Balthazar
RT: Hello and welcome back to CorkRules! The wine podcast that’s here to help YOU navigate all your favorite restaurant wine lists!
I’m Robert Tas along with Maria Valetta Certified Sommelier and Wine educator. Hello Maria
MV: Hi Robert. I’m super excited about today’s episode because it’s one of my favorite places in NYC!
RT: Mine too because I also love this place…Today we are talking about Balthazar Restaurant in SOHO, a staple of the well-dressed brunch-loving crowd since 1997.
This bustling Brasserie is electrifying from the moment you step inside, yet it still manages to have a romantic vibe…so very French!
If you can, snag a seat at the bar amongst the regulars dining on traditional French bistro fare such as freshly baked bread, garlicky escargot, and cheesy onion soup gratineé.
Balthazar has non-stop service from breakfast through dinner this restaurant brings a touch of class to the all-day New York Café! Their wine list is appropriately French-focused, Maria Where do we want to start?
MV: C’est Vrai! It’s true! And It’s not just French “focused” it’s ALL French! This could be intimidating for those who usually stick to California or even say Italy..when choosing a wine.
RT: So How do we conquer this like French Royalty?
MV: Well the good thing is, most of us are familiar with the grapes on this list, in fact, most of the grapes we drink on a regular basis: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, even Chardonnay… They are all French Grapes! But there are some fun French grapes we should also know about.
RT: That’s right… they just label differently, right?
MV: Exactly… usually because of the laws, the French producers have to label the bottle by region in most cases, so unless you have memorized which grapes grow in each region, it can become a little bit of a decoding situation.
RT: Ahha… leave it to the French to complicate things!
MV: OUI! (Haha) But that’s okay.. that’s why I’m here! So When I’m at Balthazar, I love to belly up to the long Zinc bar and the first thing I do, is order a glass of Champagne! Lower right corner of the first page you’ll see Sparkling by the glass and they usually have 2 or so on offer. The Taittinger “Cuvee Prestige” Brut, (talk about correct pronunciation (Tay Tohn zjay) while not inexpensive is also not overly marked up for a good glass of Champagne. If you want to splurge step it up and try the Christian Etienne Brut Rose This will have a little more body because it’s a rosé Champagne and will have that beautiful romantic pink color either one so very perfect with their magnificent shellfish towers!
RT: Magnificent indeed.. What about bottles ?
MV: well Robert I’m really glad you’re more of a red wine fan because they actually have one of my very favorite white wines on their list.. and it’s not even expensive; it’s the very first wine that my husband and I ever drank together and it’s hard to find BUT I get to keep that a secret for now! HAHA
RT: AHhh You know you’re not going to be able to keep that a secret for long! So then a red for me?
MV: MAIS OUI, can I talk you into a ROSE? This is the best place to have one.. and it gives the compromise between those wanting white and others wanting red. For Brunch, it is THE best way to go! Many of you I am sure have had Rose from Provence, but have you had a Rosé from the small French wine region of Bandol. Here the main grape is Mouvedre and these are dry, crisp, attractive wines and very drinkable. I keep this one hand in my house in the summer: the Domaine Tempier Bandol here they list the 2020 vintage. It’s a little pricey because the producer is the best, but down a notch, you could also try this Bandol, the Mas de La Rouviere from Chateau Rouviere same vintage. Very easy to drink a few bottles of these.
RT: The second Bandol sounds a bit like a value wine, any other secret finds on the Balthazar wine list?
MV: I would absolutely say order a bottle of Beaujolais CRU… and I’m not talking about Beaujolais Nouveau. Too simple… The CRU wines are so much more sophisticated and often overlooked so they tend to be priced well on most French wine lists.
RT: so the Grape.. because that’s a region, right?
