Wines at the Spring Table

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my day job on the retail wine sales floor is helping people select wines to pair not just with their Monday night pizza but also with really specific dishes. It can be an overly fetishistic process, I know, but when the stars align, the end results can also deliver an amazing amount of pleasure. That’s exactly what I shoot for, and exactly why I enjoy the challenge.

One of my favorite challenges in that context is recommending the wine pairings to accompany the seasonal menu at Talula’s Table, something I’ve been doing on a more or less monthly basis ever since the inception of their farmhouse table dinners. When I have the opportunity to eat there myself, I’ll sometimes take exactly what I’ve recommended. The occasional self-test is always a good thing. Just as often, though, I’ll pull wines from my own cellar, always with an eye to the food but also with an eye toward fun and exploration as well. On this trip, it was mostly the latter….


Nahe Riesling halbtrocken, Schäfer-Fröhlich 2006
$19. 11.5% alcohol. Cork. Rudi Wiest Selections, Cellars International, San Marcos, CA.
Very approachable if somewhat muted, and definitely a good starting point for the meal. There’s a subtle vegetal sense at the wine’s middle but overall it’s driven by flavors of orange oil and red slate spiciness… I’m guessing there’s a measurable dose of Frühlingsplätzchen fruit included. Its acidity is slightly lower than usual (most likely a vintage signature) but not in a bad way; it made the wine gentle and beckoning rather than flat. A still lingering dash of residual CO2 helped keep things lively.

I’ve heard great things about the ’07 version – which I believe follows the current fashion of dropping “halbtrocken” from the label – but have yet to have the opportunity to try it. (As a matter of trivia, winemaker Tim Fröhlich is a member of the VdP’s Junge Generation.)


Wachau Unterloiben Ried Loibenberg Loibner Grüner Veltliner Smaragd, Weingut Emmerich Knoll 2002
$26. 13% alcohol. Cork. Vin di Vino, Chicago, IL.
As much as there is to detest about Pennsylvania’s state controlled liquor and wine system and as much as I’m prone to gripe about it (here’s a recent example), I can’t say it’s not without the occasional accidental merit. You just have to have patience and do a little foraging to find it. Case in point, I stumbled upon this ’02 Knoll Smaragd GV not long ago. It was priced at an already reasonable $33 – the current vintage goes for upwards of $50 – then marked down further to $26. There being no visible suggestions of damage or foul play, I rolled the dice and grabbed a bottle. Good move.

Weingut Knoll is unquestionably one of the top producers in the Wachau. The wines are made in a non-interventionist fashion, with the emphasis always being on quality of fruit and expression of terroir. Most of their wines are fermented in steel, aged in wood (purely for oxidative effect, not for oaky flavors of any kind) and are built to last.

At seven years, this Loibenberg Grüner Veltliner has assumed an almost day-glo yellow color, like classic Gatorade diluted with Pilsner. The inherent flesh of a Smaragd wine has come out with rest in the bottle; its acidity totally resolved and mellow. Immediate impressions were of lemon confit, white peaches and truffled minerals. The typical peppery character of younger and/or lighter styles of GV, if ever present in this wine, had completely dissipated. On day two – leftovers are usually “handled” by the crew in the kitchen but some of this was definitely coming home with me – the wine improved if anything. The peach fruit took on a spicy nuance while the minerality became more profound yet simultaneously more delicate. Aromas were of heady white and yellow blossoms, followed on the palate and down the gullet by light marmalade, clover honey and a suggestion of malted mocha. As delicious as it is now I’d drink up if you’re holding any, though if you have more than a couple of bottles it could be academically interesting to hold one for a few more years.


Saint-Joseph “Lautaret,” Eric & Joël Durand 2005
$30. 13% alcohol. Cork. Fruit of the Vines, New York, NY.
This was my first encounter with the wines of Domaine Durand, so a little research is in order. Brothers Eric and Joël took over their family estate in 1991. Their farm comprises a total of thirteen hectares (eight in Saint-Joseph and five in Cornas) planted to mostly granitic soils. They grow only Syrah and produce solely red wines in, by their own admission, a fairly modern style.

