Virtual Gourmet

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IN THIS ISSUE
CHRISTMAS IN THE BRONX
By John Mariani

NEW YORK CORNER
THE BEST NEW RESTAURANTS IN NYC IN 2022
By John Mariani

ANOTHER VERMEER
CHAPTER Forty-Nine
By John Mariani

NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
WINES FOR CHRISTMAS
By John Mariani

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On this week's episode of my WVOX Radio Show "Almost Golden," on Wed. Dec. 21 at 11AM EST,I will be doing my annual reading of "A Child's Christmas in the Bronx" followed by Dylan Thomas reading his "A Child's Christmas in Wales." Go to: WVOX.com. The

episode will also be archived at: almostgolden.

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A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS IN THE BRONX
By John Mariani

Note: It's become something of a tradition for me to republish this memoir each year in Mariani's Virtual Gourmet, which is in the book Almost Golden I co-wrote with my older brother Robert and originally an article in the New York Times.

             Maybe it didn't snow for Christmas every year in the Bronx back in the '50s. But my memory of at least one perfect snow-bound Christmas Eve makes me think it did often enough that I still picture my neighborhood as white as Finland in those days when I lived along the choppy waters of the Long Island Sound.
          But for all the decorations and the visits to stores, the Bronx Zoo. Radio City Music Hall and the Rockefeller Center skating rink, it was the sumptuous Christmas feasts that helped maintain our families' links to the Old Country long after most other immigrant traditions had faded away. Food was always central to everyone's thoughts at Christmas, and the best cooks in each family were renowned for specific dishes no one else dared make.
          The assumption that everything would be exactly the same as last year was as comforting as knowing that Christmas Day would follow Christmas Eve. The finest ancestral linens were ironed and smoothed into place, dishes of hard candy were set out on every table, and the kitchen ovens hissed and warmed our homes for days. The reappearance of the old dishes, the irresistible aromas, tastes and textures, even the seating of family members in the same spot at the table year after year anchored us to a time and a place that was already changing more rapidly than we could understand.
          It's funny now to think that my memories of the food and the dinners are so much more intense than those of toys and games I received, but that seems true of most people. The exact taste of Christmas cookies, the sound of beef roasting in its pan, and the smell of evergreen mixed with the scent of cinnamon and cloves and lemon in hot cider were like holy incense in church,unforgettable, like the way you remember your parents' faces when they were young.
          No one in our neighborhood was poor, but few were rich. Yet we mounted feasts as lavish as any I could imagine in a book, and in the days preceding Christmas people took enormous joy in spending their money on foods only eaten during that season.
          It was still a time when the vegetable man would sell his produce from an old truck on Campbell Drive, and Dugan's and Krug's bread men came right to your door with special holiday cupcakes and cookies. We'd go to Biancardi's Meats on Arthur Avenue and, while the butcher on Middletown Road usually carried fresh fish only on Fridays, he was always well stocked with cod, salmon, lobsters and eel during the holidays. The pastry shops worked overtime to bake special Christmas breads and cakes, which would be gently wrapped in a swaddling of very soft pink tissue paper tied up with ribbons and sometimes even sealed with wax to deter anyone from opening it before Christmas.
          By Christmas Eve the stores ran out of everything, and pity the poor cook who delayed buying her chestnuts, ricotta cheese, or fresh yeast until it was too late. Weeks in advance the women would put in their order at the live poultry market for a female rabbit—not a male—or a goose that had to weigh exactly twelve pounds.

