Starting this coming Saturday, some of my favorite shops (and one restaurant) in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Westchester will be pouring wines from the Louis/Dressner portfolio to raise funds for Partners in Health. The full list appears after the jump; most ask for a $20 donation but contact the shop before attending for complete details. It will be a very worthwhile evening, wherever you attend. Even if you can’t make it to one, you can always make a donation to PIH in Joe’s memory (or not) to PIH. In Joe’s inimitable words, here was a plea of his to give:

“PIH has been doing amazing work in Haiti since 1987 and has transcended charity to create an entirely new model of self-help and reliance. The work they do has changed the lives of people who have no resources, people who truly need help and can find it if we help PIH train the doctors and nurses and build the hospitals. This will not make us better people, more righteous or morally superior. I will continue to be a complete asshole. But providing basic medical care in the Third World, through an organization that delivers, will help others become better and healthier.”

- Chambers Street Wines, 148 Chambers St. – Saturday, October 22nd, 2 to 6:00pm (212) 227-1434

- Thirst Wine Merchants, 187 Dekalb Ave, Bklyn – Sunday, October 23rd, 5 to 8:00pm (718) 596-7643

- Astor Wines (Astor Center) 399 Lafayette St. – Monday, October 24th, 6 to 8:00pm (212) 674-7501

- Slope Cellars, 436 Seventh Ave, Bklyn – Wednesday October 26th, 6 to 8:00pm (718) 369-7307

- Brooklyn Wine Exchange, 138 Court St, Bklyn – Thursday October 27th, 6 to 9:00pm (718) 855-9463

- Grapes The Wine Co., 731 N. Broadway, White Plains – Friday October 28th, 6 to 9:00pm (914) 397-9463

- Union Square Wines, 140 Fourth Ave – Friday, October 28th, 6 to 9:00pm (212) 675-8100

- Le Du’s Wines, 600 Washington St – Friday, October 28th, 5 to 8:00pm (212) 924-6999

- Uva Wines, 199 Bedford Ave, Bklyn – Saturday, October 29th, 3 to 6pm (718) 963-3939

- Rouge Tomate, 10 East Sixtieth St – From October 22nd to October 29th –> the restaurant Rouge Tomate will offer a selection of ten Louis/Dressner wines, by the glass or bottle, a portion of the proceeds going to PIH. (646) 237-8970

King Solomon was known for his wisdom. And when he ordered a baby cut in half, he made a woman cry.

John Slover is the Solomonic sommelier, though his splitting things in two is more likely to make people happy. When at Bar Henry, he introduced a bottle-splitting program, wherein diners could order 375ml of a regular bottle for only half the full-bottle price (No upcharge! The remaining 375ml is then available to other diners.). This encourages diners to experiment, by, as an example, having a half a bottle of white with appetizers and a half a bottle of red with the main course.

He’s continuing the wisdom of this strategy at Ciano, where he is the wine director at the restaurant that opened last year with Shea Gallante in the kitchen. Slover said wine sales have been strong, adding that the bottle-splitting program “has made money, certainly not lost any.” Two diners sometimes buy a full bottle and then order another half that they wouldn’t have normally ordered to try something new.

Slover divided the wine list into a “market” list where the splitting is allowed and a “reserve” list where it it is not. Unless he can broker a share on one of the pricey bottles. And he has done so, for example, selling a DRC Echézeaux 1985 for $1,200 per half to two tables. One evening, knowing a Rhone fan dining in the restaurant, he proposed a half of 1995 Henri Bonneau, reserve des Célestins, a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The diner said, “Bring it on.” Then Slover proposed it to another diner who might be interested and he said “absolutely.” They enjoyed it so much they then went halvsies on a 1985 Rayas.

Let’s just hope Slover keeps his saber sheathed while doing his trademark bottle splitting. That would make us all weep.

