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The Best of Wine & Chocolate ~

February 2, 2014 By

Join Us!

Knipschildt Chocolatier (CT Magazine's Best of CT for chocolate) and Wine Institute of New England (CT Magazine's Best of CT for wine appreciation) join forces to bring you the best of both worlds. Accompany us on a gustatory journey to tantalize the senses. The evening begins with chocolate-infused hors d'oeuvres and sparkling wine, followed by a guided pairing of wine and artisan chocolate from CT.

This event will be held at Chocopologie Cafe, 12 S. Main Street, Norwalk, CT 

February 5th, 2014 7:00-9:00 pm

$59/person Limited to 36 people. Advanced registration required.

Filed Under: Tastings & Events

Flights of Whites

January 19, 2014 By

Join Us

Saturday, February 1st, 2014

from 4:30-6:30 pm

for

Flights of Whites

This is not your same old Chardonnay! Come explore the wealth of choices from around the world available to white wine drinkers, including some less well-known but wonderfully delicious whites. We will also discuss white wine and food pairings.

at

The Crush Club

65 South Colony Street

Wallingford, CT

 

 

Filed Under: Tastings & Events

An Afternoon of Italian Wines

January 19, 2014 By

Thank you to everyone who participated in 

That's Amore! The Wines of Italy

We had a full house (actually, full winery) at The Crush Club!

Join us next month for Flights of Whites.

 

photo 5-10photo 1-14photo 3-14photo 2-14photo 4-10

Filed Under: Uncategorized

That’s Amore! The Wines of Italy

January 8, 2014 By

Join Us

Saturday, January 18th, 2014

from 3:00-5:00 pm

for

That's Amore! The Wines of Italy

Taste a sampling of what Italy has to offer. From Amarone to Barbera, Chianti to the Super Tuscans, Greco di Tufo and beyond, we will explore Italy's wealth of native grapes, and the winemaking traditions of the land of love.

at

The Crush Club

65 South Colony Street

Wallingford, CT

 

Filed Under: Tastings & Events

Twelve Nightcaps Before Christmas – The Re(night)cap with Afterword

December 26, 2013 By

The nightcaps we posted are good all year long

With any of these you will never go wrong

In case you missed one we’ve reposted them here

With one afterword, coming sometime next year…

imageEpilogue: Oktopusake Premium Junmai Sake, Connecticut

On the rare occasions I’m not drinking wine with sushi, I opt for sake instead. Sake is a perfect pairing with sushi and, since it is a rice wine, I can still call it research. I was very excited to learn that there is a local company working on perfecting their own sake. Oktopusake will soon be offering three varieties of their premium junmai sake to Connecticut consumers: Sun – a traditional dry sake; Moon – an unfiltered version (think milky white and slightly sweet); and Stars – a specialty reserve sake that will be as black as squid ink because it will be tinted with, well…squid ink! We will keep you posted on Oktopusake’s progress and are very much looking forward to seeing this new local product in Connecticut stores and restaurants in 2014.

 

 

Re(night)cap: One of the questions I encounter the most as a wine educator is “What’s your favorite wine?” I confess, it’s a question I’ve come to dread because I always feel like I’m disappointing the inquisitor. My answer usually goes something like this: “I don’t really have a favorite. It depends on the day, the time of year, the company in which I find myself, and any gustatory delights with which I may be pairing the wine.”  If really pushed, I’ll tell them that I am a Champagne girl. This seems to provide them with a little more satisfaction. But the truth is my favorite wine changes on a monthly, weekly and even daily basis. And I am always waiting to find my next favorite wine. The beauty of the wine world is that there is always more to explore. So, here I will present a list of my 12 favorite wines right now for drinking and gifting during the holidays, one day at a time for the next 12 days.

A Votre Santé!

For the full list of 12 nightcaps, click here: Nightcap Recap

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Connecticut Corkers, Organic Wine, Uncategorized, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mangia! Pairing Pizza & Wine

December 26, 2013 By

Join us for a few slices and some wine pairing tips on

Tuesday, January 7th, 2014

from 6:30-8:30 pm

for

Mangia! Pairing Pizza & Wine

Tired of grabbing the same old pizza wine every time you order out? Learn some secrets to pairing wine and food, discover what wines work with your favorite pies, and enjoy a few slices while we're sipping.

at

The Crush Club

65 South Colony Street

Wallingford, CT

Filed Under: Tastings & Events

Twelve Nightcaps Before Christmas – The 12th Nightcap

December 25, 2013 By

photo-146Nightcap #12: Piper Heidsick Cuvee Rare Brut Millesime 2002, France $145

Christmas is finally upon us and it's time to put a halt to present shopping and cookie swapping, and get to some popping. While I am a big believer in bargain bottles, there are times when splurging is in order. And if you're going to splurge, make sure you do it right. At a recent Champagne tasting I attended in NYC, I had the pleasure of sampling 40 of some of the best Champagnes available at the moment. The offerings spanned a wide range of prices, from under $30 to several hundred. In the mix were such big boys as vintage Krug, Dom Perignon, and Cristal. Many of these coveted sparklers tickled my fancy but, in the end, there were a select few that stood out from the crowd.

