Posts Written OnAugust 19, 2005

Pindar Vineyards, one of New York’s most popular and widely-distributed wineries (they have great marketing), is known in some circles for its cheap, sweetish blended wines and its always-packed tasting room. But don’t be fooled. If you drink through the varied bottlings, there are a few gems to be tasted. Personally, I’ve long been a fan of the 1999 Rare Cuvee Champagne ($28), despite the use of the term Champagne outside that region of France, and the consistently good Johannisberg Reisling ($15). Before recently, I thought these to be the only real gems buried in the impressively long tasting menu.…

Earlier this week, Nena made our delicious bean burgers again I was in a bit of a wine-pairing quandary. The stong flavors of cumin, cilantro and chiles eliminated subtle, nuanced wine from the equation…but I just didn’t think any of the gewurtz we have would work well with the corn and beans. And, because zinfandel doesn’t do well here on Long Island, (and I haven’t bought any in a while) that wasn’t an option either. So, I went to the ‘cellar’ and grabbed a bottle of non-vintage (but recently released) Fleurette from Castello di Borghese. I knew that it was…