Ciano, 45 E. 22nd Street, 212-982-8422

Wine under $50 certainly has obvious appeal. But it also has pitfalls, notably dull selections available at stores or supermarkets for $10 might appear for $40 on a list. That’s why there’s a paradoxical diner skepticism: on the one hand, we love a deal but on the other hand, we are apparently incredulous that lower-priced wine could actually be good. Pascaline Lepeltier of Rouge Tomate flagged this for us earlier, and she tweeted an elaboration yesterday about the place of wines under $50 and diner psychology:

i would say it is mainly the area where people may not expect to find good AND cheap wines; so you have to convince them

So which places can you cast aside your possible skepticism and order with confidence from the under $50 selections?

In the three years since the restaurant opened on the Upper East Side, that question has been the domain of Pascaline Lepeltier. In that time, the former philosophy major from Angers who could still pass as an undergrad on a university campus, has assembled an impressive list of over 300 wine selections and become an admired fixture of New York’s world.

As you might expect, most of the wines come from organically grown vineyards or are considered “natural” wines, about 70% of the list by her estimation. But she’s not a dogmatist. She looks for “wines that are true to their place, to their vintage, and to their winemakers,” adding that “many great wines are made conventionally.” The list thus draws not only on places like the Jura or Montlouis but also California, New York and Bordeaux.

“I’m opening a La Tache, Frank Cornelissen, a Movia, a sake, a Marcassin on the same night,” she says, illustrating the range of styles on the list.

While she says that her goal is to understand what each guest wants, she is also thrilled to be able to list wines she is particularly enthusiastic about. She told me that she listed an “orange” wine–a somewhat oxidative style of wine popular with some wine geeks–by the glass and was delighted at the response.

Chenin blanc is her not-so-secret passion. She has 25 Chenins on the list (sparkling and still), so you’d be hard-pressed to find more Chenin Blanc on any wine list in New York City or, probably, anywhere outside of the Loire. They include sparkling and still renditions of the grape and from up-and-coming producers such as Damien Laureau and masters such as Domaine Huet.

While there are some values on the list, she says that wines under $50 have had difficulty selling. Goes with the neighborhood, I guess. However, there are still some under $50, such as the crackling 2010 Muscadet from Domaine Louvetrie, the 2009 Hermann J. Wiemer “Dry” Riesling and several reds from the Loire. There are also some Calforia cabernets with age, as well as many hard to find selections from Cornas or Irouléguy. Check it out: the wine list is a feast for the eyes, as well as the palate at any price point.

If you do find yourself at Rouge Tomate, be sure to ask Pascaline for her suggestions. At the very least you’ll find her attitude refreshing, neither snobby nor doctrinaire. As she says, “I think wine is a question of humility. I want people to feel comfortable and not feel intimated by wine.”

Rouge Tomate
10 E 60th St between Fifth and Madison Aves
phone: 646-237-8977
rougetomatenyc.com
Wine list (pdf)

Now, on page one of his wine list, Grieco entered a high-profile fray in the NYC dining scene by vividly showing his support for restauranteur Chris Cannon, who abruptly closed his restaurants Alto and Convivio recently. (The closings were part of the fallout from a dispute with Cannon’s former business partners chef Michael White and investor Ahmass Fakahany, who together own Marea, Ai Fiori, and Osteria Morini.) Who needs a blog to rant when you can you can print your views on a wine list?

On a related note, even if the Krug was not properly chilled on a private jet bound for Aspen last week, it must have been a frosty trip since Grieco and Michael White were onboard.

SIPPED: in vino, Veritas?
The NYC wine shrines Veritas and Cru, have closed according to the NYT. Grub Street reports that the lease for Veritas has been taken over and will now be a more casual place (with wine on tap?).

SIPPED: one for the road
A press release claims all 50 states (plus DC!) now allow diners to take unfinished wine with them from restaurants.

