Alsatians at Bazaar

Saul Cooperstein organized an exceptional tasting at Jose Andres’s Bazaar. If you are into design, this place is unbelievable. If you are into food and especially molecular gastronomy, this place is unbelievable. We had a private room in the back which may be one of the nicest rooms in the city. Inspired by Harry’s Bar in Venice, I was told. A beautiful wood vaulted ceiling adds warmth, with luxurious leather banquets and Murano glass everywhere. The service was top notch, the food was stunning and the wines were profound. Many of my favorite local wine geek friends were there. Basically, a perfect night.

There were 24 of us divided into 2 groups. Each group had their own set of wines. And heeeerrrrrrreeee they are:

Opening greeter Champagnes:
1996 Moncuit Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
1996 Duval-Leroy Brut
I believe there was a Schramsberg Rose that I didn’t get to.

With the amuses:
1983 ZH Clos Hauser Riesling (1.5L)
1989 ZH Brand Riesling (1.5L)
1989 ZH Rangen Riesling (1.5L)

TABLE 1
1991 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris
1992 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris
1995 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris
1996 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris
2001 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris
2003 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris
2005 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris
2006 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris
2005 Schoffit Sommerberg Riesling
2001 Trimbach CFE Riesling VT
2001 Trimbach CFE Riesling
2002 ZH Clos Windsbuhl Gewurz
2003 ZH Herrenweg Turckheim Gewurz
2001 Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre Gewurtz
2005 ZH Heimbourg Gewurtz SGN

TABLE 2
1995 ZH Windsbuhl Pinot Gris
1996 ZH Windsbuhl Pinot Gris
1997 ZH Windsbuhl Pinot Gris
1998 ZH Jesbel Pinot Gris VT
1998 ZH Rotenberg Pinot Gris VT
1994 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris VT
1994 ZH Heimbourg Pinot Gris VT
1993 ZH Windsbuhl Riesling
1997 Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim Riesling
2002 Weinbach Schlossberg Cuvee Ste Catherine Riesling
2003 Weinbach Schlossberg Cuvee Ste Catherine Riesling
2004 Weinbach Schlossberg Cuvee Ste Catherine Riesling
1997 Weinbach Schlossberg Riesling VT
2002 ZH Rangen Gewurz
2001 ZH Clos Jesbel Pinot Gris SGN (375)

We had a chance to move around a try some of the other tables wines.

The standouts for me where '89 ZH Rangen Riesling, '03 Weinbach Schlossberg Riesling CSC, '97 ZH Clos Windsbuhl PG, '91 ZH Rangen PG, '98 ZH Rotenberg PG VT, 94 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris VT, '05 ZH Heimbourg Gewurtz SGN and the '01 ZH Clos Jesbel PG SGN.

Not a single corked bottle out about 40 wines. Some of the bottles didn’t show as well as previous examples namely the '96 ZH Rangen PG which is a stunning wine.

I’ll try and add notes as they come together.

Sick. Just utterly and completely sick. We need a smiley for “green with envy”. Didn’t think I could get from OC to the dinner on time, or I would have more seriously considered this one. My loss.

I’m with Kriss. I hadn’t realized how the event had taken off or I might have found a way to go. Nice going.

JEALOUS! I live in LA!

I did not know about this! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Did anyone get any of the cool looking cocktails?

I used to like you, Greenbaum.

Wow, what a sick lineup! I really need to attend something like this, with my greatly limited scope of Alsatian wines, coupled with my desire to change that fault…

Finally getting to a few notes. Didn’t try everything tonight, but luckily table 1 spared me a few tastes. This was a fantastic wine night

1996 Moncuit Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru - nice style, bright acidity, some complexity beginning to develope. Very tasty.

