BelleTerre Estate Pinot Noir 2008, $15
"This Pinot Noir hails from the Languedoc region of Southern France. The
Languedoc was the source of much of France’s simple table wine (read bad) until fairly
recently, when producers started making excellent wines at attractive prices.
Pinot Noir is hard to find in the area, and this one is delightful, with juicy red fruit
and a surprising amount of structure that makes it more complex than many
other Pinot Noirs at this price point."
Available at Pour, 321 Amsterdam Ave. 212-
501-7687
Sparkling Blanc "Ze Bulle" Zéro Pointé 2009, $10.96
"Looking for good gifting wine? Rather than go with boring old
Champagne or Prosecco, try this gorgeous sparkling wine from France’s Loire
Valley. Made from 100% Chenin Blanc, it’s got a pretty orange tinge, a perfume
of wild flowers, sweet notes of ripe yellow plums, and the zip of tangy Meyer
lemons."
Available at Astor Wines, 399 Lafayette St. 212-674-7500.
Pinot Blanc Alsace Jean Rosen 2009, $13
"Pinot Blanc is not to be confused with Pinot Grigio. While the latter
makes light crisp wines, Pinot Blanc is a dry full-bodied white wine that sings with
floral notes, taste of ripe apples, and finishes with a tinge of minerality (think
Perrier)."
Available at Best Cellars, 1291 Lexington Ave. 212-426-4200.
Sibilla Falanghina 2009, $14
"If you love big, buttery Chardonnays you should definitely try this
Falanghina. It’s a smooth rich wine that recalls the way some Chardonnays can
fill up your mouth, but without all the oak that’s become so hard to get away
from. Laced with subtle spice and pleasant vanilla aromas, it will stand up
without a chill on a hot day if you’re in a rush or away from a refrigerator."
Available at Greene Grape, 753 Fulton St. 718-233-2700
.
Cave de Morgex Valle d'Aosta Organic 2008, $15.49
"Okay, this wine is so worth the extra ¢49. Valle D’Aosta is a northern
region of Italy that sits right on the Swiss border. The grapes are grown at a high
altitude and survive brutally cold winters. The result is a crack-the-whip crisp
white wine that is as delicate as the thin air in which it is grown and tastes of
melted snow."
Available at PJ Wine, 4898 Broadway 212-567-5500.
Domaine de la Chevalerie Bourgueil "Cassiopee" 2009, $14.99
"Made from 100% Cabernet Franc, this is one of those rare red wines
that benefits from a slight chill. Cabernet Franc is a weird little grape that, even in
the hottest years, never loses a certain “green” quality that sets it apart. This
particular bottle has a pronounced smell of cool wet leaves and notes of violets.
Bright berry flavors dance around and, on the finish, you’ll detect the grape’s
signature rush of green peppers."
Available at Wine Therapy, 171 Elizabeth
Street 212-625-2999.
Broadbent, Vinho Verde 2010, $9
"Fun, flirty, and even slightly effervescent—doesn’t this wine describe
you on a good day? It has got flavors that tend to be citrusy and green, like freshly
grated lime zest or sweet cut grass. Tastier than Sprite and with the added
benefit of a buzz, just try to find something better for a Central Park picnic."
Available at UVA Wines, 199 Bedford Ave. 718-963-3969.
Washington Syrah Rose Charles & Charles, $12
"This is some serious rose—so much more than the girly pink stuff you
drank when you weren’t legally allowed to. Juicy and flavorful as ripe
watermelon, this rose is as easy on the eyes as it is to gulp down."
Available at
McAdam Buy Rite, 398 3rd Ave. 212-679-1224.
Domaine de Boischampt Beaujolais-Villages 2009, $15
"If the only thing that comes to mind when you hear “Beaujolais” is the
fruity sweet stuff that accompanies your Thanksgiving turkey, you probably
should probably run out to grab this bottle STAT. Real Beaujolais is a light,
bright, dry, and effortlessly delicious red that it also undeniably feminine."
Available at Bottle Rocket, 5 West 19th St. 212-929-2323.
Benaza 2009 Monterrei Mencia, $12.99
"Mencia is pretty obscure grape, usually used for blending, so bringing a
bottle of this pretty Spanish red wine will surely impress even the snobbiest wine
geek. Mencia is slowly showing up more and more all by its lonesome and with
good reason—it’s a light-bodied wine that has juicy flavors of raspberries and
cranberries, some lingering spice, and bright acidity that makes it go swimmingly
with food.
Available at Chamber Street Wines 148 Chambers St. 212-227-1434.