Category: Press Clippings

Tom Wark’s List of 20 Things Every Wine Lover Should Do

Originally published on April 15, 2009.

I try not to be one of those bloggers that just points to other blogger’s posts. But occasionally, I come across one I want to share. From Tom Wark’s Fermentation, this is a list of 20 things every wine lover should do. I like it because it’s not terribly wine geeky and because many of the suggestions involve being better prepared to actually DRINK your wine (rather than just stare at all your fancy trophy bottles). And the #1 item on the list involves getting friendly with a great wine merchant*. Something I couldn’t agree with more!

*If you happen to be in needof a great wine merchant, I may know one.

Frankly Wines, Apatasgi Hungarian Tramini, and the New York Times

Originally published on February 21, 2009.

There’s this little paper you may have heard of…The New York Times? Every Sunday, wine writer Howard Goldberg features a wine under $20 in the City section. This week he features one of the Frankly Wines favorites…the Pannonhalmi Apatsagi Pinceszet Tramini. And he mentions Frankly Wines as the place to get it!

For Mr. Goldberg’s view, checkout his column here.

He calls it a knockout, and we’re inclined to agree. Winning plenty of obscurity points, the Apatsagi is a Gewurztraminer from Hungary. It also wines points on flavor, refreshingingness, bottle coolness, and affordability. How many points? Let’s say 1,328.695.

That’s a lot of points for $12.99!

People Love the Corks!

Originally published on February 4, 2009.

This is a little after the fact, but check out Dr. Vino’s post on Frankly Wines and the increasingly famous cork wall. There’s a picture included if you haven’t actually seen the cork wall live and in person. Just ignore the boxes piled in front of the counter, and various piles of stuff on the counter, the empty bottles sitting behind the counter…..obviously my art director was out to lunch.

The Most Quoted Man in the Wine Business?

Originally published on December 30, 2008.

Paul Grieco is a co-owner/wine director at Hearth, Insieme, and his very cool wine bar Terrior. Terrior has one of those wine lists that wine people can spend hours reading. This “reading of the wine list” activity can often be extremely annoying to the dining companions (a.k.a the husband) of certain wine people. This is because most wine lists are exactly that – just big lists of wines. Not so at Terrior – Mr. Grieco’s list is fun, or at least not completely boring, for non-wine people to read. There are pictures and stories and cool fonts, and it’s all bound up in a three-hole punch binder with graffiti scribbles on the front. And the last time I was there, it included an entire page on Chateau Musar, which is the way straight to my heart. So wine people can pour over the actual list, while the non-wine-people-husbands are reading the other stuff.

But I digress.

  • Mr. Grieco may be the most quoted person in the wine business today. At least the New York wine business. He was quoted by Eric Asimov in last week’s The New York Times “Dining” section. This is when it occurred to me I had seen his name a lot over the past year. And then there he was again, in this week’s “Dining” section, quoted in an article on Sherry by Florence Fabricant. That sealed the deal. Twice in the same publication in one week and a day. If this rate maintains, we’ll see Paul Grieco quotes 52 times in 2009. Which wouldn’t be a bad thing – his quotes are pretty good…quite “quotable”.

New Year’s Resolution #1? To be quoted just once in the New York Times. Or even mentioned…quotes are not even required. Eric Asimov, Florence Fabricant…can you hear me?

Maybe it would help if I actually sent out a press release.

A NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: It took a while, but it happened. I’ve been mentioned and quoted in The New York Times more than I can count. OK, that’s a lie. I know exactly how many times I’ve been in the NYT:

  • The 2010 article about new, cool wine shops
  • Two different pieces about Serge Hochar and Chateau Musar during his 2012 tour
  • And finally, starting in 2014, six different Wines of the Times Tasting Panels

And you know what. It never gets old. It. Never. Gets. Old.

Frankly Wines is Zagat Rated!

Originally published on July 27, 2008.

So the 2009 New York City Gourmet Shopping & Entertainment Guide has hit the shelves. And my store is in it with a big ‘NEW’ next to it. Even better, I neither paid anyone nor asked anyone to write the review – it just happened. So in the name of shameless self-promotion, here’s the the review:

A “frakly fabulous addition to the neighborhood” according to locals, this new TriBeCa wine boutique uncorks a “small but thoughtfully selected” range of labels highlighting small producers and wines from the Southern Hemisphere (Australia and New Zealand, Argentina and Chile, etc.); those who’ve discovered it give a thumbs-up to the fair prices and “perfect recommendations” from its able staff.

2009 New York City Gourmet Shopping & Entertainment Guide

I couldn’t be more pleased with the review even if I had paid someone!

“Christy Frank” – I am a search term

Originally published on March 15, 2008.

Yes it’s probably obsessive, but I google my own name every so often. Actually, more than every so often. I just like to know what’s out there. I’ve already mentioned Peter Hellman’s article in the New York Sun, which featured my shop. I thought that was pretty exciting – but I just now realized that at least on the Sun web site, I am an actual search term with my very own hyperlink!

The New York Sun page that shows Christy Frank's name as a search term

Little things like this can make me happy.

Time to close!

Frankly Wines Gets Some…..Press!

A NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: I really wish more women in this industry (or any industry, really) would talk about their child care situations whether it simply involves juggling duties with your partner (or not), a nanny situation, blessedly nearby family, a great day care center, a network of friends or whatever. Many of us are lucky enough not to have to “do it all” by ourselves – and it’s not fair to let people think we do.

Originally published on March 5, 2008.

Check out the first press piece featuring the the shop – and me – in the NY Sun. It’s an abridged version of my life history in print – even makes mention of corn fields and wine coolers. Can’t beat that!

When I last stopped in, Ms. Frank had just delivered a case of wine to a Murray Street condo, even though she’s due to give birth to her third child in June. “I’ve still got a good month before I give up the hand truck,” she said. Blessed with a great nanny, she plans to be back at work within weeks. “Maternity leave has a whole different meaning when it’s your own business,” she says.

Peter Hellman, The New York Sun