Author Archives: Tracy

Antigal’s Malbec is the “Number One” Malbec you’ve never heard of

Posted on by
Reply

Antigal’s Malbec is number one. Well, it does kind of say so on the label. All kidding aside, Bodega Antigal’s Uno Malbec was the first wine launched by this young Argentine producer and proudly displays the number one on its label. Its iconic numeral and name were first applied at the wine’s launch party in 2005 when a designer crafted the number from a metal barrel hoop in an effort to celebrate this new release. The design was well received, and the name stuck. Consequently, they continue to “label” the Malbec Uno with a replica of that initial metal cut out, complete with rivets. These 1s are affixed by hand, assembly-line style, by local women who work in the winery. The back label is silk-screened directly onto the bottle. They admit that this is a very expensive way to adorn their wine but recognize that the package design is the marketing and thus very important to getting their brand noticed and known.

While the winery sits on the site of an historic winery, dating to 1897, in the Mendoza region of Argentina, everything else about it is new. In this regard, the winery facilities were constructed in the early 2000s, with an emphasis on high quality, high-tech equipment. Beyond the winery, they are heavily focused on Malbec, with a range of wines produced, including several single-vineyard wines. There are three unique vineyards currently under vine, with another under development.

Antigal began exporting its wines to the United States in 2007, choosing to push the on-premise trade over the retail market, feeling that its wines would do well by-the-glass as well as on full bottle wine lists. Of course, there are some retail stores that stock their wines. Since its early stateside arrival, it has successfully negotiated distribution contracts for all 50 states, which is essentially the equivalent of negotiating with 50 different countries given the U.S.’s state-specific liquor laws.

I recently had the opportunity to taste the Uno Malbec 2014 over lunch at Brasserie Cognac on a lovely summer’s day. Despite the propensity to pair a Malbec with a meat-based dish, I was more inclined to opt for lighter fare due to the season and selected the grilled octopus salad. I was not disappointed as the Malbec was extremely elegant and well balanced with ripe fruit. It matched well with the salad and didn’t overpower it.

Antigal’s newest addition to its line-up is its Uno Sauvignon Blanc 2018, which will be making its New York debut this fall, with an SRP of $15.00. Coming soon to a wine list near you.

TASTING NOTE
Bodega Antigal Uno Malbec 2014, Mendoza, Argentina, $21.00 (retail)
Aromas of berries, smoke, slight wood greet the nose, all of which persist on the dry palate. Ripe, yet nicely balanced fruit dominates, joined by well-integrated oak, culminating in long length. Very elegant and food friendly.

At Bodegas Beronia, It’s All About that Barrel

Posted on by
Reply

Back in 1973, a group of friends (in Spain) realized that they loved good food and wine and decided to embark on a joint venture in making wine for themselves. Once they got started, they had way too much wine, so they began gifting the wine to business colleagues and selling to local restaurants.

But, their production levels were still too high for personal consumption, prompting them to look for a commercial partner. In 1982, the group crossed paths with Sherry producer (and wine company) Gonzalez Byass and soon entered into a partnership with them, enabling Bodegas Beronia to grow into a successful, international brand.

Concurrent with the partnership, Matias Calleja joined the team as winemaker and has been with Bodegas Beronia ever since. This year, Calleja will celebrate his 37th vintage with the company, having completed only one harvest elsewhere (in Tarragona, his first). Yet, despite his lengthy tenure, he is still enjoying his post and having fun.

Moreover, Calleja has had a lasting influence on Bodegas Beronia in establishing the winery’s distinctive style. In this regard, he has been at the forefront of how best to impart oak into the wine.

As a wine that requires lengthy aging, Rioja has always been about wood and, in particular, about American oak; there was no use of French oak until the 1970s.  Once both types of wood were in play, for many winemakers, it was a matter of determining the best blend of American and French barrels.

American oak imparts cocoa, mocha and a sweeter note to the wine, while French oak gives more spice, clove, vanilla and pepper notes. Calleja initially tried aging some of the wine in American oak and some in French oak and then, ultimately, blending the wine together. But, the results were less than satisfactory. Instead, he had the brainchild to blend the cask itself; all of the barrel staves are made from American oak (representing about 65% of the barrel), while the top and bottom are made from French oak.

Yet, in spite of all this emphasis on oak, he is adamant that the fruit comes first and the oak must be secondary.  So, while it may seem that it is all about that bass (aka the wood influence); it’s actually all about the fruit!

