Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2024 i Wine Enthusiast Magazine

There’s something trying about growing up in close proximity to New York City. It forces you to use an incomparable town as the benchmark for all the others. And how do you think that competition nets out? Typically, a forlorn look will come over a native New Yorker’s face: “It’s just not the same as they do it in THE City.” Even the term City has been hijacked by New York for those who know it intimately. Yet the idea of what “the” City means is constantly evolving. There are some, like Alice Feiring, interviewed in this issue, who miss their NYC from the late ’80s early ’90s. And don’t even get a native New Yorker started on the vibe in the ’70s. Or, my personal take, the late…

JAMES MURPHY TECHNICAL AND CATERING RIDER. It is agreed and understood that: 1. james will be advertized ONLY as: “james murphy dj set (dfa/ lcd soundsystem).” no “lcd soundsystem” anywhere but in the stated parenthetical position. It just confuses people. 2. the management agrees to provide refreshments in the private dressing room to include: 1 case of mineral water (not sparkling). Half cold, half room temperature. Some fresh juice: The ideal is a juicer with fresh apples, ginger, celery, cucumber, lemon, lime and hot peppers (thai or chinese), with a knife and cutting board, but a few fresh bottled juices are also fine. Some small snacks: 2 bananas. A few sandwiches. Some miso soup packets (and hot water kettle—not just a thermos please). Improvise! Coffee: fresh, good coffee option…

Everyone knows the Manhattan, the granddaddy of classic cocktails—but that’s just the beginning. The five boroughs of New York City and the people who live in them offer ample cocktail inspiration. As you’ll see, these borough namesakes, past and present, have a specific vibe: strong, no nonsense. Some are a little bitter, while others are sassy, offering a knowing wink. These drinks walk fast, talk fast and know how to navigate the subway. Stand clear of the closing doors. QUEENS The classic Queen’s Cocktail (yes, with an apostrophe; originally the “Queen’s Borough” was named for Catherine of Braganza, wife of King Charles II and queen of England, Scotland and Ireland) is a sunny mix of gin and dry and sweet vermouths, brightened with crushed pineapple. The dark and brooding…

RIESLING 95 Hermann J. Wiemer 2022 Magdalena Vineyard Riesling (Seneca Lake). Still a spring chicken, this top Riesling—if drunk now—needs a few good swirls in the glass before releasing delicate orange citrus, jasmine and honeysuckle aromas from the clutch of more reductive ones. There’s richness and intensity on the dry, slippery palate, cut with citrusy acidity and a chalk dust minerality to the ultralong finish. This is a wine of complexity and class that should cellar until 2032 or longer. Cellar Selection. —C.P. abv: 12.4% Price: $45 94 Ravines 2019 Argetsinger Vineyard Dry Riesling (Finger Lakes). From old vines on limestone soil, this is a wine of intensity and clarity that’s showing little signs of age. Honeyed pear, lemongrass, rock dust and lamp oil come through at first sniff.…

Hole-y roller There are few foods as revered and argued over as the NYC bagel. Sure, Montreal may have its own version—a pillowy ring of warm dough—but when most people close their eyes and think of a bagel, they picture the dense, pock-marked puck with a hole in the center you’ve been able to find on the Lower East Side since the Bagel Baker’s Guild of Manhattan codified the form in 1907. With just the right amount of chew, a slight crunch to the outside (possibly so distinct because of how the City’s hard water reacts with the dough during boiling), the bagel is a singular City icon. PAIRING Crispy on the outside, doughy on the inside, with the tang of cream cheese and chives, your best bet is…

The city that never sleeps has long been an epicenter of wine imbibing. Its association with winemaking, however, is less obvious. More pastoral regions like the Finger Lakes, Long Island and Hudson Valley have earned New York a ranking of third-largest wine-producing state in the U.S. But apart from being a major customer base for these wine-growing regions, the City itself has played a part in America’s winemaking history, dating back to its earliest days. Despite failed attempts in the 17th century at planting European vines in what is today Manhattan’s Bowery neighborhood, by 1800, Flushing, Queens became—and remained for more than seven decades—the site of America’s most important nursery. The Prince Family Nurseries introduced more than 200 grape varieties to America and standardized the name and use of…

