Manoavino Taste!

Prosecco with Asian Fusion, Malaysian Cuisine

Prosecco, the very popular Italian sparkling wine, is a very food friendly, yet you usually only see it on Italian restaurant wine lists. Does it work with Southeast Asian cuisine, oh yes, especially with a touch of exotic Southeast Asian fruit.

The Wine: Prosecco, with Rambutan $-$$

The Food: Asian Fusion, Malaysian Cuisine

The Place: Cafe Asean, 10th Street, Greenwich Village, NYC

Champagne for Four Courses? I Was Surprised, but Now Enlightened! Yes, You Can.

I confess, it never occurred to me to pair Champagne with an entire meal. But today I was enlightened and enjoyed a new indulgence that I’ll certainly will replay.

At an unlikely address, 130 West 3rd, above the gritty street scene of this block, there is a precious space where where the oldest established Champagne house, Ruinart, with Cellar Master Frédéric Panaïotis and one of Miami’s, heck one of the world’s, most exciting chefs, Michelle Bernstein, came together to prove a point.

Champagne is all you ever need.

The Wine: Four Ruinart Champagnes $$$-$$$

The Food: Exciting Miami by Chef Michelle Bernstein

The Place: A Private Event Loft at 130 West 3rd St NYC

Two Days in DC a weekend of food and wine ecstasy starting with 2Amy's Napolitan Pizza Cleveland Park

This past weekend we visited our very good friends Gail and Steven who live in the charming community of Somerset just outside of DC. They are as passionate about wonderful food and wine as we are. We arrived Friday evening after a tiring drive from Montclair fraught with rain storms and protesters. Despite the government being closed traffic was heavy.

After taking some time to relax and settle we went out to one of Gail and Steven’s favorite pizza places called 2Amy’s Napolitan Pizza. Let me tell you, to call this fabulous restaurant a pizza place is like calling the White House a townhouse. 

The Wine:  Gragnano Grotto del Sole Sorrento $-$$

The Food: Authentic Napolitano Artisinal Pizza

The Place: 2Amy’s Napolitan Pizza Washington, D.C

Another Summer Pasta Raw Tomato Sauce over Mezze Rigatoni and Arugula with Prosecco

There is nothing more delightful than ripe New Jersey Tomatoes in a simple lunch like this. 

Diana made it from local ingredients from the farmers market and herbs from our own garden. I would probably pair a dish like this with a light red wine but for lunch a bright crisp Prosecco was the right call. So good together.

The Wine: Zonin Prosecco $$

The Food: Homemade Summer Pasta Raw Tomato Sauce over Mezze Rigatoni and Arugula 

The Place: Our backyard

Another Italian Sparkler Berlucchi Cuvee '61 Brut

You know we adore Italian sparkling wines and lately can’t get enough of the effervescent nectar they call Franciacorta.

Here is one we just discovered at Wine Library that boasts flavors of “apple, pear, peach, apricot, lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, kiwi, butter, cream, and vanilla.” A veritable liquid fruit salad with a luscious creamy mouth feel. 

We enjoyed this with both light aperitifs and a big pasta dish.

The Wine: Berlucchi Cuvee '61 Brut $$

The Food: Vegetarian Aperitifs and Pasta

The Place: Chilling in bed

Anna de Codorniu Cava, our New Year Sparkling Wine

This year we started our New Year celebration with the wonderful sparkling wine of Spain called Cava. This one from Codorníu winery near Barcelona carries on a tradition of fine wine that dates back to the 1500's.

It is named after Anna, the Codorníu heiress who married the viticulturist Miguel Raventós in 1659. It fulfilled my every wish and expectation with persistent yet gentle effervescence and lucious flavors of pineapple, grapefruit and lime.

Over the last couple of years I've been purposely introducing friends and clients to Cava. It is always a hit.

Be a most welcome guest, bring a sparkly Crémant d'Alsace to your next party, your hosts will love you.

The holiday season is on, time to party and be jolly and sparkly. I like to bring a little gift for my host or hostesses just to say thanks and sparkling wine is always appreciated.

Campagne is great, Prosecco, Cava good too, but how about something different, the sparkling delight from northern France, Crémant d'Alsace.

Here are two we tried at a diner party hosted by our friends Dana and Greg this weekend. Both bottles were big hits, a soft golden brut by Mittnacht Freres and a rosy pink bubbly delight from Paul & Philippe Zinck.

Message in a Bottle - Prosecco is Perfect on the Beach

Late afternoon on the beach with friends at beautiful Long Beach Island, New Jersey Shore. Sun is dropping in the sky, the air is cooler, the glistening light sparkles in the waves.

I love this time of day and this Prosecco made it even better, Mionetto Prosecco Brut D.O.C Treviso.

I was tempted to put a message in the bottle and send it back across the Atlantic but it's a long way to Veneto.

Mionetto Prosecco Brut D.O.C from Treviso is the best wine of this type I have ever tasted. I love many Proseccos, but this one has a level of finesse and flavor that is truly exceptional.