MUNCHED: Bordeaux 2010
Rabbits have descended on some vineyards in Bordeaux, one reporting 15 percent of the crop being eaten. At least some critics already like the 2010 vintage! Although “two paws up” was probably not the endorsement many property owners were seeking. [myfoxhouston.com]

SPIT: Strange brew, grand cru?
A British consumer claims to have found a frog in bottle of (Spanish) wine she was drinking. She has sued the retailer Asda. Ribbit! [Harpers.co.uk]

SIPPED: drinks?
Pregnant women can have a drink or two a week without harming the baby according to a study published today in the Journal of Epidemiological and Community Health. The study used data drawing on 11,000 children. [Bloomberg]

SPIT: anonymous comments
Charles Smith, owner of K Vintners, has sued anonymous commenters on a Blake Gray’s blog. Get the details and analysis of the “Streisand effect” from Felix Salmon on Reuters.

SIPPED: ghost writing
Utah’s Atty General calls a beer industry lobbyist who drafted his recent testimony on HR 5034 simply “a scribe or secretary.” [WSJ]

SIPPED: one more reason to die with an empty cellar
UK Revenue agents are cracking down on valuing wine collections in estates at market value, not the cost basis. [FT]

While more details and opinions about Aria are forthcoming (check out some photos on urbandaddy), the nature of the wine list does raise an interesting question: should a wine list be structured to highlight almost exclusively women, who are woefully underrepresented in winemaking, or is that just a gimmick? Have your say in the comments or the latest poll!

Choose up to two responses

Hi, soon visiting New York for a wedding, my wife and I intend to do some NY touristing. Drinking good Italian wine I can do in Italy or in my home country (Sweden), but where to find a good selection of reasonably priced US wines in NY? -Johan

Interesting question! I assume Johan would be interested in a bar to drop into before or after his wedding festivities on an evening. New York City wine bars are dominated by lists that focus mostly or entirely on Italian wines; an emphasis on French wines is probably second. But since the demise of Vintage New York, which focused exclusively on wines of New York, nowhere really leaps out to me as having a preponderance of American wines. This may have to do with the fact that it is hard to find tasty American wines that retail for under $12 a bottle, thus putting them at a disadvantage in a restaurant situation with higher markups.

However, it is possible to put together a flight of American wines at a few places. Terroir Tribeca has five American wines available by the glass, with the small sizes all under $8, including a trio of New York State Rieslings. There are certainly better options at some restaurants that aren’t wine bars per se but have some bar areas; Gramercy Tavern is one possibility. But perhaps the best bar-bar for this type of request is Morell, which not only has several wine domestic reds and whites available by the glass, but affords possible celebrity viewing at Rockefeller Plaza.

What’s your theory as to why finding abundant American wines by the glass at NYC wine bars is such a challenge? And what are your suggestions for Johan?

John Slover, who previously worked at Cru, has assembled a wine list with 116 wines on the “market” list. Order any wine off this list and they will pour off half of it and charge you–gasp!–half the price of the full bottle. The remaining 375ml goes behind the bar and the wine gets written on a big mirror, where it is then in play and available for purchase by other diners, either as a half or by the glass. (The list also has 24 wines offered by-the-glass.) It’s a fun and innovative feature that offers the opportunity to try different wines at reasonable prices. The market list includes mostly French and Italian wines but also has selections from the US, Germany, Austria among other countries. Producers include: Tue-Boeuf, Belliviere, Knoll, Zilliken, Auguste Clape, Marquis d’Angerville, Paolo Bea and Cristom.

Bar Henry’s creativity features in a story that I wrote on the theme in the June 15 issue of the magazine Sommelier Journal. Unfortunately it’s not on their website, but if you are a subscriber, check out the story on the back page.UPDATE: the column is now online! Check it out at sommelierjournal.com.

Which wine bars or restaurants have you been to that are doing fun and innovative things?

Related: Bar Henry, 90 West Houston Street, (646) 448-4559 (map it)
“Finding a deal on the wine list at Bar Boulud in NYC“

It’s sunny with a high of 86 today in New York. Although rosé is food-friendly and refreshing for more months than it is usually given credit for, today is classic rosé weather. I’ve got a couple of good rosés so now all I need is a pool…

Last week I stopped by Crush Wine & Spirits on 57th St (map it). They used to do free tastings weekly in the store but now have switched to larger ones only once a month. A staple in this vein has been their annual “war of the rosés” where they uncork and pour a dozen or more for consumers who think pink.

