The Latest Buzz
- Wine Enthusiast’s Toast of the Town New York - Thursday, May 3rd - April 27, 2012
Wine Enthusiast’s Toast of the Town New York
Thursday, May 3rd 2012
Toast of the Town New York will be taking over the Oscar Hammerstein Ballroom with more than 500 wines, spirits & beers and 35 local restaurants on Thursday, May 3rd 2012. Hosted by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, the Toast of the Town brings together thirty-five signature New York dishes, including bites by the likes of BLT Fish, Picholine, SD26 and Veritas all under one roof.
Satiate your inner oenophile with a light and fruity Riesling or an earthy Pinot Noir as you celebrate at the most anticipated wine event of the season. Mingle with NYC’s elite while enjoying the sounds of a live jazz band during this three-hour extravaganza. It promises to be one of the most memorable events of the year celebrating all things food, wine and The Big Apple.
For more information or to purchase tickets please visit www.ToastoftheTown.com
For a full list of wineries please visit: http://www.toastofthetown.com/wineries
For a full list of restaurants please visit: http://www.toastofthetown.com/restaurants
Wine Enthusiast’s Toast of the Town New York
Thursday, May 3rd 2012
Oscar Hammerstein Ballroom
311 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001
VIP Tasting 6 PM – 10 PM ($169) Early Bird Pricing $149 (Save $20 per ticket thru April 29, 2012)
VIP Tickets include early entrance to the event, exclusive access to hundreds of reserve wines, the opportunity to talk one-on-wine with the wine makers and interact with the restaurateurs
Grand Tasting 7PM – 10 PM ($109) Early Bird Pricing $99 (Save $10 per ticket thru April 29, 2012)
- 11-11-11 Wine BASH! - November 9, 2011
It’s 11-11-11, make a wish! If you wished for an amazing *FREE* tasting of 11 wines from around the world at an adorable boutique wine store, it has come true! Harlem Vintage also offering 11% off off any 11 bottles and will be staying open until 11pm. The tasting is from 4-8 but the party continues next door at their bar Nectar where the “wine whisperer” Cynthia will be satisfying all your libation needs. Get the Manchego stuffed dates wrapped in Pancetta… it will blow your mind!
Here are a few examples of what you will be sampling at the tasting:
Sorbara “Amore” LambruscoThe most appreciated Lambrusco in the world, obtained from Lambrusco di Sorbara and Lambrusco Salamino grapes.With dark ruby colour, it has purplish highlights. It presents a refreshing, intense bouquet, with inklings of red fruits. The taste is fabulous: sweet, full-bodied and accomapnied by a light taste of cherries.Perfect with all italian dishes: pasta, pizza, sea food, lasagne, tortellini, parmesan cheese, desserts. It is not just a bottle of wine, it is a way of living.Alcohol: 8% vol.Fuentenarro “4 Months”
This lovely Tempranillo is a creamy mix of redcurrant, blueberry, plums and ripe peach fill the palate. A medium bodied wine, with sweet ripe tannins, well structured, showing great potential.
Santa Vincenzo Ventoso Morellino di Scansano
This is ablend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Ciliegiolo and 5% Alicante. It features very outgoing aromas of smoky cherry, violets and leather. In the mouth, it has bright medium-bodied cherryish fruit and finishes very long.
Baglio Dosa Nero d’Avola
A warm and plummy red wine with a touch of raisins and a hint of almonds in the flavor. There’s sufficient acidity to give it structure, but the overall impression is soft as velvet. Although the finish isn’t overly long, ripe and appealing fruit and surprising complexity hold up as a food wine perfectly paired with a juicy brisket or Hungarian stew.
Hannah Nicole Syrah
This powerful Syrah comes from Contra County California in the same region as Turley and Rosenblum which is famous for Zins and Syrahs. This wine explodes with fresh black pepper. Flavorful and rich, it is lush and abounding with flavor, with hints of smoke, cherry and fig.
