Join us Wednesday, May 9th, starting at 6pm to welcome back one of our favorite artist/customers

brittny teree smith

for a viewing of her collection “NW YORK”

Wines featured at the reception:

NV Lamberti Sparkling Rose- Veneto, Italy – $14
Powerful aromas of ripe strawberries, cranberries and flowers introduce fresh, fruity flavors with good energy and pleasant acidity. Try with a fresh-fruit dessert pizza or soft cheeses. The grapes for this wine (34% Pinot Bianco, 33% Raboso, 33% Pinot Nero) come from superior vineyards across the Treviso in Italy’s Veneto region.

2010 Cuma Torrontes – Cafayate Valley, Argentina – $14
New York Times panel tasted 20 Torrontes and named Torino’s Cuma the best of the bunch – and also the best value! Like the nicest Torrontes from Argentina, this one is intensely aromatic, with ripe cantaloupe and orange flavors, a touch of honeysuckle and a hint of ginger. Fantastic with spicier ethnic food. 2009 Ridge East Bench Zinfandel – Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, CA – $28 This is yet another unbelieveably classic Zin from Ridge. The 2009 East Bench is 100% Zinfandel and simply bursting with fruit. 100% of the wine is aged in new and seasoned American oak, adding a stand-up straight backbone of spice and tannic grippiness to this big, inky wine. Notes of black pepper, cedar, and baking spice only add to the complexity to this decadent wine.

2010 Chateau Haut Vigneau – Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France – $24
For the Left Bank lovers out there, this red from Pessac-Leognan – land of the famed Haut Brion – is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, and spends a year lingering in oak before bottling. It’s got the gumption of classic Bordeaux – aromas of dark, delicious fruits (think blackberries and cassis), gorgeously good tannic grip, and the kind of balance that makes us want to grab a few of these and see how they do over the next five or ten years. But meanwhile? We’ll settle for a black n’ blue filet on the grill. 15% off featured wines during the tasting!

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Dreaming Italian; Imagining Argentina
Friday, May 11th, 6-9pm

If you’ve ever spent any time in Argentina, you might have noticed that not only do an awful lot of the last names end in a vowel, their Spanish is peppered with “Ciaos!” and other bits and bites of La Lingua Italia, not to mention their love affair with the Italian red grape, Bonarda (which they do quite well with, thank you very much!). So in honor of this lovely little bi-continental friendship, we thought we’d do a little Ital-Argentine sippin’ session – because what better way is there to spend a Friday night?

2010 Castello di Luzzano Bonarda Frizzante – Oltrepo Pavese, Lombardy, Italy – $17
Say hello to Lombardy’s answer to the ubiquitous Lambrusco from Emilia Romagna. This fizzy Bonarda is deeper, darker, firmer and drier than the ocean of stuff coming from the region next-door. The intense black raspberry fruit, assertive tannins and moderate bubbles pair perfectly with cured meats – and go nicely with the rest of the meal.

2010 Terredora Dipaolo Falanghina – Campania, Italy – $15
The full-on yowza potential of this fruit (estate-grown, thank you very much) will absolutely blow you away – especially when you reallize this 100% Falanghina from comely Campania is made entirely in stainless steel. That spiciness there? That’s the grape! So is the luscious, creamy body, notes of yellow apple and pear, and the lingering bits of candied ginger on the finish. Find the nearest fishmonger slinging soft shell crabs, fry ‘em up, and slather on some lemony mayo for a decadent summery supper treat.

2010 Corte dei Papi ‘Colle Ticchio’ Cesanese – Lazio, Italy – $17
From the DOCG of Cesanese di Piglia comes this a funny little red wine from grapes grown in the soils of the Ernici Mountains in the Lazio region of Italy, just southeast of Rome. Made mostly from the persnickety Cesanese di Affile, this medium-bodied sipper has a black-peppery nose, a mouthful of blackberry fruit, and a dry, tea-leaf finish that leaves you smacking your lips and deaming of seared lamb chops. 2010 Bodega Noemia ‘A Lisa’ Malbec – Rio Negro Valley, Argentina – $20 When most of us think Malbec we think Mendoza – but this one hails more than 600 miles from the big M in Rio Negro, where an Italian countess and a Danish winemaker discovered a Malbec vineyard planted in the 30s and scooped it up tout de suite. Some of the grapes for A Lisa – 90% Malbec with a little Merlot and Petit Verdot rounding out things – come from the biodynamically farmed vines Noemia planted in ’04, and when you taste this wine you’ll get why the countess found it such a special place. The nose is posy of summer violets, with ripe, luscious black plum and black cherry on the palate, but with a medium, restrained body that doesn’t get carried away with itself. In other words, this is one elegant Malbec. We dig it with duck. 15% off all wines featured at the tasting!

