Friday, January 23, 2009

The Benigni of Wines

You know if we're going to compare someone to Roberto Benigni of "Life is Beautiful"/jumping-on-chairs-at-the-Oscars fame, it has to be an exuberant wine. And that's exactly what Medici Ermete's "Solo" Lambrusco ($15) is. Yes, Lambrusco. No longer subjected to its U.S. format of sickly sweet, fizzy red from a box (Riunite on ice, anyone?), Lambrusco has made a return to the US in its true Italian form. Like Benigni , the semi-sparkling Solo bursts with flavor, with red berries giving way to hints of earthiness and, get this, a dry finish. Just the way the Italians drinks it. And in Italian custom, make it an afternoon snack with a chunk of Parmiaggiano-Reggiano, the salty "king of cheese" from the same region as Lambrusco, Emilia-Romagna. If, like Robert Benigni, you feel like jumping on furniture after drinking it, don't say we didn't warn you. Get it at one of our favorite NYC wine shops that just got their stock online: http://www.franklywines.com/



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Posted by Anu Karwa at 5:26 PM 0 comments

Friday, January 16, 2009

Winter Whites

Here's a piece that I wrote for Tasting Table (www.tastingtable.com). They are a must-read for food and wine fans so check them out. The NYC edition is out now and the "Everywhere" edition is launching shortly. Check my first piece for them here:

Though the temperature outside is frightful, don't pack your white wines away with your flip-flops just yet. Some whites make for excellent winter drinking: Our favorite is Torrontes, which is quickly making a name for itself at wine shops and on restaurant wine lists.

Once you taste it, you'll realize why this Argentinean variety appeals to even the "I only drink red in winter" crowd. Considering the grape's relation to the highly aromatic Muscat, its heady rose and tropical fruit aromas aren't surprising. What is unexpected in this medium-bodied wine is its deep, spicy flavors, creamy texture and bone-dry finish, which makes it a great foil for warm winter dishes, especially Indian and Thai cuisine (even takeout).

Here's a list to get you through the winter:

2008 Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes ($15) Crios sets the standard for a complex Torrontes: It's superfragrant with a luscious texture and a crisp finish (astorwines.com).

2008 Yellow+Blue Torrontes ($12) The producer famous for its eco-friendly packaging has added this lively, fresh Torrontes to its lineup of organic wines (astorwines.com).

2006 Sur De Los Andes Torrontes ($9 glass/$32 bottle) This value-priced bottle packs in big apricot and orange-blossom flavors. Available at Pasita restaurant, 47 Eighth Ave. (between Jane and Horatio sts.); 212-255-3900 or pasitanyc.com
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Posted by Anu Karwa at 1:42 PM 1 comments

Question from SwirlSavvy Reader: How to Remove Red Wine Stains


I've started doing a Q&A section in Swirl's newsletter. Now here’s a question from a SwirlSavvy reader: Does white wine really remove red wine stains? Well, if you’re anything like me who’s lost many a favorite white t-shirt to an overzealous, animated red wine drinking friend, you’ve literally stumbled onto this dilemma. The truth is, white wine won't make the stain budge. Instead, rescue your wine stain with something quick and easy using everyday household items. Mix 1 oz of dishwashing liquid soap with 1 oz of hydrogen peroxide. Put it in a spray bottle, and soak your stain. Stain gone. Happy white T-Shirt.
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Posted by Anu Karwa at 1:38 PM 0 comments
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How to Pick a Summer Wine: The Gentler, Lighter Side of Wine

Summer’s soaring temps beg you to step away from heavy Cabernets and check out the gentler, lighter side of wine. When choosing the perfect summer wine for your outdoor engagement party or wedding, think light, crisp, refreshing--and because people tend to drink more in the heat--lower in alcohol. Nothing more prettily suggests summer than a dry (i.e. not sweet) rose. Avoid the simple, syrupy versions and try French roses from the Mourvèdre grape or roses made using the Saignee method for more complexity. Pick wines from countries where you imagine the locals sipping leisurely at sidewalk cafés while basking in the sun, like Spain. A Spanish fave is Albarino from the Rias Baixas region. Made to drink young, Albarino is a crisp, white wine with intense fruit, lively acidity and generally a lower level of alcohol. It pairs perfectly with summer foods from seafood to grilled vegetables. But you don’t need to swear off red wine for summer. Look for light bodied wines like Pinot Noir from Oregon or a Valpolicella from Italy, both capable of standing up to barbequed foods. And don’t be afraid to put a slight chill on your red wine. It is summer after all!