MV: YUP… the grape is Gamay… so get this…I have friends that just can’t seem to get on the Pinot Noir train, believe it or not, so then I blind taste them with a Beaujolais Cru… and the usual answer is “ now that’s a PN I can get behind!!” LOL! And then I tell them to guess what… it’s not PN - it’s Gamay! Often they don’t even believe me and I have to show them the bottle… but I think they like it because the fruit is often more upfront and the body has a little more ‘Je ne sais quoi” …oomph and then that black pepper finish you often find..mmmm, so good. They really love it. So here you go… Try the Charly Thevenet Régnié “Grain & Granit” 2017 It’s under $95 on Balthazar’s List! A steal for this quality of a wine!
RT: What about that super impressive Rouge? Ya know,….A Heftier red for that bistro French Fare.
MV: I Gotcha… so the bistro fare at Balthazar is very unfussy so an unfussy wine like a Cote du Rhone could be perfect. But if you want to have some fun, pick out something people will just LOVE! Flip to their reserve selection and order an older vintage of something bigger from the same region.…check out the 2006 Beaucastel Chateauneuf de Pape, it has a good amount of age on it. (15 yrs) An excellent producer of CdP we call them for short I used to sell this wine when I worked for International Wine Brokers. These vines literally grow between these giant stones the French call Les galet, Fun Fact, up to 13 different types of grapes can be used in a CdP, but often Grenache Syrah and Mourvedre dominate. The Beaucastel uses all 13 grapes in their wines. The 2006 should have settled quite a bit, it’s now mature and very ready to be enjoyed- think silky tannins, red ripe fruits, and floral, earthy cigar box layers.
RT: Well that’s all we have time for on today’s episode…thank you Maria for helping us navigate Balthazar’s fabulously French wine list. Thank you EVERYONE for joining us here on CorkRules. Remember the only rule in wine is “drink what you LOVE”.
MV: Have a favorite wine List? Let us review it here on CorkRules. Send us your requests at info@corkrules.com and remember to check out all our episodes on CorkRules.com.
Corkrules Episode 4 Balthazar
RT: Hello and welcome back to Corkrules! The wine podcast that’s here to help YOU navigate all your favorite restaurant wine lists!
I’m, Robert Tas along with Maria Valetta Certified Sommelier and Wine educator
Hello Maria
MV: Hi Robert..I’m super excited about today’s episode because it’s one of my favorite places in NYC!
RT: Mine too because I also love this place…Today we are talking about Balthazar Restaurant in SOHO, a staple of the well-dressed brunch-loving crowd since 1997.
This bustling Brasserie is electrifying from the moment you step inside, yet it still manages to have a romantic vibe…so very French!
If you can, snag a seat at the bar amongst the regulars dining on traditional French bistro fare such as freshly baked bread, garlicky escargot, and cheesy onion soup gratineé. fresh baked break
Balthazar has non-stop service from breakfast through dinner this restaurant brings a touch of class to the all-day New York Café! There wine list is appropriately French focused, Maria Where do we want to start?
MV: C’est Vrai! It’s true! And It’s not just French “focused” it’s ALL French! Which could be intimidating for those who usually stick to California or even say Italy..when choosing a wine.
RT: So How do we conquer this like French Royalty?
MV: Well the good thing is ,most if us are familiar with the grapes on this list, in fact most of the grapes we drink on a regular basis: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, even Chardonnay… They are all French Grapes! But there are some fun French grapes we should also know about..
RT: That’s right… they just label differently, right?
MV: Exactly… usually because of the laws, the French producers have to label the bottle by region in most cases, so unless you have memorized which grapes grow in each region, it can become a little bit of a decoding situation.
RT: Ahha… leave it to the French to complicate things!
MV: OUI! (Haha) But that’s okay.. that’s why I’m here! So When I’m at Balthazar, I love to belly up to the long Zinc bar and the first thing I do, is order a glass of Champagne! Lower right corner of the first page you’ll see Sparkling by the glass and they usually have 2 or so on offer. The Taittinger “Cuvee Prestige” Brut, (talk about correct pronunciation (Tay Tohn zjay) while not inexpensive is also not overly marked up for a good glass of Champagne. If you want to splurge step it up and try the Christian Etienne Brut Rose This will have a little more body because it’s a rosé Champagne and will have that beautiful romantic pink color either one so very perfect with their magnificent shellfish towers!
