Category Archives: Wine Bar

A Discovery of Riches: The Perfect Pairing of Piave DOP and Garda DOC

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This month, we heard reports of a NASA summer intern, Wolf Cukier, who discovered a new planet. Pretty heady stuff! These days, it is challenging to discover anything new under the sun. We live in a world where we’ve been there, done that and, with globalization, there is a homogenization of culture that pervades. Yet, we still treasure unique products and delight in the discovery of new finds.

Twenty years ago, in search of novel and noteworthy products to sell, Lou Di Palo, head of his family’s business, was fortunate to come across a then-unheard of Italian cheese: Piave. Bringing his new-found discovery to America (or at least to the Italian cheese and specialty shop established in 1903 by his great-grandfather, Savino Di Palo), Lou introduced New Yorkers to this wonderful artisan cheese.

Lou Di Palo

Today, Piave DOP Cheese has become a beloved staple of the American market, finding shelf space in major supermarkets as well as in specialty stores. This traditional cheese hails from the Belluno province near the northern tip of the Veneto region, amidst the Dolomite Mountains.

Historically, the area has been known for its dairy cattle since the 1700s, but as the rural economy declined in the wake of industrialization, it was the cooperative dairies that saved the industry during the 1800s. Yet, despite this lengthy history, the Piave cheese as we know it, named for the local Piave River, dates from 1960. And, more recently, the Piave Consorzio was established in 2010 to protect the brand and quality of the cheese, with an average of 300,000 wheels produced annually.

A hard, cooked, cow’s milk cheese, these cylindrical cheeses are made from fresh milk sourced solely from within the mountain province and limited to three types of cow: Italian Brown, Italian Spotted Red and Italian Friesian (aka Holstein). A special culture from the area accounts for the cheese’s characteristic taste, which is further influenced by its aging process, with flavor intensifying over time. As the cheese ages, the curd becomes darker and harder and the rind increases in thickness and color. Due to the fermentation process involved in its production, it has a low lactose content compared to some other cheeses.

With its fresh, medium, aged and extra old age designations, there are several different options available:
–Piave Fresco (20-60 days)
-Piave Mezzano (61-180 days)
-Piave Vecchio (>180 days)
-Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro (more than 12 months)
-Piave Vecchio Riserva (more than 18 months)

Regardless of your preference, the rich, nutty flavors of the cheese pair well with wine. In this regard, a recent press event hosted at Di Palo’s newest venture: C. Di Palo wine bar, showcased the pairing ability of the cheeses with the wines of
Garda Spumante DOC. These wines, named for Lake Garda and produced just 100 miles away from the Piave DOP area, offered up a fresh and effervescent option to cleanse one’s palate in between bites of cheese. Guests at the happy hour were invited to sample the Piave Mezzano and Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro in their unadulterated, delicious form, as well as a range of dishes prepared by Di Palo’s chef, utilizing both the cheeses and the wines in his recipes.

As Italy’s largest lake, Lake Garda splits its regional allegiance down the middle, with Lombardy to the west and the Veneto to the east. Here, drying breezes and the moderating influence of the lake permit the grapes to ripen sufficiently, while maintaining their bright acidity.

Established in 1996, the corresponding Garda DOC wine area encompasses the cities of Brescia, Mantua, Verona and is home to 10 appellations situated at the southern curve of the lake. It overlaps with other appellations, including the more well-known appellations (aka denominations) of Lugana, Custoza, Valpolicella, Bardolino, Soave and Valdadige.

Although the denomination permits the production of whites, rosés and reds, the core production centers on sparkling wines with 7 million bottles produced annually, with an estimated production increase to 20 million bottles in the next few years. These sparkling (aka spumante) wines may be made using either the Traditional (that used in Champagne) or Charmat (used in Prosecco production) Methods, depending upon the individual producer’s personal preferences. The white Garda DOC Spumante may use Garganega, Pinot Grigio, Trebbiano or Chardonnay, while the Rosé Garda DOC Spumante is produced from Corvina, Rondinella, Pinot Nero or Merlot. The wines range from Brut Nature (no sweetness) to Demi-Sec (dessert style) wines.

