Tag Archives: boston cru

Should We Be Serving Premium Wines By the Glass?

Ordering wine by the glass has shifted from a “cheapskate” move to one reflecting an enthusiasm to explore, according to Jancis Robinson MW. So what has lifted the stigma? db reports.

October 3, 2025

(l-r:) Panelists Jancis Robinson MW, Greg Lambrecht and Xavier Rousset. Credit: Photokasia.com

Serving wine by the glass seems like a clear win-win: consumers get the opportunity to explore without committing to a full bottle; selling glasses individually provides higher margins for operators; and producers themselves have a better chance of having their wines sampled by new consumers.

But restaurateur Xavier Rousset MS says he began listing more expensive wines by the glass only recently. “Two Christmases ago I put a top Champagne cuvée by the glass at £50,” he said.

The thirst was immediately there, and the wine sold out “within a week or two”.

But this was a new discovery for Rousset. “Five years ago, I wouldn’t necessarily have risked it,” he said.

Rousset was speaking at a briefing on Monday (29 September) announcing the launch of The Coravin Guide – a breakdown of the top wine by-the-glass menus around the world.

Hosted by Greg Lambrecht, inventor and founder of preservation system Coravin, Jancis Robinson MW completed the trio of speakers.

Coravin launched its new free digital publication to spotlight sommeliers in restaurants, bars, hotels and private clubs who are pioneering the best by-the-glass offerings.

So why hasn’t by-the-glass historically been the status quo for higher-priced wines?

“I didn’t have the guts to do it,” Rousset admitted. “We were worried as an industry to put those wines out there.”

Robinson argued that “stigma of ordering wine by the glass” was previously a barrier – something she said has now “completely disappeared”.

Where “in the old days it seemed cheapskate”, now, the perception has shifted, and ordering by the glass is more closely associated with “exploring”.

Indeed, in a new independent survey of 1,030 consumers in the UK and Australia, Coravin found that half of all respondents are ordering more wine by the glass than they were two years ago.

More than half of respondents said they’d spend £10-15 on a glass of wine, and over a third said they would spent £16-£20 on a single glass. A fifth said they would be willing to stretch to paying higher than £20 a glass.

Coravin’s new guide spotlights the venues which are pioneering more extensive by-the-glass menus. The Coravin Guide will initially cover London, Sydney, Melbourne, Milan, The Netherlands and California, with additional cities to be included in the coming months.

Searchable by region, occasion and wine style, all qualifying venues are able to apply to feature in the guide, regardless of whether they use a Coravin system.

Find the guide here.

Branchline

“The ideal chicken wine”

April 13, 2022

Cambridge, MA

Branchline has long been a family favorite.  If you have not had their rotisserie chicken, you are missing out.  It has set the standard for my teenagers who rate any new restaurant by “not as good” or the very, extremely rare, “as good as” roasted chicken.  Because the chicken is their signature preparations, almost every wine must go with the chicken but also their range of salads, appetizers and fish.  The red meat entrees are the only exceptions since they require a more hearty pairing. 

Sean Mack is the Sommelier here and he immediately engages you by talking passionately about wine – he intentionally uses descriptors from the fashion industry because that is his other passion.  His verbal painting is based on metaphors like “this wine is a summer dress” or “this wine’s structure is like an Italian suit.”  It is a wonderful way of expressing a mood and context for the wine.  This approach allows him to come at the by-the-glass selection from a new direction.  It also helps to walk a delicate balance – wines familiar enough to be appealing  to both a novice and an enthusiast – and yet intriguing enough to challenge people to try something new.  It might become their next favorite wine after all.  

The wine-by-the-glass selection at Branchline is a reflection of the season and as we transition to spring and warmer weather, the menu will evolve.  I am reviewing the list which still has more “winter” wines on it, so expect some changes as the days get longer and warmer!

The wines are listed on the menu from sparkling to rosé, lighter whites to heaviest reds, making it somewhat easier to choose based on your meal.

