Drink Wine With Me » Rioja

Ergo Tempranillo at Ventanas

Admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:47:52 +0000

Last night I was surprised with dinner at Ventanas in NYC. Ventanas is a new Spanish tapas restaurant located in the very fashionable Meatpacking district underneath the Highline. Following in the footsteps of it’s two sister restaurants that I also love to frequent, Flor De Sol and Son Cubano, it successfully offers a wide variety of delicious small plates and oozes with romantic atmosphere. Our wine choice was a bottle of Ergo Tempranillo Rioja 2009 from Martin Codax. We have found that you simply cannot go wrong with wines from the Rioja region of Spain especially since they are known for producing the best Tempranillos. This medium bodied red was dark ruby in the glass and gave off aromas of dark fruit. The flavors of black cherry and plum gave way to a hint of spice and the smooth tannins made each sip a wonderful experience. The Ergo Tempranillo really paired well with all of the tapas dishes we selected. We sampled many but our top favorites were the camarones al ajillo (shrimp in garlic), frituras de queso de cabras (goat cheese fritas), and the empanadas espinaca (spinach and manchego empanadas). The plates were reasonably priced between $10-$22 and our wine was under $40. A word of warning that one bottle may not be enough. This wine was so good the bottle went very fast and we ended up ordering an extra glass each! Ergo Tempranillo is an excellent choice for Rioja lovers and is available in stores for under $14. If you are in the NYC area and are looking for a great place for date night or a fun place to go with a group of friends I highly recommend Ventanas.

Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar

Admin — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 03:19:10 +0000

In May I had the pleasure of visiting Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar for the first time. I first heard of Ayza via Twitter and was immediately intrigued. What could be better than an establishment that specializes in my three favorite things to savor: wine, cheese, and chocolate! This wine bar is conveniently located on 31 st street in midtown Manhattan and offers both indoor and outdoor seating with plenty of heat lamps for cooler weather. It is the perfect setting for an after work happy hour or a romantic date. I highly recommend making a reservation as it gets very crowded even if you go earlier in the evening.

The wine list has a nice variety of options by the glass or bottle with many regions represented. Flights are also available should you want a little variety. I ordered the Michel Torino Malbec Don David from Argentina and I really enjoyed it. Typical of most malbec it didn’t disappoint. My boyfriend had the Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain which is his favorite region.

The food offerings at Ayza consist of standard wine bar snacks, salads, paninis, tartines, and a small selection of entrees. We ordered the hummus dip, truffle pizza (to die for), and a plate of three cheeses. Our cheese selections were the bucheron, aged manchego, and the shropshire blue. The bucheron and the shropshire blue were both excellent. For dessert you may choose from Ayza’s homemade chocolates or selections from famed chocolatier Jacques Torres. I choose several pieces from both options and paired them with a glass of Cockburns 10 year tawny port from Portugal to end a perfect evening.

Since my May visit I have gone back again and will continue to venture to Ayza for my wine and chocolate fix. You can also venture over on Sunday nights for their romantic Couples Night as well as Girls Night Out on Tuesdays.

La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi Reserva 2003

Admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:59:36 +0000

Last night I took my boyfriend to STK in the Meatpacking District to celebrate his birthday with a melt in your mouth steak and some fabulous red wine. Being that his all time favorite wine is rioja, I was very pleased to see a selection on the wine list that wouldn’t break the bank. The question was would it be good and would it stand up to his current favorite Marques de Riscal? The chosen wine was La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi Reserva 2003 from Rioja, Spain. It is composed of 10o% tempranillo grapes which are native to Northern Spain. It was a dark, vibrant red in the glass and had a delicious, earthy aroma with hints of red fruits and spices. From the aroma in the glass I knew we had made the right choice. There was a strong cherry taste that was slightly sour in the first pour but that wasn’t a detractor in the flavor. For us it just gave it more of a complexity and a different flavor profile than what we normally drink. There were undertones of vanilla, spice, and a hint of woodsmoke present as well. As the wine opened up the sourness lessened and the wine became more smooth and balanced on the palate. This rioja had a nice acidity to it as well as slight tannins which made for a great presence in the mouth and gave way to a lingering and tasty finish. It was a perfect accompaniment to our filet mignon with parmesan truffle fries and made the entire meal all the more special. This medium bodied red is 13% alcohol and the average retail in stores is $20. This wine has been rated 90 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

Red, White, and Rioja

Admin — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:48:14 +0000

Spanish Rioja is quickly gaining popularity here in the United States. This past week I went to my favorite wine bar Riposo 46 located on 9th Avenue at 46th Street. On every visit I choose a Rioja since these bottles are extremely well priced and you are guaranteed a wine with amazing flavor. This night we selected El Coto Rioja 2005. This red is made with 100% tempranillo grapes which create wine that has a higher acidity and mild tannins. It’s medium bodied with cherry and raspberry flavors and light oak. Riposo 46 has the best cheeses, pizzas, and olives to go along with all the great wines they feature. The El Coto Rioja went extremely well with the mixed olives served warm in oil and garlic and the vegetarian flatbread pizza made even more delicious by adding prosciutto on top-not so vegetarian anymore! A great table wine and the price can’t be beat at under $40 per bottle at the wine bar.

Later in the week while perusing the aisles of my local wine store I came across a white Rioja. Normally sticking to reds but both of us being more in the mood for white we decided to see how the white version would compare to the red we drank earlier in the week. We purchased a bottle of Marqués de Cáceres 2007. The white version was equally flavorful. Light mineral notes accompanied by flavors of ripe melon, apple, and pepper. A great wine to pair with seafood and bargain priced at under $12 at retail.