Wear It With Pride

You're looking at Drybar's new "Spirit Director"! Check out my blowdryer charm :)

http://www.thedrybar.com

I'll be helping procure adult beverage sponsors for Drybar Happy Hours and Sunday Brunch – when we’ll offer clients a complimentary cocktail, pour of wine/bubbles, mimosa etc. with their blow dry. Sound awesome? It will be. It's my J.O.B.!

Brunello di Montalcino

Poggio Antico 2001 Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, 13.5% abv

Very elegant expression of sangiovese. Winemaker's major attention to detail in fruit selection results in a complex and balanced wine. They even note the specifics of the barrel aging on the bottle (5 years in 500-liter French oak tonneaux then 21/2 in traditional Slovenian oak). Opened it on the earlier side...the wine could use another year or two in the bottle, but still shows quite well with some deep breathing. (Maybe we all show a little better with some deep breathing.)

F. Magnien '05 Chambolle-Musigny, 1er "Baudes"

Day 1 (opened at 4:00pm, double decanted, first review at 5:30pm):

Nose: Leaves, smoke, game, and animal fat. Not as perfume-y as I’d like. Think I can smell the barrel, but also think it will open up more in the next few hours and overnight.

Front palate: Ripe strawberry, raspberry sauce, dried red cherries, know it’s over used, but “fruit-forward” comes to mind (Freddy is known for making “big” Burgundies)

Mid to Back palate: Dissonant. Chalk, herbs, some awkward tannin, bitterness, and heat

Finish lingers. Actually sits quite well on the palate after 20 seconds.

Thoughts: Realize this wine needs some age but imho the fundamentals of alcohol, fruit, acidity, and tannin aren’t ideally balanced. I don’t think the quality (aka attention to detail in his winemaking/$) is high enough here to improve that much with age. Maybe this wine’s availability, is another clue to its quality and aging potential.

Day 2 (re-tasted at 5:30pm):

A much more integrated wine now. A sleepover with oxygen definitely massaged out some kinks...nose is prettier, more seductive...palate is cleaner, some cassis and blackberry – less red fruit now – mineral and herbal elements have matured to project a tasteful presence. Tannin has softened, as one would expect. Really a different wine now. I’m very thankful I saved some for Day 2 :)

Bottom line: This is not a poor to good value wine, as I would have deemed it yesterday. It’s young and really needs oxygen and time if opened this early in its development. I love Burgundies because their unpredictable nature and expense challenge me. As wise men say... Stay curious and stay foolish. I believe buying and tasting the wines of Burgundy is an excellent way to practice this philosophy.

All-Clad's Initiation

Love Birds in the Kitchen

AmByth's '07 Nebbiolo (Glenrose Vineyard, Paso Robles)

This wine needs to breathe. Pour a glass then cork and wait a day or two to revisit. It's a completely different wine. My day two notes follow:

Nose: cherry liqueur, musk/perfume/floral, ripe raspberries and strawberries, hint of vanilla

Palate: Soft tannin, approachable alcohol, surprisingly pleasant acidity, more fruit than a traditional Piedmont nebbiolo or Barolo, but sometimes that's okay

Finish: a bit glycerol and sticky, blackberry preserve and chalk, the minerality offsets the fruit

When I bought this wine in Paso Robles last August, I had no idea it would be this good. The purchase was more of an educational experiment, as I'm quite fond of Barolos. I find AmByth's expression of nebbiolo to be impressive - definitely of a "new world" nature - but well made nonetheless. If you encounter this wine, all I ask is that you give it time to open up. It will soar with exposure to oxygen over time. Promise :)

Learn more about AmByth wines:

http://www.ambythestate.com/about_us.php

Nephews in the Snow and Sand!

Happy New Year!

*I fell asleep on the couch at ten last night, like a grandma after one glass of wine. Hot.

*With all respect to grandmas

Best Gift

(aside from my Hi-Times gift card, thanks Alli and Cam!)

All-Clad® 12" (a.k.a. footlong!) Covered Skillet

Currently on SALE for $89.95 (normally $180.00)

http://www.surlatable.com/product/all-clad+covered+skillet.do?keyword=frying+pan&sortby=ourPicks

Merry Christmas!

