Mano a Vino

Wine Down - Michael Green's Monthly Wine Tasting Party

 

MICHAEL GREEN'S MONTHLY WINE TASTING PARTY

WINE DOWN: THE HOLIDAY PARTY

NEW VENUE: BLVD, 199 BOWERY

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2ND, 2009

DOORS OPEN AT 7:30 PM

FOR TICKETS: www.winedown.eventbrite.com

Special for Mano a Vino Readers

SAVE $10 on tickets by using Discount Code “BLVD”

Chia - Asian Bistro - Montclair, NJ- Restaurant Review

Michael Kao's  new restaurant Chia is a new pan-asian restaurant that opened three weeks ago on Bloomfield Ave just east of Fullerton.

Friends dined there last week and gave the place a great recommendation so we decided to give Chia a try. We were very pleased by our dinner.

The menu has many interesting dishes and the restaurant has a nice ambiance and good staff.

Naked Wines - A Provocative Site From the UK

I am always looking for fun and interesting wine experiences and for that Naked Wines fills the bill.

This site is really for our friends in the UK but for us on the other side of the revolution it is still informative and fun.

There are so many new sites popping up built on the social networking concept and wine.

Naked Wines is one of the better efforts. An on-line wine club that offers a great means for buying wine on-line.

We Love Gottino Too. If You Can't Visit, Check Out The Web Site ILoveGottino.com

We met friends here for a drink and some tasty small plates, before dinner at Il Mulino, this past Friday.

We had some delightful wine and food and had the wonderful opportunity to meet Jody Williams and talk about the new website www.ilovegottino.com. 

We liked this - Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough New Zealand meet Monterey County, CA

Here is a fun and flavorful Sauvignon Blanc. It lights up on the tongue and delivers a delicious array of tasty flavors. They are not deep and long lasting but for the short burst very satisfying.

Some who have reviewed this wine have utterly despised it. Everyone to their own taste. But we liked it and at $9-10 we will buy more.

Reel Pour is Very Cool

Reel Pour is a fantastic podcast by a group of guys from Chicago telling it like it is, for them any way, on wine and movies.

Each week the guys review a current flick and discuss a loosely related wine. Wine and Movie paring, now that is a challenge.

It is funny, insightful and will add to your viewing and sipping pleasure. Though, I advise seeing the movie first.

The wine selections are first rate, always interesting and usually good.

Check it out here. http://reelpour.com or download on ITunes. 

Passionate Winemakers of Jacob's Creek - Philip Laffer and Bernard Hickin - Australian Rieslings

I have met many a winemaker in my travels and they all have an abundance of passion for what they do. They must, producing great wine is a considerable feat that only a few have the insight and perseverance to accomplish .

These two men, Philip Laffer and Bernard Hickin of Jacob's Creek, display a level of passion that I have not seen before. Their love and dedication to the wine is prodigious.

I was very fortunate to meet them in an extraordinary tasting held at The Australian in NYC where they pulled out all the stops and very generously shared a decade of their fine Rieslings, from 1997 to 2008, in three levels, Classic, Reserve and their very fine Steingarten.

Let me tell you about the wines. 

He brings Australia to New York City meet Matt Astill, Owner/Manager of The Australian, Restaurant & Bar

I Matt at a fabulous wine tasting featuring some of the great wines of Jacob's Creek held at his NY restaurant.

He is a affable yet focused and hard working guy that runs a great bar and restaurant.

It is a few blocks from my new office and I have been looking for an opportunity to stop in.  Since vacationing in Australia a few years ago, I love everything Australian, especially Australian / Mod Oz cuisine. I have been to Eight Mile Creek and the Tuck Shop in NY. The Australian has been on my list for some time.  Passing by it seemed more like a sports pub, I was happy to learn that it is a great restaurant as well.

Photo from Sidney Morning Herald

Find Many Delights at Sahadi's Fine Foods in Brooklyn, NY

Sahadi's Fine Foods has been on Atlantic Avenue for over 50 years. In fact Sahadi's have been bringing fine foods to New York since 1895. This proud tradition is reflected vividly in the store's abundant selection of fine foods and in the enthusiastic throngs of customers that loyally frequent this gourmet's treasure.

We traveled all the way from Montclair, NJ to experience and stock up.

The store is Middle Eastern at heart but offers products carefully selected from purveyors all over the world Here is what we found.

New Wine Video Blog Pardon That Vine by Chris Riccobono

Wine Videos and Podcasts seem to be the wave of the future. I hope to get into those mediums one of these days.

Meanwhile, enjoy this. http://pardonthatvine.com/

Daily Wine Review Videos.

Mano a Vino moves from 56th to 22nd place of Top 100 Wine Blogs

We started at the bottom, at 97, moved to 56th and now to 22nd place in top 100 wine blogs list www.alawine.com/wine-blog-rankings.html.

Thank you for your support.

