NYC WINE BARS, Minx-Style, Part 1

I never really understood the appeal of a “pub crawl;” I figured it was simply an exercise in deliberately getting drunk interspersed with a few minutes of low-impact workout as one went from bar to bar. But the other night I engaged in what could be called a “wine bar crawl” with mostly wonderful results.

Joined by my friend and fellow wineaux Carol, we started out at TURKS AND FROGS (323 West 11^th St., 212/691-8875) It doesn’t take a great deal of sleuthing to figure out the emphasis is on things Turkish and French, so I began with a glass of 2008 Auguste Bonhomme Sancerre “La Forcine.” Pale yellow in color, it had an engaging nose of wet stone and straw with a little Sancerre-styled ‘dirty sock’ note. On the palate, there was pineapple, quince, a hint of lilac, and good lemon/lime acidity with a solid finish. [87]

Carol, forgoing France and Turkey altogether, first tried the 2009 Di Giovanna Viognier (Sicily), which was crisp and clean with melon and tropical fruits, exhibiting quite like a tart, refreshing New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. [85] Missing the typical florals and viscosity expected from a viognier, she turned to the 2008 Robert Oatley Chardonnay from Australia (um, Carol – Turks and Frogs, not Italians and Oz – but whatever,) which had a light nose of lemon and was soft and fresh with a little butter and grass. [84]

Turks and Frogs bills itself as possibly New York’s first wine bar. It is tucked away on a quiet block of West 11^th Street, and its tiny space is decorated with little charming antique-y elements. There is a small bar up front (where we sat, the better to interact with our knowledgeable bartender,) a few tables farther in, and a darkly romantic room at the back. The menu had a nice array of mostly Mediterranean-influenced items, and if you go for dessert, there is a – wait for it – chocolate tasting plate, which sounds delectable.

Occasionally, Turks and Frogs will offer special tasting flights, and they are considering a white/rosé flight for summer. I encourage that opportunity, as I found it is truly worth taking a gamble on some of the Turkish wines they do offer by the glass, even though the region or grape varieties may be unfamiliar to you.

For example, the 2009 Kavalklidere Emir de Neusehir Çankaya had a nose of melon and a little barnyard-y terroir, and was pleasant and light with interesting florals and well-balanced crisp acidity. [85] I also really enjoyed the rosé 2008 Kavalklidere Lâl Kevasi Aegean, which had a light peach color, a bright nose of Bing cherry, rose petals, and something almost like marzipan. It was very dry with a perfumey palate of minerals, roses, and a bit of brick dust. [88]

With an early-evening Spring breeze floating through the open door, the attentive, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and many more intriguing options on the menu (wine and food,) it was hard to leave. But it was time to “crawl” to our next stop, which was helpfully just around the corner.

For more information on TURKS AND FROGS, visit www.turksandfrogs.com.

Up next: Austrian influence at THE UPHOLSTERY STORE.

SPANISH IMMERSION (NO PASSPORT NEEDED)

Dearest Wineaux, the Minx is impressed.

While my fellow New Yorkers might raise an eyebrow that the Minx's first restaurant wine list review comes from a Connecticut establishment, the list at Barcelona Wine Bar in Stamford, CT is one of the most comprehensive explorations of a particular region I have ever encountered.

While numerous French or Italian restaurants can offer detailed wine lists, discovering an establishment so thoroughly devoted to Spanish wines is a rarity. At Barcelona, for example, there are no fewer than one hundred and twenty different bottles of Spanish red wines on the list, from twenty-eight different regions. There are also well thought-out offerings from many other parts of the world, including a wonderful range of South American wines. But the array from Spain is simply incredible. Even the Rioja section is thorough enough to be divided into two stylistic groups, "tradicional" and "moderna."

With over forty wines available by the glass, you can't go wrong being a little adventurous... for example, try the 2009 white wine Xarel-lo Albet i Noya, from Penedès ($8). Xarel-lo is usually used as one of the grapes blended for Cava - Spanish sparkling wine - and I have never seen a straight Xarel-lo offered by the glass. (Unfortunately I noticed it too late to try it myself, but I will not make that mistake on a future visit!)

There are wines on the list to please every budget, as well. There are dozens of bottle options at the $30-40-50 range, still more under $100, and if you want to splurge on a 1996 Vega Sicilia Unico (arguably Spain's most famous and esteemed wine, this vintage rated 97 points by Robert Parker) it's there as well, for a very reasonable $639.

