Tastings!

The year has gotten off to a crazy start: tons of work, lots of work-withs and, of course, tastings, where I'll be pouring my wines in the New York City area. That's the fun part, where I get to meet fellow wine-lovers or even plain civilians who are curious, but afraid of wine. I really love these events, there's something about interacting with the general public that's always so much fun. There's nothing I like more than that look of "Oh, wow, that's yummy, and it's how much?" Happily, this is a pretty regular occurence at the price point of the wines I represent.

So here's the upcoming tasting schedule:

-Thursday January 14th, 5-8pm at Drink, at 69th and 2nd Avenue. I'll be pouring the delightful Jean-Pascal Aubron Muscadet and the fantastic Clos Bagatelle St Chinian Tradition.

-Saturday January 16th, 12-4pm at The Wine Library, in Springfield, NJ. There I'll be showing four, you read that right, FOUR of my wines: Catherine et Didier Tripoz' Macon les Charnay Clos des Tournons (from old-vine Chardonnay planted on a steep and enclosed vineyard), the aforementioned Clos Bagatelle St Chinian, Chateau Gigognan's Cotes du Rhone Village Bois des Moines and the Chateau La Bouscade Minervois les Septs Vents. If last time was any indicator, this should be more like a party than a tasting.

So I hope you stop by and say hello, or at the very least try some small-production, authentic wines that taste more expensive than they actually are.
Cheers!

Where Winos Dine

Well, we can't just drink, can we? I mean, wine is meant to be enjoyed with food and friends and family, not all alone. If you start doing that, you might need some assistance...

No, good wine is designed to go with good food, both adding their virtues to the experience of life. When the pairings work, they add up to more than their individual parts and become something else, something transcending.

Of course, not all food and wine pairings get so existential, but many are thoroughly enjoyable. But where to go and enjoy your precious bottle of wine and get a great meal without breaking the bank? Sure, there are many spots in New York City that offer BYO, but either these will induce nosebleed with stratospherically high pricing, or the quality of the dishes will not be up to the quality of the bottle you bring.

So where do winos go to dine when they want to drink and eat well?

One name comes to mind, and most NYC winelovers already know what I'm about to say: Apiary. This East Village restaurant has been around over a year and it's no secret, but if you have a nice bottle you want to open with someone and get a great meal, this is the place most of us visit. The pricing is very friendly, service is good, and best of all the food is delicious. Well-executed and thought out by Scott Bryan, formerly of Veritas, the dishes are very wine-friendly as well, as one would expect. And, of course, though they're BYO-friendly, their wine list is also pretty-well put together, pleasing to both the winegeeks as well as to the casual drinker.

Oh, and no I am not paid or rewarded for this, I just thought I'd offer a Public Service Announcement. In fact, I wouldn't mention my name if I were you...
Cheers!

Never Forget: September 11, 2001

Summer's Bounty Part Deux: Upstate NY

 

New York is known for many things, most of them ironically being on the very edges of the state: New York City, Niagara Falls, Lake George. But what many people don't realize is how beautiful and lush the very heart of the land is. Filled with huge natural parks and tons of villages with small farms, this is a truly beautiful state.

 

Best of all, the tomatoes in some friends' garden have escaped the blight that has afflicted the crops this year. And I LOVE tomatoes. These were succulent, fresh and with that refreshing tang of good fruit.

 

These made amazing bruschetta and were great while sitting outside on a cool late summer's evening.

 

The soils are rich with the bounty of summer, such as these fresh-picked potatoes and carrots. The carrots came home to NYC with me. The potatoes didn't last long. I love potatoes too.

 

Local farms also offer great meats, such as these cuts that were quickly grilled over a hot flame.

 

Those fresh potatoes? They went into a Pommes Ana tart that was filled with earthy, buttery goodness.

 

Everything was fresh, like these colorful flowers picked only a few minutes before dinner.

 

Apples, picked that afternoon, went into a Tarte Tatin that, unsurprisingly, was full of buttery goodness too. Hmmm... see a theme here?

 

And with such a rustic, lovely countryside dinner? What would you drink? I grabbed a bottle of 2007 Foillard Morgon Clos de Py Beaujolais, a deliciously earthy yet fruity wine that smells of the French countryside. Even the cat liked it.

 

I also revisited a place that had really impressed me the first time I was in the area: Swoon Kitchenbar, in Hudson. Like my first time there, the food was amazing, the wine list imaginative and well-priced, and the welcome warm. I even got some house-made smoked bacon from Chef Jeff. For a rustic bistrot, this was pretty cool!

Sometimes, it's nice to get away for a few days.
Cheers!

The Muscadet has Arrived!

Well, just in time for Spring's warmer weather and amid all the bad news about the economy and the world, some good news, at least for me and for lovers of well-priced, well-made Muscadet. Jean-Pascal Aubron's 2007 Muscadet de Sevre et Maine sur Lie Grand Fief de l'Audigere has finally arrived in New York. The wine distributor T Edward Wines has picked it up and is now distributing it throughout the Tri-State region.

And, better yet, the reaction at a pre-arrival tasting was so good that T Edward actually reordered it before it had even landed on US shores!


So, if you're curious as to what it tastes like, look for this label, and feel free to let me know what you think. You can also find more info about it HERE.

And, not to tease, but some Big News coming soon...
Cheers!

I Love New York- Sripraphai

There are always small, hidden, out of the way places that can make a trip to the boroughs really worth it. For Manhattanites, it's sometimes inconceivable that there's anything worthwhile outside the borders of our little island, but there you have it. It's a mind-blowing myopia for a city that calls itself the center of the world. Heck, most of us know more about the rest of the planet than we do our own backyard.


One of these little (not-so-hidden) treasures is the Thai restaurant Sripraphai. Located in the wildly mixed neighborhood of Woodside, Queens, this place offers some of the most authentic and inexpensive Thai food in the city. Its modern decor and inviting garden are perfect settings to concentrate on the intense flavors and colors of the dishes. Best of all, it's a short ride on the 7 line from Manhattan.

So, for your viewing pleasure, here are some pictures of the dishes we enjoyed recently. Careful, don't drool on your keyboards!






Cheers!

I Love New York- Wine Bars

The mallification of New York continues apace, with Duane Reades, CVS (CVI?) and banks sprouting up on corners all about the city. What was once a vibrant metropolis filled with mom and pop stores which reflected their neighborhoods is rapidly becoming the Mall of America, a Las Vegas version of itself, cleaned and respectable, just as the tourists like it.

Yet, as I have posted before, there are still small pockets of originality and independance. The spirit of New York lives on, though it is now somewhat hidden and not blazing defiantly as it once did. It is to celebrate this spirit that I offer a few affordable Manhattan wine bar suggestions for the next time you get thirsty.

These aren't the cookie-cutter places that serve Sutter Home Chardonnay by the glass for $12 or pour more martinis in a night than bottles of wine. These places are proudly independent, resisting the lure of a quick turnover and offering warmth, richness and depth, something that is becoming rarer and rarer these days. These places are the real New York, where you will find real people trying to enjoy real experiences.


-Bar Veloce
Though there are now several of these about town, the East Village location was one of the first real wine bars in the city, with a unique and interesting selection of Italian wines from all over the Boot. The food is very good too (try the paninis and anything with Nutella in it, really), but it's more bar food than a restaurant experience. Just be ready to snuggle with your date and your neighbor as the original is tiny. Really, really tiny.


-Bar Solex
This French wine bar was opened by the folks who brought you Bar Veloce. Another sleek, minimalist wine bar, this one carries mainly high-quality, low-cost French wines. Again, the selection comes from all over the Hexagon (what the French call France due to its relatively hexagonal shape), and has some unique bottles that you won't find elsewhere in the city. These wines showcase the various terroirs that the country can offer. The food is mainly bar food, with some good French pizzas (yes, you read that correctly, they do personal pizzas in the South of France that rival anything in Italy).


-Pata Negra
Now we move on to Spain, which is nicely represented by this tiny, warm and inviting tapas bar in the East Village. With brick-lined walls and only a few tables, Mateo the friendly owner makes you really feel at home. That would be true, of course, if your home had a Spanish Pata Negra ham in the kitchen (and if it does, please feel free to invite me over) as this place does. If you love the pig (and I certainly do!), then this is the place for you. And it's more than likely that you'll catch me here, gorging on some Jamon Iberico and a glass of Rioja.


-Turks and Frogs
The people who run this eccentrically-named wine bar are Turkish, but focus mainly on French wines. Thus, the name. Tiny and inviting, these wine bars (there are 2 locations currently) are refuges, soothing enclaves in which to enjoy a nice glass from an interesting bottle.


-Demare Bistrot
Previously known as Bandol Wine Bar, Demare Bistrot is a warm and welcoming spot in the affordable-gastronomic wasteland known as the Upper East Side. While its neighbors charge astronomical prices for pathetic plonk and over-worked food, Demare has continued to serve well-chosen wines and well-made, solid meals at reasonable prices. Pamela, the owner, greets everyone personally, and ensures that you have a lovely experience.

All these places represent the old spirit of New York in the context of wine bars. There are countless other "wine bars" in the city, but these really offer unique experiences that the others couldn't even imagine. So the next time you're in their areas, stop in and say hello. You might just see me at the bar.

And feel free to post your own finds, I know I missed a few.
Cheers!

Never Forget: September 11, 2001

Meet the Winemaker!

Fabrice and his mom at ViniSud
I am really excited, this week I am hosting the first of my winemakers to visit New York. Fabrice Durou, of Chateau Gaudou, will be in town to show his wines and answer questions. We will be visiting a bunch of stores in Westchester on Wednesday, then spending the entire day on Thursday in the city, hitting stores and restaurants that either carry his wines or are interested in them.