Luz Restaurant Review- Wonderful Nuevo Latino Cuisine in Brooklyn, NY

We were out in Brooklyn to visit a friend who recently moved to a charming little house in the still up and coming Fort Green/Clinton Hill neighborhood.

On the way we stopped at the amazing food market on Atlantic Avenue, Sahadi Fine Foods, post on this to follow, and then had dinner at a perfect Latin restaurant called Luz on Vanderbilt Avenue a short way from Pratt Institute.

These neighborhoods have changed a lot since I lived in Brooklyn in the early 70's and then the late 80's. There is so much to explore and enjoy in the Atlantic Avenue and Fort Green/Clinton areas.

Dinner started with an absolutely perfect Pisco Sour...

Kris Heart, a Delightful Italian Merlot Wine

Kris Wines are imported by the highly respected Winebow a brand you can generally count on, this wine is a Leonardo Locascio Selection. I have liked other Kris wines so decided to take a chance on this one which was on sale at Shoppers Vineyard in Clifton for $7.99.

Merlot is not a grape I would usually choose when looking at Italian wines. I generally prefer grapes indigenous to the country. Nevertheless, this turned out to be a wonderfully robust, fruit forward wine with great body.

I love the label, these artistic labels are a signature of Kris wines.

A Sangiovese Rosé from Australia - Robert Oatley

Sangiovese is one of my favorite grapes especially in its hybrid known as Brunello. From these grapes come some of the world's finest wines lovingly made in the prestigious vineyards of Tuscany, Italy.

I have enjoyed Sangiovese from other parts of the world, but a Rose of Sangiovese on first blush, no pun intended, seemed like sacrilege.

It is not that I don't like Rosé wines, I do. I especially  like unusual Rosé wines like Crios de Susana Balbo Roseof Malbec or Il Mimo Rosato Di Nebbiolo. It just seemed that Sangiovese is to nobile. I was wrong.

T.S. Ma Chinese - Restaurant Review

T.S. Ma of New York has opened a small restaurant in Upper Montclair. Located on Bellevue Avenue, east of Valley, in the location that formerly housed Il Forno Bakery.

Good Chinese is always welcome in New Jersey and T.S. Ma comes very close to filling the bill.

We enjoyed the take out we had the other night.   

Updated 10/14/08

TS MA continues to deliver great food, they have added some new things to the menu.

Just had lunch at the NY restaurant on 9th ave between 37th and 36th. Great lunch specials.

 

Mini Martinis - Their Time Has Come

Here is a perfect response to our times.

Looking to save some money, yet have some fun?

Want to cut back a little on your alcohol and calorie consumption?

Still want to make a splash at your next party?

Mini Martinis are your answer.

Fatty Crab - Exciting Pan Asian Cuisine in a Funky Yet Polished Setting

After a exhilarating walk on The High Line. What? You ask, what's The High Line? Yea, I get that often. It's a spectacular new park built on the old railroad high line on the West side of NYC. Make a point of going there. You will love it.

Anyway, back to the restaurant review. Spotted this place the other night while walking down Hudson Street. It is fairly unassuming from the outside. But step in and you will be transformed. Pulsing lounge music fills the air, at the moment it was one of my favorite bands, Gotan Project, a new age Tango band, out of Paris. The sparkling interior of deep reds, yellow rich wood and brick, engulfs you like a womb. The staff in casual urban attire are immediately at your service.  

Created by  Zak Pelaccio, chef of 5 Ninth, Fatty Crab is a small restaurant that to my taste is perfect in every way, except for one thing.

Mapuche Sauvignon Blanc 2008 an Amanti Vino Wine of the Month Selection

Drank this wonderful Sauvignon Blanc with a dinner of grilled swordfish and a corn, radish, avocado salad last night.

It is a tremendous value at under $10 with no compromise in quality.

"Named for the indigenous tribes that populated the Chile and Argentina centuries ago. The wine is classic new world Sauvignon Blanc showing notes of white peach, grapefruit, chopped jalapeños and minerals."  Amanti Vino

Enjoy Talmadge Cheese Market in Montclair, NJ

My wife, Diana, has been buying cheese here since they opened in the spring, I had an opportunity to check the place out for myself this past weekend.

I love this market, such a great selection of interesting cheese, meats and other goodies.

The proprietor Allin Tallmadge knows his cheese and is happy to let you sample and give advice. We came home with 3 exceptional wedges.

Anthony Road, Sheldrake Point, Montezuma win top N.Y. wine awards

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports on recent

Three Finger Lakes wineries earned the top honors at the 2009 New York Wine & Food Classic competition, which ended today.

Anthony Road Wine Co.’s 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling won the Governor’s Cup, a large silver chalice that is awarded to the “Best of Show” of the entries in the 24-year-old competition. The wine was also voted Best White Wine, Best Riesling and Best Medium Dry Riesling. Anthony Road is in Penn Yan. Read Article Here