Drinking Local

Like many things in my life, for me “Drinking Local” has many levels of meaning…and delight!

It means continuing to do much of my wining and dining downtown in the aftermath of 09.11 -- supporting the restaurants and restaurateurs who still suffer devastating losses, but who gain from the kind of community we have created.

It means following the wine trails of Long Island and The Hudson Valley -- getting to know growers and makers while savoring and supporting the best of local bounty.

It means stopping by Vintage New York whenever possible to enjoy the full array of New York State wines and foods.

And it means how WELL I know and love my local merchants.

How well do they know me?

Murray and Bob of Columbus Avenue Wine and Spirits have introduced me to new finds like Chilean Carmeneres and small-batch Bourbons, and have patiently helped me refine The Wine Workout from a cool concept to a life-enhancing practice. David Frieser of Beekman Liquors has done the same.

But 86th Corner Wine and Liquor? I would think they’d know me only as the wide-eyed, harried one who comes in just before closing time because friends are unexpectedly stopping by -- scooping up as much as I can safely carry of the best bargain I can find -- magnums of Citra Trebbiano D’Abruzzo for $6.99.

But that has changed over time. Like my neighborhood shoemaker and dry cleaner, Shon of 86th Corner shows me pictures of his kids. I know what he’s doing for the weekend, and am glad (for him at least) that the store is closed on Sunday.

But I’m sure, based on my purchasing patterns, that he’d never suspect that my daytime drinking has purpose.

All that changed last week, when on errands between bank and shoe repair, I calculated how much Citra I could carry home. There, at 86th Corner, to my surprise, were the folks from Prospero Winemaking Equipment, introducing their new line of wines.

So many multi-sensory memories came flooding back: How often I stopped by Pleasantville-based Prospero when starting Wine Enthusiast magazine to smell and taste the grapes they were flying in from California and, depending on the season, other ports of call. And Kevin Zraly, who hails from Pleasantville, who was the first wine star profiled in Wine Enthusiast, and with whom I’ve co-authored a chapter on smell for the 2007 Complete Wine Course, bought grapes from Prospero for his own home winemaking.

I catch up on news of the company with Tony Pullano, who married into the family and is helping head up Prospero’s new Supreme Wines division.

We do that tribal dance thing as we taste through a crisp, bright Prospero Pinot Grigio from Sonoma, a rich Cinelli Columbini Rosso di Montalcino and other gems.

My 86th Corner excurision on that day gets added to the ever-growing list of "ecstatic shopping experiences" (stay tuned for inspiring examples). And as would happen naturally in the ‘hood, but now accelerated with fresh starter fuel, Shon (seen above in Wine Workout pose) and I come to know a bit more about each other.

All is well with the world....

And inquiring minds want to know: What does "Drinking Local" mean to you? And is it something we can do together?

Warmly and looking forward,

Wendy Dubit and The Senses Bureau