Elm City Wino

Watching this?

2012-01-02T20:51:00.005-05:00

So, I'm a guy. I'm a guy who lives with a woman. There is one TV in our household. That means, right now, The Bachelor season premier is on. Yay.
Turns out this kid is a "winemaker". Alright, you've got an iota of my attention now. I guess he is part of a winery called "Evolve" or "Envolve" depending on what day you read his bio. It's part of the Benziger family of wineries, as Michael Benziger (Jr?) is a friend of his who he seems to have started this venture with. Pardon my suspicions, but being in the business, I know wineries will look at ANY angle these days...

Which is it, dude?
"Evolve" or "Envolve"?

The Science behind "The Spins"

2012-01-02T20:35:00.004-05:00

This is brilliant. And I mean way beyond when you figured out that one hand on the wall and one on the floor slowed down the spins-brilliant.

YouTube user TheGnome54 explains what actually causes the spins. If he figures out how to stop them, I'm seeing a Nobel Prize in his future.

Happy New Year!

#Occupy Joe Carr

2011-12-21T22:05:00.005-05:00

I was putzing around on the Facebook earlier this evening and I saw that Bill Collins, a musician with roots in the fair Elm City has made his song, Sit Down Strike, available to the #Occupy movement...

he's made it a free download here.

It got me thinking about what wines to pair with the #Occupy movement (Yes, I am that nerdy).
At first glance, I want to mention Chiara and Alberto Coffele. Their wines are a big middle finger to the "establishment" in Italy, and they are helping to breathe new life into the region by pushing Soave Classico as the next Italian "it" white. Their Garganega-based wines are gorgeous (the Soave Classico ($) is amazing for the money.)

Then I thought of the late Joe Dressner, whose Louis/Dressner portfolio is a veritable Police Line-Up of Viticulture Revolutionaries who write their own rules (and make ridiculously good wines).

I even thought of, and opened a bottle of, Sarasola, a traditional Basque Cider ($). You can't get more revolutionary than the Basque, right?

Problem is, the #Occupy movement, while inspired by international events, is purely American. I'd have to pair with an American beverage. Coturri came to mind, but their wines are no longer available in CT. Sean Thackrey also pops up, but his wines are rough on the wallet ($$$+) and really tough to find. (For the record, we are talking about a guy who keeps his barrels outdoors with fish-tank heaters in them, and blends most everything to taste without any idea what actually ended up in the wine = winning)

What ultimately came to mind were the wines of Joseph Carr, specifically his Josh line. Carr, a French-trained sommelier and former exec, has been crafting some killer Napa wines for a while now. Relatively new to his portfolio is Josh.
Josh, available in Cabernet ($$) and Chardonnay ($$), is referred to as his Vin de Garage. Picture a couple of guys tinkering on an old car in the garage. That's Josh -- Joe and his pals "tinkering" with sourced grapes. The wines are "rebellious" because they're not quite "California" and not quite "French" (an adjective Carr's regular style has earned). These wines are fantastic at a price point that is approachable to us mere mortals. The fact that the farmers help out with the winemaking adds to Josh's street cred. Need more "indie" points? Josh is Vegan (Joe's daughter is Vegan, so he keeps the Josh line unfined to meet Vegan requirements).

The current release of Josh Cabernet is North Coast fruit -- 100% Cab -- from the Red Hills appellation. The soil here does not retain water well, forcing the roots of the vines to dig deep, resulting in more extracted flavors. Dark purple fruits and rich tannins are the main players here, with an elegant, velvety finish.

The Josh Chard is an excellent marriage of Old World and New World -- peach fruit, vanilla, tropical elements, and a creamy texture combine with apple, pear, and minerality. This wine is dangerous -- you'll need a second bottle.

Not sold on Joe Carr being "punk rock" yet? Let's look at his Dijon Clone Chardonnay ($$). This wine was supposed to be $60+ a bottle. I had the opportunity to meet Joe and taste a bit of his Dijon Clone when it was still his private stash bottle "under the table". Then the Fat Cats, the big boys of Chardonnay, didn't buy up everything they were allocated from this cool-climate Sonoma Coast vineyard -- the economy didn't rebound, and the country club set weren't buying the big whites. Joe swooped in and gobbled up these Cru status grapes at a fraction of their cost, scrapping his usual Napa Chard in favor of the Dijon Clone as his "daily drinker". Beautifully Burgundian in style, thanks to sur lie aging, this wine has notes of apple butter, poached pear, vanilla bean, and pineapple. 100% new French Oak, 100% Malolactic fermentation helps it keep it's Cali flair. One of my favorite whites of the year, this is not to be missed.

Still not sold? Okay, maybe I have done nothing to actually equate Joe to an #Occupy protester, but all I know is that if I were sitting in a tent on some college campus somewhere, it's his wines I'd want to be drinking out of a compostable cup. Screwy rationalization, I know, just drink the wines.

90+ Cellars, and why you should be buying this! (by the case)

2011-12-15T18:47:00.005-05:00

Getting back into the swing of things. How've you been? I've been well. Whatcha been drink in' on? I've been drinking 90+...

90+ Cellars is the brainchild of one Kevin Mehra. Let's talk genius for a moment. The economy, believe it or not, sucks. Even the country club set isn't buying what they used to. Restaurants don't stock up on Cult wines like they did in the early 2000's. So what to do with all that high end, highly rated wine?
Kevin comes along and offers them cash up front to have a portion of their juice bottled under his label. This is better than a knock-off purse because it's the same purse, just with a different label. To understand how this is possible, one must first look at how wineries out West operate.
A store/restaurant buys from a distributor. The distributor buys from the winery. By law, the store or restaurant has 30 days to pay the distributor. There are no laws, however, regarding when the distributor pays the winery. Traditionally, a distributor will pay when they're ready to order again -- perfectly OK if you're Robert Mondavi, you've got an order coming every couple of weeks. But what if you're the small operation? That could be a year before you get paid. As a result, most wineries are working off high interest loans. Kevin's cash helps them pay off principal, pay their employees, put gas in the tractor, etc. So while it looks like they're losing money up front, for most of them it ends up a wash in the long run.
The wines 90+ sources must, by rule, have a pedigree of high ratings -- one 90 point score by fluke doesn't count. These are real wines, with real ratings.
I've been resourceful enough to figure out some of the source wines, which I'm not at liberty to share, after having to redact a few Twitter posts. Let me assure you, the savings here are IMMENSE. A $100+ Meritage for $25? How about a $30 Malbec for $12? Chardonnay fan? $25 for $15. Me? I like Pinot Noir -- $45 for $16.
Basically, take a Ferrari, I've always wanted a Ferrari, pluck that horse logo off, replace it with a Ford sticker and sell it for twenty grand. How can you go wrong?

This stuff rules. But let's delve deeper into why this rules...

You're the Consumer
1. Great wine. Ridiculous value.
2. Supporting a young guy with a brilliant idea.
3. The wines are super-limited. You won't always find the same stuff -- no wine rut, ya gotta drink something different each time.
4. Friday night wine at Tuesday night prices.
5. Nobody knows about this stuff, so you'll always be ahead of the Joneses.

You're the retailer
1. They actually factor in a profit to their pricing. -- Not only do you the consumer make out like a bandit, they've allowed your local retailer to make a buck, too. All those big name brands don't let the local guy make any money, they figure they're doing the retailer a favor by selling them wine. 90+ gets that the retailer needs to pay his/her rent, too.
2. All you gotta do is point a customer to 90+ once. They'll keep coming back, and you can focus on something else. You've trained your customer to have good taste.

Need more reasons?
Most wine brands are clinging to the past -- looking to wealthy, old white-guys for their sales. They haven't figured out the Gen. X/Y consumer -- these kids are the future -- better jobs, better taste, higher income, tech-savvy. 90+ embraces this demographic, eschewing traditional wine tastings for events like Second Glass' Wine Riot. They even allowed attendees of a recent Wine Riot pick their next wine...

Photo "lifted" from The Passionate Foodie

Familiar with the Phantom Gourmet? They even did a wine with him.

Here's the best part...
90+ isn't some corporate scumbag wheeling and dealing. They actually turn to their retailers and restaurateurs occasionally to decide whether or not they should buy a wine. They go into the trade to see if their wine is any good.
Even better? They self-distribute, cutting out a middle man that would drive the price up.

Drink it. It's good.

Piedmont Wines from Piazzo and why DeStefano ruined them.

2011-12-14T22:15:00.004-05:00

I had a wonderful opportunity tonight to host a tasting of some fantastic wines from Piemonte. We tasted through a portion of the portfolio from Azienda Agricola Piazzo. (Gringo information can be found here. Their wines are available in the Northeast through Angelini).

Angelini is an importer and distributor that is ridiculously passionate about Italian wine. Because they self-import and self-distribute, they cut out several middlemen, and the savings is passed on to you, the consumer. Taste their wines, and you will see the savings. Highlights of the event were their Piazzo Barolo Riserva 2004 ($$$), their Piazzo Barbaresco ($$-$$$), and their Piazzo Barbera DOCG ($). You're pretty much guaranteed a good bottle when you see the Angelini logo, and they have been a "go-to" of mine for some time. These are fantastic wines, worth trying, and will appeal to both Old World, as well as New World drinkers.

Sadly, this amazing event was overshadowed by news I read while illegally reading my smart-phone at a red light...

DeStefano wants voting rights for illegal residents

Read it here.

So, Mayor DeStefano wants voting rights for illegal residents. Being someone who has worked in and with the restaurant industry for much of my adult life, let me first pledge my love for "illegals" (just try to get a $5 salad without them). Some of my favorite Chefs, most of my favorite barbacks, and even a few of my favorite Somms have been "illegals". I'm fairly liberal in my stance towards immigration, especially when it involves my dinner.
I stop the buck at voting.

Driving home (only checking the news at red lights, of course) I kept thinking about this topic. It got me thinking about trips out West, visiting "wine country", where there are Hospitals, charities, and entire communities set up for "illegals". It got me thinking about the evolution of "illegals" in my chosen profession.
There's a joke in my house about the Patzimaro Vineyard.
Patzimaro is a vineyard operated by Duckhorn, named for the Mexican village where their vineyard managers, workers, and even billing agents came from (now all residents). They named the vineyard "Patzimaro" as an homage to these workers. The "joke" is that I want to name my first born son Patzimaro (call 'im "Pat" for short). My wife will have none of it. (if you can get your hands on the Patzimaro Cab ($$$$) it just may change your life).

Thinking about these indispensable members of the wine community, got me thinking about Black Coyote.

Black Coyote is the brainchild of Dr. Ernest Bates. Key to his operation is Vanessa Robledo (also look into Robledo Family Winery). Vanessa is a fourth generation grape grower in Napa Valley, part of a pioneering family of Mexican-owned vineyards, and cut her teeth in the dirt as early as age eight.
Black Coyote does a phenomenal Cabernet Sauvignon ($$$) but, in my opinion, their star is their Chardonnay ($$$). Big oak, creamy, uber-buttery, and everything cult Cali-Chard should be. The wine shows it's tropical citrus, but you've got to look for it. Not overoaked, but oak is a major player. Vanilla bean is the main element, but as the wine opens up, it evolved to something fabulous. If you're a regular with Rombauer Chard, have done Cakebread, and only dream about Ridge's Monte Bello, this is something to search out.
Amazing that those who've worked the earth for so long know what to do with it, eh?

What a long, strange trip it's been

2011-12-13T21:03:00.004-05:00

What a long, strange trip it's been indeed.

A while back, I started a wine blog.
I was driving a truck for a wine distributor (the International 4300, arguably the most bad-ass of automatic transmission box trucks ever made) and penning an "everyman's" take on wine and what to find in the New Haven area.
The graphics department of the distributor I worked for Googled one of their wines for a shelf talker, and found me. A few weeks later, I was called to the office and given a job as a salesperson.
I handled mostly "on-premise" accounts in the lower Fairfield County area, and had a fun time of it. Some of my favorite accounts to call on were Ferrante (Stamford), Crave (Ansonia), and il Palio (Shelton).
I was approached by an ad agency out of NYC, who purchased my blog (I know, sell out), for way too much money, and never updated it.
The Bear Sterns crash hit, and selling wine along CT's "Gold Coast" was no longer fun (or lucrative). I switched sides to retail.
I started with Southington Wine & Spirits and built up quite a following, before being invited to help start up a new venture in Milford, Total Wine & Spirits. With 20,000+ square feet of awesome, and a seemingly endless budget, I knew I could do good things.

All along, however, I missed blogging.

Then, as luck would have it, the NYC ad agency went belly up, and in a final act of benevolence, left me my old blog in their "will". I'd been toying with the idea of a dot-com, and still am. Just thought I'd use this forum, in case anyone still has me on their RSS feed (suckers), to keep you updated as to when that happens.
In the meantime, keep drinking the good stuff!

-Matt Uva
ElmCityWino

Ole Imports woos and wows Elm City Wino

2008-04-18T16:10:00.001-04:00

I recently attended a tasting of Spanish wines from the Ole Imports portfolio at Meigas Restaurant in Norwalk (the sister restaurant of Ibiza - 39 High St., NH). Ole is the brainchild of Patrick Mata and Alberto Orte, who began importing Spanish wines to Patrick's dorm-room in 1999. They share a passion for Spanish wine that transcends their own portfolio, adding an air of honesty to their work.
Much like Jorge Ordonez, Ole Imports is one of those importers that can almost guarantee you a good bottle. Unlike Ordonez, however, Ole tends to lean more towards an Old World style of fruit characteristics and terroir-expression. Being raised on big California wines, Jorge has always been a safe bet for me, but now, as I experiment more with the European classics, Ole has consistently delivered.
Many of the wines Ole offers see little to no oak, allowing the fruit to fully express its natural flavors without being "tamed" by wood.

There were many great wines in attendance, but some stood out for me more than the rest...

Oreka 2006 Txakoli ($$) from Talai-Berri was a remarkable txakoli. Txakoli consumption is on the rise, particularly in NYC, where it is customary for the server to pour the wine from at least three feet away to soften the effervescence of the white wine. Made from the indigenous grape Hondarribi Zuri, txakoli comes from three sub-regions of North-central Spain. The uncommon amount of rainfall in the area is prohibitive for most other grapes.
The Oreka was full of honey and peach on the nose. The effervescent mouthfeel was nice and gentle, which carried with it flavors of green fruits. The wine is aged in stainless steel, which is evident on the palate. I found it to be "richer" than my recent favorite, Txomin Etxaniz. This wine is a MUST BUY. The '07 ($$) received 90 points from Robert Parker.

