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- New Restaurant: Afghan Kebab House!Afghan Kebab House, Manhattan, NY$39.00
Afghan Kebab House recently moved to a new location on 1st Ave, between E.75th and E. 76th Streets. They are a small restaurant with ZERO corkage! As they are small, I'm going to limit this event to 6 people. We will have 1 white wine and 3 red wines. Looking at their menu they seem to be a mix between the menus at OM Indian and ABA Turkish. I ate there once at their original location and I think we will love this restaurant.
Here is a link to their menu..
Afghan Kebab House MenuThe cost for this event is $39, and is for the wine only.
PLUS a reminder of our usual rules:
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 low 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.
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 $3 more for each RSVP. You will see this charge when you complete your rsvp and pay for the event. MEETUP+ members are exempt from this charge.
Please use public transportation - NO DRINKING AND DRIVING!
The Wines (notes will be distributed at the dinner):
2021 Domaine Denis Bachelet Bourgogne-Aligoté ($45) - Burgundy's "other" white wine, Aligote. Much more saline and sometimes with a lip smacking acidity. It should whet our appetites perfectly.
2010 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines ($55) - CT 92.3, WA 95 points, "Another blockbuster is the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Origines. A blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 20% Mourvedre (45- to-95-year-old vines) aged in small oak, it exhibits an opaque purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of blackberries, espresso roast, ink and graphite. While clearly a modern-styled Chateauneuf du Pape, it retains plenty of the region's typicity and authenticity. It should drink well for 15+ years. (drink 2012-2027)"
2016 Outpost Petite Sirah The Other ($75) - CT 92.3, JD 96 points, "the 2016 Petite Sirah Howell Mountain is a monster of a wine that has full-bodied notes of blue fruits, violets, blood orange, and pine. It has bright acidity, a stacked mid-palate, present tannins, and everything it needs to evolve gracefully for 2-3 decades. This isn’t one of those overdone, fruit bomb Petite Sirahs and is the real deal. (Drink between 2019-2039)"
2017 Marc Sorrel Crozes-Hermitage ($40) - CT 92, WA 88 points, "the 2017 Crozes Hermitage features ripe cherries and peppery nuances. Medium-bodied, with some gently dusty tannins, it's a quaffable year, meant to be consumed young—anytime over the next 5-6 years. (drink 2019-2025)"
- Napa Cabs!Bobby Van's 230Park, New York, NY$43.00
Join me for a return to perennial group favorite Bobby Van's on Park. For this dinner we will bring out the big boys, 4 Napa Cabinets! Plus, there will also be a white Sémillon starter also from Napa.
Bobby Van's on Park is located on the corner of Park Avenue and 46th Street. The entrance is in the East side walkway that connects 45th and 46th Streets.
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 $43 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! Meetup+ members are exempt from this charge.
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 Myriad Cellars Sémillon McGah Family Vineyard ($40) - To start us off this Rutherford, Napa Valley white wine.
2013 Antica (Antinori) Cabernet Sauvignon ($50) - I've been sitting on this for years, it is Antinori's CA project. Max from another wine group poured one for me and I loved it. Let's see how it has aged. CT 91.3, WA 94 points, "A beautifully elegant, stylish Cabernet Sauvignon from the Antinori outpost in Napa Valley, their 2013 has a dense ruby/purple color, a beautiful, sweet kiss of pure blackcurrant fruit, licorice and forest floor. Full-bodied, but with creamy texture, sweet, beautifully integrated acidity, tannin and alcohol, this is an impressively well-crafted wine that’s drinkable now, but should evolve nicely for another 15-20 years. (drink 2016-2036)"
2017 Lail Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Blueprint ($90) - CT 91.9, JD 93 points, "A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot from a multitude of vineyards, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Blueprint reveals a saturated purple color as well as classic notes of blackcurrants, tobacco, damp earth, chocolate, and hints of new leather. Beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, ripe, and textured, it's a smoking good, affordable effort well worth seeking out. It will evolve for 10-15 years or more. (Drink between 2020-2035)"
2016 Lewelling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Wight ($75) - CT 93.3, JD97 points, "There are just over 450 cases of the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Wight Vineyard, another majestic, heavenly example of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from this estate. A selection from the estate vineyard that's all Cabernet aged 20 months in 90% new French oak (it's also bottled unfined and unfiltered), it offers a more pure, focused style than the straight Cabernet Sauvignon (as well as compared to the more over-the-top 2015) yet doesn't lose anything on the opulence and sheer decadence scale. Its incredibly pure bouquet of blueberries, black currants, lead pencil shavings, violets, and damp earth notes all remind me of a great vintage of Ducru-Beaucaillou. Full-bodied, ethereally textured, concentrated, classic and yet just pure deliciousness, this brilliant wine will continue drinking well for two decades. (Drink between 2019-2039)"
2016 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon ($65) - CT 92.6, JD 95 points, "the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley makes you wonder why you would spend more on the top cuvées. This full-bodied, fruit-forward, yet deep, layered beauty gives up complex notes of crème de cassis, graphite, incense, and candied violets. It’s as seamless and balanced as they come and is a beautiful wine to drink over the coming 15-20 years. The entire lineup from Rivers Marie is stunning across the board and readers really can’t go wrong here. (Drink between 2019-2034)"
- Monday Night at ABAABA Istanbul Café, New York, NY$24.00
It is the day after Mother's Day. Would you like/Do you need to spend the day after with your wine friends? Please join me at this 8-person dinner with one white wine and four red wines. We will be dining at group favorite ABA Turkish Restaurant.
