2014 Quinta do Regueiro Alvarinho Trajadura 750 ml

2014 Quinta do Regueiro Alvarinho Trajadura — NYC's Best Under-$15 White

If you're as paleo-minded as we've become, there's nothing quite like the charcuterie spread at Bar Boulud. Daniel's Pâté-Grand Mère, Pâté-Grand Père, and Poulet Aux Agrumes offer up a delicious mix of protein and healthy fats. The requisite pile of salade frisée in the center of the cutting board provides texture and crispness.

Still, it was the smoky, clean-cut saltiness of the Jamon Iberico that had us reaching for what may well be the most meticulously selected wine list in New York City.

Michael Madrigale, Wine Enthusiast's #1 Sommelier in America, is the son of a Philadelphia butcher. As a result, charcuterie is in Michael's blood. On a 20-page wine list dotted with Grand Cru Burgundy and Bordeaux, Madrigale pays as much attention to his “little wines” as his classics.

Each Tuesday at 5 p.m., dozens of salesmen descend on Bar Boulud, all toting sample bottles. Madrigale, while always polite and gregarious, is ruthless on Daniel's tasting table. He swirls and tastes out of Zalto Universal stemware, evaluating dozens of bottles in less than a half hour. The salesmen wait patiently. A placement is worth a small fortune. All understand, however, that placements are tough to come by.

When Madrigale spotted us in the dining room, he did as he always does. Big smile. Despite his celebrity, making himself oh-so-small. As the waiter set down the charcuterie board, Michael disappeared in a flash — only to return a couple minutes later. We'd never seen nor even heard of the wine he quietly uncorked. The sommelier to the Upper West Side bourgeoisie wouldn't have it any other way.

As Michael poured this brilliant greenish-gold white, he turned on the charm, eloquently describing one of the least expensive wines on the list with the same passion he'd impart to a discussion of the empty magnum of La Tâche standing on the bar.

“We're in Portugal, guys. But if you taste this wine blind, you might put it in the central Loire. Maybe even Alsace. The variety is Alvarinho, common to Vinho Verde. The secret to growing Alvarinho is in first controlling yields and then picking at the optimal moment. Pick too early and you lose the richness, weight, and mineral complexity. Pick too late and the acids drop out. Regueiro is the region's superstar. Old school, yet innovative — no CO2 and one month of bâtonnage. The 2014 was the walk-off winner at the 5 p.m. Shootout. I'm buying 30 cases a week! What do you think?”

As always, the #1 Sommelier in America made no mistake.

Brilliant green-gold. Mouthwatering aromas of green apple, pear, and quince, bright and piercing. Unusually rich and weighty yet chiseled and almost saline on the attack, filled with a racy, slightly briny mix of apple, Anjou pear, and anise, finishing with FANTASTIC vibrancy and crispness — first accentuating the saltiness of Chef Daniel Boulud's Iberico ham, then cutting the smoke, salt, and fat like a knife.

Robert Parker shared Michael Madrigale's enthusiasm for this stunning white. The Wine Advocate wrote: “This is quite a bargain. Showing fine fruit and projecting a fresh feel… fine crispness and some tension on the finish, with a little zing of lemon. … shows beautifully and it is not in any way short on acidity.”

$15/glass per bottle at Bar Boulud and worth every dime. Just $13/bottle today on WineAccess. You make the call. Just 1,200 bottles are up for grabs.