Wines I’ve Enjoyed – Part 1

Before the yomim tovim I make my way to Gotham Wine and Liquors (2517 Broadway – between 93rd and 94th Streets – New York, NY 10025; Tel: 212-932-0990), where I pick up old favorites, new selections I want to try and recommendations by Costas, whether for myself, or as gifts to family and friends.

Starting on Pessach I’ve tried some superb wines from $9.00 and up.

For the Four Cups, on the first Seder night, I drank the 2006 Segal‘s Argaman. Well balanced, easy to drink and made from Israel’s only native grape. The Argaman grape is a crossing between the Portuguese Souzão and Carignan. This delightful wine was fermented of the skins of Merlot; it shows notes of red and black berries. I should have gotten more than just two bottles of it!

The second night I turned to the 2010  Gedeon Cabernet Sauvignon for the Arba Kosos. It was fruity while combining toasted vanilla and tobacco notes from French Oak Barrels, with a smoky finish. I always buy this inexpensive selection by the case.

The 2011 Bartenura Malvasia has long been a favorite through various vintages since I first discovered the grape under the late Tonelli label. Aromatic, slightly fizzy and just sweet enough for even the inexperienced wine, it is  nice as a dessert wine or with a light meal. Very pleasant when chilled!

2010 Bravdo Coupage combines Cabernet Franc, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, it exhibits slight floral notes mixed with subtle herbs and blackcurrant on the nose. On the palate it shows hints of black cherry, raspberry, ripe fruit and well balanced tannins, it has a long spicy finish and ends with a delightful hint of vanilla.

The 2009 Binyamina Reserve Gewurtztraminer Late Harvest has won 2 Gold Medals at the 2010 Terravino, the Mediterranean International Wine and Spirit Challenge. Made from Botrytis (Noble Rot) infected grapes, golden yellow in color with a rich and complex aroma of tropical fruit, honeyed dried apricots, lychee, red grapefruit and rose water. Its high sugar level is beautifully and precisely balanced by a natural crispness, it has a rich and long lingering finish with dominant fruity and floral overtones.

2009 Dalton Shiraz – Very dark in color, the nose is intense with black berries and liquorice, on the palate its shows buttery notes of cherry jam, caramel and a hint of black pepper. The wine shows soft integrated tannins and a long finish.

2011 Dalton Moscato is slightly effervescent with a fresh floral bouquet. Incredibly aromatic, and with just enough sweetness to not become cloying. It’s a perfect dessert wine!

2009 Livni Pinot Noir – Made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes, aged in French and American oak barrels it is full bodied and with a very deep garnet color. On the nose it shows blackcurrant with barely a hint of vanilla. On the palate it exhibits ripe cherries, wild berries and raspberry, with slight overtones of earthy minerals.

Connoisseur and novice alike will greatly delight in any of the above selections.

CS

Geila Hocherman & Costas Mouzouras – Passover Food and Wine Pairing – Recipes – Part 2

More recipes and video…

French Macaroons

Don’t confuse these glorious, slightly chewy mouthfuls, made from a few simple ingredients,
with the more common coconut macaroons most of us know.

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3 large egg whites from large eggs, at room temperature (ideally, kept out overnight)
• ¼ cup sugar

Flavoring Variations

• ½ cup cocoa powder OR 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or the seeds from 1 bean OR 2 teaspoons coffee extract or raspberry extract.

Filling Variations

• Chocolate ganache (recipe below)
• Lemon curd (recipe below)
• Lime curd, substitute fresh lime for the lemon juice
• Jam, such as raspberry, strawberry, or black currant

Directions

1. First make the macarons. In a food processor combine the almond flour and confectioners’ sugar and process until well combined, 90 seconds. Flavoring: If making chocolate macarons, add the cocoa powder to the blended mixture and stir. If making vanilla macarons with the vanilla bean, add the seeds. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until they form soft peaks. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the granulated sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff glossy peaks are formed, 90 seconds to 2 ½ minutes. If using coffee or raspberry extract, and/or food coloring, add now. Add the almond flour mixture all at once and beat until the mixture is just well combined, about 10 seconds. Do not allow the mixture to get soupy. Check by dropping 1 teaspoon on a flat surface. The mixture should spread slightly, not thin out. Surface marks should dissolve into the batter. If the mixture doesn’t spread at all, give it a few more stirs, and test again.
3. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a ¼ -inch tip. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Anchor it at the corners with drops of the mixture. Pipe 1 1/2 – to 2- inch circles onto the paper. To do this easily, hold the bag at a 90- degree angle and squeeze it while keeping the tip stationary as the mixture spreads in a circle. Quickly lift the tip and form the next macaron. Let the macarons rest until their surfaces become dull and a crust forms,
   about 60 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 F. Bake the macarons until the tops are completely dry and the macarons come off the paper easily without any residue, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the macarons while still on the paper to a countertop. Cool and remove from the paper. To fill the macarons, turn them flat side down and pair them by matching size. Place 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons of filling on the bottom half of each pair, cover with the top half, and press to form a sandwich. The filling should be visible. Repeat with the remaining macaron pairs. Refrigerate overnight
   and bring to room temperature before serving.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