The first wine I tried was a Paul Mas Côté Mas Cremant de Limoux Brut. This wine pops with fine bubbles and a sharp acid tang.  The nose is full of lemons and bruised apples which indicates a more oxidative process.  But because it is a “crémant”, it also indicates that it was made in the traditional method, which means adding sugar and yeast into a low alcohol base wine, closing it with a crown top and waiting – usually 9 months to a year – for the second fermentation to finish and all the yeast to impart a brioche flavor.  Then the “lees” are disgorged and you are left with a clear sparkling wine, ready to drink.  This crémant is, as I always recommend, a perfect aperitif while you browse the menu but also to pair with almost anything on the menu.

The second sparkling wine was the Pere Mata “Cupada” Rosé Cava Brut.  Many people are not sure what to make of cava.  It is both bubblier and less sweet than Prosecco because it is made in the traditional champagne-style method described above, but using Spanish grapes.  Xarello, Macabeo and Parellada are all white grapes and are blended with 25% Monastrell, a big, juicy, tannic red wine grape, hence the rosé.  This blend gives the wine a bit more body and a bit more texture while being dry, dry, dry.  It conveys hints of bright raspberry and creamy spice.  This is a wine that will certainly stand up to the roast chicken.

On to the whites with Domaine du Rin du Bois Touraine Sauvignon Blanc. It has such a pretty nose, I felt I could be happy just smelling it all day.  On the palate it avoids some of the grassy, tropical notes of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, but also softens the austere dry and crisp nature of a Sancerre.  It is very aromatic as I mentioned and while very high acid, also soft and  quite light-bodied.  It would be good with any veggies and salads.

The second white wine was Domaine Ménard Gaborit “Les Princes” Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie.  It has a light floral nose and a satisfying tangy, almost salty character.  The wine is dry and crisp with a lovely, fresh-baked bread flavor on the finish.  “Sur Lie” means it was aged on the lees or yeast for around 9 months, a characteristic of Muscadet wines from the western most section of the Loire.   This is a wine that reflects its terroir – a cool, marine environment on the Atlantic coast that produces oysters and scallops.  It pairs beautifully with any seafood.

Next was a Riesling-Muscat blend, Domaine Kientzler La Soif.  Riesling and Muscat are both highly aromatic grapes and also an unusual combination of grapes.  I was very curious to try it.  I really like dry Riesling, which tames some of the ferocious tropical aromas and bring out its delicate fruit and floral notes.  And Muscat, if made with care, is a beautiful “grapey” grape for want of a better description, customarily with a soft sweetness.  This wine was a revelation – very dry and while I could smell both of these aromatic grapes, I also got a really nice herbaceous flavor.  Sean called this “an ideal chicken wine”.  

When we moved on the reds, we began with a Beaujolais.  Beaujolais, not just the juicy nouveau, strikes me as a happy wine. There is something exuberant about the flavors revealed through carbonic maceration (whole-cluster fermentation), like strawberries, candied melon, even bubble gum.  This wine, Domaine de Peuble Pere et Fils Bourgogne, satisfies all those criteria.  Bursting with fruit, the smooth tannins and very nice acid add structure and balance, I would also call it an ideal chicken wine.  In a similar flavor profile, it has since been replaced by a Frappato from Sicily.  

Another staple on the menu is a cool climate Pinot Noir.  The one I tasted was the Bugey Pinot Noir, Famille Peillot from the alpine air of the Jura Mountains in France.  Cooler climates allow the grapes to develop more slowly and retain much of their volatile aroma compounds.  This is especially true with Pinot Noir, which can easily become jammy and lose its character in warmer areas.  This Pinot has a beautiful nose, all the classic bright red cherry, dried violets, a hint of mushroom.  It is an acid driven wine so the fruit is definitely on the tart side and would be refreshing with lighter, fatty meats and pastas.  The current selection is from the Loire valley, also a cool climate, so the profile again should be very similar. 
And finally, we got to the one wine Sean would not recommend to have with chicken! The Clos Siquier Cahors 2018 is a Malbec from its native country and region.  Argentina may have made “Malbec” into a household word, but Cahors is where the magic began.  Unfortunately, it has been overshadowed by its neighbor, Bordeaux, but it is now finally coming into its own.  This expression is full of dark brooding fruit, smooth but chalky tannins, black tea and pepper.  It is a wine best served with a steak, but is flexible to go with a hamburger as well. 

For more information about Branchline, visit their website

Spoke Wine Bar

“Natural wines – no flaws!”