         You always knew what people were cooking for Christmas because the aromas hung in the hallways of the garden apartments and the foyers of their homes—garlicky tomato sauces, roast turkeys, rich shellfish stews, and the sweet, warm smells of pastries and breads could make you dizzy with hunger. When you went out into the cold, those aromas would slip out the door and mingle with the biting sea-salted air and the fresh wet snow swept in off the Sound.
          At the Italian homes in the Bronx ancient culinary rituals were followed long after they'd lost their original religious symbolism. The traditional meatless meal of Christmas Eve—“La Vigilia" (below)—which began centuries ago as a form of penitential purification, developed into a robust meal of seven exotic seafood dishes that left one reeling from the table. According to the traditions of Abruzzo, where my father's family came from, the Christmas Eve dinner should be composed of seven or nine dishes—mystical numbers commemorating the seven sacraments and the Holy Trinity multiplied by three.
        This was always my Auntie Rose's shining moment. She would cook with the zeal and energy of a dozen nuns, beginning with little morsels of crisply fried calamari. She made spaghetti on a stringed utensil called a "ghitarra" and served it with a sauce teeming with shellfish. Next came an enormous pot of lobster fra diavolo—a powerful coalescence of tomato, garlic, onion, saffron and hot red peppers, all spooned into soup plates around shiny, scarlet-red lobsters that some guests attacked with unbridled gusto while others took their dainty time extracting every morsel of meat from the deepest recesses of the body, claws and legs.
        Few children would eat baccala, a strong-smelling salted cod cooked for hours in order to restore its leathery flesh to edibility, and stewed eel, an age-old symbol of renewal, was a delicacy favored mostly by the old-timers. But everyone waited for the dessert—the yeasty, egg bread called "panettone," shaped like a church dome and riddled with golden raisins and candied fruit.
        Christmas Day came too early for everyone but the children.But as soon as presents were exchanged, my mother and grandmother would begin work on the lavish Christmas dinner to be served that afternoon. It was always a mix of regional Italian dishes and American novelties, like the incredibly rich, bourbon-laced egg nog my father insisted on serving before my grandmother's lasagna, in which were hidden dozens of meatballs the size of hazelnuts.
          Then my mother would set down a massive roast beef, brown and crackling on the outside, red as a poinsettia within, surrounded by sizzling roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding glistening from the fat absorbed from the beef. Dessert reverted to venerable Italian tradition with my grandmother's prune-and-chocolate-filled pastries and honeyed cookies called struffoli (below). And someone always brought panforte, an intensely rich, thick Sienese fruit and nut cake no one could eat more than a sliver of.
           After such a meal, we needed to go for a walk in the cold air. In other homes up and down our block people were feasting on Norwegian lutefisk, Swedish meatballs, German stollen, Irish plum pudding and American gingerbread. If you stopped and listened for a moment, you could hear the families singing carols in their native tongue.
          By early evening guests got ready to leave and leftovers were packed up to take home, belying everyone's protest that they wouldn't eat for days afterwards.
          By then the snow had taken on an icy veneer and the wind died down to a whisper. I remember how the cold air magnified sounds far, far away, so as I crept into bed I could hear the waves lapping the sea wall and the rattling clack-clack, clack-clack of the El running from Buhre Avenue to Middletown Road. It was a kind of lullaby in those days, when it never failed to snow on Christmas in the Bronx.

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NEW YORK CORNER

THE BEST NEW RESTAURANTS OF 2022

By John Mariani

Fasano

The re-opening of so many restaurants post-pandemic in New York was thrilling enough, but the addition of so many wonderful new restaurants of every type—more than 300 of them—is testament to the city’s indomitable spirit. Over this past year I’ve eaten at restaurants of every stripe and every price range in every borough (well, not Staten Island) that compare with the best ever opened in New York. Here is a list of my favorites, in random order.

Fasano

280 Park Avenue
646-869-5400

Fasano hails from Brazil and the owners took over the (second) Four Seasons restaurant with a far more romantic flourish, with marble, exquisite new furniture, spacious tables and antiques. There’s a soigné bar and a 3-course lunch of seasonal specials. The impeccably attired staff, led by director Charles Masson (formerly at La Grenouille), provides good reasons for women to don their finery. The refined Italian cuisine offers marvelous pastas and risottos. Upstairs on weekends there's jazz and bossa nova.

Parma Nuova
1404 3rd Avenue

212-535-3520

The former premises of Parma and the old menus have been transformed into a beautiful, well-lighted dining room where the specialties are from the cooking of Parma, under chef Pino Coladonato, including culatello ham and truffled pecorino served with hot tavolaccio di Parma con gnocco fritto (fried puffs of yeasty dough). Parma Nuova also has an outstanding, creamy, sweet eggplant Parmigiana style, great pastas and perfect veal alla milanese with greens. Also it has a first-rate Italian wine list.