MORNING The most important meal of the day doesn’t even have to include wine Wouldn’t you know it? Kara Newman, who reviews spirits for the magazine, recommends a coffee place that measures simple syrup with jiggers. Everyman Espresso, in a small space in the East Village that formerly served as the box office for the theater next door, is her go-to for lattes (there’s a Park Slope outpost as well). Sonoma-based Managing Editor Stacy Briscoe may have never been to New York City, but nonetheless has three (!) of those ceramic souvenir I [heart] NY coffee mugs that friends and family have brought back from visits, so she can at least pretend. Publisher and Editor Jacqueline Strum is a big fan of Buvette on Bleecker Street for breakfast. “I…

FOR ADDITIONAL RATINGS AND REVIEWS, VISIT WINEENTHUSIAST.COM/RATINGS Writer-at-large Christina Pickard tastes New York, Australia, New Zealand and England; Jeff Porter covers Piedmont and northern Italy. Christina Pickard: Call it chutzpah. Or resourcefulness. Or resilience. Whatever it is, New York winemakers have it in spades. Despite working in a temperamental climate that seems to fail them as often as it blesses them, New York producers are crafting better and better wines each year. Add to this the fact that New York wines are generally very well priced, giving consumers lots of reasons to drink from the Empire State. As a born and bred upstate New Yorker, it was a joy to taste through the 225 wines from my home state for this issue. Jeff Porter: Although I am not native,…

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 93 Domus Aurea 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley). Round and smooth, this is a delicious Cabernet from Peñalolen in the Maipo Valley and starts with a nose of herbs followed by a dash of paprika. The earthy palate shows the region’s classic eucalyptus and mint, which in this case are subtle and lend freshness to vanilla bean, coriander and red-plum flavors. Drink now–2030. Global Vineyard Importers. —J.V. abv: 14.9% Price: $105 92 Casas del Bosque 2019 Gran Bosque Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley). This is an enjoyable Cabernet that was aged in oak barrels for 18 months, resulting in an aromatic and flavorful wine. The nose exhibits cinnamon, nutmeg and eucalyptus. Good acidity runs the show on the palate, where a delightful mix of fruit and…

RIESLING 98 Robert Weil 2022 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Trockenbeerenauslese Riesling (Rheingau). The thick and syrupy texture makes you want to pour this over your crêpes—and you probably wouldn’t regret it. However, this is pure excellence in the glass, with an earth and mineral component that is contributing to the already complex palate. Honey, apricot, lime and spice notes converge, all supported by a brilliant acidity. Starts out creamy, yet its freshness makes it easy to enjoy. A perfect way to end a meal. Loosen Bros. USA. Cellar Selection. —A.Z. abv: 8% Price: $700/375 ml 95 Robert Weil 2022 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Beerenauslese Riesling (Rheingau). Plenty of honeyed notes here, dripping over with overripe apricot, candied orange peel and guava. Acidity picks up midpalate, accenting the apricot and citrus flavors in this…

Photographer Marcos Alberti first turned his camera on his friends, documenting how their countenances changed after one, two and three glasses of wine, in his native Brazil with the Three Glasses Later project. He did it again in New York City, teaming with Amy Racine, beverage director at JF Restaurants, who rounded up a group of East Coasters for a one-day dive into the same territory stateside. According to Alberti, the New Yorkers opened up faster than the Brazilians, “Even the shy ones had very interesting reactions in front of the camera,” he says. It wasn’t easy collecting a group that would represent NYC’s food and wine scene and probably even tougher to get them all together in one place. “I’ve never been in a room with so much…

Talk to winemakers and grape growers, and they can be quite persnickety when describing the grapes they work with. More often than not, it’s their irritations with the grapes that draw the most attention—late to ripen, susceptible to disease and so forth. Except when it comes to Cayuga. “Cayuga is an uber-useful blender and it’s beloved of both grape growers and winemakers,” says Peter Bell, who was the winemaker at Fox Run Vineyards in New York’s Finger Lakes for 27 years, where he made cases and cases and cases (and cases!) of the winery’s Arctic Fox, a semi-sweet varietal Cayuga. “Cayuga needs little in the way of winemaker elaboration. I love pouring it for people who gravitate to Pinot Grigio, since it has that broad appeal—but way more personality.”…