March 11, 2022

Cambridge, MA

I have been super-excited to review Spoke Wine Bar in bustling Davis Square.  I’ve been going there for years and every time I go, the wine list has changed, like a chameleon to match the current season, the current menu and the current zeitgeist.  

It is difficult to write this review because the wine list is so dynamic.  I tasted through almost the entire by-the-glass selection with Mary Kurth, the woman whose vision has nurtured the ever-evolving list and feel like I could go back every other week and learn something new.  Frankly, I was a bit intimidated to speak with her because despite all my training and tasting and collecting, I feel like she has a read on wines that only a select few ever achieve.  Not only has she traveled to many wine regions, she has actually worked several harvests at a vineyard, doing the back-breaking work of hand-harvesting grapes.  This sort of intimate knowledge of the grape itself is very unusual in a wine bar owner!

Spoke is a place for the curious, the adventurous and those not looking to roll out after a big, heavy meal.  But because she runs a restaurant where the wonderful, innovative food and wine are meant to complement each other, her staff have to be able to explain every wine to her customers.  They must know what they are serving and recommending – a daunting task – but one that leads to great training and growth in their appreciation for wine.  This training enables the recognize natural wines that are exquisitely made, not the flawed, funky stuff people sometimes celebrate for its “authenticity.”

For this review, I will discuss the wines I tasted – which will not remain on the menu long, but each “slot” on the menu is meant to fit a similar taste profile and pair well with the very creative menu.  Among the whites, Mary selects for three characteristics.  The first wine must be lean, light and linear.  The second wine must have a little more body, a bit more complexity, preferably with some savory, high acid, perhaps saline characteristics.  And the third must be a bit more round and full-bodied, perhaps with juicy pear or peach notes and medium acid. But we began with sparkling wine so I will also.  

Petit Royal, Lambert de Seyssel, Savoie and Bugey, FranceI had not realized until I spent a few months in Paris, that there is nothing more luxurious than sitting down in a restaurant, ordering a bubbly and then as you sip and relax, looking at the menu and choosing the right courses for the evening.  This sparkler from the alpine reaches of the Jura mountains is perfect.  Made with Molette and Altesse, two local grape varieties, the wine is smooth, a bit minerally, with lively citrus from the Molette and some floral, nuttiness from the Altesse and of course the yummy brioche flavors that come from aging on the yeast (lees) for 2 years.  

2019 “Greek Connection,” Jason Ligas x Vin de Potes, Samos, GreeceThis wine, which sees a bit of skin contact, bursts with aromas of marmalade, bread, dill, orange blossom and maybe even some wild mushroom.  Made with the very unusual blend of 90% Muscat a Petits Grains and 10% Assyritiko, it is as noted above, light and linear.  Its origins in Samos, Greece are underlined by a minerally, salt air flavor on the palate.  It makes you crave seafood.

“Pompette,” Clos de Mourres, Vin d’Pays, FranceThis wine made in Vaucluse is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Bourboulenc grapes.  This is a common blend in the southern Rhône that fulfills the expectations set by Mary exactly.  A little more body with aromatic herbaceous notes overlaying toasted almond and apples, the purity of the fruit comes through, having seen no oak.  It is a zero sulfur added wine that manages to combine its lively character with an easy drinkability and would go well any vegetables with nuts, herbs or cream.

Serra Oca Moscatel Graudo, Quinta do Olival do Murta, Lisboa, PortugalFor a more full-bodied white wine, this orange wine is oddly perfect.  It is fermented on the skins for 10 days and like a red wine, it extracts extra flavors and even a hint of tannin.  It is a beautiful, complex wine with sweet citrus, white flowers, fleshy orchard fruit and a hint of petrol on the nose and is minerally and floral on the palate.  Having had this wine, I can’t imagine why anyone would ever choose an oaky Chardonnay again.  It has medium acid, a “fatter” mouthfeel and is a wine that probably goes with everything on the menu.

The red wines on the list are also “slotted” into 4 general categories.  The first will be a lighter, higher acid red that could even be a little chilled.  The second is a more fruit-driven but still lighter wine with some savory notes.  The third would be something with a bit more complexity and medium bodied with some fruit, some tobacco or tea leaf, some earthy notes.  And the fourth must be “toothsome,” something you can chew on a bit and that will warm you up.  I only tasted three, but the overall characteristics were true to Mary’s vision.