Bodegas Berroja Berroia 2007 Txakoli ($-$$) is 90% Hondarribi, with Folle Blanche and Riesling making up the other 10%. The wine was slightly more viscous than the Oreka, with a little less effervescence. The grapes are grown on a steep incline, allowing for more water drainage, giving the wine notes of minerality and vegetation.

I know Barcelona (155 Temple) uses Vinos Pinol Portal on their by-the-glass list, so I was excited to try the white "version". The Portal White 2007 ($-$$) is a blend of 70% White Garnacha (grenache), 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Macabeau, and 5% Viognier. I started taking notes before I read the description of this wine, and my initial impression was of a New Zealand sauvignon blanc. When I saw the 20% sauv. blanc on the description, I was satisfied that my nose hadn't quit working. There was alot of peach on the nose, followed by cold weather fruits on a drier palate. The finish was slightly "tangy" and mellow with a lingering hint of melon.
Vinos Pinol is currently farming organically.

I tried two Rose wines, Columna Rose 2007 ($) from Vinos Sin-ley, and Falset Marca's Falset Rose 2007 ($). The Columna was full of cherries on a lingering finish. The grapes are "Juan Garcia", which I can honestly say I've never heard of. I tried the wine primarily out of curiosity.
The stand-out of the two was the Falset. It had much more nose and bolder tannins than I'm used to in a rose. Bonus points for organic viticulture. This will inevitably make it onto my picnic blanket this summer. For fans of Rose, this is a MUST BUY.

Vizcarra Roble 2006 ($-$$) from B. Vizcarra in the Ribera del Duero region offered freshly turned farm soil on the nose, followed by black pepper and black cherry on the palate. I was pleasantly surprised by this wine, as I believe I may have smack-talked a previous vintage. It proved to me that - 1. you must try different vintages of the same producer, 2. Ribera del Duero continues to be a region for great Tempranillo, and 3. organic wines don't have to suck anymore. This wine's fruit was mellowed out by the use of French Oak.

One of my favorites of the evening was Vinos Pinol's Mather Teresina 2003-2004 ($$$). The "2003-2004" signifies a dual vintage, where grapes from both years are used. Vinos Pinol first did this with a 1998-1999 offering, which had to be declassified because it did not meet the standards of the DO. Pinol kept issuing this dual-vintage wine and now the DO allows the practice, due in large part to the success of Mather Teresina.
At first the fruit was hard to find on the nose, but after a few swirls tons of wild strawberry and dark purple fruits came roaring out with the strength of a freight train. It was an impressive spectacle. The fruit offered up super-ripe tannins, while the 2 years of oak aging (French, American, and Hungarian) gave the wine a "scratchy" texture and dry finish. The sandy soil comes through in the taste of the wine, helping transport the drinker directly to Terra Alta.
After the wine had been open for a few hours, I returned to it to find the naturally occurring lactic acid had given the wine a funkier smell, almost like it had corked. Based on this I would not decant this wine, even though the tannic structure would suggest it. This was not a wine for the uninitiated, but a remarkable choice if any part of you leans toward, "geeky".

Hacienda Molleda 2006 Garnacha is 100% grenache that sees 6 months in French Oak. It was an interesting wine which had the nose of a Carignan, odd because the carignane grape originates from the Carinena region of Spain, where Hacienda Molleda is grown. Conspiracy theories aside, the wine had vegetal and floral notes on the nose, with more than just a hint of kerosene. The vegetal characteristics stayed through the palate where they were met by green olives and venison before a linering finish. This wine was probably the most complex and intriguing of the wines I tried, nothing like I would expect from the garden variety garnacha. For those into science projects, this wine is a MUST TRY.

Another 100% Tempranillo, Bodegas Ortiz' Dacu 2007 ($) had tons of fruit characteristics due to the lack of oak barreling. Black currant was the main fruit, but takes on a whole new role in a no-oak wine. Fans of Cortijo III and Campos Reales NEED to find this wine, which apparently has not yet hit Connecticut.

Anybody who has found themselves a bottle of the Arianna Occhipinti Frappato that I have been raving about should keep their eyes open for Barahonda's 2006 Heredad de Candela ($$-$$$). Strawberry and cracked white pepper show on the nose, while massive amounts of pureed strawberries dominate the palate, allowing just a hint of wild blueberries and black pepper through before the long, luscious finish of dark red fruits and more black pepper. This wine is a MUST BUY, and technically, a must-share.

Another MUST BUY, especially for fans of barnyard aromas, the 2004 Manuel de la Osa ($$$) from Bodegas Manuel de la Osa in la Mancha is balanced out by plums and black raspberry on the palate. Certified organic, the wine is made from a blend of 40% Syrah, 30% Graciano, 10% Tempranillo, 10% Cab Franc, and 10% Merlot, and sees one year in French oak. This wine was more of a Jorge Ordonez style red, which is ironic because many of Jorge's wines are unveiled at the winemaker's restaurant, Las Rejas, in la Mancha. One of the things that stood out for me with this wine was how bad everything after it tasted -- I had to snack on bread and grilled veggies, follow that by a cigarette, and find some water before I could start again!

Vinos Jeromin Manu 2005 ($$$) was another organically grown red, this time a blend of Syrah and Garnacha (40/40) balanced out by Cabernet, Tempranillo, and Merlot, seeing just over a year in French and Russian oak. It offered wet soil and bright red fruits on the nose, with cassis and a hint of strawberry on the palate with a nice "sharp" acidity.

From Falset Marca, the 2005 Etim l'Esparver ($$$) is a blend of Garnacha and Carinena (45/45) balanced by Syrah and Cabernet from Montsant. This wine was right in line with any of the higher end Monstants I have tasted, at a lower price point. The carinena comes through on the nose with wild strawberries and red berry. White pepper, strawberry, and a small amount of plum show on the palate before a nice spicy finish.

A nice treat was the 2005 Vizcarra Ines ($$$$$) from the Ribera del Duero region. While still a little young, it offered freshly tilled earth, cow "plop", and a hint of banana on the nose, with ripe plums and orange rind on the palate. The tannins may need more time to mellow out, but this wine was not un-drinkable by any measure.

Also a bonus was an as-yet-named Malvar (grape I ain't heard of) white wine. It was unlabeled, and apparently only the second bottle to be opened in the United States. It had a beautiful silver color with gold "trim" and seemed to have a slight effervescence, possibly from naturally occurring yeasts. It had copious amounts of fruits, running the gamut from citrus to colder weather red fruits with minerality and lemongrass on the finish. It's from the people who make Zestos and is something to keep an eye out for.

I was invited to dinner at Meigas with Patrick Mata and few others afterwards, where the chef brought out several dishes and paired them with several Spanish wines. My veganism was almost brought into question, and I received a generous amount of ribbing from those at the table. My dishes were great however, and I left feeling stuffed. The only disappointment at dinner was a 2002 San Roman from a relative of the Vega Sicilia winemaker in the Toro region. The wine was over-oaked and made me think more of California than Spain.

Moral of the story?
When perusing the Spanish section of your favorite wine shop (or the not-everything-else section at Grand Vin), check the back of the labels for the Ole Imports logo. They also print useful facts about each wine on the back label and each wine has a 1-800 number for more information. The info they give you is enough to impress any dinner guest, all without having to ask the store staff any questions.

Elm City Gossip

2008-04-12T21:58:00.007-04:00

Yeah, yeah. It's been a while.
We've been busy. Really busy.

We hear that Barcelona New Haven has hired a mixologist and now has a full-time DJ. Looks like everyone wants to ride 116 Crown's EXCELLENT rating from the New York Times.
J&D at 116 tell us they'll have to stay, "Three steps ahead". The new chef is already turning heads. Some vegan options have appeared on the menu; I'm into the Tempura Green Beans, although it's a little small. New vegan options are on the horizon as well.
Wine to drink when you're a three-step vegan DJ? Peter Lehmann's Barossa Valley Shiraz.

A new beer bar has opened up in downtown (or "Crowntown" for the boozerati out there). Prime 16 is across from the Omni on Temple Street and features 40 different bottles and 20 different taps, all without a single Budweiser in sight. MoJo is the only beer I'd drop from the list. Apparently they have food, too, but I didn't notice.
Beer to drink at the beer bar? Celebrator Double Bock from Ayinger.

Spoiler Alert: New Haven Advocate Reader's Poll...
Our sources tell us Geronimo (271 Crown St.) has won Best New Restaurant. Interesting, since reviews I've read give the impression that you get better table service at a McDonald's.
Wine to drink at McDonald's? Robert Mondavi (you never know what's in it, but it always tastes like the same old crap)

Rudy's Restaurant (372 Elm St.), known far and wide for their Belgian Frites, appears to have changed their recipe. Mo reports that something is different, but she couldn't exactly pin it down. "The oil seems different. The potatoes are softer. This is definitely different." I didn't notice, but that could have been because of Rudy's stellar beer stash located in a little used cooler to the left of the bar. Anything goes down easy after a couple of Rochefort 10's.
Beer to drink after a couple of Rochies? Leffe

Clos de los Siete is coming back to the area. It's still going to be the 2006 vintage. The Owl Shop has had it by-the-glass the whole time, but it had gotten scarce. The best place in town to find it is definitely going to be Grand Vin (28 E. Grand Ave).
Wine to drink while waiting for the 'Siete? Venta La Ossa, tempranillo from La Mancha.

In non-booze related gossip, it seems that due to a complaint to the health department, Fuel Coffeeshop (516 Chapel St.) can no longer allow dogs into the shop. Fuel is a small neighborhood joint, in a neighborhood full of dog owners. It's sad someone would complain. It's not like the dogs were making those amazing lattes.
Wine to drink when you're anti-dog? Most any California Sauvignon Blanc, which will often smell of cat pee.

Breaking News -- Not an April Fool's Joke

2008-04-01T16:49:00.003-04:00

Just heard through the grapevine that Connecticut's already tiny allocation of 2005 Bordeaux has gotten smaller. It appears at this time that at least 1,000 cases of wine have been stolen from a shipping yard in New Haven before it had the chance to be delivered to the CT distributor.
Sources say the heist occurred in the wee hours of Sunday morning using a hot-wired truck. Camera footage apparently shows the thief/thieves opening several trailers, including one full of Jagermeister, leading us to believe the Bordeaux was targeted -- I'm guessing it'd be easier to sell Jager on the street.
While this is not the first time thieves have sought out the good stuff (Atherton Heist 2007, Swedish Grand Cru Heist 2006), this weighs heavily on CT's fine wine market. 2005 Bordeaux has been hailed as one of the best vintages in history, with the Bordeaux Futures Market being one of the few sure-thing investments, with an almost guaranteed return of 30% within the next 5-10 years.

Among the plunder are some of the top producers of the region, including Chateau Leoville, Chateau Cos d'Estournel, Smith Haut-Lafite, Chateau Belgrave, and Chateau Pey la Tour.

Take a hike!

2008-03-27T19:03:00.000-04:00

...on the American Whiskey Trail.

I have a thing for rocks

2008-03-24T17:01:00.004-04:00

I don't know if it has to do with being born in Maine, or growing up with a creek in the backyard, or summers at Bantam Lake, but I've got a thing for rocks. In various little corners and niches in my apartment, you can find rocks. They're in many shapes and sizes, but each one attracted my attention long enough for me to grab it and bring it home. This fascination with stones seems to run in my family. Aunts, Grandparents, and cousins seem to all have rocks laying about.
When my birthday came and my mother, recently transplanted to Maine, asked me what I wanted, I said, "a rock from the Maine seashore."
Little did I know she'd find one...

Maine rocks and wine-toppers. You can't go wrong.
~~Of course I have no idea where she found this or how to get more.~~

EDIT: Mom reads the blog! www.funkyrockdesigns.com

NYC trade tasting

2008-03-24T15:38:00.004-04:00

So Joe Dressner has a trade-only tasting event coming up in April in NYC. Of the many winemakers present will be Pierre Breton from Catherine et Pierre Breton (biodynamic!) and Thierry Puzelat from Clos du Tue-Boeuf (In Cot We Trust). These are two producers who produce MUST BUY wines and therefore this event is a must see for the ecW crew. Anybody got any friends in the trade in NYC???

There's an IKEA in New Haven, y'know

2008-03-20T17:16:00.002-04:00

...and I'm sure that's news to you.
Besides telling you about their Svalka glassware almost a year ago, I've been mentioning to people their SODA decanter. It's easily broken (I've killed 3 of 'em) but at $15, easily replaced.

Justinsomnia mentions it, too. In the same blog he mentions a $5 bottle of wine from Target. Yowsa! I'm so glad you can't sell wine at Target in CT.

No Reservations

2008-03-20T16:57:00.006-04:00

Admit it, your guilty pleasure is Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. It's okay, it's mine, too. Local yokel, Matt Ford, is trying to get the show to come to New Haven...
The video won't embed, so watch it here. There's a quick glimpse, though no mention, of ecWino haunt 116 Crown.

Cachaca

2008-03-13T17:24:00.002-04:00

Never one to turn down a free cocktail, I had the distinct pleasure of trying a Caipirinha, Brazil's National Cocktail. Mine was made with Ypioca "Silver" Cachaca ($$), 1/2 lime, quartered and muddled, and 2 teaspoons of cane sugar. Quite tasty, and many more will be consumed as the weather gets better. Wikipedia has the how-to and the where-from. Drinkhacker.com has a nice bit on the Ypioca, which is pretty much the Cachaca.

skappo i biodinamico

2008-03-07T20:01:00.008-05:00

Tonight, Mo suggested Skappo (59 Crown St.). It worked out quite well, because as I was perusing the wine list, Arianna Occhipinti jumped out at me. Well, not literally, of course -- I don't think I'd be able to handle that (especially not with Mo present). They're serving the Arianna Occhipinti Frappato 2005 for a measly $55. I've talked about her wines before, and the fact that I found this bottle out, within 1 mile of my home, ensures repeat business for the gang at Skappo.
Oh yeah, they have food, too. Think tapas, but Italian -- real Italian. This is the type of place you'd find in a small village in Tuscany, with long communal tables, and Mom as the enterprising chef who comes out to greet each table. Plenty of veggies, but vegans should say, "no cheese" to everything as pretty much all dishes involve shaved parmesano-reggiano cheese.
The food was great, and the wine list is quite good, even if limited by the Italian only -- bonus points for keeping bottle prices below standard markup.

More marathon tasting notes...

2008-02-25T18:01:00.003-05:00

...when you're tasting in a hurry.

Valentina Cubi Iperico 2006 Valpolicella Classico ($-$$)
Wow! Red berry and vanilla -- fruit forward palate with a "rustic" feel.

Yellow Tail Sparkling ($)
Ugh! Foot-in-mouth. Not terrible! Tastes like an average prosecco, for about half the price. Damn you yellow-footed wallaby!!!!