Hope to see you all there!
- Wild for Wildman! - October 5, 2011“When in doubt, look at the back of the label…”No doubt, we all have been faced with the need to buy wine and many times we lean to our old faves or standbys. However, sometimes we find ourselves at a wine shop that doesn’t have the brand we are used to — or, we are the adventurous type that enjoys the different expressions of a grape, a region or a wine blend. Whether you fall into the “I’m open to new ideas” camp or the “Dear Lord, just give me something similar to what I usually like” one, a good “trick of the trade” is to flip the bottle to the back and see who the importer is. Granted, there are a lot of different kinds of wine importers; just as there are different kinds of wine retailers (from the corner liquor store to the highest-end wine retailer on Madison avenue), so it’s good to know which ones you can trust, and more importantly, which ones have a style you like; as the range of service, product quality, and focus among importers can be vast.Many of these specialty importers are dedicated to seeking out wines that are most interesting and good value for the money. Sommeliers often select bottles for their wine lists based on the importer, and you can use the same strategy. A luxury you have with old world wine in the US is the regulation that mandates the importer’s name on the label. Usually printed on the back, the best of these names have come to symbolize quality in the bottle and may help guide your choice. This is because many importers have a “signature” style they seek out, buy and bring into the states. These are the men and women who do the legwork, so you don’t have to. They scour the regions, driving back roads to find small producers of great wine that can only be imported in small amounts, tasting the wines and assessing if it will fit into their mix – their portfolio if you will.You can’t be expected to know the track record of every importer, so throughout this series, we will attempt to share insights on some of the key importers. Recently, Frederick Wildman had a portfolio tasting for the trade, which had a huge turnout and offered a number of amazing wines. Our Features Editor, Carrie Dykes, attended and found some hidden gems from the lesser known, but up and coming region of Austria. But first, a little about Mr. Wildman and his wine’s of choice.Following the repeal of Prohibition, Frederick S. Wildman, a Connecticut-born wine connoisseur, bought the century old Bellows and Co., a wine importer and fine-food emporium. Wildman himself wrote the newsletters and wine notes, always reflecting his personal commitment to the highest quality products for his clientele. His name has since been synonymous with high quality European wines for decades. The Colonel, as he was called, continued to travel to Europe to develop contacts and establish partnerships with an assortment of legendary properties as well as (Chartreuse, Trapiche, Nino Negri, Seña, Christian Moreau Pere et Fils) as well as dynamic rising stars around the world (Nicolas Potel, Pascal Jolivet, Domaine Jacques Prieur, El Coto de Rioja).The company has grown to become the third largest importer in the United States — a remarkable feat — but perhaps more so for the maintenance of its reputation for quality during that growth. The portfolio now includes over 50 brands under its umbrella, each one unique and each one prominent in its region of production.Here’s an interesting piece on the man himself: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1002958/index.htmBy the way, the Frederick Wildman Portfolio tasting just occurred a few weeks ago; and our Features Editor, Carrie Dykes attended. It took place at Guastavino’s a high end event site on E.59th right under the Queensboro Bridge. It was spacious enough to fit over a hundred tables and hoards of people comfortably with extra mingling room.
The highlight of the event was the Austrian section featuring Forstreiter, Andau, Fritsch, Stadlmann, Weninger and Nittnaus. I spent the majority of the afternoon there savoring each Gruner and Zweigelt but the most exciting part was meeting Toni Silver from Grooner. She is the spritely spokesperson for the brand and is pictured on the bottles. Visit our Facebook page for pictures of the event.
- Food and Wine Festival - September 7, 2011
If you are an oenophile or a foodie or just looking for something fun to do you can’t go wrong with NYC Food and Wine Festival. From wine seminars to cooking classes to tastings to dinners with hosts such as Martha Stewart and Paula Deen. Starting Thursday September 29th until Sunday October 2nd the opportunities are endless!
