Category Archives: New York City

Putting Provence Rose on the Map and In Your Glass

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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.

 

 

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

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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.

Tannat: The Wine Bar Where Helen Knows Your Name

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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

And the winner is… Piper-Heidsieck kicks off award season in style

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Admittedly, I only saw one movie in an actual movie theater in all of 2017 and possibly only a handful of films via Netflix. Yet, there is still something magic about the movie business.

Thus, I roused myself out of bed at an ungodly hour (at least compared to my usual 8:00 AM alarm) to head downtown to the iPic Theaters in South Street Seaport to watch the presentation of the Oscar nominations for this year’s Academy Awards.

OK, it wasn’t just the glamour of Hollywood singing her siren song. A Champagne breakfast, courtesy of Piper-Heidsieck, was the more alluring bait. And, the breakfast didn’t disappoint; there are a lot of worse ways to start the day than with a fabulous glass of Champagne, smoked salmon and Eggs Benedict topped with caviar!

Piper-Heidsieck has long been associated with the movie industry, having first appeared on the scene (and screen) in Laurel and Hardy’s debut film, Sons of the Desert in 1933. In addition to serving as the official Champagne of the International Cannes Film Festival, the Champagne house continues to be the official Champagne of the Oscars, now in its fourth year of its partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In keeping with its tradition, Piper-Heidsieck has designed a special, limited-edition Magnum to mark the occasion. With the first Academy Awards held in 1929, this year heralds the 90th award season and the “label” (in fact, a gold foil appliqué that required a special process to adhere the graphic to the bottle) takes its cue from this “Golden Age” of Hollywood with an Art Deco design, created by a young, French designer.

While only a handful of these limited-edition bottles have been made (such is the definition of limited), the bubbles inside are not so limited and are available in Piper-Heidsieck’s regularly bottled, signature Cuvée Brut. So, although you may not win an Oscar yourself, you can simply pretend you did or raise a glass in honor of your own achievements, even if that only includes bingeing on the Oscar nominations in the lead up to the televised award ceremony on March 4, 2018.

Fierce, fabulous and Femme!

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Last week, my friend and Femme! Creator, Bernadette Pleasant, shot and produced a video to promote her amazing movement classes, Femme! This “fusion of sensual movement, dance, meditation, creative visualization and celebration of the feminine form” offers women a safe and sacred place in which to celebrate their bodies and themselves.

During the same week, in another feminine celebration, Carol Duval-Leroy was in New York to launch the re-release of Femme de Champagne 1996. Known as the “Lady of Champagne,” Carol has been at the helm of Duval-Leroy since 1991 and is now joined in the family business by her three sons. Duval-Leroy’s tête de cuvée (top wine) was named in Carol’s honor and was initially produced in 1990 to take advantage of the vintage’s unique weather conditions and the (then) newly built winery’s smaller tanks.

Femme de Champagne was next made in 1995, followed by the spectacular vintage of 1996. The 1996 vintage of Femme de Champagne was first released to rave reviews, garnering high scores from the wine media and prompting the Champagne house to hold back a substantial quantity for additional aging. These bottles were then carefully stored upside down in the caves to avoid any oxygenation. After spending 21 years on the lees (yeast), these wines were recently disgorged (had the lees removed) and are now ready to hit the U.S. market.

The 1996 vintage has repeatedly been hailed as one of the best Champagne vintages and one I have admittedly been partial to because it is also my anniversary year. But, the Femme de Champagne 1996 is worthy of the hype. It was a beautiful, breathtaking wine!

While I did not take formal tasting notes during the celebration, perhaps the most amazing characteristic of these wines (we also tasted the 1990 and 1995) was their youthful freshness. I know that their RD (recently disgorged) status lends itself to this fresh quality, but it was remarkable not to find any hint of age in the glass. There were no oxidative notes, no mushroom aromas; nothing to imply that these wines were as old as they were.

But, they did have spectacular elegance with laser sharp acidity, bright citrus fruit, complex yeast aromas, well-integrated bubbles and long length.

Established in 1859, Duval-Leroy is among the smaller Champagne houses in the Champagne region. With only 494 acres under its ownership, Duval-Leroy limits its production to estate grown grapes, which is quite unusual for a region in which the majority of large producers buy grapes from its many small growers.

