How to Navigate a Terrible Winelist - My dinner at Peter Luger's Steakhouse

Last weekend David and I went to Peter Luger's Steakhouse in Great Neck, Strong Island with his sister and her husband.  Let me set the scene.  The place is packed.  Women are prancing around in jeggings, nude peep-toe heels and their furs.  The dining room looks like the interior of a Bavarian beer garden done up in Tudor style.  Old old waiters totter from table to table with sizzling plates of meaty objects.  The food menu is limited and simplistic aka: Steak for 2, Steak for 3 and Steak for 4.  The wine list was equally limited.  It was also populated with all of the big brand, boring, usual suspects; Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  A wine challege if ever I saw one.  

Incidentally, after this visit, I happend to hear a podcast where a sommelier made suggestions on how to order wine at a restaurant if you don't know much about wine.  He suggested to go straight for the Cabernet Sauvignon.  I couldn't disagree more.  If you're not used to a wine with tannin, you might not enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon (although it's generally a good accompaniment with steak - especially steak that has taken a butter bath like Luger's meat).  I didn't want to pay $80 for a boring California Cabernet.  I also didn't like being steered in that direction that Luger's obviously wanted it's patrons to go.  Of the say 40 wines on the menu - 20 of them are California Cabernets. 

Here's what I did:

In general, if you want to pay around $50, don't know a lot about different wine growing regions, and you find yourself at a restaurant and the wine list looks Luger-like lame here are a few guidelines:

1. choose a non-Cabernet Sauvignon varietal in California. - I considered ordering a Merlot for a moment.  This is a good option especially since Merlots have to try extra hard to be taken seriously STILL.
2. choose a Cabernet or Cab-blend in another Country. - I considered a Casa Lapostolle Cabernet from Chile for a while - that was exactly $50. In my price range.  I also thought about getting the St. Emillion  (Merlot heavy) from Bordeaux, but thought it might be a touch earthy for the collective palate at the table.
3. choose a bottle from a value country - Spain, Argentina, Australia, Chile.  These are all great choices of countries to check out on a wine list.  These countries tend to over-deliver for their price.  The mark up won't be as high - the restaurant is marking up the higher volume wines - in this case California Cab.

In the end, I chose the option behind door #3 and ordered a Penfold's Bin 28, a smooth and tasty little number for $55 ($25 retail).  It fit the collective palate, budget, and went well with our steaks.  I feel like I deserve a medal - maybe that's why I let myself be talked into the sub-par struedel for desert.

From My Cellar (okay, my living room) Kay Brothers Hillside Shiraz 2005

When I went to Australia in 2007 I visited iconic Kay Brothers in McClaren Vale.  I splurged on a bottle of their Amery Vineyards Hillside Shiraz 2005.  David and I cracked this open the other night with some beef stroganoff and it was fantastically tasty. 

Everyone in the wine idustry (indulge me to generalize) has been down on the the Syrah grape from Down Under.  They say it's a dying category. Sales reps can't sell it.  Wine stores can't sell it.  True, there is a ridiculous amount of boring mass produced Shiraz in the $8-$15 area.  However, when you drink a Shiraz from an iconic vineyard like this one from Kay Brothers ($45), you'll see what a shame it is that Australian sections around the country are dwindling.  These are wineries that are making wines that express the unique terroir of their vineyards and producing truthful and quality wines.

Kay Brothers is located in Australia's beautiful and tourist friendly McClaren Vale.  It was founded in the late 1800's and today it is the oldest winery in McClaren Vale still family owned. The juice in the bottle we drank is from their Hillside Vineyard.  It's aged in oak for a little over 2 years and then it waits for you to drink it.

Color: rich burgundy
Nose: fragrant and spicy. ripe with currants, plums, chocolate, coffee and baking spices.  Just got better as it opened up.
Palate: velvety and full in the mouth.  flavors mirroring the nose; roasted fruits, plum and boysenberry, chocolate covered coffee beans.  Sweet tannins and long finish. 

Analysis:  This is a smoking good bottle of wine.  I'm sorry I only bought one bottle.

Insider's note (you can find a ton of great high end Aussie wines with reduced prices - snatch them up - they're more than likely ready to drink and delicious). Drink high end Aussie wines from places like McClaren Vale and the Victoria, and you'll be a believer.

Finger Lakin' Good! Heart and Hands Sparkling Rose and Red Tail Ridge Rose

I spent a wonderful weekend in New York state's Finger Lakes region with David and two of our foodie and wine minded pals; Frank and Julie.  We stayed at the AMAZINGLY gorgeous Aurora Inn directly on Lake Cayuga.  I won't bore you with details, but let's just say there was some tandem bike riding and booze fueled Scrabble games!