Wineaux, I know you're intrigued, and here's the kicker: on Sundays, almost every bottle is HALF OFF. (The 50% discount doesn't apply to some high-end wines like the Unico, but they too are offered at a somewhat lower price.) So during a recent Sunday visit, I was able to share two bottles with my table for the price of one.

Given the enticing discount, we started with a 2004 Bodegas Muga Selección Especial Reserva (on the list for $79). Muga has a great reputation for quality, and this bottle was no exception. With black cherry, leather, graphite and a hint of tar on the nose, this voluptuous wine was strong but still youthful with plummy dark fruits and a great balance. [WM: 94]

I wanted to go in a slightly different direction with our second bottle, and chose a 2000 La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva (list price: $70). With 25% Garnacha blended along the Tempranillo, the Ardanza exhibited a more feminine style than the Muga; not as powerful, but incredibly elegant. The nose showed spices and red fruits, and there was lavender, lilac, and buckets of cassis on the palate of this fun and flirty wine. [WM: 92]

A wine list like this one makes me ache for deep pockets and the ability to consume numerous bottles without negative effect. There are too many gems on this Barcelona wine list, making a choice is almost impossible! However, the incredibly knowledgeable staff is on hand to make suggestions and thoughtful recommendations. I can't wait for my next visit - I already have some ideas brewing.

Barcelona also has CT locations in Fairfield, Greenwich, New Haven, South Norwalk, and West Hartford, with a branch in Atlanta, GA coming soon. Learn more and make a reservation at www.barcelonawinebar.com.

Oh, and the food is wonderful too!! My visit was wine-focused for sure, but the tapas offerings we nibbled on were creative and delicious. They also have a full menu, and a serious selection of spirits as well. So go visit Barcelona without having to get on a plane, and let the Minx know what you think. Cheers!

(Re-?)Discovering White Bordeaux

Bordeaux is a wine-making region in France that is probably familiar even to neophyte Wineaux. However, the WHITE wines made there have long struggled for recognition due to the avalanche of renowned Bordeaux reds and white wines from other, "more familiar" regions of the country.

Arguably, the best whites in Bordeaux come from the region of Pessac-Léognan, located just outside the town of Bordeaux, north of the Graves region (of which it once was a part,) and south of the Médoc.

The grapes used here are primarily Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Although Sauvignon Blanc thrives in other parts of the world, it originated in France. In the Minx's opinion, in this case it is under-appreciated, darn it!

Ultimately, the region, its history, the soil (thick gravel and stone over a layer of sand and clay,) and the use of Sémillon in blending all combine to provide a luscious, approachable, invigorating, food-friendly wine.

Do yourselves a favor and make the effort to seek out white Bordeaux - you will not be disappointed! The following are tasting notes from a number of 2008 releases with approximate retail prices.

2008 Château Bouscaut Blanc: Flint and terroir on the nose, great citrus of tangerine and lime. ~$45

2008 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc: Taffy on the nose, good mid-palate feel, nicely acidic. ~$90

2008 Château de Fieuzal Blanc: Light nose of perfumey florals, great structure, elegant style. ~$62

2008 Château Haut-Bergey Blanc: Grassy nose, warm peaches and orange blossom, really unique, good acidity. ~$44

2008 Château Latour-Martillac Blanc: Great tropical fruit on the nose, sweet peaches, light acidity. ~$35

2008 Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc: Nice grassy elements, good acidity, integrated citrus throughout. ~$80

2008 Château Olivier Blanc: Nose of tropical fruits, good viscosity, prominent melon, light acidity. ~$32

2008 Château Pape Clément Blanc: Great nose! Florals, abundant fruit, and grassy notes. Lightish acidity. Fabulous balance. ~$200

2008 Château Smith Haut-Lafitte Blanc: Nose of straw and grass, nice spice mid-palate, great length. ~$90

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VINO SPUMANTE PER MINXY!

Vocabulary lesson! The word of the day is "Franciacorta." Franciacorta is a location: part of the Lombardy region of Northern Italy (benvenuto!). It is also a name for the sparkling wines made in that region.

Italy is well known for its success with the sparkling wines of Prosecco and Asti, and Franciacorta is long overdue for inclusion in that esteem. Situated at the base of the Alps, Franciacorta is protected by those mountains, and the rocky soil left over from glacial travel as well as the numerous lakes in the region combine to provide perfect growing conditions for the grapes. The region is designated DOCG (denominazione di origine controllata e garantita) which ensures high standards of production and quality control.