• 4 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
• ½ cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Grind the chocolate in a food processor. Place the cream in a small glass bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds on high. Stir and heat for 30 seconds more. The cream should be very hot. Alternatively, heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot, about 3 minutes. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and the mixture is well blended. Refrigerate, stirring every 15 minutes, until cool and the consistency of frosting is reached, about 60 minutes. If the ganache becomes too solid to spread, microwave it for 5 seconds and stir, or
   beat it in a bowl over hot water for about 30 seconds.

Lemon Curd

Ingredients

• ½ cup sugar
• Grated zest of 3 lemons
• 6 egg yolks
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 8 oz almond paste
• 2 teaspoons potato starch
• 8 oz almond paste
• 8T margarine, cut into ½-inch dice

Directions

1. In a mini food processor combine the sugar and lemon zest and pulse until combined. Fill a small saucepan 2/3 full of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a nonreactive bowl, combine the yolks, sugar and zest mixture, lemon juice and starch, place over but not touching the water, and whisk until it thickens to the consistency of a loose pudding, about 4 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the margarine, stirring to blend. Strain the mixture into a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap so it touches the top of the curd, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

 — Bonus Recipes —

Onion-stuffed knaidlach

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 5 tablespoons chicken stock or seltzer
• 5 tablespoons chicken fat or canola oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus additional
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
• 3/4 cup matzo meal
• 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine eggs, stock, 3 tablespoons of the fat, salt, pepper, parsley and cilantro, if using. Add matzo meal and blend. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
2. In a medium skillet, warm remaining fat over medium-high heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt and saute, stirring, until translucent and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Drain onions on a paper towel and set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat so the water boils slowly. (Rapid boiling can make the knaidlach break when cooking.) Using wet hands, form 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each of the matzo meal mixture into a disk held in one palm. Place 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons onion in the middle of the disc, pinch to enclose, and roll between both hands until a ball is formed. Drop into the water. Repeat with remaining mixture and onions.
4. When the knaidlach float to the surface of the water, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove the knaidlach with a slotted spoon, transfer to soup, and serve.

Photo from Kosher Revolution, page 75, by Antonis Achilleous

Miso-glazed black cod

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1/2 cup sake or dry white wine
• 1 1/4 cups white miso
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 6 black cod fillets (6 to 8 ounces each), skin removed

Directions

1. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine mirin and sake and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute (to cook off the alcohol), reduce heat to medium, add miso, and stir until dissolved. Add sugar, increase heat, and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
2. Dry fillets with paper towels and put them in a gallon-size sealable plastic bag. Add miso glaze, seal and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
3. Bring the fillets to room temperature. Preheat broiler or place a grill pan or heavy skillet over high heat. Wipe excess glaze from the fillets and broil or grill, turning once, until brown and glazed, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Geila Hocherman & Costas Mouzouras – Passover Food and Wine Pairing – Recipes – Part 1

Geila Hocherman, the author of Kosher Revolution, and Costas Mouzouras, the walking wine encyclopedia at Gotham Wines & Liquors, got together to discuss food and wine pairings. Here we post two out of the three part video of their discussion and we bring six of Geila’s recipes, all from her book, except for one:

Cinnamon chicken tajine with prunes and apricots

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 2 chickens, about 3 1/2 pounds each, each cut into 8 pieces, or 16 breasts, thighs and legs, any
  combination, rinsed and dried well
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil
• 2 large onions (about 2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, ground, powdered or crushed
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cinnamon sticks, each about 3 inches long
• 2 cups pitted prunes
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1/4 cup honey

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet, paella pan or large roasting pan, set over two burners, over medium-high heat. Add almonds and toast, stirring, until lightly colored, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat half of the oil in the pan over medium heat. Working in batches, add chicken and saute until brown, turning once, about 12 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter and set aside. If the oil or browned bits in the pan have burned, wipe out the pan.
3. Add remaining oil to the pan. Add onions and saute, stirring, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Return chicken to the pan. Add saffron to stock, and pour over chicken. Add cinnamon, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Transfer the white meat to the platter. Add prunes and apricots to the pan and simmer until the rest of the chicken is done, about 15 minutes.
   Transfer the chicken to the platter and discard the cinnamon sticks. Add honey to the pan and cook over medium-high heat until liquid is syrupy and coats a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Return chicken to the pan, baste with sauce, cover and warm. Transfer all to a warmed platter, sprinkle with almonds, and serve.

