Results tagged “pinotnoir”

There are many things that get us in the holiday spirit. But none of them work as nicely as stiff cocktail. Being that Thanksgiving is the official kick-start to festive season, it seems only right to welcome it with a beverage that will put some color in our cheeks and some jolly in our step. So while we have the Pinot Noir all ready to go with our turkey, here are some cranberry cocktails to...

This week in New York life is like a box of chocolates – on steroids. (Mmmm, chocolate steroids.) The wicked masterminds behind the 10th annual International Chocolate Show decided that this year the usual three day, 40,000 square foot cocoa orgy just wasn’t going to cut it. So they’ve gotten a number of area restaurants to collectively boost the city’s blood sugar levels by declaring the next six days Chocolate Week. Some notable New York...

We’re probably not alone in the fact that we love wines from Burgundy but really can’t afford them. A great 1er (premiere) cru Gevrey Chambertain could cost us around $35 - $50, and while on special occasions they can be worth every cent, the reality is that we don’t get to have them as much as we like. But there is good news.

For some reason we've had a thing about Antarctic expeditions and libations lately. It all started with an evening of Antarctic cuisine at the Explorer's Club last week sponsored by Redwood Creek Wines.

In a city that has everything, there are always a few things that we can use more of. For starters, maybe one or two more cheese shops, an extra beer garden wouldn’t hurt and who wouldn’t like another Trader Joe’s? Just saying. The same rule applies to wine bars. Sure we have a bunch, but after a while, the circuit gets old. Luckily, we have a new stop to add to our list.

First off, let us set the record straight. Gotham Bar and Grill and Gothamist are not related. We do not share any parent holding company and there is no sordid history to tell of. The experience that we are about to share is an unbiased tale of a wine geek, just trying to find a quality glass of wine and a comfy stool at the bar.

There’s a little wine company that has been getting a lot of attention lately. Oriel Wines keeps on popping up in publications, wine cellars and conversations around the country. The reason behind the buzz is Oriel’s business model. Oriel hires top winemakers from around the world to create wines for them. They search out those whose style of winemaking reflects the terroir or personality of the region. Currently, Oriel is commissioning around 30 wines from nine countries, ranging in price from $15 to $100. With thousands of anonymous wines crowding the shelves of any wine store, Oriel is attempting to create a brand that makes buying wine – no matter the place or the grape – a little more user friendly.

The good folks at The Spotted Pig are ringing in the Year of the Pig with, you guessed it, a pig roast. 314 W. 11th Street at Greenwich. Call 212-620-0393 for details.

Gothamist is worried about global warming. Especially since we saw An Inconvenient Truth. Manhattan may start shrinking, then disappear altogether? No snow on Kilimanjaro? These thoughts were enough to make us run out to the hardware store for some energy efficient lightbulbs.

So, if you’re a turkey, this probably isn’t a good time for you. Our condolences. But for us humans , we can’t help but get all giddy at the thought of long days spent lounging, nibbling and, of course, imbibing. It’s almost enough to make us want to stop and give thanks, in the very least to the turkey. Therefore to show it the respect it deserves, we’re putting together a delicious holiday meal. OK, actually we’re not putting it together (thanks mom) but we will be bringing some wines worthy of the occasion.

Whether you're ready or not, the holidays are fast approaching. Thanksgiving is just around the corner with Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa just a hop, skip and a jump behind. For many of us that brings happy thoughts of turkey, bourbon and pie but for others, it brings anxiety about all those gifts we have to buy. Now, save the “It’s not about the gift, but rather being with the people you love” speech. Whether we like it or not, if we don’t give the super who took three weeks to fix our garbage disposal a present, we better forget about getting that clogged drain snaked. So, we are going to tighten our belts (at least until the pie comes, then nothing but elastic) and spend the next two months dining BYOB (bring your own bottle).

It's easy to bring out your inner sommelier -- just step outside. At our doorstep are some of the finest ingredients just begging to be matched with wine. A stroll down Bleecker Street with Ted Allen, the food and wine expert from Bravo's Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (pictured at right tasting the pulp of a cacao pod for the first time) showed us how simple it was to create elegant and seemingly fancy pairings without even having to turn on your stove (or even your microwave). Turns out the key to a great pairing is picking high quality ingredients and highlighting what makes them special. For example, if the food is only made in a specific area, pick a wine from that area; if it has a citrus accent, select a wine with a crisp acidity. A great paring highlights the unique attributes of both the food and the wine. On this particular evening, all wines were provided by Robert Mondavi's Private Selection.

The world of wine and spirits has historically been a male-dominated arena – from the old-school sommeliers in bowties and silver tastevins around their necks to the grand chateaus passed down from father to son. However, this ancient industry has evolved and grown to cater to its bellowing fan base. No longer only a boys’ club, women have become a driving force in the production, service and consumption of wine. Forget the notion of girls sipping chardonnay and white wine spritzers – we, ladies, can grow the grapes, make the wine and serve it up, too. And it’s plain to see at Annisa, an intimate West Village restaurant, in our own Manhattan.

Here's another food-themed Google Maps mashup-- now being a wino (or is the PC term "drunkard"?) is 15% easier! Better living through technology, folks. [Related: we've been enjoying Echelon's Pinot Noir-- it's a great, cheap wine at $9-11/bottle, and pretty widely available. Check it out.]