I recently attended an incredible event at the Waldorf-Astoria, the Italian Trade Commission's VINO 2011. An absolutely overwhelming number of wines from hundreds of producers were available for tasting, and even though I began the day with a plan, I quickly succumbed to the inordinate task before me and only ("only"!!!) managed to taste 86 different wines. A few producers really stuck out in my experience, and one was Contadi Castaldi, the producer of some amazing Franciacorta wines. Contadi Castaldi is unique in that they have vineyards in each of the nineteen municipalities of the region, covering diverse soil types and microclimates.

Each of the three wines they were offering for tasting was excellent in its own right, the first being the NV Contadi Castaldi Franciacorta DOCG Brut. This wine has its first fermentation in stainless steel and then spends 20-26 months on the lees. It is 80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco. The wine has a great mousse and wonderful notes of lime and florals with a lovely balance and crisp, clean finish. ~$25

Minxy is a sucker for good sparkling wines, and a HUGE sucker for good sparkling rosés! I was really taken by the NV Contadi Castaldi Franciacorta DOCG Rosé. In the past, the winemakers only produced a vintage rosé, but they realized that having such a specialized offering was denying the wine-drinking public an opportunity to enjoy their gorgeous rosé blends, and have transitioned now to only make NV rosés. This is 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Nero. It is fermented mostly in stainless steel, and has a beautiful pinky-peach color, with great light berry fruit. Nice acidity, rich mousse and a long finish. ~$25

Finally, there was the 2006 Contadi Castaldi Franciacorta DOCG Saten. The 100% Chardonnay Saten was fermented in both stainless steel and in oak, and spent 30-36 months on lees. It has gorgeous lemon and lime notes, with an herby understructure. Huge mousse, nice acidity - a very lovely and elegant wine. ~$35

Minxy will admit something a little unprofessional: at the end of the event, this overwhelmed Wine Minx was getting ready to leave after tasting for five hours, but first returned to the Contadi Castaldi table for one more little pour of the rosé. And then she drank it (rather than professionally utilizing the spitoons,) and enjoyed every drop. Yum!

NOBLE NAPA'S CAPTIVATING CHARDONNAYS!

My dear Wineaux, be prepared to raise a glass and toast farewell to the over-oaked clumsy powerhouses of yore: so many of today's Napa Chardonnays are nuanced, elegant, complex, and ready to welcome you back to the fold.

Napa Valley (located in northern California; if you didn't know this, you have to go out and get me one of the following wines right now) is one of the most beautifully diverse wine regions in the world. It has an incredibly wide range of climates, soils and terrains, and a number of prominent grape varietals grow wonderfully there, especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. It also houses some of the most passionate winemakers I've ever encountered. Without further ado, here are some superb current releases of Napa Chardonnays to ponder:

2008 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Arcadia Napa Valley Chardonnay

Incredibly light color. Very strong notes of petrol, lots of straw and grass. Quite viscous. Luscious in the mouth with good acidity. Stylistically a little unusual & intriguing, very compelling. ~$50

2008 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Karia Napa Valley Chardonnay

Pale yellow-gold. Light butter nose with perfume & herbs. Nicely balanced with lots of layers, including notes of baked apple and a hint of taffy. Not overly acidic and very approachable. ~$35

*2008 Grgich Hills Napa Valley Chardonnay

Pale straw-yellow. Super buttery nose with subtle grass and florals. Flinty, warm stone fruit, lemon verbena, dried grasses and buttered popcorn. Tons of acidity and great all-over mouthfeel. ~$42

2008 Trefethen Oak Knoll Napa Valley Chardonnay

Very light color. Earth and mineral notes on nose. Nice light lemon and herbs, not overly acidic, but wonderful length. Supremely quaffable. ~$30

2008 Heitz Wine Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay

Pale straw yellow. Touch of oak on the nose. Clean feel with a refreshing minerality and grassiness. Nice acidity. ~$20

*2009 I'M Napa Valley Chardonnay

(I'M = Isabel Mondavi; these wines are made by her son, Rob Mondavi Jr. of the renowned Mondavi winemaking dynasty.) Pale straw yellow. Warm nose of melon, pear, and perfume. Luxurious yet elegant, good acid and deep length. Lovely variety of components, including peach, orange blossom, and honey notes. Wonderful value as well. ~$19

*2008 Cakebread Cellars Reserve Los Carneros Chardonnay

Light yellow-gold. This wine did spend fourteen months in the barrel and has subsequent relatively prominent oak notes, but they are perfectly integrated with florals, lime and a hint of vanilla. A great example of oak used to wonderful effect in this stellar reserve wine. ~$55

2007 Clos Pegase Hommage Artist Series Reserve, Mitsuko's Vineyard Los Carneros Chardonnay

Light yellow color. Nice warm buttery nose. Green apple and pear notes with a lively acidity and a nicely integrated, balanced finish. ~$40

2009 Antica Napa Valley - Antinori Family Estate Napa Valley Chardonnay

Light pale straw yellow. This single-vineyard Chardonnay from an Italian clone has a very flinty and mineral-y nose. Bright grassiness, sour lemon, minerals and herbs with a finish for days. ~$27

Starred entries are personal favorites. Prices are suggested retail. As always, any factual errors or omissions are mine alone.