Mollusca

1 Little West 12th Street
929-837-0360

A sleek and shadowy dining room in the Meat Packing District with a taupe marble cocktail bar, hand-blown glass chandeliers resembling jellyfish and buttery soft leather and velvet seating. There are plenty of mussel dishes as well as superb hamachi ceviche with pickled jalapeño, wasabi mayo and guacamole; branzino crudo with a yuzu dressing with a hint of truffle and tri-color tobiko eggs; and tataki of wagyu, uni, fresh truffle, ponzu aïoli and gold leaves.

Baazi

2588 Broadway
646-861-3859

Gaurav Anand has opened a slew of restaurants in New Delhi and Goa, and he gives New York a stunning two-floor restaurant with the best Indian cuisine in the Upper West Side. The bar is a smart place to meet. The food is beyond the usual, with surprises like koliwada Mumbai cod with a salty and crispy okra and tartar sauce, while shrimp balcho is a Goan dish of pan-seared prawn with a very spicy, hot chili pickle. Photo by van Sung

8282
84 Stanton Street
929-837-0360

8282 really is a labor of love because chef Bong Le Jo (formerly at Perry Street and Dovetail) is partnered with his fiancée, Jee Kim (previous owner of Pado). The number in its name refers to South Korea’s country code, +82, as well as a get-it-done phrase that means “quickly.” Their intent is to modernize Korean food with global elements. Have the banju, and the dakgalbi kimchi-bap of marinated, stir-fried chicken morsels over kimchi rice laced with cheese and gochujang chili paste.

La Devozione

428 West 16th Street

646-720-0215

Tucked away in Chelsea Market, La Devozione is as close to a true Italian trattoria as you’ll find in New York, with nonpareil pastas cooked impeccably in perfect, simple sauces, like “lollipop” macaroni mac-and-cheese; fusillata with mint and basil; and linguine with anchovies. There is also a pasta counter available for a tasting of many items. The décor is wonderfully cozy with a dazzle in the way pastas and tins are lighted and displayed.

L’Avenue at Saks
8 East 50th Street
212-940-4099

This swank dining salon is a 21st century re-thinking of department store restaurants, and it draws a young, fashionable crowd of women who really dress up. The food is Asian and French, like Dover sole “belle meunière” or fresh morels lavished in a bowl of cream-rich macaroni. Blanc de poulet bio ($28) is succulent poached chicken breast enhanced with curry seasonings and sided with sweet chutney. There’s also a lovely outdoor patio overlooking the city’s midtown.

Tagmo
226 Front Street
212-285-2253

Tagmo (which in Bhutanese means tigress, the symbol of female strength across South Asia) is both chef Surbhi Sahni’s labor of love and a commitment to employing women of color, with a menu based on “regional homestyle food and specialty sweets from across India that tell our stories of migration, cultural exchange and self-determination in the diaspora.” It’s innovative, beautifully presented and has levels of spices that linger.

Ramerino Italian Prime
16 East 39th Street
929-837-0360

More than just another Italian steakhouse, Ramerino Italian Prime is as proud of its Roman cacio e pepe, pappardelle with porcini mushrooms, truffle oil and goat’s cheese and linguine with bottarga ($29). The steaks are outstanding and it’s a civilized dining room with cordial service staff.

Hancock Street
257 Sixth Avenue
212-645-0193

On a cold winter’s night Hancock Street (named after a long-gone street in the West Village) provides a neighborly respite, with an expanse of polished wood walls, velvet curtains, a beautifully lighted bar, white tablecloths and thin stemware. Order the grilled Mediterranean branzino with grilled artichoke hearts, preserved lemon vinaigrette and a lovely tangy remoulade; roasted Amish chicken with Brussels sprouts, onion and truffle; slightly smoked double pork chop with butternut puree and a grain mustard jus.

L’Abeille

412 Greenwich Street
212-542-3898

Located on a very quiet cobblestone street in TriBeCa is one of the most beautiful new dining rooms this year, one long room with French windows, a compact boxwood and marble bar and beautiful golden lighting. The tasting menu is a mix of French and Asian elements that change with the season. Exceptional wine list.

Cucina 8 1/2
9 West 57th Street
212-829-0812

The former Brasserie 8½ has always been one of New York’s most fabulous dining rooms, with a sweeping staircase and grand bar. Now it’s been transformed into a smart space with lusty, irresistible Italian fare like meatballs with ricotta; crudi; cavatelli with roast lamb; excellent pizzas; swordfish with olive oil, salmoriglio and chili. Great and very popular for parties and events.

