{Wine Wednesday} Terroir Tribeca

Free sherry and Funky beef balls. Jeff mentioned those enticing words to easily convince me to visit Terroir Tribeca. He likes Terroir's small East Village location, so since we were in Tribeca, he wanted to stop into this larger location.  The vibe is relaxing and casual - both due to the friendly, knowledgeable staff as well as the charming, rustic decor.  Even the menu is pretty tongue-in-cheek in tone.

We ordered the Funky Beef Balls (aged beef, $7) to pair with his complimentary sherry (free glass before 6 pm). Jeff loves sherry and chose the fino dry sherry. I was indecisive about which sparkling wine to choose, so our server kindly poured us a few tastes which ranged from a rose Cava to a dry Champagne. I decided on a lively Cremant from Jura (Bornard Cremant du Jura Blanc de Blancs, $14/glass).

Jeff would return to Terroir for its well-curated wine list. For me, I'm already planning my next visit for the addictive, crunchy, must-try Yoshi's Fried Chicken ($9). This was one of the best fried chicken plates we've had in a long time. After all, fried chicken (and fried foods in general) pair so well with sparkling wines and Champagne.

Jeff sampled several wines during our visit. Highlights for him were the natural, mineral-edged Contadino 8 Nerello Blend ($8/taste) from Frank Cornelissen in Siciliy (what a pleasant surprise, a real winemakers wine) and the organic, unfiltered La Grapperie Le Gravot ($8.25/taste) from the Loire Valley. We both love unique, food friendly wines from the Loire region.

If you want to try a different wine or a 'natural' wine (and have some tasty fried chicken and snacks), stop by one of the three Terroir locations in Manhattan.  It's definitely worth the visit.  An open dialogue with the staff will enable you to try something unique and unexpected.