Christos Steakhouse
RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules! A podcast where, in each episode, we will review a wine list from one of your favorite restaurants. I’m your
host Robert Tas along with Rachel Peacock, Sommelier and cellar worker helping to create some of your favorite wines from Washington state. Hey Rachel, welcome back to the show.
RP: Hi Robert! Thanks for having me.
RT: All right, today we’re doing a rundown on Christos Steakhouse in Astoria, Queens. They offer a traditional white tablecloth experience featuring USDA dry-aged cuts alongside some classic Greek and Mediterranean
fare. Rachel, any first impressions here?
RP: Sure, this menu looks great to me for a night that you want to indulge in some beautifully executed comfort food. And first glance at the wine list you have several of the usual suspects you’d expect from a steakhouse. I like how they distinguish themselves though with a nice selection of Greek wines to complement the cuisine.
RT: It’s nice to get out of the dichotomy of cabernet and red meat as the only steakhouse pairing.
RP: Right, this is a bit more adventurous and gives you an opportunity to try something different. I don’t have anything against that pairing either, but we want to try to
elevate your options.
RT: Absolutely, our audience is pretty savvy. We’ll get to the Greek wines in a minute, but can you briefly break down the rest of the list?
RP: Yes, there’s a few things I like about this list. Right away they give you a set of select Cabernets they’d recommend, and within that they include some lovely reserve bottles.
RT: So, there’s some range.
RP: Oh yeah, you could dine here and be perfectly happy with a $50 bottle of Greek wine or you could go with some really elevated and aged Bordeaux. If you want to keep it classic go for the
‘14 Joseph Phelps Insignia off their reserve list. It’s not reinventing the wheel, but this is exactly where a wine like this shines. This is an opulent cab heavy-Bordeaux blend that will sing with that Porterhouse.
RT: What if we want to branch out of cab territory, can you give us a few more options?
RP: Yeah, the Earthquake Zinfandel from Michael David is a really nice pairing with a variety of cuts, and goes especially well with lamb, pork or really anything with a char, so it’s a great option. This is from Zin country,
Lodi, and this 2017 vintage has scored really well but it’s still a value bottle. It has blackberry and strawberry notes and a lot of structure. This Zin also has a lot of spice, and thus makes it a versatile pick with this menu.
RT: That sounds like a great option.
What about for your more delicate cuts, like a filet?
RP: I have sommed at a steakhouse before, and it always made me want to cry when someone would order a
beautiful and delicate filet mignon next to some huge oaked Cabernet just because they thought that’s what they were supposed to do. And even though it’s my job to steer them away from that, you don’t always succeed. If you’re going to go for a really lean cut, try a Pinot Noir. Again, I’m not the first to give this advice but it works well for a pairing.
RT: What would you suggest?
RP: the ‘16 Les Cousins Pinot from Beaux Freres is the standout to me here. It has lovely black cherry notes and great acid structure with a subtle earthiness. Just a lovely wine that will complement a lot of the lighter
fair on this list.
RT: Great, and finally we need to at least touch on the Greek wine since it’s so prominent here...
RP: Totally, and there’s great options for both red and whites. Greece has a super-rich history within the wine world that we don’t have enough time to dive into the depth of, so I picked a great white to round out this list.
Christos has a variety of amazing seafood and we need a strong mineral-driven white. If you’re not super familiar with Greek wine, the ‘16 Gai’a Assyrtiko is a great introduction. This hails from Santorini and is one of the most recognized styles and regions. This wine is known for its lean character, possessing tropical fruit and lemon, and a bit of Mediterranean saltiness. The Gai’a offering here is a pretty meaty iteration at around 13% abv, it's less fruit-driven than some of its counterparts and has more pronounced minerality. So, we already know this is our pick for oysters and the whole Seafood bar. I’m craving this with the Saganaki though.
RT: Wow, that sounds incredible. What a great jumping-off point for this wide-ranging menu. Rachel, thanks once again for guiding us through some of the high
points of Christos’ list. If you would like us to review one of
your favorite restaurants, please send us email to: Info@corkrules.com or visit our web website where
we have a request form available and we will do our best to get it in the queue as quickly as possible.
We look forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime, please check out our website for other episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists. And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.
