Quirky Fondue Wine Dinner Redux

PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THIS EVENT, THE BILL MUST BE PAID IN CASH!

Join Marly as she hosts this wine & cider event at a FONDUE restaurant!

For this 6-person wine dinner, we will be returning to Taureau in Soho, the fondue arm of the French restaurant La Sirène next door. Taureau tables have built-in burners. Their fondue menu is extensive, offering 6 types of cheese fondue, including French & Swiss styles. Each fondue comes with bread for dipping and additional dippers can be ordered on the side for $6-9 each.

Dinner will include 1 Normandy cider, 2 white wines, and 1 light red for a total wine cost of $25 per person. Part of the low cost for this event is that there is no corkage fee. More on that below.

Before RSVPing yes, please read why this dinner is labeled quirky:
Each $60 cheese fondue pot serves 2 people, so each 2 people will need to share 1 fondue and therefore agree on which type to order (this time I'm hoping to order the truffle one ;). If 2 people can’t agree, seats will be switched until everyone’s happy.

This restaurant offers zero corkage for the amount of wine we are bringing but ONLY IF THE ENTIRE BILL IS PAID IN CASH, including tip. This means you can assume the bare minimum check for just cheese & bread would be $40, however the table will likely order extra dippers to share so please prepare for that, and there's also optional dessert fondue ($30 for 1 fondue for the table if we decide to order it, but we may not). Be prepared to bring cash to cover your bill + tip, and a little extra in case.
** The cost of this event is $25 and is for the cost of the wines only.
NOTE: Meetup has started charging a "Partner Fee" that is above and in addition to the listed price of the event. It is annoying and confusing, but there is nothing I can do about it. It comes to approximately $4 more for each RSVP. You will see this charge when you complete your rsvp and pay for the event. MEETUP+ members are exempt from this charge.
Just a reminder of our usual rules:
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 $5 service fee. Additionally, please refrain from wearing perfume or cologne since this conflicts with the delicate wine aromas.

The Wines (notes will be distributed at the dinner):

1) Manoir du Kinkiz Cidre de Fouesnant Sparkling Cider NV, Brittany, 5% ABV - $19
At my last fondue dinner the amber Cornouaille version of this Normandy cider was served and went extremely well with the fondue. That kind is currently unavailable so this time we’ll try their Cidre ‘de *Fouesnanz, “*a traditional, semi-dry sparkling apple cider from Brittany, France, known for its natural bubbles from in-bottle fermentation, offering complex notes of fresh apple, butter, hazelnut, and a refreshing, slightly tart profile from hand-picked, traditional apple varieties. It's recognized for its fine, persistent fizz and is often served as an aperitif or with cheese and charcuterie.”

2) Domaine Nicolas Gonin Verdesse 2022, Isère IGP, 13.5 ABV - $40
Nicolas Gonin’s 2022 Verdesse revives a rare white variety from Isère’s Balmes Dauphinoises. I was looking for a Savoie to serve again but the Printemps wine shop suggested this as an alternative. "Grown on clay-limestone soils and farmed organically, the fruit is fermented with native yeasts and aged on lees for 10 months. The wine completes malolactic fermentation and is bottled with minimal sulfur. It’s bright and textured, showing citrus, tropical hints, and a saline, mineral edge—distinctly Alpine and energetic."

3) Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus 100% Kerner 2023, Alto Adige Valle Isarco DOC, 14% ABV - $56
In July I brought this Kerner back from Milan for my first fondue dinner. It was so good, more aromatic than other Kerners bought locally, that in January I found the one place in NYC that sells it to bring to this 2nd fondue dinner. An aromatic white wine made with 100% Kerner grapes (a cross of Riesling and Schiava) known for its vibrant acidity, minerality, and complex notes of peach, apricot, citrus (lime, grapefruit), green melon, mint, and alpine herbs, offering a zesty, full-bodied yet fresh palate with significant aging potential, reflecting the cool climate of the Eisack Valley.

4) Elena Walch 100% Schiava 2024, Alto Adige DOC, ABV 12.5% - $26
The first wine class I took in NYC was on the Upper West Side and this wine was served. When I asked where to buy a bottle, that’s when I learned about Acker Wines on 72nd & Broadway. At other dinners I’ve served Elena Walch’s Gerwurtraminer and Pinot Bianco. This bottle is a fine example of a low-acid, easy drinking red. “Bright ruby in colour with a delicate fruity aroma of cherries and red berries with hints of almond. Soft and velvety on the palate, mild acidity, elegant and delicate.” And should pair well with fondue!