Flatiron Wines & Spirits

Spring Fare, Part Deux May 12th, 2013 | by susannah See all Posts »

I recently moved to the city from North Carolina, which trounces the Big Apple in the trees and greenery department, but where spring is often a season measured in hours rather than weeks. There’s something to be said for a higher latitude (though I’m sure bemoan the same difference in December). Tomato season will surely also see the South rise again, but at the moment New York is winning the farmers’ market battle with its secret weapon of a long spring. At a recent gathering of fellow NYC wine peeps, I was lucky enough to be served the dish pictured here: blanched heirloom carrots, beets, and daikon radish, with edible flowers, homemade mint oil, and a dolloped mixture of ricotta ... Read more »

Filled with Spirit: Fine, Fine Quinine Wine May 08th, 2013 | by jenn See all Posts »

True story: I’m obsessed with quinine. That’s right, quinine. I first got into because it's mildly bitter aftertaste is so refreshing with warmer weather and because I learned that the real stuff glows under a black light. I continue to justify the infatuation because it makes me feel stronger. Not stronger in the “rocket fuel” way that bubbly affords or the “I can do anything” way that too much booze in general can produce; it’s more substantial than that. I took a gander at what the internet had to say. From the Quechua people of Peru and Bolivia to the Allied forces of World War II, many cultures throughout history would agree; cinchona bark extract in the form of ... Read more »

Chateau de Pibarnon: The Beauty of Bandol

Friday | May 17th, 2013

5:00pm - 8:00pm

Known for producing some of the most noble wines in Provence, and in all of Southern France, the Chateau de Pibarnon was purchased in 1975 by the family of Comte Henri de Saint-Victor. Situated up North in the Colline du Telegraphe with sweeping views of the entire vista of Bandol, these are vineyards that see over 300 days of sunshine a year. Terraces built into hillsides by the Saint Victor family help minimize erosion and maximize water absorption, however it's the regions soil that is truly unique. Comprised mostly of blue marl and limestone, formed at the end of the mesozoic era, it contains remnants of fossil material, making this terroir over 150 million years older than anything else nearby. It is the vines struggle to subsist in these stony, fossil rich soils that ultimately yields wine of such depth and character, they are known simply as "the apogee of Mourvedre."

New Talent: The Burgundy of Decelle-Villa & Henri Milan's Provence

Saturday | May 18th, 2013

2:00pm - 5:00pm

What happens when one of the biggest figures in the Roussillon wine world partners with a major negociant in the Rhone to make wine in Burgundy? That's what Olivier Decelle and Pierre-Jean Villa wondered when they started bottling under their own label. Using grapes purchased from local growers, or from their own vineyard parcels (all of which are farmed organically or biodynamically) they are producing limited release, high quality boutique reds and whites.

Sunday Spirits: Fazenda Mae de Ouro Cachaca

Sunday | May 19th, 2013

3:00pm - 5:00pm

On Sunday, we're tasting "Cachaca" or "Brazillian Rum" made from fresh sugar cane that is fermented and distilled. The family farm of Mae de Ouro is located in the center of the most famous cachaca producing state in Brazil, near São José da Barra, however they differ from many of their neighbors through their commitment to both quality and sustainability. While the sugar cane crop is often burned to ensure a quicker harvest, these producers skip this step and harvest manually, in the process sparing both the environment and the native yeasts that work most effectively for fermentation. The name "Fazenda Mae de Ouro" literally translates to "The Mother of the Gold Farm" a reference to the golden hue the fields acquire in the light of the setting sun, and an indication of the role played by mother nature in all production. Delicious and Green, what more could you ask for?

Chateau Pibarnon, Bandol Rouge, 2001

2001 was a phenomenal vintage in many parts of the world, perhaps especially in Southern France and Italy. Having passed its first decade of life, this Bandol is ready to show everything it is made of: its splendid terroir, and the high quality of this v