Aa I wind up this post, I have a strong urge to push aside the computer and head for the nearest bottle of Napa Valley Chardonnay. This is a common impulse for me - surprise, surprise - but truly these wines are worthy of a second look. And a third. And a fourth. It's been cold and rainy here in New York but I suddenly feel as if I'm enjoying a lovely afternoon in Napa, and you should certainly take a virtual visit yourself! (Keep watch for upcoming posts on some more stellar wines from the AMAZING Napa Valley...)

Cheers!

Top 20 Under $20!

Holiday time = more festivities. More festivities = more opportunities to open a nice bottle of wine. But let's be realistic, here. In the days when buying a Christmas tree nearly requires another mortgage, a budget is especially appealing. So here are my Top 20 Wines Under $20!

Some are wines that taste as if they cost twice as much, some are amazing bangs-for-the buck, and some are great to keep on hand for a decent quaff when visitors pop by unexpectedly. (Even in the middle of the night. With a couple of reindeer.)

20) 2008 Il Faggio Montepulciano ~$9. Lots of great values are to be found in Italy - this has a nose of dusty red cherries and pizza dough. Very soft, red and black fruits, cocoa mocha. Appealing and quaffable for under ten bucks.

19) 2008 Famiglia Cielo Primitivo ~$9. Another Italian value - the Primitivo is characteristically earthy with a hint of barnyard on the nose. Tart cherry hits you at first, then it softens into a warm, easy-drinking red.

18) 2009 Franz Etz Grüner Veltliner ~$13 (1-liter bottle). Grüners from Austria are notably crisp and refreshing, and the '09 Etz is no exception. Lemony acidity, some herbs, good minerality, and the characteristic "groo-vee" note of white pepper.

17) 2007 Jelu Pinot Noir ~$15. This perfectly pleasing pinot is from Patagonia. (How about that?) Light earth and dried cherry on the nose. Nice acidity, with herbs, black cherry and plum.

16) 2008 Montgras Quatro ~$18. While we're in South America, let's pop over to Chile for this red blend: nose of tobacco, herbs and spice with black fruits. Deceptively smooth, with black cherries, blueberries, and a hint of cherry cobbler. Very light tannins but very decent finish.

15) 2008 Woop Woop Shiraz ~$12. While there are many values in the world of Australian shiraz, in a large tasting I ran last year, this wine appealed to every single person in the room! Fairly intense black fruits, spice box & licorice, with a well-balanced finish.

14) 2009 Burgans Albariño ~$14. This Spanish white is tremendously appealing, with abundant notes of peach, candied orange peel, honey, a hint of nuttiness and a nice acidity. Alone or with food, Albariño may be the best white you've never heard of.

13) 2009 Le Bourcier Macôn "Cuvee Elena" ~$16. 100% Chardonnay from this region in Burgundy, this amazing value exhibits minerals, white peach, lemon and Granny Smith apple. Zippy acidity combines with those flavors for a long finish.

12) 2009 Charles Smith "Boom Boom" Syrah ~$19. Renowned winemaker Charles Smith is cementing Washington State's place on the winemaking map. You may indeed go "boom" with this incendiary red - loads of dark fruits, spices, tobacco, incredible finish.

11) NV Gruet Brut ~$16. Amaze your friends when you tell them this fantastic Methode Champenoise (ie., Champagne-style) sparkler is from New Mexico. Great green apple and citrus notes are balanced by a warm toastiness. Don't wait for New Year's!

10) 2009 Mapuche Sauvignon Blanc ~ $10. This Chilean SB has a nose of kiwi, lime and orange blossom. It is very tart, with a refreshing minerality and a predominant note of Lemonheads (yes, the sour lemon candy.) I actually wrote in my notes: "party in your mouth!" Great to pair with food.