Calleja’s hybrid barrels are primarily used for the Crianza and Reserva levels of his Rioja, while the Gran Reserva spends 26-28 months in French barrels, since French oak is better for longer-aged wines. As Calleja explained, “It respects the fruit better.” Having the opportunity at a recent press lunch to taste through barrel samples of the same wine aged in three different barrel types was extremely instructive in understanding how the oak shows up in the wine.

In addition to its traditional Riojan reds, Bodegas Beronia also produces a Rueda ($13 SRP) and a Rosé (~$13). For the Rueda, the harvest is intentionally staggered and lees contact is undertaken, both of which add fullness to the wine. Plus, the fermentation temperature is carefully controlled. The result is a wine with good aromatics in addition to a rich and round palate, with medium+ body and freshness. The winery’s rosé has recently undergone a makeover due to demand from the market (the U.S. in particular), evolving from a dark-colored Tempranillo to one with a more Provençal style. The new wine brings together Tempranillo and Garnacha, with only three hours of skin contact, producing a more savory, delicate and drier wine than their previous version, with melon, peach and herbal notes.

RIOJA TASTING NOTES

Bodegas Beronia Reserva 2013, Rioja Spain, $20.00
As a Reserva-level Rioja, this wine  was aged for 20 months in hybrid barrels, before spending an additional two years in bottle. The wine offers up strawberry, black cherry, oak, vanilla and spice aromas with juicy fruit, bright acidity and ripe tannins on the medium+-bodied palate.

Bodegas Beronia Gran Reserva 2009, Rioja Spain, $30.00
Aged for  28 months in French oak, this wine displays beautiful fresh and dried floral aromas along with strawberry, clove and oak, which persist on the palate. It has lovely acidity, a full body and long length.

 

 

Putting Provence Rose on the Map and In Your Glass

Posted on by
Reply

As an old Virginia Slims ad used to say, “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby.” While that slogan was targeted at women during the Women’s Lib movement of the late 1960s, the same sentiment might be attributed to rosé wine.

For decades, wine was relegated to two colors: white and red. Then, slowly, but surely, pink eased its way in.

As evidence of this shift, last summer, wine brand Chateau D’Esclans celebrated its tenth anniversary, hosted by Shaw-Ross International Importers, the brand’s U.S. importer since its launch in 2006. As Paul Chevalier, National Fine Wine Director for Shaw Ross recounted, “it has been quite a ride these past ten years. The key behind this early partnership was Sacha Lichine, and it was Sacha’s determination to put rosé on the map that convinced us. And trust me; no one was drinking rosé in the U.S. back in 2006.”

While rosé sales in the U.S. had begun to grow slightly in the early 2000s, it wasn’t until 2008 that the category really started to take off, a trend that continues today. And far from this trend being over, Chevalier believes that the rosé category still has a strong future ahead. “What we are seeing now is that rosé consumption is starting to spread across all 50 states (specifically middle America). That was hardly the case even just three years ago… This has a long way to go.”

Like Sacha Lichine, Mathilde Chapouter has been a big proponent of crafting quality rosé wine in Provence and was (and continues to be) the driving force behind the creation of Grand Ferrage Rosé, which required a lobbying effort on her part to convince her dad (famed winemaker, Michel Chapouter).

Thanks to Sacha, Mathilde and others, rosé is now here to stay and it was with great pleasure that I received the most recent vintage of Mathilde Chapoutier’s Grand Ferrage Rosé. With its gold-inked inscription, “From Provence, with Love, Mathilde,” I felt like I was receiving a gift from an old friend, having met Mathilde previously [See my story on Mathilde]. The wine was the perfect accompaniment to a pesto pasta salad, which I enjoyed at a Summer Solstice celebration in Central Park and very much in keeping with Mathilde’s philosophy in making a wine to be shared with friends.

Mathilde Chapoutier Grand Ferrage Rosé 2017, Cotes de Provence, France, SRP: $24.00
Its floral aromas, were joined by flavors of melon and strawberry on the medium-bodied palate, along with beautifully bright acidity. It has a lovely, yet delicate, structure, culminating in long length.

 

 

Gaetano Marangelli: A Man on a Mission

Posted on by
Reply

Gaetano Marangelli is a man on a mission. The owner of Cantine Menhir Salento in Italy’s Puglia region, he has been seeking to re-establish indigenous grape varieties since he was a teenager. Today, his mentor has moved on, but Marangelli is still committed to growing grapes such as Minutolo and Susumaniello.

A member of the Muscat family, Minutolo is also known as Fiano bianco, but it is not related to Campania’s Fiano; instead this association is due to the fact that the word fiano means honey/sweet. Like other Muscat varieties, Minutolo offers up pronounced floral and honey aromas. And, thanks to Marangelli’s efforts, this variety is finding new favor; he presently has about 5 hectares planted.