Mina

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. onions sliced thin
• ¼ cup grape seed/vegetable oil,
• 2 lbs. Swiss chard
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 2 T sugar
• 2 lbs mushrooms sliced thin- I prefer combination of shitake and cremini or Portobello
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• ¼ cup white wine
• 2-10 0z package frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted and thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• Juice of 2 lemons plus zest of one
• ¼ cup finely diced sundried tomatoes or roasted red pepper
• ¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup stock- chicken or vegetable
• 8 sheets Matzo

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9×13-baking dish and line with parchment.
2. In a large skillet heat ½ of the oil and sprinkle the onions with salt. Sauté until they are translucent. Add ½ of the garlic and pine nuts and toast for 2 minutes. Add the chard and cook down until almost dry. Add the balsamic and the sugar and cook for 2 more minutes. Place mixture in a strainer and let drain.
3.  Heat 2 more tablespoons of oil, sprinkle with salt and sauté mushrooms with 3 cloves of garlic until they have released all of their water. Add the wine and cook down until all of the moisture has been absorbed. Set aside.

Pignoli Cookies

Ingredients

• 8 oz almond paste
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pine nuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325○F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a food processor, combine the almond paste and sugars and process until the mixture reaches the consistency of sand. Transfer to the bowl of a standing mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, or a medium bowl, and add the egg white, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat on medium speed or by hand for 4 minutes.
3. Place the pine nuts in a small bowl. Next to it place a small bowl of water for wetting your hands. Wet your hands and form 1 ½- to 2-inch balls with the paste mixture, making 5 at a time. Drop them into the bowl of nuts and press down gently so the nuts adhere to the bottom of the dough. Transfer to a cookie sheet nut side up. Repeat, filling each prepared cookie sheet with about 15 balls. Bake until puffed and beginning to color, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool on the parchment paper on a countertop. When completely cool, peel the cookies off the paper and serve.

This post is getting a bit long, we have no choice but to break it up into two parts…

Meanwhile enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

This Evening’s Radio Show

Our guest at 8:00pm (Eastern Time) this evening on BlogTalkRadio.com, will be Alec Borenstein, Esq., Success Coach and powerful Motivational Speaker.

Who is Alec Borenstein? He’s an award winning speaker and coach who partners with clients to take massive action in their lives.  Alec’s mission is to ensure that every speech or coaching session is replete with practical strategies to ensure immediate change for both individuals and organizations.

Whether it’s the real estate broker who grew his business 40% in a down economy, or the teacher who discovered his greatest passion, or the woman who finally took control of her finances, Alec has the background, experience, and talent to help all of his clients create powerful goals and break through any barriers that might be in the way.

This evening, we will have the pleasure of learning from his wisdom we will hear what motivates him and how he can motivate others.

Meanwhile, in case you missed it, please listen to our archived special from this past Monday on Gotham Wines & Liquors 9th Annual Kosher Wine Extravaganza. We spoke with Gotham‘s resident wine connoisseur and walking encyclopedia, Costas Mouzouras, as well as various wine makers, food manufacturers, wine distributors, and attending wine lovers. You may may also want to watch our video, where Costas explains the fine art of wine tasting.

Please listen in this evening at 8:00pm (Eastern Time), for an interesting and inspirational show. We’ll be waiting for you!

CS

This Evening’s Radio Special

On March 4th, Costas Mouzouras and his staff from Gotham Wines & Liquors (2517 Broadway; New York, NY 10025 – Tel: 212.932.0990) held their 9th Annual Kosher Wine Extravaganza, featuring 300 wines and liquors, at the West End Institutional Synagogue in Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

Costas Mouzouras - Gotham Wines and Liquors

Shiki Rauchberger, Chief Winemaker for Teperberg 1870 Winery, started the private tasting, he introduced us to several selections which are already on the market and some which will not be available until shortly before Passover 2013.

