Browsing CategoryWhat We Drank

Here's a sampling of what our contributors and editors are drinking… Donavan Hall: Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout When the days get shorter giving way to the early approach of darkness, and the air picks up a chill, my taste for beer darkens and, instead of a thirst quencher, I want something to warm me up. Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout does just that. At 10% ABV, this one is a sipper, but it's not so big that it doesn't play nicely with others. Last night, I cracked open this bottle and paired it with a selection of cheeses we'd…

Today, we offer a sampling of what our contributors and editors were drinking on Thanksgiving day and over the holiday weekend…. Julia Burke: Schulze Vineyards, Leonard Oakes Estate Winery, Arrowhead Spring Vineyards, and Homemade WineMy family members all love wine but couldn't be more different, so I went a little overboard in my Thanksgiving wine shopping spree in a quest to make sure I had something for each of my loved ones, from my sixty-eight-year-old father (a zinfandel lover) to my twenty-one-year-old sister (likes "dollar bombs" and known to hit the Four Loco on occasion). I started with plenty of…

Here's a sampling of what our editors and contributors have been drinking… David Flaherty: Eve's Cidery Rustica We're currently pouring a cocktail at Hearth that features Eve's apple cider and it's flying off the shelf like a freshly baked apple pie left unattended on the windowsill to cool.   I first became smitten with Eve's Cidery a few months ago when I met two of the core members (yes, I totally wrote 'core' unintentionally — but now upon realizing it, I'm enamored by my unprovoked cleverness, so I'll leave it) Ezra Sherman and Autumn Stoscheck at an industry tasting that…

Here's a sampling of what we've been drinking this week… Dave Seel: Pellegrini Vineyards 2007 Chardonnay I'm a big fan of finding good wine at decent prices. I'll literally spend almost an hour in a wine shop, scouring the regions and vintages trying to find that perfect balance of cost vs. quality. Of course, my definition of "a decent price" may be different from some. Of course, it's changed over the years. There was a time when finding an awesome wine for dinner at $16 was considered a good deal in my book. Don't get me wrong, I love a…

Here's a sampling of what our editors and contributors have been drinking… Evan Dawson: Chateau Frank 2006 Blanc de Blancs and Lenz 2005 Cuvee Two New York sparklers were chosen as part of a sparkling wine masterclass in Brescia, Italy earlier this month during the European Wine Bloggers Conference. The organizers chose two wines apiece from Champagne, Cava, England, Franciacorta and New York State. The New York sparkling wines showed very nicely in what was an impressive flight of wines. The overflowing room, sold out at 40 people and consisting mostly of European writers, buzzed about the strengths and personalities…

Today marks the triumphant return of "What We Drank" after a brief late-summer hiatus. As always, here's what our editors and contributors have been drinking. Mark Grimaldi: Ameztoi "Rubentis" Txakolina 2010 Yes, rosé again.  But not just any rosé.  Txakolina is always, if you can find it, the quintessential summer quaffer. Now make it a rosé and you've damn near found the key to life. A close friend from the city brought this out to our house one weekend this spring. That Monday after, I asked a friend who owns a local wine shop if he would order it for…

Only two entries this week, but two fine examples of what our editors were drinking last week. Julia Burke: Champagne This year my regular New Years plans changed unexpectedly. Instead of spending the holiday with old friends, I spent it with new ones – coworkers from my new job at a wine retailer. Let's just say the beverage bar was raised. Now, I'll happily drink anything at a party – it's about the people, after all – but I have to say the amazing lineup of champagne at this gathering was a first for me. We started with the good…

  Evan Dawson: Long Island Wines This is the natural time to reflect on the calendar year. My wife's parents make their first journey to Long Island wine country and for Christmas we enjoyed the wines they discovered. Long Island's sparkling wines are similar to the best Finger Lakes sparkling wines: solid, impressive, under-appreciated. We paired the Paumanok 2009 Sauvignon Blanc with shellfish and, even in the dead of winter, the pairing sang a near-perfect harmony. Wines from Hermann J. Wiemer offered a nice counter-balance. The evening concluded with a pile of emptied bottles, including some from Peconic Bay, Shinn,…

Here is what our editors and contributors were drinking last week… David Flaherty: Smuttynose Brewing Company Winter Ale Now is the time of year to snuggle up by the fire and crack open a hearty, winter ale. Wait, does anyone even have a fireplace?  Hmm…perhaps I'm so jaded by living in the city, I've forgotten that millions of people can have open flames inside their homes. I'm scarily close to becoming the sad sap that actually pays for the TV channel that plays a virtual, frickin fireplace 24 hours a day. Come to think of it–where can I get that?! But I digress. Last…

I guess you could say that we're not big into "Thanksgiving Wine" columns here on the NYCR, which is why you didn't see one published here last week. Fact is, there simply is no such thing as a single "perfect" wine for the Thanksgiving table.There are too many flavors. Too many textures. And too many people and palates to satisfy. So, rather than being prescriptive, we'll write about the wines that we drank ourselves for the holiday. I guess you could say that we all agree that Finger Lakes riesling is a good idea for before or during Thanksgiving dinner:…