Wine tasting at CRU Restaurant in NYC - Part 2

Robert: It’s going to be appropriate if you’re reading. Gary: All right, let’s move on Robert: All right. Want to stay with by the glass? Gary: Yeah. Yes staying by glass, now so you do that, now you also do this. Now this is, now listen Tony. Robert: There’s one more person Gary: I said shh! Don’t tell me, because I want it to save it for the show. But tell me about this producer what’s this? Robert: Casanuove delle Cerbaie. Gary: So this is Casanuove delle Cerbaie,and this is a Rosso. Robert: So, this a Rosso di Montalcino. Gary: Rosso di Montalcino,, baby brunello is what a lot of people like to call it. Robert: Exactly, so this comes the north side of Montalcino, the cool elegant north side, right? Because you got the crazy, three incredibly distinct areas of brunellos. Gary: And that’s something a lot of people like to talk about the whole time. Robert: You can’t try to put them all in one category, they’re so different, and they all have their place in different ways. Needing the burgundy lover, I love the cooler, elegant northern style. Gary: You’re involved in this somehow? Tell me how? Robert: We didn’t make this wine, brewing wine however as I spoke earlier, he bought this estate this year. Bought the whole estate. Gary: Bought it all the way. Robert: So he bought this estate, we inherited these wines but the Roche 2007 we did the, you know the final bottling, blending. Gary: Much more bottles. And who’s the wine maker? Robert: Its Elison Dolendinni he’s a wine maker at Etichio. Gary: Especially if you reserve a lot, is super awesome. Okay, so you got him involved or he just got involved, he was there? How did he stumble into that? Robert: He heard about this estate under the radar and said, we went over and check it out Gary: He sent some wines, sent you an email? Robert: He got a hectare of Montosily which is you know a cru crew. It’s a 10 hectare estate in total, six hectares. Gary: Having some thoughts that maybe just making that one. Robert: We’re going to? Gary: Maybe I think that does have been overlooked as an opportunity. Robert: I think so. Gary: You got to brand, to teach and educate Robert: Why not when you stand in the middle of the vineyard. Gary: It’s so obvious Robert: It’s becomes clear when you know these are, and you know Gary: That’s something the Brunellos that are very bad job at. Robert: I agree. Gary: Right? And that’s when there’s opportunity Robert: That’s opportunity, but one thing that did in your job is people think that Brunello as a brand. Gary: Absolutely. Robert: They think Brunello is one wine Gary: What do you think of the Brunello controversy? A lot of people you know that’s the talked about fake Brunello. Robert: I think we have a lot to say on that subject, I’m a traditionalist, I believe that if you make a Brunello it’s going to be messy. Gary: All the way Robert: And it has to. Gary: And there’s a lot of cheating going on. Robert: I like the recent movement of reducing the amount of time it would because again this is where you can’t treat all Montalcino the same. If you’re down, if you’re so there, down by the river of Chachi. You have the fruit, you can put that for three years. If you’re in the north side, you can put all in but you can’t. Gary: You can’t Robert: So the wine dries out its tannic and people are freezing, I don’t like that, I want elegance so wait for three years or two plus some grape prepared waiting for us. Gary: And some people m I mean even for you guys in this cool place even a teen Robert: We had just got a gigantic boutique but old sleek boutique no brick all traditional. We got bought whole furbish new equipment that runs by a new equipment but we want hygiene to be better. Gary: You wanted to buy new equipment, I knew it, I saw it. Robert: They’re like toys, so like sorting tables and people. And people looking us worried for sorting table, but we have to sort, we have to have a better hygiene. It’s something that again. Gary: This is like, why do you brush your teeth? Robert: Right, serious but again it’s like again what we’re talking about earlier about food. To bring a French technique and precision to us all Gary: So you guys have big ambitions, you’re excited about this? Robert: I’m super excited, my wife and I made the wine, we went to harvest for a few weeks and make every part of it Gary: Your wife is passionate about wines Robert: Yeah. Gary: That’s cool Robert: So we’re drinking our favorite wines. I was hesitant to open Gary: It’s her birth year and Lissy’s birth year Robert: And it’s her favorite wine, her favorite producer and she’s going to see the show and she’ll kill me. Gary: Punch in you in the face? Robert: She’ll get so pissed. And said to me, we got two Roche choose one, we had a new Dujac which are of our bunch of demand, 1980 it’s such a great slip. Gary: Don’t say that, so ’06 interesting yet in you know we’re dancing, but this is inherited. And who made the wine for you like you. Don’t know for sure. Robert: Dujac, yeah I’m not so sure Gary: Does it have a brand at the U.S. before this? I’ve never seen it Robert: Exactly, me neither Gary: I mean think about it, if you and I. I mean was it in the U.S.?, What is it a deal going something on it? Robert: It was but it was in the west coast got the whole bunch of it. Gary: Got it .Right, let’s see if you what’s going on there. Robert: Yeah. Gary: So what is this type of glass? Robert: 22. Gary: And 22 on Rosso, so this is a premium producer. Because 22 on the glass but I guess again when you’re 88 on the list or. 64? 66? I mean actually? Robert: It’s under that because we used this, a lot Gary: Yeah, you got a list? you’re not quite sure? Robert: Yeah, I’m not quite sure. Gary: On the same mat, it looks like the 66. Robert: Yeah looks like the 66. Gary: That would much be better Robert: But the problem was we bought this entire inventory including the Euro 1,6 And so now, Gary: Where at, you’re serious Robert: Yeah, so it kills us, so now when we buy from the estate, we have to be you know, move the pot money. Gary: Mott, we should grab a couple of glass on the way up to help them out and do the right thing understood? Robert: And so now we buy it at $125.00 and so now it will be a lot cheaper. Gary: Let’s give a sniffy-sniff. Now I’m always been about the floral actions you know, the rose petal thing, lilac. Robert: Absolutely. Gary: You know, classic nose, I mean what do you think, let’s talk about rosso for a stir. Robert: Well reacted I mean. Gary: Again, please fire away. Robert: Because I think too many producers which try to make the baby Brunello, they did not respect what rosso should be. Rosso should be in everyday wine, Roche shouldn’t be inspired to be Brunello because it’s not. It’s not from the same vineyard. Gary: If you’re a kitten don’t be a lion. Robert: Exactly, know what you are and decide who you are. So don’t try to age your Rosso for two years in the wood or 18 months. Keep it fresh, keep it friendly that’s my problem with rosso it becomes too tannic. When you loose the— Gary: And it is not picking the piano Robert: That’s the thing, it has no structure. Gary: Not so strong right? Robert: Exactly, and so Gary: It’s true. Robert: That’s what we do with ’07 and definitely with ’08. We’re keeping it fresh, friendly, more people would buy. We want the cherry. Gary: Smells like tea. Robert: Exactly, that’s a little bit of wood right? We want that classic Morrelo cherry that really kind of bright sour cherry Gary: Yeah, and it is hidden Robert: It is over pallet but it is not you get in the nose, I think it is over sensing. Gary: You know I think I get the idea Robert: You’re getting the first full; you’re getting the earth you know. Gary: No question, let’s give a whirl. Robert: It’s got the acidity mature and you got the cherry and you get to earth and I like it. Gary: It had a tad boring I want you to know but Robert: I love you Gary: It is a little bit boring. Robert: Yeah. It lacks that extra dimension that if it will have more fruit it would so much more pleasant. Gary: Yeah you know it is a cherry juice kind to play a little nit you know like it has a nice bit of sourness it’s a little bit of vibrant than that kind I’ve thought it would be. It shows some sparks but it finishes pretty soft. You know at least for my pallet, I feel I kind of I wouldn’t just disappears, but definitely you know it is in a shape of foil. Robert: It’s kind of a long wine Gary: You know it is a Wesley Walker if we have the 85 on her Mott, we be in good shape. You know it is OK, I mean to me definitely you know I have no idea he’s sitting on. But there’s going to be better option than this free running glass. I do like the fruit and I will say now knowing what I know where you’re going with this, it’s going to be very interesting to watch. Robert: I’ll keep an eye. Gary: I’m totally going to. You know this is a tougher vintage to come and play around with this well. If you guys were there? Mother Nature is a beast. She got a lot to say. Robert: When you landed to, you’re going down a lot that I can’t do with it. Gary: Owe me so much, but I love so many. Robert: Me too. Gary: So fair enough let’s move up Okay? Robert: Yeah. Gary Let’s some have some parting shot Ok? Got it? All right let’s get it on to this. And this is a Dujac for people that don’t know. As a matter of fact I've been probably here for six or seven, eight, nine times. I’ve probably have Dujac half of the times whatever variety it was, a little Roche 1980. I’m such a big fan, I mean the ‘96 Dujac line of wines changed my world big shot at the body harmlin from Allied Beverage in New Jersey for giving me hefty allocations that to have tasted a lot of those wines. Robert: It is a good that to start because it is a challenging Roche for a lot of people. Gary: It is crazy and you tilled it and rumier, and there is the all that chateau in the state back there. I was kind of the mix, that’s what happens when you but $8.99 Tesara, the California brand so I’ve said it pretty well. Let’s talked about Dujac let’s bring a little bit of pinot it’s a big part what goes on here. Robert: It’s a half of list ,a little than half. Gary: Is that what? I didn’t realize that Robert: It’s a 40—almost 4500 selections more than half than burgundy Gary: I didn’t realize it was that heavy. Robert: It’s probably 80% of our inventory, actual bottle inventory. Because we