THURSDAY NIGHT TASTING 6-8PM
LADIES WHO COMMAND OUR ATTENTION!!!
There’s a lot going on today! Greta Thunberg sailed into New York harbor this morning! It’s Lucy’s Birthday! (It’s also Charlie Parker’s Birthday!) And, our amazing friend Michele from Regal is behind the Lions Club Bar tonight! (Did we mention she is a Master of Wine candidate?) Honestly? Get ready… We recently had to put together a six-pack for a roof-party we’re attending in this Saturday in Manhattan. (We know, but what can we say? The hosts are visiting from LA; they don’t know.) Anyway, we always like to bring two of everything to a get-together so everyone gets to try everything, and we only wanted to carry a sixer, and we didn’t want to break the bank SOOOO... What were the best, most affordable, red, white and bubbly in the store?? They turned out to all be from the same source, and SO, we rescheduled what we were planning for tonight and Michele graciously agreed to pour at the last-minute. Here they are! Inspired by our own picks for said rooftop party this Saturday night, this lineup is Labor Day Dope! This is your 3-day buying opportunity right here babies! It’s a cool 65 degrees in the Shrine of Wine: POPULATION YOU TONIGHT! VIVA WINE, BREAD, CHEESE, and VINYL!
Château Bouscasse, Les Jardins Philosophiques 2014 & 2015
Can you say Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Sec? Us neither – and who cares! At $20, this complex, mineral, magic and very dry version of this Gascon classic may have you asking “Is this the best cheese pairing ever?” When our friend Dave Macaninch came back from Gascony we were reminded of this almost lost gem of a wine. Most versions are too sweet for American palates, but this very dry bottle from superstar winemaker Alain Dumont KILLS IT. Pacherenc-du-Vic-Bilh is the appellation for whites in the region. The wines are fascinating, deeply textured affairs that go well with river fish, cured meats, or of course, the duck which the area is famous for. The most classic pairing is probably Fois Gras with one of the off-dry versions. This one – from petitcorbu and petitmanseng – is dry and quite deep. First day it shows an amazing complexity, second day it settles into a beautiful version of white Burgundy at half the price. Second day! Yes, another great example of whites evolving after opening in the fridge! You can also decant to get to this place. We’ll have both the ’14 and the ’15 for you to compare. We don’t mind telling you we had to make a special effort to keep this baby at… $20!!!!
Castellroig, Cava Brut Vermell 2016
There’s just not a lot of Vermell in the world. This nearly extinct grape has been revived recently by Partida Creus, Rene Barbier, and, here, Castellroig in the Penedes, who are part of the new, better Cava DO Corpinnat. The wine has a slightly orange hue from gentle skin contact with this gris grape. We love the taste of pale peach and smoky orange peel. Very dry, but not overly acidic, this is a mellow sparkler suited for our favorite situation: just chillin’. Amazing, Organic. $27
Di Giovanna, Siciliani Nero d'Avola 2017
Black plum, herbal notes and licorice. Easy drinking, classic Nero d'Avola. We’re very happy to have a new, affordable, ORGANIC, Nero d’Avola. The estate is near the city of Sambuca, the setting of Visconti's epic masterpiece, The Leopard. With vineyards located high above the floating land, at the base of a rough cliff, two brothers fight for the culture this land once represented. Getting there is a different story: Only after substantial damage to the bottom of your car, or a long hike will you be able to access these beautifully remote high altitude vineyards that are managed in full respect of organic farming principles. What a view though! The Di Giovanna's have been viticulturist for more than 5 generations in Sicily, which explains the extreme passion with which Gunther and Klaus approach their daily task. Father Sicilian, mother German results in an energetic though slightly atypical mix of hard working attitude and straight-shooting intuition. Riccardo Cotarella helps with the winemaking here. Organic, SwissArmyKnife. $14
