Most intrepid wine enthusiasts have at least one wine hero, someone they are inspired by, learn from. Eric Asimov, the wine critic for the New York Times, is one of mine. I’ve had the extreme pleasure of interviewing Eric a couple of times now, most recently at the scenic Lake Austin Spa. If you read his work, you know he is truly a gifted, expressive writer.
In this meet up, we discussed getting out of our comfort zones when it comes to drinking wine. The topic was inspired by a fantastic, charming restaurant in Houston called Helen Greek Food & Wine. This mecca for Mediterranean food features the second largest Greek wine list in the country—more than 250 wines!
Exploring these Greek wines is truly an adventure, an exciting journey elevated even more by Eric’s enlightening input. The wines in the video above are available at Helen The Greek and Houston Wine Merchants. I highly suggest you begin your own adventure. Let Evan at Helen be your guide!
Eric and I also discussed Southern Italian wines, most from Sicily, another region producing some fascinating and delicious vinos. Wines from this area are shaped by coastal influences and soils from an active volcano. Many of the whites offer beautiful floral and perfume aromas and yet are dry wines with vibrant minerality…fascinating and great fun to explore. The reds are lively with enticing smoky aromas. Exploring wines from southern Italy is truly a labor of love.
Turns out, it’s a region Eric loves too. These wines are available at Spec’s. Thank you Joseph for the suggestions. 🙂
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