Tickets are still available for Eat.Drink.End.Hunger in NYC from September 29th-October 2nd. 100% of the net proceeds from the Festival benefit the Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength®
To get tickets, click here to visit NYC Wine & Food Festival or call 866.969.2933.
Follow @FoodBankNYC & @ShareStrength on Twitter
- Miss Louisa Belle: Sommelier and Bloodhound - August 5, 2011
Michelle Edwards and Daniel Fischl, owners of Linnaea Winery in Victoria Australia have an unusual system when it comes to wine testing. Each bottle has a label that reads: Approved by Miss Louisa Belle (and may contain dog snot).
Fischl tells The Herald Sun that Miss Louisa knows if a glass or barrel of wine is off due to tainted corks just by raising a nostril at it. Daniel says, “Most wineries rely on the human nose but that is time-consuming, costly and nowhere near as reliable as Belle, whose nose is 2000 times more sensitive than ours.” Miss Louisa’s nose can also sniff out mildew leaves on vines and faulty corks.
Coming from a long line of search-and-rescue dogs, Miss Belle has a keen sense of smell, but opted to abandon the family profession for sniffing wine. We’re sure her lineage of superior olfactory sense sure comes in handy!
For all you dog loving oenophiles you don’t have to travel to Australia to incorporate the two. This Wednesday, you can help mans best friend and enjoy some delicious wines!
Bideawee is collaborating with 67 Wine for a summer wine tasting event on August 10, 2011 from 4:00 – 7:00PM to raise funds to help support that wide variety of programs that Bideawee offers pets and the people that love them. Below is the information Bidawee has put out about the event:
The partnership between Bideawee and 67 Wine brings together two New York City mainstays to offer pet lovers the opportunity to taste three distinct styles of wines from the Les Compagnons collection from Gabriella Wines at 67 Wine’s Columbus Avenue location on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. At this pet friendly event, attendees will also enjoy light snacks and the pleasure of mingling with other pet lovers and their dogs. To commemorate the event each guest will receive a Bideawee wine glass and 67 Wine will donate $1.00 for each bottle of wine purchased during the event to Bideawee. Raffle drawings and prizes for wine enthusiasts and dog loving attendees will be held throughout the evening.
Bideawee adoptable dogs will be on site in hopes of finding a new forever home.
67 Wine
179 Columbus Avenue (at 68th Street)Wine tasting event fee is a $10.00 donation to Bideawee. Well-behaved dogs are welcome and will receive complimentary treats and gifts from The New York Dog Shop.
For more information, contact Amy Hraniotis, Bideawee Event Manager, at (516) 785-4687, ext. 369
Maybe you’ll find a Miss Louisa Belle of your own!
"That batch has got to go!"
- Brooklyn, NY <3's Australia! - August 3, 2011
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Wine Australia is using social networking to present an opportunity for Australian wineries to connect with some of their core audience and also donate profits to a great cause.
First, they have hooked up with the Open Space Alliance of North Brooklyn (OSA) for the Williamsburg Waterfront concert series taking place through September (this is their 3rd year running!). Wine Australia, the sole wine sponsor for these sold-out summer events, will serve a total of 19 Australian wines, in rotation, at the concerts. (100%of the profits from the wine sales at the concerts goes directly to OSA’s park developments and greening of the urban landscape in Brooklyn.)
In addition, this year you can actually find one or more of these 19 wines at participating retailers (see list below). What’s more, if you “check-in” via foursquare and also buy a bottle of one of the participating wines, you’ll get a Wine Australia gift-pack (take away glass and corkscrew) to go with your wine.
Picture yourself sipping on an ice cold glass of Woop Woop Verdelho while getting your boots dirty to Sonic Youth. Maybe the bold and spicy Running with Bulls Tempranillo is more your speed during Widespread Panic.
And remember to check in with Foursquare at one of the participating wine shops, get a few “tips” on the program as well as insider info on Australian wine and let your friends know where you got this special gift… or leave your own tip?
