Real Wine Attack in Tribeca

I braved traffic to attend the "Real Wine Attack" a tasting of Louis-Dressner wines sponsored by Chambers Street Wines. Held at a restaurant (Cercle Rouge) in Tribeca to relieve last year's crowding. However, I arrived to find a line outside. It moved quickly, and I found myself inside. It was really crowded, though I thought the crowd was mostly polite and good-spirited. With the crush of people and the huge numbers of wines, I set up a criteria for what I should taste:
1) producers I like or have heard good things about
2) try to stick to wines I've not tasted nor own
3) try to stick to things I can afford (actually, I only skipped a Cote-Rotie based on this, most wines were under $20, and almost all under $50)
4) go for the gaps in crowds.

Here are my impressions of some wines (I actually tried to do whites then reds, but this is order they are in program, I can't remember order I tasted!). I only tasted maybe a third of wines.

NV Renardat-Fache Bugey Cerdon
Actually last wine I tasted. Fun and fiesty, like previous batches

2007 Pepiere Muscadet
a bit leaner than '05/'06, but nice

2006 Pepiere “Cuvee Eden” Muscadet
Soft and cuddly, nice chalk, good length. I buy

2005 Pepiere "Granite de Clisson" Muscadet
OK, so I own this one. Big a bit closed, I'm holding mine

2006 Closel "La Jalousie" Savennieres
Good, open, giving.

2005 Closel "Clos Papillon" Savennieres
Much bigger, probably better than the Jalousie in long run, but less giving now


NV Pinon Brut
Nice batch, apple pie with bubbles. I buy

2007 Pinon "Silex Noir" Vouvray
New wine to me, very tasty. Mineral, peaches and mango, good length

2002 Pinon "Tradition" Vouvray
I liked this when it ws young, wouldn't have thought of cellaring. This is very tasty, chalk meets quince and apple.

(there was also a '89 Pinon sticky, but I thought it might screw up my palate even more than it already was, and unfortunately never made it back)

2006 Manciat "Franclieu" Macon-Charnay
Nice, crisp, clean,

2006 Manciat "Franclieu" Macon-Charnay Vieilles Vignes
A little oak, bolder, sassy, I like. Woman next to me says "too sweet." I'm guessing she means the oak profile, but I find it restrained, and will keep eye out for its arrival

2007 Vins Contes/Lemasson Sois Mignon
One of my few so-so marks, no notes

2007 Vins Contes/Lemasson Le Puits
This I liked a bit better, crisp and sharp (I think this was SB?)

2007 Filliatreau "Printemps" Saumur-Champigny
Light and pretty, tasty and easy if not complex

2006 Filliatreau "La Grande Vignolle" Saumur-Champigny
Just as pretty, but not as light(weight). A nice boldly flavored Cab Franc. Maybe a step behind the '05 Grand Vignolle, but still very tasty. I buy

2005 Filliatreau 2005 Saumur Champigny Vieilles Vignes
Tobacco, smoke, and red fruit. This could do well as a ringer in a Right Bank tasting. I like a lot.I buy

2007 Brun (Terres Dorees) Beaujolais Blanc
As always, fresh and clean Chardonnay. Nice chalky finish

2007 Brun (Terres Dorees) FRV 100
A fun and frothy rose, in the Bugey Cerdon tradition. No thinking, just smiling. I buy

2006 Tete (Clos du Fief) Julienas
Delicious, straightforward, yet with complexity and elegance. I buy

2006 Tete (Clos du Fief) "Cuvee Prestige" Julienas
Folks around me were raving, but I preferred the regular.

2006 Desvignes "Cote de Py" Morgon
Tannic but good

2006 Desvignes " Javernieres" Morgon
Softer and less tannic, good length.

2005 Texier Macon-Bussieres
Truly zippy acidity, big for Macon, clean

2005 Texier Saint-Gervais Cotes du Rhone
This could pass for CdP, but I find the red fruit jamminess too intense. It does have a good acidic backbone, but not my flavor profile

2005 Texier Brezeme Cotes du Rhone
Good but not overwhelming acidity, red and black fruit, leather. I buy

2003 Radikon "Oslavje" Friuli Venezia
Never understood the fuss over Radikon, this doesn't sway me. Nutty and oxidized. Interesting, but not a buy.

