January 15, 2018
Terence Lewis /for PhillyVoice
Philly Wine Week board member Terence Lewis chose three wines to help you stick to your New Year's resolutions. Lewis works as beverage director for Chef Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran’s group of restaurants (Jamonera, Lolita, Barbuzzo, Little Nonna’s and Bud & Marilyn’s).
The Roman God of Janus was a two-faced deity – one looking into the past and one into the future.
The Romans named the first month of their new calendar January after this God of transition and a centuries old tradition of New Year’s resolutions was born. From the ancients praying to Janus to the Knights of the Middle Ages re-affirming their dedication to Chivalry, today's resolutions are largely promises of self-betterment. Some common resolutions are quitting smoking, pecking away at debt and, if you've ever been a member of a gym, I'm sure you'll know this one – a promise to get into shape. But far and away the most promised resolution is to lose that weight gained over the holidays. To that, here are three wines for under $60 to drink with your new diet.
Riesling, St. Urbans-Hof, Kabinett, 2015--$23
Riesling is remarkably food friendly and very adaptable to exotic flavors. This particular wine is from the Ockfener Bockstein vineyard in the Saar – a region in Germany that imparts a sharp mineral spine to balance the beautiful peach and apple fruit. The wine is very energetic and alive and is bursting with juicy acidity. A lean 8.5 percent alcohol keeps the calories down and its expressive character will make you reach for another piece of sashimi and never miss your mid-week burger binge.
Zweigelt, Zum Martin Sepp, 2016--$17
From Germany, we travel to Austria, where this pretty rose wine was made. Zweigelt is Austria's most planted red grape and can thrive in the cooler climate of the Alps. Zweigelt makes refreshing and graceful red wines and gorgeous rose wines as well. This friendly wine has a pleasant fruitiness with a little spice. Salads are a fact of life when you're watching what you eat and this wine's sociable 12 percent alcohol will brighten up any plate of veggies. Bonus points for being sold in a liter bottle!
Barbera d'Alba, Oddero, 2013--$18
You’ve retired red meat and kissed carbs goodbye. That doesn't mean your New Year's diet needs be all cucumbers and hummus. Roast a pork loin and make some garlic zoodles (add extra garlic) and enjoy this beautiful wine. Barbera is the famed red grape from Piemonte, often in the shadows of the bigger Nebbiolo grape also grown in the region. A wonderful producer of Piemonte wines, Oddero's barbera d'alba is rich in cherries and red fruit, wild herbs and earthy minerals. The finish is full of mouth-watering acidity to compliment your delicious, yet clean and low-carb dinner.
