After a long winter of working through lunch, my colleague Molly and I decided it was time to enjoy a civilized lunch away from our desks. Smith & Wollensky’s semi-annual Wine Week proved hard to resist. So long yogurt and salad; hello steakhouse and wine! For the uninitiated, during lunch in March and September Smith & Wollensky pours ten selections from their wine list for $10. In general, the wines range from subtle (which is my nice way of saying that they are somewhat unmemorable) to just short of sublime. I’ve noted a couple of highlights (and a lowlight). The full list is below.
In past years, most of the wines were poured by a representative who works for a distributor or importer, and if prompted they were all too eager to share their thoughts on the wines and detail how they were made. This year we started with gentleman who represented two of the wines, but knew little about any of the others. After the whites had been poured, we were handed over to the wait staff, which, to some extent, is a downside to having a late lunch.
The Flat of the Hill We started off a bit flat. The Veuve Clicquot had been open too long, and sadly, all of the fizz had dissipated leaving behind a wine dominated by aromas of bread and white stone fruits.
The House Surprise We probably should not have been surprised to discover that Smith & Wollensky’s Private Reserve is a standout. An excellent American-style Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot with warm vanilla sweetness, this wine would have been perfect for our inaugural Sunday Night Supper Club.
The Man on the Table Our favorite wine easily was Stag Leap’s Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon, a big, but very elegant Cab. After her first sip, Molly exclaimed, “This is the man on the table!” I couldn’t agree with her more.
One More Try One wine that I will try again is the Pine Ridge “Forefront” Pinot Noir. I generally find that I need more time with Pinot Noirs. This Oregon Pinot was sandwiched between an oaky white and the sturdy reds and deserves another try.
Wine List for Thursday, March 4 in Boston
- Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label
- Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio
- Rodney Strong Sauvignon Blanc
- Lacrema Chardonnay
- Pine Ridge “Forefront” Pinot Noir
- Querceto Chianti Classico
- Chateau Ste. Michelle “Canoe Ridge” Merlot
- Smith & Wollensky Private Reserve
- Stag’s Leap “Artemis” Cabernet Sauvignon
- Vine Cliff “Rock Block” Cabernet Sauvignon