It's always a thrill to say "my winemaker", I still giggle a little bit each time. As I've said before, this is the culmination of lots of hard work and even more luck, and I am thrilled to see things coming to fruition. The reaction to Fabrice's wines has been extraordinary, to say the least, due to both their quality and their price points. Better yet, to me, is that they are quite unlike most Cahors (which are normally referred to as Black Wines, with teeth-staining tannins and tons of oak). These are elegant and balanced yet never forget where they're from.

So, if you happen to see some weird French guys pouring wines at your local store, feel free to come up and say hello and try the wines. Who knows, you might enjoy them!
Cheers!

I love New York (the hidden one)

There are times when I forget how much I love New York. Despite the non-stop gentrification, the banks and drugstores on every corner and the loss of character in our once proud neighborhoods, there does remain a little bit of the Olde New York that I grew up with and grew to love. It hasn't completely become a Las Vegas version of itself (yet).

Hidden within the maze of new antiseptic glass towers, one can still find vestiges of the real Gotham. Some small places have managed to survive, fighting off greedy landlords and the temptation to become tourist traps, offering great experiences at good prices. And there's nothing I like more than finding hole-in-the-wall types of joints, as I did a few months ago in Brooklyn. These are family-run operations who try to remain true to their heritages.

Two of these places can be found in Chinatown (no surprise there) and offer excellent quality at great prices. And in these recessionary times, what more can one ask for?


-A Chau Deli
This small hole in the wall deli on Mulberry has been open for several years and has been written up in several foodie blogs. But I only discovered it in early January, when I visited it with a friend who also loves good food. They offer a wide selection of dishes, but my favorite has been the Banh Mi, the traditional Vietnamese sandwhich. The vegetables are crunchily fresh, the bread is crusty on the outside and soft and light on the inside, quite a fine rendition of the baguette, if I may say so myself. And lastly, the price of the Banh Mi is so ridiculously low that it's worth a trip from almost anywhere in Manhattan and even maybe the boroughs...

On my first visit, I tried the #6, the Bánh Mì Ðặc Biệt, full of porkalicious goodness: BBQ pork, steamed pork, pork pate, Vietnamese ham, crispy veggies and spicy chilies. WOW. THIS is #6? Should have been #1, frankly. But at the time, I couldn't judge, as I hadn't tasted any others. To be honest, I was hard-pressed to try the others considering how amazingly good this one was. The meats were well-cooked but not dry, neither the BBQ nor the pate overpowering the other tastes, and the ham and steamed porks flavorful but not fatty nor greasy. We sat in Columbus Park, or as I call it Ho-Chi-Minh Park, and enjoyed our sandwhiches despite the howling January wind.

My next visit entailed tasting the #3, the Bánh Mì Bì, or shredded pork sandwhich. This was (and still remains) my only disappointment there. The meat was well-cooked but rather flavorless, considering how much I loved pulled pork.

The next attempts were the #8, the grilled chicken Banh Mi (no translation, sorry). Delicious, thin slices of moist grilled chicken interplay with the crunchy vegetables. I have to admit I felt like I was cheating a bit on the #6, but that's because I'm insane.

I also had a chance to taste the vegetable Banh Mi, which was good but rather boring if well-made. Granted, I need meat in most of the foods I eat, so take that with a grain of salt.

I should mention two things if you go: their iced coffee is fantastic, made with condensed milk and quite buzz-worthy. Also, don't expect fancy decorations: this is as plain as it gets, with a small counter and three stools squeezed in if you try to eat there.

A Chau Deli
82A Mulberry Street
Chinatown, New York, NY (212) 766-3332
Banh Mi: $3.50 (yes, you read that right)


-Fried Dumpling
On my last trip to A Chau on a glorious Spring day, we wandered over to tiny Mosco Street, where we began smelling the lovely aroma of frying dumplings. Something was different, something was more beguiling than the usual fatty notes that cling to your nostrils and make you recoil in disgust. This actually smelled really good. And wouldn't you know it, there, hidden away in a tiny storefront, was a kitchen where three women were kneading meat and dough into dumplings and buns. Our palates tempted by the smell, we hesitantly wandered in, looking at the menu: $1 for 4 fresh pork dumplings.

Oh, man, how could we say no?

Crispy, slightly darkened pillows of pork were placed on a paper plate and we grabbed the plastic forks and sat at the counter. At the first and very hot bite, juicy moist pork and crispy chives tumbled out onto our eager tongues, making us look at each other in wonder. Whoa, this wasn't bad. Heck, this was positively delicious! My only quibble was that sometimes the dough was a bit thick, but when I say it's a quibble, I mean it. This was a great find, and one I'll have to return to.

Fried Dumpling
106 Mosco St
New York, NY 10013-4321
Phone: (212) 693-1060
Dumplings: 4 for $1 (yep)

These are the types of places that remind me of the old New York I grew up in, the one where there were actual neighborhoods and not facscimile versions thereof (walk down Bowery near Houston and you'll see what I mean, it looks more like a Hollywood back-lot than an actual city, or check out where CBGB's used to be... **shudder**). This city has really sacrificed its soul to the gods of development and we've lost more than we realize.

Luckily, there are still joints like A Chau and Fried Dumpling to remind us of our past and keep us grounded.
Cheers!