Yet, despite its size, the House prides itself on its innovation and its number of “firsts” including Carol Duval-Leroy’s distinction of being the first and only woman to date to be appointed president of the Association Viticole Champenoise and having the first vat room in the world to use photovoltaic solar panels, a rainwater harvesting system and a green wall for heat and sound insulation. A further hallmark of Duval-Leroy is that its wines are released when ready, even if that means that they are out of sequence.

The woman-only event was held at Air’s Champagne Bar, which opened earlier this year. The unique venue is owned by Ariel Arce, named one of Wine Enthusiast’s 40 under 40 for 2017. In addition to having a deep menu of Champagne and other sparkling wines, Arce is also known for her Parlour Hour (5:00-7:00 PM daily) during which patrons can purchase three glasses of bubbly plus snacks for $30. Wednesday’s focus is on female winemakers, while Sundays offer a twist: serving up “one wine that we should never pour by the glass” along with snacks for the same $30. Not surprisingly, the menu includes an assortment of bubble-friendly food such as the oysters, caviar and charcuterie that were perfectly paired with the Femme de Champagne.

With a limited production, there won’t be much Femme de Champagne 1996 to go around, but it is currently availa ble at Morrell Wine for $295 if you wish to buy a bottle for yourself. After all, while Americans tend to save Champagne for a special occasion, Duval-Leroy’s export manager touted that the Champenois open a bottle of Champagne in order to create an occasion of the every day.

Certainly, enjoying a glass of Femme de Champagne will elevate any day of the year and we should always celebrate the feminine in all its forms!

Rediscovering botanical libations for Spring

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Spring has finally sprung in the northeast, bringing the season’s first flowers – cherry blossoms and tulips – and reminding me of our connection to the earth and its bounty. While regular wines are certainly among this bounty, aromatized wines might be an even better reflection of this bond, with their unique blend of botanicals. Fortified wines like Vermouth and Chinato, which are infused with local plants, both of which originated in Italy’s Piedmont region, were initially used for medicinal purposes before becoming an aperitif and digestif, respectively.

Although such wines had fallen out of fashion, they are re-emerging as hand-crafted products, bringing a fresh perspective to an old beverage category. On Long Island, Channing Daughters now produces six, different seasonally-centered Vermouth variations with herbs foraged from area farms. And, closer to their point of origin, these wines are being rediscovered as well, as evidenced by the duo launched in New York by Pio Cesare this week.

As one of the older producers in Alba, Pio Cesare has been making Barolos and Barbarescos since 1881. Today, the winery is in the capable hands of Pio Boffa, a member of the fourth generation, who is also joined by his nephew, Cesare Benvenuto, and daughter, Federica Boffa.

Like many traditional producers, the founders of Pio Cesare used to produce their own Vermouth and Chinato. However, by the 1950s, the market was flooded with poor quality Vermouth and Chinato making it a challenge for the Pio Cesare products to succeed, given their artisanal quality and thus, higher price. Not willing to compromise the quality of their product, Cesare’s great grandfather chose to stop production of them altogether.

But, now, as a demonstration of the winery’s flexibility and talent, Cesare and his cousin, Federica, have decided to relaunch these two classic wines. They have returned to their grandmother’s original recipe, faithfully following her directions in crafting them. They worked closely with a nearby grower friend to find the necessary ingredients. The Vermouth has Chardonnay as its base, sourced from their Piodilei vineyard. The wine is then flavored with 26 varieties of herbs, including Vermouth’s hallmark, wormwood, all of which have been macerated in alcohol for 15 days.

Similarly, the Chinato is based on Barolo from the 2012 vintage and is also made from grandma’s recipe. While it, too, is flavored with aromatic herbs, it’s primary flavor component is chinchona bark, from which quinine is derived, giving it its digestive properties.

These limited production (1,000 bottles each) wines hit the New York market this week, with the arrival of Cesare and Federica and their bottles, which sport updated versions of the historic labels.

The Vermouth, naturally colored with burnt sugar (as is traditional), is amber in hue, with a pronounced nose of orange, anise, dried herbs and spices. The medium-sweet palate is beautifully balanced by the lively acidity, resulting in a complex wine with good depth and long length. As an aperitif, it is a lovely alternative to a pre-dinner cocktail or one’s usual glass of wine given the bright acidity, which wakes up your palate. Moreover, the complexity of aromas and flavors presents a wonderful reminder to slow down and savor what’s in the glass, as you prepare yourself for the meal to come.

