Chronic Negress

My latest wine adventure involved a class dinner held in Hinata in Great Neck where we sampled several Asian fusion entrees paired with selections from the cellar of one of the guests. Said guest has a wife who offered pieces of homemade dark chocolate to all participants. I arrived drowned in the rain, having missed a pairing of cremant blanc de blanc Champagne with sushi appetizers. Dadgum the Long Island Railroad. However, Chablis and slightly chilly salmon were waiting at my place. No worries there. Next up was duck breast over julienned vegetables paired with a Pesquera Tinto Cosecho 1996. This Ribuera del Duero stunner has some subtle smoke scents and grew more complex with each sip. I wish I could go into as much detail about the Chablis and the Champagne but I never saw the bottles. Anyway, beef arrived next with Sheeraz 1998, a Templeton Coast stunner that lived up to one of my favorite descriptions of Shiraz from Lauren Bernardini. This was definitely the Marlboro man with a PhD. Blueberry and some plum nose; robust with balanced tannins. A wine worth seeking out. Dessert arrived — a chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream and some caramel sauce. With this, a sparkling Shiraz. My locs nearly unraveled as I had a flashback to one of the worst wines I’ve ever had in my life — a Charles Melton Sparkling Shiraz NV that was appalling flight tasters at Meadowood Resort in Napa nearly every time it was served. That one had hints of spirit master on the nose and a tarry, nondescript taste that required several deep draughts of water to cleanse one’s mouth sufficiently to avoid palate death.

However, Bleasdale Big Brut Sparkling Shiraz NV was delightful. It may look like Riunite Lambrusco, or Cold Duck or any other fizzy red nightmare from your misspent youth, but looks do not tell the story here. Blackberry scents and an off-dry taste that also boded well for pairing this with some creamy cheeses. This made for a happy Negress who had just about dried out from her soggy journey to join these wine lovers.

Perhaps you are curious as to what I am drinking at home. Thanks to a work assignment on the greening of winemaking, I had a Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico 2005 that’s organic and was deliciously expressive. The Alois Lageder Benefizium Porer 2006 Pinot Grigio — also organic — is subtle, lean with some mineral expression and peach on the nose. The control nonorganic wines weren’t too bad either. The Fantinel Borgio Tessis 2005 pinot grigio blends some blue stone minerality with some hints of citrus. lastly, the Banfi Chianti Classico 2005 was beefier than the Badia but very drinkable. All wines were served with pizza from Carmine’s Pizza Factory, my favorite pizza joint here in the JC.

Stay tuned. More on a grim Australian Riesling and an effortlessly fabulous Pinot Noir from the North Fork next time around.