Winter Wine at Terrior Tribeca

A cold mist hung over the concrete canyons, the tops of the skyscrapers obscured in a eldritch glow just barely illuminating two figures huddled under a hotel canopy. The dim light of a cellphone illuminated their huddled faces.

"It says 375 Greenwich St."
"Maybe it should be Greenwich Ave."
"Maybe its right around the corner."

The couple popped their umbrellas and darted down the street,checking each address as they passed. Finally, they found what they were looking for. Darting under the entrance vestibule, they found their way out of the cold winter rain into the cozy brick bar they sought.

For some unknown reason, it took us a long time to find the time to get to Terrior in Tribeca. It's not too far outside our usual neighborhood for dinner in Manhattan, and it is known for its vast selection of Riesling--our usual neighborhood for wine. Of course, when we finally decided to go it turned out to be a miserable night, but we had our minds set, and made it in despite the storm.

The wine bar itself was a bit different than our usual destination. Dark, loud, and trendy, we felt a bit out of place. But after we pulled ourselves up to the bar and chatted up the bartender on our options for the evening, we quickly felt at home. The wine menu was exhaustive, but organized and informative to make it easy to find something interesting. Chock full of Riesling from throughout the world, including some of our favorite Finger Lakes wines, we were a little sad it was so cold and miserable out, since it didn't feel like a night for white wine. But with selecting some dinner and asking the bartender for recommendations, we found some other interesting options.

The menu felt like elevated bar food, and we picked some big meaty sandwiches. Starting with some Pig's Head Bruschetta to start with, a rich and mineral meat that might scare some people away. Followed by a meatball sandwich and a pork sandwich, glasses of red seemed like the only choice. Fatty meat with some fruity, spicy red wines kept us warm on a cold, rainy night. The knowledgeable staff helped us find some interesting wines: for our second glass, we specifically asked for something "unique and different" and they encouraged us to try something new and linger over our glasses. Part of the adventure is going beyond what you're used to. Now we just have to get back and try their Rieslings.

Riesling "on tap" at Terroir Tribeca.