An Afternoon at Brooklyn Winery

When we think of wineries, we often envision a cluster of barns and production facilities surrounding a tasting room, all nestled among a vast vineyard. But with the ability to buy grapes from growers, some wine producers have realized that if they don't need the vineyard, they don't need the farm, and can instead put their facilities closer to the bulk of the people who drink their wines. With that idea in mind, there has been a growth of urban wineries, like Brooklyn Winery.

How-To: Taste Wine "Properly" Video

Following up on our recent post about the "official" way to taste wine, please enjoy this video.

Let us know what you think, and whether you'd like to see more videos on the site!

Quick Review: Hermann J. Wiemer Late Harvest Riesling

NY, Finger Lakes, Hermann J. Wiemer, Late Harvest Riesling 2009

+ // Sweet // Peach, Overripe Peach // Peach, Mineral, hints of flowers // Medium

Late Harvest wines are typically sweeter and serve as dessert wines. By allowing the grapes to stay on the vine as long as possible, they ripen and produce more sugars. The resulting wine is sweeter and usually more alcoholic. If you order such a drink at a restaurant, it's likely to come in a smaller glass, the portion being much smaller than the traditional wine (but at the same price, normally!)

Did you know? . . . About Sake

Sake is an alcoholic drink made from fermented rice with origins in Japan. According to Wikipedia, 

"Sake is often referred to in English-speaking countries as rice wine; however, this term is a misnomer. Unlike wine, in which alcohol is produced by fermenting sugar that is naturally present in grapes, sake is produced by means of a brewing process more like that of beer. Thus, sake is rice beer rather than rice wine."

Interesting, huh? It's important to note, however, that sake has higher alcohol concentrations than beer traditionally does. And, it takes a special rice to make this drink (don't try it at home with your Uncle Ben's!).


We were surprised to find a sangria with sake as the added component. Most often sangria gets its extra kick from rum. We admit we do not have much experience with sake but plan to expand our knowledge of it in future, particularly at sushi bars. 

A sake barrel, offered to Meiji Shrine, in Yoyogi Park.

photo by Stéfan on Flickr

Quick Review: Sangria at Ortine

Sangria: Red wine, apple, orange juice, sake

+ // Fruity // Apple, citrus, berry // Apple, citrus, funk // Medium

With the addition of the sake and tart apple, this was a much more tart sangria than we usually enjoy, but it worked well for the cool spring evening. That sake added an unmistakable flavor, very different from the usual sweet or spicy rum. Makes us want to explore sake a bit more.

Pizza and Sangria at Ortine

While we enjoy the fancy restaurants that NYC has to offer, it's just as good to stop by the local pizza joint. This is of course biased by the fact that we live in Brooklyn, with great little pizza joints on every corner. And obviously, we have to try them all to compare.

 

We have our favorite place, the only restaurant I allow us to return to regularly. But sometimes, we have to try a new place, to see what it is like. Always on the lookout, we spotted a place recently that we felt compelled to try. Ortine is a small place, edging the outskirts of the wave of gentrification. The restaurant embraces the values of the locavore movement in an unimposing space. The service was a bit slow, but the staff was friendly and the space casual, so we felt no pressure to rush our meal when it finally made it to our table. With the low-key decor and classic 50's rock on the radio, Ortine felt like an old-school diner, but with a surprisingly contemporary dedication to local and seasonal ingredients.

How-To: Pick a Before Dinner Drink

We spend a lot of time talking about what wines to drink with a meal, but sometimes you want to start with a glass of something before the meal starts. Whether you have to wait for a table at the bar, or you are celebrating a special evening, or you just want to sit and enjoy yourself for a little longer, there is a perfect aperitif for you.