The Feiring Line

Mark Angeli, the bees go missing

What is it about those magical biodynamic properties? I don't really consider myself a believer but there is no doubt that those who feel this stuff deeply, like Mark Angeli, have vineyards that exude the spiritual. Mark Angeli's Ferme de la Sansonniere is such a place. I had the feeling I could curl up in the well plowed earth and stay there forever. Flowers scents spice the air, even in February. As we passed his beehives he told us of the decline in the population over the winter. "It's not because of a virus," he explained, "it's because of the cell towers. There's a new cell tower here, and ever since, our bee population has been cut in half." "The bees are lost," Mark Angeli said. This is not the first time I would hear this during my visit last February. Obviously I was reluctant to take out my cell phone during the visit. And I was likewise terribly self-conscious pulling out the Flip. His vineyards, many very densely planted, at over 4,000 vines per hectare, are bisected by the road. Up the hill, the wine is fierce, not as fierce as the south but pretty zippy, " I want vineyards where the wind can go through them." Every time I meet this man I am struck by his resemblance to the square-jawed Lawrence Olivier. He talked of yield being the key to the complexity of his wines. "It's not chemical or organic or biodynamic, the key to great wine is the proper yield," he said. "This is why there are still bad wines that are made organically." He plows only with a horse. "I don't want the smell of petrol, and they don't get stuck or break down. As a biodynamic producer, Mark is concerned with cutting down the use of copper, the only justifiably controversial addition in the vineyard as it can be quite harmful to the environment. He says he buys Labicuper from Spain, and as a result uses 3x's less copper than previously. His winery, just near his house, in a garage, with a few old basket presses. He tells us he is going to stop making his red wine until his vines, which are only six years old, grow up. In the mean time, the red will go into his highly acclaimed no-sulfur, sweetish rosé, Rose d'un Jour, extremely popular especially in Japan. The red wine which we tasted, was as usual, a mouth full of tannins, yet with a violet creme aspect. The 2007 La Lune is chenin, pure waterfall and exotic. Gorgeous. This ia made from three different parcels, and the younger vines. Les Fouchards, drawn from the vines where we walked, on the hillside, was austere and full of fennel. and made me happy with the tart, dancing acidity, a mouthwatering festival dripping on stone. --A

Mark Angeli, the bees go missing

What is it about those magical biodynamic properties? I don't really consider myself a believer but there is no doubt that those who feel this stuff deeply, like Mark Angeli, have vineyards that exude the spiritual. Mark Angeli's Ferme de la Sansonniere is such a place. I had the feeling I could curl up in the well plowed earth and stay there forever. Flowers scents spice the air, even in February. As we passed his beehives he told us of the decline in the population over the winter. "It's not because of a virus," he explained, "it's because of the cell towers. There's a new cell tower here, and ever since, our bee population has been cut in half." "The bees are lost," Mark Angeli said. This is not the first time I would hear this during my visit last February. Obviously I was reluctant to take out my cell phone during the visit. And I was likewise terribly self-conscious pulling out the Flip. His vineyards, many very densely planted, at over 4,000 vines per hectare, are bisected by the road. Up the hill, the wine is fierce, not as fierce as the south but pretty zippy, " I want vineyards where the wind can go through them." Every time I meet this man I am struck by his resemblance to the square-jawed Lawrence Olivier. He talked of yield being the key to the complexity of his wines. "It's not chemical or organic or biodynamic, the key to great wine is the proper yield," he said. "This is why there are still bad wines that are made organically." He plows only with a horse. "I don't want the smell of petrol, and they don't get stuck or break down. As a biodynamic producer, Mark is concerned with cutting down the use of copper, the only justifiably controversial addition in the vineyard as it can be quite harmful to the environment. He says he buys Labicuper from Spain, and as a result uses 3x's less copper than previously. His winery, just near his house, in a garage, with a few old basket presses. He tells us he is going to stop making his red wine until his vines, which are only six years old, grow up. In the mean time, the red will go into his highly acclaimed no-sulfur, sweetish rosé, Rose d'un Jour, extremely popular especially in Japan. The red wine which we tasted, was as usual, a mouth full of tannins, yet with a violet creme aspect. The 2007 La Lune is chenin, pure waterfall and exotic. Gorgeous. This ia made from three different parcels, and the younger vines. Les Fouchards, drawn from the vines where we walked, on the hillside, was austere and full of fennel. and made me happy with the tart, dancing acidity, a mouthwatering festival dripping on stone. --A

Kosher Dilemma

On the way to visit Ethel for the holiday, she was in a panic. She didn't have any of her special select, Matuk Rouge, semi -sweet (natural) grape juice with 8% alcohol. So we stopped in to her favorite wine shop on Central Avenue in Cedarhurst, Chateau de Vin (that's the way they actually spell it). The man who bought the place a few years ago must have bought the old stock wine as well as there were several older vintages of Roberto Cohen imports that at first were tempting, such as the 2002 Aloxe. But at a $72 price tag, and dubious storage, I passed. But I am so curious to see what passes as a kosher burgundy. But there was also a 2002 series of Beaujolias VIllage. I slipped the neck of the Fleurie (Saveurs l'ete) through my finger. Only at the register realize the original price was $30, but mine? For the New Year? $19.99. What a sin. What a rip off. Someone should set me up in business to bring real kosher wine to the world. Decorked it in threer ragged steps. Took a sip before Ethel lit the candles. It was cooked. Fragile. Over-cropped fruit underneath it all. Grainy. I quickly oped for the unkosher Bourgeuil I had armed myself with. My orthodox Mom just had to cope.

