Winophilia

Adventurous winemakers and wine lovers are increasingly exploring “orange wines”—i.e.,  wines made from white varieties that pick up color (and tannins) from extended maceration of the freshly crushed juice on the grape skins (think Gravner, Radikon, Edi Kante, Wind Gap, Scholium Project, etc.). Do you use these wines in your program? If not, why not? If you do, how do you pair them with food, and what are your favorite producers and bottlings?

Levi Dalton, Sommelier, Boulud Sud (New York City). A few years ago I realized that what are now commonly called orange wines were the solution to a vexing problem I was experiencing. As the sommelier at a southern Italian restaurant, I was frequently being called upon to pair wines to tasting menus that progressed from seafood pasta and antipasti to meat-heavy pastas, to a fish course, and then finally to a red meat main course. The problem was finding a wine to serve with the fish course. READ MORE »

Adventurous winemakers and wine lovers are increasingly exploring “orange wines”—i.e., wines made from white varieties that pick up color (and tannins) from extended maceration of the freshly crushed juice on the grape skins (think Gravner, Radikon, Edi Kante, Wind Gap, Scholium Project, etc.). Do you use these wines in your program? If not, why not? If you do, how do you pair them with food, and what are your favorite producers and bottlings?

Jake Kosseff, Company Wine Director, Wild Ginger (Seattle). At Wild Ginger we love orange wines: the complexity and depth that extended skin contact provides for whites is often a treat. But they aren’t always a perfect fit for our restaurant, so we are very careful in our choices. Many of these wines also have pronounced oxidative character (i.e., nutty, caramelly, even occasionally volatile or vinegary notes) that aren’t delicious with the clean, bright flavors that are the building blocks of Southeast Asian cuisine. We have had some great luck in Friuli in Italy, and just over the border in Gorska Brda in Slovenia. Usually it’s a matter of choosing wine by wine (even vintage by vintage) rather than by producer. When we do have this type of wine on our list, we pair it with dishes that have rich, straightforward flavors, rather than dishes that have lots of vinegar, spice or fruitiness. READ MORE »

If YOU were putting on a holiday cocktail party at your own home, what one red and one white wine would you serve—and why?

Jim Clarke, Sommelier and Beverage Manager, Armani Ristorante (New York City). For parties I try to have something middle-of-the-road in style, not quality. For whites, that means no new oak, and nothing assertively aromatic like a sauvignon blanc. Something like a pinot gris or pinot blanc often works out well: perhaps the Anne Amie Pinot Gris 2010 from the Willamette Valley—medium-bodied, with a pleasant roundness on the palate and a fresh finish. For a red, medium-bodied but fresh seems to reach the widest range of people and suits a cocktail party where the drinking may go on for a while without a lot of food to go with it. The Renati Ratti Torriglione Barbera d’Alba 2010 would work well: typical cherry notes, but with a bit of a darker cast; smooth but firm mouthfeel. READ MORE »

If YOU were putting on a holiday cocktail party at your own home, what one red and one white wine would you serve—and why?

Eric Zillier, Wine Director, Gotham Bar and Grill (New York City). For a cocktail party it’s best to keep it light. In the interest of serving something that’s interesting and local, I would select Dr. Konstantin Frank’s 2009 Pinot Gris. It’s light and dry for maximum versatility, while exhibiting wintery aromatics to keep things interesting. As for the red, it would be Marcel Lapierre’s 2010 Morgon out of magnum. Beaujolais is no longer the underdog it once was, thanks in part to Mr. Lapierre. This is one of the best Beaujolais I have ever tasted and an appropriate way to honor a legend. READ MORE »