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.