wine of the night: 2009 Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup 'Tour de Pierres'

A natural, unfiltered wine grown biodynamically, this Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre blend drinks well and a great value at only $18. The three brother operation at Ermitage de Pic Saint Loup has been biodynamic since 1999 and their goal is to show the terrior of their high altitude Languedoc vineyards through their wines. Ermitage makes five wines, this blend labelled as Tour de Pierres. Its bright and balanced, and shows especially well when paired with food. I found it delicious with roasted tomatoes over fried polenta and goat cheese!

It's always surprising to me how people respond to the conversation of biodynamic wines. As a sustainability consultant by day and simply a person who prefers natural over heavily processed, it's an obvious choice for me. I also find these wines more interesting- both in the glass and the story behind the bottle. But so many people either dismiss the notion of natural wine as nonsense (usually condescendingly) or they simply don't understand the various terms and meanings behind 'organic/natural/biodynamic.' Perhaps thats a blog post for other time! But for now, let me leave you with this. If you want to venture into the biodynamic wine world, start with this Tour de Pierres, why not!? It's not a funky wine, just a great Syrah blend. You'll feel great that the guys behind this wine are making sure that you drink great wine without added acids, no artificial yeasts, and no harmful pesticides or fertilizers.

wine of the night: 2010 Quattro Mani Piemonte Barbera

Another nice simple wine for those of you who are trying to conserve a bit during the weeknights of this holiday season. This 2010 Barbera by Quattro Mani, which means four hands (hmm, two people???) is a great deal at $14. Most importantly, it drinks well, a bit better than $14 in my opinion, and the grapes are harvested sustainability. Not complex, but pleasant with the acidy and structure that I would expect from a Barbera. Great with an easy pasta dinner, or in my case, the standard fried egg sandwich.

Two Dudes Quattro Mani produces wines with the help of celebrity winemakers, using sustainable and biodynamic wine making practices, that express a regions terroir through their more traditional grapes. They have even been working with Movia, a winery well known for their dedication to biodynamic principles- and pretty fantastic wine.

wine of the night: Tintero Rosso

Easy going and modest. That pretty much sums up this Italian red. It's bright, dry and just a pleasant bottle to pour after a busy day. And it's super affordable at $12 a bottle. I drank this wine with triscuits and gorgonzola, and sometimes that is all you need!

Cheers!

odd couple

Yeah I know, I haven’t posted in awhile. But with a few computer issues resolved, I’ll just jump right back in...

I recently had the chance to enjoy a Pithos COS wine; a blended red wine from Sicily of Nero d’Avola and Frappato, fermented and aged in clay pots called amphora. It was one of those ethereal, mind blowing moments; it was everything I ever wanted in a wine! Fast forward a few weeks and I wanted more. Unfortunately my monetary situation left me with a choice that day- wine or groceries, and clearly I chose wisely. I opted for another COS wine, a 2010 Frappato not fermented in an amphorae (but concrete tanks rather).

Right out the bottle it was bursting with cherries. I let is sit as I cooked and about 30 minutes later it evolved so beautifully. The cherries has calmed themselves and the juice became earthy but still bright, with mineral notes, pleasant acidity, and just a touch of funk. Remembering my low financial status, literally the only whole food I had was sweet potatoes. So I chopped those babies up, roasted them with loads of cinnamon, cayenne, and some walnuts. A weird combination I know. But it somehow worked- in fact it was quite awesome. It was the lingering flavors of Thanksgiving with a great Italian red.

style pairing: 2006 Nibio Dolcetto

Earthy and cozy. Enjoy outside with friends around a fire. Extra points for a fall sweater!

blouse reiss, cropped fall sweater rag & bone, shorts alice+olivia, hasbeens, do-it-yourself hat

biodynamic dolcetto $14.99

wine of the night: 2009 La Clarine Farm Syrah

"What is the role of the farmer? To promote life and to help set up an ecosystem as close to Nature as possible, whereby natural processes and systems can function." - La Clarine Farm

Natural and sustainable wines don't simply make a wine drinker feel better about their wine selection; there are real, tangible benefits. One of my favorite attributes of natural wines is their ability to evolve so beautifully over the course of a few days. I opened this La Clarine Farm Syrah last night and enjoyed a small glass, full of flavor and lots of fruit. Tonight, the tannins are smoother, more pleasing. The fruit flavors are still there albeit a bit more subdued, and slight game and mineral flavors are apparent. I'm looking forward to what day three will bring.

La Clarine Farms takes a natural approach to making their wines; with a hands-off farming philosophy to let the vines create their own symbiotic relationships within their environs. This means no chemicals, no fertilizes and minimal alteration. This may also mean no headache or hangover for you, but it certainly provides for a healthy vineyard and prospering environment.

here's to us!

