FOOD WINE AND FRIENDS...

Last Wednesday I can honestly say was one of the top days of my life. Crazy to think that with what i've been through and experienced in my life, but like i said before...it's all about the little things in life for me. i don't need much to be happy.

The day started with exciting energy. I couldn't really sleep much the night before. Peter Figge, viticuluralist, winemaker, my mentor and friend would be stopping in at my family's shop in the morning while working the LI marketplace with his Figge Cellars Wines. The wines i am extremely familiar with being that i have worked the past 2 harvests under his tutelage. An amazing experience when dealing with producing two single vineyard Chardonnays, 2 single vineyard Pinot Noirs and a single vineyard Syrah. 5 wines totaling no more than 2,500 cases total production across the board. It was at Figge Cellars that i was able to create my brainchild The iNTERN... more on that another time...Peter has never set foot in our shop, he has never met my parents, and although he has heard alot about both, i was excited he would finally be able to experience GRAM...I tasted through his current releases with him, and upon my father's arrival decided it would be best to celebrate this fantastic ocasion with a bottle of Pehu - Simonet Selction Brut Grand Cru Champagne from Verzenay...after all a toast had to be made...and as far as the Pehu is concerned....supermodels walking on clouds in your mouth...i'm stealing that line from the man who owns and runs Sheamaldi Farms. What better way to celebrate than with some FARMER FIZZ YO???

Figge went on with his day seeing accounts on Eastern Long Island....i went on with mine planning out my flights to CA for blending the 09s as well as Oregon for the Oregon Pinot Camp 2010 that takes place at the end of June, also working at the shop and killing time untill the big dinner at Mosaic. I arrived at Mosaic 2 hours early brandishing 2 more bottles of Pehu-Simonet. Wanted to make sure they would be properly chilled for the guests. Wednesday night was Figge and Friends Night at Mosaic. Before the guests arrived a few friends came early bringing with them amazing treats, some SHIBUMI oyster, as well as fantistic whites from the Michael Skurnik portfolio. So we began while waiting for everyone else to arrive:

Chateau du Rouet Reservee Tradition Cotes the Provence Rose: about a 60/40 blend of Grenache and Syrah, beautiful salmon color, and an intense nose with hints of blueberries and raspberries. The palate is fruity elegant and fresh, gaining notable volume mid palate giving it a long and lingering finish. What a perfect spring into summer wine.

Domaine Nebut Saint-Pourcain Blanc "Tressalier des Graviers: 100% Tressalier... tired of boring whites that do absolutely nothing for you?? this one is delightful. Fun and bright clean nose with dlicate hazlenut aromoas, fun citric and mineral mouthfeel and and aweosme finish.....only 40ha remain planted of this variety in the world...

Domaine Mardon Quincy "Tres Vieilles Vignes": 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire made from 80+ year old vines, candied almond citrus nose, fresh fruit bursts open wide in the mouth and the elegant rich mouth feel leads way to a lingering finish.
Domaine Sauvete Sauvignon de Touraine "Oneiros" : 100% Sauvignon Blanc completely organically and biodynamically farmed... all i can say is heeellllooooo...the aromatics on the nose are brilliantly striking and wildly incredible...candied lemon rinds, notes of tarragon, rosemary, olive and pine, the mouth feel had Sancerre-like depth, precision and clenliness with an amazing lingering finish.

Domaine du Tunnel (Stephane Robert) Saint-Peray Cuvee Marsanne: 100% Marsanne...beautiful clean and pure nose with cool expressions, coupled with an intense floral aroma, as well as aromas of acacia honey, white peach, plum and spice, in the mouth its volume and plumpness evolve swirling with floral characters and pleasant hints of white flowers and honey with discreet wood tones, and a lasting finish...the wine seduces pure and sumple....