Moschomavro, Diamantis Vineyards, Siatista, GreeceMoschomavro, an almost extinct grape, was rediscovered and replanted in the 1970s by the Diamantis family.  Made in very small quantities, this heritage variety translates to “Black Muscat,” but does not seem to share any characteristics with the common white muscat variety.  Julia Harding describes this wine has having “verve and tannic finesse.”  I would describe it as refined, complex and delicious.  It has so many layered aromas and flavors, berries, dusty tannins, savory-umami, black tea, tarragon, maybe even mint.  It is a wine to enjoy with Mediterranean flavors, like coppa cotto or salad with short ribs.

Schioppetino di Prepotto, Grillo Iole, Colli Orientali del Friuli, ItalyAromatic, medium-bodied, with dark fruit, dried violets, baking spice and finishing on a very pleasant bitterness.  This wine is very pretty.  The name of the grape comes from the small size of the thick-skinned berries, which make a “small pop” or schioppetino when crushed.  In keeping with the rest of the wine list, this variety is not well known in the international market but is prized by the locals.  Most wine people say you should enjoy the local cuisine with local wines, and Friuli is known for its forceful flavors – a mix between Mediterranean and Slavic cuisine.  That seems to say, everything goes!

Ca’n Verdura Negre, Binissalem, MallorcaThe winemaker describes this wine as a love letter to the Mallorcan landscape.  A blend of 70% Mantonegro and a revolving supporting cast of callet, monastrell and cabernet or merlot, it is a dark wine with sweet smells.  The land is hot, dry and dusty but is cooled by a constant cool breeze off the Mediterranean.  This wine is chewy and robust, berry-driven with some dried orange peel, fresh herbs and lots of baking spice.  The tannins are a bit rustic and you get some pleasant iron on the finish.  This is a wine to have with roasted, smoky meats and a heavy sauce.  

There are so many more beautiful and interesting choices on the menu.  Unfortunately, I was suffering from palate fatigue at this point and feared I would not do justice to more wines.  But my main take away is that one needs to go often and taste everything.  The wines Mary selects will always be great!

For more information about Spoke Wine Bar, visit their website

Alcove

“Your palate is a spectrum”

February 12, 2020

Boston, MA

As I walked into the restaurant Alcove overlooking the inner Boston harbor, it was sunny, airy and filled with light.  I could see the Zakim bridge out the front windows and could imagine how stunning it would be at night, lit up in purple lights.

That feeling of fun and discovery carried on as I met Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli.  He was friendly and welcoming – a clear master of the art of hospitality.  Having grown up with family in the restaurant industry, he has trained all his life to create a great space, a mouthwatering menu and of course, a fabulous wine list.  He first created cocktails for the Eastern Standard and then pioneered the wine program at Island Creek Oysters, and has been exploring palate pleasing beverages for years.  As a result, this is a very intentional wine list that explores wine styles and also wine pairings but does not fall back on (boring) crowd pleasers.  You will taste something new and chances are, you will love it.

We began by discussing the sparklers: a very well made, dry prosecco from the esteemed appellation of Valdobbiadene, and a sparkling rosé from Limoux.  A traditional method or champagne-style wine is called crémant in French, referring to the soft, fine bubbles that become almost creamy.  Both were excellent choices for an aperitif as you look over the menu.

Then we moved on the “main course” of wines served by the glass.  And here I saw Tom’s passion and expertise blossom.  We explored the list one by one, and in the process, I learned more about what makes his approach to building a wine program so successful.  His choices are careful, based on the weight and intensity of the wines, moving from lighter to richer while also considering their pairing potential.  As he told me, “Your palate is a spectrum” and requires a spectrum of aromas and flavors.

2011 “Clos Armand” Michel delHommeau, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, France

At 11 years old, this wine was delicious!  Muscadet, from near the mouth of the Loire in northwest France, is usually considered not suitable for aging. Tom disagrees, and he is right.  This muscadet was a golden color with denser flavors.  The floral aromas on the open were accompanied by a round, viscous mouthfeel and lots of flavors layered together with lemons and salt air and very lightly yeasty, minerally finish.  Perfect to pair with anything from the raw bar and beyond.