Rías Baixas Albariño from Spain, “Exceptional with Everything” Oh Really?

There's nothing we love more than a challenge. It's in our makeup. We're two women, thirties. One Indian. One Filipina. The first, founder and CEO of a business in the arguably male-dominated wine world. The second, building experience to be a future proprietess of a wine store. Add to this: In New York City. So when presented with the opportunity to play wine and food critic for a night—to pair Rías Baixas Albariño wines, proclaimed to be "exceptional with everything" with Mercat’s offerings —it is impossible and simply against every ounce of who we are, to refuse.

Mercat means “market” in Catalan, the language of the northern Spanish region where owner, Jaime Reixach, is from and where the restaurant’s menu draws its inspiration. The albariños we’ll be drinking also originate from the northern region, and so we’re already anticipating more perfect wine pairings than tragic mismatches.

It’s a beautiful warm Thursday night—and we are tasting two Albariño wines: Alba Rosa from Martinez Serrantes and Pazo San Mauro, both 2006 vintages. We take our time with each wine—assessing them alone and then side by side. At the end, we agree that both are delightful: the Alba Rosa is sparkling with surprising depth while the Pazo San Mauro would bring life to our springtime picnic. Further, we imagine that if each wine were to be personified, they might just be these two ladies, described as such:

Alba Rosa Martinez Serantes Albariño | Scarlett Johansson: "Sparkling with surprising depth"

Alba Rosa Martinez Serantes Albariño | Scarlett Johansson: "Sparkling with surprising depth"
This golden blonde hued wine gives an almost effervescent quality that shoots racy brightness into your mouth. It has the usual grassiness and citrus qualities one expects from this wine. The reason why this wine fits Scarlett most is because it has the quality of lightness but comes with surprising depth of character and fullness in body. The comparison would be perfect were the wine to show great legs, but its light-bodied, lower alcohol nature doesn’t allow it.

Pazo San Mauro Albariño | Cameron Diaz: “Livens up your springtime picnic”

Pazo San Mauro Albariño | Cameron Diaz: “Livens up your springtime picnic”
Cameron would be a fun addition to any springtime outing. Her lightheartedness would make everyone smile and this wine does the same. The light yellow straw color gives way to granny smith apples, peaches, melon, and citrus scents that jump at your nose, smelling like springtime in a glass. This wine begs to be explored further. The crisp and pleasantly tart apple is balanced with pear and makes it the perfect brunch wine.
Now, we move on to the heart of our challenge: Exceptional with everything? Oh really? How do these two beauties handle themselves in company? After the three and a half hours of glorious sipping, chewing, and chatting, among ourselves and the restaurant staff, here are our findings:

No surprise, our lovely wines get along splendidly with their classic and traditional partners: we have raves for the nicely seasoned patatas bravas—not too spicy, not too garlicky—and the padrones/blistered shishito peppers, the char and oil offset by the tartness of the wines. One of us goes wild for the Canelons de Verdura/eggplant wrapped spring vegetables, manchego, and cranberry reduction. And then Chef Lowder sends over Trencat d’Ous/mushroom with salsa verde topped with a fried egg, which again, goes splendidly with our wines. Even the suckling pig/Cochinillo, which we think will surely clash, in fact becomes the surprise of the evening. Like the beauty and the beast, our wines and the pig make an unlikely but harmonious pair.

We ask ourselves for the last time: Rías Baixas Albariño from Spain: Exceptional with Everything?

If not for being the gluttonous bottomless pits that we are, we would certainly have answered YES with an exclamation point. But since we order those two desserts—Torrades Sta. Teresa/fried bread with lemon yogurt and Pa Amb Oli Xocolata/bread, olive oil, and chocolate, our answer must be: Almost. These two desserts with our two Albariños — are disastrous.

Rías Baixas Albariño from Spain: Exceptional with almost Everything.

--Anu Karwa and Marie Estrada

Visit http://www.riasbaixaswines.com for more info on Rías Baixas Albariños from Spain
 

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