“Hey, your Julep is in my Margarita.”

“Um, I think it’s your Margarita that’s in my Julep…”

Now, now – before this tipple-off turns tyranical and you feel the urge to step outside, step on inside instead, friends. It’s Derby Day and Cinco de Mayo! And we can think of no better way to honor these noble celebrations than with their respective cocktails made with stellar spirits. We’ll be mixin’ up Woodford Juleps and Herradura Margaritas tonight at Gnarly Vines for your sipping pleaseure, and just because we’re feeling extra celebratory, we got the folks from Woodford to come on in with their super-special bottle engraving gizmo, so you can even personalize yours. Cheers!

Herradura Silver Tequila – Jalisco, Mexico (1L) – $32
This 100% blue agave (what else would it be made of, for Mayahuel’s sake?!) hails from the lowlands of Jalisco – e.g., tequila central – and is easily one of our Margarita faves. Why? Its pretty notes of fresh herbs and citrus juice and zest seem to beg for a squeeze of lime, a splash of Cointreau, and a zippy rim of salt. Mmmm.

Woodford Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon – Versailles, KY (200ml) – $14

Woodford Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon – Versailles, KY (375ml) – $25

Woodford Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon – Versailles, KY (750ml) – $42

Woodford Reserve ‘Kentucky Derby 138′ Bourbon – Versailles, KY (1L) – $54

Woodford Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon – Versailles, KY (1.75L) – $78
The official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby! Well-rounded and sophisticated, this Bourbon has bouquet of lightly roasted kernel, tobacco, and walnut  precedes a caramel-like and peppery palate. Equally comfortable being sipped on its own, or mixed in a Mint Julep when the horses are on the track at Churchill Downs tomorrow night at 6:24pm!

LI + FLX v LV Dinner at iCi!
Wednesday, April 25th, 7pm
 

What do we bring to the table this time? A little friendly-fight competition, if you will. Both Long Island and the Finger Lakes have been known to make knock-out Cabernet Franc, oh-so sippable Sauv Blancs, and even one ringer LI producer has come out swingin’ with some Chenin. But the Loire Valley? Well, they’ve long been the reigning Champion of these comely grape varietals. So we’ve decided to put ‘em the ring together with the best ref ever — the food-pairing stylings of locavore-loving iCi Restaurant right here in Fort Greene. Which bottles will float like a butterfly with acidity that stings like a bee? Catch a ring-side seat at the table at iCi and you decide!

 To Begin…

 Chicken Liver Mousse & Ricotta Bruschetta

We Had You at “Hello”…

Olive Oil Whipped Bacalao
Grilled Bread, Meyer Lemon & Chives

No Turning Back Now

Braised John Fazio Chicken Thigh
Anson Mills Farro Salad, Spring Onions & Roasted Garlic Jus

If Only We Still Smoked

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Battenkill Valley Whipped Cream & Cocoa Nibs

Finger Lakes Distilling Pear Brandy – Burdett, NY (375ml) – $27.50 

iCi is located at 246 Dekalb Avenue, Fort Greene

Limited Space! RSVP to iCi at (718) 789-2778

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!

Cherry Blossoms = SAKE!

Thursday, Mar 29th, 6-9pm

15% off featured wines during the tasting!

First things first — despite what your momma told ya, sake ain’t wine. It’s actually a brewed beverage with a lot more in common with beer from that point of view. But let’s forget the tomato/tomahto technicalities for a moment because sake is it’s own, wonderful unique little special sipping experience. Quality sake is basically divided into three categories — junmai, junmai ginjo, and junmai daigingo (all served chilled, just so’s ya know) — based on how finely the outside husk of the rice kernal is milled. Generally, the more refined the rice, the more delicate the aromas, textures, and flavor of the sake, which also tend to me higher an alcohol than wine, so watch out! A lot of sippin’ can sneak up on you. But that’s also why sake is truly meant to be sampled alongside food, along with its complex, uber-fascinating mouthfeel and flavors. We recently tasted through some new releases of some of our favorite sakes that we’re excited to share with you this week…

Akitabare Koshiki Junsukuri – Northern Skies – Junmai Sake – Akita Prefecture, Japan (720ml) – $29

The Northern Skies junmai is kind of like the perfect party hostess — that person who subtley keeps things moving along seemlessly so that all the planets align. This sake is delicately mild and pleasingly dry on the palate, and can take you from aperitif to wasabi-spiked dumplings to tempura (or, hell, fried chicken – why not?) without a hitch.