As a bookend to the same meal, the Chinato is a perfect after-dinner-drink and would pair well with chocolate desserts, but, of course, can be enjoyed on its own. With aromas and flavors of cocoa, berries, blood orange and dried spices, the Chinato is also medium sweet on the palate, with good acidity and long length.

Should you be in need of a good wine to drink with the meal, the Pio Cesare Barolo 2012, with grapes sourced from five single vineyards, is an excellent choice, given the vintage’s approachability and the wine’s beautiful cherry, mushroom and floral notes.

With its association as a key ingredient in Martinis and Manhattans, there is a tendency to want to use the Vermouth (and the Chinato) as a mixer, but I think that is a bit of a mistake. We had the opportunity to taste two cocktails using the newly launched wines, but their complexity and elegance got lost in translation as they competed against the other ingredients in the glass.

Yes, for many, the pleasures of Vermouth and Chinato are unknown and untried, but they are worthy of discovery (or rediscovery) as we welcome the warmer weather and its promise of abundance in the months ahead.

 

Fullerton Wines, from Scandinavia to Portlandia

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Admittedly, when I first received the invitation, I was hesitant. I had never heard of the winery before and the idea of schlepping out to Brooklyn on a cold winter’s night was not very appealing…until I Googled the restaurant. With its two Michelin stars and stellar reviews, Aska was very intriguing and seemed well worth the trip to the outer borough.

As we would discover, this Scandinavian restaurant is run by Swedish chef Fredrik Berselius, who truly redefined our notions of a Swedish chef (especially if the Muppet Show is firmly ensconced in one’s brains) and instilled a wonderful appreciation for this cuisine in us.

Getting off the M train at Marcy Street, we walked toward Manhattan, in the shadows of the Williamsburg bridge. After several blocks, we wondered if we were indeed walking all the way back to Manhattan, but finally we arrived at our destination and were ushered to a private room, which was immaculately set for our group.

Once we were all seated, our winery hosts immediately poured us a glass of their rosé and then provided us with an introduction to themselves: The Fullerton’s. It turned out that there was a method to the madness; the Fullerton’s have a direct connection to Scandinavia, which was why they had chosen this vaunted restaurant for the event, coincident with the winery’s debut in the New York and New Jersey markets.

Patriarch of the family, Eric Fullerton was raised in a Danish family and married a Swedish woman. The couple lived in Scandinavia with son, Alex, born in Denmark. A few years later, the Fullerton’s returned to the U.S. and settled in Oregon. Eric held C-level positions within the communications and security industries, but always had a passion for quality wine.

As a young child, Alex watched his parents enjoying wine at home and carried these observations to school – swirling and spitting out his milk, much to the chagrin of his kindergarten teacher – eventually developing his own vinous interest, which was cemented on a father-son trip to Champagne and Burgundy when Alex graduated high school.

In 2010, Alex was graduating from college with a degree in economics, but with no specific plan for a career or his future. He and dad visited Penner-Ash Wine Cellars together and discussed the idea of Alex entering the wine industry. Alex was keen on the idea and before the day was out, he had secured a harvest intern position at Penner-Ash. Dad sweetened the deal, offering to back Alex’s personal wine venture, if he pursued a degree in viticulture and enology, to which he readily agreed.

Alex followed his time at Penner-Ash with a harvest in New Zealand, before returning to the Willamette Valley and Penner-Ash and, later, a position at Bergstrom Wines. During this time, the two Fullerton men began making wine in the garage and scouting for vineyard blocks throughout the Valley. They also planted 400 vines in their backyard.

In 2012, Fullerton Wines was launched as a commercial venture with two separate lines: Three Otters and Fullerton. The Three Otters brand owes its origins to the three otters depicted in the Fullerton family coat of arms and a portion of the proceeds from each bottle helps to support the return of sea otters to the Oregon coast. The Fullerton brand includes its Five FACES line, named for all members of the Fullerton family: Filip, Alex, Caroline, Eric and Suzanne, as well as several single vineyard Pinot Noirs. To date, the winery produces 4,500 cases annually, but the goal is to reach 20,000 cases in the future.

