($8, Evaton, Inc): The sommelier at Aldea, a splendid Portuguese/Spanish restaurant in Manhattan, introduced me to this wine, at $10 a glass (plus tax and tip).  Was I outraged when I discovered its average retail price of $8 a bottle?  Emphatically, no.  The sommelier did his job — introducing me to a wine with which I was unfamiliar and whose green apple-like edginess went beautifully with the appetizer of shrimp sautéed in olive oil and garlic.  I’m happy to pay for that kind of advice and guidance.  A bit too strident to sip alone as an aperitif, this low-alcohol (11%) Vinho Verde is perfect for cutting through spiced Asian fare or to accompany a hearty Mediterranean fish stew.  Now that I know the price, I’m buying a case to combat August’s heat and humidity.
88 Michael Apstein Aug 5, 2014