Monday, October 29, 2012

Sandy Sippers

As I write this, Hurricane Sandy is fast approaching and scaring the hell out of me.  Course of action?  Wine consumption, lots of it.

We grabbed dinner last night at Schillers, one of the few places open in my friend's neighborhood. Still in a Spanish mood from the tasting the other night, I went with a El Coto Rioja Rose 2010.  This is always a good bet in terms of rose.  50/50 Garnacha and Tempranillo, this is a medium-bodied wine with a decent amount of acidity and zing.  On the nose there are a lot of bright berries such as strawberry, cherry and raspberry.  On the palate, the same berries come through but this also is drier and crisper than expected.  Not the most complex but definitely cuts through the gloomy and windy night with its brightness.




Today, we felt it was calm enough to venture outside for lunch.  The brave souls at The Meatball Shop (@MEATBALLERS) were open for as long as they could sustain guests.  Apparently, we weren't the only people with the same lunch aspirations:

Veggie balls and a glass (or 3) of Borell Diehl-Pfalz Muller Thurgau 2011 made the afternoon pass pleasantly and took our mind off Sandy's approach.  Medium bodied with peach and citrus notes on the nose, lively acidity melded harmoniously with the lemon-lime palate.  Refreshingly dry, it contrasted with the wet storm outside.  

And what storm isn't complete without some comforting dessert?  An ice cream sandwich with pumpkin ice cream definitely made the afternoon better, accompanied by Moscato d'Asti.  The light sparkler, redolent of peaches, apricots and orange blossom was enough fortification to fight the lines at the bodega to pick up water and batteries.

Happy Sandy-ing!

Spain's Great Match Event

Wednesday night brought Spain's Great Match to NYC.  This was truly one of the better wine events I've been to with good producers and wines being offered along with the one aspect that tends to be lacking at these tastings - food!  There were about 10 restaurants offering tastes and in the tradition of Spanish cuisine, I had a great "tapas dinner" comprised of the little plates from places like Casa Mono, Tertulia, Socarrat, Baracca, Boqueria and other NYC favorites.  But, onto the wine...

There was a few familiar favorites being poured along with some great new discoveries.  After tasting through the tables, here are some of the highlights:

Best Sparkler
Sabartes Brut Rosado, Bodegues Sumarroca, DO Cava
This deeply pigmented cava has the same mousse-y texture as my beloved Ruinart Rose champagne.  However, on the palate, this wine has prominent berry notes and is more fruit-driven then the Ruinart.  Strawberry, cherry and raspberry all strongly sing on the tongue. What you sip is what you get, though; this wine is fairly straighfoward and lacks complexity, but it's very juicy and refreshing.  

Best White
Serra Da Estrela Albarino, DO Rias Baixas

This Albarino is a bit lighter in body than other Albarinos I tasted, but there was a slight effervescence that was reminiscent of a Vino Verde.  Crisp, with green apple and grassy notes, balanced with a little bit of pear, this wine makes me long for a summer day on the beach.

Best In Show
Luis Canas Reserva Seleccion de la Familia 2004, DOCa Rioja

Ooooh baby, come to mama.  I could drink this Rioja for days.  On the nose there was notes of blackberry, ripe raspberry and hints of stewed, almost jammy fruits with some oak and earthiness coming into play.  On the palate, this full-bodied stunner has the same prominent fruit notes that were on the nose, but pronounced and round tannins gave this wine body and balance.  A long finish is like a lingering look from a lover and makes you want to return for more. 

The entire Luis Canas portfolio was actually pretty spectacular: 
Not a dud in the bunch and I think it's safe to say this table was best in show. 

Keep sipping.....




Sunday, October 21, 2012

My Kind of Chardonnay


I don’t drink a lot of Chardonnay.  Because it’s one of the most widely planted white varietals, it’s often a crapshoot finding a terroir or viniculture technique that produces a Chardonnay I really like.  To oak or not to oak?  Honestly, I don’t always want to taste it to find out the answer. 
However, I was recently introduced to a Chardonnay that I’ve nicknamed The Game Changer.  The time: A Thursday night. The place: A new neighborhood wine bar.  The wine: Domaine Faiveley Montagny.
 My palate was a bit bored from all the rose I had been drinking over the summer and I wanted to venture out. 
“Chardonnay?”  I replied skeptically when the bartender offered me a taste.
“Just try it,”  was the response.
Well, hey now.  This was quite something else.  A white burgundy, green apple and pear on the palate with the slightest bit of nuttiness or biscuit on the nose.  On the palate it was clean and crisp, rather acidic and with good minerality.  There was still a bit of pear, but is that a bit of a citrus fruit I’m getting as well?  Now this was a revelation!  All those tree-licking oaky chardonnays and their butter-churning siblings are running scared.  
I’m still a Chardonnay skeptic (there have been a few chardonnay mishaps since), but after tasting this wine, I’m intrigued by what else this grape is capable of.  
Keep tasting….

A Dedication

What do these pictures all have in common (negative points for originality if you say wine)?



They were all sent to me by my mother.  I love her for so many reasons, but I especially love how she supports my passion for wine and this journey of exploration and education I’ve taken.  She may not understand it (and is probably still trying to figure out how I came from her gene pool), but she sends me emails of encouragement and was actually my first client.  So, Happy Birthday, Mom!  I love you!!!!

Popping the Cork


My first post, and I think this calls for a celebration.  Specifically, a glass of my favorite champagne, Ruinart Rose.  
Now,  I don’t think champagne (or any sparkler) should only be saved for special occasions.  But, since this is the inaugural post, I want to start by highlighting one of my all-time loves.
I first had Ruinart Rose at Scarpetta in NYC.  After being kept waiting for our reservation, the very gracious hostess directed us to the bar for a complimentary glass of our choosing. Sparkling-rose-anything usually catches my eye and this was no exception.  However, this one left an impression and I entered the name into my phone (back when I was still learning my way around an iPhone - sad to say, I’m still urban amish but I can manage an occasional tweet on the fly and apparently, now a blog).  
Flash forward a few months later to my birthday.  The setting - Scarpetta (hey, I make my favorites known).  In a tradition we started when we first began dating, my S.O. called the restaurant ahead of time and 2 glasses of champagne were brought to the table as soon as we were seated.  In those glasses?  Yep, Ruinart Rose Champagne.  This time, I noticed so much more in this flute than the first time. What primarily struck me was the mousse-y, frothy texture, almost creamy across the palate.  The fruity red berries were balanced with notes of spice, swaying it away from being sweet.  When I pulled out my phone to take note of the name, lo and behold, it was already in there, solidifying my passion for it.