2003 Radikon Ribolla Gialla
OK, I take it back. I understand the fuss. This is cool. Sure, a little funky, but with rich fruit and great length. I buy.
. 
2003 Radikon "Jakot"
Pourer explains to me that name is "Tokaj" backwards- their reaction to EU rules. I like this as much as the Ribolla, good wine. I take back everything I said. Radikon rules.

Despite the crowds, an informative event. I skipped some faves like Baudry and Breton because I had bought or tried most of the wines, and couldn't penetrate the crowds at a few others like Descombes, CRB, etc. But certainly worthwhile.

[Robin Garr]

Fun and informative notes, Dale. My kind of wines, mostly. I wish I could have been there!

Sounds good. Do I assume all/most of the producers were there?

But no info from Pinon on the source of the new cuvee?

Sounds like the Closels continued in the Big Bold Mold. Any word from them on that?

Nice stuff..

Thanks, Dale, very useful notes for a visit to Chambers, sorry I couldn't be there. The crowds at the last couple of such events at Chambers were unpleasantly dense, so it must have been a treat to experience all this good stuff in a less (though apparently still somewhat) crushed context. I love mango in my NZ SBs, so will definitely pick up a bottle of that Vouvray to compare, and maybe some of the other ones you liked, like the Ribolla.

Thanks Dale.
This will get me to browse the store website ... with interest in the Savennieres and the Vouvray.

Well, actually, though there was 4 times the space as in the store, there were 6 times the people. It was 3-4 deep in front of most tables. Between the crowds and my almost non-existent French, I didn't have that much conversation. I did have some informative conversation with the young man (Sasa?) from Radikon, a few words with Eric Texier, and Frederick Filliatreau was good about making sure everyone could hear him.But I was reaching over people to get my pours at Closel, and the young lady at Pinon was sweet but I think not an Anglophone (and couldn't get my mangled French). Looking at CSW, the petillant seems to be the mostly 2004 blend, which I guess I had before (I actually was trying to stick to new wines, but she just poured it). Despite crowds I was glad I went.

Hi, Dale,

It was quite a mob in Cercle Rouge, took me some time to adjust, but I finally took some notes.

I am mostly in agreement with you, but vary on a minor point or two.

Pinon's daughter speaks excellent English.

I was struck by how much more open the '05 Closel/Vaults Papillon was than my recent experience in France. Sea air, or something.

I bought the Filliatreau VV as well.

I am an annual admirer of the Brun Chard, but I think the '07 is one I might actually buy. Great acidity and freshness.

The '06 Burn Ancien is great wine.

I think Texier is doing amazing work now.

I don't think of '07 Pepiere as "but" anything--I prefer it to '06, and find it a nice stylistic complement to '05.

The '89 Pinon is extremely nice.

Just some thoughts.

J

Pinon's daughter speaks excellent English.

Damn. Trying to stick to wines I hadn't tried, I tried to refuse the '06 Tradition. She didn't understand me, and I tried to switch to my mangled French (to more non-comprehension). I guess it was noise and not lack of English. Should have shoved my way to front.

The '06 Burn Ancien is great wine.

I skipped tasting it, as I already have bought quite a few

I don't think of '07 Pepiere as "but" anything--I prefer it to '06, and find it a nice stylistic complement to '05.

I probably like the '06 more than you, but my "but" wasn't supposed to be limiting. I did order that (along with the Silex Noir and a couple of other things that were prearrival) by email Sunday.

The '89 Pinon is extremely nice.

Ack. My plan was to revisit at end, but mob was deep as I was leaving. Priced pretty well for almost 20 yrs old.

Thanks for thoughts. I saw you across room, but was busy trying to get more tastes in my limited time. Cheers.

Dale, many thanks for the impressions.
One question, can you actually buy these wines at the tasting?
I loved the 2005 Filliatreau Grand Vignolle. I will have to get some of the V V to try.
What kind of prices were the Radikon wines?

Dale, many thanks for the impressions.
One question, can you actually buy these wines at the tasting?
I loved the 2005 Filliatreau Grand Vignolle. I will have to get some of the V V to try.
What kind of prices were the Radikon wines?

Chambers St had order sheets that you could fill out. Or you could walk a few blocks to store. I used the website when I got home to order the instock wines. Then sent an email for the prearrival ones,
Radikon are about $40/500ml