El Quijote
Hotel Chelsea
226 West 23rd Street
212-518-1843

Sunday Hospitality restaurant group and partner Charles Seich have taken over and re-booted this funky Hotel Chelsea Spanish restaurant, now a hip place to dine for everyone. Chef Byron Hogan and culinary director Jaime Young set the kind of menu you’d now find in Madrid, Bilbao and San Sebastián, definitely not modernist but solidly traditional, prepared with flair. Enjoy gambas al ajillo, fideuá de setas ($28) of toasted and baked angel hair spaghetti with marinated mushrooms and piquillo peppers; and, of course, terrific paella.

Sicily Osteria
330 West 46th Street
646-609-3416

Not only is this the best new restaurant in the Theater District, it is also the most authentic Sicilian spot. The first category on the menu is called “La Strada,” meaning foods of the street, which includes wonderful little puffs of pannelle with lemon and fresh herbs that you will gobble up; paccheri alla Norma; Busiate alla Trapanese ($18) has a sauce of roasted tomato and an almond pesto, basil and pecorino. It has a rustic atmosphere and very ebullient service.

Mark’s Off Madison
41 Madison Avenue
646-838-8300

Mark Strausman has never been one for arduous tasting menus with teeny portions of twee food, and at M.O.M. he clearly wants everyone to order and eat with gusto, not least a number of comfort foods from his own Jewish-American heritage, in addition to Italian dishes on which he made his reputation. So you find crabcakes or softshell crabs, as a starter or main course, Pollo alla mattone roast chicken with lemon and crushed red pepper; old-fashioned lemon icebox cake with layered butter cookies, lemon curd and whipped cream.

Jalao NYC
2420 Amsterdam Avenue
929-688-4684

Located in the new Radio Hotel in Washington Heights, Jalao NYC is a glamorous Santo Domingo restaurant with dazzling, rich colors everywhere, Carnival masks, a palm motif, rattan and upholstered booths, beautiful painted tables. A lot of the food you will never have seen before: chicharron y casaba of amazingly crispy pork belly; bombones de yuca filled with cheddar in a sauce of pineapple and chipotle. Very tasty, juicy goat’s meat-filled croquets are served with an avocado spuma.

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ANOTHER VERMEER

By John Mariani

To read previous chapters of ANOTHER VERMEER, go to the archive

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

Polonium crystal structure

      After the weekend’s rest, David was eager to call his contacts to update them and to get feedback. First call was to Gerry Kiley at Interpol, who had kept track of the Vermeer sale but didn’t know who’d bought the painting.
         “What’s your take?” he asked David.
         “I don’t have one, except to say that the number of bidders was very small and by the end of it, the only bids coming in were by phone.”
         “Well, that was to be expected. We’ve got our feelers out. But, frankly, the sale is not—at least at the moment—part of our investigation. We’re focused on Shui, who you may have heard is under house arrest. We’ve got no chips in the events that involved you and Katie getting kidnapped, so I don’t know how that’s proceeding.”
         “So what’s going on with Shui?”
         “The Taiwan courts are probably bending over backwards not to go tough on him, and, since Guanting and Guo are in Hong Kong custody, Taiwan is going to have a tough time proving he ordered a hit on you. They’re going to call you to testify, of course. The hotel gas leak is going to be difficult to prove. And since Guanting and Guo can’t testify, it’s not going to be an easy case to win.”
         “What about Interpol?”
         “We’ve got the testimony of Chin about the attempt to kill Lauden, but proving intention to subvert the whole art auction market is going to be tough for us to prove unless Saito comes back from the dead and Correia out of the Amazon forest.”
         “So, you think Shui may go free of everything?” David remembered what his friend Bao had said about moving on to the next case and forgetting the last.
         “Too early to tell,” said Kiley. “Shui’s being hit from all sides. At the very least he’s lost face, which in China is tantamount to being banished from society and shunned by all his business associates. The Red Chinese are going to make a big deal about this too, of course. Shui’s reputation is going to plummet. He’ll be out of power.”
         “Well, Gerry,” said David, “I’m sure you’re doing your best to nail his ass.”
         “That we are. And, by the way, apparently Shui has been quite ill, or so he says. It may be his way of getting some sort of lenience on the part of the court, but word is he’s got doctors and nurses at his side night and day.”
         “I’d hate him to die peacefully in his bed from the flu,” said David.
         “No, it sounds more serious than that. But, hey, we’ll just have to see how devious Shui can be.”

