no nips, no singles, no smokes

College Wine is moving, thanks to the same development that forced the closing of TK's earlier this year. They'll relocate to Chapel Street, where the Town Green District people are worried about folks drinking on the green. As a result, College Wine will no longer be allowed to sell single cans of beer, "nips", or cigarettes. Apparently, the Town Green District figured the extra block walk to the old College Street location was too much for downtown drunks (read: derelict down!) to handle. Go over to the New Haven Independent and read all about it.

nice rack

I stole this idea from BrooklynGuyLovesWine, another oenoblogger. Post your rack. (or one of 'em).



I know, I know, too close to the baseboard heat. But, hey, these won't be around for long, just check out the recycling bin on the right hand column...

Firm As An Oak

poorly scanned temperance certificate

1 July, 1843


Just to show this wino thing doesn't run in the family...
I came across this Temperance Certificate while helping my grandmother move. It's a nifty little piece of nostalgia, that shows the temperance movement was alive and well in Litchfield County in the mid 1800's. One of my ancestors, Cyrus Catlin, apparently believed enough in the movement to pledge, "not to drink any INTOXICATING LIQUOR (sic) as a beverage, and also to use all possible influence to induce friends and associates to do the same".
The coat of arms is pretty neat, reading, Sobriety, Firm As An Oak, and Domestic Comfort across banners held by an appropriately dressed lad and lady. Children sit atop the lower banner which reads, Be thou faithful unto death. Sounds like a great tattoo for a Straight Edge kid.
Sorry about the poor scanning.

Tiny Bubbles....

Carlos over at Firehouse 12 (45 Crown St.) is offering Laurent-Perrier champagne by the glass. It comes in a nifty little 187ml bottle, so there's no waste, and you get fresh champagne each time. They're going for $15, which is pretty good, since when you do the math (187ml times $15 times 4 for a 750ml) you get roughly a few dollars less than retail.

Laurent-Perrier Brut Champagne N/V ($$$) is complex with vanilla, berry, and earthy notes with a lingering aftertaste. This is Mo's MUST-BUY.


For those with tighter budgets, try Mionetto Prosecco Brut N/V ($-$$). I had the opportunity to pour this at the Taste of Connecticut: Fairfield County charity dinner/silent auction, and was pleasantly surprised. 100% Prosecco (Italy's answer to Champagne), done in the Charmat method, offers a crisp, fresh wine with a straw color and small, tight bubbles. There was an aroma of lemon and granny smith apples, followed by sweet and tart flavors on a mildly dry wine. The finish runs long, and the drinking is easy.

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!

Happy Nouveau Day!!

One of the silliest wine rituals happens today -- Beaujolais Nouveau. The first of the Beaujolais Villages Gamay grapes to be harvested each year are released on the third Thursday of November. Thousands of people line the streets to see the wine off on its voyage around the world. It's a big hit in eastern Asia, where it fetches top dollar and ceremonies are held to "free" the wine.



It does seem to be a bit of a fuss for what is otherwise a wine without much BANG, but it is fun, and heck, it's only once a year.

This year's wine is a bit sweeter than years past, but will still compliment Thanksgiving dishes well. It's the 25th anniversary of Nouveau Day, so head over to winewithoutrules.com (The official DuBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau website), and join in the insanity.

Pacific Northwest vs. France. Fight!!!

When all else fails, go back to pinot noir.


We ate at KuDeTa recently, and had the daunting task of polishing off two bottles of some damn good pinot. Woe is us.


Argyle Nut House Pinot Noir 2004 ($$$) from the Williamette Valley of Oregon is part of Argyle's Reserve series. Grown almost entirely on Argyle's Lone Star Vineyard property, the wine is a traditional midrange-to-higher end Oregon Pinot (read: MONSTER), and is aged just over a year in French oak. The nose of plum and blackberry is complemented by vanilla. In the mouth it becomes reminiscent of a blackberry flavored fruit roll-up dipped in dark chocolate. The tannins are grainy and dissectable (is that a word?), but are almost overshadowed by the big luscious fruit and a nice finish.
This is a must buy for fans of big Pac Rim pinots. If you're more of the Burgundian type, read on...