Happy Anniversary New York! This month marks one year since I moved to the city. Some cannot understand the desire to live here, but right now, I wouldn't have it any other way. I adore my teeny studio apartment, the ease of public transportation, and the ability to do almost anything here. It truly is a wonderful and inspirational place. So here's to you New York; if it weren't for you, this blog may not exist.

And to celebrate in style, I pulled out a gift from my father; a 2006 Stag's Leap S.L.V. Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. What a beautiful wine! Honestly though, I was nervous. I know it's a "nice" bottle, but sometimes Napa Valley Cabs are just too fruit forward for me. So new school (new world wine), neglecting the subtle earthy attributes of the old school (old world wines). But, what a wonderful celebration wine! Kind of dirty (that's a compliment) with bright cherry flavors. It's balanced with pleasant tannins and acidity. From this evening's experience, I can tell you it's great to drink before dinner, during, and afterward.

Thanks Dad!

wine of the night: 2007 Hendry Primitivo

The other night I was able to spend one of the last official  days of the summer by enjoying the season's bounty. Pasta loaded with roasted vegetables right from the garden. Better yet, the base sauce was made from tomatoes, also from the garden. It's amazing how food is so much more enjoyable when its grown in  your own garden (or in my case, my family's garden).

I was in the mood for a red wine with this meal so I chose a 2007 Primitivo from Hendry Wines of Napa Valley. I don't have extensive experience with Primitivo, but I do love Zinfandel and the Primitivo grape is similar. In fact, both grapes are genetically identical. Primitivo is slightly different in that the grapes are smaller and the grape bunches are less dense. It is expected that the Zinfandel grape is larger due to selective cloning from California wine makers to produce higher yields. According to the Hendry website, Primitivo is "a lower-tannin, higher fruit-and-acid red wine" compared to Zinfandel.

So how was it? Well, I wished I would have selected a not so fruit forward and heavy wine. It just didn't work with the meal, like a fruit bomb out to destroy the earthy and complex vegetable flavors of my dinner. The wine itself was very good however with nice tannins and lots of fruit flavors to ponder. I 'm excited to drink it again, with dark chocolate, as Hendry suggests. I would also like to compare their Primitivo to their Zinfandel- perhaps a post for another time!

Cheers and Enjoy! Just watch that sneaky 15.2% ABV.

wine of the night: 2006 Hestan 'Meyer Vineyard' Cabernet Sauvignon

More like today's wine of the afternoon, this Napa Cab just punched me in the face and I liked it. Tongue dry, mouth (and eyes) watering, instantly drunk. Apparently not meant to be an afternoon wine, but rather a big, bold, classically fruit-driven Napa Cab to enjoy with a big, bold dinner. Or sip late night, paired with cigar aromas swirling in the evening air.

2006 Hestan 'Meyer Vineyard' Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, $54.99

Enjoy! For me, it's afternoon nap time.

pizza lovin': Franny's

What's better than pizza and wine? That's right, nothing; well except really good pizza and really good wine. Once a month I'll be seeking out a New York restaurant to enjoy a pie and a glass. Occasionally I'll even attempt to make my own pizza. To kick-start this wonderful journey of pizza gastronomy, I chose Franny's, located in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

First, you should know my background with pizza. Growing up, my mother made her own pizza, completely from scratch. Freshly made dough, the sauce was a puree of roasted tomatoes from the garden, and although she still has yet to make her own mozzarella, I'm sure she is up for the challenge. Basically, I love pizza. The simpler (just tomato sauce, cheese, and basil) and more rustic, the better.

Back to Franny's; dinner started off with a glass of white and appetizers, then slowly transitioned to a full body, bold red to enjoy with the pizza. I can't say that I loved the appetizers;  1. a plate of swordfish, thinly slices radishes and parsley lightly dressed in olive oil and 2. fried green tomatoes. Good, but nothing to write home about. The glass of white, a 2010 Alois Lageder Muller-Thurgau Dolomiti from Trentino Alto Adige, Italy was recommended by the waitress, and it was fabulous. Well balanced, and reminiscent of a Riesling with flowers and honeysuckle, balanced by the wine's acidity.

After an unimpressive first course, I was skeptical about the pizza. All skepticism left after my first bite though. The crust was thin in the middle, light and fluffy around the edges, and the sauce was perfect. Fresh, zesty, perfect for a summer pizza. The mozzarella was not overdone as it often is, but more basil would have been welcome. Overall, this was a fantastic pizza! And the wine!! Ooooooo the wine! Again with the waitress' advice, we settled on  the 2008 Foradori Teroldego Rotaliano, and like the white wine, from Trentino Alto Adige, a North Eastern region of Italy. A dry bold red wine that I cannot wait to drink again.

Next time, I'm skipping the appetizers and going straight to a pizza and a bottle.