1996 Duval-Leroy Brut - quite reliable.

1983 ZH Clos Hauser Riesling (1.5L) light straw, diesel, complex and refined. Pre-Olivier and it showed.
1989 ZH Brand Riesling (1.5L) deep amber with gold, sweet quince, some lift. Very good.
1989 ZH Rangen Riesling (1.5L) terrific aromas, bright acidity, complex, excellent wine!

TABLE 1
1991 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris Wow! Very complex nose. deep, refined, perfect balance.
1996 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris Good but not as good as previous bottles.
2001 Trimbach CFE Riesling VT Nice, but didn’t wow me.
2005 ZH Heimbourg Gewurtz SGN Very good. Sweet with boytritis. Some spice Big and juicy.

TABLE 2
2002 Weinbach Schlossberg Cuvee Ste Catherine Riesling bright golden. low acid. restrained, seems closed.
2003 Weinbach Schlossberg Cuvee Ste Catherine Riesling Ready to hate the '03 but pleasantly surprised. Lavendar, verbena, red berries. Layered. Great acidity carries generous but elegant fruit. Finishes long
2004 Weinbach Schlossberg Cuvee Ste Catherine Riesling Big and almost boisterous tonight. Perhaps the deepest wine in this flight, though I preferred the '03 on it’s own. The '04 was best with food. Very good.

1995 ZH Windsbuhl Pinot Gris
1996 ZH Windsbuhl Pinot Gris Perhaps a little maderized but a gushing nose of rich fruit comes through. Some thought it off.
1997 ZH Windsbuhl Pinot Gris Musty that blows off. This wine got better and better. As complex as any wine tonight. Predominant peanut brittle aromas. Rich velvety palate. Deep and long. I loved this wine.

1998 ZH Jesbel Pinot Gris VT Sweet, low acid, some nice fruit. Good wine.
1998 ZH Rotenberg Pinot Gris VT Pretty dense and rich. Very good wine.
1994 ZH Rangen Pinot Gris VT The more I drink Rangen the more I like it. Pefectly balanced wine. Pineapple and lychee and smoke. Deep flavors with honey with that earthy, slightly musty taste similar to forest mushrooms?boytritis? Just a tremendious effort. '94 is the vintage and this was textbook great.
1994 ZH Heimbourg Pinot Gris VT Deeply colored amber, slightly maderized, lower acidity. Not as good as the Rangen but still very good. Missing that extra level to make it great.

1993 ZH Windsbuhl Riesling Deep gold. Apricot, some flint and diesel. Not as complex as I had hoped. Lighter in body.
1997 Weinbach Schlossberg Riesling VT Light golden. Sweet but good acidity.Crushed flowers, honey.
2002 ZH Rangen Gewurz ???
2001 ZH Clos Jesbel Pinot Gris SGN (375) WOW! deep and generous with great balance. Yet another ZH that is deep but endowed but not thuggish. Length is amazing. Excellent wine, though I’m still a hooked to Sauternes.

1997 Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim Riesling This cam out late. The cork stuck in the neck and wouldn’t budge. The somm had to cut out the cork. Complex aromas and palate, light on it’s feet. Very different than the other wines tonight.


This was such an amazing opportunity. I’m so thankful to have tried such a great set of high caliber wines. ZH is truely one of the greatest Domaines in the world. These wines are expressive and exciting and easily hold their own in today’s wine world. Many of the wines improved significantly with air showing unmatched complexity. They seemed to modulate considerably, often achieving greatness tonight. The vineyards are as distinctive as GC Burgundy. They are well priced. What more is there? I was also very impressed with the other wines, especially the Weinbach wines. Again, I have to express my sincerest thanks to Saul for including me in this event.

Charlie; I tried a “magic mojito” prior to dinner…Cotton candy and all!
Although, a “bit” gimmicky, it was an excellent cocktail…Diana had an interesting drink featuring
“heart of lime”; also quite good but I don’t remember the name.
Actually, Saul walked by prior to dinner and said…" You are not really ordering a cocktail."

Cheers!
Marshall