Although it might lack the glamour and cache of some of today's trendier wines, Piper Heidsick has, to my mind, always delivered a solid and consistent product. I had wandered away from PH, lured by the call of the boutique Champagnes that are currently under the spotlight. I am happy to have arrived back home just in time to taste the Rare 2002. Industry experts have remarked on Piper Heidsick's improvement in quality over the last several years. If one was in need of proof, Rare 2002 provides it in spades. It is beautifully balanced, possesses great structure and boasts a menagerie of fruits. It provides the perfect measure of toast and a lingering finish that's both elegant and intense. It is a beautiful note on which to end.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Wine Reviews

Twelve Nightcaps Before Christmas – The 11th Nightcap

December 24, 2013 By

uraguay redNightcap #11: Bodegas Carrau Tannat de Reserva 2011, Montevideo, Uruguay $15

Tannat, indigenous to Southwest France and one of the oldest varieties in all of France, is one of the four most tannic grapes in the world. This grape is so high in tannins that the procedure of micro-oxygenation was actually invented specifically to tame it. This grape is often blended with varieties such as cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot to soften its tannins. Tannat was taken to Uruguay in the nineteenth century where it is now flourishing. The difference in climate and terroir produce a grape that, while still high in tannins, creates wines of superb quality when produced in low yields.

Tannat from Bodegas Carrau is one of my favorite expressions of this grape. With roots in Catalonia, Spain dating back to 1752, the Carrau’s moved to Uruguay where they have been at the forefront of innovative winemaking since 1930. Bodegas Carrau was the first to export wines from Uruguay. They introduced the idea of using tannat for top reds in 1973 and, in 1997, they built a beautiful and innovative winery into the side of a hill to capitalize on low-input winemaking. Bodegas Carrau employs organic and sustainable methods, uses indigenous yeasts, and makes some of their wine without the addition of sulfur. Tannat is a heavyweight in the world of wine and shines brightest when paired with a worthy partner. Lamb provides the perfect soulmate. Feeling adventurous? Try wild boar. 

Filed Under: Organic Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Twelve Nightcaps Before Christmas – The 10th Nightcap

December 22, 2013 By

image_510254_squareNightcap #10: Pelissero Dolcetto d’Alba Munfrina 2011, Piedmont, Italy $18

It must be difficult being the person nobody has heard of from a family of stars. I imagine this is how the dolcetto grape would feel if only it could tell us. Dolcetto is from Piedmont, home to such stars as barolo and barbaresco, fabulous overachievers made from the nebbiolo grape. These wines are well sought after and can command steep prices. Piedmont is also home to barbera, the most widely planted grape in this area and an increasingly popular variety, although not in the same league as nebbiolo. While I would not turn my nose up at a bottle of these beauties, I have a soft spot for the underdog. In a region where 2/3 of the wine produced is red, and most have high acidity, dolcetto is living in big brother’s shadow. An early ripener not naturally high in acidity, dolcetto is grown at higher altitudes than nebbiolo in order to help preserve what acidity it does has.  

Pelissero Dolcetto d’Alba Munfrina is an opulent red purple. It has the rustic earthy notes typical of this variety (and much appreciated), with black cherry and spices dancing around a core lightly laced with eucalyptus. The experience concludes with a delightfully lingering finish. Definitely not just your father’s pizza wine. Salute!

Filed Under: Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,

Twelve Nightcaps Before Christmas – The 9th Nightcap

December 22, 2013 By

albet_cava_reserva_loNightcap #9: Albet i Noya Cava Brut, Penedes, Spain $16

The holidays just wouldn’t be the holidays without bubbles and there are more to choose from than ever before. While prosecco sales in the United States have gone up around 35% in the last 3 years, it is really cava I crave. Cava is the sparkling wine of Spain. It has traditionally been made from 3 indigenous grapes – xarel-lo, parellada and macabeu – but beginning in 1986, chardonnay, and then pinot noir and several other grapes have been authorized for use. Cava is made in the traditional method with a second fermentation in the bottle in which it will eventually be sold, as in Champagne, but is less strict than the French when it comes to aging requirements.

Albet i Noya is one of my favorite cava producers. The reasons why are too numerous to list here, but I will give you the highlights. This family winery was the first in Catalonia to embrace organic farming and winemaking, taking it one stop further in 2004 with biodynamic grape growing on part of the estate.; they disgorge their cava manually and print the disgorgement date on the back of every bottle; and they only use yeast indigenous to the Penedès region. Their cava is even vegan friendly! But mainly I love the way this cava tastes. It is made from the 3 indigenous grapes plus chardonnay, and was aged for 18 months. It is clean and mineralic, with just a splash of citrus, and then a hint of hazelnuts on the long finish. And what lovely bubbles.  ĺSalud!

Filed Under: Organic Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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