buy deep so we have a case of opreole, we got 30cases of champertemp of Dujac. Gary: Yeah, I get it, Mott let’s get a little color action here, we got the great white cloth so it gives you a chance. Let people see that burgundy what likes to do as it gets older it likes to start craving some of this copper play on the edges, but you can still see, I mean by the color it doesn’t look you know close to 30. I mean it definitely its holding up tremendously. Tell me about your love affair with Duajc? Because you have one. Robert: I do, again this is a personal relationship with the new generation of Dujac Jeremy and Diana are really close friends. Gary: How old are they? Robert: Jeremy is a year younger than me, he’s 34? And Dianna is I little bit younger than he, I don’t know what supposed her age might be. And she’s a little younger than me. Gary: Let me say 55 Robert: And so there Jeremy was the grooms’ men at my wedding party, and you know their son is wife consort; it is a very close relationship. Gary: Tight relationship. So everything you say is you got to say is going to be somewhat slanted. Robert: They make chambertan that Roy owns so it’s a very close relationship. Gary: Understood. They’re also widely considered top producers in Burgundy. It is not like some random family to play with. You know I’m sure a lot of you watching realize this is a big time producer. Robert: And they’re amazing people. Gary: Which makes it so much easy. Robert: So much easy, just to have a intelligent conversation it just people passionate smart enough of a lot of subjects. It’s just great to go there, hanging out with them and spend a lot of time. Gary: And the 80 vintage, I know a less about it other than I tasted some of that I’ve loved. Robert: Well you know I wish I could say I was around to know about it was a first few years, but vintage was turned out by a really good client of the Russian, a good friend David Solomon, a big fan of 1980 vintage started opening bottles of wine for me and saying, I love this, I love this ,80 ponso 80 dearsy 80 chayeah, 80 Dujac all killer, all killer.so its not universal, you can’t just say oh 80,85 or 99 or 05 or something. It is not across the board but little hidden pockets are really fantastic. Gary: And it is holding that a lot. I have some really 80 that it’s been like how this is alike? You know? Robert: That’s crazy,your wife and so Gary: 80, you know so, I have 80 Burgonne from Italy? Robert: If any one going to hold up. Gary: I mean but it was like, it was holding up, it was like hey what’s up? I’m 7 you know I’m not 30. I mean has this been a big hit in the store, in the shop? Robert: We don’t have them on the wine list because I can’t. Gary: You don’t? Robert: The guy’s over the wife. This is a special— Gary: So you really cozy in here, a little of Jersey love. Robert: You said like me. You know Gary: Yeah. Robert: Actually,but you said let’s have something that’s unique and all that and Richard said, let’s kill it. Gary: You’re supposed to drink, you know about the guys like half. Robert: But if goes something good. Gary: Let’s go on to this, I mean. Robert: I mean in this wine, I have a lot of 85’s and 90’s that are more involved in this. I think this wine is a t the beginning of it. It is in its plateau for sure, it’s not still climbing, it’s there, it’s sitting though, it also been opened for an hour in these big glasses and this is where we get some tea. Gary: Yeah I mean, I am infatuated with tea I can honestly see myself doing tea library TV eventually, I’m just all about it. Talk about something true, I grew up with that like born on Russia, tea forever a big Russian thing and you it is why I gravitate towards the all the Burgundys, they start developing this. They also develop vegetal type stuff, I mean I get some creaminess level from this. And that’s the thing I think about, that it why I always scream about the show, I’m much more into vegetables than fruit. I’m a global, in wine, and definitely day to day. Robert: So you really like river .Yeah, you got it. Gary: I love it. That’s why I gave Gregg a shout out Robert: But this for me, this is like vegetable made of skim. Gary: It’s like a radish. Robert: For me it is not for the meet of the fruit it’s the skin. You know it’s the— Gary: Yeah I like that. Robert: And obviously Domian Dujac didn’t have a stemmer on this period. Even the a whole plus right? Gary: Yeah. Robert: And so that was the thing and that was the distinct styles. I mean I think this is the one of the demands where you served this wine blind, you kind of know. You get a couple of guesses, it is Dujac maybe it Daersey, depending on that collision you know this whole cluster of aroma. Gary: Are you familiar with kasha? It is like a grainy kind of like eastern European like kasha, this smells so much like kasha, it’s crazy. Robert: Obscure reference. Gary: You like that, got it really spazla,. Any body out there who is a real kasha fan, I’m telling you right now big time play on that. Let’s give some whirl. Robert: Yeah, understood. But for me that the first thing it is like jumping out right over it right now. The more I swirl it getting a little mocha kind of situation look coffee, it’s really