It was at this time that everyone bagan arriving, and as people filled their seats the bottls were passed around for everyone to taste...People pretty much brought bottles to share and in all that night 33 bottles of wine and champagne were consumed. I can sit here and fill you in on each one individually but that would get boring real fast... all i am going to say is the evening featured 15 people all very dear friends of mine, 8 coursed of amazing and always interesting and awesome food from the boys at Mosaic...and when you bring together that many people who love and enjoy wine and food and each others company, the evening lends it self to be unforgetable and a once in a lifetime experience for sure...story of my life, food wine and friends...cheers.

SPRING INTO IT...

Yes i know...shame on me !

it's been ridiculously long since I've posted on here.... no excuses play like a champion right?

truth be told...this past month every night has been blog worthy...between the company of celebrities, famous chefs, and ridiculous wines i have had the pleasures of enjoying... i can say that i feel like if i blogged each night it would be more like bragging...I'm OK with that...but the truth is i got tied up...it's hard enough for me to keep all my days in order, with deadlines for the shop website, the intern website, as well expansion projects, putting together wine dinners, wine lists for a few small clients, tending to the 09 harvest currently in barrel, OPC 2010 approaching, weddings in NY weddings in CA, industry wine tastings,the list goes on, i need to hire a freaking secretary. Let it be known that i am back in the swing of things now...I've found a really awesome rhythm and i can make this work....i have to go and get some work done right now but stay tuned and I'll fill you in on one of the best nights of my life...15 people 8 courses and 33+ wines.... it's good to be back. time to spring into it. Cheers

Same Old Perspective...Brand New Set Of Eyes.

It's been quite the week. I spent Monday working all day at the shop. Tuesday came and i found myself running around all over the island. Running deliveries helping out with some errands threw in a job interview in there as well as stopped by a few dealerships to test drive some cars. Its time for something new. By the end of the day i found myself in Waterzooi in Garden City...one of the most fantastic Belgian Bistros i have ever stepped foot in. A Euro chic lounge with a sleek and sophisticated atmosphere, 130 Belgian beers tap and bottle action. A ridiculous selection of mussels done any which way you can imagine. I didn't go there for food. I went for the beer. I started with the Pauwel Kwak on tap...one of my favorite Belgian Ales...and not because it's served in a cool test tube bubble looking glass with a cool wooden stand and handle...its cloudy orange amber color, raw sugar cane sweetness with a touch of cider and hops always seems to excite me. My father introduced me to it many years ago when i would meet him for lunch here. Of course that was where the night began, and it would end in Babylon, with Guinness pints that had shamrocks and harps drawn in the foam, shots of Paddy Irish whiskey which finally made it's return to the US market right in time for the big holiday, and a Bourbon vs Whiskey test that i passed with flying colors, and put me on the brink of extinction. But i am Polish, and we Polaks have 2 livers not one.

Wednesday morning i found myself on the 910am train to NYC for the Michael Skurnik Grand Portfolio tasting.. I learned a lesson quickly that morning: It raises some eyebrows when someone gets on the train in a suit for their morning commute with a mini keg of Mexican Beer on their shoulder. That shoulder was mine, the beer a Modelo Especial tall boy...the stares and looks? priceless. I needed something refreshing to offset the balance between dehydration and that funny feeling in my head. It worked perfectly!!!

