Steak Frites & Luberon

On Election Day—one of the most stunningly beautiful and shockingly warm November days in NYC— I decided to take a creative day ahead of what would undoubtedly be a crazy end of the week.

I started by checking out some fabulous exhibits at the New York Historical Society: Pets and the City; Real Clothes, Real Lives: 200 Years of What Women Wore, the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection; and Enchanting Imagination: The Objets d’Art of André Chervin and Carvin French Jewelers.

I finished my adventurous morning as any good sommelier would do, with an outdoor table at Nice Matin, a French restaurant on the Upper West Side, whose storied wine list includes the Kennedy Collection from the Carlyle Hotel. Not one to tie one on at lunch on a Tuesday, but always ready for a good meal, I thumbed through the massive wine list and ordered the steak frites and a glass of the Luberon, Château La Canorgue Provence 2022.

A beautiful blend of Syrah and Grenache, the Luberon was young, violet in color, with a slightly dusty scent of dry leaves. It had a hint of herbs that was delicious with my rosemary french fries, and a bit of braised beef that just sang with the steak. It was medium to full bodied, but not too heavy with fresh blackberry, cassis and a touch of old vines.

Next time you’re deciding whether to take that lunch outside with a glass of wine? Do it.

Next time you need a reasonably priced delicious red with meat? Luberon is just $16.90 at Saratoga Wine Exchange.

Chin!