And, his passion for diversity doesn’t stop at grapes. He is currently in the process of comparing and contrasting different chicken varieties to see if there are differences in the resulting eggs. He also grows numerous varieties of basil, believing that different types of the herb go better in some dishes than others. All of the results of these experiments are incorporated into his restaurant menu.

Marangelli’s Puglian property is situated in Minervino di Lecce, just inland from Otrano in the southeastern portion of Puglia. It boasts 10 hectares of vineyards and is home to a 40-hectare organic farm from which he sources much for his aforementioned, on-site restaurant, Origano – Osteria & Store.

As a company, Mehhir Salento dates to 2005, but the estate is much older, with some Primitivo vineyards planted 80+ years ago. The vineyards are currently undergoing conversion to organic viticulture and Marangelli is on track to receive formal certification in 2019.

In the meantime, he continues to pursue his preservation mission and pouring his passion into his winemaking (and his omelettes).

TASTING NOTES

Pietra Rosato 2017 IGP Salento, Puglia, Italy
This blend of Negroamaro and Susumaniello offers up bright aromas of red apple, cranberries and spice. It is dry with good acidity, nice depth and long length, on the palate.

Passo-O 2017 IGP Puglia, Puglia, Italy
During the Crusades, Otranto, situated on the Apian Way, was a door to the Middle East and a church here was the last spot before one left Italy. This wine honors that legacy with its name. Produced from 100% Minutolo, this wine displays aromas and flavors of pear, floral and a hint of dried herbs, along with medium acidity, medium body and long length.

Pietra Salice Salento DOC 2015 Puglia, Italy
Bringing together 80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera, this wine features herbal notes, along with red and black bramble fruits and a hint of oak, with silky tannins and long length.

Anna Pietra Primitivo Susumaniello 2015, Puglia, Italy
Paying tribute to his mother and daughter, both named Anna, this blend of 60% Primitivo 40% Susumaniello sees no oak and, consequently, is a fresher style of red, with ripe black fruit, vibrant acidity and long length.

Flowers, Fashion and Holy Days of Grape Obligation: Geyser Peak celebrates Sauvignon Blanc Day with a new line up of wines

Posted on by
Reply

With its “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” costume exhibit debuting this week after Monday night’s Met Gala, Catholicism is front and center. Frankly, if nothing else, it’s hard to ignore Rihanna dressed as the Pope, as imagined by Margiela.

Among their religious requirements, practitioners of the Catholic faith are bound by holy days of obligation; those days – Sundays and six specific holidays – on which they are obliged to participate in Mass.

Meanwhile, those of us who worship Dionysius must adhere to a different set of dates, namely International [Fill in the Grape] Day, such as those homages to Malbec and Merlot. Of course, adhering to these varietal-based celebrations isn’t much of a hardship. In fact, the recent observance of Sauvignon Blanc Day on May 4 was such a pleasant opportunity to give praise for this great grape!

And, with its newest appellation series of Sauvignon Blanc wines, Geyser Peak made the task especially easy. Established in 1880 (as its logo can proudly attest), Geyser Peak was named for the geysers in the Healdsburg area and has a long history of winemaking. The winery has focused on Sauvignon Blanc since the 1980s but has only recently launched this new Winemakers Selection line up to underscore the influence of terroir on the variety. Currently, it is available direct to consumer on their website and for visitors to the winery.

Among other changes taking place, Geyser Peak has a new winemaker (Randy Meyer), a newly redesigned label and has made the transition to the Stelvin screw cap to top off its wines. In addition to his passion for winemaking, Meyer is very into flowers, prompting a partnership between Geyser Peak and the Field to Vase American grown Dinner Tour in which the winery will provide wines to be paired with a farm-to-table menu at each event. The first two dinners are already sold out, but you can still score a seat at the table in Sacramento, CA, Soldier’s Grove, WI or Nashville, TN. What to wear? Floral-inspired attire, of course!

Certainly, stunning flowers, great food and great wines, like great style, never go out of fashion. And, while attendance at the Met Gala was limited to those approved by Anna Wintour (and who must also pony up the $30,000 per person charitable contribution), us mere mortals can enjoy the exhibit now through October 8, 2018, which boasts installations at both the Fifth Avenue and Cloisters locations.

