Thanksgiving Picks From Our Staff
Are you searching for a failsafe Champagne to whet your appetite or a stimulating digestif to cap off a festive night? Check out a few of our staff’s favorites below.
Chablis, Dom. de Genèves $21.96
Here, stainless steel aging locks in a wonderful aromatic nose with everything I love about cool-climate whites. Crisp and light, but with strength and structure that is the magic that makes Chablis something more than just another Chardonnay. All of that is evident in this Dom. de Genèves Chablis; tart mineral lemons give way to green apples and stone fruit. The finish is dry and smooth and makes me want to go back for more. – Josh Mizrahi, Sales Manager
Four Pillars Off Broadway Gin $39.96
10,321 miles separate Joe’s Pub from the distillery at 2A Lilydale Road, Healesville, Victoria, Australia, so Off-Broadway might be an understatement. Of course, a new gin from one of my favorite distillers is something to get excited about, odd as a New York exclusive from a bunch of Aussies might be. And to be clear, this is a very Australian gin. You will find the classics (juniper, coriander, cardamom), but the flavor profile here is dominated by native botanicals. Finger limes (highly recommend looking these up if you aren’t familiar, they are wild) bring a zesty citrus, and you taste local mint, macadamia nut, lemon myrtle, and kumquat. The flavors give an herbal edge to a fruit-laden gin cobbler, and play very well with nuttiness and salinity in a Martini where you swap Vermouth for Fino Sherry. But the possibilities are endless. – Jon Miner, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Barolo Chinato, Barale $41.96
Is there such a thing as love at first smell? I love all of Sergio Barale’s wines—and if you haven’t tried them, run to the Piedmont aisle immediately—but this Chinato made my knees weak. Although this is similar to amari and vermouth, Sergio takes things up a notch. His base wine is Nebbiolo from the Castelero vineyard. Aging the wine for 10 years in demi-johns allows the grape to develop its spicy side. The wine for this bottling comes from the 2007 vintage and provides a beautiful, sturdy backdrop to the herbs and spices he adds. This Chinato is luscious and full-bodied yet bright with a tinge of bitter. Herbal notes play off spices: cinnamon, cloves, dark chocolate, pith of blood orange, and licorice. Everything in balance, perfectly harmonious. This is the perfect after-dinner sip with a bite of dark chocolate. – Amy Miller, Sales Manager
Nonino Amaro $49.99
Have you been wanting to get into amaro but are a little overwhelmed and don’t know where to start? Amaro Nonino is a perfect step one. Made from a base of grappa and infused with alpine herbs and botanicals, it’s a less aggressively sweet, syrupy, and bitter style of amaro. With herbal and orange notes, it’s smooth and sweet upfront and finishes mildly and pleasantly bitter. Excellent as either an aperitif or a digestif, serve it on the rocks, add it to some seltzer with a splash of grapefruit juice, or with sweet vermouth and an orange peel. – Hannah Weiss, Astor Wines & Spirits Sales Consultant
Delouvin-Nowack “Carte Rubis”, Rosé Brut $49.96
“Carte Rubis” is a delicious medium-bodied sparkling rosé with floral notes on the nose and red berry and spice on the palate. Malolactic fermentation is practiced in the winery, which creates a rounder flavor. All of this is supported by smooth bubbles. – Andrea Fraccari, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Montefalco Sagrantino, Di Filippo $49.96
There’s something about finding growers who respect the land that they cultivate, who dedicate themselves to acting in tune with nature’s rhythm when producing high-quality wines. Di Filippo is a certified organic and biodynamic winery that is all about hand-pruning and hand-harvesting—methods they find essential to their wine production. From the heart of the Umbria region in Cannara, this 100% Sagrantino is a malevolent force that exerts itself with a whopping 16% ABV. It has intense notes of dusty, worn leather, tobacco, mushrooms, and concentrated, dark-fruit compound. The full-bodied texture unfurls like velvet, balanced by the high acidity and tannins. – Jose Banegas, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant