CorkRules - Episodes | Junoon Junoon

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About this Episode

Certified sommelier Cecilia Bonet and Robert Tas navigate the wine list of Junoon, an Indian restaurant located in Union Square. This elegant restaurant provides the best of east and west with traditional Indian cuisine and a wine list curated to pair well with the exotic spices and flavors. This Michelin Star restaurant has won the “Award of Excellence” from Wine Spectator every year since opening in 2010.

Wines reviewed include:

NV Chartogne-Taillet, Brut Rosé
2019 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben, Kabinett, Ürziger Würzgarten
2015 Domaine du Pegau, Cuvée da Capo, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Transcript: Junoon

JUNOON – NEW YORK

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!

A podcast where we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I’m your host Robert Tas along with Cecilia Bonet, certified sommelier.

It’s great to be back together again for another episode.

CB: Hey Robert! Happy to be here :)

RT Before we jump in, let’s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules to demystify wine lists because we know from experience, that those lists can sometimes be intimidating, and even a little daunting.

Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list with confidence, find those hidden gems, value wines or that special bottle that will take your dining experience over the top.

RT: So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

Today we are talking about a sophisticated Indian restaurant located in the Union Square/Flat Iron area -Junoon which in Hindi means passion. Serving modern high-end yet authentic Indian food, in an elegant setting with a killer wine list to boot.

Cecilia, I’m excited to hear you take on their wine list?

Top Level View

Superb selection of wine by the glass, from quality to variety. The offer of Half bottles and Magnums are also great!

The wine list is very well structured which makes it easy to read it. It is extensive and offers many interesting options.

It has an Incredible variety, believe me, if there is something you are looking for, you will most likely find it here.

RT: So, I personally never feel comfortable pairing Indian food, where shall we start?

Unique Stuff

Robert, before I recommend the gems of this wine list, let me say that It is not always easy to choose wines, much less when we want to pair them with cuisine such as the Indian.

The elements to consider when pairing Indian food are the spices, the sauce and the seasoning. We are talking about very aggressive spices such as cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, ginger and garlic. In these cases, the beverage must take a secondary role in the complexity of the spices.

But our goal would be finding a wine that stands up to these flavors. And here are some suggestions to keep in mind…

The NV Chartogne-Taillet, Brut Rosé is a delicate champagne from a small family estate, sourced from just 11 hectares of vineyards growing in the Montagne de Reims. The lower the alcohol, the better it will pair with spicy dishes. Choosing sparkling wines can be refreshing, because It helps to neutralize the heat, and I love the cleansing effect of the bubbles.

This wine pairs especially well with the Saloni Maachi.

RT: Excellent suggestions but folks like me who love our reds?

For those of you who prefer a red wine, I found the 2016 Antica Terra, Coriolis, produced in Dundee Hills, Oregon. It is a Pinot Noir with character but still velvety, created in one of the best vintages of the region, from a pretty small winery and led by Maggie Harrison, winemaker. My suggested pairing would be the Mushroom & Truffle Khichdi.

RT: Terrific, did you see any great value wines on their list?

Value Wines

I would say that the 2019 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben, Kabinett, Ürziger Würzgarten, from Mosel. This Kabinett, or better said off-dry German Riesling, is very versatile with species because of its sweetness. The residual sugar in wine helps to coat our tongues and calm some of the heat we feel from our spicy favorites. A good pairing it could be the Malvani Fish. The fruity notes and bright acidity of the wine help to carry the spices in the dish and balance its richness.

RT: All right this seems like a list with a lot of choice, what about for the special occasion or big client dinner?

Bigger budget/Special Occasion

I’d love to recommend the 1999 Château Musar, which is a Cabernet Sauvignon Blend from Lebanon. Chateau Musar is located in Bekaa Valley, 24 km from Beirut, where the wine culture goes more than 6,000 years back.

The 1999 Musar delivers a level of elegance, harmony and energy that makes it a brilliant vintage for this wine. The '99 has explosive notes of spice, herbs and dark fruits, but with soft tannins. The 1999 is destined to be one of the great Musars.

But if you have a chance in your life to taste an emblematic wine, I wish you a chance to drink the 2015 Domaine du Pegau, Cuvée da Capo, Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Made only in exceptional vintages, the Cuvée da Capo is a powerful, deeply nuanced wine with fruit and earth complexities. Black-cherry and red-plum flavors with some smoke and fur. It's soft and silky on the palate yet composed.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the appellation which sits towards the bottom of the Rhône Valley, close to the border of Provence, and the name means “pope’s new castle”.

This wine is not only unique because of its character, and its history, but also because it is one of the few Chateauneuf that still makes the blend with its 13 permitted grape varieties, but mostly Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. It is a lovely option as this wine,

These two wines for example would go very well with a lamb chops dish.

RT: Cecilia, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Junoon’s wine list.

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 and we will do our best to get it in the queue as quickly as possible.

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.

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

Thank you.

End