Tcherga Wines
Though it has been about 20 years since the Berlin Wall came down and the Iron Curtain lifted, and we’ve been eating Asian food since we were young kids, there’s still plenty of mystery to uncover when it comes to the food and drink from these regions. In this month’s edition of Taste This we’re exploring wine from Bulgaria and getting some tips on Asian dining.
When’s the last time a wine merchant came into your restaurant offering you wine from Bulgaria and you turned him down because your wine list is already cluttered with mavruds and dimyats and rubins? Hmmm… we’re guessing never. So now, as we enter a brand new era in politics and guests are focusing on quality and value over overpriced trophy wines, it is the perfect opportunity to give your wine list a refresh. You can do that with Tcherga.
The name Tcherga refers to Bulgaria’s famed hand-woven carpets that unite the country’s most vibrant colors into a single, striking object of art and similarly, these handcrafted (by a woman) wines weave together familiar varietals with indigenous Bulgarian grapes.
The Iron Curtain lifted to reveal a centuries old winemaking culture in Bulgaria that dates back to the Thracians. Who knew?! Not us. But we sure are glad we discovered it. According to Brad Coughlin, V.P. Sales Director of Wines, Imperial Brands, Inc., “Winemaking as we know it today in Bulgaria began to grow in the 20s and 30s, in co-ops. There was mass production in the ‘60s and ‘70s – primarily on reds that were distributed to the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries. In the 1980’s technology came their way and they started producing good, quality wines and expanded their distribution base beyond their communistic neighbors.” He continues, “The fall of the Iron Curtain allowed them to switch from state run to private. And from that point forward Bulgaria found their way into other countries and got recognition.”
At Food & Beverage Magazine we think this recognition is well deserved. Beyond being a value at roughly $6.00 per bottle cost to you, thereby allowing for a great source of additional revenue particularly in by the glass programs, Tcherga wines on your list make for great dialogue with customers.
Unlike almost any other wines we’ve tasted recently, these Bulgarians have a duality in the bottle that offers a wine with drastic, yet pleasing character depending on how long it has aerated. The Merlot/Rubin blend (70%-30%) for instance starts off as a slightly tight and acidic red that then opens up to reveal itself as a lush, jammy pour. And Coughlin expects that the Mavrud (Bulgaria’s prize grape) will put Bulgaria on the wine map just like Malbec did for Argentina. If you want to pour your guests something new and exciting Tcherga wines are the place to start.
Currently Tcherga is available in NY, NJ, IL, PA, and CT. By the end of ’09 expect to be able to find it in DE, MI, MD, OH, VA, MA, FL, GA, NC, SC, TN, MN, WI, ID, TX, LA, CA, OR, WA, CO, AZ, and NV.
For more information about Tcherga, go to www.ibrandsinc.com.
Asian Dining Rules
Essential strategies for eating out at Japanese, Chinese, Southeast Asian, Korean, and Indian Restaurants
By Steven A. Shaw
Sure, you can order General Tso’s chicken and egg rolls with the best of them. But do you really know how to get the house specialties and off-menu (or Asian people’s menu) items at your local Asian restaurant? Well, after reading this book by Steven Shaw you won’t be simply picking one from Column A and one from Column B anymore!
Shaw, author of insider dining guide Turning the Tables, has recently released his sophomore effort – and it is another great tool for dining out like an expert. The dedication in the front of the book is to his late father, Peter Shaw, “who taught me how to dine” and, in Shaw’s words, “for all those who came from Asia to the new world looking for a better life.” But really, the book is for you. This dedicated effort by Shaw will provide all of us, hungry for the best Asian food we can find, the proper tools to do so.
Beginning with an eye opening appreciation for Chinese food in his pre-teen years Shaw digs inside the menus and traditions of Asian restaurants to illuminate the best ways to enjoy your dining experience whether you’re a novice at selecting sushi or wield your chopsticks like a pro. With chapters like “Sushi Is My Wife: A history with swords and half-bird men” and “Dim Sum Survival Guide”, the culinary history comes to life, making your next trip to an Asian restaurant that much more enjoyable. Each chapter in the book is dedicated to a particular region of Asian cuisine, including Japanese, Chinese, Southeast Asian, Korean, and Indian and Shaw highlights ways to enjoy the native foods whether you’re just sampling it for the first time or well on your way to throwing a huge feast for a group of hungry Asian families.
Dig in!