Alex currently sources Pinot Noir fruit from several vineyards in the Willamette Valley. Both the Three Otters and Five FACES Pinots are the products of blending grapes from various vineyards (and appellations) to craft a consistent wine that marries the favorable characteristics from throughout the region. However, he has also identified a number of distinct vineyards that appeal to him as single vineyard wines. These wines are more expressive of an individual terroir and provide nice diversity within the Fullerton portfolio. As the family seeks to expand its production, they will need to identify other vineyards. Looking ahead, Alex noted that he hopes to focus on Eola-Amity Hills in sourcing additional fruit as he is particularly enamored with this micro-climate and the quality of grapes it produces.

As the meal progressed, we got to know Eric and Alex better, both their histories and their philosophies. There was a genuine warmth to this father and son’s relationship as they bantered back and forth, making jokes and good-naturedly teasing one another. In the end, it was clear that Eric has made a huge investment in his son, not just for their mutual love of wine, but because he is extremely proud of him.

While the wine was understandably the focal point of the evening, the 10-course meal was not to be overlooked. Each course was a stunning presentation of food, plate and flatware. Despite the lengthy evening, the food was engaging and not too heavy; only one course included meat and many were vegetarian. Among the more unique offerings were a crunchy snack of bladderwrack seaweed with a blue mussel emulsion; an earthy bowl of lichen served with chanterelles and a mushroom broth; and an intense pig’s blood pancake with rose petals and rosehip jam.

With the wonderful selection of Willamette Valley wines and the expertise of Aska’s kitchen, it was the perfect way to spend a New York night and definitely merited the journey to Brooklyn. It was certainly much easier to get to than Noma!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NB: Food images courtesy of Jared Skolnick.

TASTING NOTES

Three Otters Rosé 2015, Willamette Valley, OR, $18.00
First conceived in 2012, the Three Otters rosé began as a friendly competition between dad and son over which method to use to produce the wine. Afterward, they decided that a blend of the two methods was best and they have continued to follow this format ever since. The wine is refreshing and dry with bright strawberry aromas and flavors along with a hint of fresh herbs, culminating in long length.

Three Otters Chardonnay 2014, Willamette Valley, OR, $20.00
An all stainless-steel Chard, this wine lets the fruit shine through unimpeded by oak. The wine is high in acidity, with citrus and yellow apple notes, as well as a nice richness on the palate due to extended lees contact.

Fullerton Five FACES Chardonnay 2015, Willamette Valley, OR, $33.00
This barrel-fermented wine has only a small (9%) percentage of oak and thus the oak is very integrated, resulting in an elegant and beautiful Chardonnay with good acidity and long length.

Three Otters Pinot Noir 2014, Willamette Valley, OR, $20.00
A really nice entry-level Pinot Noir, this has no new oak, with the wine spending time in tanks and neutral barrels. Sourced and blended from eight different area vineyards, this wine offers up cherry and berry aromas and flavors with a slightly earthy undercurrent. Overall, it is light-bodied, fresh and approachable.

Fullerton Five FACES Pinot Noir 2014, Willamette Valley, OR, $33.00
This is the winery’s flagship wine with fruit sourced from several key vineyards. A beautiful wine with an intense and concentrated fruit nose of dark cherry, which persists on the palate and is joined by a hint of herbaceousness. It is rich, yet elegant with long length. Among the diners at our table, this seemed to be a fan favorite given the complexity of the wine and its reasonable price point.

Fullerton Croft Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014, Willamette Valley, OR, $45.00
The organically certified Croft Vineyard generates less of a diurnal shift yielding ripe grapes, with slightly less acidity than cooler sites. The result is a plushy, sensual Pinot with good black cherry and spice notes as well as some wet leaves in the long finish.

Fullerton Croft Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013, Willamette Valley, OR, $45.00
While sourced from the same grapes as the 2014 wine, 2013 was a more challenging vintage, marked with rains during harvest. Consequently, this wine has higher acidity than usual and more herbal character than the 2014.

Fullerton Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014, Willamette Valley, OR, $60.00
The Momtazi Vineyard is situated within the McMinnville AVA. With its bright acidity, ripe red cherry fruit, lush herbs and spice, and lovely long length, this was my favorite single vineyard wine of the evening.

Fullerton Fir Crest Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012, Yamhill-Carlton, OR, $75.00
Hailing from the old vines in the Fir Crest Vineyard, this wine possesses an extremely intense, heavy and concentrated nose and palate. It displayed some volatile acidity, along with dark red fruit and firm tannins; a steak-eater’s Pinot Noir. This wine provoked an interesting discussion among Alex and Eric since it is a style that Alex doesn’t enjoy, but that Eric would like to replicate for market purposes.