They didn’t need to tell me that, though, as this comes out of the gates with a dense, rich and developed fruit attack, all wrapped up in a sash of spicy oak. There’s definitely some good raw material here but the wine, for me, came across as dull, muddied by overly concentrated fruit and lacking the hothouse flower and pepper scents I associated with more transparent expressions of Saint-Joseph rouge. In its defense, it did gain interest with some time in the glass, developing a little earthy, mushroomy nuance. But not enough to send me scampering back for more.

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Blaue Gans

The third and latest wave of Chef Kurt Gutenbrunner’s Austrian invasion of the New York culinary scene, Blaue Gans (Blue Goose) opened in late December 2005 in the Tribeca space formerly occupied by Le Zinc. As he did previously at Wallsé and Café Sabarsky, KG has created an authentic dining experience and deftly presented it with an appropriate balance between formality and ease. The room has a warm, inviting feel, funkified by the walls plastered with gallery, music and theater posters, holdovers from the previous owners. Kurt apparently liked the look and couldn’t bear to part with the cultural history. The restaurant is a single large room, longer than it is wide, the entrance centered in the front wall under a slightly arched ceiling. To the right inside the door, a small zinc bar provides a perch for imbibers, regulars or for those seeking the most casual approach to their meal. Banquettes along both long walls look out over the simple dining room of small café tables and wooden rung chairs. Large mirrors on the wall reflect the riot of artwork, lend brasserie-like writing space for menu additions and provide some extra viewing opportunities for patrons with a face to the wall. The overall feel is less formal and serene than at Wallsé, not as dainty as the traditional Viennese Kaffeehaus aura at Sabarsky. If I lived in the neighborhood, I’d be tempted to eat there weekly.

With proper discipline, one could actually afford to do just that. The menu, though ambitious in some corners, includes a basic array of wursts, salads and simple appetizers. Finished off with a simple glass of beer – Gösser or Bitburger perhaps – one could leave with a full belly and only $25 poorer for the experience. As this was my first visit, I couldn’t bring myself to eat so simply, though. After all, I’m far more likely to cook up some simple wursts and kraut at home than I am to make duck spätzle, kavalierspitz or any of the other more involved dishes on the menu. That said, even with the occasional nod toward the creative, I think it’s safe to sum up the Blaue Gans table as authentic Austro-German comfort food elevated by a well-carried air of sophistication. Let me describe what I mean.

Smoked Trout Palatschinken Torte, Horseradish Crème Fraiche and Baby Beets

An appetizer option from the regular menu, this was essentially a substantial yet delicately textured smoked trout mousseline presented in a quiche-like form with Palatschinken – German crepes – serving as a torte shell. Accompanied by dill and freshly grated horseradish condiments, a trio of lightly pickled red beet wedges and a small salad of radishes and mâche, it made for an ideal summer starter. Its presentation was lovely enough to draw questions from diners at neighboring tables.

Local Green Asparagus, Soft Boiled Egg and Hazelnut Vinaigrette

A daily special, this course was the epitome of simplicity. White asparagus would have been more traditional but, as it’s not in season, locally grown green asparagus was a smarter option. The asparagus spears were blanched for two minutes and then served chilled, their subtly flavored hazelnut vinaigrette dressing enriched by the intermingling of yolk oozing from one perfectly soft boiled egg. A spray of frisée completed the composition.

Natural Raised Suckling Pig, Zweigelt Onions and Brioche Dumplings

The description of this special reminded me of a hybrid between two of the most memorable meals I enjoyed during a trip to Vienna last fall. I couldn’t pass it up. It also turned out to be the dish which most clearly encapsulated the restaurant’s dialog between comfort food and sophistication. Rustic presentation belied the subtle nuances given rise by the skilled hands in the kitchen. The Zweigelt onions were tender yet still toothsome, made just sweet enough by their slow braise. Also tender, the roasted pig’s ample layer of fat, neither over rendered nor over crisped, remained distinct from its flesh and was teeth-sticking good. Even the dumpling – symbol of central European home cooking – was well done, successfully balancing moisture and texture and elevated by a dash of thyme and the use of brioche.