Tasting Notes
Geyser Peak River Ranches Sauvignon Blanc 2016, Russian River Valley (CA), USA, $22
Part of the previous portfolio, the River Ranches Sauvignon Blanc offers up pronounced grassy aromas, most reminiscent of the New Zealand style, accompanied with citrus and melon notes. Yet, despite its overt aromatics, it is very balanced and elegant, with a hint of minerality, culminating in long length.

Geyser Peak Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Dry Creek Valley (CA), USA, $26
Produced in 2017, which was marked by a heat wave, making it a warmer, riper year, this Sauvignon Blanc is more fruit forward with citrus and tropical fruit aromas and flavors. On the palate, it is dry, with medium+ acidity, displaying freshness and herbaceousness that linger nicely.

Geyser Peak Alexander Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Alexander Valley (CA), USA, $26
With grapes sourced from a cooler area of Sonoma, this Sauvignon Blanc was the most muted of the four, with an emphasis on fresh/green/herbal characteristics rather than fruit. It was slightly lighter on the palate than the others and, with its more mild palate, perhaps provides a broader range of food pairing.

Geyser Peak Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Russian River Valley (CA), USA, $26
This Sauvignon Blanc showed more pronounced fruit on the nose, specifically lychee, as well as sweet, floral aromas with an almost confected (though not unpleasant) quality. Despite the sweet aromas, it is dry on the palate with medium acidity, medium+ body and long length.

Everything’s Coming Up Rubies: Hess Collection Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary

Posted on by
Reply

The traditional gift for a 40th anniversary is ruby, so it is especially fitting that the Hess Collection, first established in 1978, should celebrate with several new “ruby red” releases. While many know the wine label for its entry-level Hess Select wines, the company’s more prestigious Hess Collection consists of Napa Valley and sub-Napa Valley appellations, all of which are produced from estate grown fruit and are more complex, site-specific expressions of the Napa Valley terroir.

Founder Donald Hess, who literally turned water into wine when he sold off his bottled water business to buy acreage in the Napa Valley in 1978, has now retired. In 2011, Hess ceded his legacy to the next generation – his daughter Sabrina and son-in-law, Tim Persson – while winemaking operations continue to be overseen by Senior Vice President for Winemaking and Viticulture, Dave Guffy, who has been with Hess since 1999.

Situated on Mount Veeder, next door to the Christian Brothers, Hess winery is one of the largest landowners in the Valley, with 700 planted acres. And, they are constantly on the look out for more. Nicole Carter, Hess Family Wine Estates Director of Winemaking and Chief Marketing Officer, relayed a story about the recent pursuit for a 10-acre Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in Rutherford on which they were significantly outbid over their $7 million offer. At an average price of $1million per planted acre in the valley, Carter adds, “You have to have the stomach for writing big checks.”

Having been born and raised in Switzerland, Hess, the 4th generation of a brewing family, has always had a more European palate for wines and consequently, the Hess house style tends toward a less oak is more mentality, which is noticeably reflected in the wines.

Another influence from Hess’ early life is his passion for collecting art. Hess grew up in a household with white walls, devoid of any decoration, but was introduced to the artworld by a friend and bought his first painting, a Picasso (why start small?), in 1996, igniting a life-long passion for contemporary art. In addition to limiting his purchases to those pieces he loves, his criteria also require that he only collects art from those artists with whom he has a relationship and, interestingly, will not permit the artist to restore any pieces, preferring to rely on conservators who will not make any changes. Twenty-five percent of his collection is displayed at the Napa Valley winery, adding a museum experience for visitors. The art legacy is carried on by a second daughter, while the third daughter has taken on dad’s real estate interests.

With its storied history, the Hess family crest, which proudly features a byzantine-style lion, has always adorned the family’s alcoholic pursuits. It previously graced the labels of the family’s beer business and was then adopted for the winery. A more recent adaptation of the lion has been designed for the label of the newly created “Lion Tamer” and more strongly recalls the history of the original Hess crest.

Similarly, the Icon family of wines, which are made up of “The Lioness” and “The Lion”, also display the lion and engender the Hess Family credo, “Live each day with the heart and courage of the lion,” as the top wines in the Collection. In particular, “The Lioness”, a Chardonnay, was crafted to honor the Hess women, and was first released in 2015.

Aside from the eponymous winery in Napa Valley, The Hess Collection owns two wineries in Argentina: Colomé and Amalaya; a Pinot Noir property, Macphail Family Wines, on California’s North Coast, and a Zinfandel-focused label, Artezin. So, there are plenty of options for you to choose as you raise a glass and toast Hess’ 40th Anniversary!