Taking Solace in the Solstice

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Astrologically, as we drift into winter, the period from late December to early February is a time for stillness and contemplation; a time to both relax and uplift your spirit.

As the old year draws to a close and the new one lingers on the horizon, the arrival of the Winter Solstice (on or about December 21) brings with it the shortest day – and longest night – of the year. From its Latin roots, we are reminded that on this day, the sun stands still; we can take a breath and look up at the stars.

Gazing upward, Orion greets us from his perch in this sky. Home to three of the 25 brightest stars, Orion’s gleaming placement among the stars permits him to be seen all over the world, regardless of hemisphere. This winter constellation, named for the myth of Orion, and seen so well amidst the darkness, poetically alludes to the regenerative powers of the sun as Orion’s own eyesight was restored by its healing rays. And, just south of his brilliant belt, Orion’s faithful companion, Sirius, also known as the Dog Star, literally sparkles as brightest star in the sky.

In olden days, this moment in the calendar marked the end of harvest (and all of the hard work it entailed) and signaled instead a time to celebrate. The festival of Saturnalia celebrated in Rome took place from December 17 to 25 – those Romans knew how to party!

So it was with a festive spirit that we took our cue from these ancient holidays and headed out on New Year’s Eve in our finest and toasted to the dawn of a new year with Louis Roederer Champagne at the Metropolitan Opera‘s Black Tie Gala (we know how to party, too!).

Now that New Year’s has come and gone and 2017 has recently arrived, the days are fresh with promise; the sparkle of a brand new year. Just around the corner, Imbolc awaits with its portent of lighter days and lighter hearts as the sun slowly returns.

But for now, it is the perfect time to pause, reflect, raise a glass and count our blessings. May they be as numerous as the bubbles in your glass of Champagne or other sparkling wine.

France and India, A Marriage Made in the Kitchen

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In an interesting twist to the typical press lunch, wine brand Vinadeis presented a subset of its portfolio alongside Indian cuisine at New York City’s Junoon restaurant.  Named for the Hindi word for passion, the Michelin-starred, fine dining establishment fuses together India’s culinary history and the Chef’s modern sensibility. Wine Director, Michael Dolinski carefully curated the restaurant’s existing menu to identify the best pairings to show off the selection of whites, rosés and reds.

Formerly known as Val d’Orbieu, Vinadeis was founded in Corbières back in 1967. The company has now expanded its purview beyond the borders of Languedoc and includes activities in the Rhone Valley as well as in Bordeaux. Today, there are approximately 20,000 hectares of vineyards under its management.

While many of its projects involve bulk wine, large brands and cooperatives, Vinadeis is especially proud of the estates and chateaux under its umbrella. Benoit Roussillon, Head of North America for Vinadeis (pictured above), was quick to point out that behind each estate, there is a family and a story. And, moreover, their aim is to respect the story of those families in pursuit of crafting the highest quality wines.

Held just the week before the Thanksgiving holiday, a time when many consumers panic about the best wine(s) to serve with the cacophony of food on the bountiful table, the Vinadeis event was a unique illustration of how well the French wines lent themselves to an unlikely pairing of the diverse flavors and textures of Indian food. Presented family-style, attendees had the opportunity to sample several dishes with each course, matched with two or three wines.

The luncheon first kicked off with Butter Garlic Shrimp and Saloni Macchi, a salmon dish, served with pickled cucumber, onion relish. These two dishes were paired with the rosé and white.

The dry and fresh Château de Jonquières Rosé Cuvée Cersius 2015 AOP Languedoc, a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Cinsault, matched nicely with the shrimp with its cherry and herb aromas and flavors. Situated near Narbonne, the Château de Jonquières property was previously a Cistercian granary, which belonged to the Abbey of Fontfroide.

The 100% Chardonnay Domaine de Cazelles Verdier, Les pierres qui chantent 2015 IGP Pays d’Oc, was unusually aged in Acacia wood, given it a woody and spicy, yet not oaky, flavor with lots of cloves, and married beautifully with the salmon. Owned by the Verdier family since 1713, Domaine de Cazelle Verdier is known for its chalky soils.

