Wine & Spirits - April 2020 - 12

Drinking
French

Heimat New York
Inspired by the liqueurs her grandmother made when she was growing
up in Germany, Ute Londrigan has launched Heimat New York. Based in
Mamaroneck, NY, Londrigan gathers produce from local farms for a lineup
of liqueurs that includes blackberry, white peach, Bosc pear and rhubarb.
Every ingredient she uses comes through in the glass pure, clear and not
overly sweet. Use them for endless cocktail experiments, or simply add a
splash to a glass of sparkling wine. Available at newyorkcraftspirits.com.
-RACHEL DELROCCO TERRAZAS
Heimat New York, Mamaroneck, NY; 16-24% abv, $30/375ml or $15/100ml

It's easy to lose track of
time while reading through
Drinking French (Ten Speed
Press, 2020; $28). The
latest from pastry chef and
writer David Lebovitz, it's a
gorgeous glimpse into café
and bar culture in France.
Lebovitz explains the rules
governing when and how
to drink a café express,
and how to make a citron
pressé; he also advises on
the best spirits to seek out on a French café backbar, and what to do
with them. It's all great inspiration to book the next flight to Paris...
or just to relax at home: Lebovitz is as adept at mixing up a drink as
he is at gougères, and provides recipes for both (and much more), so
you can drink French wherever you are. -R.D.T.

An Etna Guide
Mount Etna has captured the imaginations of professionals and wine drinkers more than any other Italian wine
region in the past ten years, yet the modern phase of Etna winemaking began just a few decades ago, and useful
information has been hard to come by. That's no longer the case with The New Wines of Mount Etna: An Insider's
Guide to the History and Rebirth of a Wine Region (Gemelli Press; $25). Author Benjamin North Spencer's perspective
is that of an intellectually curious American winemaker who fell in love Etna and relocated to the region seven years
ago. He tells Etna's story with the authority of an insider, describing the local grape varieties, climate, soils, farming
and winemaking methods in enough detail for a wine professional while avoiding overly technical jargon. Along the
way, he drops personal insights and snippets of conversations with producers that give a vivid sense of the place
and its people. Spencer also provides an exceptionally useful section on planning winery visits. In it, he groups
producers geographically, an important consideration when only a couple of narrow roads will take you from one
side of the volcano to the other, and includes contact information and a summary of the wines on offer at each.
The book is a fascinating read and an indispensable resource for anyone who is planning a visit-or who dreams of
visiting this magical place. -STEPHANIE JOHNSON

The fast-casual chain Dig has raised the bar for vegetable-centric dining
with 232 Bleecker, its first full-service restaurant. Suzanne Cupps, formerly
of Untitled at the Whitney, is in the kitchen, spinning out creative takes
on seasonal produce (the charred cauliflower with sunflower butter and
concord grape jam had a cult following this winter); Theo Lieberman,
formerly of NYC's wine bar Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, matches
the food with a French-leaning list heavy in grower Champagne, plus
interesting outliers, such as a savagnin from McLaren Vale's Yeti & the
Kokonut or Azienda Agricola Sofia's nerello mascalese. -ALLISON BART
232 Bleecker, 232 Bleecker St., NYC; 646-905-5800, 232bleecker.com

WINE & SPIRITS

APRIL 2020

PHOTO OF 232 BLEECKER BY EVAN SUNG

NYC: 232 BLEECKER

http://newyorkcraftspirits.com http://www.232bleecker.com

Wine & Spirits - April 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - April 2020