance to visit this Avize-based producer after having a memorable meal at Anselme Selosse’s Hotel Les Avises (a place you must stop by if you’re in the region).  I’ve found Agrapart’s wines readily available in my favorite wine shops in San Francisco, so I was somewhat surprised at the small size of the cellar and winery.  Shoot – they were hand disgorging all their wines up until three years ago!  I tasted three different cuvees:  Les 7 Crus (possibly the best sub-$40 Grower Champagne on the market); Terroirs; and Minéral 2005.  All these wines were striking and energetic, but the Minéral really took the cake.  Made from vineyards in Avize and Cramant, this  is a serious wine with mineral (duh) and savory flavors.  Lip smacking good.

More pictures from my Agrapart visit.

Story and photos © 2012 John Trinidad

Anyhow, for those of you who haven’t followed along, here’s my distilled version of the NYC-based debate:

Steve Cuozzo, NY Post (aka, Mr. Wilson):  Fellow citizens, I am aghast that a Greek restaurant would only serve Greek wines.  I’m not familiar with these wines, and the ones I’ve had are crap. I want my Bordeaux.  And why are some sommeliers in Brooklyn stocking their list with small producers from obscure areas?  Side note:  why do they have to be all hippie-dippie “natural wines?” I repeat:  I want my Bordeaux.  [Scowls.  Shakes fist.]

Eric Asimov, NY Times (aka, Voice of Reason):  [Enters, stage right]  Whoa, whoa, whoa.  There’s no need to bash these wine lists just because you personally don’t like Greek wines or “natural” wines.  Look, I like going to weddings and having a choice between chicken and salmon, but that doesn’t mean I want those to be my only choices every time I go out to dinner.  Let’s embrace the fact that we live in a city that has all different types of wine lists — some safe and conventional, some a bit more adventurous.  And, PS, there is a growing cadre of wine professionals at restaurants dedicated to answering questions and guiding guests through even the most obscure lists.  Kick back, chat em up, have some fun.  May the schwartz be with you.  [starts walking away]

Cuozzo:  Hey so that thing I said about Greek wines at Greek restaurants? Let’s put that aside.  What I really wanted to say is that natural wines are crap.  I hate them.  HATE them.  Damn hippies.  [Shakes fist]  Will this get me another mention in the Times?  Pretty please?

[Asimov shakes his head, keeps walking off stage]

[Buzzer sounds]

Off stage voice:  Mr. Cuozo, your 15 minutes are now up.

[Lights fade]