JustJess knows where…… to the Gala Event in New York City for Michel Legrand, who has won three Oscars and five Grammys and has been nominated for an Emmy. Does “Windmills of your Mind” bring back any memories? For me,Sinner Man and the museum scene from Thomas Crown Affair is one of the best ever! Do you know the scene?

JustJess  shared great wine with the celebrities and stars at this screening of the new documentary on Michel this past month. Oh Sinner Man, where you gonna run to?

When in NYC, you go all out. That means brunching in a penthouse overlooking all of NYC and Brooklyn with great family, friends and of course, delicious wine. I did just that at my Aunt’s amazing NYC pad this past weekend.

Since we had a breath taking view of Brooklyn from the terrace, we decided to go with a Brooklyn Oenology Viognier first. This was not the best Viognier I’ve had, yet not the worst. The wine had delightful floral, honeysuckle and peach aromas, finishing with a rose/stone mineral flavor that was very light and refreshing.

A little while later, one of the neighbors across the street yelled over what are you drinking just as we were popping the Prosecco. He too was in a Prosecco state of mind;this seems to be the buzz word of the summer !

This Italian Villa Jolanda Extra Dry Prosecco was a winner, and don’t forget the smiley face on the cork; that’s a sure fire conversation starter ! At less than $15 this is a must try with it’s fresh aromatic floral and citrus notes, and a dry yet lush finish with a hint of peach.  A great aperitif wine, and it went perfectly with my famous antipasto , tomato salad and grilled chicken.

Take a look at WCTV sipping away the perfect NYC summer afternoon!

Cheers,

Jessica Altieri

The Jersey Shore show is back and I just happened to be in the Garden State for the premiere. That meant dinner could only consist of a few things- Italian food, antipasto, cannoli and great wine.  No Snooki sightings!

All these things and more are found at the American Bistro. American Bistro is the Italian hot spot to visit when in Nutley, New Jersey. An Antipasto plate filled with mozzarella, peppers, olives, pepperoni, salami, provolone, mushrooms, zucchini and more hits the table before you even get a a menu! Now that’s my kind of place. I met with Kenny Mahon, the chef and owner, who’s been there for over 15 years .

To start, I always go with the pasta fagioli, it’s the best. For the main course, the pork chops are literally the size of your head and the pasta dishes are so large you have to ask for half size orders unless you an NFL player. I knew I wanted some white fish, so I went with a crisp, yet smooth New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Matua Valley to start that was delicious with my tilapia. The bright citrus and grapefruit aromas, were complimented wonderfully by the crisp palate with a hint of oak. At around $6 a glass, this was a great find.

When I found out later from Kenny that this spot was frequented by members of the Soprano show, I really knew I found a winner!

Watch WineChannelTV in action getting ready for the Jersey Shore MTV Premiere while at this New Jersey Italian  hot spot!

Cheers,

Jessica Altieri

WineChannelTV attended the “Serata Friulana” dinner at Le Cirque restaurant in NYC for Vino2010 and captured the highlights on video for all

The dinner was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Udine (Friuli Venezia Giulia ) and the Italian Trade Commission-ICE.

The room was filled with Friuli winemakers pouring their finest. Le Cirque chefs were cooking away to compliment the wines a in a buffet-style manner. I had high hopes of the cuisine at Le Cirque, but unfortunately Le Cirque did not live up to them.

If anything I would head back for a glass of vino, their wine cellar was amazing!

The event was a wonderful display of Friuli, just another hidden region of Italy, that many people should take the time to learn about.

Watch WineChannelTV and JustJess speak with Wine Expert/Writer Michael Apstein and others to see their take on the event!

And I want to know, have you tried a wine from Friuli and how was the experience? Mine was memorable!

Cheers!

J

New York City get ready.

Just Jess and the WineChannelTV team are headin to the big apple from Feb 2-6th.

WCTV will be at the Waldorf-Astoria for the VINO2010 Italian Wine Week Convention. This happens to be the largest Italian wine event in the US.

At VINO2010, WineChannelTV will also be attending the Meet & Greet -VINO2010 DIRECT program. Here a huge selection of wines from over 100 different producers will be available for the FIRST time in the US!

WCTV will be there every step of the way giving you a backstage pass, doing live video streams, and maybe getting a glass or two !

Cheers and Stay Tuned!

J

It was the day after Christmas and all thru the ……..airport, Vino Volo was calling, JustJess is in the house! If you happen to get stuck at Newark Airport, here’s the place to go!

And The Christmas Cab flight I had in order from my video was the ZD Winery Cab Sauv, Napa Valley 06, the Australian Plantagenet Cab Sauv 04, and my favorite out of the bunch the Chilean Vina Quebrada de Macul Cab. Sauv. 04 from the Domus Aurea region. Enjoy that baby with a nice steak diane to really bring out the juiciness of the vino!

Cheers!