Champagnes and Winter Whites at Yong Chuan

We will be dining for the first time at Yong Chuan, a modern upscale Chinese restaurant focusing on Szechuan and Ningbo cuisine. While we all know and love the classic pairing of Chinese food with fresh, zippy white wines (Mosel riesling, Wachau gruner, etc.) I’m of the belief that richer “winter whites” can work just as well. So for this tasting, we will be trying two champagnes followed by three white wines with the soul warming characteristics that should make them a perfect match to this diverse cuisine.

Yong Chuan is located at 90 Clinton Street on the Lower East Side. Here is a link to their menu.

Young Chau NYC Menu

Just a reminder of our usual rules:

** The cost of this event is $84 and is for the cost of the wines and corkage only.

NOTE: Meetup has started charging a "Partner Fee" that is above and in addition to the listed price of the event. It comes to approximately $4 more for each RSVP. You will see this charge when you complete your rsvp and pay for the event. Sorry! Meetup+ members are exempt from this charge.

Please note that you'll be responsible for the cost of your own food, plus an additional 33% to cover tax and tip. We kindly ask that you order at least two courses—such as a main dish and either an appetizer or dessert—for dinner. Restaurants that allow us to bring our own wine for a reasonable corkage fee are rare, so it's important that we show our appreciation by being gracious guests. This helps ensure we’re welcomed back in the future.

Please read and understand the group's cancellation policy. If you take spot, then cancel, and no one else takes the spot, you will not receive a refund or credit. No refunds or credits will be given for no-shows or late cancellations (unless someone else takes your spot). All cancellations are subject to a $7 service fee.

Please use public transportation - NO DRINKING AND DRIVING!

The Wines:

F. Vauversin “Rossignol” 2019 ($80)
The history of the Vauversin family in Oger dates back as far as 1640, when Nicolas de Vauversin was the first to plant vines in the village. In 1930 the 12th generation, Fernand Vauversin, started making its own champagne rather than selling the harvest to the large houses. Currently the house is run by Bruno and his son Laurent who converted the vineyard to organic in 2014. This is a Blanc de Blancs (100% chardonnay) Brut Nature (0g dosage) from the Grand Cru Oger village. The soil here is limestone rich and chalky, which produces a lean, mineral driven chardonnay.

From the Maison:
On the palate, the attack is crisp, marked by refreshing acidity and a beautiful texture. The minerality is prominent, offering an elegant structure to this Champagne. Flavors of lemon, ripe white peach, and green apple fully express themselves, providing well-balanced acidity.

Philipponnat Clos de Goisses 2004 ($200)
Clos de Goisses is a historic 5.5 hectare walled in vineyard which since 1935 Philipponnat has used to make this single vineyard bottling. 2/3 pinot noir and 1/3 chardonnay, 4.5g dosage. Disgorged in 2013.

Decanter (97 points, 2024 review):
A vintage now entering a perfect stage of maturity, Philipponnat’s legendary single vineyard in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ is showing an explosive aromatic range of dried pear, grapefruit and orange zest, bright on one hand yet also characteristically deep in bramble, walnut and honey on sourdough bread. It’s a relatively vinous, serious and concentrated 2004 as one would expect from this site, although for Goisses it is right down the middle, almost classical in framing. A swashbuckling, personable Goisses ready to take on another decade

Clape Saint Peray 2021 ($75)
Auguste Clape îs an iconic Rhone producer known for putting Cornas on the world stage with their meaty, savory red wines. Their production remains small, with roughly 2,500 cases per year, of which about 300 cases are white wines from Saint Peray. Saint Peray is a tiny appellation which only permits white varietals, the majority of which are made as traditional method sparkling wine. However, this is a still wine made from 80% marsanne and 20% rousanne, fermented in cement tanks. It had a traditional robust aromatic profile which Northern Rhone whites are famous for.

James Suckling (95 points):
An aromatic and delicate nose of white peaches, flowers, anise and hints of flower honey. Medium body with sharp and precise acidity. It’s very mineral with great tension. Round-textured with volume and harmony. It’s creamy at the edges, crisp and vertical at the center, with a long, peppery finish.

Paolo Bea Santa Chiara 2020 ($50)
An early pioneering force in the world of natural wine, Paolo Bea has developed a reputation for producing singular and unabashedly wild wines deeply rooted in nature. The grapes are grown organically amongst a mix of wild vegetation, and the wines are made without temperature control, filtering and fining, or other common human interventions.

It’s true. This is not technically a white wine, which contradicts the theme of the night. That said, it sees less skin contact (only about two weeks) than the other whites in the Paolo Bea portfolio, making it “just barely orange”. Also differentiating it from the other Paolo Bea whites is the blend; Santa Chiara comes from grechetto, malvasia, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and garganega, while their others (Lapideus and Arboreus) are 100% Trebbiano.

Vinous (91 points):
A gorgeous yellow gold, the 2020 Bianco Santa Chiara opens with a wild blend of candied ginger and incense complicating dried nectarines and peaches. This is round yet lifted, full of energy, with ripe orchard fruits and inner floral perfumes that cascade throughout. This finishes with a pleasantly chewy sensation, leaving hints of tropical citrus and spice. The 2021 is a lovely and feminine Bianco Santa Chiara.

Marcel Deiss Schlossberg 2018 ($100)
This producer is best known for their Alsatian field blends, and they never reveal the exact varietal percentages. Nor could they do so accurately since the vines share the same plots, and the grapes are harvested and fermented together in a completely non-mechanized fashion. However, we do know their Schlossberg bottling (which had its first release in 2018) is their most riesling dominant wine and it spent 12 months on the lees in neutral oak. It can be assumed that small amounts of pinot gris, gewurztraminer, muscat, and others may play a background role as well.

Wine Enthusiast (95 points):
An almost confectionery nose gives way to a wine that's lean and driven. Notes of chèvre and tart white peach are complemented by slate and salinity in a smooth, medium body. A vein of searing acidity runs through into the long finish. This wine cries out for a cheese platter to accompany.