Edwin J. Davila's Page

My take......

I was doing a tasting with Anne Parent and her wines last week in NYC and she said to me "there are no bad wines in Burgundy, only bad winemakers". There is some truth to that, of course. To all the people having this discussion about Chardonnay.....All of you have hit it on the head. That is to say that it is so enjoyable to take a grape and chase it all over the world. Drink Chardonnay from everywhere you can get your hands on it, and every vintage. As well with the alternative grapes that abound. Judy, if you can get your hands on Sauvignon Blanc from Austria, I highly recommend it, what a great expression that is exhibited from that area of the world. Bordeaux gives me that rainwater on concrete feeling, Loire has a virtual geology lesson in your mouth with some so smoky, they are acrid, New Zealand has defined tart and mouth searing malic acid happening, and more friendly SB from the new world with thier hotter climates produce wines with more tropical fruit and a more rich texture, if today that is what you are into. I totally agree with you, Randy about Italy, they grow grapes that no one in the world grows and they do them well. Go north and you can find Gruner Veltliner and dry Riesling being grown there. Cortese from Gavi, Pinot Bianco, Gracciano, Garganega, and a virtual plethora of unknowns that are good values. Albarino, Nora de Neve is one of my choices of late, also Fefinanes, and Bodegas Sarda. Although, I can honestly say that some of my favorite values in wine (especially what I am choosing for the shop) come from Greece. Anthiri, Assyrtiko, Roditis, Moschofilero, even Chardonnay, also Vinho Verdes from Portugal as Randy mentioned are primarily made from the Alvarinho grape (yes, Albarino, same grape) and they have such a nice expression. Muralhas from the sub-region of Moncao is so luscious. I had a nice round of Turkish white blends from indigenous grapes that I will be picking up for the shop also. You all will have to come out to Long Island and see us. Then you can see the wines I have chosen that appeal to my freaky deaky sense of nature. A dry Pedro Ximinez from Priorat. Also I will taste you all on the Debit grape. When Napoleon came into Croatia years ago and raised the taxes, the Croatians ran out of money and used the Debit grape for commerce (hence the name Debit, exactly where it was derived from). From the isle of Dalmatia (where the spotted dog comes from) The Debit grape has aromas of smoked honeycomb with a wild, crazy, uncaged tiger of a flavor, it is feral and lovely. Drank in the region with lamb, it will go well with our pate we will be serving. Also Zlathina (pronounced Zlaa-tee-na) produces a lovely floral semi-dry wine. Last but not least is the Shiraz. I know violets and tar may be reserved for Barolo, but trust me, this had a presence just like it. It caressed me with velvet, and made me giggle like a school boy. I'll stop now because I have more to spout about wine than anyone probably wants to hear!, but overall, as far as Chardonnay is concerned, being a non-aromatic grape, I still get jiggy about proprietary tweakings, and different expressions of it. Some interesting wines to me are the ones that can showcase charactersitics other than what naturally comes from thier regions. In other words, give me Alsatian wine with fat, hedonsitic fruit, cause it doesn't come naturally, give me Malbecs from Argentina that don't taste like you could spread them on toast, hit it with used French oak, go for maybe 4 tons an acre. Tannat is up and coming from Uruguay as well, I am picking up a couple. I have a nice white from there from Vinedo de las Vientes called Estival. It is Chard, Gewurtztraminer, and Sauvignon Blanc, it has unfermented grape must added that is shocked with brandy to arrest fermentation and leave some lovely residual sugar. I will have it by the glass as well as a Carignan/Alicante blend from Turkey, Txakoli from the Basque area of Spain, dry Furmint from Hungary, and don't let me get started on my Erbaluce, ahhhhhhhhhhhh, Erbaluce. I know that these wines aren't available everywhere, or sometimes even anywhere, but they will be by the glass where I am responsible for it so you all will just have to make a trip out to Northport and open your mind and your mouths for an expierence like you've always wanted. I welcome you all. Here is my contact info....
Edwin J. Davila
Certified Sommelier
Director of wine and acquisition
Northport Tasting Room and Wine Cellar
631-902-0855
Wine is about sensations and feelings as much as it is about flavors, so excuse me while I kiss the lees. Talk to you all soon, until then I will be dreaming of being naked in a vineyard covered in clay blowing out of a hollow ram's horn. Holler at a playa when you see him in the vineyard