Upon arrival to the tasting i immediately found myself with a glass of Pehu Simonet Champagne...it was once described to me a supermodels walking on clouds...i couldn't agree more. what a way to start?!!! All the hype and excitement was all over the keg wines. A free flow system that allows restaurants to pour wines on tap....what a great solution to a wine by the glass program. It's not exactly a new concept...Todd Rushing of Concentrics Restaurants who i hung out with at the tasting has been doing this for the last 5 years down in Atlanta and one of his restaurants pours 42 wines on tap, 21 reds and 21 whites. It's amazing that NYC has not caught on to this just yet....but it's happening. Dan Donahoe of Teira Wines and a dear friend of mine kegs his Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. I also got to try a Finger Lakes Riesling on tap too!! Known as the Gotham Project it's the brainchild of Charles Bieler (of Bieler Rose from Provence as well as one of the Three Thieves) and Bruce Schneider of Schneider Vineyards on Long Island. The wine comes in 20 Liter tanks (about 26 bottles) , and from what i gathered from talking to the boys any kegorator with a nitrogen tank hook up is capable of pouring these wines. Summertime...hmmm anytime House Parties will never be the same...at least not at my house! I spent the rest of the tasting wandering around and hanging out with the likes of Mario Marengo of Marco Marengo a Piedmont Estate producing some of the most stylish and characterful wines in the region, from Dolcettos through to their fantastic Barolos. Got to chat a bit with Cathy Corison Winemaker and Proprietor of Corison from Napa Valley. Hung out with Jasmine Hirsch who is the director of sales for her family's Hirsch Winery out in California. Sexy seductive and stylish. I'm talking about the Pinot Noirs that are made at her family's winery. Chatted up a storm with Joel Gott another one of the Three Thieves. He was there with his wines as well as SKURNIK sweat bands. I was delighted to be able to spend some time with Laely Heron. A darling of a woman who creates some fantastic wines around the world at tremendously firendly price points. The Heron wines do quite well at our shop. Even got to hang with Rod Stewart who dropped by to taste some wines...

It was a day of tasting and a day of mingling, but nothing does the body good like a liquid pint of Guinness when its all said and done. Nothing better than a cold pint of delish beer after a long day of palate fatigue and wine tasting. It was even better to do it on the roof of a pretty chill spot. The Perfect Pint on 45th and 3rd. Car bombs were necessary and of course there was a discount if we got 10. so naturally we ordered 10 at a time. there were only 6 of us so someone had to pick up the slack...it came natural for me to simply do 3 in a row... All this followed by a lovely train ride back to the Island featuring a pretty wicked play list and a much needed nap.

Cheers

Please Watch the Gap!

I know i know...almost a week between entries...crazy...but what can i say...it's my life. It's all a blur. From nights in the city to working like crazy, i haven't had the time to write a single entry. Everything is settling down now. Lots of things brewing and swirling today as a result of my weekend activities, and functions i attended. Keep your fingers crossed.

Life is grand. Really i have no complaints. This past weekend i got to attend a charity dinner for the Association for Children with Down Syndrome (ACDS) to which i donated a basket that received some high acclaim- of wine and gift certificates to some restaurants. The event blew my mind. I have been to many charity dinners in the past...but to see a turn out of over 500 people was just incredible. I met a lot of wonderful people, and as a result have quite a few things going for myself on the side. - business wise of course- camon what else did you think???!

The best part of the weekend for me was overseeing Sheamaldi Farms. The couple that owns it left for Florida for the weekend. I in turn inherited a lovely house, 2 amazing dogs, 4 chickens and 4 ducks to tend to. The best part is that it's located on the North Fork...out East in Baiting Hollow in a private community with a 7 minute walk to the beach. Even better? the fact that this weekend the weather was amazing. Sunrises on the beach with the dogs were amazing. The stars at night as bright as i can ever remember here on the Island. I spent the first night there with some close friends who stopped by and we all enjoyed ourselves as well as some fantastic wine. The rest of the weekend it was just me. i was alone with no distractions, no one to bother me no one to tell me what to do and i had plenty of wine to keep me company by the fire. Nothing crazy just your standard 00 Brane - Cantenac, 01 Allegrini Amarone, 03 Smith - Haut Lafite, OK so maybe not your standard, but mine for sure... i cooked up a storm of food for myself as well.I took care of their dogs, their ducks and their chickens too...i wasn't kidding when i said it was a Farm.

Stay tuned...I'm putting together a post about the Skurnik tasting, my new glasses (eye glasses not wine glasses) Irish car bombs and other wonderful things.

Cheers.

East End. Wine Begin.

Early morning starts are not a new thing to me.

