NY Times on Everyday Wines -- Eric Asimov's most important post ever
Eric Asimov’s latest post, "Everyday Wines: The Most Important Bottles You Will Drink," at his New York Times Blog, The Pour, is a gem.
And I’m not saying that just because he said to “find a good wine shop” with a link to his article saying that “[i]nstitutions like Chambers Street Wines, Flatiron Wines & Spirits and Crush Wine & Spirits in New York are great for expert and novice alike, and they serve a nationwide clientele.” No, this has nothing to do with validation in the National Press…
It’s because Eric has, once again, nailed how we actually drink wine. His eight tips are spot on and we’d recommend you read them. Here is a helpful link to read it now.
They're spot on but, of course, we all have our own twists to add. Here are my four addenda, together with a case of everyday wines to embody the principles.
- Don’t let the hunt for novelty blind you to the charms of the classics. There’s a risk of a kind of reverse snobbery, “Oh, I never drink [Bordeaux/Sancerre/Rioja/whatever].” It’s trite but true: the classics are classics for a reason. There may be oceans of indifferent, factory-made Sancerre and Bordeaux, but there are also tons of fantastic, terroir focused growers making wines that have stood the test of time.
- Don’t worry about finishing the bottle. Lots of wines, especially young, hardy ones, will easily last a day or two after you’ve opened them. In fact, just like grandma’s stew, many of those wines will be better on the second or third day when a little oxygen has helped them to open up and show what they’ve got.You don’t need a fancy system or expensive technology to keep the wine either. Just put the cork in it and put it in the fridge. Or if you want to keep the wine even longer try this "one simple trick": as soon as you open your bottle pour half of it into an empty half-bottle, cork it, and stick it in the fridge. It will be exposed to almost no air and will last for days and days.
- Get a decanter. Just like lots of young wines do better on the second day thanks to the extra air, so do they do better out of a decanter. Not sure if you like your wine decanted? Throw half the bottle in the decanter and leave the other half behind. Compare them in 30 or 60 minutes and see which one you like better.
- But wine by the case (and off our Newsletter). Eric is right that it helps to go above the $10-$12 price range to find wines that are much more interesting. One way to afford to reach a little is to take advantage of case discounts. Flatiron, for instance, offers 10% off (our already low prices!) when you buy 12 or more bottles.
And now, to put our money where our mouths is, here’s a case of wine, at a super-extra-special 15% discount for blog readers, who purchase all the featured selections, below. It embodies Eric’s principles and ours and we think it’s a great way to load up on the kind of reasonably priced gems that can make any dinner at home a special treat. For those who prefer to build their own case, you are welcome to do so at 10% off.
Build your own case in NYC.
Build your own case in SF.
We also have a weekly newsletter with stories on new arrivals, which we generally offer to our subscribers at very special, limited time (and Newsletter-only) discounts. You should take advantage by signing up here.