Went to Marika Vida’s latest Somm Series wine dinner at The Hard Rock Hotel NYC which had incredible wines from Christian Moreau of Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils and Anna and Valentina Abbona of Marchesi di Barolo. What do they have in common? Excellent wines. Chef Oscar Gonzales created the menu specifically for each wine. The scallop with basil, lemon and cauliflower … Continue reading
There are so many ways to drink sherry, and for this Sherry Week (November 6-12) I tasted through four different styles with tinned seafood conservas — a pairing they love in Spain. Tio Pepe is a Fino style, delicate and the most neutral, aged for 4 years under the flor. I liked it with the fish in olive oil. The Fino en … Continue reading
Normally by this time of the year I’m settling into a nice groove of light reds. But this fall we’ve seen a wild swing of temperatures, with some days a crisp 50 and other days hitting 80 (even in the end of October). And it always seems to be raining too. So, I’ve been reaching … Continue reading
Hitting the road this summer? You can also just sit in your backyard and travel through your glass. Here are some wines from less-travelled US wine paths. VirginiaMountain & Vine Screaming Hawk 2021 Meritage: With the grapes (50% Petit Verdot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec) you’d think would be really heavy but it’s not. Just … Continue reading
Some great summer cocktails involve vermouth, which is made from a neutral base wine and lots of botanicals. A common misperception is that red vermouth is made with a base of red wine, but actually the color just comes from different botanicals. Lustau, a prominent sherry house in Jerez, Spain, even makes a “rosé” vermouth. … Continue reading
Drinking outdoors yet! Of course you are! Don your summer whites and pour one of these great glasses to match. Mira Franc Blanc: One of the great things about wine is how vast a subject it is and how many grapes and winemaking styles there are. I love Cab Franc but had never had a white … Continue reading
My dad loves Pinot best, and it’s always a great gift. Here are few based on what style your dad (and of course you since you’ll be sharing it) likes. Dark red fruit: Humboldt County is near the Oregon border and, compared to other California winemaking regions, the shorter days and cooler climate produce some wonderfully balanced Pinots. … Continue reading
Marika Vida used to spotlight excellent female winemakers with these great dinners when she was the wine director at the Ritz, and she’s now doing a SOMM Series to continue the tradition. And what a revival last week, with an all-Taittinger dinner with Vitalie Taittinger, who recently took over as President of her family’s Champagne … Continue reading
I haven’t had many wines from Switzerland, and with good reason: The whole country only produces about 150 million bottles a year (for context, Mondavi and Yellowtail produce about as much each). Out of that, only about 2% is exported outside of Switzerland, and mostly to nearby Germany. Made at high altitudes, Alpine wines are crisp … Continue reading
Or did it ever end? With the ridiculous explosion of Aperol spritzes forming seas of orange in piazzas and bars worldwide, these all-in-one Almare Spritz cocktails are fantastic to have on hand. Comes in three flavors: Classico is your typical Aperol style with lots of bittersweet orange; Hugo which has very pretty elderflower in it; and our … Continue reading