My favorite of the all-2009 lineup, both foreign and domestic, was the Clos Roche Blanche, a rosé from the pineau d’aunis grape, which usually makes some pretty light reds to begin with. This wine ($18) from the central Loire had great brightness and an alluring subtlety. The other wine that I bought after the tasting was the Commanderie de Peyrassol, a Provencal rosé that is consistently fun and delicious (and a good value, on sale for $14.39 that day–search for these wines).

After tasting the wines, I wondered if 2009 might not be the greatest rosé vintage in Europe? Not that people really give much thought to rosé and vintages. But it seemed to me that some of them were not as bright and snappy as in prior years. What is your experience? While awaiting your reply, I might just uncork one of those bottles pictured above.

Berger, once a math major who has written for a lengthy list of publications over several decades, delivered prepared remarks lamenting the rise of scores and the decline of prose in wine evaluations.

Bartholomew Broadbent (right) accepted the award for his father. He delivered some funny remarks about how his father had stopped drinking, except for putting champagne in his orange juice at breakfast, having a Madeira in lieu of coffee at 11 AM, drinking red and white wine with lunch (which didn’t count because it was with food), then having Madeira again instead of tea in the afternoon, more wines with dinner that, again, didn’t count, followed by some port. But because his doctor had told him to have a drink a day, he had some cordial before going to bed.

Broadbent praised the festive nature of the dinner while wistfully remembering the bygone dinners of Lloyd Flatt and others. He said that such dinners of fine and rare wines “don’t really happen any more because nobody thinks they are real.”

Ed McCarthy, a WMG member and previous inductee, reminded the crowd of the adage that nobody should die with a full cellar. Then he said that Andre Simon died with only two bottles of wine, very successful indeed. Peter Sichel, also a previous inductee, said that when Simon, the author of 104 books, hit 90 years old, a message went out to his friends alerting them to the fact that Simon had depleted his cellar and requested bottles to be sent.

The WMG also awarded three scholarships to students studying food and wine service at New York City College of Technology.

The wines flowed freely. Some bottles were off while others were on. I had ’71 Haut Brion that was drinking beautifully with the ethereal delicacy of mature cabernet. A Chateau Branaire ’75 from magnum was also in excellent shape. A ’97 Turley Old Vines was devoid of acidity, had residual sweetness and angular alcohol. I finished the evening with a glass of ’49 white port from Australia that was a ringer for Madeira. Other wines seen in the room ’66 Lynch Bages, ’74 Spanna, ’38 Niepoort, ’00 Hermitage, ’71 Beerenauslese, ’79 Ridge Lytton Springs and dozens more. More photos after the jump.

Dan Berger and Kevin Zraly, a previous inductee

Presenting the award certificates to the scholarship recipients

A table before corks were pulled

Michael Yarmark, born in New York, moved to San Francisco where he did a Masters in English literature at SF State. While living in the Bay Area, he met Emilia Valencia, who was working front-of-house at a restaurant. Together, they came to know the wines of Steve Edmunds who makes wines from Rhone varieties under the Edmunds St. John label in the East Bay. They eventually discovered the retail shop for the importer Kermit Lynch, which Michael describes as a turning point in their wine journey that led them to seek natural wines from independent winemakers.

Moving back to New York, Michael got a job as a sales manager for a book publisher while Emilia continued working in restaurants, including at Franny’s in Park Slope. Michael says that they liked shopping for wine at many of New York’s independent shops–and a handsome display of the corks they pulled while living in NYC attests to that diversity. Michael says, “it represents our thirst and our quest.” But they wanted something closer to their home in Fort Greene.

So in December 2006, they opened Thirst Wine Merchant. The 500 sq ft store stocks about 500 different wines, all with a natural bent, onto curved shelves made of biofiber (wheat) and sustainably harvested birch. The well-curated selection, strong in wines from the Loire, Burgundy and Italy, features many wines from Kermit Lynch as well as other importers and some domestic wines.