* * * *

         Katie’s call to Coleman was met with caution.
         “John’s not here at the office,” said his assistant Carol.
         “Is he coming in this afternoon?”
         “Uh, no, he won’t be coming back to Art Today. He resigned over the weekend.”
         Katie didn’t need to ask why, since Interpol and possibly NYPD had already been in contact with him, possibly even placed him under arrest. She tried his cell phone. No answer. No recording.
         Katie sat back in her chair, wondering how to feel about her old friend, how he’d betrayed her and his profession, and what he must be going through at the moment. Understanding Coleman wanting to make money was one thing, but, maybe not with Coleman’s knowledge, he’d become a possible accessory to attempted murders. Forgive him she could not. Pity him, maybe. In any case, it was a bitter disappointment to her and by giving Coleman that list of bidders, she felt she might, in some way, have led her former friend farther into Shui’s clutches.
         That afternoon, going through her notebooks—damn, she regretted losing her tape recorder!—Katie started to doze off from the vestiges of jetlag. Around four o’clock the phone rang.
         “Katie? David.”
         “Hey, what’s up?”
         “Shui is dead.”
         “What? How’d it happen?”
         “Kiley told me this morning he’d been taken to the hospital after falling ill and had round-the-clock nurses and doctors. Kiley thought Shui might have been faking it to keep out of house arrest and as a plea for sympathy. But Kiley just got word that he died in the middle of the night. Very fast.”
         “Do they know why?”
         “Not yet, but I wouldn’t put it past Shui to commit suicide, would you?”
         “Maybe not. Then again, his odds of beating the charges sounded fair to good, right?”
         “That’s what Kiley thought. Now we’ll never know. He beat the rap by checking out completely.”
         “Will we get a report on why he died?”
         “I’m sure we will. So many people are involved in this case. Probably take a few days. God knows, they never pinned down what killed Saito.”
         “Okay, well, keep me informed about anything you here. Alan Dobell is going to be all giddy about this.”
         “I can’t say I’m unhappy Shui’s dead, but I would have liked to see him stand trial.”
         “Yeah,” said Katie, “Dobell would have liked that, too.”
         “So,” said David, “stand by. This story’s not over yet.”
         “Not to mention trying to find out who actually ended up buying the Vermeer for $90 million plus commission.”
         “Maybe, with Shui out of the bidding, Stepanossky, Danielides and Dorenbosch got back in. Maybe Louden.”
         “I’ll call him this week. I’ll let you know what he says.”
         “So, when we gonna get together again?”
         “Anytime you want, David. I do want to go over my notes with you to make sure I’ve got the details right.”
         David meant get together socially, but he was happy to accept the offer. Without wanting to sound too eager or disappointed, he said, “Okay, just give me a call. I’m always here.”
         “Good, let’s check in tomorrow if either of us hears anything.”
         “Good plan,” said David. “Speak to you then.”

* * * *

         A few days went by, Katie continued to work on her notes, indexing them, making links between all people involved. David wasn’t doing much of anything, just waiting to hear from Katie or one of his contacts.
         Then Kiley called.
         “Correia’s back from his Amazon vacation,” he said.
         “Really? You mean he wasn’t actually kidnapped?”
         “Oh, no, he was. I was joking. He was let out of a car in a town outside of Rio, his family was alerted, and he was picked up, not too much the worse for wear.”
         “Did he say anything about his kidnappers?”
         “No one knows. The only info we have is that he was released and the family isn’t speaking to anyone. Either they negotiated a ransom just in the last few days or, with Shui dead, the kidnappers had no more use for Correia. As far as everybody is concerned, it never happened and the Rio police know nothing about it.”
         “So we may never find out the truth.”
         “Probably not. It would have made a good part of Katie’s story, though.”
         “Oh, I’m sure she’ll bring it in some way or another. Well, we’re getting pretty close to the end of this case, aren’t we, Gerry.”
         “Pretty much. Loose ends, but with Shui kaput, Interpol is pretty much out of it. I understand Guanting and Guo pleaded guilty, and without Shui, they’re of no use to the Chinese, so they’re probably in some very unsavory prison out in the boonies for the rest of their lives.”
         “Many happy returns to the little fucks,” said David. “Well, it’s been terrific working with you, Gerry. Maybe we will again some time.”
         “A year from now I’ll be like you. I’m taking my pension, though I don’t think I’ll be taking any extracurricular death-defying jobs on the side. Maybe some nice safe consultant work for rich billionaire collectors.”
         “Are there any other kind?”