This is going on ALL summer so there are lots of chances for you to try different wines from Australia whether or not you actually get to a concert or not. Whatever the case may be, this is an event not to missed.
Here’s the lowdown:
Remaining AUGUST/ SEPTEMBER Concerts:
Friday August 12 – Sonic Youth w/ Wild Flag and Kurt Vile and the Violators
Wednesday August 31 – Bright Eyes
Thursday September 8 – TV On The Radio w/ Broken Social Scene
Saturday September 17 – Widespread Panic
Saturday September 24 – Fleet Foxes w/ The WalkmenPARTICIPATING RETAILERS:
Red, White & Green – 34 N 7th St., Brooklyn
Smith & Vine - 268 Smith St., Brooklyn
Uva Wines – 199 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn
Trojanowski Wines & Spirits - 181 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn
Prospect Wine Shop - 322 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn
Red, White & Bubbly – 211 5th Ave., Brooklyn
Juice Box – 1289 Prospect Ave., Brooklyn
Heights Chateau - 123 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn
Astor Wines – 399 Lafayette St., New York
WINES:
The 19 wines, being poured in rotation, were selected to showcase the quality, diversity and value of Australia’s wine offering to the local hip millennial crowds attending the shows.
De Bortoli “Emeri” Sparkling Pink Moscato
De Bortoli “Emeri” Sparkling Pinot Grigio
Frisk “Prickly” Riesling
Jacob’s Creek Pinot Grigio
Innocent Bystander Pinot Gris
Wakefield Sauvignon Blanc
Woop Woop Verdelho
Spring Seed “Four O’Clock” Chardonnay
St Hallett “Poacher’s Blend” white blend
Peter Lehmann “Layers” white blend
Shoofly “Buzzcut” white blend
Yalumba “Y Series” Viognier
Yalumba “Y Series” Sangiovese Rose
Angove Shiraz/Grenache Rose
Wakefield Pinot Noir
d’Arenberg “Stump Jump” GSM
Running With Bulls Tempranillo
Robert Oatley Shiraz
Earthworks Cabernet
- Diversity Flourishes in the Astoria Wine Scene - August 1, 2011
Peter in his favorite section: Sancerre
America is known as the melting pot of the world, NYC is known as the melting pot of America, Astoria Queens is known as the melting pot of NYC and Grand Wines and Liquors is certainly the melting pot of diverse wines in Astoria.
Peter Panayiotou is the manager of the long standing establishment. So long standing in fact, that they have been in business since 1932! Grand Wines chooses wines from all areas, as the residents of Astoria come from all backgrounds, so there is something for everyone. Within their 900 labels you can find everything from your typical Napa Cab to an indigenous varietal from Nigeria or Thailand. You can spend $4.99 a bottle or splurge on a premium bottle for $499.00.
Panayiotou shares that over the years less gallon jugs and lower end wines are being sold; while more small vineyard, boutique and cellar bottles are being purchased. Especially since, after 9-11, a younger crowd started moving to Astoria: and as Williamsburg keeps getting more and more expensive, many Brooklynites have been migrating to Astoria to find a higher quality of life. In turn, this neighborhood shop has been catering to this new crowd by stocking the shelves with hipper items.
Don’t know how to choose from over 900 different wines from every corner of the earth? Join Grand at their weekly tasting every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 5-8.
Grand Wines & Liquor
30-05 31st St (Off 30th Ave)
Astoria NY 11102
718-728-2520
- Exploring the world, one region at a time - JURA, France - March 17, 2011
It’s not often you see a wine around town that is from Jura. But, you may start to see it/ hear about it more often, as there are more restaurants finding these wines are great food pairing wines.
The most common grapes of the region include Chardonnay and Savagnin for whites and Poulsard, Trousseau and Pinot Noir for reds. The region also offers Cremant du Jura – sparkling whites usually made entirely of Chardonnay.
However, the whites are quite similar to Sherry because of the method of aging…. but don’t go running, these are whites with an attitude. Focused, rich, nutty with just the right amount of citrus backbone to carve smiles onto your face when drinking them.