The cost for this event is $24, and it is for the wine only.
PLUS a reminder of our usual rules:
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 low 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.
Here is a link to the menu....
ABA TURKISH RESTAURANT MENUNOTE: Meetup has started charging a "Partner Fee" that is above and in addition to the listed price of the event. It comes to approximately $3 more for each RSVP. You will see this charge when you complete your rsvp and pay for the event. MEETUP+ members are exempt from this charge.
Please use public transportation - NO DRINKING AND DRIVING!
The Wines (notes will be distributed at the dinner)
2023 Bodegas Avancia Godello Old Vines ($30) - We always seem to like this wine! Notes of green orchard fruit, some lime, juicy palate, white floral note, orange zest on the finish. An excellent way to start the evening!
2022 Domaine Richard Rottiers Moulin-à-Vent Dernier Souffle ($29) - CT 91.5, I love Beaujolais! And the Moulin-a-Vent AVA is (IMHO) the biggest of the Beaujolais, so let's enjoy this one! It comes from a parcel just behind a cemetary. It has vivacious red cherry and cranberry scents on the nose, hints of cassis just in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine line of acidity, fresh and saline with a brisk, graphite-tinged finish."
2020 Luis Marín Cariñena Gabarda Excelsis ($18) - Another one of those wines from Garagiste that I took a flyer on..Here is what they had to say, "From old-vine Grenache (vines up to 90 years of age), this is a Monday/Tuesday night wine of high regard that is, well, a terrific drink! It’s not Clos Erasmus but it’s really quite good and memorable – you want to go back to it as the night passes by and it opens and deepens with oxygen contact as the flavors fill in. Gabarda means “roses” in the local dialect and little tinges of rose petal can be found in today’s subject, aptly named “Gabarda”...
Gismondi: “The Ignacio Marin family have deep roots in the Carinena region, with a winemaking heritage stretching back centuries. This (Gabarda) cuvée sources old garnacha vines from 600m, and aged at least 3 months in French oak. Plumped blackberry, plum, black raspberry roll along the medium bodied palate, lit with a stony acidity, and framed with cushy tannins. At 13.5%, this is charming and drinkable now, ideally with roast lamb / pork dishes. 89pts”
2015 Domaine Durieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Lucile Avril ($30) - CT 91.1, JD 94+ points, "the 2015 Châteauneuf Du Pape Lucile Avril reveals a ruby/plum hue as well as lots of peppery garrigue, sandalwood, beef broth, and ripe, darker berry fruits. With medium to full-bodied richness, it has building yet polished tannins, wonderful purity of fruit, and a great finish. It has the balance and elegance to drink nicely today yet is still in the early stages of its drink window, with another 10-12 years of prime drinking ahead of it. (Drink between 2021-2033)"
2019 Gramercy Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Lower East ($40) - A WA State Cabernet, WA 90+ points, "Made with splashes of Merlot and Petit Verdot, the 2019 Lower East Cabernet Sauvignon is succulent and red-berried with floral and spicy elements that waft from the fresh and open nose. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is focused, mineral-tensioned and balanced with a soft tannic edge and ends with a food-friendly finish. Aged 18 months in 28% new French oak, this fantastic wine will be released in early 2024. This is impressive and complex, punching well above its weight class."