RT: Magnificent indeed.. What about bottles ?
MV: well Robert I’m really glad you’re more of a red wine fan because they actually have one of my very favorite white wines on their list.. and it’s not even expensive; it’s the very first wine that my husband and I ever drank together and it’s hard to find BUT I get to keep that a secret for now! HAHA
RT: AHhh You know you’re not going to be able to keep that a secret for long! So then a red for me?
MV: MAIS OUI, can I talk you into a ROSE? This is the best place to have one.. and it gives the compromise between those wanting white and others wanting red. For Brunch it is THE best way to go! Many of you I am sure have had Rose from Provence, but have you had a Rosé from the small French wine region of Bandol which is very south and so close to the Mediterranean waters. Here the main grape is Mouvedre and these are dry, crisp, attractive wines and very drinkable. I keep this one hand in my house in the summer: the Domaine Tempier Bandol here they list the 2020 vintage. It’s a little pricey because the producer is the best, but down a notch you could also try this Bandol, the Mas de La Rouviere from Chateau Rouviere same vintage. Very easy to drink a few bottles of these.
RT: The second Bandol sounds a bit like a value wine, any other secret finds on the Balthazar wine list ?
MV: I would absolutely say order a bottle of Beaujolais CRU… and I’m not talking about Beaujolais Nouveau. Too simple… The CRU wines are so much more sophisticated and often overlooked so they tend to be priced well on most French wine lists.
RT: so the Grape.. because that’s a region, right?
MV: YUP… the grape is Gamay… so get this…I have friends that just can’t seem to get on the Pinot Noir train believe it or not, so then I blind taste them with a Beaujolais Cru… and the usual answer is “ now that’s a PN I can get behind!!” LOL! And then I tell them guess what… it’s not PN - it’s Gamay! Often they don’t even believe me and I have to show them the bottle… but I think they like it because the fruit is often more upfront and the body has a little more ‘Je ne sais quoi” …oomph and then that black pepper finish you often find..mmmm, so good. They really love it. So here you go… Try the Charly Thevenet Régnié “Grain & Granit” 2017 It’s under $95 on Balthazar’s List! A steal for this quality of a wine!
RT: What about that super impressive Rouge? Ya know,….A Heftier red for that bistro French Fare..
MV: I Gotcha… so the bistro fare at Balthazar is very unfussy so an unfussy wine like a Cote du Rhone could be perfect.. But if you want to have some fun, pick out something people will just LOVE! Flip to their reserve selection and order an older vintage of something bigger from the same region.…check out the 2006 Beaucastel Chateneuf de Pape, it has a good amount of age on it. (15 yrs) An excellent producer of CdP we call them for short these I used to sell this wine when I worked for International Wine Brokers. These vines literally grow between these giant stones the French call les galet, Fun Fact, up to 13 different types of grapes can be used in a CdP, but often Grenache Syrah and mourvedre dominate. The Beaucastel uses all 13 grapes in their wines. The 2006 should have settled a quite a bit, it’s now mature and very ready to be enjoyed- think silky tannins, red ripe fruits, and floral, earthy cigar box layers.
RT: Well that’s all we have time for on today’s episode…thank you Maria for helping us navigate Balthazar’s fabulously French wine list. Next time you dine at Balthazar, be sure to tell them you found them on Corkrules! Thank you EVERYONE for joining us here on Corkrules, Remember the only rule in wine is “drink what you LOVE”.
MV: Have a favorite wine List? Let us review it here on Corkrules. Send us your requests at info@corkrules.com and remember Check out all our episodes on Corkrules.com.
Need to write this somewhere:
**Please remember that all menu selections, and prices may change according to the restaurant’s availability. Must be 21 and over. Please drink responsibly.