“Namely the wines are aged in barrels for years under a film of natural yeast, known as voile in France, or flor in Jerez (region in Spain where Sherry is produced). This film allows a slow oxidation. The difference is that the voile is more beneficial for producing low alcohol wines than Spanish flor….”
“The reds are very similar to those in Burgundy in structure and balance. The wines are silky in texture, very elegant and need to be opened for about 2-3 hours before consuming. The most important fact of this region is that most of the producers make natural wines, ‘at the vineyard’, rather than ‘in the winery’.” (Taken from the Murray Hill Wine Blog. Read more about Jura wines - here.)
Being from the cooler, somewhat-northerly Western area of France, on the boarder of Switzerland, Jura has been a sleeper of a wine region to most of us, as it is one of the smallest wine regions in France. Only those in the know were enjoying the fruits of the Jura winemaker’s labors. And all of those Jurans drinking their own wines of course.
With the influx of wine imports, the increase of wine bars and wine shops around town, the elevated sense of personal wine exploration and the heightened awareness that wines from around the world are truly wonders of their own, we now are able to experience the flavors of the old country of France.
A quick search using the term “Jura” on Wine-Searcher, shows us that (even on the free version) there are numerous wine shops in town that carry a variety of Jura wines. From bubblies to flavorful whites to focused reds, you have plenty of places to scout out one of these unique wines.
Since there is not a simple search site that helps us find what wines are in our local wine bars (until we create one!), to find a Jura wine would require a little more thinking and follow through. A quick Google search turns up that Lelabar, Terroir, Anfora and Bubble Lounge have a Jura wine or two on their wine menus. And, knowing that Jura wines typically follow a “natural” winemaking process, it would be safe to assume that the Natural wine bars around town would carry a Jura or two – either year round or from time to time; so check in with The Ten Bells, Tangled Vine or Thirstbaràvin. Or stop by one of the French wine bars around town; maybe such as Pierre Loti, Adour, Le Bateau Ivre or Domaine Bar a Vins as a few suggestions to start.
As we discover these wines in New York City, we’ll be sure to let you know. Do you know of any Jura wines in your neighborhood wine shop or wine bar?
- What to do on St. Paddy's day? Parade during the day: Wine at night, of course!!!!! - March 15, 2011
Brief History
The celebration of St. Patrick’s Day started because the Irish wanted to honor Saint Patrick (c. AD 387–461), the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of Ireland. (It is said he was called to Ireland, to Christianise the Irish. Folklore tells that one of his teaching methods included using the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish people. – wikipedia.org
Over the years, people of all backgrounds have joined the celebration on March 17, the religious feast day and anniversary of St. Patrick’s death. People dance, drink and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.
The wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs – or the “wearing of the green” – have become a ubiquitous feature of the day. They represent a celebration of national, religious and political history to many.
Parades
The oldest parade was organized by the Irish Society of Boston: the first Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the colonies as well as the first recorded Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the world on 18 March 1737. (The first parade in Ireland did not occur until 1931 in Dublin. – wikipedia.org)
However, NYC holds the claim to be the longest-running (and largest) US based St. Patrick’s Day Parade, as it was inaugurated on March 17, 1762. Today, that parade is the world ‘s oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants. Each year, nearly three million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours.
Contrarily, the shortest St Patrick’s Day parade in the world takes place in Dripsey, Cork. The parade lasts just 100 yards and travels between the village’s two pubs.
Wine tastings, instead of beer guzzling, on St. Patrick’s Day?
So, what does any of this have to do with wine? Well, wine is a social beverage and this is a social celebration. Furthermore, if the traditional meal is cabbage and sausage, though beer is quite an acceptable pairing, wouldn’t a crisp wine with good acidity to balance the richness and flavors be even better? We think so.