Although we enjoyed ourselves, I feel like Finger Lakes wines don't get a lot of respect among wine drinkers.  There are a handful of wineries like Dr. Loosen and Weimar that can be found in a lot of NYC stores, but mostly you don't see a whole lot of selection on the shelves.  Heart & Hands Wine Company and Red Tail Ridge are two wineries that are relatively young and they are doing some interesting things.

Heart & Hands is right up the road from the Aurora Inn in Aurora New York.  This is the eastern shore of Lake Cayuga.  The winery is run by and young couple; Tom and Susan Higgins with their sweet Swiss Mountain dog; Fion.  This is a relatively small production bottling some 1,500 cases of Pinot Noir and Riesling.  Tom is the winemaker and he started the winery 3 years ago in 2008, but is by no means new to the industry.  Boy knows his Pinot, he worked at Calera over in California.  That stuff is GOOD!

I particularly enjoyed their sparkling wine a 2009 Brut Rose of Pinot Noir.  The package is snazzy and the bubbles were very tasty.  They are producing this in the traditional method where the 2nd fermentation takes place in the bottle. The price was nice, too at $25.  I thought there was a pleasant toastiness and a delicate aroma of fresh strawberries and cranberry that was very refreshing. Very easy to drink a bottle of this alone... beware!

The next rose that I tried and loved was the Red Trail Ridge Rose of Pinot Noir 2010.  This comes in a smart looking bottle too.  This is tapered and lean and it seems to match the feel of the wine which is fruit punch colored, but crisp, elegant and minerally on the palate.  Fragrant notes of strawberry and bing cherry hit the nose, but this is a gorgeous dry rose - perfect for sipping with friends, lakeside, before dinner... maybe I'm speaking from experience.

Red Tail Ridge Winery, located on the western shore of Lake Seneca; is owned and operated by Mike Schnelle and Nancy Irelan, a husband and wife team.  They started the winery 6 years ago in 2005.  They are also accompanied by their two working dogs;  Shazaam (German Shepher) and Scooter (Yellow Lab).  They actually have official titles of  Winemaker Management and Pond Inspector and Mud Puddle Assessment respectively.

Red Tail concentrates on quality Reisling and Pinot Noir, but they're also doing some Chardonnay and some cool varietals like Dornfelder and Teroldego.  On another impressive note, they are LEED certified.  A very difficult green certification to come by.  It's all of these things that make you feel better about yourself and the environment as you sip away!!
Heart and Hands Brut Rose: $25
Red Tail Ridge Rose 2010: $20

Wine Drinking for People with Commitment Issues - Tasting Room Flights Delivered to Your Door

It's difficult for me to make a decision about somethings.  I'm a Gemini (at least I think I am still in spite of the Egyptian Snake Toter; Ophiuchus) In college I had 2 majors and 2 minors.  I love buffets.  I have countless pairs of black pants and black skirts, and I usually get Harvest Mix (with the pumpkins AND Indian corn) because I want more variety than just candy corn.  


When it comes to drinking wine, sometimes I can't commit to just one bottle.  Maybe I just feel like a glass or a half a glass.  Half bottles are fantastic, but the selection isn't always great and they're not always a good price.  When I bought an e-coupon for $50 towards wine samplers... my dilemma was answered.  I didn't have to make a choice!!

Tastingroom.com is a site that features wineries offering the public their samples in 50ml bottles.  50ml is just shy of two ounces.  An average restaurant pour is five ounces. You can also by big-girl bottles of the wine too.  The focus is mainly California, Washington and Oregon driven, but they're starting to get some international selections too.

The 50ml taste allows the casual (and professional) drinker an opportunity to sample a wine before committing to an entire bottle.  Each kit comes with a little tasting sheet and allows space for you to make comments so you might remember what you've sipped.  50 ml is the same format as "nips" of vodka, rum, and gin come if you've ever gotten a drink on an airplane.

Of course when it came to ordering, I couldn't just choose one flight. I ordered three!  One was a sampling of Pinot Noirs from California, one was a taste of Sonoma (red and white wines) and the other was a more focused view showcasing a Napa winery that I was not familiar with called Ladera.  The regular sized bottles of the wines I tried ranged in price from $18-$70. The samplers ranged from $24.99-$29.99.

When my samplers arrived it was so much fun!! I lined up my little bottles, twisted the little caps, and made my assessments.  Two ounces really is enough to decide if you like the wine or not.  There were some wines that I thought were really great, and there were some that weren't really my style. All in all it was a great experience to be able to try so many different wines in the comfort of my apartamento without having to waste any wine or pay a lot for such a selection.
The only bad part is that the wine will age faster in that tiny bottle, so be mindful of the drink-by date stamped on them.   Also,  I felt like a bit of a wine-o with all of my empty nip-sized bottles.  I will just have to endure the judgement from my neighbors when then see me (more likely David) taking down the trash.

