August 6, 2010 3:52 pm

Wine of the Day: Barista Pinotage 2009

Coffee and wine are my two biggest vices, so you can imagine the joy and excitement I felt when I came across Barista 2009 Pinotage. I acquainted myself with Pinotage for the first time at this year's annual South African Wine Show (which was appropriately timed with the FIFA World Cup kick-off). Pinotage, which is actually a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is a full-bodied grape that bursts with intense flavors of mulberries, plums and, of course, coffee.

You may be wondering how the two wound up in the same bottle, as I certainly was. South African winemaker Bertus Fourie describes it as a "happy accident." Fourie says he had run out of stainless steel tanks to ferment the wine in, so he turned to oak barrels instead. But the following morning, he awoke to find the entire cellar smelling like coffee. Although Fourie was certain he would be fired, the wine sold out immediately in stores and has remained a popular choice.

But the coffee flavor in the wine is subtle and isn't overpowering— it's more of a mellow aftertaste. I paired this wine with a dessert course consisting of soft cheeses and fruits, perfectly content in skipping my after-dinner espresso for this "happy accident."

Tip: Wines that have high alcohol contents (like this one) tend to have higher levels of residual sugars as well.

Photo credit: Dunn Robbins

— Written by Lisa Curry

0 Comments >

Tags : Barista, Pinotage, Pinot Noir, Wine, 2009, Lisa Curry

June 9, 2010 10:36 am

Dessert of the Day: Sweet Revenge Cupcakes

There's no shortage of good cupcakeries in Manhattan, because New Yorkers love these gourmet childhood treats as much as they do grumbling at pedestrians who walk too slow. But there's one downtown destination that stands out from the crowd, and this one couples cupcake eating with another New York pastime: imbibing.

Enter Sweet Revenge. Marlo Scott's creative Greenwich Village spot takes happy hour to the next level and sinfully pairs decadent cupcakes with wine and beer. Our favorites include "The Pure"—a vanilla cake made with Mexican vanilla buttercream and paired with Principato Pinot Noir or Belgian Kwak beer and "The Dirty"—a Valhrona chocolate cake with dark chocolate truffle, paired with Stormhoek Pinotage or Kopparberg pear cider. Trick: Cute and quaint, Sweet Revenge makes for a fun post-work date spot! So whether you're feeling naughty or nice, this cupcake, wine & beer bar will seduce you (and your sweetheart).

Tip: For sweet tips on baking these decadent bad boys and creating their signature frosted "mohawks", check out our video with Marlo.

Sweet Revenge
62 Carmine Street
NYC, NY 10014
212.242.2240

Photo credit: Sweet Revenge

— Written by Mona Buehler

0 Comments >

Tags : Sweet Revenge, Cupcakes, Marlo Scott, Mona Buehler, Pure Cupcake, Dirty Cupcake, Pinot Noir, Pinotage, Belgian Kwak, beer, Kopparberg pear cider