Yesterday I took my girls for a walk at 5am. I have two labs a black Luna and a chocolate Sunshine. They are mushy and have way too much energy sometimes. So i like to wear them out in the morning with a long and brisk walk. On good to fair weather mornings we walk all the way down to the bay and i let them run wild off the leash on the beach. Yesterday was a good morning.I had an early 8:32AM meeting at the store with one of the proprietors of Sheamaldi Farms in the morning. He happens to be my wine rep for Michael Skurnik Wines, and he had some fantastic gems for me to try....i know what you are thinking...wines at 8:32AM?!?! ...sounds crazy yes. But try it first before you knock it. My palate is fresh and ready to go. I always seem to be able to taste more out of a wine in the morning rather then later in the day.

With the wines we visited Italy: Umbria and Tuscany as far as the regions are concerned. First up there was the Cantina Fratelli Pardi Rosso di Montefalco from Umbria. Umbria is a region of Central Italy bordered by Tuscany to the west, the Marche to the east and Lazio to the south. Mostly hilly or mountainous the topography is dominated by the Apennines to the east. It is the only Italian region which is both landlocked and with no common border with other countries. The Rosso di Montefalco, a blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 10% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon fermented in stainless steel, after which it aged 18 months, 70% in large casks and 30% in stainless steel vats. It glows with a rich ruby color. Its lush and fruity with delightful notes of fresh cherries and raspberries with very awesome herbal notes- that give it an amazing rustic old world feel. - silky tannins and fresh acidity. Breakfast of champions! haha

Tuscany or Toscana as the Italians refer to it is roughly triangular in shape and situated between the northern part of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the central Apennines, surrounded and crossed by major mountain chains, and with few yet very fertile plains, the region has a relief that is dominated by hilly country. The Bibi Graetz Casamatta is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, and comes from a variety of young vineyards located in different zones of important traditions such as the Sieci, Siena and Maremma, and reconfirms the exceptional nature of the Tuscan territory. It reflects the philosophy which holds a strict emphasis on territory and tradition. The wine boasts an intense super ruby red color. A very concentrated nose, rich dark and earthy. Old world style in a new world frame of mind. Bibi grew up in a world of canvases and paint brushes in an artistic family and has since transferred his creativity from paintings to grape vines. All his wine labels feature his incredible artwork. The wine is medium bodied on the full side. Rich and earthy and complex. Gnarly dark fruits sing on the palate and the finish is quite fantastic as well. Amazing considering it retails under $12. A perfect everyday drinking wine that will leave you beyond satisfied.

The day would only get better. Headed out east to Long Island wine country. There was no plan. I stopped in at Osprey's Dominion and managed to catch the wine maker Adam tasting through the most current vintages that will be released shortly. I joined him and we tasted thorough all the wines. It's one of my favorite wineries on the Island simply because they keep their price points very reasonable and the wines are pretty good. I spent a good amount of time picking Adam's brain about how he handles the volatile Long Island climate, and why he chose to make wine here on Long Island rather than somewhere else like California. After a fun tour of the winery and some tank samples of things he is working on I started heading back west and popped into Bedell Cellars. Bedell's owner, Michael Lynne, former Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of New Line Cinema and Executive Producer of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, is raising the bar for quality among Long Island wine estates. He has installed a world-class wine making team led by Consulting Oenologist Pascal Marty, formerly of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Founding Winemaker Kip Bedell, Winemaker Kelly Urbanik -first ever female to be hired on Long Island, and industry veteran Vineyard Manager Dave Thompson. The tasting room and the rest of the facility is gorgeous clean and immaculate. The wines speak for themselves. Surely the price points due as well, but its definitely a stop worthwhile making on the east end.

Here are some truths and facts people may not know about Long Island Wine Country. It's not NAPA it's not Sonoma, as a matter of fact it's not California period. Nor is it Burgundy, Bordeaux, or any other part of France. It's Long Island people. A very young region with a lot of growing up to do that has made pretty big strides over the last decade. The maritime climate the terroir all give its wines charm that stands out. For Long Islanders it's a fun and delightful day out in the Fall, Summer, Spring or even Winter. Enjoying all that the region has to offer.The Long Island Wine Country scene is exploding. The wines are getting much better and it will soon be a region spoken of on global terms. Cheers

NEW YORK STATE OF MiND.