2020 Bayten Sauvignon Blanc, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.

This may be the closest Tom comes to conventional on the list.  This Sauvignon Blanc is tangy and fruity and herbaceous, without the exuberant tropical fruit of a New Zealand wine but also not as restrained and elegant as a Sancerre.  It appeals to a wide range of palates but, nonetheless, it is undeniably tasty.  This is a wine that would pair beautifully with salads and veggies.

2019 Leth Roter Veltliner, Wagram, Austria

This is a wine we could both get a bit nerdy about.  Not related to Grüner Veltliner, the Austrian white wine staple, it is a grape that develops a lightly red skin when ripe.  The wine is white, belying its name, and is very delicately fragrant with floral notes followed on the palate by flavors of melon and ripe white peach that are perfectly balanced with acidity and a creamy mouthfeel.  Possibly my favorite wine on the list.  I would drink it just to drink it, but try it with focaccia or grilled cheese.

2019 Francois Carillon, Bourgogne, France 

Made with fruit grown in close proximity to the premier cru vineyards of Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, this wine is a lovely white burgundy.  Like so many French wineries, this one has been in the Carillon family for 15 generations and it is clear, they make wine in ways that have always made Burgundy great. It is fresh with an intensity of fruit and acid as well as a fuller body which come from aging in French oak.  It is the fullest bodied of the white wines and as such, it will stand up to meats, some spice, and certainly smashed potatoes.

2020 “Vogelzang” Liquid Farm, Santa Barbara, California

This rosé bats way above its price here.  Made from Mourvèdre, it is a heftier rosé than one you might find in Provence.  The makers call it #pinkcrack and only make 1100 cases.  Like all rosés, it is light and crisp but with lots of fruit intensity from its varietal – strawberry, blood orange and peach, along with tea and rose petals.  It would pair with everything on the menu.

2020 Famille Peillot Pinot Noir, Bugey, Francy

I personally have been having a moment with wines from Jura and this showcases why.  Made with a champagne clone, it is a Pinot that thrives in the hilly, alpine valleys and stony alluvial soils of the region.  This Pinot is all about purity of fruit – bright cherry, raspberry, dried violets and a hint of spice.  It sees no oak so the character of the grape shows through.  It is again a chameleon that would complement anything on the menu, except maybe steak or a burger.

2019 G.D. Vajra Dolcetto, Alba, Italy

Even though dolcetto means “little sweet one,” this wine is not sweet.  It is, however, uncomplicated.  It is fruity and fresh, medium bodied and extremely quaffable.  It might overwhelm some of the delicate flavors of the raw bar, but can be enjoyed with anything with a bit of umami and spice.

2018 “French Camp Vineyard,” Giornata Aglianico, Paso Robles, California

This is a really fun wine.  Aglianico is considered “the Barolo” of southern Italy.  But grown in the perfectly Mediterranean climate of California with a longer growing season, its ferociousness is tamed.  This is not a beast like a Taurasi, Aglianico’s most famous Italian incarnation, but rather a kind, gentle soul.  Light and fruity on the open, it bursts on the palate with acid and tannins and more fruit.  It only sees 10% new oak which fills out its structure and leaves a nice, long finish.  

2016 Chateau la Croix de Bel Air, Cotes de Bourg, France

Bordeaux is often misunderstood because it uses a great deal of Merlot to soften the tannins of the other varieties, fill in the roundness with fruit, and add a bit of softness.  This is a Merlot dominant wine, so it is approachable at just 6 years of age.  Having spent a year in oak, it is powerful and chewy with black fruit, spice, earth, and can certainly wrestle with a burger.

And finally we come to a part of the menu that pleases me no end.  Sherry is not just for cooking or for old women with lace curtains and doilies.  It is actually a dry fortified wine that is barrel aged for decades.  It is a unique wine with a salty, yeasty, almost cheese like flavor that just hits the spot with seafood and especially, oysters.

NV Bodegas La Cigarrera Manzanilla, Sanlucar de Barrameda, Spain

Manzanilla is one of the lightest colored and lightest bodied styles of sherry.  It is aged under a layer of protective yeast called “flor” and this dry wine made with palomino grapes is transformed into a very delicate yet yeasty, saline, Mediterranean wine.  