TASTING NOTES
Hess Collection Chardonnay 2016. Napa Valley, USA, $22
The grapes for this wine are sourced from 200 acres of vineyards planted in the southern end of the Napa Valley, which is south of Carneros and located in the unincorporated portion of the Valley, formerly home to an ancient sea bed. Featuring the Musque clone, the overtly aromatic character of this clone is immediately apparent in the wine with floral and peach aromas and flavors. During production, 70% is fermented in stainless steel, while the remainder is barrel-fermented, adding depth and texture, but not a distinct oak flavor. It is full bodied, with a fresh and luscious palate, culminating in long length.

Hess Collection “Allomi” Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Napa Valley, USA, $32
Named for the original land grant that established this ranch, the grapes for this wine come from a 75-acre plot in the Pope Valley. It is a Cabernet Sauvignon, with a touch of Petit Sirah and Malbec added and is the only wine in the Collection to be aged in American oak (as opposed to French). It is a really elegant presentation, lightly oaked, with soft tannins, good acidity and medium+ to full body. Its beautiful nose is redolent of blackberry/black fruits, spice and a hint of dried herbs; great value for a Napa Valley Cab!

Hess Collection “Lion Tamer” Red Blend 2015, Napa Valley, USA, $45
Hess is one of the largest growers of Malbec in Napa. Why? Because the tannins of Malbec can tame the tannins of other grapes, prompting the development of this new wine. An interesting blend of 55% Malbec, 23% Zinfandel and a soupcon of Mourvedre for aromatics and acidity, this wine offers up bright red and black fruit, particularly blueberries, soft tannins, medium+ body and fresh acidity. It is intense and powerful, yet fresh and lively on the palate.

Hess Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Mount Veeder-Napa Valley, USA, $65
The company’s flagship wine, this Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the original vineyard, planted in 1978. Its nose was a bit shy, but the palate was more generous. It is very structured, with ripe, yet firm tannins, blackberry, a hint of oak, dried herbs and full bodied, with long length.

Hess Collection “The Lion” Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Mount Veeder-Napa Valley, USA, $185
Of the aforementioned Icon wines, this wine is produced from grapes from a top Mt. Veeder vineyard known as Ridge 4. Aromas of blackberry, oak, smoke and menthol greet the nose and persist on the palate, along with an earthiness that lingers in the long finish. The wine has good acidity and elegance, but is tight and needs time to develop to be truly appreciated.

Springtime and Rose Return

Posted on by
Reply

With the continued persistence of cool weather, it feels more like the 97th day of January than the final days of April. Consequently, we are all eager (extremely eager at this point) for the arrival of spring. Thankfully, daffodils in the garden outside my apartment and a few cameo appearances of warmth and sunshine provide a glimmer of hope.

These harbingers of spring further fueled my desire for all things fresh and green as I headed to the grocery store in search of springtime such as ramps, peas and asparagus for our dinner guest last weekend.

While I always advocate the consumption of rosé all year round, there’s no denying that its freshness and lightness underscore the season and are a welcome change from the heavy reds of wintertime dinners. Plus, I really enjoy the marriage of rose and vegetables.

A beautiful option is the Sokol Blosser Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir 2017, Dundee Hills, OR ($25.00). Pale salmon/onion skin in color, this wine offers up lovely notes of peach, watermelon and candy floss on the nose, giving way to a dry, fresh pala

te with bright acidity, flavors of peach, floral, and cherry along with a hint of earthy depth on the finish, long length.

Celebrating Argentine Wines on World Malbec Day

Posted on by
Reply

It’s time to break out the barbecue as we anticipate the arrival of fairer weather and grilling season this weekend. Plus, it’s time to celebrate Argentina’s signature grape variety on World Malbec Day, which takes place on April 17, 2018.

Admittedly, Malbec got its start in southwest France (think Cahors and – to a lesser extent – Bordeaux), having been cultivated in the area since Roman times. But the grape has been quite successful in making a home for itself in the Mendoza region of Argentina.

In fact, Argentina’s long relationship with Malbec dates to 1853 when agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget brought the grape to the New World country, having been hired to run an agricultural school there. On April 17th of that year, a bill was submitted to the legislature to establish the new school and was passed into law by early September. In addition to the school’s influence, Argentina’s early viticulture was also shaped by Italian and French immigrants, who brought their grape growing experience and expertise with them. Moreover, Malbec quickly adapted to its new home, rising in popularity and prominence. However, it wasn’t until 2011 that World Malbec Day took place for the first time.

On its own, this variety offers up fresh fruit aromas of black and bramble fruit and violet, usually joined by oak, vanilla due to barrel aging regimens. It generally produces wines with medium-to-full body, moderate-to-firm tannins and medium-to-high alcohol levels. Malbec grapes grown at the higher elevations found in the Andes Mountains benefit from the good diurnal variation and long hang time, developing thick skins and concentrated flavors.

