CONTACT
ABOUT
EVENTS
MEMBERSHIP
HOME
Photo: Arthur Stein

1st BIRTHDAY DINNER

   MORE PHOTOS

The annual dinner and first birthday party of the Wine Century Club was held on the Feast of Bacchus (March 17th) at the Belgian Bistro, Markt in New York City. Since it was also St. Patrick's Day they were lucky to find a green-beer-free enclave to hold the event. The excellent bistro fare was paired with wines served blind and expertly selected by Jamie Wolff of Chambers Street Wines.

But first, the initiation ceremony! Jeniffer "Chotzi" Rosen proved once again that she can do more than win James Beard awards by performing a complex writhing and dangerous sword dance. It culminated in the sabering off of the top of a 2004 Thierry Puzelat Vin Pétillant de France Sparkling Chenin Blanc. The wine that flowed from this beheaded bottle was then poured into the new members' official tastevins. They were officially sworn in with a healthy sip while reciting the club motto "Veni, Vino, Vici." Congratulations to new members David Baer (New York), Darrell Friedmann (Michigan), Thomas Perry (New York), Randall Roberts (Georgia), Don Romano (New York), Tony Roque (New York), Pedro Rosario (New York) and Patricia Savoie (New York) who attended the dinner.

Photo: Arthur Stein
Dinner followed with a moderately impossible blind tasting. Since six people had all four wines correct last year, the difficulty level was pushed into the dizzying heights of the vinous stratosphere. The occasional interruptions of Hibernians bag piping through the restaurant didn't make things any easier for our intrepid imbibers. How would you have fared, dear reader? The appetizer course - a choice of goat cheese and greens, lobster bisque, or shrimp in garlic and parsley cream - was served with two whites. Each wine's major grape variety had to be selected from the following list: Romarantin, Roditis, Petit Arvine, Seyval Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Erbaluce, Godello, Nosiola, Verdejo, Albariño, Welschriesling, and Trebbiano. The correct answers were the distictive Romorantin (Cazin 2002 Cour-Cheverny) and elegant Nosiola (Giuseppe Fanti 2003 Trentino Nosiola)

Photo: Arthur Stein
On to the reds, which were served with the main course , a choice of Chicken Grand Mére, Steak Frites, Poached Salmon with Crabmeat ragout or Mussels and Frites. Once again each wine's major grape variety had to be selected from a list, this time: Portugieser, Alfrocheiro, Pineau D'Aunis, Alicante Bouchet, Grolleau, Carmenère, Refosco, Meunier, Xynomavro, Petit Rouge, Dornfelder, and Ruché. When the tasting cards were being tallied up, Robin Garr gave an excellent impromptu talk on his blind tasting choices, restoring some respectability to an otherwise debaucherous affair. To see his notes, please go to his article in the Wine Lover's Page.

The correct answers were the curiously pale Petit Rouge (Grosjean Frères 2003 Vallée D'Aoste Torrette) and pleasantly bitter Barbera (2003 Tavijn Barbera D'Asti) But wait! Barbera wasn't one of the choices?! Faster than you can say tar and feather Wine Century Club President Steve De Long, spin-master Michael Gitter came up with a compromise: anyone who put Refosco or Ruché - the grapes closest to Barbera - would be given a second guess. Robin Garr and David Baer guessed correctly and tied for a winning total of 2 out of 4 correct. Since there could be only one winner in this wine thunderdome, names were selected out of a hat with Robin Garr winning the trophy.

A special thanks to the staff at Markt, especially Sam Holben for going out of his way to make the event a big success.

The Wine Century Club