So time to get the next one planned now that we've had a successful #17. I know beefytaco mentioned he'd be up for hosting, so that is an option.

UPDATED AS OF 11/18/11

DATE: Saturday, November 19th
WHERE: ratnikov's (Brooklyn)
POUR TIME: 7pm
ARRIVAL TIME: 6:30pm
THEME: NY vs the World!

ATTENDEES:
1&2. HitAnyKey42/cheron98
3&4. ratnikov+1
5&6. mikegberg+1
7&8. beefytaco+1
9&10. iByron+1
11&12. Cesare/kttest
13&14. InFrom+1


MAYBE:
speedoo

REGRETS:
Krugsters/shamer
canonizer

THE WINE LIST:
2010 Hermann J. Wiemer Riesling Dry (NY, Finger Lakes) by mikegberg
-- vs 2007 Von Hövel Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling Spätlese (Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer) by InFrom

2010 Croteaux Merlot 3 Rosé (NY, North Fork) by beefytaco
-- vs 2000 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Viña Tondonia (Spain, La Rioja) by beefytaco+1

2008 Silver Thread Pinot Noir (NY, Finger Lakes) by ratnikov
-- vs 2008 Domaine Camus-Bruchon & Fils Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Grands Liards Vieilles Vignes (France, Burgundy) by mikegberg+1
----- vs 2007 Black Star Farms Pinot Noir Arcturos (MI, Leelanau Peninsula) by cheron98

2007 Leidenfrost Vineyards Cabernet Franc (NY, Finger Lakes) by InFrom+1
-- vs 2005 Earl Caves Angelliaume Chinon Cuvée du Père Léonce (France, Loire Valley) by iByron

2008 Duck Walk Vineyards Gewürztraminer Late Harvest Aphrodite (NY, North Fork) by HAK
-- vs 2007 Massandra Muscat White Muscat "Red Stone" Massandra (Ukraine) by ratnikov+1

Woot! I think I am getting addicted to the gatherings. But I think it's a good thing.

I am out to Burning Man late August, early September. But anything after second week of September should tentatively work for me.

I'm also willing to host.

Why is it that I keep killing off the threads. >.<

Chime in, people! :D

I could tentatively come into the city the 2nd weekend of September or even the 3rd but the first weekend doesn't work for me.

I know I've been absent for a while, but I'm going into the clinic full time on 10/10. The end of September would be great for me.

Hey dudes long time no hear! It's been a nuts summer for me (had a stupid cold for most of it) but would love to get back into the NYC wine groove. Keep us all posted.

Oh yeah and what to do for a theme?

Something fun and affordable? Like Odd Eastern European stuff perhaps? Or Long Island North Fork Favorites?

threemoons wrote:
Something fun and affordable? Like Odd Eastern European stuff perhaps? Or Long Island North Fork Favorites?

Could always combine the two.

Could always just do a grab bag.

Or we could take a cue from the NoVA/DC folks and do an Old World/New World "big eight" tasting. Never hurts to get the standards in our heads.

iByron

So what do I need to do to step this up a notch?

ratnikov wrote:So what do I need to do to step this up a notch?

Pick a date. How about Oct 15.

Cesare wrote:Pick a date. How about Oct 15.

Personally, not sure if I can/should do any dates in October since it's looking like I still have a few weeks worth of recovery from this Mono. So if one is held in Oct, it'll be the first tasting I'll have to miss. But if ya'll get enough people interested, don't hold back on my account. If I'm feeling well enough by then, I'll try to make it.
Though Oct 22 might theoretically be enough recovery time for me to participate without any issue. After all, I have to be healthy enough by Oct 27th for my flight out to Michigan for the weekend.

HitAnyKey42 wrote:After all, I have to be healthy enough by Oct 27th for my flight out to Michigan for the weekend.

October 22nd works very well for me.

I would also be happy to settle for October 27th if that would help HAK to make an appearance.

ratnikov wrote:October 22nd works very well for me.

I would also be happy to settle for October 27th if that would help HAK to make an appearance.

Guess you didn't read clearly enough....Oct 27th I'll be on a flight to Michigan.

HitAnyKey42 wrote:Guess you didn't read clearly enough....Oct 27th I'll be on a flight to Michigan.

So how are you feeling for October 22nd? Early November would work as well, I think.