Golden fried “Free Range” Chicken and Potato-Mâche Salad

My dining buddy again opted for simplicity, perhaps feeling the effects of a long day walking the city. A staple on the regular menu, it should be pointed out that this is Viennese fried chicken, a far cry from the crispy, juicy and greasy pleasures of southern fried chicken. If the chicken had been pounded flat or cutlets had been used rather than on-the-bone pieces, Chicken Wiener Schnitzel wouldn’t have been an inappropriate name. The golden crumb breading was the give away; lightly sweet and served with a wedge of lemon, the breading’s flavors clearly derived from the same mother recipe as for schnitzel batter. As moist and well cooked as the chicken was, it was the only disappointment of the evening, if only because it did not hold either the interest or purity of the other savory dishes nor the decadence of the dessert to come. Elevation was there nonetheless, this time in the form of an addictively good potato salad that I’d like to try to replicate at home.

ohr im hemd with Chocolate Sorbet

Here’s where my smidgen of German fails me. I’m sure there’s a more appropriate or clever colloquial meaning behind this dessert’s name, which literally translates to something like “ear in the shirt.” The shirt would seem to be the warm chocolate sauce which blanketed the airy chocolate cake hiding beneath. The interplay between temperature, texture and varying levels of richness was extended by the third part of the trio, a scoop of chocolate sorbet presented in the cradle of a Japanese soup spoon. Gelato may have been too rich in combination with the chocolate sauce; the icy lightness of sorbet allowed for flavor intensity without burying the palate. As at Wallsé, Chef Gutenbrunner has avoided one of the major pitfalls of smaller, chef driven restaurants. The desserts and pastries are not a let down; rather, they’re every bit up to the level of the main menu, making for a complete dining experience.

Wachau Riesling Federspiel “Steinriegl,” Prager 2005

The wine list at Blaue Gans is appropriately scaled to the ambition of the menu and the casual, neighborhood feel of the space. I understand that the list was originally, as at Wallsé, entirely Austrian. Smartly, the decision has since been made to diversify, the end result being a tidy collection of offerings from Austria and Germany with a smattering of choices from France, Italy and the US. However, there are two distinct shortcomings to the list. First, there is not a good value to be found. Prices are not astronomical in plain dollars and cents but the average 3x markup is out of scale to the moderate menu prices, particularly given the simple stemware and casual service level. Second, the list would benefit greatly through the addition of a selection of half-bottles.

As there were no splits in the house and I rarely opt to buy wines by the glass, we settled on a single bottle in the hopes that it would stretch through the meal and work with the wide array of choices we’d made. Weingut Prager’s Riesling Federspiel “Steinriegl” was a solid selection, well balanced by its medium acidity, minerality and clean orchard fruit driven flavors. It was surprisingly fleshy and structured for a Federspiel, perhaps an expression of the concentration provided by the 2005 growing season. The wine, as we’d expected, worked wonderfully with our first courses but was not quite up to the task of the hearty character of the suckling pig dish which would have been more ideally paired with a red such as Zweigelt or Blaufränkisch.

I’d better go back and try again, just to be sure.


Blaue Gans
139 Duane Street
New York, NY 10013
212-571-8880

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A Quick Trip to New York: Day One

A couple of weeks ago now, I took a much needed day off and jumped on the Northeastern Corridor train from 30th Street Station (Philly) to Penn Station (New York). Ostensibly, the mission was to hang out with my friends Peter and Sarah with whom I get to spend quality time far too infrequently. Not surprisingly, our itinerary for my Wednesday/Thursday visit was heavily laden with food and wine exploration, both on the home front and around town.

Destination number one, after a rest stop and a wonderful coffee Chez Pete, was the splurge of the trip -- lunch in the café at Aquavit (65 E. 55th Street, between Park & Madison). The walk from the East Village to Midtown got our appetites revving and gave us the time to work out a game plan for the meal, deciding to focus our first visit on the simple, traditional aspects of the menu. We figured this would give us solid insight into the quality and core of the restaurant... and give us a reason to go back again to check out the more creative side, perhaps in the main dining room.

Herring and gravlax seemed appropriate starting points. The herring sampler was a trio comprised of the traditional pickled herring; curry with apple and chives; and vodka lime with salmon roe and dill. The pickled version took the day for its clear focus on well selected fish and a perfectly balanced, penetrating brine. Though both were quite appealing in flavor, the curry version lacked textural snap and the vodka lime was a bit too heavily sauced. As for the gravlax, straight up, the dish gets kudos for just the right level of cure and dill influence. Here though, the accoutrements brought the dish to another level. Used sparingly, the espresso mustard dipping sauce added an intoxicating richness and spark without overwhelming or muddying the core flavors of the gravlax itself.

