I’ve been drinking a lot of European wines lately (after a break from American wines), but recently sampled a couple of bottles from South Africa. Over the years, I’ve noticed that I actually prefer many wines from south of the equator, including those from South Africa, South America and Australia. (But let’s be honest: I’m a mom — I like most wines.)
Fall weather means sometimes you’re in the mood for red and sometimes you’re in the mood for white, so here are two I tried, both under $15 per bottle on average.
Simonsig Pinotage 2012. Pinotage is a cross between the pinot noir and cinsault grapes, developed in South Africa to handle the climate. Though a sturdy 14.2 percent alcohol, this wine was smooth and fruity. Really easy to drink with or without food and enjoyable on a nice cool, fall afternoon.
Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2013. This dry and fruity white wine paired really well with a pasta dish I love inspired by an old Amerigo favorite, the angel hair pasta (with sun-dried and fresh tomatoes and goat cheese). Leftover wine (yes, it happens sometimes) with a little grenadine and ginger ale made a fantastic and refreshing white sangria.
Speaking of wines from south of the equator, some of my favorites come from Chile. Now through the end of December, Kitchen Notes at the Omni Hotel downtown is featuring Chilean wines and foods (¡Destinación Chile!) as part of their “Flavors of the World” culinary series. Omni chefs traveled all over Chile to develop and perfect the menu. According to the release, the Chilean specialties include:
Milcaos con Pebre de Palta (fried potato cakes with avocado, banana peppers, tomato, Chilean sea salt); Costillar con Pure Picante (pork ribs slowly cooked in beer and palm honey with potato puree, smoked Chilean chili pepper); and Bacalao con Tomaticán (seared sea bass with braised tomato, yellow corn, cilantro salad). An assortment of traditional Empanadas will also be offered – Pino (chopped meat, onions, hard-boiled egg, green olive); Camarón Queso (prawns, cheese, spring onion); and a traditional country Pequen (caramelized onion). For dessert, sweets include Tres Leche Cake and Arroz con Leche Y Salsa de Manjar(short grain rice cooked with milk, cinnamon, orange, dulce de leche). To complement the menu, premium Chilean olive oil will be available at every table.
Eleven different Chilean wines will be featured, including Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Carmenere. Also being served are cocktails with pisco, Chile’s national spirit, which is a grape distillate.
through Dec. 31
Kitchen Notes at the Omni Hotel
250 Fifth Ave. S.
