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.