Also, I'd love to volunteer my apartment for hosting.

ratnikov wrote:So how are you feeling for October 22nd? Early November would work as well, I think.

Also, I'd love to volunteer my apartment for hosting.

Well I'm feeling mostly better, I think. However, I think I somehow have kinda messed up tastebuds on a lot of things or something like that. For example, I just had a small bag of Doritos and they seem to have a slightly off/odd taste that is not what they would normally be like. So I'm kinda worried what tasting wine might be like. And other than a glass of simply white wine last week, I haven't had any wine since Labor Day.

I'm also not sure if we can get enough people together in just 10 days. If we can, great. But if we can't, maybe we should just pick a Nov date?

HitAnyKey42 wrote:I'm also not sure if we can get enough people together in just 10 days. If we can, great. But if we can't, maybe we should just pick a Nov date?

I suggest Nov 19th

octocat wrote:I suggest Nov 19th

Works for me. Considered it seconded!

ratnikov wrote:Works for me. Considered it seconded!

And of course thirded. After all, what better night for the tasting when she is in this state for a visit.

I'll update the title & main post and declare it so!

Next order of business will be discussing what/if we want to do as any sort of theme. Something to decide/determine what wines everyone brings.

ratnikov wrote:Also, I'd love to volunteer my apartment for hosting.

I also know beefytaco had offered to host as well, so if he's still up for it that's an option too. I know they're in Brooklyn, near the Brooklyn Bridge. Whereabouts are you?
Size of apartments and how many people we actually do get wanting to attend could factor in as well. After all, it was a little crowded for the number we had attend at Kailadriel's.

HitAnyKey42 wrote:I also know beefytaco had offered to host as well, so if he's still up for it that's an option too. I know they're in Brooklyn, near the Brooklyn Bridge. Whereabouts are you?
Size of apartments and how many people we actually do get wanting to attend could factor in as well. After all, it was a little crowded for the number we had attend at Kailadriel's.

I'm probably 60% in.
While we'd have no problem hosting, I believe Ratnikov lives in a Williamsburg (Brooklyn) loft that he said was quite spacious.

Possible theme idea - less than a week before Turkey day, maybe a Thanksgiving wines event?

HitAnyKey42 wrote:And of course thirded. After all, what better night for the tasting when she is in this state for a visit.

I'll update the title & main post and declare it so!

Next order of business will be discussing what/if we want to do as any sort of theme. Something to decide/determine what wines everyone brings.

I'm officially a varietally-labelled maybe.*

Theme-wise, how about New York versus the World. Good NY state wines up against varietals from their homeland or specialty region. (Finger Lakes vs German Riesling; Long Island Merlot vs Right Bank Bordeaux; Cab Franc vs Chinon; etc.). Could be fun.

iByron
*That is, 75% or more.

iByron wrote:I'm officially a varietally-labelled maybe.*

Theme-wise, how about New York versus the World. Good NY state wines up against varietals from their homeland or specialty region. (Finger Lakes vs German Riesling; Long Island Merlot vs Right Bank Bordeaux; Cab Franc vs Chinon; etc.). Could be fun.

iByron
*That is, 75% or more.

An interesting idea, I'd be onboard. I have quite a few bottles that'd make the cut, including a nice '04 Paumanok Reserve Merlot that'd love to be consumed (along with tons of Mosel reislings)

beefytaco wrote:An interesting idea, I'd be onboard. I have quite a few bottles that'd make the cut, including a nice '04 Paumanok Reserve Merlot that'd love to be consumed (along with tons of Mosel reislings)

Personally I don't think NY even has a chance against the rest of the World.
I also only have 3 wines from NY, and they're all dessert wines (the 2 Hunt Country from Woot) and a very lovely 2008 Duck Walk Vineyards Gewürztraminer Late Harvest Aphrodite. No idea what it could be put up against, but since Cat will be at this tasting I'd be willing to share it (as it was going to be saved for sharing with her ).

Well, I am planning to contribute a bottle of Crimean Massandra, which should be quite special.

As far my loft spaciousness goes: it's not too huge, but I do have roof available. I can also accomodate 9 people seating, and probably some extra standing pretty easily.

ratnikov wrote:Well, I am planning to contribute a bottle of Crimean Massandra, which should be quite special.

