Take a look at the photos from the evening at the Wine by Rx Gallery.
Thank you to everyone who attended the Iconic Wine Dinner at CraftBar on September 24th. My deepest gratitude goes out to Birk O'Halloran and Karl Antle of Iconic Wine, for opening their cellar and conveying their passion for and dedication to creating fantastic wine. We were lucky enough to taste every vintage of Heroine Chardonnay from 2010 through 2012, along with Heroine Michael Mara Chardonnay 2011 and Secret Identity Trousseau Gris. 2011. A massive thank you also goes out to Audra Chapman of Hourglass Wine who brought Hourglass Blueline Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 to round out the evening.
Take a look at the photos from the evening at the Wine by Rx Gallery.
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I had the opportunity to indulge in a Donkey and Goat release dinner at The Cleveland on Wednesday, September 18th. It was superb. If you are not familiar with the wines made by Donkey and Goat, you should consider picking up a few bottles. The husband-and-wife team of Jared and Tracey Brandt makes soulful, terroir-driven wines from California. Jared was on hand to discuss the wines and Donkey and Goat's approach to winemaking (see their manifesto here). Jared and Tracy were featured as one of ten wineries in Eric Asimov's New York Times article "California Wines Score Style Points." Their wines are truly unique and communicate a gorgeous sense of place. From the Fenaughty Vineyard Syrah and skin-contacted Stone Crusher Roussane, both from El Dorado, to Carignane from Mendocino , Donkey and Goat's offerings convey a passion for making wine. I truly am excited to be a part of launching Iconic Wine's 2012 Heroine Chardonnay in NYC. I am a HUGE fan of their Chardonnays and Trousseau Gris, and a three-course meal at CraftBar is a great way to show these wines off! Birk O'Halloran and Karl Antle of Iconic Wine will be on hand to discuss their wines with attendees. You can read more about the event and reserve your place HERE. Reception Chef’s selection of passed hors d’oeuvres First Housemade Gemelli Pasta fava bean pesto, sea urchin butter, radish crème fraiche Main Sea Scallop & Pork Belly Anson Mills grits, charred tomatillo, fermented chili shrimp aioli Cheese Jasper Hills Harbison What: "An Iconic Night" - A winemaker dinner with Iconic Wines
When: Tuesday, September 24th, 2013, 7:00 pm Where: CraftBar, 900 Broadway (between 19th and 20th Streets) Price: $135 (inclusive of tax and gratuity) Thankfully, after our fair share of heat waves, it seems we finally are enjoying the glorious days that make summer so fantastic. As more people don their sunglasses, bask in the sun, and eat outside, I seem to receive the same question again and again - "What do I like to drink in the summer?" So, here are a few of my thoughts and suggestions. Think about enjoying wines that taste best when chilled. For example, a crisp Albariño is best served on the cooler side, and Beaujolais can be served at cellar temperature. Rosés also taste great chilled and can be paired with foods ranging from fruits to salads to white-fleshed meats and fish. In addition, most of these wines have higher levels of acid, which allow your palate to remain fresh despite the heat. Grilling may be the sine qua non of summer cuisine. Eating outside and preparing food full of bold flavors straight from a grill are hallmarks of the season. In pairing wine with grilled food I consider two major points. First is the "weight" of the food. Is the food lighter, such as vegetables or chicken breast; or, is it heavier, such as a rack of ribs or steak? The second factor is the dominant flavor of the dish. Grilling typically focuses on the intrinsic flavor of the protein being used and this can help guide wine pairings; however, be mindful of rubs and seasonings that impart additional flavors to grilled dishes, which should be factored into wine pairings. Now, with all this being said, here are a few of my favorite summer wines. I am only touching on a few, so this is by no means an exhaustive list, simply a starting point. Sparkling wines are a sure thing, especially for outdoor parties and as aperitifs. Prosecco is a great addition to any event – check out Nino Franco’s Prosecco Rustico NV as an economical way to kick things off. Dry, high-acid white wines are also in my enological wheelhouse. Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Grüner Veltliner all come to mind. I also love Albariño, which pairs fantastically well with shellfish and white-fleshed fish. The vast majority comes from Galicia (northwest Spain) and Portugal, and a good bottling is Lagar de Costa’s Rias Baixas Albariño 2011. Another personal favorite is Abrente Albariño from Napa Valley, and is definitely worth a try. In terms of something pink, tons of opportunities abound. Rosés from the Côtes de Provence are perfect this time of year and you will likely find a nice selection at a good wine merchant. Outside of France, I really enjoy Bedrock Wine Co.’s Ode to Lulu Rosé, made from old vine Mouvedre in California (see my other post). In addition, the rosé made from 100% Garnacha (Grenache) by Bodegas Muga is a versatile food-pairing wine and well worth a try. For reds, a lighter-bodied wine, such as Beaujolais, served chilled, is a great choice for summer since these wines burst with fruity flavor and mouth-watering acidity. I recently had a 2012 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie from Alain Coudert which has aromas of tart strawberry and raspberry along with mineral saline notes that was truly lovely. If you want a good Gamay from the US, give Bow and Arrow’s Willamette Valley Gamay Noir a try. It draws inspiration from Loire Valley Gamay (think Touraine) and shows great minerality in addition to red fruit flavors. For wines with the grill, I feel that something with a good mix of muscle and structure is the way to go. Looking to California, a well-made Zinfandel-based wine from Sonoma County is one of my favorite types of wines for grilled meats. Bedrock Wine Co., Carlisle, Ravenswood, Ridge, and Seghesio (among others) all make amazing wines using Zinfandel, often sourced from hundred-year old historical vineyards in Sonoma. These wines are complex and