West Side Wine

In a bold move, I have taken it upon myself to declare the end of Winter.

But a declaration isn’t enough — actions speak louder than words. So we’ve begun construction of the WSW PINK WALL OF FAME 2013 EDITION. You can now relax and start to enjoy spring, because we’re loading up on all of the best-of-the-best rosés. Some might consider that an oxymoron, but at WSW we take our rosés seriously. Already in the house are pinkies from France, South Africa, California, Austria, New York, Italy and Australia. And we haven’t even brought in the big guns yet, because they haven’t arrived in NY.

Take heart, my friends, in knowing that we have your best interests in mind and hear you when you say that you’re sick of this weather and want your spring to be here at last. We’re on it.  Cheers.

It’s Passover time, when thoughts turn to kosher wines and watching all of “The Ten Commandments.” I don’t know why, but it seems to be the only holiday where people really care about, and buy, kosher wines. Not Rosh Hashanah, not Hannukah, not any other holiday. So it behooves me, at Passover, to lay in a good supply of kosher wine. And not just good in quantity but, of course, in quality.

Yes, folks, there are plenty of good kosher wines out there to choose from. I’ve spent a lot of time tasting and selecting them, only to spend even more time convincing people that they’re not your grandfather’s kosher wines. And if you don’t believe me, check out Eric Asimov’s article in the Times today. We’ve even got a few of the ones he mentions in-house already.

So, Happy Passover to all. Eat well and, of course, drink well as well.

Ray’s The Man!

No, we haven’t changed our name. We’re still that incomparable, mostly organic, wine shop on New York’s fashionable West Side. But, as much as we love our natural wines, we couldn’t ignore what’s happening in the world of domestic hootch, or spirits, if you prefer. So one day I looked at my pathetic spirits section and turned to my main spirits guy, Raymond. “Let’s get into the 21st Century,” I said. I have to admit that, when it comes to booze, my palate leaves a lot to be desired. Raymond knows his stuff. So why not hand it over to the expert?

As a result, we now have a a pretty damn good selection of spirits from all over the country. Utah, Vermont, New York State, Brooklyn, West Virginia, Massachusetts, Oregon and, of course, Kentucky. And even though I don’t drink the stuff, I know good when I taste it, and this stuff is good. Come on by some time and check out the good behind the counter. All I know is, it’s flying. Seems like those guys and gals who are making these spirits know what they’re doing.

Over the past couple of years I’ve become interested in learning more about everything cheese. It’s not so far-fetched, seeing has how it goes so well with my current area of expertise. Like with wine, I’m fascinated by how many different kinds of cheese there are, how very different they can be, how they’re made, and the endless possibilities for new cheeses yet to be created. I had kind of put it on the back burner, but always fully expected to delve wholeheartedly into  a real cheese education someday.

But a couple of things have happened recently that caused me to move it to the front burner. Last week we hosted a very dear friend and winemaker and her friend (who shall both remain nameless to protect them from incrimination for the cheese crime detailed here) for a week-long stay at our house. As a thank you, they smuggled in a fantastic array of cheeses from France that they successfully snuck past the airport authorities. These cheeses are the real deal. Not pasteurized, not messed with, nothing but perfect examples of honest, delicious cheese. We have been gorging ourselves almost daily on them, and when properly stored, they just keep getting better and better.

The second impetus came from an opportunity to do a “cheese summit” with a wonderful new gourmet shop, Gastronomie 491, that recently opened up a half a block north of WSW. They have a renowned cheesemonger by the name of Martin Johnson, who invited me to present six different wines which will be paired with six different cheeses of his choice. I’m really looking forward to it, and I know it’s going to be a really great learning experience for me. I know what the wines taste like and what their different characteristics are, but I don’t know what Martin has in mind. It’ll be fun to see what he comes up with and hear why he chose what he chose, because he, too, knows quite a bit about wine.

For a mere $20, you can find out along with me this Wednesday, March 13, at 7PM. See you at Gastronomie 491!

The great thing about this wine gig is that everyday brings new discoveries. For example, not a day goes by where I don’t learn of a new (to me) Italian grape. I swear that they all get together over there and dream up five or six a week. Jancis Robinson’s new book on grape varietals covers 200 of them, while estimates put their total at about 1500.

Anyhow, my latest discoveries are the wines of Eastern Europe, in particular the wines from Georgia and Croatia. Where the heck have I been?  I used to think that they were cheap and nasty, but thankfully, with some help from a couple of good wine people, I stand happily corrected. These wines are outstanding. The winemaking tradition goes back centuries: the same techniques used then are used now. And many of them are totally natural. Most importantly, they are superb.

So when you’re out there looking for something different and wonderful, look for wines made by folks like Bura, or Kozlovic, or Pilzota or Pheasant’s Tears. Look for wines made from grapes like Babic, or Plavac Mali (the original Zinfandel), or Rkatsetelli or Saperavi or Mtsvane.  And if you’re at all into “orange” wines, run don’t walk to the Eastern European section of your favorite wine establishment. Hopefully they won’t give you a blank stare. In anticipation of you trying them, I’ll jut say “You’re welcome.”

The stockings are hung and the Wine Guy’s holiday picks are picked. Yes, this time of year can be a bitch, but it really doesn’t have to be.

Here’s some party season advice to make your life just a little bit easier.

(from The Wine Guy: Everything You Want to Know About Buying and Enjoying Wine From Someone Who Sells It, by Andy Besch and Ellen Kaye. William Morrow/HarperCollins 2005)

Ah, the gift of wine! It’s always an appropriate gesture. (Alas, no one brings it to my house anymore…not since I’ve become the Wine Guy.) But what to choose for that special someone, or that special occasion? My philosophy is simple:

1. In general, choose a red. Unless, of course, you know that the recipient absolutely doesn’t drink red wine.
2. Don’t overspend — it’s not about what you spend, it’s about how well you choose. And if you choose well, your recipient will think you spent way more than you actually did.
3. Be courageous — give them something they’ve probably never tried before. Offering the unusual shows that you gave the situation some thought. And besides, if they’re not familiar with the wine, they really won’t know what it cost.
4. As an alternative to a red, pick out a sparkling wine. One can always use a bottle of bubbly in the house for those unexpected celebratory occasions.
5. Are you bringing wine to be consumed with lunch or dinner? If so, ask what your hosts are planning on serving. If you don’t know, try to bring something medium-bodied that goes well with lots of different foods, such as a Pinot Noir, a Chianti, or a Rioja.
6. For something unique, bring a dessert wine or a fortified wine (port or sherry.) This is an easy way to complement any meal, and an easy way to get credit for doing something different.

Mr. Natural

Does the thought of enjoying a wine made from grapes grown in a pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide-rich environment sound good to you? Yum!

Maybe you saw the what the folks out there at Stanford University (not exactly Podunk U) had to say about organic meat and produce, basically that they are no more nutritious than those cultivated in conventional environments. Far be it for little old me to question the findings of  this august institution of higher learning. But if nothing else, how about that organic just might taste better?

When I stick my nose in a glass of natural wine my taste buds get all crazy, and when I finally take that first sip I have a wine experience that is fresh, alive, pure, exciting, honest, and oh, did I mention delicious? And I’m not the only one who feels that way. Read what our friend Alice Feiring had to say about it in Newsweek.

Guys, there is a difference no matter what anyone says. In fairness, the study did not take taste into account. But when making a choice, I do. How about you?