What we’re about
We are a Wine and Dine Group! We share some good (sometimes Great!) bottles of wine over food and conversation.
A few times per month, we have small group dinners, either 6, 8 or 10 people at each event. The group organizers will host dinners on both weeknights and weekends. The organizer will supply 4 bottles of wine for 6 person dinners, 5 bottles of wine for 8 person dinners, and 6 bottles of wine for 10 person dinners. Most of the time, the wines will come from the event organizer's personal collection.
The cost of each event will be for an individual's share of the wine and in some cases the wine corkage charge of the restaurant. Dinner is not included and must be paid for at the event.
To attend an event, the wine payment must be made in advance, and reservations are on a first come, first serve basis. Once you pay, refunds or credits are only available if you cancel AND your spot gets filled by someone else. All refunds are subject to a cancellation fee from $3 to $5, depending on the cost of the event. There is no refund or credit for no-shows.
No other outside wine will be permitted, unless prior arrangements have been made with the host, but attendees may order wine or spirits from the restaurant, at their own expense. Attendees are expected to order at least an entree and one other item from the menu, either an appetizer, a side dish or a dessert.
Along with the wine charge, everyone will be expected/required to pay for their own meal, along with a 33% charge for tax and tip.
We will be dining at restaurants that we have established relationships with, where we can bring our own wine for us to enjoy. Corkage varies from restaurant to restaurant, from Zero to $25 per bottle.
PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PROFILE PICTURE WHERE I CAN SEE YOUR FACE, YOU WILL BE REJECTED FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THIS GROUP.
Upcoming events (4)
See all- Let's Ruché and Roll (Lesser Known Piedmont)83 1/2, New York, NY$32.00
Piedmont offers an incredible array of grape varieties, some of which are quite well-known. Our focus is on the ones lurking in the background, much like an actor waiting for a star turn on Law & Order.
Fortunately, our group member Irene, a regular visitor to Piedmont, has shared both her knowledge and some hard-to-find bottles from her travels and hours-long winery visits, and the four grape varieties on show tonight are: timorasso, slarina, vespolina, and ruché.
We will be dining at 83 1/2, a small Italian restaurant just west of the corner of E. 83rd and 1st Ave. It is easy to miss, but it is right next to Gino's Pizza. Here is a link to their menu
Just a reminder of our usual rules:
** The cost of this event is $32 and is for the wines only.
NOTE: Meetup has started charging a "Partner Fee" that comes to approximately $3 more for each RSVP. Sorry!
You will also have to pay the cost of your food (plus 33% for tax and tip). Please order at least two courses (i.e. a main dish and either appetizer or dessert) for your dinner.
Please read and understand the group's cancellation policy. If you take spot, then cancel, and no one else takes the spot, you will not receive a refund or credit. No refunds or credits will be given for no-shows or late cancellations (unless someone else takes your spot). All cancellations are subject to a $10 service fee.
Please use public transportation - NO DRINKING AND DRIVING!
White
2022 Vigneti Massa Derthona (Timorasso)
Not your typical light and simply refreshing Italian aperitivo white wine. It’s got substance and structure and deserves substantial food, such as richer fish, poultry, and pork dishes.
From the Colli Tortonesi in south-eastern Piemonte, 'Derthona' is the ancient name for Tortona and is home to where winemaker Walter Massa rediscovered the Timorasso grape.
Known for its honeyed minerality and acidity, structure and depth, this is a great alternative to Austrian or Alsace dry Riesling
Reds
2018 Enrico Druetto Vino Rosso Rovej (Slarina)
Rovej 2018 is a full-bodied red with excellent structure for aging. Druetto's passion for the recovery of native vines emerges once again with Slarina, a difficult grape, very tannic and "bitter". It was considered an "improving" grape, to be cut and combined with Barbera.
The result is a very particular wine, with great personality, a wine that is very intriguing and above all long-lived.
2022 Rovellotti "Ronco al Maso" Colline Novaresi (Vespolina)
Vespolina usually plays the primary supporting role to the great Nebbiolo-based wines of the Alto Piemonte, however, here you have a 100% expression of the varietal.
Hailing from a 1 acre southern exposed plot in Ghemme, this wine is vinified in stainless steel to preserve its zesty, fresh, wild berry fruits. Added complexity comes from three months in large 'botti' (massive barrels) and is then bottled the spring following harvest. Chill it slightly and enjoy!
2023 Ferraris Vigna del Parroco Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato (Ruché)
The grapes used for this wine come from the first vineyard ever planted entirely with Ruchè. This wine captivates for its brightness, with shades of ruby and hints of purple on the rim.
