Before lunch, though, Jean-Rene gave our group a very extensive, insider’s view of the high tech winery with all its bells and whistles. Christian Seely led a very interesting test, in which we tasted two groups of base wine: Group 1 was 2008 Merlot, and Group 2 was Cabernet Franc. 2000 (white peach) and 2002.

The "excellent" group consists of wines that are truly memorable, wines that inspire me to seek out and buy these and wines like them. The "excellent" and "very good" groups are wines that I would happily buy at the given price. Excellent Wines 2002 Houillon/Overnoy Arbois Poulsard , $36, Louis/Dressner Selections. in NYC.

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery 2005. Closson Chase Vineyards Beamsville Bench 2005. Mission Hill Family Estate Winery Select Lot Collection 2005. Pelee Island Winery Barrique 2005. Tawse Winery Beamsville Bench Reserve 2002. Burrowing Owl Estate Winery 2005. Closson Chase Vineyards Beamsville Bench 2005.

Before lunch, though, Jean-Rene gave our group a very extensive, insider’s view of the high tech winery with all its bells and whistles. Christian Seely led a very interesting test, in which we tasted two groups of base wine: Group 1 was 2008 Merlot, and Group 2 was Cabernet Franc. 2000 (white peach) and 2002.

Azienda Agricola Moroder Rosso Conero 2002 Didn't take notes on this but do remember deep balsamic notes with waves of super ripe strawberries, unfiltered with lots of sediment, but a very interesting take on a Montepulciano. My friend Eric Guido has done it again. He's obsessed with Risotto, and I'm so glad. It's a tough job, but hey.

BrooklynLady and I hosted our wine group this month and we used this occasion to drink a load of Oregon Pinot. Here is what I found, in the approximate order of my preference: 2002 Panther Creek Pinot Noir White Rose Vineyard , $35. 2002 St. 2005 Adelsheim Pinot Noir Ribbon Springs Vineyard , $44.

Lately I've been exploring and enjoying the reds of Provence, a select group of Northern Rhone wines, and also the Poulsards of the Jura. Several years ago I drank the 2002 and didn't get it at all. 2005 Jacques Puffeney Poulsard Arbois "M" , $26, Neal Rosenthal Selections. I've wanted to branch out some more. Is that so wrong?

recently had the opportunity to drink several of these wines over dinnerwith a group of friends. Our bottle of 2007 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet Clos des Briords was corked, sadly, as was our 2005 Luneau-Papin L D'Or. The palate was as youthful as the 2005 I had a few months ago. Perhaps even the seafood stereotype entirely.

My favorite sous-voile wines of the tasting, in no particular order, were the 2005 Domaine Andre and Mirielle Tissot Arbois Savagnin , 2005 Domaine Labet Savagnin Vin de Voile from Côtes du Jura , and the 2004 Domaine de la Pinte Arbois Savagnin. beneficial layer of yeast (the veil) is encouraged, somewhat akin to the flor in Sherry.

In the 1987, AXA Millésimes, the wine holding unit of the multinational insurance group based in Paris, bought Pichon Baron, which had fallen into disrepair. The 2005 was fantastic and the 06 excellent. Rivalries and conflicts simmer throughout the world. Members and their guests packed the private dining room to (over)capacity.

If I prefer, for example, your NV Brut that is based on 2004, blended with reserve wines from 2003 and 2002, but your NV Brut that is based on 2005 with reserves from 2004 and 2003 is also on the market (quite common here in New York), I want get the wine that I prefer when I put down my $47. 2004, 2005, who knows? That's it.

I'm in a really great wine group now, and great ones are hard to find, trust me. And also because we came up with a nice system for running the group. It's also an egalitarian system - the host who feels flush can select 2002 Vosne-Roman é e 1er Cru wines as the theme. And because our wine tastes are quite diverse. So sue me.

Three Doors Down has a great wine list, but they are friendly with Peter and his group and allow them to bring in their own wine. We began with the 2002 Champagne Raymond Boulard Extra Brut Les Rachais. We then opened the 2002 Benoît Lahaye Champagne Millésime (another bottle checked in his suitcase). Is this normal?

wine I really loved and found quite unique was the 2005 Domaine de Roally Vire'-Clesse' from the Macconnais, France. tasted 4 of them; a 2005 from grapes with botrytis (a desirable mold that when properly managed leads to long lived sweet wines), and 3 Vouvray. Interestingly enough, they make a 100% grenache wine called the (2005) St.

Classic," or normal vintages in Burgundy can often present good value (although prices haven't really dropped much from the astronomical 2005's), but can require lots of splashing around in order to identify the wines you like enough to buy multiple bottles. We'd all appreciate the group think, to be sure But that's part of the fun.

In the past month or so I've tasted a few 2005's, some old familiar faces and some from producers that are pretty much new to me. They're calling 2005 a "classic" vintage in Oregon. If you haven't tried Oregon wine because you're a Burgundy lover, you might try something from 2005. And one of them was excellent by any standard.

Wines are presented so that my favorite in any group appears first, etc. 2005 Eric Texier Vins de Pays O Pale , $16 - This is a sweet wine made entirely from Viognier grapes. My 4's 2002 Domaine du Closel Savennieres les Coteaux Moelleux , $28 - this is a rare sweet wine from Savennieres, crafted only in certain vintages.