Last night, Caitlin and I opted to take advantage of a long awaited nice eve, by seeking a wine bar outside, which led us to Tarallucci E Vino, just east of Union Square on E. 18th Street.  Not put off by the sidewalk clutter, we kissed the gods upon scoring a table, scanned the menu in search of rosés, which included a few sparklings, ordered, and planned on settling in for the night.

I opted for the Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui 2006, which was described on the menu as “Aromatic with a hint of rose petals and rasberries” a word-for-word description I have since found on numerous websites.  At the time, it sounded like an excellent way to begin my night.  However, what the creator of the menu failed to mention is that Brachetto, a grape from the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, is used to create dessert wines.

Hmmm…No wonder one sip filled my mouth with an unbearably sweet syrupy coat that lingered far too long, somewhat like a liquid lollipop with a few bubbles of carbonation.

Needless to say, this wine wasn’t worth more than a few licks, and when I mentioned its sweetness to the waiter, he replied, Why of course!  And looked at me like I was the bearer of a hundred-and-one heads.

Hardly inspiring.

Caitlin fared much better than I by ordering the Pinot Nero, Vanzini.  Pinot Noir, known as Pinot Nero in Italy, though difficult to cultivate, can yield a variety of aromas and flavors.  This slightly effervescent light pink wine, had a most pleasant bouquet once it warmed, eventually revealing an explosion of bright cherries, followed by a bit of mineral mid-palate, finishing with a touch of nutmeg at the end.  Refreshing.

After being told I couldn’t photograph the restaurant, while trying to capture a few shots of the exterior, we decided to drink elsewhere.

“If you drink wine for 99 years, you’ll live a long time.”  –Caitlin’s great-grandfather.