Everyone goes on and on about Mario Batali. But if they ever had any of his dad Armandino’s homemade salami or prosciutto, they’d forget all about the tubby  NYC chef. I now regulate my visits to the lunch counter, but I always go back to my old standby: a succulent sliced porchetta sandwich on a grease and juice soaked hard roll with sauteed onions and fennel.

I know, this site is about wine, right? Why all the frickin talk about sandwiches? Well, a girl’s gotta eat. And January ain’t exactly foie gras and caviar.

Today was D-day at the shop. One of the bank rollers of our store has part interest in a winery in Umbria. We’ve been expecting a shipment of 100s of cases of wine–site unseen. Whether they suck or not, we have to sell them. We opened a bottle of each of the wine for the staff, and I just about crapped my pants when they all agreed one of the wines (the one we have 147 cases of) was disgusting. Luckily (?) it was just a corked bottle. The wine’s fine. They are all typically approachable, new meets old Umbrian Sangiovese. Lots more fruit than Tuscany, which masks some of the acidity, which is what some people object to in Chianti. Think Chianti, only with all the corners mitered, edges sanded, and a sweet coat of rich cherry stain.

So there, I talked about wine. And my sandwich. I promise to have some confit or something tomorrow to even things out.

GOOD SHIT:

Behrens & Hitchcock Merlot - It takes alot to get me fired up about a bottle of Merlot without the word Pomerol on it. This bad ass is 16.5%. What? B & H ain’t your daddy’s Napa Merlot. This is a bruiser–blackberry syrup, herb, and a hint of something stinky. Theoretically, I should not have liked this wine, but it tastes divine. Probably the whole wolf in sheep’s clothing thing.

Ca Rugate Valpolicella - If this wine were a porno it’d be Kermit does Verona. Kermit, as in Lynch (what were you thinking?). The big houses in the area have gotten all jazzed of late at the increase of sales in their wines, once America discovered Amarone. (I’ll never forgive you for that, you bastards) SO quantities of Valpos are up and quality of Valpos are downward spiraling, as prices increase, making the situation worse. This one has everything and is now duking it out with the Bussola bg Valpo for the key to my heart.