Ok, I understand that the French are definitely the best at making wine and drinking it. I can tell NYC clearly understood that and is making its best to express it. But how this can ever change if American wines stay that expensive and can’t even be found on a wine bar list in the coolest of US cities?
In NYC I was on a quest for some American elixirs, very impatient to discover the taste of all that I had read about. You can’t imagine the disappointment that was mine when going to some of the best wine bars and not finding half of what I was looking for.
Can you imagine my surprise when I entered Ayza wine and chocolate bar and couldn’t order a flight of red or white Americans? Or when I was suggested the best place in town and that these were only French wine bars with a wine list comparable to a Bible? Bar Boulud for instance, where the sommelier came to me with the 4 American wines by the glass they had on the list… A list of hundreds of other wines.Or Wine Bar in East Village, where there are no one single American wine.
Bar Bulud incredible window
APPARENTLY, Being hip and happening in NYC is synonymous with drinking Italian or French wines, if you are lucky, you may also find a few from South America.
Ok maybe I went to the wrong places. BUT, I’ve tried my best and it appears that the most fancy places to drink are not reknown for their American nectars, whether they are Californian or not. This has to change. And for a French to say that, it is a serious matter.
Wine bar tour in NYC
Before this also happens to you, my advice would be, if you ever want to try these famous American wines in NYC, that you go to a simple bar or a restaurant. You should also go to the liquor store and come back to the “help yourself” philosophy dear to the American culture – A basic I should not forget that translates well in French “On est jamais mieux servi que par soit-même !”… Just avoid Yellow Tail and Barefoot, fun cheap labels that were not going further than being fun.
If you are a true New Yorker and are not looking for what I am running after, here are a few places that should bring you to happiness –
American Wines Selection at Bar Bulud
- Bar Bulud: Famous and specialised in French Wine, the cheeses and charcuteries in the window of Bar Bulud will make your eyes squint!
- Terroir: Terroir likes Randall Grahm wines from Santa Cruz, Beaujolais and also has the most incredible selection of Riesling I have ever see.
- Ciao: On the sign it says that it is a wine bar. Inside you feel more like in a warm and crazy Italian Restaurant. The wine selection is Italian only and the Barman is worse meeting. Pass the door, a great moment of fun.
- Ayza Bar: Wine and Chocolate bar. You certainly don’t go there to drink American Wines but the flights are of a good quality for their small price and the lunch menu is a delicious deal!
- Wine Bar: Serves French wines only but has a special pizza on a thin crust that will make you stay for more.
Americans, please do something about it, or in a few years there will be a little French Girl opening an American Wine Bar in NYC.
Ciao Italian Wine Bar
2 Comments
ahhh Barefoot and Yellowtail-- along with Two-buck Chuck (Charles Shaw), scream "I don't know anything about wine, but I always see these labels at every dinner party I go to... and I don't want to spend a lot." Reminds me of my younger days...
Vicky -- you are so right.
http://schiller-wine.blogspot.com/2009/10/wine-bar-paris-berlin-new-york-city.html
Christian