San Fabiano Calcinaia Cellole Chianti Classico Reserva 2003 ($$$)
Nice and smooth. Earthy, almost barn-ey. Dark red fruit palate with earthy accents. Rich, dark plums and barnyard on finish.

Pavilion Napa Cabernet 2006 ($)
This should cost 2-3 times as much, and is the MUST BUY of the lot...
Very approachable. Maybe not over-the-top, but well worth the attention. Good amount of ripe fruit with a well constructed mouthfeel and nice acidity. Over-delivers at the price point.

Chateau Serame 2004 Corbieres ($)
Stunning, new-world style from an old-world producer. Get some.

Chateau Le Boscq St. Estephe 2003 ($$$)
I love barnyard aromas. This wine has barnyard aromas. I love this wine.
Earth + Dark, red fruits + slightly dry = happy wino.

Larmandier-Bernier "No Dosage" Brut N/V Champagne ($$$+)
Biodynamic! Light perfume, jasmine on the nose. White grape, peach, and sour apple palate. Tart grape on dry finish. Yum.

Txomin Etxaniz Txakoli 2007 ($$)
Cotton Candy on the nose, citrus and mineral in the mouth, dry effervescent finish.
MUST BUY.

Alberti 154 Malbec 2006 Mendoza ($)
Blackberry jam. Jam. Blackberries. Jam.

New Haven Advocate Best Of

2008-02-25T17:52:00.003-05:00

It'd be real swell if y'all went over to the New Haven Advocate's Best Of Ballot and voted for Drew from 116 Crown as Best Bartender.

That's Drew on the left. That's John Panos (sp?) on the right. He'd make a swell choice for Best DJ as well. Just sayin'...

bonus: funtimes action shot of Drew...

Organic Sake on its way

2008-02-25T17:45:00.004-05:00

Fans of Sake may find this li'l tidbit interesting...

"ORGANIC: Coming this June!

We are honored to announce the coming of the first certified organic saké. Momokawa Organic Junmai Ginjo and a Nigori Genshu will begin shipping early June 2008. While there are a few saké on the market that highlight "organic" on their bottles they are not certified organic but are merely made with organic rice. There is a vast difference in "made with" and "organic" with the main differences being a certified brewing facility and complete certification of all ingredients. The complete certification adds value for organic and natural grocers and restaurants alike. Watch for more news including the finalized release date, packaging and sampling opportunities." -- from the SAKE ONE mailing list.

Sake bombers can find more info at SAKE ONE. In the meantime, head over to Miya's (68 Howe St. New Haven) for the Sake Sampler.

Real beer from Italy

2008-02-24T16:21:00.003-05:00

New Haven has it's fair share of ~~Italians~~ Italian restaurants. It's not hard to find Moretti or Peroni beers in restaurants or package stores in the 'Have.
We've been drinking the Italian equivalent of Budweiser and Heineken for way too long now. Fortunately, we'll soon see Menabrea in the area.
Birra Menabrea Biella is Italy's oldest craft brewery, having survived 2 World Wars. We'll be seeing a Blonde and an Amber in a couple of weeks time. To be honest, I've never had it, so head over to Tom Ciccateri's review at RealBeer.com.

Alta Vista

2008-02-24T15:44:00.003-05:00

The Mendoza region of Argentina has been pumping out some quality wine in recent years. I recently had the chance to taste through a bunch of offerings from Alta Vista, one of but 682 wineries in the region (*).

Alta Vista offers wines in three "classes" -- Alta Vista, Alta Vista Premium, and Alta Vista Grande Reserve. The tasting was a veritable marathon, and my shorthand tasting notes reflect as much...

Alta Vista Chardonnay 2006 ($)
Buttery, New World style Chardonnay. Great for drinkers of California whites.

Alta Vista Torrontes 2006 ($)
Sweet citrus on the nose; almost has a Muscat-like quality. Surprisingly smooth, with more "white wine fruits" and less "muscat" on the palate.

Alta Vista Merlot 2005 ($)
My notes read, "standard Argentine merlot". Argentinian merlot tends to lean towards a Californian style, with focus on the fruit. Price wise, this is a MUST BUY.

Alta Vista Malbec 2005 ($)
A great entry-level Argentinian malbec. Lighter than what most malbec-heads will expect, but offers nice fruit and a "chewy" texture that will please any palate. If you haven't gotten into Argentina's malbecs yet, this is where to start. Nice mellow finish.

Alta Vista Premium Chardonnay 2006 ($+)
Smells as if there is some of the Torrontes in the wine -- Muscat and warm weather citrus fruits dominate the nose. The palate offers more butter than fruit.

Alta Vista Premium Malbec 2005 ($+)
My notes read, "standard representation of Argentinian Malbec". This is the one to start with if you've already entered the malbec-zone (read: Firehouse 12). Spicy black fruits and a nice minerality on the finish. This wine had better replace those jugs at every art opening I attend in New Haven in the next year.

Alta Vista Premium Cabernet 2005 ($+)
This is a nice New World Cabernet with a "dusty" mouthfeel. This would be a great wine for a mix of wine dorks and newbies at the same dinner party.

Alta Vista Grande Reserve Malbec 2005 ($$+)
My notes read, "Where have you been all my life?"
This was a nice, hot, over-the-top malbec. Older vines lend themselves to chocolate and spice on the nose with dark fruits -- black currant, specifically -- on the palate. MUST BUY MUST BUY MUST BUY.

Alta Vista Malbec Rose 2006 ($)
Very interesting and super-complex for an offering under $15, there was only a hint of sweetness on the palate. Cotton candy on the nose. Check the Wine Cask Blog for his review of the '05.

It's been a while...

2008-02-24T08:51:00.002-05:00

My apologies! I haven't gotten around to posting, yet there's been so much vino flowing! I promise to get those updates out soon.
My excuse? I've been busy watching these guys...

Speaking of...

2008-01-31T18:02:00.000-05:00

Only two months in the cellar, and the Bruno Colin 2004 Premier Cru Santenay "Les Gravieres" ($$$-$$$$) (my top wine of the year) is coming along nicely. The black cherry nose is still there, but the barnyard characteristics one would expect from an aged Burgundy are presenting themselves. The wine is already "smoother", with dark fruits on the lengthy finish. Still my favorite wine of the past 365 days...

Speaking of Bruno Colin, I also got to try his Bruno Colin 2004 Premier Cru Chassagne Montrachet "La Maltroie" ($$$$) today. For the newbs, white Burgundies from the Chassagne-Montrachet appellation are Chardonnay (in its true, non-Californian form). To the old-schoolers, yes, I opened this wine way too soon (like seven years too soon). Young as it was, it had a nose of green apples and fresh almonds, with a full fruit palate, all the while displaying a mineral character, from nose to finish. There is a hint of oak throughout, but it shows most in the aftertaste. Yummy.

Speaking of my top wines of the year, I also had more of the 2006 Clos de los Siete ($$). This time I didn't get the chance to use a decanter (more on that later) and found the wine to be too green. This doesn't bring it off my list, but it does mean you should drink it slowly, or open it at least a half hour before you drink it, or use a decanter. (Better yet, throw it in your basement, and try it again in six months) I mention this wine all the time -- I'm not turning back on it now.

Speaking of "green", I tried more of the 2005 Bodegas Alto Moncayo "Alto Moncayo" Campo de Borja ($$$) which Stephen Tanzer gave a 92+ rating because he felt it was too young, but would develop nicely over time. (Read related post here) It's already drinking better, although it was being consumed by two lovers of "New World" reds. Old World types should leave this in the cellar longer.
--Whoa! Matt, we don't have CELLARS, did you forget who you were writing this blog for?!?!?!?!?!
Sorry about that. Don't buy it yet. I know it might not be around for long, but unless you want your red wine to peel your face off from the inside (to quote Rinsey), stay very far away. That said, I'm in love with this wine.

Speaking of "in love", Arianna Occhipinti's 2006 Occhipinti Sicilia Rosso IGT Frappato ($$-$$$) is headed for the States. I'm going to the shipyard to meet it.

Speaking of "decanters", don't ever decant a wine while standing up above a white couch with Drew and Alex of 116 Crown, or you may end up with a broken decanter and a pink couch.

Speaking of pink, find a bottle of 2006 Etude Pinot Noir Rose ($$). Strawberry on the nose, crisp on the palate, short-lived but effective. Just get one.

text messages

2008-01-25T19:40:00.000-05:00

Text messages used to make me feel like a 9th grade girl, but I'm starting to get used to them. Here's a little text exchange I thought I'd share...

"Karaoke. Coming Out?"

"Ack! Just opened a btl of Freeman Pinot Noir. I can't afford to leave the house!"

...the Freeman 2005 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($$$) is a classic example of BIG California pinot. As soon as you open the bottle, there is a ton of "cherry coke" on the nose, but given a brief amount of time in the glass, the "cola" loses out to big oak notes and spice. The flavor in the mouth brings cherries and raspberries with a nice, mellow texture with lower acidity than one would expect from a BIG-CALI pinot. This is interesting to note, as other '05 Russian River pinots in this price point have acidity and tannins that make you want to lay the bottle down for a year before opening it. This one is drinking right now. The finish is a little short for my taste, but that's really the only negative thing I can come up with for this wine. Besides, if the finish is too short, just quickly pour yourself another glass and start all over again!
EDIT: It's now about an hour after opening, and this wine has opened up to be a very Burgundian animal. There is almost no "cherry coke" left on the nose, instead earthy notes run the house. The mouthfeel and palate are similar, but the complete about-face in nose, this quick, without a decanter, is wild, pushing this wine to MUST BUY status.
Don't quite get the "Burgundian animal" comment? Pacific West Coast Pinot is a Staffordshire Terrier -- in the wrong hands, it's just a pit bull. Burgundian Pinot is a show-winning Beagle, a work-hound, yet refined and elegant. Moral? They're both dogs.

Speaking of laying down pinot noir, I had the opportunity to sample some higher dollar California pinots from 1998 and 1999. This is without question way too long to hold on to most, if not all, BIG-CALI pinots, but it was fun to try...

note: the following wines tasted were much older vintages than are currently available and in no way reflect the quality of current vintages.
The Saintsbury Brown Ranch Pinot Noir 1998 (current vintage $$$) smelled of "cow plop" and had a taste that amounted to prunes wrapped in notebook paper. Not even joking. Alright maybe a tiny bit.

Flowers Pinot Noir 1998 (current vintage $$$) fared only slightly better, with less "plop" on the nose, and a little less notebook paper on the palate. It lacked any body however, and was also waaaaaaay past its prime.

Gary Farrell Pinot Noir 1998 (current vintage $$$) was my favorite out of the bunch, which while not saying much, was definitely a not-as-bad sign. The nose was closer to the barnyard and wet earth smells I enjoy so much than to the straight up "cow plop" some of the others had. For anyone confused about the difference between "barnyard" and "cow plop", think of "barnyard" as the smell of a stable, minus the ammonia-laden urine; think of "cow plop" as what you stepped in leaving the stable. -- feel better now? The palate of the Farrell still had some of the fruit, but not much, which is understandable at this age (we ain't talkin' Burgundies here), and developed some interesting mineral characters. I'll admit, if I found this bottle again on the open market, I'd try talking the shopkeeper down and buy it, just to try this exercise again. Not by any means a good drinker for ANYONE, but a fun, um, science project.

The Miner Family Pinot Noir 1999 (current vintage $$$$) was alot like the Farrell. Also a SCIENCE PROJECT wine (I love that we've created a new category based on self-torture), I'd probably buy one of these, too, if I happened upon it. A similar barnyard and wet earth nose preceded a palate with slightly more fruit, albeit nothing like a current or recent vintage CA pinot, and an actual finish. The finish on this one made me think of going to my Great-Grandmother's house when I was a kid -- dusty, antiquated house with a beautiful garden out back (that I wasn't allowed to play in). Oddly enough, if you found this wine, from this vintage, properly cellared, you'd know exactly what I meant by that.

It was a fun exercise, one that will ultimately lead to a better understanding of peak times for opening a wine -- after all, the beauty of this (ack!) hobby is that there is always something to learn.

Cheers!

hearts

2008-01-25T19:32:00.000-05:00

My temporary infatuation with Arianna Occhipinti and her Frappato has not waned...

...ha!
I even found her website.
To keep the stalker-izing to a minimum, I have sworn off biodynamic wines for the duration of the weekend.
Apparently, my future wife has quite a following, which is evident if one goes to Joe Dressner's site and checks the comments section of all the Italian Wine Attack posts. Not me. I swear. Seriously. Okay, the one about the Frappato was me, but the rest ain't. Really.

NYTimes reviews 116 Crown St.

2008-01-19T15:42:00.000-05:00

"Excellent", says the New York Times, but we knew that already. For those who still buy the paper, it's in the Connecticut section.

Congrats to J&D at 116!!!

Dressner's Mafia invades New Haven

2008-01-19T09:36:00.000-05:00

Joe Dressner, the influential wine importer and half of Louis/Dressner Selections, brought seven of his portfolio's Italian winemakers to Union League Cafe (1032 Chapel St.) for a tasting of their wines. Click here to find out more about the winemakers.

All of the wines tasted are farmed biodynamically, treating the soil as a living organism, little to no sulphur is used (although sulfites do naturally exist in wine, so these aren't necessarily "sulfite-free"), and the wines are made without the use of high-priced consultants.

"borrowed" from joedressner.com

The stars of the show were Pietro Vergano (second from right), Alessandra Bera (third from left), and Arianna Occhipinti (left).

Pietro Vergano, from Chinati Vergano is a chemist-turned-distiller. He makes Chinato, a mixture of wine, spirits, sweeteners, and spices. Although his Chinato is not what one would expect to find at a "traditional" wine tasting, these were a big hit with everyone who tried them. The room was abuzz with, "Try table eight (his table) first!". The gang from 116 Crown were called in for their opinions, and I wouldn't be surprised if we see Chinati Vergano on their menu soon.
Pietro, who distills spirits from organic grains, offered three variations of Chinato...
The Chinati Vergano Americano ($$$) uses wines from Piedmont mixed with the Absinthe herb, among other spices. We tasted it first, and found it to be a cornucopia of pie spices with a nice sweet finish. Pietro then, excited, threw some ice cubes and orange zest into our glasses and poured more Americano. The difference was amazing, and this is an aperitif that is a MUST TRY.
The Chinati Vergano Luli Chanato Moscato ($$$-$$$$) was, obviously, a moscato d'asti based chinato, sweetened with local sugar and infused with cinnamon, quinine, and corriander. The moscato actually comes from Allesandra and Gianluigi Bera (their moscato was one of the big hits of the show).
The Chinati Vergano Chinato Nebbiolo ($$$-$$$$) features a base of Nebbiolo d'Alba from Barbaresco, which is usually a red wine on the heartier side. This was infused with Rhubarb, Cardamom, and Quinine, as well as a host of other spices, but it gets kind of tough to follow that accent. This Chinato was more of a digestif, and I can picture myself with this at the end of a long day, reading a book, wearing my smoking jacket.
I need to get a smoking jacket.

