Vicki, Staff Writer — Dilao 2015 from Gogi Dakishvili
Today I had lunch at Dirty French with winemaker Gogi Dakishvili from the Republic of Georgia. We started the meal with a bottle of his Dilao 2015, a blend of 50% Rkatsiteli and 50% Mtsvane. This white wine undergoes one month of skin contact, giving it a gorgeous amber color in the glass. Despite being on the fuller-bodied side, the wine was incredibly juicy and fruit-forward on the palate and made for a perfect lunchtime aperitif wine.
Mara, Digital Designer — Morning Bear from Devil’s Backbone
I was going to say my favorite was a sauvignon blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand, called Oyster Bay. I really enjoyed it, but a wine-savvy co-worker had other opinions. So. I’m going to go with Morning Bear from Devil’s Backbone — it was the perfect marriage of flavor and smoothness. I highly recommend.
Courtney, Tasting Editor — Tenute Il Bosco ‘Oltrenero Cruasé,’ Oltrepo Pavese, Lombardy
I spent a whirlwind three days in Tuscany with the Zonin family this week, and if that wasn’t enough to put me in a state of bliss, this glass of sparkling rosé handed to me upon arriving in the hilltop village of Radda in Chianti certainly was. A traditional-method bubbly from the northern Italian region of Oltrepo Pavese, it was clean and citrus-driven, with highlights of fresh strawberry – a perfect pairing with cobblestone-lined streets and Tuscan sunsets.
Adam, CEO and Co-Founder — Le Capitalisme Rouge from Brendan Tracey
This past Saturday night I had plans to go with friends to Kikis, a really great Greek restaurant downtown. The only problem is, there’s almost always a two hour wait, so of course we needed to find a bar to pass the time. Luckily, one of the best wine bars in NYC is very close, The Ten Bells. I don’t consider myself a natural wine aficionado, but on occasion I enjoy it, and I definitely trust the folks behind the bar. They recommended I give a natural wine made from the Loire a try. It was a wine made from a mix of gamay and Côt – or Malbec as we know it. Bright and refreshing and weird, it was a super enjoyable wine to drink while waiting for a table. Apparently the wine maker who produces is, Brendan Tracey, is a little nuts.
Nick, Staff Writer — Montana mezcal from Mezcales de Leyenda
I got to taste the limited release line of mezcals from Mezcales de Leyenda at the Beatrice Inn this week and it was an eye opener. The four specialty expressions were definitely out of mine and the average drinker’s price range (hundreds of dollars a bottle), but they’re perfect for gifts or true agave lovers. My favorite was the Montana, which was distilled from wild maguey agave plants that only grow in Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon. It was herbal and a little funky with a slight pickle juice flavor that rounded out the smoke. If the only alcoholic beverage I could drink again was mezcal, I’d want it to be this one.
