wine pairings

Le Cirque Features Special Menu Created by Chef from Italy's Hotel Byron

Filed under: Dining, Wine

Everyone knows that dining at the Maccioni family's Le Cirque, the legendary restaurant on Manhattan's Upper East Side, is an experience to savor. Not only is its atmosphere striking and spacious, but everything, from the impeccable service offered by its staff to its beautifully presented food is beyond compare.

For the next two days, however, customers can enjoy all the greatness that Le Cirque has to offer while also experiencing the impressive talents of Executive Chef Andrea Mattei. The 31-year-old Mattei leads the Magnolia Restaurant at the Hotel Byron in Forte Dei Marmi on the Tuscan seacoast of Italy. Mattei has created a prix fixe menu for the restaurant and will serve as its guest chef through Saturday, February 5. Mattei is seen in the photo above with Le Cirque's founder Sirio Maccioni.

Mattei was discovered by one of Sirio's sons who visited Hotel Byron last summer. "My brother, Marco, had dinner with his wife at the Magnolia Restaurant at the Hotel Byron just before they left on their honeymoon," Mauro Maccioni told Luxist. "Hotel Byron is very polished and caters to an affluent crowd. Marco liked it so much he asked my father and me if we would like to bring the chef to New York."

Gallery: Le Cirque Features Guest Chef from Italy's Hotel Byron

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Wines Fit for BBQ from Natalie McLean

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Wine

The summer season stirs memories of fire pits, charcoal grills and outdoor parties which almost always include barbeque in some fashion. Of course a refreshing beer is often a great partner to grilled fare but many prefer the perfect wine. When it comes to uncommon wine pairings Natalie MacLean, and her website NatDecants.com, offers simple solutions to food and wine conundrums.

Here are Natalie's top choices to pair with your summer barbeque:

1. Canadian or Oregonian Pinot Noir with Planked Salmon
2. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with Grilled Portabello Mushrooms
3. Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon with Shish-kabob Lamb
4. Provençal Rosé with Skewered Chicken
5. Italian Chianti with Marinated Pork Chops
6. Australian Shiraz with Barbequed Spare Ribs
7. Rhðne Valley Syrah with Grilled Pepper Steak
8. Argentine Malbec with Herb-Rubbed Chicken
9. Californian Zinfandel with Grilled Hamburgers
10. German Late Harvest Riesling (or Spätlese Riesling) with Roasted Marshmallows

The gallery below offers a single selection for each pairing most often highlighting wines with scores of 90 or above. Enjoy!

Gallery: BBQ Worthy Wines

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Natalie MacLean's Thanksgiving Wine Picks

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Wine goddess and author Natalie MacLean has made her picks for wines for this year's Thanksgiving feast. MacLean, the author of the book Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass also has some simple rules for Thanksgiving wine pairing:

Starting off with a Champagne, Prosecco or other sparkling wine sets a festive note and makes a great aperitif.

Red wine or white wine with the turkey? You can do either. A crisp white like a Riesling or Pinot Grigio works but a juicy red like a Zinfandel also works well (it sort of mimics the berry note of the cranberry sauce). You can also go for the practically fruit juice appeal of this year's Beaujolais Nouveau.

You can also match your wine to the sides, offering other wines such as a buttery Chardonnay to complement the stuffing and veggies or a Sauvignon Blanc to add a little pep to a palate numbed by too many cream sauces. .

She suggests a late harvest wine or ice wine to pair with dessert to add the perfect finishing touch. In my experience, I have found that a Port or a late harvest Zinfandel works well with pecan pie while a late harvest Chardonnay can work with pumpkin pie.

After the jump, her top picks for reds and whites for the table.

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