Side note; It's get even better! Franny's is an environmentally conscious company, sourcing organic/local/real food. Read about it here.

wine of the night: 2010 Chilean Syrah

It's been a busy week but Sunday is here; a day of rejuvenation and preparation for the week ahead. So tonight I'm settling down with a glass of Vina Quintay's 2010 Clava Coastal Reserve Syrah from Casablanca Valley, Chile. It's a very young wine and slightly hot (read: a touch alcoholic on the finish), but not unbalanced. Blackberries, chocolate, and very slight pepper flavors appear. A Syrah that is very drinkable and enjoyable; a great wine to bring with you when visiting friends for the night, or just for relaxing on a Sunday evening.

Cheers!

Vina Quintay 2010 Syrah, $13

wine of the night: 2007 Vignoble Guillaume Pinot Noir

One of the great things about having a dark, 100+ year old root cellar to store wine is that every once in a while a bottle of something you thought you were out of, is found. Of course, I do not have the luxury of having my own root cellar in Brooklyn, but I can share in the excitement of uncovering the once lost and forgotten wines at my parents' house in Pennsylvania.

This makes the wine of the night a 2007 Vignoble Guillaume Pinot Noir, recently found in the depths of said cellar (a photo of the cellar would have been nice- I'll try for one in the upcoming months!). Although not typically a huge fan of Pinot Noir, I love this Pinot! It's a crisp and tart wine with intense raspberry. A really nice wine for summer afternoons, like right now!

wine pairing: father's day shrimp and crab boil

Delicious food, loud laughter, a bit of banter and lots of wine. This is how I spent Father's day at my parents house in Pennsylvania Sunday night. There is something amazing about being around my mother's gardens, my father's cooking, and my awesome family that provides the perfect break from the city every once in awhile. 

With a family full of oenophiles, Sunday provided the perfect opportunity for a group wine pairing. My father cooked up a shrimp and crab boil. A slightly spicy, southern concoction of crab legs, sausage, mushrooms, garlic (the entire bulb was boiled and allowed us to squeeze the garlic cloves onto our food like small packets of ketchup!), corn, shrimp, mussels, and clams. With so much seafood, I instinctively decided to pair the meal with a white wine. But as hearty as it was, I wondered if a red would be nice too. I decided to pour everyone a glass of the two wines below, a California Chardonnay and California Cabernet Sauvignon, both Clos du Bois. 

2009 Clos du Bois Russian River Valley Chardonnay ($18), Clos de Bois North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon ($15)

Of the ten people (of drinking age) around the table, seven preferred the Chardonnay, one liked the Cabernet better with the dish, and two decided to curiously stick to Jameson. Although I too preferred the white, I enjoyed the Cabernet while eating the sausage and vegetables seasoned with the smoky spices, but of course the Chardonnay paired nicely with the main seafood ingredients. Overall, great food, great wine (especially that Chardonnay!) and great company!

wine pairing: sherried mushrooms with fried egg on toast

I LOVE eggs and red wine together. Eggs poached in red wine, scrambled eggs with a glass, really any combination. So tonight I decided to do a red wine pairing with a recipe I found on Food & Wine's website; Sherried Mushrooms with Fried Eggs on Toast. A very simple recipe that I mostly followed; I have white-bread-phobia so I instinctively used a organic sprouted bread instead (which I recommend because I'm pretty sure white bread kills). Food & Wine recommended "an earthy red, such as Pinot Noir," which sounded appropriate for the mushrooms, so off to the wine store I went for a couple of earthy wines.

I ended up with the two bottles above. The 2009 Stafford Hill Pinot Noir from Oregon ($25) and the 2009 La Vigne en Veron Chinon (100% Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley, $12). Both wines were enjoyable but the Chinon paired much better with the dish. The Pinot Noir was too acidic and the fruity flavors overpowered the simple nature of egg and mushrooms on toast.

With that said, I did enjoy the Pinot with a bit of dark chocolate!

wine of the night: 2009 barbera

Tonight I am drinking Valli Unite's 2009 Barbera. It's a natural wine and decent. I typically enjoy a more tannic red wine and the minerality is throwing me off a bit, but it's still rather enjoyable. I try to drink natural and biodynamic wines often, so there will sure to be more posts about sustainable wines to come.

Barbera Gaitu Valli Unite 2009, $17.00

wine of the night: 2009 montepulciano d'abruzzo

Woohoo, it's Friday! And it's time for a glass!

The Brooklyn Wine Exchange has this wonderful $12 and under table at their store located on Court Street between Atlantic Ave and Pacific Street. The wine of the night is a 2009 Vigneti Del Sole Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from said table. For only $8 dollars, this is amazing! Not complex and not for for those who are looking for a big juicy red, but it's dry, pleasant and very drinkable. Wish I had homemade pizza to go with!

Eight dollars; a steal!

CHEERS ALL!