Corkrules Episode 4 Balthazar
RT: Hello and welcome back to Corkrules! The wine podcast that’s here to help YOU navigate all your favorite restaurant wine lists!
I’m, Robert Tas along with Maria Valetta Certified Sommelier and Wine educator
Hello Maria
MV: Hi Robert..I’m super excited about today’s episode because it’s one of my favorite places in NYC!
RT: Mine too because I also love this place…Today we are talking about Balthazar Restaurant in SOHO, a staple of the well-dressed brunch-loving crowd since 1997.
This bustling Brasserie is electrifying from the moment you step inside, yet it still manages to have a romantic vibe…so very French!
If you can, snag a seat at the bar amongst the regulars dining on traditional French bistro fare such as freshly baked bread, garlicky escargot, and cheesy onion soup gratineé. fresh baked break
Balthazar has non-stop service from breakfast through dinner this restaurant brings a touch of class to the all-day New York Café! There wine list is appropriately French focused, Maria Where do we want to start?
MV: C’est Vrai! It’s true! And It’s not just French “focused” it’s ALL French! Which could be intimidating for those who usually stick to California or even say Italy..when choosing a wine.
RT: So How do we conquer this like French Royalty?
MV: Well the good thing is ,most if us are familiar with the grapes on this list, in fact most of the grapes we drink on a regular basis: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, even Chardonnay… They are all French Grapes! But there are some fun French grapes we should also know about..
RT: That’s right… they just label differently, right?
MV: Exactly… usually because of the laws, the French producers have to label the bottle by region in most cases, so unless you have memorized which grapes grow in each region, it can become a little bit of a decoding situation.
RT: Ahha… leave it to the French to complicate things!
MV: OUI! (Haha) But that’s okay.. that’s why I’m here! So When I’m at Balthazar, I love to belly up to the long Zinc bar and the first thing I do, is order a glass of Champagne! Lower right corner of the first page you’ll see Sparkling by the glass and they usually have 2 or so on offer. The Taittinger “Cuvee Prestige” Brut, (talk about correct pronunciation (Tay Tohn zjay) while not inexpensive is also not overly marked up for a good glass of Champagne. If you want to splurge step it up and try the Christian Etienne Brut Rose This will have a little more body because it’s a rosé Champagne and will have that beautiful romantic pink color either one so very perfect with their magnificent shellfish towers!
RT: Magnificent indeed.. What about bottles ?
MV: well Robert I’m really glad you’re more of a red wine fan because they actually have one of my very favorite white wines on their list.. and it’s not even expensive; it’s the very first wine that my husband and I ever drank together and it’s hard to find BUT I get to keep that a secret for now! HAHA
RT: AHhh You know you’re not going to be able to keep that a secret for long! So then a red for me?
MV: MAIS OUI, can I talk you into a ROSE? This is the best place to have one.. and it gives the compromise between those wanting white and others wanting red. For Brunch it is THE best way to go! Many of you I am sure have had Rose from Provence, but have you had a Rosé from the small French wine region of Bandol which is very south and so close to the Mediterranean waters. Here the main grape is Mouvedre and these are dry, crisp, attractive wines and very drinkable. I keep this one hand in my house in the summer: the Domaine Tempier Bandol here they list the 2020 vintage. It’s a little pricey because the producer is the best, but down a notch you could also try this Bandol, the Mas de La Rouviere from Chateau Rouviere same vintage. Very easy to drink a few bottles of these.
RT: The second Bandol sounds a bit like a value wine, any other secret finds on the Balthazar wine list ?
MV: I would absolutely say order a bottle of Beaujolais CRU… and I’m not talking about Beaujolais Nouveau. Too simple… The CRU wines are so much more sophisticated and often overlooked so they tend to be priced well on most French wine lists.
RT: so the Grape.. because that’s a region, right?