1998 Le Vieux Donjon CdP

If there's one thing I've learned from tasting older wines (over 5 years old), it's that they can't be rushed. This '98 Chateauneuf-du-Pape (CdP), didn't begin it's ascent until an hour after opening. If you don't have the time or tools to decant, the best thing you can do it to keep pours small - maybe even pour more than one glass at a time per drinker.

This wine initially gave off a nose of apple, smoke, and game, then, after an hour or so, had this distinct scent of earth-candy, baking spices, and roses. The wine was highly concentrated, deep ruby, and primary notes of red and black fruits still graced the palate.

Daddy Like

We drank the '01, but this was the best label image I could find. A very balanced, sexy wine. Thanks for introducing this to me, John! Next time we need to grill some lamb chops to enjoy alongside!

M.I.A.

Wow. I have not blogged in over a month. That's pretty lame in my book. If you don't mind, I'm going to back track a little and blog about the past 6 weeks. I'll time date it correctly, so it will appear as if i wrote the posts when they were happening, but for those who visit "Breathe Air & Drink Wine" regularly and feel abandoned, I sincerely apologize. I greatly appreciate you and, as always, thank you for reading. :)

Wine as Art

If you are considering dropping substantial $$ on a special bottle of wine, please consider this review before you choose a typical "100 point" trophy bottle.

In my eyes and, more importantly, according to my palate, this wine is truly unique. Giuseppe Quintarelli, famous for his Amarones, makes another wine called "Alzero." It's cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and a splash of merlot...and drinks like chocolate raspberry sauce. The tannin is so fine and alcohol is so integrated it will leave every tastebud reeling. Sweet, savory, and magical grape juice. The inspiration and discipline that goes into making a wine of this character and quality is humbling. Above is the label from the bottle I enjoyed with Michael at B&B in Las Vegas.

The New York Marathon

One of the female loves of my life, Melanie Bongiovanni, ran her first marathon yesterday. She was able to participate in New York's because she joined the Road Runners club and completed all of the qualifying races. Already a champion in my book (full-time pediatric nurse at NY Presbyterian hospital, student at NYU to become a nurse practitioner, loyal/loving daughter, sister, aunt, and friend), she took on training for the marathon. Her training regimen paid off tremendously. In her words, "she danced the whole way."

As a spectator, it was more emotional and exhilirating than I ever imagined. The runners' fierce energy and raw determination was contagious. We watched from the 18 mile mark. I thought this was going to be like tailgating and when Mel ran by we'd reach over the caution tape for a high five and go back to partying. Not even close. I was entranced, cheering at the top of my lungs for every runner with a name on his/her shirt. Each human that ran past flashed the inspirational thought though my brain: "He/she has run 18 miles and still has 8 more to go."

After two hours of rejoicing for strangers, we saw Mel coming. I had goosebumps covering my body and tears in my eyes. The only thing I could think to do was sneak into the race and run with her. We ran for a mile together. She was talking like we were sitting at a coffee shop. Unbelievable. Mel finished the marathon in 4 hours and 20 minutes. After the race, she walked into the bar for the after party where her best friends and family were anticipating her arrival. As she walk towards our table, we got the whole place chanting "MEL-A-NIE! MEL-A-NIE!!!" It was a blast and an honor to celebrate the champion who is Melanie Bongiovanni.

(Side note: In the bar I was secretly thinking...this is almost better than a wedding! Mel gets to show up in a sports bra and running shorts at a dive bar and drink and dance with her favorite people. Pretty awesome, right?!)

Spring into Fall

My parents and I spent Saturday afternoon walking a new park, Manhattan High Line. It's a mile or so of abandoned, elevated railroad lines reinvented for pedestrians. It was unseasonally warm, about 70 degrees, so everyone was out taking in some much needed Vitamin D. While Central Park will always feel like home, I appreciated the new vibe the organic and modern elements gave to High Line. There's a simple elegance and industrial nature to the outdoor scuptures and attentively coreographed landscaping that's refreshing (and the wind coming off the Hudson).