So we found a few wine events that are being held on March 17 that you can hit up after you wave on your fellow Irish friends and family down the parade route…. or forgo the green nuttiness and go straight to gold with one of these alternatively festive options:
Austrian Wines
Kurt Gutenbrunner is hosting an Austrian wine tasting, featuring winemakers, and wines from more than 13 wineries. Join them at Cafe Kristall and you will get a chance to ask the winemakers questions while sampling a few of the best wines, in one of the Best Austrian Restaurant in NYC. Chef will be creating some lite bites to taste with the wines. RSVP today (info@weygandtselections.com), March 15, and get in for just $5. (Note: for those of you unsure of your ability to make it so far south into Soho from the UES, you may be able to hit up the door between 4-7pm and get in for $10.)
Cafe Kristall
70 Mercer St., Soho – between Spring and Broome
4-7pm ($5 if RSVP by March 15, $10 at the door)South African Wines
UPDATE: Unfortunately, we see that the eventbright link says it’s sold out, but if this sounds too fabulous, email tastings@snooth.com or hello@generalassemb.ly to see if there are any last minute cancellations and/or to find out when the next event will be held.
The people behind the online wine behemoth, Snooth have joined up with General Assembly, an urban campus for entrepreneurs, and are hosting a special wine tasting with a South African winemaker, because… well because drinking with the winemaker is cool. Enter: Rijk Melck, winemaker from 300 year old estate in Simonsberg-Stellenbosch South Africa.
You’ll enjoy a sparkling wine reception at the kick off the evening, followed by a tasting of 6 more wines (Chardonnay, White Blend, Red Blend, Pinot Noir, Shiraz & a Vintage Port) served with light food.
General Assembly
902 Broadway, 4th Floor – between 20th & 21st St.Dirty Wines
Leave the mess on the streets and Irish Bars of Manhattan and get thee to City Winery. At the Dirty Wines Gone Dirt Cheap event, you’ll experience pay dirt – in wines that is. There’s nothing dirty about these wines except the soil they were grown in. Vestry Wines’ (Tribeca) fabulously keen manager, Cynthia Sexton, will lead a tasting of six ‘dirty wines’ that reflect aspects of the soil and environment in which they’re grown.
Let your palate experience what “they” really mean when they claim a wine has flavors of wet stones or road tar or chalky sea-fossil soils. A flavor exploration not to miss. And thanks to City Winery and LocalWineEvents.com you can attend this tasting for only $32.50 (50% off original price…. true representation of the theme!)
The Wines:: Marie Noelle Ledru Champagne Brut 2006 (welcome wine with appetizers), Pepiere Muscadet 2009, Clothilde Davenne Chablis (08 or 09), Terres Dorees Beaujolais Cuvee Ancien VV 2009, Descendientes de Jose Palacios Bierzo ‘Petalos’ 2008, Chateau LaRoque Pic Saint Loup VV 2006, St. Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra) 2005
City Winery NYC
155 Varick Street – between Spring & Vandam
7-9pmItaly North to South
For you couples out there who want to escape the random revelers in Chelsea, check out this wine class that will give you a tasteful exploration of Italian wines: From North to South. From the minerally perfumed whites of the Tre Venezie and Val d’Aosta to the dark, powerful reds of Sicily and Campania, Italy’s thousands of grape varieties will certainly leave you always in discovery. The North provides big, brooding, tannic reds and crisp, focused whites – where the South brings richer tastes of flowers, spice, juiciness and pepper….
Includes artisanal cheeses & cured hams to pair.
$90/ per person. (Note: the majority of attendees to these events are couples.)
NYC Wine Class
167 West 23rd Street
7-9:30pmOther Tastings Around Town:
Brooklyn Winery Spring 2011 Winemaking Open House Tours
The Spring 2011 winemaking program is just around the corner (it starts in April). If you want to find out what the “make your own wine” fuss is check out this open house and find out 1.) what’s involved in making wine at Brooklyn Winery and 2.) get all the details on their winemaking packages. If a barrel of wines will be too much to handle on your own open house tours are a great chance to meet other wine enthusiasts and sign up to share a barrel with them.
