Tria
123 S. 18th Street
(215) 972-TRIA
www.triacafe.com
If you must choose one subject in which to beat the curve this semester, why not make it wine? Ditch the bookworms and be amongst the earthworms for one last summer picnic, with an assiduously chosen wine, of course.
And who better to consult than Michael McCaulley, wine director at Tria, whose wine, cheese and beer syllabi are as clever as any in town?
He recommends the 2006 Schloss Gobelsburg Grner Veltliner ($9.50 a glass at Tria), describing it as "all white pepper, exotic fruit and spice." I agree wholeheartedly - this is as gregarious a Grner Veltliner as you will find, especially at a retail price of only $14 a bottle. Grner Veltliner, Austria's flagship white grape, is very in vogue with sommeliers, who have discovered its compatibility with a range of cuisines and dishes.
Michael pairs it with nuts, veggies, fruit and the less pungent cheeses on Tria's menu, which in essence is a glorified picnic. Better still, the Schloss Gobelsburg is bottled with a Stelvin closure (a.k.a. screwcap), ideal for picnic portability.