Kosher Dilemma

On the way to visit Ethel for the holiday, she was in a panic. She didn't have any of her special select, Matuk Rouge, semi -sweet (natural) grape juice with 8% alcohol. So we stopped in to her favorite wine shop on Central Avenue in Cedarhurst, Chateau de Vin (that's the way they actually spell it). The man who bought the place a few years ago must have bought the old stock wine as well as there were several older vintages of Roberto Cohen imports that at first were tempting, such as the 2002 Aloxe. But at a $72 price tag, and dubious storage, I passed. But I am so curious to see what passes as a kosher burgundy. But there was also a 2002 series of Beaujolias VIllage. I slipped the neck of the Fleurie (Saveurs l'ete) through my finger. Only at the register realize the original price was $30, but mine? For the New Year? $19.99. What a sin. What a rip off. Someone should set me up in business to bring real kosher wine to the world. Decorked it in threer ragged steps. Took a sip before Ethel lit the candles. It was cooked. Fragile. Over-cropped fruit underneath it all. Grainy. I quickly oped for the unkosher Bourgeuil I had armed myself with. My orthodox Mom just had to cope.

PAS MAL- BECKY WASSERMAN SELECTION, lost notes

I lost my notes from the Pas Mal, Becky Wasserman tasting! Something I consider a disaster. But I suppose the most memorable linger. Amongst these? The gorgeous wines of Sylvain Pataille. I'd snarf them up---from the Passetoutgain to the Bourgone, to the Clos du Roy or Ancestrale. Shit, Sylvain, who in his thirties still looks like college freshman, is just pumping all of his Marsannay's filled with expression and emotion. This is the guy who planted a secret plot up in a little clos from grape seeds. The vigneron is a loveable nut of the best kind. Puts domestic pinot to shame on taste and price. I also remember being nicely surprised by the Digioia Royer. No notes. Sorry. But ridiculously well priced. 2005 1er Cru Chambolle for --well, let's just say it's well priced for restaurants. Oh! And the Fougeray de Beauclair, lest I forget! Both the 2001 Fixin (2001? yes! Age!) and the 2006 Vosne Les Damodes, and pretty femmy Bonnes Mares. I would check these girls and boys out again.

PAS MAL- BECKY WASSERMAN SELECTION, lost notes

I lost my notes from the Pas Mal, Becky Wasserman tasting! Something I consider a disaster. But I suppose the most memorable linger. Amongst these? The gorgeous wines of Sylvain Pataille. I'd snarf them up---from the Passetoutgain to the Bourgone, to the Clos du Roy or Ancestrale. Shit, Sylvain, who in his thirties still looks like college freshman, is just pumping all of his Marsannay's filled with expression and emotion. This is the guy who planted a secret plot up in a little clos from grape seeds. The vigneron is a loveable nut of the best kind. Puts domestic pinot to shame on taste and price. I also remember being nicely surprised by the Digioia Royer. No notes. Sorry. But ridiculously well priced. 2005 1er Cru Chambolle for --well, let's just say it's well priced for restaurants. Oh! And the Fougeray de Beauclair, lest I forget! Both the 2001 Fixin (2001? yes! Age!) and the 2006 Vosne Les Damodes, and pretty femmy Bonnes Mares. I would check these girls and boys out again.

Why I love Paris

Sent to me by wonderful blogger Sharon Bowman

Why I love Paris

Sent to me by wonderful blogger Sharon Bowman

Champagne!

For this Wall Street Journal Magazine champagne story (I spent, let's see, two months closing?), I tasted some champagnes around the kitchen table--with the intend of finding champers that were worth their price tag. All tasted blind, and then we drank the wines exposed, using it to wash down some excellent succotash, and eggplant gloop and a variety of cheeses that were pretty fabulous. (Cato Corners, an especially a firm and complex buffalo tallegio scored at DiPalo on Mott Street. Tasters we had. Included were Honey Sugar, my old friend who swore off Clicquot when I took her to their vineyards. Lee Campbell! Gorgeous Lee who jumped the sommelier ship to sell wine for Joe. The divine Pam Govinda Brooklyn GuyPeter Liem

Champagne!

For this Wall Street Journal Magazine champagne story (I spent, let's see, two months closing?), I tasted some champagnes around the kitchen table--with the intend of finding champers that were worth their price tag. All tasted blind, and then we drank the wines exposed, using it to wash down some excellent succotash, and eggplant gloop and a variety of cheeses that were pretty fabulous. (Cato Corners, an especially a firm and complex buffalo tallegio scored at DiPalo on Mott Street. Tasters we had. Included were Honey Sugar, my old friend who swore off Clicquot when I took her to their vineyards. Lee Campbell! Gorgeous Lee who jumped the sommelier ship to sell wine for Joe. The divine Pam Govinda Brooklyn GuyPeter Liem