Rip out this page and stuff it in your pocket for when you go to the wine shop next, or just search wineenthusiast.com/ratings. Top 5 Cellar Selections Our reviewers have determined these wines are exceptionally ageworthy. 99 Pinea 2018 PSOUL Single Vineyard Single Barrel Tempranillo (Ribera del Duero) $500; 15% abv 98 Robert Weil 2022 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Trockenbeerenauslese Riesling (Rheingau) $700; 8% abv 97 Il Borro 2018 Nitrito Cabernet Sauvignon (Val d’Arno di Sopra) $500; 15% abv 96 Epoch 2020 Block B Paderewski Vineyard Syrah (Paso Robles Willow Creek District) $105; 15.1% abv 95 Hermann J. Wiemer 2022 Magdalena Vineyard Riesling (Seneca Lake) $39; 12.4% abv Top 5 Editors’ Choice Our reviewers think these wines are noteworthy. 97 Force Majeure 2021 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Mountain) $150; 15% abv…

Four of the City’s most accomplished wine professionals shake off the late winter chill to gather for dinner at Wu’s Wonton King on East Broadway, where Chinatown rubs against the Lower Side. “Chinese food is so much fun to pair with wine. But, being able to bring wine is the most important aspect of these restaurants, especially for the younger generations, like when we were coming up. As wine professionals, we really would rather drink from our own collections—not just for economic reasons. Back in the day, we needed places to put together tasting groups and be with our community when we weren’t working or studying,” says Joe Campanale (sommelier, Italian wine expert, author and co-owner of LaLou, Fausto and Bar Vinazo restaurants in Brooklyn). “Wu’s is one of…

The Buying Guide includes ratings and reviews of new-release and selected older beverage alcohol products evaluated by Wine Enthusiast magazine’s editors and other qualified tasters. STAFF EDITORS Anna-Christina Cabrales: Burgundy, Rhône Valley Cody Wexler: Provence WRITERS AT LARGE Michael Alberty: Oregon, Washington, Canada Elaine Brown: Napa Valley Danielle Callegari: Tuscany & Southern Italy Tom Capo: Sonoma County Mike DeSimone: Spain, Croatia, Israel, Turkey, Lebanon, Armenia Matt Kettmann: Central & South Coast California Kara Newman: Spirits, RTD Christina Pickard: Australia, New Zealand, England, New York Tonya Pitts: Northern California & California AVA Jeff Porter: Piedmont & Northern Italy Emily Saladino: Greece, Georgia, Hungary Reggie Solomon: Beaujolais, Loire Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon Jesica Vargas: South America & South Africa Roger Voss: Portugal, France: Bordeaux, Champagne, Southwest & Other France Aleks Zecevic: Alsace, Vin…

DOURO 95 Quinta do Crasto 2019 Vinha Maria Teresa (Douro). At least 54 varieties of old vines are in this single-vineyard wine. The wine has spice, vanilla, leather and mushroom aromas. It is a powerful wine that has great potential, rich tannins and concentration. Drink from 2027. Suitable for vegans. Folio Fine Wine Partners. Cellar Selection. —R.V. abv: 14.5% Price: $242 95 Quinta do Portal 2017 Quinta dos Muros M7 (Douro). This field blend of up to 29 different varieties comes from a single vineyard. It is a rich wine, packed with rich, concentrated tannins as well as black fruits and spice. Aged for over two years in wood, the wine is still developing. Drink from 2025. M Imports, LLC. Cellar Selection. —R.V. abv: 15% Price: $240 94 Quinta…

CALVADOS Normandy’s signature brandy doesn’t fall far from the tree. A visit to Normandy, the region where France’s apple-based (and sometimes pear-based) brandy is made, yielded this indelible memory: contented cows parked beneath an apple tree, happily munching on overripe, perhaps partly fermented apples that had fallen from the tree. Those were some smart cows. Calvados—Normandy’s signature apple brandy—is a treat worth getting to know. Calvados is a pure expression of the French countryside, where hundreds of apple varieties grow. Marked by rich baked-apple flavor and spice, Calvados is a pure expression of the French countryside, where hundreds of apple varieties grow. Often, the flavors are reminiscent of strolling through a French bakery: think tarte Tatin, spice cake, vanilla cream, and brioche slathered with butter and honey. That’s a…