But, while World Malbec Day is a great excuse to open up a Malbec wine, it is also a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Argentina’s wines in all their splendor and diversity. At the 11th edition of the Argentina Wine Awards, well titled as “Breaking New Ground,” 47 wines earned a score of 95 points and 17 wines received trophies: 6 red blends, 5 Malbecs, 1 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1 Cabernet Franc, 1 Chardonnay, 1 sparkling wine, 1 white blend and 1 sweet wine, proving that Argentina can produce more than just Malbec.

Of course, like wines from elsewhere, Argentine wines can be enjoyed with nearly any cuisine. However, with its adopted home being among the steak capitals of the world, it can be the perfect pairing partner for these wines.

In gearing up for the “holiday,” Hess Family Wine Estates sent out recipes for meals featuring Grilled Tomahawk Steak with Squash And Zesty Watercress Salad (Amalaya recipe) and another for Seared Lamb with Fresh Corn & Quinoa Soup (Colomé recipe), to be enjoyed with its Colomé Malbec 2015, Salta, Argentina, $25.00 (100% Malbec)* and Amalaya Malbec 2016, Salta, Argentina, $16.00 (85% Malbec, 10% Tannat, 5% Petit Verdot) wines. I happily indulged in the recipes, tweaking them a bit to fit our tastes and our pantry.

Specifically, we decided to cook our steaks in our cast iron skillet using a spice rub (we live in a NYC apartment and don’t have access to a grill), substituted a very large sweet potato in place of butternut squash and chose to forgo the other vegetables in the “squash with vegetable chips.” For the watercress salad, we skipped the habanero peppers and used lemon juice instead of lemon zest, with salt, pepper and good quality EVOO.

We also added the corn and quinoa soup to our meal from the Colome menu since it sounded so good. If you can grill your corn, it will definitely add a layer of depth and complexity, but you can just as easily “cheat” like I did and use a bag of frozen corn (much easier than wrestling the kernels off an ear of corn). The recipe calls for white quinoa, but we only had red quinoa and you can use the general quinoa ratio (1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water) rather than try to figure out 5.3 oz of quinoa. If you are dairy-free, substitute ghee or olive oil. I also added in some Cayenne pepper to give the soup a bit of a welcome (to us) kick.

All in all, it was a delicious dinner and went quite well with the two Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

TASTING NOTES
Viña Cobos Bramare Marchiori Vineyard Chardonnay 2016, Perdriel/Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina, $42.00
This wine was barrel fermented with native yeasts and underwent malolactic fermentation while in barrel. It then spent 12 months in French oak barrels, 50% of which were new. Despite the oak treatment, the oak character was relatively integrated and balanced, along with rich apple and tropical fruit flavors.

Amalaya Malbec 2016, Salta, Argentina, $16.00
This wine brings together 85% Malbec with 10% Tannat and 5% Petit Verdot. On the nose, the wine shows an intensity of berries, bramble fruit and a hint of smoke, which persist on the dry, full-bodied palate, balanced out with medium+ acidity and  medium+ ripe tannins.

Andeluna Altitud Malbec 2014, Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina, $20.00
Deep inky purple in color, this wine displays berries, oak, vanilla and a hint of earth on the nose. On the palate, it is dry with ripe black cherry and blackberry fruit, joined by some oak and herbal notes, with medium+ acidity, firm tannins, full body and medium+ length.

Colomé Malbec 2015, Salta, Argentina, $25.00
This wine spent 15 months aging in French oak barrels, which comes across as smoke and oak on both the nose and palate, joined by a slight floral note. It offers up good acidity with lots of blackberry and plum flavors, along with an herbal undercurrent and a long finish.

Vincentin Colosso 2014, Luyan de Cuyo and Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina, $45.00
A blend of 94% Malbec, with 3% each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this wine was aged for 24 months in new French oak barrels. It has an intense woody, red fruit, berries, spice and vanilla nose, which all persist on the dry, medium+-bodied palate, culminating in long length.

Bodega Sottano Reserva de Familia Malbec 2015, Luyan de Coyo, Mendoza, Argentina, $30.00
This wine spent 15 months in new oak (70% French and 30% American) barrels. The wine’s intense nose provides notes of plum, bramble fruit, oak and a hint of perfume, all of which persist on the luscious palate. An intensity of fruit character dominates, but the wine is also very fresh, with balance and long length.