* * * *

         It took ten days for the autopsy to come back on Hai Shui, and this time David’s NYPD friend Bobby Bao was only too happy to get the results from the Taiwan Police and to call David immediately.
         “Well, Shui was poisoned, all right,” said Bao.
         “No shit,” said David. “Arsenic?”
         Bao laughed. “Nothing so pedestrian or old-fashioned. It was something called polonium, called Po for short.”
         “What’s polonium?”
         “I’d never heard of it either, but it works fast and is brutally lethal. It seems to be a highly radioactive chemical and only takes a pin prick to kill you off by radiation poisoning. I’m told it’s a very agonizing way to go.”
         “Do the Taiwan Police know how it happened?”
         “Not a clue, but their forensics guys say all an assassin would need would be just to brush up against Shui with a touch of the stuff and he was going to die fast.”
         “Any reason to believe the Red Chinese pulled it off?”
         “No, but I’ve checked with my contacts in the CIA and they tell me if anyone was going to use Po it was probably the Russians.”
         “Stepanossky,” said David. “Freaking Stepanossky, getting back at Shui for trying to blow him to smithereens.”
         “The thought had occurred to me,” said Bao.
         “With no way in hell to trace it back to Stepanossky, our former K.G.B. agent.”
         “Hard to imagine.”
         “Well, this case is just getting tidier and tidier,” said David. “Wait till I tell Katie and Gerry Kiley.”
         “You owe me dinner.”
         “I’ll cook.”
         “No, dinner in town. Le Périgord. You liked the place. You still got an expense account?”
         “Couple of bucks left, I guess,” said David. “Okay, you got yourself a dinner. And, hey, I really do appreciate the call, BB. Everything’s falling into place.”

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NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR

Wines for the Christmas Table
By John Mariani

Unlike Thanksgiving, when most Americans have a turkey dinner that requires a bit of thought as to what wine will best complement the meal’s flavors, Christmas dinners are far more varied. While turkey may well make another appearance, a standing rib roast is traditional, goose is a true treat and on Christmas Eve, Italian-Americans may celebrate La Vigilia (The Vigil), when seven seafood dishes are served (the number has many associations with Christianity). Given that variety, the wines chosen can be just as diverse, although many people will be a bit more liberal in their expenditure for finer bottles than usual. Here is a slew of wines I’ve matched to various dishes on America’s Christmas tables.

TURKEY with savory and sweet side dishes

Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva 2019 ($35)—Antinori has been making Chiantis for as long as the Tuscan appellation has existed, and its Riserva has a bigger body and mintiness that makes it so versatile with turkey or game birds. People who have forgotten the consistent charm of Chianti Classico will be reminded of how versatile a wine it really is.

Beronia Crianza 2018 ($15)—A delicious Rioja Crianza style made from 96% Tempranillo, 3% Garnacha and 1% Mazuelo. Slight oaky notes complement the spice tones and long finish, and it marries well with sweet condiments. Great price, too, if you’re having a crowd over.

Carlo Alfieri Barbera d’Asti Superiore 2015 ($28)—Few ever expected Barbera Asti to receive a DOCG appellation like its more prestigious sibling Piemontese Barolo and Barbaresco, but this well-aged example deserves the honor. Only 1,750 bottles of this wine were made by enologist Mario Olivero, after a perfect summer of weather to build up the polyphenolics. You could drink it just with roasted chestnuts and be very happy.

Cattleya Cuvée Number One Pinot Noir 2021, Russian River Valley ($65) and Cattleya 2021 Cuvée Number Eight Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ($65)—Yes, these are young Pinot Noirs, sourced from a variety of Sonoma County vineyards, but for that they have a very pleasing middle-bodied freshness that will go well with dressing and winter spices.

