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The Star Ledger Panel of Experts and Their Top Picks
John Foy, The
Star-Ledger’s wine columnist, is a chef and restaurant consultant who
built Wine Spectator award-winning wine lists at several restaurants, including
his own. He was responsible for creating the wine cellar and world-class wine
collection at Restaurant Latour at Crystal Springs Resort in Vernon, which was
accorded the magazine’s Grand Award, its highest honor, in 2006. He lives
in Hoboken.
John’s picks:
2007 Amalthea Cellars Europa III, about $20.99
Silver Decoy Winery Retriever, nonvintage
Laurita Winery Chambourcin,
nonvintage, $24
2007 Heritage Station Merlot, $19.50
2006 Renault Winery
Cynthiana, $24.99
Susanne Lerescu, born and raised in Germany, and now living
in Vernon, is the sommelier at Crystal Springs, whose cellar houses more than
70,000 bottles, including one of the best collections of bordeaux in America.
Her love affair with wine began in 2003 under Foy’s tutelage. She went on
to study at the International Wine Center in Manhattan and now dedicates
herself to tasting as many wines as she can get her lips on.
Susanne’s
picks:
2007 Unionville Red Montage Big O, $25.95
2006 Renault Winery Cynthiana,
$24.99
Alba Winery Chambourcin, nonvintage, $15.99
Natali Vineyard, Merlot,
nonvintage, $16
2007
Ventimiglia Vineyard Syrah, $20
Gary Borntrager, a
longtime Essex County resident, is a wine collector and a member of La Grande
Cave du New Jersey chapter of La Chaine des Rôtisseur, the world’s
oldest international gastronomic society. He became interested in wines about
20 years ago after drinking an exceptional Napa Valley cabernet and began
attending wine dinners and wine classes. He started building his own cellar in
1990. He lives in West Caldwell.
Gary’s picks:
2007 Amalthea Cellars
Europa III, about $20.99
2006 Tomasello Winery Syrah, $14
2006 Renault Winery
Cynthiana, $24.99
2007 Unionville Red Montage Big O, $25.95
Alba Winery
Chambourcin, nonvintage, $15.99 |
