The Jenny & Francois Selections tasting, again held at the Manhattan restaurant The Smith, is the bi-annual event that I always look forward to. It is likely the most unique tasting event of the season. Not just because the portfolio is completely made up of natural winemaking techniques and organic vineyards, but the people attending this event are different than others.
 |
| The downstairs room at The Smith. |
At the tastings for premium distributors, there are the usual suspects of select liquor stores owners and Manhattan wine shops and restauranteurs. But somehow, many from those tastings are missing at Jenny's. It is a decidedly younger crowd that seem to be enamored with these natural wines like no other demographic. I have been attending the Jenny & Francois tastings since their beginning. I used to wear my usual wine tasting attire of casual dress shoes, jeans, dress shirt and sport coat. Not anymore. I am more casual here to fit in. I could likely be wearing a coonskin cap, snowshoes and have a husky under my arm and not even be noticed here.
 |
| Olivier Cousin of Cousin-Leduc. He makes a damn tasty Anjou cabernet franc. He also uses a horse to plow in the vineyards. Genius! |
So why are the wine people at this tasting so different and younger. I'm not sure, but I believe that the largely Gen X/Y group are more open minded about wine and less attracted to the trophy wines. Sure enough, these wines are not easy to sell - unless you are truly enthused and dedicated. You can't just sit these out on the floor for sale. They really need to be explained before even sampled. To be hand sold. But these avant garde wine merchants and hip wine bars are really excited to offer something wholesome, unique and delicious. And I am completely with them or maybe they are completely with me.
 |
| Alain Rochard of Loup Blanc in Minervois. |
 |
| The delicious Loup Blanc La Mere Grand (grandmother) Minervois aptly named for having come from old vines, mostly grenache. |
Making natural wines isn't easy and the vigerons that Jenny and Francois find and represent are farmers with limited resources and land. Some wines are hit and miss, but most work and offer a fresh look on a new style of wine that is actually the old style of wine before a laboratory of additives and refinements became standard.
 |
| Domaine Sablonettes is always one of my favorites and this Le Bon Petit Diable cabernet franc is a new offering and another fav. |
The problem with these winemakers is that their production is so small, I'm afraid there will not be enough to go around. Shhhh!
 |
| Jenny on the right with Rita, the rep of the wines in NJ and PA. |
 |
| C. Flemming Einfahrt, the world's foremost authority on accordion repair, dining at The Smith. How cool. |
No comments:
Post a Comment