Lynmar Estate Quail Hill Pinot Noir 2018 ($71)—California Pinot Noir styles vary widely, and it is telling that the Russian River Valley’s Lynmar Estate has had 40 years to focus its own style, based on 17 distinct blocks planted with 14 dry-farmed Pinot Noir clones and four Chardonnay clones, all individually fermented then blended by Director of Winemaking and Vineyards Pete Soergel. There’s elegance and finesse here, which binds well to turkey and game, and would be just as wonderful with a whole bowl of buttered mashed potatoes.

ROAST BEEF OR LAMB

Li Veli “Orion” Primitivo Salento 2021 ($15)—Located halfway between the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea, in the Salento region of Puglia, the estate enjoys a cooler climate than some other Puglian estates. Li Veli’s Primitivo (a variant of Zinfandel) avoids the overpowering, dark style the grape can produce in favor of a fruit-forward example that, at $15, is easy to drink throughout a meal of hearty components.

Ron Rubin Winery Pam's UN-Oaked Pam Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($16)—Made as a tribute to Ron Rubin’s wife Pam, this wine goes against the California infatuation with making oak a significant flavor component. Un-oaked, more of the grape’s essential flavors and acid comes through, with a little sweetness left, and at 12.5% alcohol and at $16, it is easy drinking for a long dinner.

To Kalon Highest Beauty 2019 ($200)—If you’re going to splurge for guests who will appreciate the wine, this is a powerful 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, whose tannins are already softening. The alcohol is very high at 15.2%, but roast beef’s fatty richness will gain in the match. To Kalon Vineyard Company, which was founded 150 years ago, also makes a H.W.C 2019 ($250), with slightly less alcohol, from vines originally planted by Robert Mondavi in the 1960s.

Bertani Valpolicella Ripasso 2017 ($26)—The richer flavors and bigger body a Ripasso has, in contrast to simple Valpolicella, are evident in this example from one of the Veneto’s most distinguished estates. A blend of 80% Corvina Veronese, 15% Rondinella and 5% Merlot, with a lovely 13.5% alcohol, it is just shy of the robustness of an Amarone, at a lower price. Ideal with beef or lamb, as it would be in the Veneto this time of year.

CHRISTMAS EVE SEAFOOD

Clay Shannon Chardonnay 2020 ($30)—Clay Shannon started planting in 1996 in California’s mountainous Lake County, with over 2,000 acres, 1,000 of which use a regenerative organic farming system that greatly reduces environmental impact. This wine is a blend of Chardonnay from both High Valley and Red Hills grapes and its depth of flavor is a fine accompaniment to shellfish and strong flavors like anchovies.

FEL Savoy Vineyard Chardonnay 2020 ($52)—At this price for a Stags Leap district Chardonnay, you expect a fuller body and California’s sun provides the ripeness and 35% new oak a modest edge that goes with the sensible 13.8% alcohol. Lobster, especially fra diavolo style, would be wonderful with this wine. The vintage enjoyed an excellent climate in Anderson Valley.

Hat Strap Chardonnay Carneros ($25). Another fine match with fleshy fish like Dover sole or halibut, this is sourced from the Cline family’s J. Poppe vineyard, the oldest Sonoma vineyard on the winery’s estate on Wildcat Mountain. Says Fred Cline, “Winds come up from the San Pablo Bay, directly pulling in cooler coastal air. The wind is so strong that I need to hang on to my hat when inspecting the vineyard.” Hence the wine’s name.

Inama “Carbonare” Soave Classico 2020 ($30); La Valentina Pecorino Colline Pescaresi 2021 ($18); Russiz Superiore Sauvignon Collio 2021 ($31); Garofoli Supèra Verdicchio Di Matelica 2021 ($16)—Importer Dalla Terra brings in all these unusual Italian white wines, each superior to the run-of-the-mill examples that have kept the varietals from gaining a better reputation. Each is distinctive but all are very good accompaniments to all kinds of seafood, especially a dish like langoustines in garlic and oil or blue crabs cooked with Old Bay Seasoning.

MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Publisher: John Mariani. Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher Mariani, Misha Mariani, John A. Curtas, Gerry Dawes, Geoff Kalish. Contributing Photographer: Galina Dargery. Technical Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.