DBGB, the new Daniel Boulud 'gastropub' just opened around the corner from me. I had no idea it was coming. While in construction, I was so confused by it's outside design, I thought we were getting a new supermarket.
Stuck into the ground floor of an apartment complex, the design choice is industrial, but to me, faux. However, the wine list selected and tuned by Colin Alveras is real.
Sweet Colin, most recently, was the chef/owner of the (RIP) The Tasting Room, championed many American wines, the reason I couldn't show up happily at his restaurants. Now, he's embraced French and natural--nothing but grapes kind of wine with minimal intervention. Except for a few exceptions (such as the remarkably priced 1.2 bottle of Krug, priced at a mere $60) his list is packed with selections from Louis/Dressner, Jenny & Francois and Savio Soares. The conventional drinker might be challenged, especially if they want Big and Napa.
These are the wines that burn through the lists at 10 Bells, Marlowe & Sons, made the defunct 360 and Bette destinations but at DBGB?
>>
I was finishing up my own 2007 Luneau Papin ($7!) when I saw a bottle of Dard & Ribo Crozes Hermitage arrive bar-side. 2007. Showing beautifully. Just as I remembered.
Listen to me: that wine is one of my come to Jesus wines. I knew it wasn't corked. After all D&R use syththetic stoppers.
I asked the server if her guest hated it.
She said yes. Took a sip. Shook her head and said. 'I've never worked in a restaurant where so many perfectly fine wines were returned.'
Curious about what others are saying, I found myself on Yelp and extracted this:
<<<
We also ordered two glasses of rose pinot noir - to which our waitress was like, 'GOOD CHOICE!' Our wine arrived immediately - and guess what? Both glasses were sour, like vinegar. (Which had me a little nervous that I listened to her burger recommendation.)
Glasses were removed and we ordered different wine for ourselves (waitress seemed to imply it was our taste and not a bad bottle...really? why don't you try it for yourself? and isn't there someone there who's supposed to try the wines before they serve them? "
This is a problem that can be solved. If I were Colin? I would create a little box for Proceed With Caution. Just warn the people. Put a skull and cross bones on it.
That's all, say, 'Hey, darlin, are you up to this task? Are you man/woman enough to scale a mountain, slide down the hill on your ass, and laugh about it? Are you macho enough to say you don't know, you care, you're confused, you're scared, you hate, you love, but you feel?' Then, we want you to try these wines. OK? Well, no, that would be pretty intimidating but a---'Hey dude, this can be a scary wine. I adore it but some of the flavors in the wine might not be what you're expecting. There is no fruit. This sucker is all animal.;
Poor Colin. He's dealing with a lot of people who come out for a Gimme Cherry. Gimme Fruit. Keep The Earth And Those Minerals Out of My Glass Please. Many of the patrons are not appreciative of some cinnamon scented wacky wine that is somersaulting in their mouth and playing whoopee with their gums.
And unless someone is there to help them out, encourage them to step out of their comfort zone, they will keep on returning bottles. And of course he also has people like me, who view DBGB's as a safe house.
299 Bowery St
(between Houston St & 1st St)
(212) 933-5303
www.danielnyc.com
DBGB, the new Daniel Boulud 'gastropub' just opened around the corner from me. I had no idea it was coming. While in construction, I was so confused by it's outside design, I thought we were getting a new supermarket.
Stuck into the ground floor of an apartment complex, the design choice is industrial, but to me, faux. However, the wine list selected and tuned by Colin Alveras is real.
Sweet Colin, most recently, was the chef/owner of the (RIP) The Tasting Room, championed many American wines, the reason I couldn't show up happily at his restaurants. Now, he's embraced French and natural--nothing but grapes kind of wine with minimal intervention. Except for a few exceptions (such as the remarkably priced 1.2 bottle of Krug, priced at a mere $60) his list is packed with selections from Louis/Dressner, Jenny & Francois and Savio Soares. The conventional drinker might be challenged, especially if they want Big and Napa.
These are the wines that burn through the lists at 10 Bells, Marlowe & Sons, made the defunct 360 and Bette destinations but at DBGB?
>>
I was finishing up my own 2007 Luneau Papin ($7!) when I saw a bottle of Dard & Ribo Crozes Hermitage arrive bar-side. 2007. Showing beautifully. Just as I remembered.
Listen to me: that wine is one of my come to Jesus wines. I knew it wasn't corked. After all D&R use syththetic stoppers.
I asked the server if her guest hated it.
She said yes. Took a sip. Shook her head and said. 'I've never worked in a restaurant where so many perfectly fine wines were returned.'
Curious about what others are saying, I found myself on Yelp and extracted this:
<<<
We also ordered two glasses of rose pinot noir - to which our waitress was like, 'GOOD CHOICE!' Our wine arrived immediately - and guess what? Both glasses were sour, like vinegar. (Which had me a little nervous that I listened to her burger recommendation.)
Glasses were removed and we ordered different wine for ourselves (waitress seemed to imply it was our taste and not a bad bottle...really? why don't you try it for yourself? and isn't there someone there who's supposed to try the wines before they serve them? "
This is a problem that can be solved. If I were Colin? I would create a little box for Proceed With Caution. Just warn the people. Put a skull and cross bones on it.
That's all, say, 'Hey, darlin, are you up to this task? Are you man/woman enough to scale a mountain, slide down the hill on your ass, and laugh about it? Are you macho enough to say you don't know, you care, you're confused, you're scared, you hate, you love, but you feel?' Then, we want you to try these wines. OK? Well, no, that would be pretty intimidating but a---'Hey dude, this can be a scary wine. I adore it but some of the flavors in the wine might not be what you're expecting. There is no fruit. This sucker is all animal.;
Poor Colin. He's dealing with a lot of people who come out for a Gimme Cherry. Gimme Fruit. Keep The Earth And Those Minerals Out of My Glass Please. Many of the patrons are not appreciative of some cinnamon scented wacky wine that is somersaulting in their mouth and playing whoopee with their gums.