Alessandra Bera, from Bera Vittorio & Figli, is a rebellious woman. Teaming up with her brother, they make Moscato without "gassing up the wine" (normal practice), instead using spontaneous refermentation by keeping the wine on it's lees for up to a year.
The Bera Moscato d'Asti ($$), while not her only showing, was definitely her best. Most of the attendees felt this was the best white wine at the show. It offered the fruit nose typical of Moscato, but had copious amounts of honey on the palate. The wine was "super-carbonated" for a Moscato, but it was not a hindrance. Instead, it just made me want more. This could've been the most dangerous wine in attendance. This wine, while scarce, is a MUST BUY.

Arianna Occhipinti, from Az. Agr. Arianna Occhipinti, doesn't know it yet, but will be my future wife. (Ha!) Besides being a young, attractive, biodynamic producer from a long lineage of well-known winemakers, she made the best reds I tasted all night.
Her Occhipinti Sicilia Rosso IGT Nero d'Avola Siccagno ($$$$) was a soft and refined Nero d'Avola that still retained some of the heartier elements expected from the grape.
She then offered two vintages of Occhipinti Sicilia Rosso IGT Frappato, 2005 (N/A) and 2006 ($$$$, arrival in spring). I felt there was more fruit on the '06, and it turns out she picked the grapes 15 days later in the growing season than the '05. This longer ripening period translates to more complexity in the wine. The 2006 vintage was definitely my favorite, and offered barnyard and earthy notes on the nose, before giving way to an attack of strawberry on the palate. The finish was smooth and very long, long enough that I sat at the bar at 116 a few hours later without any wine in front of me -- I just couldn't bear to lose that taste. I would call this wine a MUST BUY, but for fear that others will buy the limited amount of this wine before I get any, I won't.

Keep an eye out for the Louis/Dressner logo on the backs of wine bottles, as the enjoyability of these wines is pretty much guaranteed. Dressner keeps his portfolio either Biodynamic or Organic, which is refreshing when most wines marketed as "organic" are just plain terrible.

Not Me

2008-01-16T23:16:00.000-05:00

not me

White Flight

2008-01-16T22:27:00.000-05:00

...not that kind!

Had the chance to taste a bunch of white wines today, all at very nice price points, that were all pretty decent. Contrary to appearances, I'm not much of a white guy. (Ha!) Alright, I can't jump.

2006 Hob Nob Chardonnay ($)
I've wanted to mention this wine before. It almost made my Top Wines of 2007 list in the $15 and under category until I narrowed the selections down to five. This wine is a "vin de pays d'oc" (read: table wine) from France, that essentially is a blend of chardonnay grapes from different regions-- this keeps it from falling under the rules of appellations. I brought this out to a Critical Mass afterparty, where it was a big hit. Thinking that this meant is was a yellowtail-set wine, I tried bringing it to some friends in the restaurant business. They all loved it (and some now offer it by the glass). It's a surprisingly balanced chardonnay for the price point. It's nose is full of tropical fruits, odd for a French chard. There is a complete about-face in the flavor -- much less fruit, the mouth is full of almonds and a few other exotic nuts. While the finish is brief, normal for the price point, it is not without character, bringing just a hint of the fruit back. This wine is a MUST BUY, even for wine snobs, because it can surprise any palate. Is it a "flavor profile" wine intended for the mass-market? Yes. Is it drinkable? Yes. Will I ultimately buy this and offer it in my home? Yes.

Barone Fini Valdadige Pinot Grigio 2006 ($)
This wine, from the Northeast corner of Italy, is par for the course Pinot Grigio. What sets this wine apart from other P.G.'s is it's price point versus quality. It has nice notes of cold weather fruits (apples, pears) on the nose and a pleasant mouthfeel. For those of you who couldn't find (or couldn't afford) the Marco or Livio Felluga, this wine is for you. At this price, this is a MUST BUY daily drinker for Pinot Grigio types.

2006 Kunde Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($)
Cheap. Organic/Sustainable. Decent, Californian Sauv Blanc. Just buy it, already.

The Crossings Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 ($-$$)
This vintage is a new arrival to CT. Anyone who has heard rumblings of the current vintage of Sauv Blancs from New Zealand needs to find this wine. All the tropical fruit, melon, and key lime one would expect from a good Sauvignon Blanc, with none of the limited allocation problems (or radical cost). This wine is available, and if your "guy" doesn't have it, it can be ordered.

Andre Lurton Chateau Bonnet White Bordeaux 2006 ($)
First of all, any other white Bordeaux for less than ten bucks will be bad. I've tried a bunch. They suck. This one, however, has tons of character. Crisp and dry, maybe overly dry for a white, this wine is 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon, and 10% Muscadelle. For a few years, this winemaker was looked down upon for taking a centuries-old vineyard and applying modern techniques. The past few years of this wine have been their real coup d'etat -- proving that old school attention to detail paired with modern techniques can yield a wine of character that remains at an approachable price point. This wine was one of my favorites.

2006 Pierre Sparr Pinot Gris Reserve ($-$$)
We've saved the best for last. Alsace wines are often overlooked here in New Haven County. Maybe because the bottle looks so much like a German wine. Maybe it's because a German dialect was spoken for so long in the region. Maybe because the wines are "sweeter" than most whites from France. Who knows. (and why the hostility towards the Germans?!?!?!)
This wine has all the cold weather white fruit notes you would expect from a German, with a semi-sweet Riesling like mouthfeel. The finish, however, is all France, bringing you back to the wood and "raw" grape. For "sweet" wine drinkers and the rest of us, this one is my MUST BUY of the lot (must-est buy?). If only one of these were coming home, this is it.

Easton, CT digs Spanish wine, Don Mattingly likes Mendoza

2008-01-16T18:53:00.000-05:00

I had the opportunity to pour wines at a couple of charity events recently. Pourings generally consist of standing on your feet for hours with no help, being harassed by drunkards and cork dorks, and running out of wine before you actually get to try any. These two were a bit cooler...

Spanish Wine attacks Easton

I was invited by Valley Discount Wine and Liquor (mentioned before) to Easton for a charity silent auction. Four wine tables were to be at the event, representing Argentina, Australia, Italy, and Spain. I was asked to pour Spanish wine and talk the talk with some of Easton's philanthropy set.
We chose six reds and one white, running the gamut of Spanish microclimates, while allowing side by side comparisons of the same grape.

For the white, I poured 2006 Castelo do Papa Godello ($), which made my Top Wines of 2007 list. It was a hit, mainly among those who favor Sauvignon Blanc.

The reds got a bit more complicated, and I served them based on their climates, starting with colder temperatures and moving warmer. Of course, we are talking about Spain, so I really went from hotter to hotterer.
I started with 2003 Matarredonda Juan Rojo ($$), a tempranillo grown in the Toro region of North-Central Spain. Much of the vines used for this wine are between 70 and 140 years old, dating from before the phylloxera epidemic that wiped out much of Europe's vineyards. It's aged for 8 months in French and American oak. The wine is ruby colored with a fruit-driven nose. The mouthfeel is chewy with lots of red berry flavor that shows through to the long, smooth finish. For more information on the wine, visit Ole Imports.
The 2004 Emilio Moro Ribera Del Duero ($$$) is 100% tempranillo grown in the Ribera del Duero region. The area where it is grown can be referred to as the slow-motion D.O., as nighttime temperatures often get so low that the grape ripening process goes into a sort of suspended animation until the morning sun starts it up again. This leads to a longer ripening process, offering multiple, complex character notes. This had the best response out of all the tempranillos I poured that night. Tempranillos from Ribera del Duero are generally a safe bet. This one can be found at Barcelona (155 Temple St.).
The 2005 Bodegas y Vinedos de Aldeanueva Cortijo III Tinto or Cortijo III, for short ($), is an unoaked, entry level tempranillo great for winning over the Yellowtail set. A fruity daily drinker with a mellow finish, this wine falls into my art-opening category.
2005 Bodegas Alto Moncayo "Veraton" Campo de Borja ($$$) was a great garnacha from the Spanish Northeast. It was poured along with 2005 Bodegas Alto Moncayo "Alto Moncayo" Campo de Borja ($$$-$$$$+). The "Veraton" has scored 92 points from Stephen Tanzer, and is a MUST BUY for fans of garnacha (grenache). The "Alto Moncayo" rates 92+ points from Tanzer, because he believes it will improve significantly with age. This was evident in the tannic structure of the wine (and the faces of some who drank it). I felt it drank well, considering it was so young, and anyone buying it for immediate consumption would need to use a decanter. This is a MUST BUY for anyone with a proper cellar.
2005 Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil "Juan Gil" ($-$$) has been mentioned here numerous times and also made my Top Wines of 2007 list. This wine is a MUST BUY for everyone, and anyone who hasn't gone out and grabbed one of these beauties yet has some serious issues. This wine, a monastrell grown in Jumilla, represented the hotterer microclimate out of all the wines I poured, and generated the most buzz out of the crowd. Quite a few people ignored the spit bucket for this one.

Who the hell are these people?!?!

I also got a chance to pour at the Bobby Valentine Celebrity Wine and Food Experience at the Greenwich Hyatt. Another silent auction/tasting event, this one goes to benefit the Mickey Lione Jr. Fund and features hundreds of sports celebrities mingling with the denizens of lower Fairfield County. The event was great, and not just because I got to pour for Don Mattingly, Brian Cashman, and Baba Booey. Phew, let me pick those names up off the floor.
This time I had wines from Mendoza, Argentina, obviously Malbecs and Malbec blends.
2006 Clos de los Siete ($-$$) was in attendance, of course, with 2005 Cuvelier los Andes "Coleccion" ($$$) acting as relief pitcher. Despite the price difference, most people preferred the 'Siete, which I think can be attributed to the extra year of soil time. The vines for both of these wines are fairly young, and the extra year in-soil makes an amazing difference. Both wines are MUST BUYS for fans of fruit-forward-oak-influenced New World-style reds.
The 2005 Alta Vista Grande Reserva Terroir Selection Malbec ($$) was a traditional style malbec that offered a dark purple color, aromas of spice, farmsoil, and berry, and a flavor of ripe fruit. It was a good wine, but I think it is overshadowed by the 2004 vintage. The tannic structure, while soft, lends this wine to the possibility of cellar time (though brief), so it may get better with age.
2005 Colome Estate Malbec ($$$) had a bold, red fruit nose with flavors of blackberry and red cherry, with noticeable tannins, and a long "woody" finish. Many of the people who tried this wine came back to tell me that it got even better when they drank it with food.

Clos de los Siete about to get scarce

2008-01-16T18:47:00.000-05:00

Clos de los Siete 2006 ($$), which we have mentioned at least a couple hundred times went and got great ratings from all the top wine critics. Besides reaffirming that the ecWino crew knows what's up, this means it's about to get much harder to find. Connecticut had been the top seller of 'Siete for a few years, but with the great ratings, other states are catching on. In turn, the suppliers are sending quite a bit of Connecticut's allocation elsewhere.
This means you're going to have to get out there and buy this wine now. As a refresher, it's fruit forward and oak-influenced, produced by a superstar team of winemakers, and one of the best bottles of red you're going to find at this price point.

we went and got engaged as an excuse to drink better wine for little to no money

2008-01-07T19:09:00.000-05:00

Apologies for the lack of recent posts, it's been a hectic couple of weeks, what with the ecWino team finally getting engaged and all. (It took almost fourteen years)

There have been some impromptu celebrations as a result...

The night of the engagement, we went to Crave in Ansonia (102 Main St. 203.735.3300). We first mentioned it here back in November. I kept hearing it referred to as the new Roomba, and had stopped in a few times for lunch (which by the way offers probably the best black bean burrito I've ever had), but had yet to go for dinner. We got all crazy (read: vegetarian) and ordered a stew that was to die for. More importantly, we ordered Black Bart Stagecoach Vineyard Syrah 2005 ($$$-$$$$) from Veraison.
The past two vintages have scored well over 90 points from anyone worth their salt (and a few who aren't), and this bottle did not disappoint. The color is a striking ruby color, with a nose of bacon or smoked pork and cinnamon. The palate offers some flavors consistent in California syrah -- blackberry, cherry, and black ground pepper -- but also offers up dark chocolate and espresso. The whole wine is smooth and elegantly balanced with a mellow finish.
For comparison, we recently tasted a 2004 Black Bart Syrah ($$$), which had very similar qualities. The main differences in our notes were a nose that offered more wildflowers than "bacon", hints of salted red meat on the palate, and a finish that brings you back to the wildflowers.
Both of these wines are highly recommended if you get the desire to spoil yourself.

Later that evening we ended up at, where else, 116 Crown in New Haven. I wanted to keep the evening on the high note, so we ordered a bottle of 2006 Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($$$-$$$$). This wine is well deserving of its cult status, but was a bit of a let down compared to the Black Bart. I realize I'm comparing apples to oranges, but I suggest drinking this wine on its own, as opposed to giving it second bottle status.
It offers plenty of red fruit on the nose, but the fruit is kept tame by curry spices and French oak, giving this wine an overall exotic character. The wine's mouthfeel is soft and plush with the fruit masking the acidity until the finish. It's definitely a California wine, but the exotic accents made me feel this was the perfect wine for drinking at a Moroccan resort overlooking the sea. The curry makes me think this wine may stand up to spicier light dishes, but is perfectly fine on its own.

There were several celebratory bottles of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Yellow Label ($$$) which is one of our favorite non vintage Champagnes. It was mentioned back on Christmas.
The real star, however, was our celebratory bottle of Krug Grand Cuvee ($$$$$+). This Champagne is a blend of several years worth of grapes, from several vineyards surrounding the main Krug estate. The color is a perfect golden yellow, reminding me more of a fine Weissbier than a Champagne. The nose is floral with touches of honey, while the palate is rich and nutty. This almost spoiled Clicquot for me, but fortunately is normally out of my financial reach. This nonvintage sparkler is ensured consistency in flavor and quality by blending still wines from the previous six to ten vintages with younger grapes.

Grower Champagne

2007-12-26T10:22:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of recent posts, I offer you a hot little tip for the New Year...
With the Euro going nowhere but up, most of us may not again have the chance to sample some of the better sparklers Champagne has to offer. Grower Champagnes are essentially smaller production sparklers from within the region that don't necessarily have the provenance or heritage to run with the big dogs. Fortunately, this means they end up being better values. This doesn't make them any less worthy of your attention, however.
For more on Grower Champagnes, watch a video featuring Terry Thiese from the gang over at Thames River.