With the luscious cheese dishes served alongside the fragrant sparkling wines, it was a perfect evening of food and wine pairings. All in all, a delicious discovery and an embarrassment of riches!

C. Di Palo wine bar with its meticulous finishes. The beautifully restored sequoia wood on the bar and walls comes from a reclaimed water tower.

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

Felice: Happiness in a bottle

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felice_famiglia
When I was first invited to taste the new wines from Fattoria Sardi Giustiniani with co-owner Jacopo Giustiniani at his wine bar, Felice 83, I politely declined. I had no time or interest to schlep all the way across town. Plus, private label wines? Who cared? I buy Stop & Shop’s private label groceries all the time, but certainly don’t need to taste test them. Thanks, but no thanks!

However, when the press agent invited me to meet with Jacopo privately during a much quieter week, I decided she’d earned points for persistence and said yes. Additionally, having just enrolled in Italian classes, I had the misguided notion that I could practice my limited language skills with him.

Arriving at Felice 64, Jacopo’s other Upper East Side location (a third location opened in the Financial District in September), my first thought was that the wine bar itself was really nice. Jacopo later pointed out design details – such as demijohns used as lighting fixtures and the marble-topped bar –that had been inspired by his native Tuscany, further adding to the charm and overall ambiance. My second thought was that I had been crazy to think that I could conduct the meeting in anything other than English.

Getting down to the business at hand, the handsome and charming Jacopo proceeded to share his story with me (perhaps if the initial invitation had included his photo I may not have been so quick to turn it down?). Ten years ago, Jacopo’s grandfather, Sebastiano, passed away, leaving the family vineyards located in Lucca to Jacopo’s father. While the land has been in his family for 200 years, it had never been a true business…until now. Jacopo’s father, an engineer like Sebastiano, didn’t have the time or interest to do much with the vineyards, but, at age 22, just starting out in his career, Jacopo knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur. Fondly remembering visits to his grandfather and seeing him having fun on the tractor and in the cellar, Jacopo saw the vineyards as an exciting challenge. After earning his master’s degree, Jacopo completed an internship at Antinori . His younger brother, Matteo, only 18 at the time of Sebastiano’s death, eventually pursued formal training in oenology, studying first in Florence and then in Bordeaux, serves as the winemaker.

This joint focus on Italy and France carries through to the vineyard. Conquered by Napolean in 1805, Lucca was given to his sister, Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, to administer. As a principality of France, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and others were planted in Lucca back in the 1800s. Thus, while the Super Tuscan movement adopted many of the French varieties back in the 1960s and 1970s, the Lucca area (and its Colline Lucchesi DOC) has long embraced red and white French grapes.

Today, in this same tradition, the Giustiniani lands are planted to both French and Italian grapes, with the latter varieties including Vermentino and Sangiovese. Jacopo was quick to point out that the local Vermentino differs from the clone found in Sardegna and produces wines with much more minerality. Situated in northwest Tuscany, the vineyards are only a few kilometers from the sea and thus benefit from its cooling influence. This, coupled with a good shift in day to night temperatures, keeps the wines fresh.

The family’s philosophy, as espoused by Jacopo, is that wine is meant to go with food and in this regard, their wines have good acidity, concentrated fruit flavors and some complexity, but do not overpower the palate (or the plate). In addition, both grape and oak tannins are carefully controlled. As Jacopo joked, “I want to drink, not chew, my wine.”

In total, there are seven wines currently available in the Fattoria Sardi Giustininiani portfolio, along with three Felice-labeled wines (bianco, rosato and rosso ). (NB: Both rosés are out of stock until the next vintage.)

Tasting through the portfolio, I was extremely impressed with the wines. Along with the aforementioned minerality, the Vermentino 2011 had nice citrus notes along with an almost briny character and bracing acidity; a perfect foil for shellfish.  The Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (the first vintage of this wine) is more Bordeaux than Marlborough, with citrus, herbal, slight oak and good structure due to the six months it spent in used barrels. While showing nicely now, Jacopo and I agreed that the wine will continue to develop in bottle over the next several months.  Meanwhile, the Felice Bianco 2011, a blend of Chardonnay and Grechetto, offered rich tropical fruit and vanilla. Yet, despite its ripeness and full body, the wine was still fresh and well balanced.