For mains, Peter opted for Swedish meatballs and I for the daily Swedish homecooking special, Kokt Torsk. Suffice it to say that the meatballs were deliciously addictive, accompanied nicely with a sprinkling of lingonberries and some of the creamiest, most buttery mashed potatoes either of us had come across. Kokt Torsk, quite simply, is poached cod with egg sauce. Definitely comfort food à la Sweden, the cod was tender and flavorful and the egg sauce rich, warming and redolent of dill. I'd love to try to replicate it at home. The dessert included with the Wednesday special, Vanilj Hjärta, may have been the biggest surprise of the meal. While the visual artistry of Aquavit's signature dessert, the Arctic Circle, was impressive, simplicity took the day again. Essentially a heart-shaped pastry filled with a light, subtle cream, the Vanilj Hjärta (vanilla heart) appealed immediately to the senses, emitting an intense aroma of vanilla. Its plain appearance belied its sublime depth of flavor and couldn't have been a more appropriate finale to a first venture into Aquavit's menu.

After lunch, we continued our walk uptown to Rosenthal Wine Merchant (318 E. 84th Street at 2nd Ave.). While I had a pretty solid idea of what to expect there, I was still a bit surprised at, well, the surprise with which we were greeted after buzzing in at the front door of their brownstone. Rosenthal is essentially a one-line shop, a retail outlet for the direct importing business of Neal Rosenthal. Though the ground floor is stacked high with deliveries and shipments waiting to go out to customers in NY and elsewhere, it quickly became clear that walk-in visitors, especially new faces, are a bit of a rarity. Will, who was working the office upstairs, announced our arrival to Hannah, who was tending the shop downstairs. Here again it was apparent that the shop makes few accommodations to the casual shopper or to the uninitiated. Though there's a respectable selection here, with particular depth in Burgundy and the Loire, the shop's wares are laid out in a fashion that makes browsing difficult and finding what you're seeking a wee bit challenging. Once over those hurdles, though, there are some treasures -- not necessarily much in the way of pure bargains but many clearly excellent wines, some of which do represent good value in terms of quality-to-price (QPR) ratio. After a bit of digging around and some consultation with Hannah, I left with a few promising bottles, including a Chinon blanc from Olek-Mery, a Chassagne-Montrachet rouge from Pillot and a Valle d'Aosta Fumin -- a wine I've never before encountered -- from Grosjean Frères. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to trying them all.

There were two quick stops remaining before heading home to prepare dinner. The first was Peter's favorite German market. Conveniently enough, Schaller & Weber (1654 2nd Avenue, just below 86th Street) is located just a couple of blocks up the road from Rosenthal's wine shop. Though I'm not sure it will vie for the title of one of New York's best all-round butchers, the quality of the german sausages alone is more than worth the visit. I took home a selection of some quite fabulous bauernwurst, weisswurst and pinkelwurst. Our last stop of the day is a perennial favorite and frequent stop of mine, Payard Pâtisserie (1032 Lexington Avenue, between 73rd and 74th Streets). Decision making is always tough at Payard but simplicity again took the day. Based on the plans for dinner and wine, we opted for four portions of tarte tâtin, perhaps the most straightforward offering of what was left in the pastry case by late afternoon. Good stuff all around.

Finally, back home for dinner. Sarah, who had worked all day and wasn't able to join us for lunch, came through with a nice array of snacks to get things started. Cheeses, pâté, cornichons and Serrano ham were all selected from her workplace -- Murray's Cheese (254 Bleecker Street between 6th & 7th Avenues). Not a bad start, especially when paired with a citrusy, refreshing bottle of Hirsch Kamptal Riesling "Zobing" 2005. Peter prepared one of his specialties next, a pork roast wrapped in bacon and finished with a Riesling cream sauce. Paired with Sarah's Brussels sprouts and a bottle of Nikolaihof Wachau Grüner Veltliner "Vinothek" 1991, which I'd brought back from a September trip to Vienna, it was pretty rockin'. Finishing touches were supplied by the tartes from Payard, accompanied by a bottle of Weingut Johann Peter Reinert Kanzemer Sonnenberg Riesling Auslese 1999.

Not a bad day, I must say. Details -- fewer, I promise -- of day two to come.

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