2007-12-25T17:34:00.000-05:00

The other day I told you to go to the scrib'd page of ReNew Haven. The ecW crew offered up a li'l sumthin sumthin on Champagne for the New Years spirit. Here it is...

from ReNew Haven Issue Tree
It’s that time of year again. Thousands of New Haveners will grab bottles of Champagne, head on down to the Green, and brave the frigid temperatures to catch a glimpse of the crystal ball being lowered from the face of the Omni Hotel. Okay, okay, maybe that’s not entirely how it goes around here, but the champagne does seem to be an omnipresent item at most Elm City New Year’s Galas.
Well, okay, most of the time it’s just a bottle of Asti or a California sparkler, but c’mon, it’s all the same isn’t it?

Nope. Not at all.

Sparkling wine goes by many names – Asti, Champagne, Cremant, Cava, Cap Classique, Prosecco, Sekt, Sovetskoye Shampanskoye (Na zdrowie, comrade!), Spumante, and American Sparkling to name a few. All of these wines “sparkle”, and the production of all of these wines is tightly controlled by governing bodies to keep age old traditions; well, all of these wines except those produced by “heathen” Americans. (sarcasm, kind of)
The wine itself sparkles as a result of carbon dioxide escaping the wine. Carbon dioxide results in the wine from either natural fermentation or artificial injection. Artificial injection is used in many low end sparklers and should be avoided at all costs. Unfortunately, nobody goes around printing, “Artificially Injected” on labels of anything, let alone wine, so the only real way you’re going to avoid it entirely, is to stick to sparklers whose “names” are strictly controlled by the European market, i.e. Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, or Cap Classique.
Natural fermentation results from 2 methods – Methode Champenoise / Traditionelle and the Charmat Process. Methode Champenoise / Traditionelle is a long process, requiring multiple in-bottle fermentations and cellar aging both in oak and in bottle. This method results in a sparkling wine that is approachable now, yet will age considerably well in a proper cellar. This method is used in Champagne, France (champenoise) and elsewhere (traditionelle) to produce effervescent wines of quality and stature. The Charmat process, once referred to as Metodo Italiano, is much quicker, allowing a producer to release a new batch every three months in most cases. The Charmat process results in a fresher, crisper wine, but must be enjoyed “young” (soon after bottle release). Most low end producers use the Charmat process, but in some cases, it can yield exceptional wines. Prosecco is an example of a wine developed in the Charmat process.

I’m guessing you’re starting to get the idea that there is a difference when it comes to purchasing bubbly. I’m also guessing that the technical jargon is beginning to bore you. Bear with me, it get’s better...

Champagne is PUNK ROCK.
ed: I was getting tipsy as I wrote this, and I technically never proved that Champagne was punk rock. I definitely brought feminism to the table, however.
Yep, that’s right. Okay, it’s awfully controlled – It can only be made one way, in one place, and with three grapes (Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay), but it has a history rife with pillaging, plundering, random acts of debauchery, feminism, and sharp objects.
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin is the largest selling Champagne in the world. It was founded by Philippe Clicquot-Muiron in the 1770's. Towards the end of the century, his son, then owner of the company, married Nicole-Barbe Ponsardin. After the turn of the century, Philippe passed away and left sole control of the company to his wife. A woman running anything other than a farmhouse was still unheard of at this time, and many of the elites in the wine world were appalled. Many of Madame Clicquot’s employees quit. The company was on the edge of financial ruin.
It is important to note that at this time in history, champagne was served in frosted glass to hide the bubbles which were still viewed as an imperfection. Madame Clicquot used what little money she had left to hire the finest glass makers of the time to come up with the champagne flute, which showcased the bubbles. The trend quickly took over, and the quality of champagne is measured in the appearance of its bubbles to this day. (Ladies: 1, Wealthy French Males: 0)
The next time you’re at a wine shop, look for a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin “Yellow Label” non-vintage champagne. Look at the label. Notice the ship’s anchor at the top of the logo. Read on.
ed:

During the Napoleonic Wars, champagne saw another rapid decline in sales. Wealthy Russians were unable to acquire champagne due to trade embargoes enacted by Napoleon’s administration. Madame Clicquot purchased and refurbished an old shipping vessel. She outfitted the ship with smuggled cannons and other weaponry, and hired pirates and mercenaries to man the ship. She personally escorted the ship, which fought it’s way through Napoleon’s naval blockade, to Russia, delivering a quantity large enough to once again save the family business. (Ladies: 2, Wealthy French Males: 0)
Napoleon did not see this as reason to turn the Madame into an enemy of the state – he loved champagne too much. He is quoted as saying, “Champagne! In victory one deserves it; in defeat one needs it.” (Words to live by). His feared cavalry were often treated to champagne at Madame Clicquot’s estate, and to impress the rich, young widow, they would use their sabers to open the bottles. (This process, called sabrage, is still the preferred way of opening a bottle of bubbly). The Clicquot Estate is still run by a woman, and still adheres to the spirit of their founding lady-pirate.
ed:

from rainhasdolar.com

With the Euro exchange rate getting worse everyday and our economy following suit, now may be the last chance many of us have to get a decent bottle of champagne relatively cheaply. Now’s your chance. This New Year’s, grab a bottle of real Champagne, bundle up, and head down to the Green. I’ll be the guy with the eye-patch.

ReNew Haven

2007-12-22T16:18:00.000-05:00

Head over to the Scrib'd page for ReNew Haven and check out the article on Champagne from the ecW crew.
ReNew Haven is a local 'zine looking to bring an old school type of unity to New Haven. Wow! I just sounded like a reformed hardcore kid. Oh, wait -- I am a reformed hardcore kid.

Wine to drink while reading 'zines produced by reformed punk rockers and hardcore kids?

Four Vines "Anarchy" 2005 ($$$) is a blend of syrah, old vine zinfandel, and mourvedre. Almost a Rhone-esque blend, this wine has rich fruit and a tremendous mouthfeel. Quite "over-the-top" with a punk rawk bottle to boot.

Nicholas Day on Castaway

2007-12-21T14:21:00.000-05:00

Mark Oppenheimer and Lee Faulkner of the New Haven Independent sit with local journalist Nicholas Day and talk about wine and the snobbery of the social wine world. It's the latest in their "Castaway" podcast series.
It's an interesting interview, that gets into some fun subjects: counterfeit wines, "viticultural candid camera", working in the industry, and wine "experts".

Top Wines of the Year (according to me)

2007-12-16T20:22:00.000-05:00

Elm City Wino’s Top Wines of the Year...

So we’re about to wrap up another year. For me, this one has afforded me many great wine tasting opportunities for which I am grateful. It’s tough to try to narrow down the year into just a few favorites. I could easily list 20 or so wines that I was really into this year, but that list would more than likely be limited to mid-dollar, small production reds, as these tend to be my go-to wines. That would lead to a boring list.
I’ve decided to break down my year-end summary of wines to 20 wines. Ten will be under $15 and ten will be over $15 with each list being divided equally into reds and whites.
As with anything, wine is subjective, and this list in no means implies that you will love every wine on it. It just means I did.
Cheers!
-Matt Uva

...the Reds

under $15

5. Dominio de Eguren Protocolo
I mentioned this wine back in October. I still feel this wine is an excellent buy.

4. Nine Mile Road Cabernet Sauvignon
This Aussie red from American Estates has also been mentioned before.

3. Enrique Foster "Ique" Malbec
This wine is made without any oak, which makes it the perfect wine for discovering the Malbec grape in a pure form. It is a beautiful ruby-red color with a nose of red fruit and earth. Once in the mouth, the wine is slightly young, but will open up nicely with a short amount of time in the glass. The flavors of strawberry, raspberry, and licorice are complemented by a body that is slightly more than medium. Many of New Haven's restaurants have had an increase in their sales of Malbec, and in turn have begun to add more of them to their wine lists. The "Ique" Malbec is a great introduction to this versatile grape.

2. Domaine de la Solitude Cotes du Rhone
Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, and Mourvedre come together to make this mellow example of Cotes du Rhone. Dark purple fruits dominate the nose, with some lighter hints of cooking spices. The wine is medium bodied with fruit and mineral flavors. Middle of the road acidity and tannin structure mean this wine is fine on its own or paired with lighter fare.

1. Luzon 2005
My under $15 Red of the Year has been mentioned before. It received 87 points from the Wine Spectator. Just buy it already.

over $15

5. Bodegas Juan Gil
This wine just breaks the $15 mark. Go back to April and read about it.

4. Palari Faro 2003
Three grapes, indigenous to Sicily, small production, and a kick-ass wine. Read about it here.

3. Cenit 2003/2004
I'm giving it to both vintages here. I've mentioned them before. Most wine snobs would be against the idea of combining vintages. Then again, most wine snobs are so into ratings that they'll only buy a wine that has been given a high score. The problem is, by the time a wine gets scored well, it's completely out of stock in every store and warehouse, and no longer affordable at most restaurants.
It's a good idea to check a wine's provenance, or vintage history, when making a purchase. Were previous vintages scored well? Does the winemaker consistently make a good product? Using this concept, you could purchase the next vintage of Cenit when it comes out and feel pretty confident about its quality.

2. Clos de los Siete
Okay, this wine is pretty much mentioned all the time around these parts.

1. Ken Wright Cellars Elton Vineyard 2006
The Pacific Northwest produces two different pinots. There is the mellow Burgundian pinot, and the purely American fruit monster. The Ken Wright Cellars produces one of the finest monsters available. The wine smells and tastes of candied cherries with a perfectly balanced mouthfeel. This wine also displays the potential for some long-term aging. This is a super limited quantity wine, with fewer than 150 cases produced. Apparently the majority of Connecticut's allocation has made its way to one restaurant, Ferrante in Stamford.

...the Whites
note: I don't drink nearly enough white wine, so my choices from this year's tasting notes were limited

under $15

5. Mionetto N/V Prosecco Brut
The simplest way to look at prosecco is to consider it Italy's answer to Champagne. Technically, this would be completely inappropriate as you would be comparing apples and oranges, but it is sparkly. This effervescent wine from Sergio Mionetto is one of the better examples of prosecco at this price point. There is a nice balance of fruit and tartness with tight bubbles and a floral aroma.

4. Lindeman's 2006 South Africa Chardonnay
This wine was mentioned before.

3. St. Ludwig Bernkasteler Kurfurstlay Riesling Spatlese 2006
Yup, that one's a mouthful. Go here to learn how to decipher German wine labels.
The wine offers a nose of cold weather fruits, gravel, and cedar with flavors of peach and apple in a less dry white.

2. Castelo do Papa Godello
This amazing white hails from Valdeorras in the Northwest of Spain, where the rebellious nature of the people spills over into their winemaking. Using a grape, godello, normally reserved for blending, Castelo do Papa has created a wine with fresh aromas of fruits, mineral, dried herbs, key lime, and even ocean breeze. Melon, pineapple, and mineral flavors abound, while refined tannins lead the way for a cool, long finish.

1. Inama Soave Classico
Lemongrass and wildflowers run the bright, fruity nose, while light citrus and mineral occupy the tongue. The finish is crisp and lemony. The wine is aged in stainless steel, allowing the garganega grape to show its full potential.

over $15

5. 2005 Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc
Go back to May to read about it. It's on the wine list at Portofino.

4. Larochette Macon Blanc
Read about it here.

3. Vina Sila Naia Des
Read about it here.

2. Argyle "Nuthouse" Chardonnay
I was really impressed by Arglyle "Nuthouse" Pinot Noir, so much so that it inspired me to try this wine. The nose offers peach, hazelnut, and vanilla, while the mouth is creamy peach. The aftertaste is long and spicy.

1. JJ Prum Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 2005
Yup another long one. Go back to German Wine Estates to decipher the label.
This one made Wine Spectator's Top 100 at 14th. 'Nuff said. It smells like key lime pie and peach cobbler with flavors of red and green apples. The aftertaste is dominated by the apple with a hint of the key lime.
There's almost zero chance you're going to find this wine. Go with my provenance theory from earlier and buy the next vintage when it's available.

And Elm City Wino's Wine of the Year is...

Bruno Colin Premier Cru Les Gravieres Santenay 2004 ($$$-$$$$)
This pinot noir from Burgundy is a prime example of what a cooler climate can do to a grape. This wine even tastes like cool weather.
It has a deep garnet color and a nose of black cherry (think Cherry Coke) and wildflowers, followed by a fruit forward, medium to heavy bodied wine. The aftertaste was super smooth and full of dark fruit. This is the only wine that has ever given me goosebumps.

The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire...

2007-12-13T19:19:00.000-05:00

As many of you already know, almost an entire block in downtown New Haven burned down yesterday...

photo "borrowed" from New Haven Independent

So, what wines go well with ~~insurance~~ accidental fires???

2001 Campion Firepeak Vineyard Pinot Noir ($$$) has been mentioned before. Besides having the word, "fire" in its name, it's also grown in a light volcanic soil. Everybody knows volcanoes are H O T !

Garnacha de Fuego ($) is a great wine at a great price. This wine from Calatayud in Spain is picked from 65 year old vines grown in a terribly hot climate. This grenache offers a nose of raspberry, black pepper, and mint followed by a silky smooth black cherry, plum, and cooking spice palate. The acidity and tannins are in the medium range, meaning this wine will do well on it's own or with a variety of foods, although to keep with our theme, I recommend barbeque. This wine is another Jorge Ordonez gem.

Fire! Fire!!

Somebody started the fire, and there's a good chance they'll get caught. When they end up in the slammer, toast them with Big House "Slammer" Syrah ($). The Big House line is usually mediocre at best. This one is the star of their lineup -- a good DAILY DRINKER with a nose of smoky berry and ash (how appropriate!) followed by berries and black pepper. This wine won't change your life by any means, but if you're drinking at an arson fire, this may be your best bet. The stelvin twist-off cap will ensure a rapid escape with minimal spillage.

Grab a highball glass, some vodka, OJ, and rum and fix yourself a Brass Monkey in honor of the 3 week old nightclub that went down in the fire. For full effect, drink while listening to the Beastie Boys song of the same name.

After all of these, head over to the Bru Rm at Bar and grab one of Jeff Browning's beers. Stare at the brewing equipment that survived its own fire.

Changes to come at 116

2007-12-04T18:18:00.000-05:00

Besides the large white birch trees in wooden orbs out front, 116 Crown has some changes in store. The ecWino crew was invited to a tasting of some new wines that may make it onto their wine list, and I have to say, these get interesting.

Some highlights....