Amazing how after a very uneventful day of pretty much nothing one can find himself in a whirlwind of incredible spectacular and fantastic proportions. I took yesterday off from work did not really feel up to going in. After busting my ass in the morning to take care of all the necessary phone calls to all the necessary people business related mostly of course I decided to go out and enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful weather that had presented itself. I drove east. and kept driving until i reached the end. Montauk. What a beautiful little town. How amazing it is to stand on the rocks under the lighthouse watch the fishermen fish and the surfers do their thing. There was a bit of a swell and a few long boarders took in some waves. You are overcome with a peace about yourself a tranquility that is hard to put into words. You close your eyes you smell the fresh air, you hear the waves crash and the seagulls shriek...I never want to leave Montauk when i get here. But it's always fun to make a half day of it. Yeah..I know it sounds weird to make a half day of a trip that takes two hours one way and sometimes more. I have done it way too many times. I've even done half nights of it in the past. Drive out just to see the sun come up. A spectacle i recommend to witness at least once in your life. Do it for yourself.

I got home and got to relax. Read some emails, made some more calls, NY, CA, even Europe. As I prepared to head to the airport i noticed the sun had begun to set, I ventured to the south shore, sat on a snowy sand filled beach and watched the sun go down...the vivid pastel colors that illuminated the sky were breathtaking, the air was fresh, crisp and a little cool. I live for moments like this. As i was about to head west for the airport i was pleasantly surprised that as sundown was winding to a close and day turned into night the moon began to make its steady rise into the night sky. I couldn't help myself. I sat there and gazed at it in amazement. It was enormous, to the naked eye it looked like it may have been a full moon, but to someone who knows better and the fact that the full occurred one day earlier, you could see the faintest filing that was missing from making it complete. It rose with a faint orange-like glow to it like ruby red grapefruit...and as it ascended into the night sky it continued to shine eventually getting whiter and smaller. At this point I was running late. I scurried up the beach jumped in my car and booked it to the Airport. As luck would have it there was no traffic and I made incredible time.

Did I mention how much I hate LGA?? Yep..Not a fan. It seems like it much harder and more confusing to navigate than JFK. And it smells funny and is just down right dirty and scummy. People watching at the airport is always fun though, any airport will do. So I waited and upon retrieving my friend who i haven't seen in over 5 years we headed west to NYC. There was a lot of excitement in the air and a lot of incredibly positive and amazing energy. I knew it would be a great night.

We landed on the Upper West Side. That's where my friend will be staying for the next 5 days before heading back to California. I was already scheduled to meet up with some industry professionals at various wine bars, to hang out shoot the shit and discuss wine and other opportunities. But we decided to grab a beer and catch up. Sure we've been in touch over the years via face book and what not. Nothing more fun than an ice cold pint and a good conversation to catch up on all the on goings of our lives. My night was just beginning.

Jet lagged my friend decided to call it a night and crash out. I ventured onward. Shot way down town to a cool little spot called COUNTER.Organic Wine and Martini Bar.Vegetarian Bistro. It's on 1ST Ave between 6th and 7th street. It's chic elegant and modern and rather elegant. The wine list is dedicated to bio-dynamic, organic and sustainable wines. They make their own signature vodka infusions that produce some pretty wicked martinis. I met there with a few people of various positions from various restaurants. There was a sous chef, a few servers, hosts and two sommeliers. We sat around discussed wine and wine culture. Where it has been and where it is going on the domestic as well as international standpoint. Everyone put in their two cents. I reserved myself a bit not wanting to put too much of what i thought into the mix. Not because I feel like I know more, i simply felt like they had very opinionated views. Views that you can get just from reading a wine publication magazine. I simply played along. We finished off the night at Aroma Kitchen and Wine Bar. 4th St. between Lafayette and Bowery. Being that its a place established by a lovely couple who grew up in the Mediterranean and have brought their culinary passion and love of wine to NY. Upon entry, I knew immediately i came to a place i would like. This was well before i looked at their eclectic and fun wine list. The interior was rustic with urban accents, exposed brick, a gorgeous wood bar (later learned it was Sri Lanken wood) paired with mirrors framed with brushed steel. It was a small space but you felt unrepressed. It was amazing. We closed out the night there. More people met us and conversations ranged from music and movies to wine and food and sports. Some of these people i had met before, and they were acquaintances for sure, and some i had just met. But i felt as if i was home. In my scene, in my element. At one point someone mentioned my Intern label and i became the center of attention. I loved the spotlight, sharing my experiences with everyone. They all listened attentively and asked fun and challenging questions. I needed to end my night early since i had to drive back to the Island. Several of my new friends were kind enough to offer me a place to crash but i had appointments early in the AM at the shop. i had to go. Without traffic the drive was less than 50 minutes. i was in front of my house before 2AM. No complaints from this guy. This was an incredible evening that set me up for an incredible day. Cheers