9) 2009 Terra Andina Carminère ~$9. Another wonderful value from Chile with a nose of inky violets and dark fruits. Abundant notes of cola, pencil lead, cocoa, cassis, black cherry and licorice with late-arriving soft tannins. Interestingly intense flavors and yet lighter and not overpowering mouthfeel.

8) 2008 Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon 815 ~$16. The first of three US Cabs to hit the top 10 of this list, the Gott 815 has earth and sweet cherries on the nose, with a great body, lots of fruit (blueberry, cassis) and mesquite and pine notes.

7) 2009 Terredora Falanghina Irpina ~$17. This southern Italian white shows honey, pineapple and strong grassy notes. Rich and complex with apricot, pear, and a citrusy finish with good minerality.

6) 2007 Ex Libris Cabernet Sauvignon ~$19. Proving that Washington State is vying with California for US Cab fame, this incredible dense, intense CS is full of cassis, cedar, cherry, herbs, some vanilla, and a well-balanced finish that goes on and on.

5) 2008 Argiolas Costamolino Vermentino ~$14. There is a voluptuousness to this Sardinian white, perhaps from the combination of peach, pear, spice, lemon-lime citrus, baking herbs, minerals, some tropical fruit and perfectly matched acidity.

4) 2008 Albert Seltz Riesling ~ $17. It is the burden of many wineaux to convince neophyte wine-lovers that Rieslings are not sicky-sweet cringe-inducing wines. Share this with them: light golden honey in color with a typical Riesling viscocity, and a nose of cantaloupe, pineapple, spice and orange peel. Forward but not-too-intense acidity with key lime, honeysuckle, melon, spice, green apple and minerals and a hint of residual CO2 "shpritz."

3) NV Sigura Viudas Brut Rosé ~$10. This rosé Cava from Spain is another incredible sparkler. Don't be fooled by the deep pinky-red color, this wine is incredibly light and refreshing, quite dry, bubbles for days, great acidity, and notes of strawberries, citrus, plum, and a hint of earthiness. I suggest buying a whole case - for toasting, gifts, holiday aperitifs or even pairing with pizza.

2) 2008 Juan Gil Monastrell ~$19. A true knock-your-socks-off wine from Jumilla, Spain. 100% Monastrell (Mourvedre) - inky dark, intense, smoky, dense black fruits, earth, spice, oak, sweet tannins. Absolutely screams to be paired with roast lamb and steak (sorry, vegetarians... also sauteed mushrooms, roasted eggplant and blue cheese!)

1) 2005 Teatown Cellars Right Bank ~$17. My number-one wine in this list is a merlot-based Bordeaux-style blend from this Californian "virtual winery." Keep your socks off lest they be knocked away again by the prominent cassis and blackberry syrup on the nose. In the mouth, it is lush and warm, with great notes of herb, eucalyptus, red and black berries, a hint of spice box and earth, and a lovely, long finish. A simply gorgeous strong yet stylish wine.

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I hope you enjoy the above wines, I know I for one do! (Ahem, if anyone is looking for a Christmas, Hannukah or Kwanzaa gift for the Wine Minx, just scroll the list, and I will be a happy wineaux this holiday season.) Cheers!

"Q and A" Time!

Dear Reader, dear dear Wineaux Reader, I want you to know that I am here for you.

Currently I am hard at work on three articles soon to be posted here: 1) "20 Under $20" - which may become "25 Under $25" or even "30 Under $30," as I can't seem to stop myself from stumbling across AMAZING values and bangs-for-the-buck. But I am frequently asked about great-valued wines, so this will be that, and you can stop bugging me.

2) "Bubbly" - quite possibly my favorite style of wine. Oh, what a little secondary fermentation does to a gal's heart! This article will cover sparklers from the world (Italy, US, Spain, Oz...), NV Champagnes, and prime bubblies in every price-point category. Ok, ok, maybe a vintage Champy or two, who's sharing?

3) "Wine Gifts for the Holidays" - how to shop for the Wineaux in your life... the wines and the wine-related trinkets that will go above and beyond.

Those of you who have taken class with me or attended a tasting with me or have had an occasion to sit next to me when a bottle is opened will know that I can wax rhapsodic on the many topics of wine for hours.

BUT!

I need your help to focus my oenophiliac mind. (I may have just made up a new word, there.)

What questions do you have? What regions puzzle you? What grape gives you vexed wrinkles on your brow? What is an olfactory epithelium anyway?

Dear, dear Wineaux Reader, ask away. I am here for you.

(Well, not for the next few minutes, I have to go open a bottle of wine. But after that, I'll be here for you.)