Palari "Faro" ($$$-$$$$) is a MUST BUY. This wine, a blend of Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio and Nocera -- what! wait! what?! Yup, nobody has ever heard of these grapes! Winemaker Salvatore Geraci is solely responsible for saving these three indigenous grapes from Sicily, near Messina. Nobody else uses these grapes anymore. Intrigued? Good. Keep reading --
The DOC (Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata -- think, "appellation") is the smallest in Sicily, if not the smallest in the world. At 6 acres it is roughly the size of one half of the New Haven Green. The grapes grow precariously on tall cliffs, forcing the wine to be handpicked. The wine is aged a year in oak and a year in bottle before being released to the public. As you can probably guess, this wine is super limited in production, so get it while you can. Yes, it's a little pricey, but it's definitely worth the splurge -- this is a once in a lifetime event; you'd spend $60 to parachute from Mt. Rushmore if you could. "Faro" means "lighthouse", and is named for the lighthouse on the same property that overlooks the Straits of Messina. Production is usually around 7,000 bottles. For the entire planet.
The wine itself is practically a topographical map of its terroir. A nose of blueberries is complimented by more complex notes, ranging the gamut of deep red fruits, hearty topsoil, and black tea. It is a pleasantly balanced wine, with just a hint of over-the-top alcohol, sure to please even the most hardcore California drinker, yet the wine still has that mellow, relaxed quality found in the best of Italian wines. The finish brings the drinker back to the berries and black tea for a brief moment.

Fans of old world whites will enjoy the Larochette Macon Blanc ($$$). This white Burgundy sees almost zero oak, instead relying on just the grape to bring you an impressive, yet mild white. Graphite, mineral, and citrus flavors dominate this wine, with a smooth acidity, and pleasant aftertaste. This wine also falls under my MUST BUY classification, with the stipulation that the drinker(s) be a fan of Old World European whites -- This will not impress a California Chard drinker.

Vina Sila Naia Des ($$-$$$) can already be found at Barcelona, so even if the folks at 116 don't pick this up, it can still be had. For fans of white wine, New or Old World, this is a MUST BUY. This Verdejo offers a nose of orange blossom and vanilla, with toasty oak. Pear and pinenuts dominate the taste, with a nice balance and aftertaste brought on by the oak. The regular Naia Verdejo ($-$$) is aged exclusively in stainless, and while still an exciting wine for the price, lacks the character that oak gives the Naia Des. This wine will complement most of the foods found on 116's small plate menu, or will do fine on its own.

Domaine du Closel ($$) is basically a chenin blanc that has been affected by botrytis. Botrytis, or noble rot is a fungus that attaches to the skin of the grape, but does not pierce it. Seriously, before you go any further, go to the Wikipedia entry for Botrytis, read all about it, and get un-grossed out. This wine was one of the most talked about wines at the tasting. It was suh-weet, bordering on dessert wine, and is a MUST TRY (yes, I just invented a new classification).
Polaner Selections and Louis/Dressner have a much better explanation of this wine than I could ever give you here.

Chateau Teyssier 2005 (NA) should serve as an introduction to the 2005 Bordeaux vintage. The wine was described by sommelier, Eoin Connors, as "what wine should taste like", and gave a lasting impression to all in attendance. Even the most hardcore of California wine fans were taken aback by this wine. Blackberries and wildflowers occupy the nose, while something akin to grenadine dominates the mouth. The wine is made on property once thought to be "inhospitable" to wine, but with the help of master winemaker Jonathan Maltus and the Oenologue Gilles Pauquet, has become one of the most sought after cult wines of the area. Those unfamiliar with Gilles, need only to Google "cheval blanc" to get an idea of the quality of his work.
Technically the Cheval Blanc 1999 ($$$$$+) was also tasted, but I will intentionally fail to review it, as I would prefer that the super limited quantities of this wine only fall into my hands.

These are just a few of the real gems John and Danielle are bringing in to the restaurant. They have really taken to the idea of keeping the wine list "funky", chock full of hard to find, limited quantity items, sure to impress the most finicky of winos.

The New Haven Life

2007-12-04T18:10:00.000-05:00

I hit 116 Crown for a little while tonight, and while I was there I met someone from a new New Haven Info site: The New Haven Life (thenewhavenlife.com). He showed me a bit of the site, and referred to it as, "MySpace for New Haven businesses". It allows a business to set up "profiles" and keep us all up to date on events happening in the New Haven foodie scene. The events calendar is pretty neat, offering tons of ideas for a night out.
The nice thing about the site is that it's not a part of the City of New Haven's spin machine, instead offering ideas that don;t come from political donors with deep pockets.
Great job, great site, great idea.

no nips, no singles, no smokes

2007-11-28T05:49:00.000-05:00

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

2007-11-18T13:25:00.000-05:00

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

2007-11-18T12:14:00.000-05:00

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....

2007-11-15T18:50:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-11-15T18:37:00.000-05:00

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!!!

2007-11-09T18:09:00.000-05:00

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

2007-11-03T13:13:00.000-04:00

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???

2007-11-02T15:56:00.000-04:00

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.

You say tomato, I say shiraz

2007-10-31T21:38:00.000-04:00

In California, it's Syrah, but in the Barossa Valley, it's "shiraz" (said with best Crocodile Dundee impersonation), and it's never "sirah" anywhere. Confused yet? No?
Once upon a time there was a pretty, feminine grape named Mondeuse. She was an odd sort, and didn't have many friends until one day she met another obscure French grape. His name was Dureza. He was big and tough, and the two immediately fell in love and produced an offspring, Syrah. Syrah featured qualities of both it's parents -- big and full bodied, yet elegant and refined. Syrah travelled to other countries, where he received many other names -- Syrac, Serine, Shiraz, Hignin Noir, to name a few. Syrah hitched a free ride to Australia in the form of vine clippings in the early 1800's, and really thrived in a place called Barossa Valley.

Mollydooker Shiraz "The Boxer" ($$) has been receiving a lot of press lately, including a 95 point rating from Robert Parker. It retails for around 20 bucks here in CT, but I find that spending another couple of dollars for Mara Laughing Jack Shiraz ($$) can be a better purchase. If it's cheap-but-great that you're going for, pick up Peter Lehmann's Barossa Valley Shiraz ($).

The Mollydooker Shiraz "The Boxer" ($$) is worthy of all the attention it has been getting, as it is an intense "fruit bomb", capable of running with the big dogs of Aussie shiraz (would they be "big dingoes"???). It was, in my opinion, a little too "hot" with an almost artificial alcohol taste. That's not to say it wasn't good -- it just wasn't a 95 in my book. 89-90? Sure. 95? Nope. Check out Blog Cellar, they liked it.

The Mara Laughing Jack Shiraz ($$) is more of the well balanced Aussie "fruit bomb" I expect. Blackberry and plum dominate the nose as well as the palate. Black pepper rounds everything out. The finish involves notes of menthol, which has been an interesting new sensation in recent vintages of Aussie reds (see the Nine Mile Cab review). This wine is a MUST BUY, although it will probably be a never-find.

Easier to find, cheaper to buy, and still pretty damn good shiraz is Peter Lehmann's Barossa Valley Shiraz ($). Blackberry and raspberry give way to coconut and french vanilla ice cream with a peppery finish. The wine has a beautiful deep, deep red color with a black center. This wine is also a MUST BUY, and seems to be readily available in New Haven county.
For those of you with deeper pockets, check out Peter Lehmann's Eight Songs Shiraz ($$$) for a really great example of what Barossa has to offer.

Two more weeks.

2007-10-25T16:23:00.000-04:00

Every once and a while, I don't get around to posting for about two weeks. I'm not sure why it's always that amount of time; it seems so arbitrary. Truth is, during those two weeks, I'm on a virtual wine-bender, and by the time I get home I can't find the computer, let alone type on it. So let's take a moment to fill you in on some recent samplings...

Porta Sole Pinot Grigio ($) from Italy may just be this season's under ten dollar hit. (The larger format bottle just breaks the ten dollar mark). The wine has a crisp, clean, light-yellow color -- typical of a pinot grigio, but not always one at this price point. It offers a nose of wildflowers and tropical fruits. The palate is fruity and medium bodied, with tastes of apricot and apple that linger at the back of the mouth before giving way to lemongrass and minerality on the finish. This is a good daily drinker.

Grayson Pinot Noir 2006 ($) retails at around $15. Normally, this would scare me away from a pinot noir. Good pinots are supposed to be in the thirty-and-over range, aren't they? This lively wine from the Central Coast of Napa, California is a rule breaker. Raspberry, strawberry, and cooking spices dominate this pinot with nice acidity and a mellow finish. At this price, you can't go wrong.

Montecillo Crianza 2001 ($) from Rioja is a standout from most other 2001 tempranillos. First off, it's cheap. Second, you don't have to go hunting for it, 'cause almost everybody's got it. It offers a complex nose of earth, ripe cherry, and vanilla and is followed by tastes of black cherry, cola, and cranberry before giving way to a smooth oaky finish. This wine was made for sitting on the porch with a loaf of Chabaso Roasted Garlic Ciabatta and talking to the squirrels (no, really, it's a great time). This is an obvious MUST BUY.

Luzon 2005 ($) from Jumilla is another stunner for less than a tenspot. Mouvedre and Syrah give this wine a deep purple color with an almost black center. Blackberry is the standout here, with cassis for good measure. This wine is ripe and rich from some of the highest altitude vineyards in the area. Another MUST BUY.

Just in case you thought there was some sort of ten dollar theme going on here, the Prevail Back Forty 2003 ($$$$) from Ferrari Carano's own mountain vineyards is a life changer. Deep, deep aromas of ripe berries, white chocolate, and earth are rounded out by a light smell of the Simon & Garfunkel spices (think about it). The wine is so full-bodied, it needs to shop at a special store. The fruit on the palate actually tastes like you just bit into a strawberry, then a red cherry, then a blueberry, then... well, you get the idea. The finish is so smooth it needs a Shaft-esque soundtrack.

Gordon ($) from Oskar Blues Brewing Co. might just be the hoppiest beer I've ever had in a can. The beer was a nice red, with an aroma of pine and cake (we'll call it, Christmasy). The flavor was of citrus and sweet malt, with a hint of the pine still there, which was neat because it made me feel like I was actually sitting at the Colorado brewery. The bitter finish was typical of the IPA style. I'd buy it again if I could find it. I found mine at Wine Thief.

Speaking of beer, the elmcitywino crew attended a 50 Beers From 50 States tasting at New England Brewing Company, which if you didn't know is in New Haven. If you didn't know that, then you probably didn't know they offer up three of the best canned beers I've ever had (Elm City Lager, Atlantic Amber, and Sea Hag IPA -- listed in my order of preference), not to mention some amazing age-worthy specialties from time to time.
Anywho, the tasting was a blast, but I misplaced my notes on everything I tried. I'll keep looking. I do remember, however, that you should avoid Alaskan beer at all costs, don't go near the Anheuser-Busch blueberry beer, and "Batch 1000" barleywine is a definite LAY DOWN beer. Keep checking their site, because eventually the event will have a write-up.

Also, find a bottle of Peter Lehmann Shiraz ($-$$). It will teach you everything you need to know about the Barossa Valley, for a bit less money than great Barossa Shiraz usually goes for.

Espana!

2007-10-10T17:14:00.000-04:00

Ah, what wonderful tasting opportunities we've had lately, thanks in part to you, the reader. More and more restaurants in the Elm have been telling me they have heard their customers mention Elm City Wino. Thanks.

So I had the chance to sample a few Spaniards the other night. Allow me to share some of the highlights...

Nora De Neve 2005 ($$-$$$) was an awesome white from the Rias Biaxas region in northwest Spain. The area is known for it's autonomy, and this wine showcases this independent spirit. The use of oak with Albarino is usually shunned, as winemakers fear it will overpower the fruit. With the Nora de Neve, however, it works. The wine is light gold in color, with a nose of exotic citrus, peach, and a "toastiness" that probably comes from the French Allier oak (aged 7 mos.). With medium body and a taste of grapefruit and something I could only describe as "tree-bark", which gave it just enough bitterness to round out the wine. At a tasting with plenty of spit-buckets, this is one I didn't spit out. This wine is a MUST BUY.

Remelluri Rioja 2001 ($$-$$$) comes from the highest elevation in Rioja at bodega Granja Nuestra Senora de Remelluri. It is marked "Reserva" in Spain, but for some reason it does not in the states. The wine has a nose of tobacco and earth, with obvious notes of the oak (90% French, 10% American). The wine is full bodied and just a pleasure to drink. I also consider this wine a MUST BUY, especially for those of you with proper cellars, as the wine shows signs of "ageability" (still can't figure out the proper spelling for that word). The wine is predominantly Tempranillo, with Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo added for balance.

Muga Seleccion Especial Reserva 2003 ($$$-$$$$) was my favorite of the bunch. It comes from the traditional blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, and 10% Mazuelo and Graciano. It has a bouquet of fresh, dark red fruit and cooking spices and wonderfully merged flavors of fruits and mineral. The fruit is complemented by French and American oak. If it can be found, it must be had.

Prado Enea Gran Reserva 1998 ($$$), another Rioja from Bodegas Muga came a close second in my list of favorites. The wine is a beautiful ruby red. The nose is quite interesting, with several different aromas all vying for recognition. Leather, gardensoil, berries, vanilla, and coconut are all present, and each pop up independently of each other. Leather, vanilla, and cinnamon are on the tongue with a silky smooth mouthfeel. The wine finishes with a small "injection" of acidity (hello, cellar-time). As I re-read my notes, I begin to wonder if this wine may have been my favorite instead.

Alonso Del Yerro 2004 ($$-$$$) is a Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero that is quickly achieving cult status. Stop reading now. Get out and buy this wine. It might be gone by the time you finish reading this post. Fellow wine-blogger WineCentric has a pretty good post on the Alonso del Yerro.

Cenit 2004 ($$$) has been a favorite of mine for a while. It is a Tempranillo from 80 to 100 year old vines from the Tierra de Zamorra region northwest of Madrid. It has an aroma of blackberries, blueberries, cooking spices, and something that can only be described as "No. 2 pencil" (woody, graphite). It is rich in body texture and taste, with a good acidity that shows cellar potential. This is a MUST BUY and will definitely be one of my top favorites of the year.
For those of us with tighter budgets, Vinas del Cenit also offers Venta Mazzaron ($-$$). The color of oxblood Doc Martens, it has a nose of blueberry, blackberry, mocha, and espresso. The Mazzaron tastes of dark fruits, that are "interrupted" by white pepper. It has a looooong finish that will give you time to think about how smart you are for finding this bottle for less than $20. An obvious MUST BUY.

Juan Gil has been mentioned before. That was the '04 vintage. Now we're on Juan Gil 2005 ($-$$). Wildflowers and big, red berries give way to sweet fruits balanced by oak and ginger.

All of these wines can be found at Barcelona (155 Temple St) or around the corner at Wine Thief.

