A Spanish Sandwich on Italian Bread & Kosherpalooza!
April 4th, 2012
Even Liz Lemon can’t say no.
A Spanish Sandwich on Italian Bread? Ole!
Now, we definitely dig that old chestnut, “What grows together, goes together,” but we also believe there’s a global vino village of flavor out there that makes for some pretty exciting dinner partners between the Old World and the New – or the Old and the Old, or the New and the New, or the Old and the New and the Old, or the… awww, you get the picture. Dig in! And while our Italy-Spain-Spain-Italy line-up this Thursday night is old country in continental grapey locale, we’ve got a world of flavor in store for you, regardless of whether you’re hankerin’ for Thai take-out or a fabulously festive spring feast. Salut!
2011 Elvio Tintero Sori Gramela Moscato d’Asti – Piedmont, Italy – $29
Ambrosia in a bottle! Sweet gardenia and honey flavors foiled by lovely fizz and a fresh, clean finish. This is a treat to drink, and since it’s not cloyingly sweet or heavy, it pairs well with salty, spunky cheeses or a honey-tinged almond tart for dessert.
2010 Gramona Gessami – Penedes, Spain – $20
An exotic, spicy blend of Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat d’Alexandria, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewurztraminer. Intense peach and passionfruit notes with a hint of residual sugar tempered by just enough acidity. Medium body, clean, focused, and smooth – Gessami is beyond fabulous with spicy, Asian and African cuisine!
2008 Almansenas ‘La Huella de Adaras’ – Almansa, Spain – $14.50
This is a blend of 60% Garnacha Tintorera, 30% Monastrell, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from a group of young winemakers in Spain, and their energy bleeds into their wine. The Adaras is full of fresh fruit and a devil-may-care herbal streak that adds a little vigor to the smooth finish. Silence of the lambs? Pfff. You’ll be shouting that pairing’s praises to the rafters.
2007 Le Bertille Rosso di Montepulciano – Tuscany, Italy – $21
When Olimpia Roberti decided to go from valise-holding lawyer to vine-loving winemaker in 2000, converting her family’s Montepulciano vacation home to a 30-acre winery, her parents didn’t balk. They knew their smart cookie of a daughter was onto something. We agree. Roberti is clever enough to know that modern winemaking techniques allow for clear, clean expression of her wines. But she also has the kind of respect for tradition that nods to the great wines of Italy’s past. Here, her medium-bodied blend of mostly Prugnolo Gentile (the local name for Sangiovese) with a little Ciliegiolo is rife with ripe, red cherry fruit but with a classic, cedary, structured feel that let’s you know this ageworthy red is no flash in the pan. Although speaking of…bresaola, please!
15% off featured wines during the tasting!
Shove the ‘schevitz to the back of the shelf!
L’chiam! Raise a glass to quality kosher sipping this Passover season with some sederifically sound selections from Gnarly…
Dry Whites:
2007 Tishbi Chenin Blanc Kosher – Israel - $14
100% Chenin Blanc from Israel that’s fresh and a little minerally with lush melon fruit flavors and hints of apricots and peaches – all folded into a round, soft, supple texture. And all Mevushal Kosher, but of course.
2010 Tishbi Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Kosher – Israel - $14
100% Sauvignon Blanc with floral aromas in a light, straightforward style with plenty of crisp acidity. Simple and fresh, with a touch of nut on the finish. Mevushal Kosher.
Dinner Reds:
2007 Herzog Selection Kosher Merlot – Bordeaux, France - $15
When Mani just won’t cut it, this Bordeaux-born red will please even the most serious sippers at your seder. Here, we’ve got plush plum and blackberry fruit, with a dark note of herb and licorice and fine, savory tannins keeping the fruit in check in this full-bodied dinner diva from France.
2007 Baron Herzog Kosher Merlot – Central Coast, CA – $15
Ripe, silky Merlot with soft tannins and a plush texture. Black raspberry fruit flavors border on jammy but stay balanced and get a nice touch of cedar in the background. This is a tasty, easy-drinking red.
2010 Tishbi Baron Herzog Kosher Merlot – Central Coast, CA – $15
This unoaked, fresh blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah from northern Israel has a medium-light body and texture with dry, soft tannins and a little pepper on the finish.
Dessert!
2011 Bartenura Kosher Moscato – Italy – $15
Crisp and refreshing, semi sweet, with lingering melon and pear flavors. Sip this chilled with your favorite after-dinner sweet treat.
2009 Weinstock Cellars – Red by W – California – $11
A silky, semi-sweet blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, and Black Muscat that’s fruit-forward and velvety, and oh-so easy going. Scandalously smooth and delicious!
Rashi Light Red Concord, Kosher/Mevushal – New York – $6.50
Lighter, fresher, and better than Manischevitz, Rashi should be your choice for a traditional Mevushal Seder wine. The inspiring image of the 950-year old Rashi Synagogue on the label conjures images of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof singing ‘Tradition’ to get you in the Passover spirit. And at this price, you can be a rich man too!
15% off all kosher wines for Passover!