Bodegas Norton Gernot Langes 2012, Luyan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, $100.00
This 80% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc blend has an intense nose of violets, oak, cedar, berries and vanilla. Its palate is dry with a sweet attack of ripe fruit of blackberries, black cherry, firm tannins, full body and long length. It is a powerful and concentrated wine that will improve with bottle age.

Viña Cobos Cocodrilo Corte 2015, Luyan de Cuyo and Valley de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina, $28.00*
Bringing together 77% Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Malbec and 8% Cabernet Franc, this Bordeaux-style blend is lush with ripe fruit on the nose and palate, redolent of blackberry, black cherry and a woody undercurrent. It shows good acidity, with firm tannins and medium+ body on the powerful and rich palate.

Bodega Luigi Bosca Finca Los Nobles Field Blend Cabernet Bouchet, 2012, Mendoza, Argentina, $70.00*
Produced from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Alicante Bouchet grapes that have been grown together for more than 90 years, at an altitude of 1,050 meters above sea level, this wine is then aged for 24 months in new French oak barrels. This is an elegant, yet powerful wine, with classic Cabernet Sauvignon characteristics. It displays aromas and flavors of blackberry, oak, smoke, herbs and dried flowers with bright acidity, firm tannins, and full body.

Proemio Reserve Syrah Garnacha 2015, Mendoza, Argentina, $20.00
The 50-50 blend was co-fermented before being aged for 12 months in French oak. With aromas of cloves, leather and black cherry, the dry wine then offers up bright acidity, black cherry, oak, spice, firm tannins and long length on its palate. A really lovely wine, especially for the price.

*Argentina Wine Awards Trophy Winner

Tannat: The Wine Bar Where Helen Knows Your Name

Posted on by
Reply

With many people bemoaning the closures of well-loved, long-time establishments lately, it is nice to see new places springing up to take their place in our hearts. Like Tannat Wine & Cheese. Tannat is the hot new wine bar you’ve never heard of…until now.

Opened in December 2017, Tannat took over a former razor store (the vagaries of questionable businesses in New York) in Inwood and is breathing new life into the neighborhood.

The small storefront, situated on Broadway, just a few blocks south of Dyckman, is the brainchild of business (and life) partners, William Emery and Sarah Goler. Billed as “Natural Wine & Rustic Cuisine,” their cute and clever watering hole is described as a cross between a wine bar and a farm to table restaurant. The pair further note that their wines can be summed up as “S.N.O.B.S.” given that they are S-ustainable, N-atural, O-rganic, B-iodynamic and S-mall Lot.

Will and Sarah are anything, but snobs. Rather, they are focused on simple ideas such as sustainable ingredients, fair practices and quality food and wine. To this end, they are working toward B-corp status for the business, which is named for a French grape variety (now finding a home in Uruguay). Yet, despite the name, the duo appear to be more inclined toward palindromes than toward Tannat itself, although it does garner a spot on the wine list, as evidenced by the inclusion of
TANNAT
wine & cheese
eseehc & eniw
TANNAT
at the top of the food menu.

On our first visit, I kicked off the evening with a rosé sparkler, while hubby homed in on the Pét-Nat.* We eventually strayed into the Orange Wine # section, which offers not one, not two, but 3 or 4 orange wines! To accompany our wine choices, we tasted a variety of small dishes including a sea bass crudo with sun-dried tomato and a porridge that featured a unique, perennial (and hence, more sustainable) grain called Kernza (See: https://landinstitute.org/our-work/perennial-crops/kernza/ for more information on this great (but, sadly not gluten-free, grain.)

The menu changes daily depending upon what’s available in the market. Visiting on back to back evenings, I can attest to the variance. The selection includes local cheeses, meat boards and some interesting spreads such as a butternut squash spread we enjoyed during our date night.

While the emphasis is on fresh and seasonal ingredients, the menu does sport a few recurring dishes such as house made pickled vegetables and Pao de Queijo, a Brazilian cheese bread, touted on the menu as being addictive, but which, thankfully, is delicious, but not as dangerous as advertised ? The menu also includes a category called, “But I Shoulds,” listing several different chocolate truffles, making it hard to resist a small bite of dessert.

The sophisticated and well curated list of wines can be enjoyed by the “splash,” glass or bottle. Splashes are generally quite generous and permit customers to enjoy a wide range of wines rather than committing to a full glass of something. Moreover, with unusual wines from the Jura and Slovenia starring grapes such as Trousseau and Rkatsiteli from well-regarded producers, guests are invited to venture outside their comfort zone of Chardonnay, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. For the less vinous-inclined, Tannat also has a selection of beers.