Shiki Rauchberhger - Teperberg 1870

There were some very interesting wines, Shiki selected, wines that clearly showed why Teperberg 1870 is one of Israel’s top wineries.

A partial view of the Teperberg bottles we tasted...

Costas followed Shiki‘s presentation with his own. He demonstrated new wines and old favorites (we will write about them…), he also gave us some very interesting pointers on how to appreciate wine.

We then proceeded upstairs to the general admission area where we met old friends, made new ones, tasted superb wines from all over the world, as well as a great selection of cheeses from Anderson International Foods and some delicious chocolates from Chocolate Works NY. In the center there was a table laden with dips, salads and crackers as large tables laden with wines circled the room.

This is the third extravaganza presented by Gotham Wines that we attended, and frankly, they keep getting better and better!

Please tune as in this evening at 8:00 pm (Eastern Standard) on BlogTalkRadio.com for a special pre-taped show with Costas Mouzouras, winemakers, food purveyors, and more. Listen in to learn about the latest wines for this Passover.

In case you missed it you can listen to our archived show with Brent Delman, from The Cheese Guy.com. Brent regaled us with his knowledge of cheese while being in an informative but entertaining manner.

Please tune us in this eve, we’ll be waiting for you!

CS

Upcoming Wine Events

Sunday, March 4th

Gotham’s 9th Annual Kosher Wine Extravaganza

Where:

West Side Institutional Synagogue – 120 West 76Street, New York, NY 10023

When:

VIP Tasting: 1:00pm – 2:00pm – $60.00 per attendee
VIP tickets are entitled to attend the whole show.
Part1: Join Chief Winemaker Shiki Rauchberger of Teperberg Winery for a wine tasting showcasing wines from his iconic winery.
Part 2: Join Costas Mouzuras in a short tasting featuring some new and old treasures.

Early Admittance: 2:00pm – 3:00pm – $40.00
Enjoy chocolate samplers from ChocolateWorksNYC.com.
Cheese tasting sponsored by Anderson International Foods.
Join Brigitte Mizrahi from AIFoods and taste a huge selection of cheeses.

Be adventurous and try our chocolate and wine pairings, our cheese and wine pairings and… YES! will also be presenting TISHBI’s Fruit and Wine Preserves. What a heavenly combination!

General admission: 3:00 – 6:00pm – $30.00 ($35.00 at the door)

What:
Over 300 wines from offering a panoramic view of Kosher wines in today’s market. Sample amazing wines from every major vineyard from Israel, France, Italy, Spain, South America, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, United States and more at this annual Wine Extravaganza.

Taste and enjoy wines from wineries such as: Adar, Aldaz, Alexander, Baron Herzog, Barkan, Bartenura, Binyamina, Borgo Real, Bravdo, Capcanes, Carmel, Casa Da Corsa, Castell D’Olerodola, Chosen, Cordovero, Covenant, Dalton, Elvi, Domaine du Castel, Dovev, Drappier, Efrat, Ella Valley Vineyards, En Fuego, Five Stones, Flechas, Florenza, Gabriele, Gamla, Goose Bay, Guillermo, Gush Etzion, Harkham, Joseph River, K Wines, Kinneret, Lan Zur, Laurent Perrier, Luis de Sacy, Mony, Noah, Notte Italiana, Odem Mountain, D’Owyers, Or Haganuz, Pacifica, Psagot, Ramon, Rashi, Recanati, Segals, Shiloh, Tabor, Teal Lake, Teperberg, The Cave, Tierra Salvaje, Tishbi, Tzora, Vignobles David, Weinstock, Yatir, Yogev, exciting new wineries from France, and many many more.

Get your tickets at Gotham Wine & Liquors‘ website.

—-)OoO(—-

Sunday, March 11th

Where:
City Winery – 155 Varick Street, (between Spring and Vandam Streets) – New York, New York 10013

When:
2:00 to 5:00pm

What:
Over 100 of the best Kosher wines from around the world!

• Taste exciting new Kosher wines,  including the winners of The Jewish Week‘s recent Top 18 Kosher Wine Competition.
• Meet Kosher wine vintners, wine experts and local retailers
• Enjoy food from various leading NYC Kosher restaurants and food companies

 $35 in advance/$40 at the door

Pick up a free copy of  The Jewish Week‘s Kosher Wine Guide packed with great ideas for food pairings, as well as the Top 18 Kosher Wines in 8 categories, and more.

DO NOT MISS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL NOT REPEAT ITSELF FOR ANOTHER YEAR!!!

