Written by Travis Ballenger
Did you know that when choosing the right Chianti, you want to look for the region it’s from? Thanks to Terroir’s wine tasting, I do. I now have the necessary information to impress my friends, order a great wine, or do a decent paring at dinner. With our knowledgeable leader Paul Grieco, co-owner and sommelier of the Terroir wine bars and Hearth restaurant, we traveled through Tuscany while never leaving Manhattan. We enjoyed a nice Chianti Classico, Rùfina, and a Florentini. We traveled through the history of the wine, learning the evolution from a condiment to a revolution. Yeah, there was a wine revolution of sorts. That excites you, doesn’t it?
This is perfect for a date or a precursor to an evening out. The other students were awesome and the positive attitude much appreciated for someone who knew nothing about wine before this lesson. You have so many more opportunities to experience this. Here are the upcoming classes:
Tuesday, May 21st
-Rioja (Spain): the wine world has seen many revolutions over the past 25 years but none greater than the mighty Spanish wine scene. And the Rioja region (where the Tempranillo grape dominates) has benefited absolutely from this infusion of new world vigor, all the while maintaining magnificent touchstones to its incredible history.
Tuesday, May 28th
–Duoro Valley (Portugal): when one thinks of Portugal, the fortified wines of Oporto and Madeira immediately come to mind. But the country possesses the greatest number of unique grapes on the planet and the Douro River Valley makes some of the country’s most robust dry red table wines. This country is the future.
Tuesday, June 4th
-Central Otago (New Zealand): holy smogolies, is this wine area staggeringly beautiful! Located on the southern part of the South Island, this region is all about magic but with an underpinning of incredible terroir and perfect weather. And the Pinot Noirs are pretty damn extraordinary.
Tuesday, June 11th
-McLaren Vale (Australia): simply put, Australian wine is not what you think it is; it is so much better than all that. Balance, balance, balanced wine can absolutely be achieved in this country and all one needs to do is leave the giant brush of wine uniformity at home and recognize that Australia is a land of vastly different growing areas. South Australia is home to many classic wine areas with the McLaren Vale being a beacon for terroir, terroir, terroirists.
Your friends or lover is going to think you’re so cool. I mean, if you’re reading this, you must be.
Image via Empire Guide.