Reds include the Villa Sardi Rosso 2010, which brings together Sangiovese, Merlot and Moscato Nero. This refreshing red is deceptive in that it has a certain earthy depth to it in spite of its lighter body and dominant cherry, strawberry and floral notes. The Fattoria Sardi Rosso 2010 is a blend of Syrah and Colorino, with a drop of Sangiovese. With firm tannins, earth, meat and black cherry flavors, this is a decidedly savory styled wine. Like its counterpart, the Felice Rosso 2009 is a bit fruitier than the others, with ripe cherry and plum notes taking precedence over the secondary notes. But, again, this wine has an approachable style without being dumbed down or losing its elegance. Finally, the Fattoria Sardi “Sebastiano” 2008, named in honor of grandpa, is primarily Merlot (80%) and was aged in oak barrels for 18 months, followed by 12 months in bottle, prior to its release. It is showing some development with well-integrated oak characteristics, coupled with plum, black cherry, cedar and spice. It is richly layered with silky tannins and long length and could certainly be laid down for a few years.

Beyond their availability at the Felice franchise, given Jacopo’s ties to Sant Ambroeus (he is the Wine Director and his uncle is the owner) as well as to Casa Lever (another family project), these wines are also on these restaurants’ lists. A handful of other restaurants (Marea, Locanda Verde, Felidia, Maialino and Otto) carry them, too.  On the retail front, look for the wines at De-Vino Wine Boutique (although its website doesn’t currently have any available) and Italian Wine Merchants (which has the Sebastiano Merlot for $36.99).

Morrell: The Wine Bar with the Stellar Cellar

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Given its position steps away from Rockefeller Center, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Morrell Wine Bar is just for tourists. Sure, its location is attractive to out-of-towners visiting NBC Studios (or, the tree, at Christmas), but the bar also draws wine celebs, such as author Leslie Sbrocco and her publicist Kristen Green, and other afficiandos with its stellar cellar.

In this regard, Morrell’s offers 125 wines by the glass and 800 by the bottle. By-the-glass options range from the easy-drinking, Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontés 2010 from Argentina at $9.00/glass to more serious options such as the Kistler, “Les Noisetiers,” 2009 from Sonoma Mountain at $30.00.

The overall wine list, as well as the featured flights, changes weekly as wines are sold out and new ones are added.

Moreover, their “Best of the Best” flight provides an opportunity to taste highly allocated, cult wines not available elsewhere. For example, on a recent visit, the line-up included Peter Michael ‘Belle Côte’ Chardonnay 2009, Château d’Esclans “Garrus” Rosé 2009, Marcassin Three Sisters Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006, Joseph Phelps Insignia 2006 and Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 2006.

Unfortunately, this special flight is off the menu for a few weeks, but will return the day after Labor Day through Thanksgiving. Although these wines are available to order by the glass, the $99.00 flight is an amazing value compared to purchasing the wines by the glass on their own (each is about $40.00/glass).

Situated next door to its sister establishment, Morrell’s retail store works in close concert with the bar. With the chance to try before you buy, patrons can sample by the glass prior to splashing out on a full bottle or case.

Both off-premise and on-premise lists are managed by Morrell’s wine buyer, Jean Reilly, a newly minted MW with a penchant for Pinot and sky-diving. When buying wine, Jean always keeps the customer in mind. For example, she notes that she sometimes comes across wines that don’t suit her particular taste, but looks past that and tries to focus on the quality and how well that wine represents a particular style.  Jean further adds, “Retailing is very competitive and as a buyer, I feel like I have to keep my eye on the customer 24/7.”

Additionally, Jean explains that wines that pair well with food are also a big emphasis of hers. She acknowledges that wine pairing has become more challenging with many of the current trends in food, such as the chiles that pop up in unexpected places or fruit-based sauces on a main course. In response, she has shifted her attention to reds with little to no tannin to compliment this type of cuisine. More specifically, Jean has introduced several New Zealand Pinots and a red from the Jura region of France at the Morrell Wine Bar, both of which have proven to be fabulous partners for the bar’s food.