Morey St. Denis, Domaine Henri Jouan 2005 ($$$$) from Burgundy had a light nose of earth, blueberry, and lemongrass. The mouthfeel is typical mellow Burgundian, with fruit-forward elements of dark red cherry, and a smooth, lingering finish. This wine is a Michael Skurnik selection. It's a safe bet that if you see his name on the back of the bottle, you'll do well.

Updates

Play Magazine, the New Haven Register's weekly answer to the New Haven Advocate, did a write-up on the 50 Beers From 50 States tasting held recently at New England Brewing Co. (and previously mentioned on ecWino). If you look closely, we've got a quick mention in the article. Yay, us.
Our favorites included...
Orlio Black Lager ($) My tasting notes say the following, "coffee, coffee, coffee, caramel".
Maui Brewing Bikini Blonde (N/A) It's not yet available in CT, but if you were to go to the Bru Room at BAR (254 Crown St.), order Jeff Browning's Blonde Lager, throw some lemon zest into it and shake, you'd pretty much get the idea.
Tommy Knocker Cocoa Porter (N/A) from Colorado, and also not yet available in CT is brewed with cocoa powder and honey. The chocolate taste had an almost artificial quality. It seemed as though it should be paired with one of those banana flavored bomb pops you used to get from the ice cream truck.
The biggest disappointments of the evening were Anheuser-Busch Blueberry (tasted like horse ass with red food coloring), Arrogant Bastard (too aggressive, with a nose of dirty laundry), and Avatar Jasmine IPA (bordered on stunt brew, too much jasmine).

Clos de los Siete ($$) (mentioned several times) is quickly on its way to being my favorite wine ever. Local legend, Rinsey, called me last night from the 19th floor of the Omni Hotel (155 Temple St.), where 'Siete is being served by the glass at John Davenport's. Great wine, a great nighttime view of New Haven, and total Rinse-a-bauchery makes for an awesome Friday night.
Also, Wine Spectator just rated the new vintage an 87.

Bodegas Torre Muga 2004 ($$$$) which can be found at Barcelona (also at 155 Temple) just scored a 95 from Wine Spectator, although after their recent high ratings of Yellow Tail, I'm beginning to refer to that magazine as Wine Speculator. Hopefully they were just drunk that day.
The Prado Enea and the Reserva from Muga, which we've mentioned before both scored an 85.

116 Crown (116 Crown St., duh) has run out of the Campion Central Coast Pinot Noir ($$$), and I'm sure I am partially to blame as I've gone through at least a case and a half since they've opened. I raved about it back in May, and now it's gone. They've replaced it with Domaine Coteau Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 2006 ($$-$$$) from Oregon. This wine was more Burgundian than a fan of Oregon Pinot might be used to, but was good nonetheless. Earth and plum dominate the nose, while the palate is an attack of expressive black cherry and blackberry, "wrapped" in a silky texture, before giving way to a shorter (Burgundian) finish. This is by no means a typical Oregonian, but well worth the try.
The wine is unfined and unfiltered (hello, vegans!) and mellow enough to complement a wide range of vegan dishes.

Ansonia?? Shelton???

Local readers will understand my apprehension when I mention that I basically grew up in the "Valley". The Valley, from Naugatuck south to Shelton (yes, Shelton, you're considered Valley), has been the subject of many a joke here in south-central Connecticut. An area formerly made up of abandoned brass mills, empty main streets, and drunk teenagers, the Valley has actually turned around quite a bit.
During a recent visit, I found that Valley towns are slowly becoming an extension of Fairfield County, with the wine to prove it...

Crave is a new restaurant on Main St. in Ansonia (102 Main St. 203.734.2913). They've got quite an impressive wine list, with a focus on quality over quantity. Their food has been likened to that of the former Roomba in New Haven.

Valley Discount Liquor (555 Main St. 1.877.494.WINE) is a larger store that eschews the "big box" feel by having actual sommeliers on staff. They aren't just a specialty shop, however, as you can still get your 30 rack of the High Life. Can't make it down there? They do internet sales.

My visit also brought me to Il Palio in Shelton (5 Corporate Dr. 203.944.0770). They feature Tuscan cuisine, a large wine list from around the world, and a pretty relaxed bar. Check out their website.


Il Palio

I guess I can't use the old running-water-in-the-valley joke anymore.