- MITCH EINHORN -
I am a chef, restaurateur, wine retailer, and now a wine maker; how did I get here? 20 years in the restaurant business; and I always dreamed of the idyllic country life. The sun coming up over the horizon, hot cup of coffee in my hand, a chair on the porch watching the dappled light revealing the acres of vines in front of the manor, yes Mr. Falcon Crest life is just like that. Unless you have millions to play with, the gentleman farmer routine is out of reach. After 20 years in the hospitality business I don’t really think that is what wine is about anyway.
Wine is all about hospitality, good food, good wine and sharing with the people you love; friends, family, even strangers, as my daughter reminds me, dripping with sarcasm, a stranger is just friend you have not met yet. The intoxicating part the wine business are the people who work, walk, and wander the vineyard during the 100 days of the growing season, thinking about whether this will be a profound vintage, better than last but maybe not as good as the next. Those people are so very generous with their time. They are quick to share a story or a glass of wine and a bite to eat. Sit a while, relax, what brings you to this part of the country?
I have found this type hospitality all over the world always centered on the wine of the region, the food that pairs best with that wine and stories intertwined with the history of the area.
What could possibly be a better way to live? I have asked my wife that very question; her response was sounds great, are you going to rob a bank? I responded, can’t you picture a small rural winery, a 10 room inn, a small wine bar, the kind of places we had seen in France 16 years ago. Her retort was a hearty “dream on”. Ok, I will.
How can I make wine without having a large fortune to start with? I have made a lot of friends in the wine business over the years, maybe I can learn from them. Most of them told me I was crazy, and I should stick to the restaurant and retailing businesses. I would not be deterred. When my good friend, Scott Klann, told me he was finally quitting his day job at a large winery to focus on Newsome Harlow and building a new winery I asked what he was going to do with all his free time now that he only had one job. I suggested that we work on this little wine project on the side, he said no over and over and over; I kept nagging him for a year. It would be fun, I won’t be a pain in your ass, I promise. You are building a new winery; I won’t take up much space, just a few barrels. He finally agreed if only to get me to stop calling him. After I got Scott to say yes; the follow up question was what do you want to make? I blurt out the following: Corton Charlemagne, Bordeaux, Chateauneuf du Pape, and Txakolina Rose. His response, you’re a fucking idiot. Why don’t you want to be Superman as well?
What followed was a yearlong conversation about wine, where is it was from, why does it taste a certain way, what creates a particular flavor characteristics, old world vs new world, mailing dozens of bottles back and forth across the country. Questions about farmers, do I know any does Scott have any leads on grapes. We really created a road map of what I wanted to make and He was going to help me get it done. We had a plan for the 2011 vintage. Damn that was five years ago, it seems like just yesterday.
- MITCH EINHORN -
LEFT COAST
Newsome Harlow Tasting Room
403 Main Street
Murphys, CA 95247
209-728-9817
www.nhvino.com
MIDDLE COAST
Lush Wine & Spirits – Roscoe Village
2232 West Roscoe
Chicago, IL 60618
773-281-8888
www.lushwineandspirits.com
Lush Wine & Spirits – West Town
1412 West Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60642
312-666-6900
www.lushwineandspirits.com
Balena
1633 North Halsted
Chicago, IL 60614
312-867-3888
www.balenachicago.com
Uncommon Ground
3800 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60613
773-929-3680
www.uncommonground.com
Swift & Sons
1000 West Fulton Market.
Chicago, IL 60607
312-733-9420
www.swiftandsonschicago.com
Naha
500 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
312-321-6242
www.naha-chicago.com
Brindille
534 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
312-595-1616
www.brindille-chicago.com
Mott Street
1401 North Ashland
Chicago, IL 60622
773-687-9977
www.mottstreetchicago.com
Inovasi
28 East Center Ave.
Lake Bluff, IL 60044
847-295-1000
Vie
4471 Lawn Ave.
Western Springs, IL 60558
708-246-2082
Acadia
1639 South Wabash Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
312-360-9500
The Duck Inn
2701 South Eleanor Street
Chicago, IL 60608
312-724-8811
PM Prime Steakhouse
310 Green Bay Road
Highwood, IL 60040
847-433-0600
Travelle at the Langham Hotel
330 North Wabash Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
312-923-7705
Fresh Starts
1040 Sterling Ave.
Flossmoor, IL 60422
708-957-7900
Autre Monde Café
6727 Roosevelt Road
Berwyn, IL 60402
708-775-8122
The Cottage on Dixie
18849 Dixie Hwy
Homewood, IL 60430
708-798-8263
RIGHT COAST
Cafe Colette
79 Berry Street
Brooklyn, NY
347-599-1381
www.cafe-colette.com
Verde Wine Bar
450 Commack Road
Deer Park, NY
631-242-8902
www.eatdrinkverde.com
Michael’s New York
24 W. 55th Street
New York, NY
212-767-0555
www.michaelsnewyork.com
Bottoms Up Wine & Spirits
731 Franklin Ave.
Brooklyn, NY
347-425-7475
www.bottomsupwinenspirits.com
The Finch
212 Greene Ave.
Brooklyn, NY
718-218-4444
www.thefinchnyc.com
Little Gates & Co.
34 Main Street
Millerton, NY
518-789-3899
www.littlegateswine.com
Seamstress
339 E. 75th Street
New York, NY
212-288-8033
www.seamstressny.com
Colicchio & Sons
85 10th Ave
New York, NY
212-400-6699
www.craftrestaurantsinc.com/colicchio-and-sons
Grindhaus
275 Van Brunt Street
Brooklyn, NY
718-909-2881
www.grindhausrestaurant.com
L’Apicio
13 East 1st Street
New York, NY
212-533-7400
www.lapicio.com
Shawn Fine Wine & Spirits
141 7th Ave.
Park Slope, Brooklyn
718-622-7947
www.shawnfinewine.com
GG’s NYC
511 E. 5th Street
New York, NY
212-687-3641
www.ggsnyc.com
Vanderbilt Wine Merchants
573 Vanderbilt Ave.
Brooklyn, NY
718-398-1800
www.vanderbilt.wine
Tanoreen
7523 3rd Ave.
Brooklyn, NY
718-748-5600
www.tanoreen.com