Last week I stopped by Blue Ribbon Wine Bar for a late-night winemaker tasting with Tracey Brandt of Donkey and Goat Winery in Berkeley, CA. I hadn’t heard of Donkey and Goat before but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and taste of their wines. It was fun to chat with Tracey as well. They’re celebrating their 10th year in the wine business. If…
Wine Wednesdays – Lenz 2010 Chardonnay
While out in Greenport we decided to pick up a bottle of wine to enjoy before dinner. The local wine store recommended the 2010 Lenz White Label Chardonnay, and he just so happened to have a bottle on ice ready to enjoy immediately. It was delicious. The nose was full of bright citrus, crisp green apple, with a touch of vanilla. The wine in their…
Girls Getaway – Greenport L.I.
Last weekend a couple of my closet girlfriends and I decided to get out of town for the weekend. We wanted something close so we decided to head out to Greenport on the Northfork of Long Island. After exploring Greenport back in June with my mom, I was eager to go back and see what it was like in the off-season. We stayed once again…
Wine Wednesdays – 2011 Blina Barbera D’Asti
When my dad was in town I took him to one of my favorite restaurants in the city, Jeffrey’s Grocery. We shared a seafood tower (with which I enjoyed a crisp sauvignon blanc) then moved on to the skirt steak as our main. I asked the som, Erika, for a recommendation of a red wine to enjoy with my steak. After describing my ideal glass…
In the Kitchen – Preserved Lemons
I first experienced preserved lemons during a cooking class in Morocco last year. The chef explained the arduous process of letting them cure for 6+ months. I quickly wrote it off as something that would be nice to have but not something I ever thought I could recreate at home. Turns out I was wrong. Inspired by the abundance of Meyer lemons at my local…
Wine Wednesdays – 2012 Failla Pinot Noir
Part two of my trip to Ohio was spent exploring all of the new bars and restaurants in my college town. So much has changed in what feels like such a quick 6 years since we graduated. A welcome addition to the town is Cru Winebar. Opened by seasoned restaurateurs Mike and Michelle Patterson, Cru is both a wine bar and wine store located…
Wine Wednesday – Back in Ohio with Shifflett Wines
Last week I joined my dad for a series of tastings in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. I went to school at Miami University so it was a fun excuse for me to go back and visit campus while also shadowing him in his tasting routine. Our first tasting was held at Main Street Gourmet located in Oxford, Ohio in the heart of Miami’s “Uptown”. Many…
Wine Wednesdays – Bordeaux + Duck Confit Tasting
Last week I invited some friends over to practice both my cooking skills as well as tasting skills. I had smuggled a tin of duck confit back from France last year and it had been sitting on top of my fridge ever since. I figured these dog days of winter were as good a time as ever to cook it up. I paired the confit…
Wine Wednesdays – Fontanafredda Serralunga D’Alba Barolo
Last week I had a delicious dinner at Quality Meats in midtown. Midtown on a Saturday night….bleh I know, but it was worth the trek uptown! After slight snafus with a backup of service, we had a great meal all washed down with a yummy bottle of Barolo. I’m not that familiar with Italian wines so I defaulted to my dining companions. The wine was…
Celebrate Burgundy Week – Tasting in NYC this Saturday
How clever am I to post about Burgundy labels without even know that we’re currently celebrating Burgundy week here in NYC and SF?!?! If you live in either of these cities, check out the Burgundy Week web page for events near you! I’ll be checking out the open tasting at Tribeca Wine Merchants from 2pm-6pm tomorrow 3/15. If you’re in NYC come stop by! Image…