well-structured, with inspiration derived from California and reflect a true sense of place. Of course, the best wine is one that you enjoy drinking, so pull a few corks and enjoy the rest of the summer sunshine with good wine and friends! I recently had the opportunity to enjoy some excellent white wines from Rioja. White wines from Rioja primarily are made from Viuria, an indigenous grape to the region; they sometimes also contain Malvasia. The wines often are aged in oak, and as a result can be quite age-worthy. Lopéz de Heredia is one of the most traditional producers of Rioja. I had the pleasure of enjoying their Viña Tondonia Rioja Blanco Reserva 1989. This wine is a blend of Viuria (90%) and Malvasia (10%), all sourced from the estate's vineyards, and was barrel aged for six years. The wine is twenty-four years old, and still has so much life and complexity to offer. On tasting, it was a beautiful golden color, with nothing short of a fresh and intense nose and palate, consisting of flavors of honey and nuts (think almond) along with subtle notes of lemon. Perhaps the most interesting feature of the wine were its oxidative, nutty characteristics. It was in some ways similar to an Amontillado in this respect, with these oxidative notes, mineral tones and acidity; however, it was 100% Rioja, gracefully aging Viuria. Capellanía, another Rioja Blanco, is 100% Viuria, made by Marqués de Murrieta. This wine very much has its roots in "Old School' sensibility but has certain fruit aromas and oak elements that give it a touch of 21st century styling. The Viuria grapes are sourced from the Capellanía vineyard within the Murrieta Ygay estate, fermented in stainless steel, and aged for 15 months in new French oak. While aged for an additional year prior to release, I tasted this wine an additional four years after bottling. It was a full colored straw-yellow in the glass, with an initial oxidative note combined with crisp acidity, hazelnuts, ripe melon, and citrus aromas. Capellanía is balanced on the palate with very well-integrated oak, with excellent structure. Zinfandel is finally getting its much deserved press. It is such a historic grape, and many exciting winemakers are creating unique and beautiful wines from some of the oldest and most fabulous vineyards in California. Take a look at the current print issue of The Wine Spectator to find out more, and to read about one of my favorite winemakers (and friend) Morgan Twain-Peterson of Bedrock Wine Co. See the video "Zinfandel Renaissance" featuring Morgan at The Wine Spectator website and don't forget to pick up a bottle of Bedrock! A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of stopping into Vin Sur Vignt . Sebastien Auvet's charming West Village wine bar and bistro really is worth checking out - especially considering he pours about 50 wines by the glass. I took the opportunity to have a flight of roses (seen in the photograph to the left). The Domaine Michel Girard et Fils Sancerre Rose 2012 is made from 100% Pinot Noir, grown on 50 acres of estate vines in the Loire Valley. It sported a beautiful delicate pink color, with crisp notes of red cherry and strawberry, along with more subtle notes of earth and minerals. The Cep d'Or Rose Cotes de Provence 2012 is a blend of Grenache and Cinsault and was refreshing with high-toned aromatics of white flowers, herbs, and delicate red fruit. Finally, the Chateau L'Argentier Rose d'Aramon (from the Languedoc and made from Aramon, an grape indigenous to the region) had aromas of flint and minerals along with strawberry and raspberry and spices. January 29th, 2003 was the first time I tasted Grand Cru Burgundy. I remember the evening well. I was living in England and was organizing a tasting of the wines of Domaine Faiveley as part of the Cambridge University Wine Society. Mark Bingley, a Master of Wine, led the Society through nine of the Domaine's wines, culminating with Corton Clos Des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru. I recall looking at the wine in glass, smelling, and tasting it, and realizing the wine was something special. Perhaps it was a bit too much to process at the time - the deep sensual fruit, the exotic spices, and the deft use of oak; however, I had no doubt that I was tasting a wine meant to age, one that would evolve in the cellar. Fast-forward to May 2013. A friend and I stopped into Bar Boulud to grab a drink after going to a tasting as part of Austrian Wine Retail Week. Each day, Mike Madrigale and his team feature a large-format bottle which they pour by the glass. I literally got the last glass of the first magnum of the evening. It was the Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru 1998. I could not contain my excitement, explaining to my friend the story above - that this wine made by Faiveley was my first Grand Cru Burgundy, a red letter date in my wine tasting history. Thirteen years in bottle, and the wine was utterly amazing. Dark cherry, subtle oak, perfume, and exotic spices abounded. The was was elegant, but with a certain presence that showed its pedigree. My friend was initially skeptical at my excitement; however, after a few swirls and tastes, the Clos de Cortons Faiveley had won the day. The most amazing thing about the experience? I went home and dug out my tasting notes from that Burgundy tasting in 2003. Wine #9, the Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley that I tasted, with my notes scribbled across the page, was the1998 vintage. What an experience to be able to taste the same Grand Cru from the same vintage a decade apart, and to still be just as amazed at the beauty and elegance of the wine. My sincerest thanks to Denton Events and Indie Food and Wine, and of course, to all of the attendees who made "A Taste of Spring" such a great success. A good time was had by all, and people were able to enjoy six fantastic food and wine pairings, ranging from chilled asparagus soup with a New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to a flank steak with a Right Bank Bordeaux from the Cotes de Castillon. You can view photos from the event on our Events Page, and be sure to visit the Wine by Rx Facebook page and Twitter Feed for more information on upcoming tastings.
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