On nice days, take advantage of the coveted outdoor dining or sit inside either at a table or the bar. Beyond beverages, the food is inventive and fresh. Roasted red beets are served with crème fraiche, while a salad combines roasted peaches with fennel and a triple-cream Pierre Robert. The seasonal menu makes it just as easy to order dinner as it is to eat more lightly with its small and shared plates. And, local ingredients are sourced whenever possible; a current menu item is accented with honey made on a midtown roof-top.

Open seven days a week, the kitchen and bar begin at 11:30 AM Monday through Saturday, with food available until 10:00 PM and beverages until 11:00 PM. A truncated schedule is presented on Sundays with brunch and drinks served from 12:00-4:00 PM.

Morrell’s frequently offers classes and special events at both the store and bar. On Fridays from now through Labor Day, in-store tastings and Wine Bar promotions will showcase Champagne, with representatives from the wineries on hand to answer questions.

August 19, 2011
Goerg Champagne store tasting from 4:00-6:00 PM and Wine Bar tasting from 6:00-7:00 PM*

August 29, 2011
Roederer Champagne store tasting from 4:00-6:00 PM and Wine Bar tasting from 6:00-7:00 PM*

*Two-for-one flutes of select Champagne will be also available after 7:00 PM.

Happy Hours at Ardesia

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On St. Paddy’s Day, we decided to eschew the typical Irish pub in favor of Ardesia Wine Bar, which is no longer new (it opened back in Fall 2009), but was still new to us.

Ardesia runs a fantastic Happy Hour special, which is actually a joyous two hours (5:00 – 7:00 PM) during which time, five wines (1 sparkling, 2 whites and 2 reds) are available by the glass at $6.00 each. And, these aren’t bargain basement wines or plonk; these are the same wines that magically become worth $9, $10 or $11 per glass when the clock strikes 7:01 PM and include a nice assortment of unusual wines.

On the night in question, the offerings included a sparkling rose from France, a Pedro Ximenez (aka PX) from Chile, Alois Lageder Pinot Bianco from northern Italy, an Il Frappato from Sicily and a Chilean Syrah. The PX was a surprise to me since the grape is most frequently grown in the Sherry region of Spain and used in the production of a dessert wine. Dried out in the sun, the pX grapes become shriveled and concentrated in their sugars, yielding deep, dark, extremely sweet wines. This dry, white PX was very refreshing and a great way to kick off the evening. Perhaps it was just the power of suggestion/connection, but I thought I detected just an undercurent of raisin, which I associate with PX’s from Spain.

My friend Elise selected the Il Frappato, which was light-bodied and fruit-centric, similar in style to a Beaujolais. The Frappato grape is indigenous to Sicily and its fresh and lively fruit was a welcome addition to the warmth of the day. The wine selections not on the Happy Hour special were also interesting and original, with very few wines on offer from the U.S. The sole California Chardonnay is by noted producer Au Bon Climat.

Our appetites were whetted, so we chose to order some light bites as well. The plate of olives ($3.00) was generously filled and the home-made pretzels ($6.00), served with a bechamel/cheese sauce and a spicy mustard (my life keeps coming back to mustard lately), were totally worth the calories. We also enjoyed a chicken liver mousse, topped with an apple sauce, bringing a nice yin-yang balance of acidity from the apples to the richness of the mousse.

For our second glasses of the evening, we shifted to the Syrah, which we also liked. Our server stopped by a few minutes before 7:00 to check in and see if we wanted to get in a final order of $6.00 wine before the price went up, but we declined to indulge in any additional alcohol. Instead, we lingered for quite some time over our nearly depleted dishes and fumes of wine without being rushed or pushed to leave, which we greatly appreciated. We finally chose to depart around 8:00 PM, with a very reasonable tab of $25.00/person.

Before heading out the door, I visited the restroom and noticed that the interior side of the bathroom doors were lined with slate. Previous patrons had left their mark, but I guess the establishment is BYOC — bring your own chalk — as I didn’t see any for my own use.