We lounged for awhile on wood plank chaises. They had railroad wheels connecting them to the old track so they could be wheeled apart or together. The little Hutnick family fit on two setup side by side to indulge in people and cloud watching. Our walking tour of the neighborhood ended at 14th and 9th with afternoon snacks and coffee at Pastis. We were sitting at a table outside and suddenly heard my sister. She was walking by Pastis talking on the phone, "I think I see my mom, no...that's my family!!". If we had planned it, it'd have never worked. But we didn't and there we were, the whole family together on a Saturday in the city. Lauren telling stories. All of us laughing. Another New York moment to confirm my belief to expect the unexpected there. Manhattan MAGIC

Halloween & the City

If you have never experienced Halloween in New York, you're missing out. It's bigger than New Year's because it's a New Yorker's holiday, not a tourist's. The city goes off. The parade shuts down lower Manhattan. And if you're a tired 26 year old female sans costume, just finishing up family day in the city, here's my advice:

Grab a pint of your favorite frozen confection and cuddle up on your best friend's couch to watch Annie Hall. Especially if it's pouring rain. Happy Hutnick. Happy Halloween. :)

Josie's Midtown

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the world. If there was one in Newport Beach, I would be there at least twice a week. Everthing is organic. They use no dairy in preparation unless noted in the dish's description. It's the only restaurant I enjoy "family style" dining, because I know I can digest everything so I do want to share and try new dishes.

I have not been in five years because when I go back to the city I usually stay on the Upper East side or Central Park West. But this trip my parents needed to have dinner at a restaurant close to Grand Central*, so they could get the train back to Connecticut and be tucked in at a decent hour...so...family dinner at Josie's was ON.

It all came back to me. Fast. The sweet potato spread. The fresh foccacia and multi-grain bread. The ginger grilled calamari with golden pineapple and red pepper salsa (dish featured in photo). I actually wanted to get two entrees that's how happy and hungry I got just reading the menu. My "usual" when I first discovered Josie's was the warm macadamia crusted chicken breast with orzo and salad. This time I GOT CRAZY and tried something new...the seared tuna entree. It pretty much evaporated off my plate. My parents shared their dishes with me and they too were outstanding (filet mignon medallions with truffle mashed potatoes, mushrooms, and asparagus - all butter and cream free - and shrimp "un-fried" brown rice with tons of veggies and delicious seasonings).

If I ever have the luxury employing a personal chef, Josie's is the first place I will call. A girl can dream, right?!

*Josie's is a stone's throw from GCT on 3rd Ave. and 37th

Cru

Last night I met my friend at a restaurant called Cru. According to a few websites, they're famous for their wine list. Well, I had no idea what I was in for. I instantly dove into the twenty pages (maybe 30!) of Burgundies in attempt to pick a bottle for the night. The sommelier there was patient, helpful, and cool - like we wanted to invite him to the club with us cool. After a few too many minutes of shop talk with the somm, leaving my friend to nurse his cocktail, it was time to pull the trigger. I went for the prize vintage and producer. MAJOR value. A 1993 Roumier, Chambolle Musigny for under $300 (at a restaurant). So a village wine, generic AOC classification, but I was fine with that. A '93 premier or grand cru would have quickly launched us to four figure liquid assets.

The food at Cru was a bit of an afterthought. My attention was captivated by our Krug aperitif and the anticipation of the wine. After it was decanted and tasted, conversation and flavors unfolded and evolved on our palates in sync. Couldn't have been a better night...well, maybe if we splurged for a Richeborg :)

(Side note: Cru's address is 24 5th Ave (btw 9th and 10th Street). There is another Cru that sometimes shows up on a Google maps search way way west on 11th Street, where I arrived on time for dinner only to find out I had walked 10 mins in boots to the wrong place. This isn't the first time Karoline and I have failed navigationally. We should know to be more careful by now...)

T.G.I.F.

Another night in New York. It's Friday, time to go big or go home. Which means two things to me...

1. Burgundy

2. New dress