I’ve been collecting wine for 27 years: always looking for the next outstanding bottle from a favorite winemaker, researching upcoming regions, or anticipating the harvest and release of another vintage of an old favorite. This might sound strange to some, but to those of us who are lovers of food and wine, it isn’t.
Prosecco is the sparkling wine of the moment. After all, why shouldn’t it be?
It’s light and refreshing; it mixes well to make interesting cocktails and pairs well with many different cusines; and it can be enjoyed just as well on its own as an aperitif. I personally enjoy drinking Prosecco throughout an entire meal: it enhances all the flavors of the food and is just a fun wine to enjoy with friends and family. Continue reading »
This past June 30th in New York City I was invited to be part of a panel at Le Cirque restaurant that presented the wines of the Veneto region to a large group of press and consumers. The presentation was led by Aurora Endrici, an Italian Sommelier from Italy, Anthony Dias Blue, a wine and food personality, and Paolo Secondo, the owner of a group of top Italian restaurants in New York City.
Among the wines that were tasted and reviewed by all were Glera, Corvina, Vespaiolo, Garganega, Moscato, Raboso, Amarone, Soave and Prosecco. As we tasted the wines one by one with the audience, we also answered questions from Aurora Endrici and the press about these familiar and new wine discoveries. The line up of wines was an eye opener for all in attendance: no one was left unimpressed with the high quality of wines produced in Veneto and the wines’ ability to pair so well with many different cuisines. After the tasting we joined everyone at an intimate luncheon where our conversations about the undoubtedly world class red and white wines being produced in the Veneto region continued. It goes without saying that, once again, the Italian Trade Commission of New York did an outstanding job hosting a significant and important event in the world of Italian wine with the Veneto Chambers of Commerce.
In 1837, the Delmonico brothers opened the first fine dining restaurant in the United States, featuring private dining and the largest private wine cellar in the city .
In 1862, Charles Ranhofer was named Chef de Cuisine for his most noted and famous creations which can be found in restaurants around the world: Eggs Benedict, Baked Alaska, Lobster Newburg and Chicken a la King are a few of his culinary creations. Eggs Benedict is so famous and an American staple that it was featured on the new Chef reality show on Fox 5 in July 2011. Six Chefs had 30 minutes to make that perfect Eggs Benedict that is served every time at Delmonico’s and it was not an easy task. I recently visited Delmonico this past May and June for lunch and dinner. Continue reading »
This is the time of the year when everyone is coming out with their lists “The best of 2010” (Restaurants, wine lists, cigars, cars, airlines, resorts, wines etc.)
The Wine Spectator came out with their Top 100 wines of 2010 and it seemed liked consumers ran to their local wine shop to grab up as many gems as they can. It’s always fun to judge the sales of those wines after the release of the list. No matter what the price tag is they sell like hot cakes.
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