great. : Gary: And celery, stick on the pallet, I get a really interesting kind of like a Bloody Mary without the Bloody Merry. Actually, ironically there is a little bit of tomato action right? Robert: Totally Gary: This is really a unique wine, greenness, you it doesn’t have the stinky thing that take a lot of people would think right now. Robert: Oh yeah for sure. It is clean Gary: You got no, there is no stinky cow manure, somebody pooped them to my face that what you think about older. Is that a poor reference Mott? Robert: Yeah. Gary: but you know, not so many people think about with the all the burgundy right? Most people trench, or not in trenches you know, just listen, a lot of people in these trenches think that 80. Robert: Yeah, that’s good Gary: That it is poopy but this is not at all. Robert: Right. And this is all burgundy that is coming out of the period, it was not in its greatest, hygiene stage right? Gary: It was in the bad place. And the 70’s in Burgandy. Robert: You got a lot of bread, a lot of really funky roll music. Gary: Bad stuff going on. Robert: And these people mistakenly think that’s good terioir action. Gary: And you know what. Robert: It kind pisses me off. Gary: You know what; let’s talk about for half a sec., because we’re in the 2 part of it. Robert: Yeah. Gary: A lot of people think that if you get stinkyness ans dirtiness and breathiness that’s makes terrior, and the mistake is that. Robert: Wine making. Gary: Flawed wines Robert: It’s bad wining. It’s dirty wine making and I’m not saying that all. Gary: That happens a lot. Robert: It happens a lot, its common young somalie young wine drinker affection. Gary: I thought I used to catch in their heart; I caught it now sometimes even you know even when I sit there. Robert: You’re mistaken because it is not so obvious. It is not just fruit so your like on something else it’s kind of complex. A little bit of that is ok but not a little bit and actually add some complexity. Gary: I have a weird thing because I kind of like it a little bit so I get caught sometimes. Robert: A horsetail ok Gary: I’ll take a little horsetail on the mouth. This is a very good bottle of wine I mean you know to me, you know doesn’t hit all my spot points on the pallets but it showing extremely well to me you know a 92.3 type of wine just great. I appreciate pop pings of these a great opportunity to drink this. Blown away by a set of bones, guava blend. Like, because I don’t know why it hit me so it smells I don’t normally see. I don’t know if you’re a cat it’s like a mango flavor. Robert: I think it is the flesh of the fruit it was I think so attractive, it got great acidity but what you’re speaking to it I think if I’m you’re right is the fruit you’re talking about are full flesh fruits. Gary: Full flesh fruits? Yeah. Robert: You think of guava, you think of papaya the thing the fruit like you’re chewing it’s like a melt of a meaty fruit and that’s. Gary: And that’s the skin in there. Robert: Yeah. It’s a meaty fruit Gary: Meaty fruit, I like that Mott. Great stuff my man. Robert: Correct, hey this is great. I have a lot of fun Gary: I have a lot of fun, you’re the guest, and you get to ask the question of the day. Fire away, any question you want, ten of thousands of peeps, you ask questions. Robert: What was the question of the day? Gary: You get to ask the maniacs out there any question you want about anything they’ll answer on the comments, anything you want. Robert: Oh shit. Gary: Go wild on them, life, wine. Robert: Well I’m sorry. Gary: No, no you’re not even close to breaking the record yet, so you know curiosity of. Robert: I’m generally. Gary: What is kill like a lot of people there in the wine ,I mean a lot of times people think about wine men think about entry level, crazy there’s so many hardcore peeps, what makes you curious this is a great opportunity for you to get a pulse of a wine person out there. What are the thinking about, whatever the hell subject you’re excited about. Robert: You know, it is kind of hard to say I have to ask everyone to answer honestly in this response. Do you want wine to maintain its traditional place in the world, do you want wines from Montalcino to be like Montalcino, to have __19:31 and have integrity or do you a lot of wines to just be cool juicy easy friendly to drink, do you want this? You’re the costumer not just wine drinkers; do you want them to be real wines that guard the tradition? Or do you just want great everything just taste great and you don’t care if there’s telicity? Gary: And don’t take a leap from him, I mean. Robert: I’m curious because I want to know what the average, the normal guy out there not you, not the Richard Bets not the guy that have an opinion, have strong opinions about. I want to know what people, do they care about telicity, this reminds me so much of Broaulo. Gary: But if it taste bad top them, will they have rather some delicious. It’s a great question. Robert: Yes I’m curious. Gary: You see the way to ask that is this, you know what I mean? It’s a great question. You don’t want to answer this, I know it’s a Saturday answer it. You with a little bit of me and restaurants like this we’re changing the wine world.