Short of Breath. Long on Time

Close your eyes, take a deep breath, hold it for a few seconds and exhale. Fantastic isn't it? It's amazing. Now picture this. You lay down at night and go to sleep. A time where your mind wanders into dreams only you know of. A time where your body relaxes, and when you wake up, given that you got proper rest you feel refreshed, fantastic and alive. What if at some point during your sleep you stopped breathing? For minutes at a time? What if at some point you woke up gasping for air as if someone was choking you? Fighting hard and struggling to get a breath in. What if this is something you had to live with?

In the United States over 18 million people are affected by this disorder. Its called Sleep Apnea...also called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) It can be caused by either complete obstruction of the airway or a partial obstruction.Both of which can wake someone up, but not always. I am one of those "over 18 million people." There have been times in years past that it has been a major factor, where I've woken up gasping for air as if i was being smothered with a pillow. but I've always disregarded it. Perhaps it's a reason why I never seem to sleep anyway. But the fact is that the last two nights of my life have been absolutely miserable. On consecutive nights I have woken up in a frantic panic fighting for a breath. Last night in particular was worse than ever before. No matter how hard I tried nothing came in. I tried not to panic and relax but nothing helped. I was wide awake trying desperately to catch the faintest of breaths...and it's at this moment as you become more desperate for air and nothing comes in as you slowly begin to black out you can only hope, perhaps even pray that as you fall back down onto your bed or the floor something will give. The passage will be opened and air will get in. You immediately begin to think of family and friends and you completely freak out at the very real possibility of never being able to see them again, no more laughter, no more smiles no more fancy wine dinners, no more sunrises and sunsets, glorious views of the stars,and you begin to wonder why?! why now?! why like this?! Your life flashes in front of your very own eyes instantly flooding your mind with images that comfort you, at least I know that one of the last wines I consumed was a bottle of the 2008 Intern Chardonnay. My creation.. In an instant comes blackness. This is it. This is what it is like to suffocate and die....and somehow...for reasons beyond comprehension hours pass and you open your eyes. Blink seven times..and you think to yourself that maybe it was just a dream, a nightmare of sorts and as you inhale a breath of air you feel the pain in the back of your throat chest and lungs. As if someone bashed you with a baseball bat or perhaps as if they were overworked strenuously by somebody fighting for their last breath, and you instantly jump out of bed and realize it was not a dream. It really happened. You catch yourself touching everything you possibly can around you to make sure you really are alive and that this is really happening. That life is real. You look in the mirror and smile when you realize that everything is OK. Then you frantically jump online and start looking for specialists that are near by that will hopefully be able to help you.

I can sit here and say that this was a near death experience, and say it has changed me and that life is so fragile how much I cherish it. Let's face it. Everyday living is a near death experience. And I already cherish life and all the beauty and intricacies it has to offer. Perhaps it still has not hit me. Perhaps it will at some point. But i know one thing is for sure. Today everything smells livelier, feels more incredible and is simply more illuminated. I'm taking the day slow. Going to hang out at GRAM Wine and Liquors with my father today and discuss some things pertaining to the store as well as my life. Then we are going to watch USA play against Canada in the gold medal game. Family. Wine. Hockey. What's not to like about thaT?! Cheers.