Haley.Henry

CorkRules Script

Haley Henry

 

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!

I’m your host Robert Tas along with Hanna Lauerman General Manager of Haley Henry Wine Bar in Downtown Boston.

 

Hi Haley, thanks for being here on CorkRules, - a podcast where we help simplify and demystify the wine lists at some of our favorite restaurants and wine bars. We talk with certified sommeliers, wine/food professionals who point out interesting bottles, classic food and wine pairings, hidden gems, value wines, or splurge wines that will take your our experience over the top.

 

HL: Thank you so excited to be here.

 

RT: Before we get started, please tell us a little about you?

HL: I’ve worked in restaurants for about ten years. I actually used to come to Haley Henry as a guest while I was working at Yvonne’s around the corner, and I was so impressed with how they presented these really unique natural wines and told the winemaker’s stories in such an engaging way. Haley told me she was opening another restaurant in the Fenway and I asked if I could join the team. Four years later here I am back at HH.

 

RT:  Haley Henry Wine Bar has been requested by one of our listeners. Thank you, Allison. As I was checking you guys out, I loved your description:

it is a magical place, where laughs are had, plans are made, and neighbors come together to toast one another's health. It is meant to educate, to inspire & to introduce new wines and experiences to whomever walks through the door.

 

Not to mention you all curate responsibly sourced/natural/small production wine producers.

 

So, Hanna, tell us a little about Haley Henry Wine bar.

 

HL: So, we are super small, twenty-two seats, which makes the bar really intimate. One thing I love about Haley Henry is we have so many regulars, sometimes it starts to feel like a dinner party. We might be playing Biggie or Cardi B depending on the day. Our goal is to find the balance between bringing knowledge and expertise to every table without it feeling stuffy or boring. When you told me about the idea behind your podcast, I thought we had a lot in common!

 

RT: Sounds fantastic, my kind of place. Let’s pivot to your every changing wine list. As I looked at your list you have some very cool stuff. Tell us about it.

 

HL: So, with the list we always want to have a balance of really interesting nerdy stuff and things that are approachable for folks who might be new to the world of natural wine. I think it’s important to show that natural wine can also present in a really classic and elegant way. Someone might come in looking for a Sauvignon Blanc because that’s what they’re used to ordering and they see we don’t have one. Well maybe they try the Bodegas Albamar Albarino, and they realize they also love Albarino. Or alternately maybe they decide to try something they’ve never had before, like the Koukos Sidiritis. That’s an orange wine from Greece, so for many people who come in it’s a whole bunch of things they’ve never had before, but it’s light and floral and really approachable, so then they get to leave thinking, Wow, I like orange wine and I like Greek wine and I learned something new about myself today.

 

RT: Very cool. I look getting exposed to new, smaller producers. Anything on your list that’s a must try?

 

HL: One thing I really love right now is the Forlorn Hope Abandoned Bicycle. This is from Matthew Rorick in California, Calaveras County. It’s 100% Muscat, hand-picked and foot stomped and aged on neutral oak for a year. Then the winemaker cellared it for five years, from 2017 to 2022. He compares it to an abandoned bicycle chained to a fence that someone already stole the wheels and seat off of. It’s less floral and aromatic than typical Muscat and more acid- and mineral-driven. They only made 47 cases so it does feel kind of extra-special to me, and I love the Forlorn Hope story.    

pause

I also have to mention the Ellison Estate Vin de Table. This is from Stowe, Vermont, and I always want to talk up these East Coast wineries that are making cool and notable stuff. This bottle is a blend of wines hybridized for Vermont, which is why they’re calling it a table wine, but it’s so much more than that. The winemakers, Kendra and Rob Kapnik, were mentored by Deirdre Heekin of La Garagista, which is like THE success story of natural wine in Vermont. Ellison Estate was founded in 2018 when the two of them bought an abandoned vineyard in Grand Island. Previous to winemaking, Kendra was a veterinary oncologist and Rob was a particle physicist. This wine is earthy and moody with herbal forest floor notes alongside ripe cherry. More East Coast wine!  

 

RT: Awesome. How about something off the beaten path. Help push me palate?

 

HL: Oh, for winter I am so excited to be serving the PANK pet-nat. I know it’s not exactly pet nat season but that winemaker is all about doing things his own way. They have these very cool graphic labels that invoke a punk rock aesthetic, and the winemaker Atilla Palffy cites that as part of his inspiration. So, this is an unfined, unfiltered pet nat from Hungary, 100% pinot noir. It’s super cloudy in the bottle and you can expect your last glass to be a totally different color from your first. Despite its appearance it’s super crushable, strawberry, cranberry, and a softer bubble. If you order a sparkling Pinot Noir expecting Blanc de Noir Champagne, this is really going to be a surprise at the table. 

 

RT: Fabulous. How about if I’m celebrating something special?

 

HL: For winter and for the holidays I guess I have to talk about some reds! We just received a case of the L’Incaunais from Claude and Etienne Courtois. It is 100% Gascon from the Loire Valley. Gascon is actually another name for Mondeuse and at Haley Henry we have a saying, “Bye Mondeuse,” as in something so delicious it’s going to walk itself out the door. This is definitely a baller wine; the production is super limited and we were only able to get one case. Claude is the father and has never used any type of chemical pesticide, fertilizer, or herbicide in his vineyard. His son is taking over now as he is getting older. The Gascon is light-bodied but very complex with a higher acid and lots of strawberry, cranberry, slightly tart notes. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes Pinot Noir but wants to explore something new.

 

RT: Those are fabulous suggestions. Hanna, it has been a pleasure to talk with you about Haley Henry’s wine bar and its fabulous wine list. I will be definitely stopping by on my next visit to Boston.

 

To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.

 

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.

 

We are looking 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 or wherever you get your podcasts.

 

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

 

Cheers