Étraire at Traif NY
Ever heard of Étraire? IGP Isère?
Me neither until this week!
This week, I had dinner with a friend at Traif in Williamsburg, and their wine list is something else. The restaurant features a diverse selection of natural wines and under-the-radar regions and varieties, such as Lacrosse from Wisconsin, Mauzac Noir from Gaillac and Rubinet/Sevar from the Czech Republic, and at accessible prices that make it quite tempting to go out on a limb and try something you never had before.
Not to knock Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, but my thinking is that if you have the opportunity to try something new that you can't usually find in a wine store or restaurant, you should go for it!
Pont de Brion 2020 by Domaine Jérémy Bricka
My friend and I pulled the trigger on a bottle of the "Pont de Brion" 2020 by Domaine Jérémy Bricka from IGP Isère. Listed in the “chilled red wine” category on the wine list, the wine was juicy, fresh and with only 12% ABV, a solid summer sipper for a dinner out in Traif's backyard patio.
Where’s IGP Isère?
IGP Isère is located in Eastern France in between Savoie and the Rhône Valley. There are no AOC level vineyards within the IGP.
What’s Étraire?
Étraire de l'Adui (also commonly known as Étraire) is a rare black grape that is native to the French Alps and now found almost exclusively in Savoie and the Rhône Valley.
Domaine Jérémy Bricka
After working at Guigal for 8 years, Jérémy Bricka founded Domaine Jérémy Bricka in the Rhône-Alpes and has focused on replanting rare indigenous varieties. The vineyards of Domaine Jérémy Bricka are certified organic, and the wines are made in neutral vessels, with low added sulfur and are vegan.
Traif, the Restaurant
“Traif” or “treif” apparently means “unkosher” in Yiddish, and the restaurant under chef Jason Marcus really leans into their diverse pork and seafood dishes to back up the name.
In addition to their a la carte options, Traif offers a fabulous $55 rotating tasting menu of 11 courses inspired by various types of cuisine from around the world in a way that feels quintessentially New York.
My favorite courses were:
Dayboat scallops, porcini risotto, summer herbs, tomato lemon-brown butter
Heritage pork “filet mignon”, paprika fries, aioli, blue cheese, smoked steak sauce
Fresh baby corn tempura, green curry aioli, Thai herbs
Spicy bigeye tuna tartare, tempura Japanese eggplant, kecap manis
The prices are unbelievable for the quality and quantity you get with the ambience. Fairy lights adorn real grapevines that are planted around the outdoor patio, and combined with the excellent food and wine, this is casual fine dining done right - relaxed, unpretentious and intimate.
After watching BEC prices skyrocket to a scary $9 per bagel sandwich here in NYC, I’ve been mourning the loss of my weekend morning BEC ritual, but Traif is that bright spot in the New York restaurant world where great food and intriguing wine at accessible prices and cool ambience continue to live on.
Want to learn more about the wine or Traif? Check out these links here:
https://www.jeremybricka.fr/
https://www.standrewswine.co.uk/products/domainejeremybrickaetrairedeladuipontdebrion
https://wineanorak.com/2021/01/29/jeremy-bricka-natural-alpine-wines-from-old-varieties-in-a-re-born-wine-region/
https://traifny.com/
Traif NY
229 South 4th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