For our second visit, we explored more food and shifted our attention to the reds, sampling a Turley Cinsault and Domaine Ouled Thaleb’s Syrocco – a Syrah from Morocco that was on special that evening due to the wine class they had taught earlier in the day. Visits three and four provided the opportunity to taste the KTW Rkatsiteli Qvevri from Georgia (the country, not the state), an orange wine fermented in a clay amphora and a sparkling Arneis from Piedmont producer, Malvira.

Tannat offers two happy hours (happy, happy!) Monday through Friday; first at 5:00-7:00 and then again from 11:00 PM to close (2:00 AM), during which customers receive a discount on full glass prices. Wine school classes are held on Saturdays from 3:00-5:00.

In addition to bar seating, couples and trios can sit along the banquette and tables that run parallel to the bar, while larger groups are more easily accommodated at the high-top tables in the front of the room.

Shuttling between the bar and tables throughout the night, Helen Pitkowsky is warm, welcoming and knowledgeable. The experienced hospitality professional was lured uptown for the role and seems to very much enjoy her new post (and presumably the shorter commute – she’s a WaHi gal).

As I sat watching her on a Friday night, Helen greeted many customers by name and even reminded two men sitting at the bar that they had met each other previously. Her sincerity and kindness greatly add to the bar’s atmosphere and instill a true neighborhood vibe. And while I hope to spend less time at the bar than Norm Peterson, I do aspire to be a regular here; Helen already knows my name. Cheers to Tannat!

*Pét-Nat (short for Pétillant-naturel) is a sparkling wine produced in a more ancient and rustic production method, with the wine bottled prior to the completion of primary fermentation, thus trapping the carbon dioxide (a by-product of alcoholic fermentation) in the bottle and producing an effervescent wine.

#Orange wines are those produced with white grapes that have had some skin contact, thereby infusing some color – an orange hue – and are often given some intentional exposure to air, thereby imparting an oxidative character to the wines.

Tannat
4736 Broadway
New York, NY 10040
Monday to Sunday: 5PM to 2AM

Prosecco Superiore: The Perfect Partner for Celebrating Your Partner

Posted on by
Reply

While sparkling wine is chiefly associated with New Year’s Eve, I think it is an equally lovely accompaniment to Valentine’s Day! A glass of effervescent bubbles always elevates the occasion and, while it might be a so-called “Hallmark holiday,” there’s no reason not to celebrate love in all of its many forms.

There certainly is no specific sparkler for the holiday, but Prosecco Superiore is a great place to start for several reasons (For more details on what makes Prosecco Superiore so superior, please check out this previous article.) In particular, these Italian bubbles are becoming more well known and thus, easy to find on restaurants’ wine lists and retailers’ shelves. In addition, these wines carry the higher quality designation – DOCG – which signals to your date that you care about them to invest in the good stuff.

But, even better, this isn’t a major investment. These wines are generally priced under $25.00, so your upgrade in quality doesn’t break the bank. Plus, their popularity is well deserved – they are beautifully balanced, with a lovely mousse and floral and fresh fruit flavors such as pear, peach, apple and citrus.

Their lively acidity makes them very food friendly. Hence, they marry well at the table, but are easily well suited as an aperitif to kickoff the dining experience. Or, perhaps to toast an engagement at the end of a meal!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Tasting Notes

BiancaVigna Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Brut Prosecco Superiore 2015, Veneto, Italy, $23.00
This winery was established in 2004 by the brother and sister team of Elena and Enrico Moschetta. This wine is very floral on the nose with a slight note of spiced pear. It is dry and crisp on the palate, with white flowers, nectarine, pear and long length. It pairs especially well with food due to its vibrant acidity and clean finish.

 

Ruggeri Vecchie Viti Valdobbiadene DOCG Brut Prosecco Superiore NV, Veneto, Italy, $22.00
Produced from vines that average 80 to 100 years old, this wine has been given the designation “Vecchie Viti” (old vines). The nose is redolent of flowers and pears. The slightly off-dry palate displays medium to high acidity, with peach, pear and floral notes, along with long length. With its hint of sweetness, this wine would pair well with spicy foods or with rich, fatty meats.

 

 

Le Colture Fagher Valdobbiadene DOCG Brut Prosecco Superiore NV, Veneto, Italy, $16.00
The “Fagher” is the most modern in style of Le Colture’s Prosecco Superiore offerings, putting it at a
It offers up an intense nose of flowers, pear and slight citrus aromas. On the palate, it is dry with a creamy mousse, along with crisp acidity and citrus and green apple flavors, culminating in long length. Another food friendly option.