The Murg Roulade Korma – minced chicken with a purée of nuts – was served with two reds: Château Notre Dame du Quatourze Rouge Nautica 2014, AOP Languedoc and Domaine de Cazelles Verdier, Les pierres qui chantent 2014, AOP Minervois. Both wines are Rhone-style blends with Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Carignan.

Presently owned by Georges and Suzanne Ortola, the name Chateau Notre Dame du Quatourze refers to a tax paid to the castle (formerly owned by the archdiocese) by the local farmers. This unoaked red is organic and biodynamic, with nice, bright red fruit.

From the same producer as the Chardonnay, the Domaine de Cazelles Verdier Minervois offers up intense, concentrated red and black fruit.

The third course consisted of Awadhi Raan, a leg of lamb with saffron and nuts; Nadru Matar Makhana with lotus root, English peas, and roasted tomato sauce; and Daal Makhni, black lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas in a tomato cream sauce, as well as sides of Pulao Rice and Butter Naan.

With this last set of savory dishes, we headed to Bordeaux for a trio of reds: Château Valade “Cuvée Renaissance” 2012, AOP Saint-Émilion Grand Cru; Château Brown 2012, AOP Pessac-Léognan; and Prieuré des Couleys de Meyney 2010, AOP Saint-Estèphe.

The Merlot-dominant (90%) Château Valade “Cuvée Renaissance” 2012 was bright with red fruit and slight spice notes. The property has been in the family since 1878, with the current generation Paul and Lorette Valade at the helm for more than 30 years.

With an almost equal proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the Château Brown 2012 displayed darker red fruit, with a plush texture and firmer tannins. The chateau dates to the medieval period but was named for the Scottish merchant John Lewis Brown, in the late 18th century.

Given its blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Petit Verdot, the Prieuré des Couleys de Meyney 2010 was the most full-bodied and tannic of the three, with lots of black fruit, herbal, spice and cedar aromas and flavors. Originally built as a convent, the Château de Meyney property dates to 1662, placing it among the oldest in the Médoc.

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Life’s Lessons from Puppets

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Handspring Puppet Company’s Il Riturno d’Ulisse Photo Credit: Caitlin Ochs for The New York Times

While much of the world seems to be overrun by robots (witness Stephen Colbert’s repeated references to them and Westworld), I have always been more intrigued by puppets, starting with the purchase of a marionette at the Howe Caverns’ gift shop. A treasured memory was watching a bunraku performance in Osaka, Japan many years ago.

Puppetry has always been a passion for Adrian Kohler and Basil Jones, which is why the two Cape Town residents founded Handspring Puppet Company in 1981. Although they are perhaps best known for their work in designing the puppets for the Tony Award-winning War Horse, it was their recent staging at the Lincoln Center’s White Light Festival that served as my introduction to them and their company.

A mashup of puppets, opera and Avant Garde film, Handspring Puppet Company’s  1998 collaboration with Director William Kentridge – The Return of Ulysses – is stunning example of the theater’s ability to surprise, delight and make us think and is truly in keeping with the Festival’s aim in exploring the power of art and music to reveal the complexity of our interior lives.

Based on the opera by Claudio Monteverdi, one of the earliest opera composers, The Return of Ulysses tells the story of the final chapters of Homer’s Odyssey: Ulysses’ reunion with Penelope at the palace in Ithaca. Written in the same year as circulation was discovered (1640), Handspring and Kentridge reimagined the stage as that of an operating theater (historically, people would pay money to watch medical operations as theater) and animated footage from the History of the Main Complaint is displayed on a screen in the background.

As the show opens, the singers are accompanied by historical instruments played by the Ricercar Consort, named from the Italian word ricercare – to seek – and apropos of the story as Ulysses seeks to return home to his wife. The prologue introduces Human Frailty, Fortune, Love and Time, as they discuss Ulysses’ life and fate, and I am struck by the words, “My limbs are weak, but I have wings.” A fitting anthem for malaise of the times.

Later, in a post-performance discussion with Kohler and Jones, we are given more insight into the unusual triad among singer, puppeteer and puppet to work in harmony with one another. Furthermore, they admonish the singers to look up at their respective puppets and to show their breath – both of which are inimical to an opera performer’s training. But, as Jones and Kohler point out, without such an approach, the work falls flat – breath is indeed life.