Yoshida Tedorigawa Kinka ‘Gold Blossom’ Nama Daiginjo Sake – Japan (720ml) – $39
Rich in body and a little spicy and herby on the nose, pop this sake in the ‘fridge for a quick chill down, head to the best fish shop you know, and nab some super high-grade tuna to go with. Rub it with a little lemon zest, dill, and sea salt, do a quick sear on the grill, and see how the Gold Blossom opens the flavors of the dish.

Kamoizumi Nigori Ginjo ‘Summer Snow’ Unfiltered Sake – Japan (500ml) – $30
We saved this one for last because, yeah baby, we want the funk! This is no beginner’s sake (not because you can’t handle it; it’s just good to get your bearings before you fly your freak flag, dig?). The Summer Snow (in addition to having such a lovely name) is a total sensory journey. It starts out flowery on the nose, and then embraces all Mother Earth’s delights — it’s earthy, full of rich fruit, and a deep, bass-plucking funk of mushroom underneath it all. Go for shortribs braised with reconstituted porcini tossed in to really tease out this sake’s funkadelic side.

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Pop Goes the Minervois

Friday, Mar 30th, 6-9pm

15% off all wines featured at the tasting!

NV Montaudon Champagne Brut – Champagne, France – $36
Founded in 1891 in the heart of Reims, the house of Mountaudon came to prominence in the 1930s as the exclusive supplier of Champagne to Josephine Baker’s cabaret in Paris. Montaudon’s classic brut is fresh and juicy, with a pretty floral not winding through crisp apple and apricot flavors. A smoky undertone adds depth to the lingering finish. Break out the oysters Bienville and have at it!

2008 Chateau Maris ‘Nouvelles Fraiches’ Grenache – Minervois, France – $26
Fresh and vibrant, we fell hard for the ripe, robust red fruits in this southern-skewed sipper and the firm, scaffold-centric tannins that hold it all together like good bones should. A great example of Grenache at its most lovely. Try your hand at a pork rillette with this next time the in-laws come for dinner.

2009 Chateau Maris ‘Natural Selection’ Syrah – Minervois, France – $20
Smoky and sexy, this is a gorgeous example of why Minervois is the rising star region of southern France, and a stand-out biodynamic producer to boot. Here, we find notes of black cherries and raspberries, black plums, and pepper, with some great wild-horse gaminess on the nose and rich, full body and ripe tannins that go great with roasted lamb sausage and sage.

2009 Chateau Maris ‘Les Planels’ Syrah – Minervois, France – $42
The Les Planels teases out the floral notes that can be so lovely in Syrah, with a waft of violets that hits your nostrils, and a rich, fresh n’ ripe plumminess, grounded notes of earth minerals, and a firm, keepin’-it-together tannic structure that makes this wine so wonderfully food friendly and even a little elegant.

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Gimme Some Spritz n’ Spice!

Saturday, Mar 31st, 5-8pm

15% off all wines featured at the tasting

2011 Erste & Neue Gewurtraminer – Alto Adige, Italy – $18.50

Floral and exotic, this super sexy Gewurz ain’t your granny’s pot pourri. The aromas harken more toward crushed rose petals and lusty lychee, with a full, rich mouthfeel that gets just the right amount of northern Italian, Alp-influenced balancing acidity. Seared scallops with diced orange-and-ginger spiked sea scallops are killer with this.

2010 Familia Mayol Pircas Vineyard Bonarda – Vista Flores, Mendoza, Argentina – $14

Bonarda is another one of those great New World success stories – a European varietal that did a-okay where it’s from, but left the nest and became a star once it got out of its small-town digs. Originally from Italy, Bonarda came to Argentina with its multitude of Italian immigrants in the first and second third of the 20th century. Mayol’s comes from a high-altitude area known as Vista Flores in the region Lujan de Cuyo in Mendoza. It’s lush and pretty full-bodied with aromas of violet and dark fruit flavors, sufficient structure, and a little spice. The palate is surprising rich, but kept fresh by vibrant, food friendly acidity. Pair with a flavorful ragu.

2010 Domaine de Montvac – Cotes du Rhone, France – $17

A fabulous example of how Cotes du Rhone can be such a complex, brambly beauty — we love the notes of super ripes summer blackberries, plums, peppery spice, and dried fists-full of Provencal herbs. Vive la charcuterie!

2007 Vinedo del los Vientos Tannat IGT – Atlantida, Uruguay – $17

Tannat can sometimes be a little bit of a sock to the jaw left to less-deft hands, but Vinedo del los Vientos seems to has the right idea, letting this brambly red varietal express its spicy, black fruit and tannic nature, but with a mind toward restraint that keeps it from running away with with your tastebuds. Go for grilled lamb with a healthy does of rosemary and kosher salt here.

Can’t get in for the tastings? No worries — we do phone and email orders, too!