My colleagues and I purchased tickets to the Rare Reds class held at New York Vintners. I love any opportunity to expand my knowledge of wine and to attend a class with friends after a tedious day at the office was a fantastic idea! New York Vintners is located in downtown Manhattan at 21 Warren Street. Not only are they a wine shop with a diverse and ever-changing selection but they offer a great variety of wine classes and special events. Our Rare Reds tasting was located in the more intimate wine cellar room. Our sommelier was extremely knowledgeable and guided us through all the wine basics while describing in detail all of the nuances of each wine we tasted. It was fun to hear everyone’s opinions on each wine and what flavor profiles they were experiencing. Part of the fun for me at these interactive events is that what I may taste can be completely different from what others are experiencing and there is no right or wrong aspect to it. Upon arrival we were served an excellent Flor Prosecco while we waited for the class to begin. After the bubbly we went on to taste six additional wines:
*Sunier, Julien 2012 Morgon– 100% Gamay from the Morgon appellation of the Beajoulais region of France. This is translucent ruby in the glass with light cherry and floral aromas. It’s light bodied and slightly acidic with light cherry flavor. Would pair well with salty food, lean meat, seafood, and salads. I liked this wine but didn’t love it as i tend to prefer bolder, heavier reds.
*Trousse-Chemise 2012 Pinot Noir-from the Willamette Valley in Oregon which in my opinion produces the best Pinot Noir hands down! This was also ruby in color with raspberry and cherry aromas. It is light to medium bodied with a slight spice and more pronounced cherry flavor. It had a very nice earthiness to it. Pairs well with steak, chicken, and salmon. Can hold for three to seven years. I enjoyed this Pinot Noir and it’s reasonably priced so I would most likely purchase this in the future.
*Matias 2011 Torres Negramoll-from the Canary Islands in Spain. This was my first experience with the Negramoll variety. It was a brown tinted ruby in the glass and had flavors of vanilla, cherry, and strawberry. I found this slightly smokey from the volcanic soil. Would pair well with BBQ. I didn’t like this wine and the opinions of others in the room were quite mixed.
*Crivelli 2012 Ruché– extremely rare wine from the Piedmont region in Italy. This was dark ruby in the glass and had a pronounced floral aroma. The flavor profile was more complex with tart red fruit, violets, and mulling spices. Would pair best with fatty foods. I absolutely loved this wine. Too bad it is so hard to find!
*Fleuron 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon-an extremely smooth Cab from Sonoma, California. Dark ruby in appearance and aged in French Oak barrels. Flavors of soft cherry with a hint of green pepper. I love Cabs and this one didn’t disappoint. My second favorite of the class!
*Ippolito 2011 Liber Pater Ciro-from Calabria in Southern Italy. Very dark ruby in appearance. Extremely fruit forward, jammy, and tannic. I wasn’t impressed with this wine at all.
Overall I loved the experience of this Rare Reds class. My coworkers loved it so much they went back a few weeks later for the Perfect Pizza Pairings class which they all highly recommended. All of the wines featured in this class were under $30 with the exception of the Fleuron Cabernet Sauvignon which was under $50. There is something for everyone on this list so enjoy them if you can find them!