If you stop by the store, you’re likely to meet Michael or Emilia since they only have one full-time employee. When I stopped by last month, Michael was there and a $13 natural chardonnay from the Languedoc was being poured in the store. Prices are reasonable, especially with 5% off six bottles and 15% off case purchases. They also ship but don’t have inventory on their website. You can check it out in person or on my map of NYC wine shops.

Store info and photos after the jump:

187 DeKalb Avenue (at Carlton)
718.596.7643
Sunday–Wednesday 12–9
Thursday–Friday 12–10
Saturday 10–10

April 19 at Rouge Tomate: Michel Delhommeau of Muscadet and Laetitia Gendrier of Domaine Huards in Cheverny will be among eight Loire winemakers on hand for a four-course dinner. Wine reception starts at 6:30. $95+tax and tip. (646) 237-8977

April 22 at Dressler (Williamsburg): a five-course dinner with Klauss Gasser, winemaker at Cantina Terlano in Alto Adige. Features four wines from 2005. (718) 384-6343

April 22 at Crush Wine & Spirits: not a dinner but a free, “epic” (their word) tasting of Gruner Veltliner from producers including Nikolaihof, Prager, FX Pichler, Brundlmayer and more…(Unlike the others, no producers on hand for this event.) 5:30 – 7:30. Food pairings from Seasonal restaurant. Must RSVP: events@crushwineco.com

And two arranged through Chambers Street Wines:
April 22: the distinctive, oxidized whites and high-acid reds of Jura will be offered in a private room at The Ten Bells in a walk-around, mingling, small plate tasting. More than a half-a-dozen producers will be in attendance. $55. (212) 227-1434

April 23 at General Greene (Fort Greene): a four-course dinner with excellent Loire producers Francois Chidaine (Montlouis and Vouvray) and Mattieu Baudry of Domaine Bernard Baudry (Chinon). Six wines will be served including two Montlouis still wines as well as Baudry’s top wine, La Croix Boisée. $90 (includes tax and tip) (212) 227-1434

UPDATE: Please note that the disruptions in European travel may have altered these events. Please double check with the organizers.

Two years and several inches of goatee later, Paul Grieco and chef Marco Canora of Hearth Restaurant open a second branch of Terroir wine bar today. Photographed at the pre-opening opening last night, wine impresario Grieco hands over a glass of bubbly. (See pix from the opening of the original location for the goatee watch.) Next to him are the beer taps, but eagle-eyed readers will note the tap closest to him is actually for Finger Lakes Riesling! Yes, they are having Riesling keggers in Tribeca now.

The venue features a similar menu and innovative wine list as the other location, now known as Terroir EVil. But Terroir Tribeca has three times the space, with 72 seats as opposed to just 24.

You can check out a wacky, unedited video tour of the place here.

24 Harrison St (@Greenwich St), Tribeca.

Daniel Posner, managing partner at Grapes the Wine Company in White Plains, NY, tweeted about the new proposal. Reached for comment, he says that he received a call today from legislative negotiators floating these new proposals. Two calls to Albany were not returned.

According to Posner, the new proposal would offer existing retailers two “medallions,” requisite to maintain or obtain a license for wine retailing. The first medallion would be for their existing store. Shop owners could do what they wish with the second, including use it to obtain a license on a second store as the current ban on owning multiple licenses would be lifted. They could also sell it to another party, including a supermarket, to apply for a wine retail license.

This would effectively cap the number of new licenses to only double the amount of existing stores, currently 2,400 in the state. This medallion period would be a transition of three years before the market was further liberalized, phasing out the medallions.

“I think it’s hard for current shop owners to refuse this,” said Posner.

“The new proposal gives three years when a retailer could (a) open another store, (b) sell it to a supermarket and profit or (c) sit on it and wait,” he said. “They’re giving plenty of time for stores to react.”

Related: “Wine shops in states with supermarket sales – three views“