SYR and I expect to attend both events, we’ll we meet you there?

CS

This Week’s Radio Show

Tomorrow evening, Wednesday the 7th of December, we will be back with our regular Blogtalkradio show. Our guest will be: Norene Gilletz from gourmania.com. Norene published her first cookbook in 1968 (Second Helpings), since then she’s written several more, including the just revised The NEW Food Processor Bible: 30th Anniversary Edition.

Who is Norene Gilletz? Does she have something to say? She most certainly does! Cuisine Canada Scene describes her this way:

Norene Gilletz is the leading author of kosher cookbooks in Canada and the owner of Gourmania Inc. Norene is crazy about food and her world revolves around recipes. She divides her time between work as a freelance food writer, editor, food consultant, cooking teacher and culinary spokesperson. Norene is a Certified Culinary Professional with the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) and a member of the Women’s Culinary Network of Toronto. She conducts cooking demonstrations and lectures for various organizations, including hospitals, foodservice and charitable fund-raising groups. Norene is passionate about healthy cooking and living, and has expertise in a wide variety of health concerns and special diets. Her motto, “food that’s good for you should taste good,” has been a core principle guiding her culinary career.

Please tune in tomorrow evening on Wednesday, December 7th, 2011 at 8:00pm Eastern Time. You can find us on blogtalkradio.com/kosherscene.

Meanwhile, if you missed it or just want to hear it again, you can catch our last broadcast on The Evolution of Kosher Wine, Post Kosherfest Talk. The show aired on November, the 16th and my guests were Costas Mouzouras from Gotham Wine and Liquors in Manhattan in the first half. In the second half we spoke with a group of foodie bloggers in the second half: Alessandra Rovati (Dinner in Venice), Esti Berkowitz (Primetime Parenting), Roberta Scher (Kosher Eye) and Suzzanah Raff (The Kosher Shopaholic).

Please don’t forget to listen to our show tomorrow December 7th, 2011 at 8:00pm Eastern Time. We’ll be waiting for you!

CS

***UPDATE***

Due to unforeseen circumstances I was forced to postpone this show, but it will be rescheduled for next week, be’ezras Hashem.

Our Next BlogTalkRadio Broadcast

Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 16th, at 8:00 pm (Eastern Time) we will be joined by Costas Mouzouras, Manager of Gotham Wines & Liquors and wine-master par excellence. We will talk about kosher wine and how it evolved from being the industry’s laughingstock to where it’s winning international awards in direct competition with the finest wines from all over the world.

Costas hails from Cyprus, where his grandfather was a winemaker. During summer vacations from school, young Costas would help out in the winery. In 1988 he came to these shores to attend Queens College and shortly after, at a friend’s urging, he took a job at Gotham and he’s been there ever since. He first became the kosher wine buyer, at a time when the choices were very limited. As he advanced in rank – at Gotham – so did the quality and the number of kosher wine selections.

In the second half of our broadcast, at 8:30pm, Alessandra Rovati (Dinner in Venice), Esti Berkowitz,(Primetime Parenting), Kim Amzallag, (Director of Marketing for The Jewish Daily Forward)  and Shoshana Raff (The Kosher Shopaholic) and Roberta Scher (KosherEye), will join me for a discussion on last week’s Kosherfest 2011. What impressed us, what trends became apparent, where the kosher industry might venture next, how the internet is impacting it all; we will cover these topics and more. Please tune us in at BlogTalkRadio.com/ tomorrow at 8:30pm (Eastern Time) for an interesting and informative show. We’ll be wait’n for ya!

CS

Our Internet Radio Shows for this Week

Last week week Pastry Chef Paula Shoyer – author of The Kosher Baker – was our guest, based on emails we received after it aired, there is no question her charm, her knowledge, won the audience’s heart. If you missed it, you can hear it here.

This week, we will have two special shows. Tomorrow Wednesday, April 6 2011, we will a two hour show starting at 6:30. We will be transmitting live from NYC’s biggest Pre-Passover Wine Tasting. This event will take place at: West Side Institutional, 120 West 76 Street, New York, NY 10023. There is a Private VIP tasting which starts at 6:00pm and goes on until 7:00pm. General admission starts at 7:00pm. There are over 300 wines to sample, including new ones, classic vintages and many from Costas Mouzouras’ private collection.

Some of the hundreds of bottles consumed at last year's Gotham Wines' Show

Costas is Gotham Wines ans Liquors (2517 Broadway; New York, NY 10025; Telephone: 212.932.0990), kosher brands manager. His grandfather had a small winery, in Cyprus, where Costas used to help out during his summers as a teenager. We will talk to various distributors, we will taste wines and suggest pairings with cheese and other foods.

