Wine – Unexpected.

Discovering a new wine can be thrilling.  And the means by which you discover a new vinous pleasure can be as exciting as the wine itself.

Maybe it was dining over at a friend’s house when your adventurous host served an unfamiliar selection.  Was that the first time you tried a Grüner Veltliner?  Perhaps it was when you asked for a recommendation from an impassioned wine merchant.  Is that when you bought your first Nebbiolo? Or maybe it was when you sought the advice of a sommelier when faced some unfamiliar selections on a wine list.  Was it a Tannat from Uruguay that was poured by the glass?

While wine can be as comfortable and familiar as a Chardonnay, some of wine’s most glorious and unexpected pleasures can be found when you step out of your varietal or regional comfort zone.

Part of the occupational “hazard” of my work is tasting dozens of wines each week, often alone – with pen in one hand and glass in the other.  But it is venturing out to wine shops, wine regions, and restaurants, where the endorsements of those around me, or the real world connections and context of the experience lead me to the most thrilling discoveries.

This happened recently when I stopped by Hearth – one of my favorite New York City wine bars.  The list of wines – by the glass and by the bottle – is smart and daring, but it is the enthusiastic staff that makes this wine bar truly special.   I always ask for their recommendations.

“What has excited you lately?” is what I likely said to the bright-eyed server behind the bar.   He pointed me to a white wine – a 2001 Pinot Auxerrois from Alsace, France.  (Full disclosure:  I was immediately skeptical.  I know this grape – not as inspired as the Rieslings and Gewurztraminers that come out of the region.  Adding to my skepticism was the vintage – 2001.  So I am drinking a secondary grape from Alsace with more than 11 years of age – this bottle has a lot working against it!)  But I let the server continue his patter.  “And the producer Rolly Gassmann is one of the great producers of the region.”  (He is.)  The server offered me a taste and I had already prepared to manage my expectations.  A long pause followed as I swallowed and savored the long and persistent finish.  The wine was a revelation.  At once both powerful and elegant with a wonderful palate feel and complex notes of lilac, rose and cinnamon.  I ordered a bottle and subsequently ordered a case for my home.

I can’t wait to introduce this wine to my friends.