Ole!

Coltibuono

2007-10-05T20:15:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I mentioned the Coltibuono Cancelli ($). Today, I had the opportunity to taste quite a few more wines from their portfolio.
Rather than get in depth about them all, I will just say that if you see the name, "Coltibuono", buy it. If you see the name "Coltibuono" followed by the word, "Estate", buy two.

Some highlights of the tasting were...
Coltibuono Chianti Classico Estate 2005 ($$) was dry as hell, and awfully green. Let it breathe, and it mellows out to a wine dominated by fruit with a peppery finish. A few months from now, it will probably have mellowed out "in bottle". The Estate has been fairly anticipated by Italian wine geeks, so you're going to have to get one now, even if you plan on opening it in a few months.
Coltibuono Grappa di Sangioveto ($$-$$$) was my first real foray into grappa. Grappa is a pomace based brandy, found in Italy. Grappa, or "Grape Stalk", was originally conceived to eliminate waste from winemaking. Pomace, grape stems, seeds, and skins are distilled to make this brandy.
The Coltibuono Grappa is distilled by Nannoni, which is pretty much the top distiller in Tuscany. It has a nose of pear, and will leave hair on your chest hair.

If you're having a hard time locating Coltibuono, Monsanto Chianti Classico 2003 ($$) rated 91 points from Wine Spectator.

Living in the Lap of Lush-ery

2007-10-04T18:42:00.000-04:00

It was a busy week for this wino. I "forced" myself to sample quite a few wines, all for your benefit. YOUR benefit.

9 Mile Road Cabernet 2005 ($-$$) from Australia was a very interesting and very surprising Cabernet from the unofficial home of Shiraz. This wine is grown in South Australia in a small region known as the Langhorne Creek Valley. An old path that runs through the valley gives the wine its name. The area has an outstanding reputation for big, impressive wines, that are usually within budget. This wine, in particular, has the added bonus of being made by Greg Follett, a winemaker from a family with 3 generations of experience.
The 2005 vintage was affected by drought, with lower-yielding vines and ripe fruit. The wine is a deep ruby color with a nose of menthol and eucalyptus, balanced by licorice and black cherries. The menthol and eucalyptus invade the initial taste as well. These are not characteristics that one would normally find in a $16 Cabernet, which makes the wine all the more exotic. The taste rounds out with blackberries and hints of mocha.
The 9 Mile is spot-on, and a must buy, especially for those of you who haven't gotten past the usual low-end Aussies. It's being poured by the glass for less than 10 bucks at 116 Crown.

On a side note: If you haven't "gotten past the usual low-end Aussies", I can't really talk sh** as much anymore. Wine Spectator, which always tastes blind, has actually given a few of 'em decent ratings....
..... Yellow Tail Shiraz Reserve 2005 ($) 90 points
..... Yellow Tail Shiraz Reserve 2006 ($) 89 points
..... Lindemans Shiraz Padthaway Reserve 2005 ($) 88 points
..... Yellow Tail Merlot Reserve 2005 ($) 87 points
..... Lindemans Shiraz Bin 50 2006 ($) 87 points
..... Yellow Tail Shiraz 2006 ($) 87 points
..... Yellow Tail Merlot 2005 ($) 86 points
..... Penfolds Thomas Hyland Shiraz 2004 ($-$$) 86 points
..... Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2005 ($) 85 points
..... Yellow Tail Shiraz Grenache 2005 ($) 85 points
..... Yellow Tail Shiraz Cabernet 2006 ($) 84 points
Now, ladies and gentlemen, this does not mean you should run out and get these bottles. It just means that it was okay when you used to. Now it's time to get a little more "diversified". I still feel the Penfolds offerings are acceptable Art Opening wines.

Mount Eden Chardonnay Wolff Vineyard 2005 ($$) from the Edna Valley region received 88 points from Wine Spectator, which is disgusting considering the previous list. I was much more impressed with this wine than I have ever been with a white, and more so that I ever will be with that Aussie list. Spicy vanilla on the nose, this wine started out like many other cold climate Chardonnays. Once on the palate, however, the wine started out with a taste of sweet pear and sour apple, and then stopped. No, really, the flavor stopped. Then it "started up again" with toasted wood flavors. It was wild how the two different stages of taste seemed to have a pause between them. I recommend this wine as a must buy to any hardcore Chardonnay fan, California of Burgundy. I also recommend this wine to newbies who need a fun experiment in tasting. Another benefit to this wine is that it holds up well to "day two", which is rare in a California Chard.

Ran into a friend at Yo MTV Shell (New Haveners know the spot), who I haven't seen in a while; gave her a couple bottles of wine...
The Bodegas Carrau Tannat Reserva ($-$$) has been mentioned before.
Conti Zecca Cantalupi Primitivo ($) is a rich, deep, ruby red table wine. A spicy nose makes way for a zesty palate of raspberry and rhubarb. It will benefit greatly from decanting. If you haven't run down to IKEA yet for their $9 decanter, just leave it open for a while. You really, really need to invest in a nice decanter. Target has one by Riedel, which is mid-range, for less than $30. Leave it on the table as a centerpiece when not in use.

Coltibuono Cancelli 2004 ($) is a blend of Sangiovese and Syrah (70/30). More Syrah in this vintage than previous years means bolder, snappier fruit from an already rich, textured wine. It's aged in stainless steel (no wood aging) to give it a youthful feel. Drink it now. Drink it often.
The vineyard is organic, and the winery property has a cooking school onsite.

I was treated to a bottle of Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio 2005 ($$-$$$) today. I was really surprised, as I usually don't dig the gris. It's aged in stainless steel for six months after sitting on its "must" (juice and guts) and then bottle aged for two months before being released to the public. The nose was of white roses, white pepper, and anise. Good acitidity gave way to peach tastes -- I just might have been won over to Pinot Grigio. Once I found out the Pinot Grigio grape is a mutant (mutation of pinot noir), I was sold. It's a must buy for lovers of the Gris.
Another cool factoid is that Marco Felluga (another maker of great Pinot Grigio) is the brother of Livio, and apparently they hate each other. Buy them both when you're drinking to get pissed.

Dominio de Eguren Protocolo Red ($), mentioned before is still good, and I'm drinking it right now. No really. Right now.
(That would have been more effective if it wasn't so easy to type with one hand)

There are more, but I'm getting a little tipsy and my spell-check is getting really annoying, so you'll hear about them another time.

More stuff I can't afford -- Big, French, and White edition

2007-10-01T14:45:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend, I had the distinct opportunity to pour some amazing, no wait, AMAZING white Burgundies to several hundred of Connecticut's wine industry "players" (and player-haters) at the Mohegan Sun casino. Before CT's who's who of wine got into the tasting, I just may have had a few sips myself. Since most of us will never acquire a bottle of this stuff, let me allow y'all to live vicariously...

Louis Latour has been in the wine business for over 200 years. They are members of the elite club of Henokiens, a club of about 30 other companies who, as leaders in their respective fields, have been run by the same family for at least 200 years and still retain the name of their founder. One must admit, that this is pretty cool; most companies would've sold out to a huge conglomerate by now. Father and son, father and son, besides the family business, a true passion for the art of winemaking is passed down.
This passion is evident in Corton Charlemagne.
Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne 2004 ($$$$) offers a nose of green apple, cooking spices, and exotic tropical fruits followed by a full bodied flavor and a powerful, dramatic finish. The 2004 vintage will not be one of the extremely sought-after wines at future auctions. Do not, however, believe for one second that this limits this wine. The taste and mouthfeel of this wine are like a song that you hear, that sticks with you and haunts you until you finally find it in the import bin at a specialty record store. It was something I will never forget.
Hopefully, that description intrigued you. If it did, and you have a proper cellar (sorry New Haven apartment dwellers -- myself included), than this wine is for you. Please, please, please do NOT stop there -- pick up a bottle of Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne 2005 ($$$$$) as well. It shows signs of age-ability (there must be a correct spelling for that word) for at least the next 10 to 15 years (Latour says upwards of 20 years for this one). This wine is a masterpiece that will fetch hundreds, if not thousands in future auctions. Roasted nuts and smokehouse aromas are matched by buttercream and vanilla on the nose complemented by mango and banana, quite a jump from the '04 vintage. The taste was a bit "green" for me, but I can only imagine what this wine will be like after decent aging in a proper (read: out of my financial reach) cellar. This wine currently retails for around $150, well out of my reach, but if you can afford it, this makes a wonderful addition to any cellar, or the ultimate gift to any wine collector. Have a boss or client who knows more about wine than the rest of us? This is your "in".

For the rest of us, I offer up two Ardeche Chardonnays well within our budgets.
Louis Latour Chardonnay d'Ardeche ($) and Louis Latour Chardonnay Grand Ardeche ($) are two fruit forward Chardonnays that should be purchased together. Both bottles can be had for around $20. The Ardeche is aged in stainless steel, while the Grand Ardeche is aged in French Oak. I recommend purchasing both because even a novice can pick out the differences in the two aging techniques. This makes a fun experiment for yourself, or a great evening amongst friends (read: fellow winos).

Thirsty Travelers

2007-09-28T16:55:00.000-04:00

The ecWino crew just returned from a trip to Maine to attend the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association's Common Ground Fair. We try to attend this celebration of rural living every year, and this year was phenomenal.

On our way up, it dawned on me that we'd be passing Freeport, home to Maine Distilleries. We just had to stop for some goodies...

Cold River (showered that morning)
Maine Distilleries is the maker of Cold River Vodka ($$-$$$), which I've mentioned before. I still feel that this is the most underrated vodka in America, and a must buy.
I chatted with one of their employees about the lack of advertising or promotion in Connecticut and how that has led to poor sales. They've just introduced 187ml bottles (nippers, you drunks) that are retailing for about $4 in CT. If you see one, buy it, as this is the only real way I could ever convince you to buy a $45 vodka you've never heard of.
We checked out the distillery, as well as a collection of artifacts related to the Cold River Aquifer. We checked out tons of press they've received, including The Spirit Journal's rave, "Smooth as silk, yet complex and layered. A coming superstar." Then we drank.
Normally when one tastes a new vodka for the first time, the edge of the glass is held 2 1/2 to 3 inches from the nose. Not with Cold River, however. You can jam your schnozz right into the glass. It doesn't overpower on the nose, delighting you with the scent of farm-fresh potatoes. The smoothness of the nose gives you an idea of the taste. It's smooth, refined, and elegant. It has a sense of lemon zest on the tongue, and then it leaves. There is almost no aftertaste.
We loaded up with some goodies -- t-shirts and such. We did not buy large quantities of the vodka at unbelievably low distillery pricing, because CT law won't allow us to drive it back into the state. Ya heard that, Rell?! We did NOT buy large quantities for return to the state. Then we headed off to the fair.

We set up camp just outside of Unity, Maine, and headed on down to the local gas station to pick up some beers (BEE-UHHS). Yes, Connecticut, beer and wine are sold at gas stations in Maine -- you can guess what the selection is like. Troy General, the all purpose gas/beer/deli/deer-check station, has a better beer selection than most however.
Feeling "touristy", we opted for Portland, Maine's own Shipyard Brewing Company's Export Ale ($). This American Pale Ale pours a crisp body with a golden color and a fragile head that doesn't last after the first sip. It has a "citrusy" taste with a very light mouthfeel. This isn't a remarkable beer, but definitely a good daily-drinker. I would buy it again.

During our first day at the fair, we found some locally grown blueberries at the Farmer's Market. Heading back to camp, we stopped by Troy General again, this time grabbing Atlantic Brewing Company's Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale ($). Atlantic is out of Bar Harbor, Maine (and will be discussed later).
Stealing an idea from Salem Beer Works in Salem, Mass., we poured the blueberry ale over the fresh blueberries in our lexan pint glasses (even backpackers need proper glassware!).
The beer itself is a deceiving pale copper color, with only a hint of the blueberry in the nose. Blueberry is in the taste, but it's not overpowering. There's a generous amount of malt to balance out the fruit, but again, not overpowering. The perfect amount of hops finishes out the taste, and reminds you that you're drinking BEER. This is no stunt-brew. Quite possibly the most balanced fruit beer I've ever tried, this is a must buy.

That night we attended a large bonfire with other area campers on the grounds of a local hunting lodge. Our host brought out some homemade wine that his wife kept referring to as "Pear Champagne". Pear Champagne apparently is what happens when you scare off all the pear-eating deer with your big guns and now have an overabundance of wild pears and a bucket of "Champagne yeast". There's no real need to describe pear champagne other than to offer this advice:
If you find yourself in the Maine woods, and a man with a large rifle offers you a drink, play dead.

Two of our lexan wine glasses (yep, backpackers need those, too!) were summarily destroyed, as I just couldn't rid them of the pear champagne smell.

Mo had never been to Acadia National Park, and as it turns out, they've got a few wineries out there. So we packed up and headed down east.

It doesn't really look like this area could offer the type of environment to grow grapes properly, so I just had to sample as much as I could.
We stopped first at Sweet Pea's Farm in Bar Harbor, home to Bar Harbor Cellars, a division of Atlantic Brewing Company. They've only just started to plant their own grapes (see below), mostly hybrids, due to the almost yearly 42 inches of frostline. They currently purchase their grapes from Tuscany.

ecWino at Sweet Pea's Farm and Winery, Bar Harbor (3 days, no shower)

I really got the impression that the place was a typical Maine tourist trap. It was chock full of bad fruit wines, served overly chilled. They had a couple of grape wines (merlot, Pinot Noir) that were awfully balanced as a result of making them without any tannins. "No tannins means no headaches!" was repeated often enough to become their mantra. They did, however offer a decent Zinfandel, full bodied and peppery, which I would have purchased, if only I had a way to get it back into CT.

That day we also went out to the home of Atlantic Brewing to check out what they had to offer besides blueberry beer.
I was immediately impressed by their Mount Desert Island Ginger Beer ($). A wheat ale brewed with copious amounts of ginger, this beer was spicy enough to be interesting, but well balanced by its malt. If you can find it, this beer is a must buy.
We grabbed a few of their beers and headed down to the town of Manset, where we camped out near a natural seawall.

