I got a message from someone I know, who was bummed. “You’re not alone in being blacklisted. I’m blacklisted from Dressner’s tasting.”

Joe, barred from his own tasting in the Loire last February.

Well, his wasn’t a real blacklist the way I’m barred from the eBob board. In his case there was nothing personal. Joe's tasting is just not a typical trade tasting where all are welcome and you need is a business card. A relationship behind the card is essential.

Joe thinks of his October Tasting as a dinner party. He needs to know everyone as if they were coming into his home and he needed to keep an eye on numbers.

I understand the problem.

I can only fit eleven people around my table. Hard decisions, but sometimes I too have to shut out some worthy people. I was lucky to be honored with an invite. I should have brought a host gift. Instead I brought a pad and a pen.

For those of you who had your nose pressed to the glass, I interrupt my Champagne series with this report.

A West Coast contingency flew in, which included lovely Shawn Mead, looking a spectacular in a dress I adored, a well fitting green sheath (she said it came from a store named Lemon twist).

You definitely missed the best lunch spread this side of the Atlantic of any industry tasting in recent memory. Love the pizza patate from Grand Daisy.

And the wines. The Louis/Dressner portfolio is now a reference. It just is. These were some that stood out for me.

Rene Dard

Retaining deity status in 2006 are DARD & RIBO. From whites to red, from the Crozes to the Hermitage, it’s a tour de force, at this stage at least. As usual, their St. Jo was exquisite and spicy. The Hermitage had some crushed cumin and the young rogue, Crozes-Hermitage had some of that good old fashioned is it raspberry or black current fruit appeal. The animal in their wines made them a Jungian experience.

PHILIPPE PACALET’s 2006 Burgundies were almost too intense. They were like drinking (or eating) too much mescaline. Tasting them transported me back to the time one hot August night when I had no choice but to cocoon and straight jacket myself in a blanket, for hours as I walked my internal pavement, thinking, obsessing, crying and feeling until my nerve preceptors stopped spazzing and it was safe to come out.

The two wines that were particularly hallucinogenic were the always fascinating Pommard and the cinnamon-scented stemmy, argumentative, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Bel Air. Chambolle needed more time as did the Nuits St. George. I'll try to remember to report the next time I meet them in the woods.

Franck Peillot Altesse Roussette de Montagnieu: I've had this before but this time it had the effect of, where have you been all of my life. According to Joe's notes, Altesse is Furmint, which if I can believe him, I didn't know. It reminded me of a spring snow.

As far as other notables:

Christian Chaussard: His wines at the lower end of the $ are yummy even if they have some of the most embarrassing names.

2006 You Are So Nice proves that Cot & Gamay = Pineau d'Aunis.

2006 You Are So Beautiful proves that Cot & Pineau d'Aunis velvet.

2005 La Pangee is loads of fun (Gamay & Pineau =earthy Pineau)

Longues Vignes (100% Pineau) is gorgeous with a kick of aspirin for a surprise finish.

Let me go on record. I am a slut for Pineau d'Aunis. (Which is supposed to be an English transplant?)

***
Jean-Marc Brignot : Last year’s rock star, J-M, makes kick ass wines from Arbois. I especially love the P/P, which blends Pinot and Ploussard. It’s got a touch of carnation and silt.

Radikon: What can I say? Merlot is complex, silky, tannic and barely prune and expensive.

Arianna Occhipinti: Her 2005 Frappato from Sicily is just cherry, delicate and tart and rich and lusty. Yum.

I was too busy talking, schmoozing, making sure my host was happy he invited me, to taste everything I needed to and wanted to. I am a loose kind of atmospheric note scribbler, big on short hand. I wish I was one of those obsessive get every detail type.

Honorable mentions go to the usual suspects, some gems in all of them.