Thursday night’s somewhere else was a slice of paradise.  So what if it’s not a wine bar? The thought of sipping outdoors at Pure Food and Wine inspired Caitlin and I to walk a few blocks east.  Located at 54 Irving Place, this raw food restaurant has a tiny outdoor lounge with a comfy bench and few chairs arranged at the front of its exterior and one of New York’s grandest dining gardens tucked away behind.

With a few tables and benches allocated for drinkers, one must not dine at Pure Food and Wine (though clearly plenty do) to enjoy its Edenic patio.

The wines on the menu were categorized as O-Organic, S-Sustainable Farm Practices (by any means necessary), B-Biodynamic (a holistic approach), and V-Vegan.  For a scathing, yet interesting, review of this apparently misleading practice when labeling wines, visit the self-proclaimed “Wine Cop,” Alice Feiring, at In Vino Veritas.

After our terrible tasting experience at Tarallucci E Vino, we had only one direction to drink: rosé.

Curiously enough, the better wine was a biodynamic 2006 Grenache, from Beckmen Vineyards, Santa Ynez Valley, California.  A lovely light ruby, this rosé packed an earthy bouquet,  fruity strawberries and cherries that turned tart mid-palate, and finished long.  What I liked about this wine was the smooth transitions between flavors-a symphonic experience for the nose and mouth.

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon rosé from Castell Rois, Penedes, Spain, was interesting but didn’t fare as well.  A cacophony of flavors, this deep ruby wine was a bit spicy and grassy on the nose, not as fruity, and slightly peppery, with a grassy finish.  Interesting, but not as delectable as the Grenache, it was still a pleasant way to part.

 

[Where: 54 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003]