And unless someone is there to help them out, encourage them to step out of their comfort zone, they will keep on returning bottles. And of course he also has people like me, who view DBGB's as a safe house.
299 Bowery St
(between Houston St & 1st St)
(212) 933-5303
www.danielnyc.com
Who knew? So last night I was having a glass of Krug at Freeman's, you know, that pretty sexy restaurant down an alley on the Lower East Side?
They are selling Krug BTG at $30, and my friend I was meeting said, what the hell. We ordered two glasses.
The news is that the champagne is greatly diminished. Totally unspectacular. The sulfur went directly to the front of my face. The wine, served from 1/2 bottles, had an aggressive bubble, metallic flavor and smelled dirty on the nose. Gone was the cream, bisque and lime-like acidity. Gone was the richness. It could have been Yellow Label.
In the middle of missing the Krug of yore I'm looking over the wine list, really not bad! There's plenty to drink and the prices aren't vulgar.
I see under Provence Reds....2006 Foillard Morgon Cote de Py. Never my favorite, but it's an intersting expression and I applaud the choice to have a Py at all.
I ask the adorable bartender (who's birthday is Monday, July 6th, as I overheard), who wrote the list.
She does.
'It's lovely,' I said. I was not being coy. I meant the compliment.
'Thank you,' says she.
'But do you mind if I tell you a correction? '
'Go ahead,' she said.
Okay, so I tread gently. I try to deliver the message with some charm. 'Morgon is not in Provence. It's actually quite far away in Beaujolais, perhaps you can stick it in Burgundy?'
She has a moment. She looks pensive. It passes quickly. Then she says, "I am pretty sure THIS Morgon is in Provence.'
As you can imagine, telling her that Beaujolais was actually in Burgundy, didn't fly that well either.
'It's not in Burgundy,' she said, obviously thinking I was off my rocker.
'Well, whether or not it should be in Burgundy is debatable, but I am afraid, it really is,' I said, trying to make a joke.
Then I let the issue drop and she, thinking she had a batty redhead at her bar, did as well. I didn't even broach the Py issue, being a famous hill in the Beaujolais. I have every faith that by the time her birthday rolls around, she'd have done her research--because she struck me as that kind of girl.
I just hope she doesn't hate me for pointing it out.
I do wonder when some are at the start of their wine knowledge, why they are so defensive. There's plenty to learn, and it's hard to get it all right. I mean, how many years did it take for me to learn that 98% of the time if the red is from Burgundy it's going to be Pinot?
My friend and I ordered a glass of the Moncuit blanc de blanc ($20) to compare next to the Krug. Guess which glass was more enjoyable?
Who knew? So last night I was having a glass of Krug at Freeman's, you know, that pretty sexy restaurant down an alley on the Lower East Side?
They are selling Krug BTG at $30, and my friend I was meeting said, what the hell. We ordered two glasses.
The news is that the champagne is greatly diminished. Totally unspectacular. The sulfur went directly to the front of my face. The wine, served from 1/2 bottles, had an aggressive bubble, metallic flavor and smelled dirty on the nose. Gone was the cream, bisque and lime-like acidity. Gone was the richness. It could have been Yellow Label.
In the middle of missing the Krug of yore I'm looking over the wine list, really not bad! There's plenty to drink and the prices aren't vulgar.
I see under Provence Reds....2006 Foillard Morgon Cote de Py. Never my favorite, but it's an intersting expression and I applaud the choice to have a Py at all.
I ask the adorable bartender (who's birthday is Monday, July 6th, as I overheard), who wrote the list.
She does.
'It's lovely,' I said. I was not being coy. I meant the compliment.
'Thank you,' says she.
'But do you mind if I tell you a correction? '
'Go ahead,' she said.
Okay, so I tread gently. I try to deliver the message with some charm. 'Morgon is not in Provence. It's actually quite far away in Beaujolais, perhaps you can stick it in Burgundy?'
She has a moment. She looks pensive. It passes quickly. Then she says, "I am pretty sure THIS Morgon is in Provence.'
As you can imagine, telling her that Beaujolais was actually in Burgundy, didn't fly that well either.
'It's not in Burgundy,' she said, obviously thinking I was off my rocker.
'Well, whether or not it should be in Burgundy is debatable, but I am afraid, it really is,' I said, trying to make a joke.
Then I let the issue drop and she, thinking she had a batty redhead at her bar, did as well. I didn't even broach the Py issue, being a famous hill in the Beaujolais. I have every faith that by the time her birthday rolls around, she'd have done her research--because she struck me as that kind of girl.
I just hope she doesn't hate me for pointing it out.
I do wonder when some are at the start of their wine knowledge, why they are so defensive. There's plenty to learn, and it's hard to get it all right. I mean, how many years did it take for me to learn that 98% of the time if the red is from Burgundy it's going to be Pinot?
My friend and I ordered a glass of the Moncuit blanc de blanc ($20) to compare next to the Krug. Guess which glass was more enjoyable?
I'm hunting the Leon Trotskys, the Philip Roths, the Chaucers and the Edith Whartons of the wine world. I want them natural and most of all, I want them to speak the truth even if we argue. With this messiah thing going on, I'm trying to swell the ranks of those who crave the differences in each vintage, celebrate nuance and desire wines that make them think, laugh, and feel. Welcome.
And, if you'd like a signed copy, feel free to contact me directly.
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