Try: Mazzei 2001 Poggio alla Badiola Toscana, Italy, $12.99

Pinot Noir has captured the hearts and tastebuds of all of us. The soft velvet texture, the bright raspberry fruit, a touch of earthy notes – it’s pretty much perfection. Some may ask, how could you ever improve on Pinot? Perhaps the answer is you can’t, but South Africa has found a way to kick it up a notch. (We promise, no more Emeril references).

Gothamist, like half of New York, left town last week. But perhaps unlike the other four million people in the exodus we stressed over making our own drinks. Sangria, the wine-based drink where we like to get our fruit portion of the food pyramid, can be made several ways. The most common variation is a red wine sangria and our favorite is from Cafe Noir. The drink, like the restaurant and bar with open windows making most of the tables feel outdoors without the grime of the sidewalk, is sexy and kind of dark, a little surprising. The citrus taste without too much sweetness makes it taste adult (the darker red they use, a pinot noir, we think, also helps) and the half and full carafes, paired with tapas, are great for a date. The most frequent complaint about this Soho mainstay is the crowd, which admittedly isn't perfect, with too many cufflinks to count taking out workday issues on the the bartenders. Honorable mentions go to Xunta, an afforable East Village tapas bar with a great happy hour that include 2-for-1 sangria that's not quite as strong, but just as drinkable, especially during the weather advisory days of summer and the year-round version at Barrumundi.

It has always been one of our dreams to live in Spain. Be it the food, the wine or the flamenco dancing, this magical land, home of the siesta, has always held a special place in our hearts. While we haven’t been able to pack up and move just yet, we got a little taste of it recently at the P.J. Wines Spanish Wine Festival. It may have been a tease, but it sure whet our appetite for Spanish wines.

Since, like most commoners in our fair city, I don't live in a climate-controlled apartment, how would you recommend storing open red wine? Room temperature can rise to the 80's on hot days, and I don't think it's that much cooler inside a closet. Can I keep it in the fridge and bring it to room temperature when I'm ready to pour a glass? On a related note, are there any reds that are acceptable to drink chilled?

July 3-4: Prix Fixe Menue at Barmarché

…well not in the literal sense but ask any attendees at the Australian Wine Tasting party Gothamist attended on Wednesday and they will affirm, we should have taken first prize. Wine parties are on the rise. When you add a little friendly competition, lots of wine and nibbles and a dash of creativity it’s amazing how quickly an evening can be spiced up…even a Wednesday. The party Gothamist attended last week was one of the most creative wine events we have been to in while. Everybody had an amazing time (perhaps a direct correlation to the 12 bottles of wine) - so we figured we would “borrow” their idea and share it with you.

Every morning this week we've opened the window onto our fire escape hoping today would feel like a summer, like a craving for sangria. Then, fighting back tears, we put away our new sandals. Again. Every night this week, though, we've been drinking wines like the foodies eat their mac and cheese. On the recommendation of a currently nomadic friend who will always be a Brooklynite at heart, we visited Total Wine Bar in the Slope.

…and it’s not recommended in the Wine Room at Philip Marie (glass door), however the Pinot Noir is pretty orgasmic. The “Wine Room” is a private tiny wine cellar with dinning for two tucked away downstairs at this West Village landmark. The cellar was first discovered as a coat-check room but behind a wall revealed a secret space with a trap door leading to a series of subterranean tunnels used as a Speakeasy in the 1920’s! This puts Benihana, and their flying shrimp to shame.

Today: Danny Meyer's Shake Shack re-opens. People are all in a tizzy about this place. We have to admit, we like the burgers at the Burger Joint more, but we haven't tried the famed dogs and custard yet. It's only open from 11-4 through April, but extended hours start May 1st. Madison Square Park, Southeast Corner.

So you've made it through another Valentines Day -- whether you shared a romantic evening with your sweetie-pie or drank your sorrows away with some spicy shiraz, it's time to move on, as there are some food and wine events this week that need your attention:

Cold? So are we. But never fear -- here are some booze-filled events coming up to warm your cockles, or whatever else needs warming:

First it was Australia, then it was New Zealand . . . now the next New World wine region to capture the hearts and taste buds of New Yorkers is South America. What makes this region so spectacular for easy to drink, plush, fruity wines is the perfect climate. Grapes get to bask in the warm Latin sun – enjoying a particularly long ripening season. Kind of like the holiday we wish we could take. Rain and frost are non-issues and with plenty water from irrigation those lucky grapes are more spoiled then the tenants of 927 Fifth Avenue.

With the Jewish holidays in high gear, many of you will be washing down your gefilite fish with a glass or two of Kosher wines. We�re not just talking about Manishevitz, the official �fortified grape juice� of the Jewish people, but rather the growing selection of Cabernet Sauvignons, Chardonnay�s and numerous wines that are being made Kosher style.

red wine extends life! It's all due to a nautral chemical substance called resveratrol, a compound found largely in the skins of red grapes. Also, resveratrol is found in grapes of cooler climates, like New York State, in what can only be a boon to the New York wine industry. The Times quotes the Oxford Companion to Wine: ""