As far my loft spaciousness goes: it's not too huge, but I do have roof available. I can also accomodate 9 people seating, and probably some extra standing pretty easily.

Should we do a theme of "open that special bottle that you're sitting on" ?

I don't have any NY wines, but I'd be happy to bring out something from Michigan

I've been lurking for a few tastings now... consider mikegberg +1 a strong maybe, especially after regrettably missing the Finger Lakes trip this coming weekend.

Currently, my cellar is mostly woot plus about 2 cases from the finger lakes... you can see the details below. The "special bottles I'm waiting on" aren't quite ready yet.

But we live near Fairway and Stew Leonard's, both of which have a huge selection that can accommodate most any theme.

mikegberg wrote:I've been lurking for a few tastings now... consider mikegberg +1 a strong maybe, especially after regrettably missing the Finger Lakes trip this coming weekend.

Currently, my cellar is mostly woot plus about 2 cases from the finger lakes... you can see the details below. The "special bottles I'm waiting on" aren't quite ready yet.

Great, that you're gonna come out of lurking status.
And I was also going to say the same thing, that most of my special bottles aren't ready either. I think the NY vs the World could work. beefytaco already has a NY wine he could bring, I have the LI dessert wine I could bring, mikegberg has some NY's. So once we get a few more confirmed attendees, it should be pretty easy to make some matchups.

EDIT: For now, I've officially changed the title and added in the Theme. If we decide to change the theme (those that haven't given input would need to do so *hint* *hint* ), I'll just updated it later.

You can add Cesare and I as a maybe at this point.

Well, my bottle will fit in the "NY vs. the World" theme quite nicely, representing the Crimean peninsula. :D

Also, it's special mostly in its origin and it is supposed to be pretty damn good, but it's not one of those special reds that may need another couple of decades to get to its prime. ;)

Well, my bottle will fit in the "NY vs. the World" theme quite nicely, representing the Crimean peninsula. :D

Also, it's special mostly in its origin and it is supposed to be pretty damn good, but it's not one of those special reds that may need another couple of decades to get to its prime. ;)

Please put me down as a maybe. I may have to go out of town, if not, I'll be there!

speedoo wrote:Please put me down as a maybe. I may have to go out of town, if not, I'll be there!

I might have a bottle of woot cellars vinito del finito for you if you come! :}

ratnikov wrote:Well, my bottle will fit in the "NY vs. the World" theme quite nicely, representing the Crimean peninsula. :D

Also, it's special mostly in its origin and it is supposed to be pretty damn good, but it's not one of those special reds that may need another couple of decades to get to its prime. ;)

I'd been meaning to ask you, is it a fortified red or something else? Since I was curious to see what the wine was, I tried searching for "Crimean Massandra" in CellarTracker, which brought up just a port. Just searching Massandra brings up a ton of stuff. Which one is the one you have?

Too bad people who are going to attend this are not going to attend the finger lakes tasting this weekend. I'm sure you are going to be able to find a great NY wine during the tour, or you can take some wine off my hands, because I'm out of room.

tiger7610 wrote:Too bad people who are going to attend this are not going to attend the finger lakes tasting this weekend. I'm sure you are going to be able to find a great NY wine during the tour, or you can take some wine off my hands, because I'm out of room.

YOU'RE out of room?! Have you seen the count in my cellar? I'M out of room!

HitAnyKey42 wrote:YOU'RE out of room?! Have you seen the count in my cellar? I'M out of room!

I have 1.5 cupboards, you are not allowed to talk. In there wine is stacked 3 stacks high. Want to come over and drink my wine? Feel free to bring cheron as well.

HitAnyKey42 wrote:I'd been meaning to ask you, is it a fortified red or something else? Since I was curious to see what the wine was, I tried searching for "Crimean Massandra" in CellarTracker, which brought up just a port. Just searching Massandra brings up a ton of stuff. Which one is the one you have?

I believe it is this one.

It is based on white muscat grape, but is light brown in color (from what I can tell within the bottle). Judging that it's 13% alc, I do not think it has been fortified. It states 230g/l sugar on the bottle, so I'm guessing it's more of a dessert wine. I can take a picture of the label, if you'd like. But it's all Russian. ;)

Cesare wrote:I might have a bottle of woot cellars vinito del finito for you if you come! :}

Enticing. VERY enticing!