NV “Faraon,” Bodegas Hidalgo Oloroso, Sanlucar de Barrameda, Spain

This wine is a trickster.  When you first pick it up, it looks and smells like a sweet wine – all figs and caramel and hazelnuts.  But just as you are getting prepared for a dessert wine and you take the first sip, it hits your palate with salinity and richness, and is completely dry.  It is such a yummy and underrated wine.  I love the oloroso style, which is not aged under flor but is still aged in a series of oak casks, also for decades.  If it was not 20% alcohol, I would drink a great deal more of it!

For more information about Alcove, visit their website

Forage

“Wine goes with life”

February 10, 2022

Cambridge, MA

When choosing wines, trust in your Sommelier is critical. Stanislas “Stan” Hilbert is French, having spent most of his childhood there.  With no hint of a French accent, it is not immediately apparent.  But like all the French, he has that “je ne sais quoi” when he speaks about wine.  When he tells you a wine is beautiful, you believe him.  When he says that wine pairs well with this dish, you change your order.  Because you trust him.

We recently sat down with his by the glass wine list and it was a lovely wander through the wine regions of Gascony, the Rhône, Languedoc in France, Jumilla and Catalunya in Spain and Georgia – possibly the oldest winemaking culture in the world.  His emphasis is on natural wines made with minimal intervention so that the purity of the fruit shines through.

It is not often you see such an innovative wine list, so I was really excited to sit down and taste with him.  His wine list changes over time, but his current wine are as follows:

2020 “4 Cepages”, Domaine de Pajot, Gascony.  This is a Sauvignon Blanc, Colombard, Ugni Blanc and Gros Manseng blend that is perfectly balanced. The Sauvignon Blanc’s intensely aromatic character and high acidity are toned down by the other more neutral, fruity grapes, but come through with an expressive flourish.  Apples, Pears, hints of stone fruit, a bit of herbaceousness, some minerality combine to taste almost sweet even though the wine is absolutely dry.  It pairs well with spicy, rich dishes, such as the mussels, the rock shrimp or the creamy brandade.

2017 Bloom, Vin des Potes x Remi Pouizin, Viognier / Clairette / Grenache Blanc.  One reviewer described this wine as, “a springtime landscape. A Provencal path that you take while sniffing the flowers, almond trees and fruit trees. Without heaviness thanks to its freshness balancing its generosity, it is an easy and pleasant wine.” I fear I cannot improve on this description but I can add that it is also a bit yeasty and rich, so it pairs well with the cider-braised cabbage or the Fattoush salad.

2019 “On est pas bien la…?” Petit Domaine, Languedoc.  This wine is considered an orange wine – white wine fermented with the skins – but it is light and refreshing.  Made with Grenache Blanc, which has a round, fuller body, the 3 days of skin fermenting add a lovely texture to the wine that allows it to pair well with several dishes on the menu, including the mussels, phyllo-wrapped Reading cheese and black Spanish radishes. 

2020 Parajes del Valles, Monastrell, Jumilla. This wine is not what I was expecting.  Monastrell, also knows as Mourvedre and Mataro, seems to be a chameleon.  I have mostly had dark, inky, almost thick and tannic Monastrells, but this wine is a bright ruby red, with light red fruit aromas on the open and some black fruit on the end, and is perfectly balanced between its acid and tannin.  Aged in neutral concrete, the quality of the fruit shines through.   It pairs with the red wine poached monkfish, the herb rubbed chicken and the smoked beef tongue.

2018 Chubini, Saperavi, Kakheti, Georgia.  This is the wine on the list that is most chewy.  It has dark fruit and earth and tannins and even a bit of a floral nature, and will stand up to the short-rib sloppy joe and the lovage-cured Macomber turnip.  Aged in quevri, the traditional amphorae of ancient times and left on the skins for 6 months, it is layered in complex aromas and flavors. 

We also tasted one of Stan’s wines of the night.  It was the “BB,” made by Partida Creus from Catalunya and it was another beautiful surprise.  Made with the not commonly imported Bobal grape, it was bright and tart and almost had candied aromas – somewhat like a Pinot Noir – but it was also minerally and had slightly fuller bodied.  It would go with everything on the menu, so if he showcases this tiny production wine again, grab it!

For more information about Forage, visit their website