Visit to the Big Apple

Anyway you slice it, the New York wine scene is alive and well. Visiting Isabel this week, we happened upon a few happily stocked shops in the Upper Eastside Neighborhood, Yorkville. First off was a stop at Yorkville Wine and Spirits. I saw some old favs including Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Opus One for $369.00 retail (not bad actually) and a second fav Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Chablis (frick ya - one of the best whites I have ever tried!) for a reasonable retail $189.99. Beyond that, we stopped by at Kaia Wine Bar at 90th and 3rd Ave E and enjoyed a smokin’ good South African Pinotage from Backsberg Winery, Paarl, South Africa. Excellent black cherry, blackberry, smoke, leather, tobacco, nice acid, fine tannins, etc etc etc. Delish! The Geroosterde Oesters included roasted oysters with caramelized shallots, smoked cheddar, bread crumb!! Just yum. Plus, a Beestert/Oxtail Birra Taco was not to be missed. Good Start to the first bite of the big Apple this trip.

Editors note: Pinotage is an incredibly intersting wine. Pinotage is a genetic cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. This wine is deep and inky. Tasting less like the two grapes that it’s comprised of, you experience a wine that is more characteristic of Shiraz with deep dark fruits and tobacco.