... a packed audience gathered together at 10am to hear Antonio Gaja speak about the Sperss vineyard which means "nostalgia" in Italian.

It was bought in 1988 to keep the dream of the father of Antonio, who was forced to work both the family winery (for no compensation, and also a very strict social life) and a vineyard in Serralunga where he had the opportunity to earn lots of cash and also party with friends. The elder Gaia was extremely impressed with the Serralunga vineyard, and his lifelong dream was to buy a piece of it.

In 1988, Antonia Gaja bought that dream for his father.

That is why Sperss means nostalgia.

Today the audience of sommeliers and trade and journalists learned a LOT about the passions of Antonio.  His voice rose with excitement and passion at several moments in the two hour talk in which he spoke about the humble origins of his family and the strength and passion his ancestors instilled in him.

... So we started with the Sperss 1989 which was delicate with a very long finish ... high acidity and a sumptuous red cherry finish. Jump ten years and the 1998 was more tannic and still need time to develop fully. The 1996 , 2001, 2003, 2005, were all fab with their own special character.

I could share all my tasting notes but it would not matter '' the 1998 was ready to drink, and while one could happily drink all the others now this is a wine that needs TIME to develop fully. The notes you would read today would not apply in a few months or a few years time.

Mr. Gaja spent a fully two hours talking about his family and his philosophy and helping the audience understand what we were about to taste a few hours before our first taste. This is not typical in New York and possibly other countries, but this is Mr. Gaja speaking and he spoke with such incredible passion it was mesmerizing.

A slideshow behind Mr. Gaja showed the tiny apelation from a picture in the previous century, and he also spoke about the early mapping of Barolo from a few centuries earlier. The father of Mr. Gaja gave him these maps and it were these maps that helped him identify the Sperss vineyard.

Part 1: Tale of Two Pinot Noir

One of the pleasures of those who love Pinot Noir is blind tasting various producers and deciding if they are Old World or New World, and then trying to pinpoint the producer’s exact location. If you have not played this ‘game’ before one of the supposed marks of an ‘old world’ Pinot Noir is that the fruit is more in the background, while in the ‘New World’ it is more in the forefront.

Blind Tasting New World Pinot Noir and guessing the AVA revolves around placing it in Sonoma Coast, Central Coast, Oregon, and other West Coast regions. Recently Susan Doyle, winemaker at Mac Murray Ranch in California sent me their new releases of Pinot Noir. Both bottles were 2007, with one Pinot Noir being Mac Murray Ranch 2007 Central Coast ($23) and the other Sonoma Coast 2007 ($28).

In the tasting, I found both wines similar in many respects as the wines had the same dark ruby purple color with a pale purple rim and watery white meniscus. On the nose the wines were similar, yet with some differences. The Central Coast had a medium + aroma of chocolate, raspberry, brandied cherry, licorice, and blueberry with a similar palate. The Sonoma Coast 2007 was also medium intensity with black fruit, a stronger anise aroma, and just ‘more’ everything on the palate, more black jammy fruit, spice, cinnamon, and vanilla. It has all the ingredients to evolve with time in the bottle. Both were delicious and decidedly ‘New World’ in style. The wines would pair with the same dishes … salmon, pork in a fruit marinade, and the wines would also be delicious paired with a composed summer salad.

The wines represented quality production, especially as the 2007 harvest was smaller than usual. As is typical in quality winemaking, the grapes were harvested in the early morning (note 3am) to ensure that the fruit was kept cool for fermentation. As one can observe from the color, the grapes were de-stemmed and cold soaked prior to fermentation for optimal extraction of color and flavor.

Part 2 Mac Murray Pinot Gris 2008

This is an excellent wine to pair with white fish, composed salads, and as a refreshing aperitif on a warm summer day. The nose is a heady mix of white flowers, yellow flowers, and stone fruit such as firm peach and apricot. The grapes are whole-cluster pressed and fermented for 14-21 days in stainless steel.

A votre santé!

Now that summer is in the air, and the (red) Gamay grape that is the basis of Beaujolais makes such a delightful picnic wine, please regard this as your very basic introduction to Beaujolais 101. Beaujolais is a region in France just below Burgundy, yet while Pinot Noir (for red) and Chardonnay (for white) rules in Burgundy, Gamay rocks in Beaujolais.

Unlike America, the French name their wines after the region, not the grape. If a server asks a Frenchman what he would like to drink, he would answer a “white Burgundy” rather than a Chardonnay, for example.

Now that we’ve established that Beaujolais is both a region and a wine, here is yet another quirk. Many Americans are familiar with “Beaujolais Nouveau,” which is released the third week in November with much fanfare, publicity, and parties. This young wine (it is meant to drink two months after harvest and not age), undergoes carbonic maceration to keep the fresh berry taste and alcohol low.

The grape berries just ferment under the influence of the wild yeast in the air, and the winemaker adds little art to the final product. If you’ve tasted Beaujolais Nouveau, you might recall a fresh, fruity wine, perhaps with hints of bubble gum and banana (a telltale sign of carbonic maceration).

On the opposite end of the spectrum you have the “royalty” of Beaujolais, and these are the ten Cru quality wines. These wines are typically made in the traditional way in terms of fermentation and maturation from the Gamay grape.

What separates the ten Cru regions, and their wines from one another, is the different “terroir” in each region. In each of the ten Crus, you will find different elevations, topography, climate, and soil.

I often ask experts if they would be able to blind taste and guess the origins of the ten cru wines. Some say they would be able to do this, providing they had the opportunity to practice and study. I can agree with this - and delightfully had the opportunity to test out my palate at a recent event held at NYC’s excellent Astor Center (which has a state of the art wine tasting facility).

The event was sponsored by George Duboeuf (all wines labeled George Duboeuf, though not all Crus were offered), and held to honor the introduction of the 2008 Beaujolais Crus. Mr. Duboeuf, a living legend, was also in attendance with his son, and gave tasting notes.

Our first red Cru was Georges Duboeuf Chiroubles ($12.99), with the Cru noted for his high altitudes. It is said to be a feminine wine with red fruit and flowers.

Next came the Brouilly ($13.99), a Cru known for being the largest in terms of volume and surface area. Flavors include jammy plum and red currant.

Julienas ($17.99, Chateau des Capitans) came next, which was one of my favorites of the lot. I found the wine mouth filling with a shy, soft nose hinting at licorice and soft raspberry. On the palate, the wine was smooth with moderate tannin and acidity and a finish of more raspberry and licorice.

Morgon ($12.99) is often referred to as a “classic” Beaujolais Cru with its soft fresh fruit flavors. This particular vintage struck me as offering a great deal of cherries and cranberries.

Fleurie ($15.99) is said to be one of the most imported of the Crus, especially in America. When I visit my wine store, it is the Cru they have on the most consistent basis. I really liked this wine, with its seductive nose of raspberry and a mysterious purple velvet aroma and fresh cherry finish.

Moulin-a-Vent ($16.99) typically is identified by its bright ruby color and complex bouquet of wild berries, black currant, chocolate, candied cherry, and spices.

Between the fun and fruity Beaujolais Nouveau and the more serious Cru, you will find the “middle” element, which is Beaujolais-Villages. These are grapes grown in any one of 30 designated villages said to produce higher quality grapes than the rest of non-Cru Beaujolais.

So what are you waiting for? Pick up a bottle and take it with you for a picnic this weekend!