They are also hosting Flight Night Thursday Flight Night Thursday… buy a flight and then enjoy a free glass of the wine that you liked best! All night.
Brooklyn Winery
213 North 8th StreetJoin them for an informal discussion, stories and sips – led by buyer Ben Wood. They’ll pop open exclusive bottles of “orange” wine, that you can sample without having to spend a dime. Get a glass in hand, under your nose and discover some exceptional wines with us. Featured wines are always 10% off during the tasting. 4-7pm
Orange wines to taste: Tocai Friulano “Jakot” Radikon (Friuli) 2004, Ribolla Gialla, “Lunar” Movia (Slovenia) 2007, Cistercensi Coenobiaum “Rusticum” (Lazio) 2008
67 Wines
179 Columbus Ave.
4-7pmTasting of Chateau Guiraud Premier Grand Cru Classe Sauternes via localwineevents.com
Augustin Lacaille, Chateau Guiraud Brand Ambassador, will handle the tasting. He will explain how Sauternes wines are made and how they can be paired creatively with food… 6-8pm
Sauternes to taste: Chateau Guiraud 2009: RP (94-96) and WS 95-98, Chateau Guiraud 2006: RP 92 and WS 93, Chateau Guiraud 1998: RP 92 and WS 89
Millesime
1355 2nd Ave.
6-8pm - Natural Winemaker's Week begins: 3/3 - 3/12/11.... (And a bit about Organic & Biodynamic wine.) - March 3, 2011
What’s a natural wine week? Well, first you have to know what’s a natural wine.
Organic grape growing means that no pesticides or chemicals are used in the vineyard.
Biodynamic grape growing is a type of organic viticulture that uses special preparations of herbal sprays and composts, and time their applications according to the lunar calendar.
Natural wines are wines made with the least possible use of chemicals, additives and overly technological procedures. That includes chemicals in the field, such as pesticides, as well things like like sulfur or any of the almost 200 allowed additives that are legally permitted in wine. And it includes many technological manipulations of wine that erase the individuality of the product and the place it comes from–the terroir. Think of the definition of natural wine as similar to the German purity laws of beer making, which say that beer can be made only of water barley and hops. Purely natural wine is made of grape juice and little else… it must be also be vinified as naturally as possible. After the grapes have been cultivated organically or biodynamically, there must be a minimum use of additives and technological manipulations. (jenny & françois)
See for yourself if it makes a difference.
15 natural, organic, biodynamic winemakers have come to NYC from France, Italy, Spain and California to share their wine with us for the next week and a half at wine dinners, free tastings and educational events around town.
Here’s the schedule via jenny & françois selections’ “Natural Winemaker’s Week 2011 New York City.”
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: (Click on each event for more specific details)
THURSDAY, MARCH 3
Free tasting with the first winemaker to arrive! Come start off the week with us:
5:30-7:30pm: Sussex Wine & Spirits, 300 E. 42nd St. (2nd Ave.), 212.867.5838.
FRIDAY, MARCH 4
Free tastings with winemakers at the following locations:
5-8pm: White Star, 907 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn NY, 718.389.4520.
5-8pm: Winfield-Flynn, 558 3rd Ave., NYC, 212.679.4455.
6-8pm: Fermented Grapes, 651 Vanderbilt Ave., Brooklyn, 718.230.3216.
6-9pm: September Wines, 100 Stanton St. @ Ludlow, NYC, 212.388.0770.
SATURDAY, MARCH 5
3-6pm: Astor Center Grand Tasting (upstairs), 399 Lafayette St.@4th St.,212.674.7501. $20 includes seminars, meeting 15 winemakers, tasting over 30 wines. Please reserve: www.astorcenternyc.com. Sells out fast!
