I know, talking about the weather is dreadfully boring — but darn, it’s hot! My advice: seek shelter in an air-conditioned wine bar with a perfectly chilled glass in hand. And if you’re looking for stellar places to sip, check out Star Wine List, the guide to great wine bars and restaurants around the world. I serve as the NY ambassador for Star Wine List, and many of my favorite places are featured in the guide.
Thirst Trap: An Evening With André Hueston Mack with Sophia Roe
City Winery, NYC
Tuesday, August 4, 7:30 pm
Tickets start at $75
Join sommelier extraordinaire André Hueston Mack for Thirst Trap, a tasting event that combines storytelling, music, humor, and more. Over the course of a 90-minute live show, André leads guests through four wines and one whiskey, while sharing personal stories and exploring the people, places, and ideas behind each pour.
After serving as a sommelier at The French Laundry, Mack went on to open Per Se as its founding head sommelier before launching Maison Noir Wines in 2007. André hosts Bon Appétit’s World of Wine with André Mack, the platform’s most-watched wine series on YouTube, and Through the Grapevine, where he interviews celebrity guests while putting their wine knowledge to the test. James Beard Award-winning chef Sophia Roe will join André on stage for an unscripted conversation.
Wanda’s Wine of the Week: Pere Ventura Gran Vintage Paraje Calificado Can Bas 2017 ($115)
I can’t resist a good Cava, and this beauty from Pere Ventura is divine! Produced only in exceptional vintages, it is the perfect balance of freshness, complexity, and finesse. A blend of Xarel-lo and Macabeo, Pere Ventura Gran Vintage is a Cava de Paraje Calificado (qualified location), meaning that the vines are from a small area with a distinctive terroir, in this instance, the Can Bas estate. I’ve heard some people doubt that Cava, Spain’s signature sparkling wine, can go the distance in terms of long aging, but many bottlings can. It’s important to remember that Cava is made in the same labor-intensive method as Champagne; the second fermentation in the bottle creates the bubbles. Top Cavas, like Pere Ventura Gran Vintage, spend extended time aging on the lees, which imbues the bubbly with texture and layers of flavor.
My fall festival season will kick off with the fabulous Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta. Last year was my first visit to Santa Fe and I’m honored to be leading seminars at the Fiesta again. This year, I’ll guide attendees through a tasting of California wines from Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, and other exciting Golden State regions. I’ll also moderate the Judgment of Paris: 50 Years Later. Tickets are on sale now. Prominent presenters include Eric Asimov (The New York Times), sommelier Marika Vida-Arnold and Joe Spellman MS (Master Sommelier).
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