On the rack: Eric Asimov

Adam Morganstern photo credit: Adam Morganstern

What’s on your wine rack at the moment?

A lot of dry Italian whites. I’ve been really interested in Fiano di Avellino recently; dry Rieslings; an occasional dry white from southern Chile, California or Oregon. Much of what I drink is dictated by stories I’m working on, so can be out of my hands.

Where do you keep your wine?

Everywhere. I’m in a New York apartment and I have three wine fridges, plus racks on any outside walls that are not heated. I also have friends who let me keep wine at their places. It’s a typical New York story – you find space where you can.

How did you become interested in wine?

I visited France for the first time at age 14. This was the early 1970s, and in the US there were a lot of TV dinners and frozen foods. France exposed me to great ingredients and serious cooking. It opened my mind to how good food could be and made me want to have that experience over and over. As I got older, I added wine to that equation.

Who’s a memorable person with whom you’ve enjoyed a glass of wine?

Hugh Johnson. I first sat next to him at a wine dinner in the early 1990s. I don’t think there’s anybody who has better described the sensations of enjoying wine without descending into cliches.

Name a wine you’d love to try

I’ve never had a ’47 Château Cheval Blanc. Domaine Leroy is one of those grand cru wines where I’ve had a taste, but I would love to sit down with a bottle and just experience it over time. I’ve had a glass of Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, Le Musigny, but a bottle would be a great thing.

Favourite wine for a special occasion?

For celebratory meals I like a progression of wines, so we’ll start with something sparkling. Burgundy will be involved if it’s not too exorbitant. It’s getting harder to afford Chambolles or any of the great Côte de Nuits. But there are so many good up-and-coming producers from Savigny-lès-Beaune or the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune that it’s like an endless series of discoveries.

Where do you buy your wines?

There are a lot of great retail shops in New York, such as Chambers Street Wines, Astor Wines, Flatiron Wines. I order online, for delivery. This is New York – I don’t have a car and there’s nowhere to park anyway.

Favourite restaurant pairings?

I’m always exploring new places. New York restaurants are doing a great job with wine but it’s really hard to find good bottles under $100 any more. I’m not talking about Michelin-starred restaurants – I’m talking about restaurants that purport to be ‘neighbourhood places’. But there are also pizza places in New York that have great lists of natural wines.

Your classic dinner party dish and wine combination?

Meat lasagna – but without béchamel. I don’t like béchamel. I have developed my own recipe, which you can find in The New York Times. Served with a Chianti Classico.

Your go-to wines for snacks and watching TV?

For the most part, I drink wine with meals, but if I have a yen for something like Marcona almonds, I’ll pick a good Sherry. I’m often in the mood to drink sparkling wine: Champagne, German Sekt, or one of the many great sparkling wines from Italy, Oregon or California.

Favourite supermarket wines?

Even if supermarkets in New York were permitted to sell wine, I wouldn’t be shopping in them. There are relatively inexpensive wines that I like. Lambert de Seyssel makes a sparkling wine that’s excellent. Raventós i Blanc is a wonderful source of inexpensive Cava. Viña Zorzal from Navarra in Spain makes a beautiful Garnacha that’s generally around $14. I drink so eclectically that I will never have a house wine, but if I did, it would probably be a box wine. They’ve gotten much better and are really good value.

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