Brigitte Mizrahi, Anderson International Foods CEO, will share her expertise on wine and cheese during the broadcast and finally at 8:00pm – 8:30pm we will speak her about her company’s products. This promises to be a very exciting show, so please listen in at: Kosherscene, tomorrow – April 6, 2011 – from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

The next show of the week will be broadcast on Thursday the 7th, and will be pre-taped at tonight’s 20th Anniversary Puah Dinner. Puah is an organization that helps infertile couples within the halachic parameters. The show will, feature interviews with the various inspirational speakers on Puah‘s very important mission. As a child of Holocaust survivors I can attest to the importance of Puah‘s work as the only effective revenge on those who would obliterate us. This show will air on Thursday at 8:00-9:00pm. Please, give us a listen.

CS

A Private Wine Tasting

I recently had a private wine tasting with Costas Mouzouras, the Wine Director at Gotham Wines & Liquors (2517 Broadway; New York, NY 10025; Telephone: 212.932.0990). Costas, who’s been in the business for 22 years, selected four outstanding wines for me to try. To keep everything strictly kosher, I opened and poured the bottles for both of us.

The choices were: 2007 Lambouri Ya’in Kafrisin, 2006 Shiloh Secret Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 Dalton Reserve Wild Yeast Fermentation Viognier and a 2007 Yatir Sauvignon Blanc.

We started with the 2007 Lambouri Ya’in Kafrisin. This wine comes from Limassol, Cyprus. It’s made from a mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon, Mavro and Grenache Noir grapes. These grapes are grown in Europe’s highest vineyards. The color is a dark garnet with orange and purple reflections. The Mavro grape is indigenous to Cyprus, and unlike any grape grown in the rest of Europe, it is still grown on ancient rootstock. Most mainland Europe’s vineyards have been attacked by the Philoxera Epidemic during the 19th century, as a result most European vineyards were devastated and their grapes had to be grafted on American rootstock. You can, therefore, surmise that while most European grapes may have, however subtly, changed their taste, the Mavro grape remains untainted and has tasted the same (with fair consistency) for thousands of years.  One will detect a nice fruitiness, with emphasis on blackcurrant, blackberry, purple plum fruits and notes of bitter orange peel, those on a background of white pepper and oriental spices, with the tannins and fruits rising on the finish. It leaves the drinker with an unusual but delightful after taste. Goes superbly well with juicy meats. Definitely one of my new favorites!

We followed it with the 2006 Shiloh Secret Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a very good Israeli wine, grown in the Judean Hills. Aged aged in French oak casks, it is very fruity with blackcurrant and plum undercurrents and vanilla (due to the French oak casks). It goes well with drier meats.

We then went on to the whites. 2007 Dalton Reserve Wild Yeast Fermentation Viognier was our next selection. It started with a certain smokiness, showing intense, vibrant and complex spicy, floral, fig and melon aromas and flavors. Deep and rich with a long, broad finish. This wine was, by far, much better than its price range would suggest!

We ended the tasting with a 2007 Yatir Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp and lively, with elegance and subtlety. It is light golden in color with orange and green reflections, showing citrus, passion fruit, green apple and grapefruit aromas and flavors on a grassy and stony-mineral background.

All in all, these four selection running in price range from $15.99 to $37.99 were excellent! Costas Mouzouras started working at Gotham Wines & Liquors in 1988, where he soon became the kosher wine buyer, at a time when most of the few available kosher wines were of the extra sweet variety. In his 22 years at Gotham he has seen an explosion of kosher wines with award winning selections from all over the globe including many dry wines (which would have been unthinkable to our older generation), as well as semi dry, semi sweet, and sweet ones.

I liked the wines enough that I had to bring each one home, this is their aftermath...

Currently, they are offering 10% off on any bottles and 15% off on solid cases. (solid meaning a case of the same product.)

On Sunday, March 7th, Gotham Wines & Liquors will present its 7th annual Wine Tasting. It will take place in the afternoon at the Lincoln Square Synagogue (200 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY; between 69th and 70th). They will present over 300 bottles from all over the world, starting at 2:00pm and going until 5:00pm. Pay $30 per person at the entrance or $25 on line at Gotham Wines & Liquors‘ own site. At 1:15 going on until 2:00 there will be a guided VIP tasting for $45 which is only available at the door.

CS