Deep purple in color, this pretty wine has aromas of sour cherry, raspberry, and intense floral notes. The palate is vibrant and fresh with notes of game and strawberry fruit leather finishing with soft tannins and a persistent intensity of both savory and fruit-driven flavors.
- Washington State CabernetsBobby Van's 230Park, New York, NY$38.00
I'm such a big fan of Washington State wines, that I thought I would do a tasting of Cabernet Sauvignons from there. We will have 1 white wine starter, followed by 4 Cabernet Sauvignons, all from different WA State producers.
We will be dining at Bobby Van's on Park. Located on the corner of Park Avenue and 46th Street.
Here is a link to their menu...
Bobby Van's on Park MenuJust a reminder of our usual rules:
** The cost of this event is $38 and is for the cost of the wines only.
NOTE: Meetup has started charging a "Partner Fee" that is above and in addition to the listed price of the event. It comes to approximately $4 more for each RSVP. You will see this charge when you complete your rsvp and pay for the event. Sorry!
You will also have to pay the cost of your food (plus 33% for tax and tip). Please order at least two courses (i.e. a main dish and either appetizer or dessert) for your dinner. There are very few restaurants that allow us to bring our own wine for a Zero corkage fee. We must be good guests to encourage the restaurant to continue to be generous to us.
Please read and understand the group's cancellation policy. If you take spot, then cancel, and no one else takes the spot, you will not receive a refund or credit. No refunds or credits will be given for no-shows or late cancellations (unless someone else takes your spot). All cancellations are subject to a $5 service fee.
Please use public transportation - NO DRINKING AND DRIVING!
The Wines (notes will be distributed at the dinner):
2022 JM Cellars Viognier ($26) - From the winemaker, "Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA consistently produces some of the finest fruit in our state and the ’22 vintage was no exception. Our Viognier arrived in early October bursting with flavor and wonderful acidity. After fermenting exclusively in stainless steel, the Viognier was bottled in February and is now ready to delight the palate with flavors of peach and honeysuckle accompanied by a creamy richness characteristic of this Northern Rhone varietal. This full-bodied white pairs well with fresh salmon, market salads, and aromatic rice dishes."2013 DeLille Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Four Flags ($54) - CT 92.5, JD 95 points, "the inky colored 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Four Flags comes from four separate vineyards (Klipsun, Grand Ciel, Ciel du Cheval and Upchurch) and exhibits classic Red Mountain characteristics of black fruit, smoked herbs, licorice, graphite and dusty minerality on the nose. Possessing serious intensity, full-bodied richness, ripe, yet present tannin and a fabulous finish, it needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years, and it will drink beautifully through 2038. (drink 2020-2038)"
2012 Force Majeure Cabernet Sauvignon Force Majeure Vineyard ($75) - CT 93.1, JD 95+, "The 2012 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the estate vineyard located high up on Red Mountain. It offers a perfumed, masculine and mineral-laced bouquet of crushed violets, blueberries, plums and wild herbs to go with a full-bodied, rich, structured style on the palate. While there's plenty of upfront fruit, it has building tannin, tons of minerality, and a great finish, all suggesting it needs short term cellaring. Give bottles 3-4 years and enjoy over the following 15-20 years. (Drink between 2020-2040)"
2016 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard ($57) - CT 91.8, WA 91+ points, "The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard displays ripe dark fruits, a floral dustiness and herbal undercurrent on the nose, with added complexity from the pleasingly subtle yet defined oak tones. Full-bodied, the palate has a rich and ripe core of fruit with a dusty herbal edge and is balanced and complex, with a layered and structured expression across the mid-palate. The wine is focused, with energetic acidity and enlivening, firm supporting tannins, finishing long. Wow, this is simply delicious. I’m going to steal away another sip."
2010 Andrew Will Sorella Champoux Vineyard ($65) - CT 92, JD 94 points, "The top wine of the estate, the 2010 Sorella (meaning “sister” in Italian and made to honor Chris’ sister) is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc that spent the standard 21 months in barrel. Loaded with promise, it has a decidedly pure, classy and detailed bouquet of black currant, graphite, licorice, roasted meats and singed herbs. Rich and medium to full-bodied, it still holds onto the overall elegance and finesse driven style of the estate and delivers a seamless texture, chewy tannin and serious minerality on the finish. As with Chris’ other 2010s, short-term cellaring is warranted here and upwards of two decades of longevity should be expected. Drink 2015-2030. (drink 2015-2030)"