MV: YUP… the grape is Gamay… so get this…I have friends that just can’t seem to get on the Pinot Noir train believe it or not, so then I blind taste them with a Beaujolais Cru… and the usual answer is “ now that’s a PN I can get behind!!” LOL! And then I tell them guess what… it’s not PN - it’s Gamay! Often they don’t even believe me and I have to show them the bottle… but I think they like it because the fruit is often more upfront and the body has a little more ‘Je ne sais quoi” …oomph and then that black pepper finish you often find..mmmm, so good. They really love it. So here you go… Try the Charly Thevenet Régnié “Grain & Granit” 2017 It’s under $95 on Balthazar’s List! A steal for this quality of a wine!
RT: What about that super impressive Rouge? Ya know,….A Heftier red for that bistro French Fare..
MV: I Gotcha… so the bistro fare at Balthazar is very unfussy so an unfussy wine like a Cote du Rhone could be perfect.. But if you want to have some fun, pick out something people will just LOVE! Flip to their reserve selection and order an older vintage of something bigger from the same region.…check out the 2006 Beaucastel Chateneuf de Pape, it has a good amount of age on it. (15 yrs) An excellent producer of CdP we call them for short these I used to sell this wine when I worked for International Wine Brokers. These vines literally grow between these giant stones the French call les galet, Fun Fact, up to 13 different types of grapes can be used in a CdP, but often Grenache Syrah and mourvedre dominate. The Beaucastel uses all 13 grapes in their wines. The 2006 should have settled a quite a bit, it’s now mature and very ready to be enjoyed- think silky tannins, red ripe fruits, and floral, earthy cigar box layers.
RT: Well that’s all we have time for on today’s episode…thank you Maria for helping us navigate Balthazar’s fabulously French wine list. Next time you dine at Balthazar, be sure to tell them you found them on Corkrules! Thank you EVERYONE for joining us here on Corkrules, Remember the only rule in wine is “drink what you LOVE”.
MV: Have a favorite wine List? Let us review it here on Corkrules. Send us your requests at info@corkrules.com and remember Check out all our episodes on Corkrules.com.
Need to write this somewhere:
**Please remember that all menu selections, and prices may change according to the restaurant’s availability. Must be 21 and over. Please drink responsibly.
CorkRules
Episode 16: Balthazar
RT: Hello and welcome back to CorkRules! The wine podcast that’s here to help YOU navigate all your favorite restaurant wine lists!
I’m, Robert Tas along with Maria Valetta Certified Sommelier and Wine educator
Hello Maria
MV: Hi Robert..I’m super excited about today’s episode because it’s one of my favorite places in NYC!
RT: Mine too because I also love this place…Today we are talking about Balthazar Restaurant in SOHO, a staple of the well-dressed brunch-loving crowd since 1997.
This bustling Brasserie is electrifying from the moment you step inside, yet it still manages to have a romantic vibe…so very French!
If you can, snag a seat at the bar amongst the regulars dining on traditional French bistro fare such as freshly baked bread, garlicky escargot, and cheesy onion soup gratineé.
Balthazar has non-stop service from breakfast through dinner this restaurant brings a touch of class to the all-day New York Café! Their wine list is appropriately French-focused, Maria Where do we want to start?
MV: C’est Vrai! It’s true! And It’s not just French “focused” it’s ALL French! Which could be intimidating for those who usually stick to California or even say Italy..when choosing a wine.
RT: So How do we conquer this like French Royalty?
MV: Well the good thing is, most of us are familiar with the grapes on this list, in fact, most of the grapes we drink on a regular basis: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, even Chardonnay… They are all French Grapes! But there are some fun French grapes we should also know about.
RT: That’s right… they just label differently, right?
MV: Exactly… usually because of the laws, the French producers have to label the bottle by region in most cases, so unless you have memorized which grapes grow in each region, it can become a little bit of a decoding situation.
RT: Ahha… leave it to the French to complicate things!