SUNDAY, MARCH 6
Dinners, classes & tastings:
6-9pm: Brooklyn Kitchen, 100 Frost St., Brooklyn, 718.389.2982. American Natural Winemakers team up with Meat Hook butchers for a natural wine/sausage making class. Reservations: www.thebrooklynkitchen.com, $60.
7:30pm: Tangled Vine, 434 Amsterdam Ave. @ 81st St., NYC, 646.863.3896. Mediterranean Winemaker dinner. Unlimited food & wine. Reservations, $49.
8pm: Egg, 135 N 5th St., Brooklyn, 718.302.5151. 4 course French wine & rabbit pairing dinner. Reservations, $65.
8pm: Thirst Bar, 629 Classon Ave., Brooklyn, 718.857.9227. 3 course wine dinner. Reservations, $45.
Free tastings with winemakers at the following locations:
4-7pm: Appellation Wines, 156 10th Ave., NYC, 212.741.9474.
4-7pm: West Side Wine, 481 Columbus Ave., NYC, 212.874.2900.
5-7pm: Thirst, 187 DeKalb Ave @ Carlton, Brooklyn, 718.596.7643.
6:30-8:30pm: Discovery Wines, 10 Avenue A, NYC, 212.674.7833.
MONDAY, MARCH 7
10am-5pm: Jenny & François Portfolio Tasting (trade & press only – please RSVP) *NOTE THE LOCATION HAS CHANGED* The Smith Restaurant, 55 3rd Avenue, Manhattan. Call 646.775.6400 or email: info@jennyandfrancois.com
TUESDAY, MARCH 8
5pm-2am: Anfora Winemaker Night, 34 8th Ave., NYC, 212.518.2722.
7:30pm: Crave Wine Bar, 570 Henry Street, Brooklyn, 718.643.0361. Natural California. Reservations, $65.
7-9pm: City Winery: 155 Varick St, NYC, 212.608.0555. Women & Wine: Organic & Biodynamic Wines, panel discussion & dinner. See website for details: www.citywinery.com
10pm-2:30am: Blue Ribbon Wine Bar, 34 Downing St., 212.691-0404.
Free tastings with winemakers at the following locations:
5-8pm: Natural Wine Company, 211 North 11th St., Brooklyn, 646.397.9463.
6-8pm: Maslow 6, 211 W. Broadway, NYC, 212.226.3127.
6-9pm: DOC, 147 Broadway, Brooklyn, 718.388.0087.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9
6-8:30pm: Ten Bells, 247 Broome St., NYC, 212.228.4450. $25 flight of 8 wines & charcuterie, back room. 2 seatings @ 6.30 & 7.30, 20 seats each. Make your reservation @ 212 228 4450.
6:30pm or 9pm (2 seatings): Northeast Kingdom, 18 Wyckoff Avenue, Brooklyn, 718.386.3864. Winemaker dinner. Reservations, $50.
7:30pm: Rouge Tomate, 10 East 60th St., NYC, 646.237-8977. Reservations required, $150 per person includes 3 courses and amuse bouche.
Free wine tasting with winemakers at the following locations:
4-7pm: 67 Wine & Spirits: 179 Columbus Ave., NYC, 212.724.6767.
5-7pm: Chamber’s Street, 148 Chambers St., NYC, 212.227.1434.
6-8pm: UVA, 199 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, 718.963.3939.
THURSDAY, MARCH 10
Free wine tasting with winemakers:
5-8pm: Natural Wine Company, 211 North 11th St., Brooklyn, 646.397.9463.
FRIDAY, MARCH 11
Free wine tasting with winemakers at the following locations:
5-7pm: West Side Wine, 481 Columbus Ave., NYC, 212.874-2900.
5:30-8:30pm: Dry Dock, 424 Van Brunt St., Brooklyn, 718.852.3625.
Saturday March 12
4-6pm: Heights Chateau, 123 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn NY 718.330.0963.
6:30-8:30pm: Gnarly Vines Wines and Spirits, 350 Myrtle Avenue 718.797.3183.
For info call: 646.775.6400
