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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:

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!

There are two liquids that are taken more seriously than any other all across the nation- coffee and wine. Both are made with care, time and extremely intricate detail. That being said, they tend to be a little pricey. George Mc Kirdy of Astor Bake Shop is hoping to ease the damage on your wallet without compromising on quality. As it states on the Astor website “Astor Bake Shop is the opening he has been working towards, for so many years. His personal labor of love.” Their coffee made with Stone Street in Red Hook NY and blended to Astor perfection speaks for itself, pair that with one of their house made pastries and you’re set…. but wait, isn’t this a wine site? Why all the coffee talk? Astor also serves wine by the glass/bottle as well as beer. Mon-Thurs from 5-8 come in for 1/2 off glasses of wine or beer with a $12 food purchase. The food here is top notch, made with fresh and mainly local ingredients. Try the Astor burger and pair it with the 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 and play well in between succulent bites of brisket burger patty with lettuce, tomato, spicy Astor sauce, Swiss, creamy coleslaw  and pickles on a challah roll. Yumtown!

We have attended this event for many years now and still have yet to be able to get through all the fabulous wines. But, we have met many a new wine friend and learned a bit about wines we’ve never had. (Once a student of wine, ALWAYS a student of wine!)

FunWithWine.com
Presents
Spring Fling Wine Party

Date and Time:            Thursday, April 07, 2011 at 7:30 PM

Location:                        to be announced, NYC

Description:                   Join Funwithwine for one of our classic and renown wine parties.

This will be a walk-around event, with many great wines organized according to a TBD theme and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

This event will run from 7:30 to 10:30.

Cost:

$40. special early bird reservation price, which will rise to $60 during the week of the event.

RSVP & Cancellation Policy

You may pay online with VISA or Mastercard.

Cancellations are accepted until March 30th. After March 30th, cancellations are accepted provided a replacement can be found. All cancellations are subject to a $15 handling charge.

Hmmm, a festive sparking event on March 15… the Ides of March.   (Get more details and ticket info here.)

Well, according to Wikipedia: The Ides of March was a festive day dedicated to the god Mars and a military parade was usually held. In modern times, the term Ides of March is best known as the date that Julius Caesar was killed in 44 B.C…. and supposedly it is also the day that General George Washington quelled a mutiny of his Officers in 1783.

OK, so overall, it’s a festive day. If the Roman Hash House Harriers can run down the streets in their togas on this day, we can drink the most festive of drinks – Champagne and sparkling wines. The bubbles themselves can lift the spirits of most.

This is the third installment of the NYGS events. They always pack the house, so getting in early with tickets secures your space…. and for over 50% off, that itself may be reason to celebrate. It’s a Tuesday, so don’t say we didn’t warn you to watch how much you try…. otherwise, you may need to heed the warning: beware of the ides of march this time around.

Peri Wine Bar, a Mediterranean wine and tapas joint that has recently taken over the old Essex Ale House, is already offering us some sweet deals via GiltCity.

1.) Brunch: with a pair of entrees and a glass of champagne each… for two. $24

2.) Dinner for two: two appetizers, two entrees, one dessert—and two glasses of wine. $54

We’re always game to check out a new wine spot…. Even more so – or at least more sooner than later – when they offer such a nice special. (Even us wine lovers need a little push to get to all of the wine options around town!)

Best Cellars specializes in words like

If you’ve found yourself ever describing the flavors of wine in a similar manner, this deal is for you.

Because Best Cellars classifies its bottles by taste and style instead of grape or origin, you will receive 3 reds and 3 whites based on your answer to the question, “What kind of wine do you like?”

Why we like this deal: It doesn’t seem like it’s 6 “pre-determined” bottles. And it works out to be around $7+ a bottle…. that’s less than a glass of wine at a local wine bar, so now you can share more tastes with others for less.

Are you an online shopper?

Do you need to update your wine glass selection?

Are you unsure of what to get your father-in-law who loves wine?

Here’s a pretty good deal then: pay $25 and get $55 worth of wine ware through WineEnthusiast.com.  Glassware, corkscrews, foil cutters and other wine accessories for $30 off the asking price… basically.

Thanks to the peeps at Buywithme.com. Buy the deal here.

OK, we have a few trends heating up on the wine scene lately.  Wines on tap, wines by the half of bottle and self-serve enomatic wine bars.  The latter, you’ll find at Clo wine bar in Time Warner Center, the new Bar Basque in the Eventi Hotel and at SD26 (wine bar/ restaurant headed up by the owners of the late San Domenico fame).

The SD26 program allows you to buy a “tasting card” that allows you to buy wine at their front wine lounge in 1, 2, and 5 ounce pours, so you can try a wine before you commit to a full glass. Located in the mod lounge area, it makes 24 perfectly preserved vintages available for swillers to self-serve at their leisure. (Note: the prices of these pours might start at a few dollars for a 1 oz pour, but can soar pretty high for more premium options. Which is WHY this deal is SUCH a good one. You can sample wines you might not have considered before, with freedom.)

Thanks to Daily Candy for this deal: buy their Enomatic SmartCard now for $50 now and get $100 to use at your leisure. Because the other cool thing is you can use it when you want – without expiration – in their automatic wine dispensing machine.

This is one of those, don’t pass it up, and get there soon opportunities – thanks to Scoutmob – the deal site that doesn’t require any money down!

A lesser known fave in the lower Soho/LES area, Tapeo 29 is offering 50% off their fare.

Tapeo 29 serves up true Spanish tapas – their recipes are devoted to authenticity - and has some fun wine options to pair with them. Mixed with the underground vibe (hip people and dark ambiance) and great music, you have yourself a destination for tonight.  Not to mention you’ll be able to taste some of the most flavorful stuffed dates (Datiles Rellenos: cheese-stuffed, Serrano ham-wrapped dates) we’ve put into our mouths. Yes, we ordered thirds the last time we went. And, if you are even remotely interesting in Sangria, sample some of the city’s finest here. (There are contenders around town, don’t get us wrong, but these guys can make Sangria that tastes more like the true wine cocktail it should be rather than a fruit punch.)

New wine bar Tolani wants you to come and check them out.  Get the deal here via CBS Local. (Valid Sun-Wed only.)

Tolani
410 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10024

After their first few months of growing pains, they are offering a menu of small plates (from Greek, Carribean, North African, Brazilian or Thai) and a vast international wine list. The by the glass program skews a bit more “new world” palate – bigger fruit and fullness. (20 wines are offered by the glass, priced from $9-$18.) However, if you have a more earthy, rustic palate, they have a full on by the bottle wine list that offers a worldly range of options: with bottles priced from $30-$80.