Check them out - they're always offering some good deal or free shipping.  Samplers start at $14.99.
www.tastingroom.com

Adopt a Maligned Grape: Pinotage

There are a lot of Pinotage poo poo'ers out there.  I don't judge them too harshly, there are a lot of bad mass market Pinotages giving the good ones a bad name.  This oft maligned grape is under constant critique.  Some say that at its worst, it tastes like rubber tires (tyres in South Africa) band-aids, paint thinner and/or rubbing alcohol.  I've found some beautiful Pinotages that have complex aromas of brambly fruits, red cherry, earthiness, barn-yardy notes and even a hint of an exotic and sassy note that I will simply call: Animale.

What is Pinotage?

Pinotage is a crossing (not a hybrid) of two grapes of the same species, in this case of Vitis Vinifera.  All of the famous grapes of quality are Vitis Vinifera and you know them: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec, Chardonnay, etc. 

Made official in 1925, Pinotage is the love child between Pinot Noir and Cinsault.  Mother Pinot Noir is from a good family of high social standing - she's aloof, moody, elegant and delicate, but can be warm and smell like cherries. Pappa Cinsault, a decidedly less popular grape from humbler southern beginnings, but sturdy, strapping, earthy, he brings darker richer fruits to the party. It's a little Lady Chatterly-esque, no?

Pinotage has become the signature grape of South Africa.  That's not hard to believe since it was created there.  Pinotages can range in price from $8.99 upwards of $50.  The two I have listed below are in the under $25 category and they just might turn you into a Pinotage lover, or at the very least, pique your interest.  

Pinotage has a wide range of typical aromas and tastes, but basically, you can expect something that is a little like Pinot Noir (cherry, strawberry, spice) and Cinsault (blackberry, black cherry, earthy) with the addition of an exotic element we have already touched upon that I call Animale. Cabernet lovers will be drawn to the sheer power of the wines, and if you are a Shiraz enthusiast, the funky spice and boldness will appeal to you.  Pinotage is NOT for the faint of heart!  Check with your doctor before popping the cork.

Doolhof "Dark Lady" Pinotage 2009, from Wellington South Africa really seduced me.  The more I smelled this, the more interesting it became.  I won't lie to you, at first sniff I was afraid.  There was that initial funky junk that I often smell with Pinotage.  It is so distinct and so polarizing.   It challenging to describe, but just think black strap molasses on a hot rubber tire.  Once that dissipated, aromas of burnt molasses and blackberry with macerated strawberry came into play.  There was a spicy note too, of clove and nutmeg. After a little more time, chocolaty aromas evolved.  It was really spectacular to see how much this wine changed in the glass minute after minute. 

Another one of my faves is the Warwick Pinotage.  They have mastered the art of making a fruity spicy Pinotage that has prominent aromas of Bing cherry and old bay spice instead of the inside of rubber tire (or tyre if you're in South Africa).  This a full bodied beauty that has the bright red fruit that is expertly co-mingled with this earthy Animale.  The result is a very interesting and almost intellectual wine.  It keeps challenging your senses.  For me, that is a very agreeable position to be in.  I do dislike a boring wine!

Dark Lady Pinotage 2009

color: dark ruby

nose: initially burnt and charred notes, moving into blackberry and strawberry and then spiced leather and chocolate

palate: smooth and rich, full bodied and velvety

approx retail: $17.99

A Rye Story: McKenzie Rye, Sazerc Rye and Russell's 6 Year Reserve

With the increase in popularity of brown spirits and my shopping addiction,  it's no wonder that we have about 6 different Rye's in our home bar.  Rye the preferred spirit in our house cocktail; the Manhattan.  Today, I take 3 different Ryes for 3 different reasons to make a boozy evaluation:

1) Sazerac - the classic

2) Russell's Reserve - 6 Year - the aged, with a big company backing

3) McKenzie - the newcomer - artisinal small batch spirit

What is rye?

We've all had rye bread and pumpernickel bread, no?  This is the same grain that we are talking about.  Bourbon is a corn-heavy spirit (at least 51% of the mash must be corn), and Rye is a rye grain based spirit. Rye bread is a little spicier and and sharper than corn bread, so it's no surprise that Rye spirits have a distinct spice to them and are less sweet tasting than Bourbons.  After distillation, Rye must be age in new oak barrels.  It must be aged for at least 2 years if it is to be called "Straight Rye Whiskey".

Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey 90 Proof
The Classic

This is the first Rye that I ever purchased.  It claims to be have been America's first branded cocktail; the Sazerac, which is enjoying a revival thanks to Rye-minded bar folk on both sides of the zinc. From it's New Orleans beginnings in the late 1800's, Sazerac has grown in size to be a part of a sizable company that also owns Buffalo Trace, Rain Vodka, Firefly Vodka,  Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon, and Chi Chi's cocktail mixers (I know my readers will know and love that last one).  The crispness of the Sazerac makes it a fantastic partner for a cocktail.  This classic has staying power.

color: light amber

nose: pleasantly and subtly, aromatic, heather honey, slightly fruity, spice, light caramel

palate: crisp and light, spiced caramel, candied orange peel

cost: $24.99

Russell's Reserve Rye - 6 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye -   90 Proof
The Designer Aged

Made by our friends over at Wild Turkey in Kentucky this is a smooth and unctuous Rye.  There is certainly the familiar Rye spice, but there is a distinct richness that differs from the Sazerac (for better or worse).   Russell's is a straight rye, so it's been aged for more than 2 years - 6 years in this case.  I know we love to hate big corporations, but because they are Wild Turkey, they have the luxury of making this pet project.  Because it's small batch distilled, it's time consuming.  They claim to hand select the rye and slow ferment it; two practices that are costly.   The long term aging has taken a little of the raw spiciness out, but it is undeniably a Rye and you could drink this puppy straight (or with a few Fabbri cherries).

color: light amber

nose: smoky caramel, clove and other baking spices

palate: smooth rich and luscious - golden caramel

$34.99

McKenzie Rye Whiskey 91 Proof
The Indie Small Batch
This Rye is from the Finger Lakes area of upstate New York made using local grains from area farms.  They produce some other spirits, but this one seems to be their most popular in NYC. They are true craft distillers, making their booze in small batches with a traditional copper pot still (this one was custom made in Germany - and you can allegedly see the gleam from the highway) without the addition of commercial enzymes.  They finish the wine in sherry casks (we looooove sherry!)  http://www.fingerlakesdistilling.com/. The McKenzie had a woodier, vanilla aroma and was as smooth, powerful and luscious (similar to the Russell Reserve) on the palate with tons of butterscotch.  For my New York area readers, we can drink a somewhat local spirit, and for all us, we can support an artisinal endeavor!  It's a win-win because this Rye is really delicious.

color: honeyed amber

nose: spice, molasses, vanilla, brown sugar, praline
palate: woody spice, smooth butterscotch finish

$34.99

Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc 2009 and Sharecroppers Pinot Noir 2008 - One Tagine and two delicious Wines

The wonderful part about food and wine pairing is that there isn't one true answer.  There are certainly better pairings than others and some that don't work at all.  Sometimes two very different wines will elevate and compliment the same dish in two very different ways.  There are some classic pairings that I won't mess with like Foie Gras and Sauternes or Dark Chocolate and Port.

Our sassy friend, Judy,  prepared a tasty chicken tagine and had several amazing wines on the table.  I love dinners like that - it truly appeals to my non-committal side.  I can have several small glasses of different wines instead of one (or 3) glasses of the same wine.  The two wines that were winners for me were the Merry Edwards barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2009 and the Owe Roe Sharecropper's Pinot Noir 2008 (my contribution to the dinner party, heh heh).

Merry Edwards is such an icon that I think I felt honored to be drinking her wine in the first place.  She's been making wine for 40 years or something impressive like that.  She makes world class Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.  This Sauvignon Blanc is made with almost half of the grapes coming from 30+ year old vines (ANCIENT for Sonoma) in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma.  They get some gorgeous fog and cool breezes that you can almost taste in the wine. She barrel ferments the wine and allows lees aging, so there is a smoothness and a bit of a fuller body to it compared to a wine that fermented in stainless steel.

I was drinking this before the tagine and then when everyone switched to red, I had the rest of the bottle to myself (good party scam).  There is a lovely lush Meyer lemon nose that is echoed on the palate.  There's something akin to a honeyed grapefruit with bright minerality on the palate too.  I really enjoyed the lusciousness and it really stood up to the chicken thigh and couscous.

When I had drained the Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc I reached for the Oregon Pinot Noir, an Owen Roe bottling called Sharecropper's from the Willamette Valley.  The minerality and cherry cola flavors really brought out the richness of the dark chicken meat and made the cherry studded couscous sing.

Owen Roe is a great winery in the Pacific Northwest that specializes in grapes that grow best in theWillamette Valley of Oregon and the Yakima Valley in Washington.  Sharecropper's sources its fruit from the Willamette Valley.  This particular bottle had a gorgeous aromatic nose full of wild strawberries, cherry cola and delicate earth.  It was bright on the palate with more cherries and spice and had a lengthy finish.

Verdict: Drink multiple wines with dinner to hedge your bets and check out these two wineries.

Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc 2009: $30.00
Sharecropper's Pinot Noir 2008: $24.00