MV: OUI! (Haha) But that’s okay.. that’s why I’m here! So When I’m at Balthazar, I love to belly up to the long Zinc bar and the first thing I do is order a glass of Champagne! The lower right corner of the first page you’ll see Sparkling by the glass and they usually have 2 or so on offer. The Taittinger “Cuvee Prestige” Brut, (talk about correct pronunciation (Tay Tohn zjay) while not inexpensive is also not overly marked up for a good glass of Champagne. If you want to splurge step it up and try the Christian Etienne Brut Rose This will have a little more body because it’s a rosé Champagne and will have that beautiful romantic pink color either one so very perfect with their magnificent shellfish towers!
RT: Magnificent indeed. What about bottles?
MV: well Robert I’m really glad you’re more of a red wine fan because they actually have one of my very favorite white wines on their list.. and it’s not even expensive; it’s the very first wine that my husband and I ever drank together and it’s hard to find BUT I get to keep that a secret for now! HAHA
RT: AHhh You know you’re not going to be able to keep that a secret for long! So then a red for me?
MV: MAIS OUI, can I talk you into a ROSE? This is the best place to have one.. and it gives the compromise between those wanting white and others wanting red. For Brunch, it is THE best way to go! Many of you I am sure have had Rose from Provence, but have you had a Rosé from the small French wine region of Bandol. Here the main grape is Mouvedre and these are dry, crisp, attractive wines and very drinkable. I keep this one hand in my house in the summer: the Domaine Tempier Bandol here they list the 2020 vintage. It’s a little pricey because the producer is the best, but down a notch you could also try this Bandol, the Mas de La Rouviere from Chateau Rouviere same vintage. Very easy to drink a few bottles of these.
RT: The second Bandol sounds a bit like a value wine, any other secret finds on the Balthazar wine list ?
MV: I would absolutely say order a bottle of Beaujolais CRU… and I’m not talking about Beaujolais Nouveau. Too simple… The CRU wines are so much more sophisticated and often overlooked so they tend to be priced well on most French wine lists.
RT: so the Grape.. because that’s a region, right?
MV: YUP… the grape is Gamay… so get this…I have friends that just can’t seem to get on the Pinot Noir train, believe it or not, so then I blind taste them with a Beaujolais Cru… and the usual answer is “ now that’s a PN I can get behind!!” LOL! And then I tell them guess what… it’s not PN - it’s Gamay! Often they don’t even believe me and I have to show them the bottle… but I think they like it because the fruit is often more upfront and the body has a little more ‘Je ne sais quoi” …oomph and then that black pepper finish you often find..mmmm, so good. They really love it. So here you go… Try the Charly Thevenet Régnié “Grain & Granit” 2017 It’s under $95 on Balthazar’s List! A steal for this quality of a wine!
RT: What about that super impressive Rouge? Ya know,….A heftier red for that bistro French Fare..
MV: I Gotcha… so the bistro fare at Balthazar is very unfussy so an unfussy wine like a Cote du Rhone could be perfect.. But if you want to have some fun, pick out something people will just LOVE! Flip to their reserve selection and order an older vintage of something bigger from the same region.…check out the 2006 Beaucastel Chateauneuf de Pape, it has a good amount of age on it. (15 yrs) An excellent producer of CdP we call them for short I used to sell this wine when I worked for International Wine Brokers. These vines literally grow between these giant stones the French call Les Galet, Fun Fact, up to 13 different types of grapes can be used in a CdP, but often Grenache Syrah and Mourvedre dominate. The Beaucastel uses all 13 grapes in their wines. The 2006 should have settled quite a bit, it’s now mature and very ready to be enjoyed- think silky tannins, red ripe fruits, and floral, earthy cigar box layers.
RT: Well that’s all we have time for on today’s episode…thank you Maria for helping us navigate Balthazar’s fabulously French wine list. Thank you EVERYONE for joining us here on Corkrules, Remember the only rule in wine is “drink what you LOVE”.
MV: Have a favorite wine List? Let us review it here on CoRkrules. Send us your requests at info@corkrules.com and remember to check out all our episodes on CorkRules.com.