The MacFoochies Scottish Ale ($) poured a nice coffee color, with a creamy thick head. This beer was complex with notes of barley, chicory, coffee, chocolate, and toffee. The aftertaste was big and smoky. It lingered for just a bit and then was gone, inviting the next sip. This was possibly my favorite beer of the entire trip, and definitely a must buy.
Brother Adam's Bragget Ale ($-$$) was a barleywine style ale brewed with honey (sorry, vegans). The taste had notes of cherry and apple, cut into by a brandy-like flavor of honey. It was by no means the best bragget I've ever tasted, but if I saw it again, I'd probably pick it up. While it showed no signs that it would improve with, or stand up to, aging, I was assured by the brewery staff that it could go for up to ten years.

outside Bartlett Maine Estate Winery (4 days, no shower)

The next day, we headed out to Schoodic Peninsula and to the Bartlett Maine Estate Winery.
I was impressed to find that they were not attempting to make grape wines, but were instead using the exact methods of normal winemaking with fruits grown on their own estate.
These fruit wines were nothing like Grandma's old Boone's Farm. These wines had character and complexity that one would expect in a California Cult Wine or rare French Vintage.
I swore their Wild Blueberry Oak Dry wine had all the elements of a fine Merlot, with the perfect balance of fruit and dryness.
Their French Oak Dry Pear, aged in new french oak, was reminiscent of a fine Riesling.
The more we sampled, the more we were amazed that with the proper technique, equipment, and passion, these fruits could be made into something actually deserving of the title, Wine.
We of course, did not purchase several cases, what with CT law and all. It's a real shame, though, because I'd really be into trying a bottle of the Wild Blueberry Oak Dry Winemaker's Collection in the autographed bottle right now.

Cheers from Maine!

p.s. best bumper sticker seen in Maine...
If they call it "tourist season", why can't we shoot them?

forwarded e-mail

2007-09-16T09:20:00.001-04:00

As a rule, I generally discard any e-mails I receive that are forwarded. It's not that I don't enjoy looking at thirty or so pictures of fat cats, or hearing a new joke. I'm just completely paranoid about opening things -- the intrawebs are sooo scary!

I did, however open one recently (tip to spammers and scammers: put the word "wine" in the title line)...

Water vs Wine

In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated
that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. coli) bacteria found in feces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of Poop.

However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine (or rum, whiskey or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.

Remember: Water = Poop,........................... Wine = Health

Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water
and be full of shit.

The Mystery of the Cuvinet Solved

2007-09-15T20:03:00.000-04:00

We've mentioned the cuvinet system at 116 Crown before. It is said a cuvinet keeps wines served by-the-glass impeccably "fresh" for up to two weeks. It dispenses a layer of nitrogen into the bottle, to prevent oxygen contact with the wine.
I have a hard time drinking wine the day after it's been opened, let alone two weeks, so I just had to perform a little experiment.
We went down to 116 to try out the system. We had mustachioed bartender Drew pour us two glasses of wine from the cuvinet, and two glasses from a freshly opened bottle. We were not to see which was which, but Drew was to keep track. We chose Clio ($$$), because we'd had it before.
It was impossible for either of us to tell any difference from the nose of the wine. There was a difference in taste, but it was so subtle, we had to discuss it for a while before either of us would conclude there actually was a difference.
We guessed the cuvinet glasses correctly. Mo found the cuvinet glass to show less black pepper notes, a Clio "trademark".
With each glass held up to a white board under decent light, we could see that the wine from the freshly opened bottle was a bit clearer. The from-the-bottle and cuvinet wines both had the deep oxblood color.
I can't recommend by-the-glass wines from the cuvinet enough. If you're not out to finish off an entire bottle, this is a great alternative that still gives you a taste akin to a newly opened bottle.
The 2004 Clio normally retails for around $45 per bottle. On 116's cuvinet, it's fetching $9 per glass. This could very well be the steal of the century for a wine Wine Advocate gave 97 points.

2004 Lorca Malbec Opalo Vistaflores

2007-09-15T12:37:00.000-04:00

Carlos at Firehouse 12 has a fever, and the only prescription is not more cowbell, but rather, Malbec. Just about every time I visit Firehouse, 'Los whips out some new Malbec that he is completely in love with. I can honestly say I've yet to have the same Malbec twice -- and none of his suggestions have been bad.
Thursday night, he pulled out 2004 Lorca Malbec Opalo Vistaflores ($-$$). And, as usual, there was no disappointment. Another Argentinian wine from Mendoza, this red hails from the Vistaflores vineyard. This vineyard is actually the site where Clos de los Siete is bottled, and the Lorca Malbec has not escaped the influence of Michel Rolland (insert sound of angels' trumpets).
The Vistaflores vineyard sits high in the Andes, where the vines are vertically trained, rather than set upon trellises. The "bushes" are trimmed often to minimize yield, but maximize quality.
The wine itself is lively, without being overbearing or too fruity. It hints at blueberry and apple. The tannins are smooth. The wine has a very Old World feel. It is unfiltered, and aged in concrete and stainless steel, as opposed to oak.
Buy this wine as an alternative to higher priced items such as Clos de los Siete or Cuvelier los Andes (mentioned before). They've got a full case, and per the norm, will probably not replace it, so you'll need to get down there ASAP.
Firehouse is also serving up the Tannat Reserva from Bodegas Carrau by the glass (previous review).

Edumacational Videos...

2007-09-10T15:01:00.001-04:00

I was contacted a while back by a fellow wino from Edmonton, Alberta named Sorin Mihailovici. Sorin is currently taking classes at Grant MacEwan College in television production. One of his classes required some educational videos.
As any good wino will tell you, anything can become an excuse to open a bottle of wine -- Sorin naturally chose to do his educational videos on wine.
This one shows you an ingenious way to open a bottle of wine without a traditional corkscrew...

Open A Bottle Of Wine Without Corkscrew - Sorin Mihailovici

I found it pretty interesting, although technically there is a cork and a screw.

He also has a video showing how to remove red wine stains with milk (sorry, vegans) or white wine.

Sorin has a MySpace page, so give him a shout.

Clio

2007-09-08T00:33:00.000-04:00

I had been hearing good things about Clio ($$-$$$) for a few years now. Robert Parker gave the 2002 vintage 93 points; he gave 96 points to the 2003. I'm not sure why it took me until the 2004 vintage to get around to trying it, but it seems there is a consistency in its quality. The wine is a blend of 60 year old Monastrell (Mouvedre) vines and 25 year old Cabernet grown in the Jumilla region of Spain.
This wine is brought together by Australian Chris Ringland, who started his own label, Three Rivers, in 1989. Since, he has traveled the world, bringing his knowledge to several top producers.
The wine itself was reminiscent of dark red fruits, coffee, and black pepper. The black pepper overpowers the taste at first, so allow this one to breathe. It's mouthfeel and long, smooth finish made me think of Silver Oak, a much higher priced California cult-wine.
The wine is currently being sold by the glass at 116 Crown (Crown St., New Haven) through their fancy shmancy super duper nitrous system (actual technical term), that keeps by-the-glass wine at by-the-bottle quality for up to 2 weeks.
Also running through the nitrous system are Chateau Villerambert Julien and Chateau Pontac Monplaisir.
Check out a video review of Clio on Winelibrary.com.

Chateau de Fifteen Bucks

2007-09-08T00:23:00.000-04:00

French wine labels, while carrying all the necessary information, tend to be misleading. A $200 Bordeaux will carry a very similar label to a $5 bottle, and it's possible neither are very good. Some foodie friends of ours from Wallingford had us over tonight and offered Chateau Chantemerle Medoc 2005 ($). At $15, this bottle is a steal. The wine is a blend of merlot, cabernet, and malbec from vines that would be described in the U.S. as ancient. In Europe, obviously, they're still considerably young at 20. It was well balanced, flavorful, and structured. This is a very drinkable Bordeaux at an easily digestible price.

Revisiting Firehouse 12

2007-09-07T23:46:00.001-04:00

I ran into Carlos from Firehouse 12 (45 Crown St., New Haven) at a wedding recently, and realized it had been a while since I had stopped in for a visit.
Carlos has been busy researching new wines and bringing in some new by the glass items. They almost always have a few specialties hidden away somewhere, so it's a good idea to ask your server before selecting something off the wine list.
I found Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmignano ($) off list. The wine is a blend of sangiovese, cabernet, and canaiolo, and was rated 90 points by Wine Advocate. This is a super value for a Tuscan wine. Earthy cherry and tobacco give way to a medium body and fine tannins. It will pair well with spicier dishes or stand tall on its own.
I was glad to see this wine at Firehouse and I hope it becomes a regular item.
They were also offering the Carrau Tannat Reserva ($) by the glass. For a previous write-up, check here.
One of the Caymus Belle Glos pinot noirs will be available soon by the bottle, although I couldn't figure out which one.

Firehouse also has a fairly progressive beer list.

It's Red. It's Cheap. It Works.

2007-09-04T15:13:00.000-04:00

The original concept behind the ElmCityWino project was to offer a sort of Wine For Dummies-type reference, while keeping the bottles affordable. I have never thought much of spending $30 for a bottle of wine, as wine tends to be consumed for a special dinner or occasion. I had never considered a $30 bottle as anything but affordable for such an occasion. It turns out many of my friends are more deserving of the title, Wino, than maybe even I, and I have been getting requests for a decent wine closer to the two-buck-chuck set.
Not one to run out and grab every "flavor" of Boone's Farm (Grandma Joyce warned me of that), this proved to be a daunting task. Various $10 and under bottles were purchased, consumed, and dumped.
One ecWino fan suggested I try hitting up South Shore Wine & Spirit (10 Coe Ave. East Haven, 203.466.9463), as they have a nice $10 section. Even there, I ran into the Aussie hurdle. It's not that an Aussie wine can't be good, it's just that there is definitely a marketing research survey behind every cuddly critter emblazoned on a wine bottle. The French don't put animals on their bottles, now do they?
So I looked into France. Unfortunately, most French wines require at least some knowledge of the wine other than what is printed on the bottle. A $200 Bordeaux and a $7 Burgundy will have deceptively similar looking labels. I tried a few of the cheapies, and with the exception of Chateau Cazenove, most were simply terrible. I decided to head further South.
As I perused the Spanish sections of several local shops, I kept leaning towards Rioja, when it came to me. I know of a certain wino stuck in the CT "heartland" (read: Marlborough) who buys Eguren Protocolo by the case.
Dominio de Eguren Protocolo ($) is a Tempranillo grown in the oft-overlooked appellation of Tierra de Castilla, located in Don Quixote's Central Spain. Jorge Ordonez's name is on the back of the bottle, so I knew I was on the right track.
The wine is surprisingly big, with tastes of chocolate and cherries. The tannins are grainy and dissectable (not a word?) with a spicy aftertaste (ole!).
This wine will not change your life in the ways that many of the wines of Montsant will, but it works. It exceeds any expectations I would have had regarding an $8 bottle, and will probably end up in the rack often.

Ferrari Carano Alexander Valley Chardonnay

2007-09-04T14:11:00.001-04:00

We've still been getting some unbearably hot days this month (well, unbearable to this dude from Maine), so the search for decent summer whites continues.

Ferrari Carano's 2005 Alexander Valley Chardonnay ($$) is another spectacular white from Sarah Quider, FC's Whites Winemaker. Having various appellations and unique micro-climates at her disposal ensures the quality of most, if not all, Ferrari Carano whites of recent vintage. A pleasant, fruit-forward Chardonnay, this wine boasts aromas of papaya, pineapple, and mango. The taste features more tropical fruit and toasted almond with lemon/citrus subtleties.
This wine is barrel fermented and kept in stainless steel for two days before being aged in French Oak. It features fruit from eight of FC's vineyards, located in four regions -- Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Dry Creek, and Napa. 2005 was a mild season, allowing the vines to reach full maturation before a Fall harvest.
This wine will pair well with salads, fish, even heartier dishes. Its complexity, multiple pairings, and price point make this a MUST BUY white.

Castello di Bossi 2001 Chianti Classico

2007-08-19T18:05:00.000-04:00

Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico 2001 ($$)...
Predominantly Sangiovese with a tiny bit of Merlot and Canaiolo thrown in, the wine starts out in steel vats, then ends up in French oak for 6-8 months, depending on harvest. The wine itself varies a bit within the vintage, so stay away from restaurant pricing for this one. Ruby red, with smells of aged oak, old cherries, and young violet, this wine has a great balance between tannins and alcohol, with a smooth aftertaste. This is a great, great wine, but due to the variation within vintage can be hit or miss -- most likely "hit", but don't come looking for me if you get one of the baddies.

It's okay to drink the same wine twice.

2007-08-19T17:41:00.000-04:00

No, really.

The lack of posting has come from a desire to resample some of the better wines we've had this year.
This week was a veritable festival of Had Before wines.
We begin with the Tannat Amat ($$), which we've mentioned before, and have had at 116 Crown. Find it. Buy it. 'Tis good, yes?
We also had the Bastianich Vespa Rosso ($$), which, yes, was also mentioned before. We had it at Cafe Goodfellas the first time, but special ordered it from Chatham Wine and Spirit. You'll probably have to special order it, as no one else watches that crazy Italian cooking show with Lidia Bastianich (the winemaker's mother). Tell your trusted Wine shop it's distributed by Worldwide, which is now owned by Brescome & Barton, but still has it's own book. If your wine shop doesn't know what this means, switch wine shops.
Other wines previously sampled were, Bodegas Can Blau ($$)and Ferrari Carrano Fume Blanc ($$) which is on the wine list at Portofino on State St.

There was also quite a bit of beer. Good, American Beer. Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA ($) and Orlio Organic IPA ($) are both great examples of a "good, American beer" -- slightly hoppy, moderate alcohol content, and quite drinkable from the bottle. Besides these two, the only beer I'd want with me on a deserted island would be Rogue's Dead Guy Ale ($) which pretty much falls into the same category, with a little plus-sign in the hoppy category.

Concha Vecino, te quiero

2007-08-12T14:22:00.000-04:00

Alright, I'm sure my Spanish is terrible, and I just told her she smells of goat bladder, or something, but this is a woman to revere.
Concha Vecino is a winemaker for Bodegas Nekeas, and the woman behind Vega Sindoa Merlot. She is considered to be THE female winemaker in Spain, and a force to be reckoned with in all of southwestern Europe.
The vineyards of Bodegas Nekeas, in the Navarra region of Spain, sit in the foothills of the Pyrennes -- King of the Mountains, Viking Helmets, crazy Basque cycling fans. The region receives cooling winds from the Atlantic, providing a stable growing season for many types of grape.
The Vega Sindoa Merlot 2002 ($) is not the most complex of wines, but offers a wonderful glimpse into the world of real Merlot. Paul Giamatti's Sideways character would be hard-pressed to deny the pleasure this wine brings. It has a nose of wild cherries and a dark ruby color reminiscent of your old Doc Martins. The mouthfeel is dense and fleshy, with a boldly fruit-forward taste. The finish is smooth with a slight "tang" that lingers briefly, inviting another sip. This is one of the better Merlots you'll find at this price point.
This is a MUST BUY and will even age well for a couple years (buy it by the case?).
This is another Jorge Ordonez selection, and remember, kids, that means good drinkin'.

Grape Island Glass, Cold River, Cheeseboards

2007-08-12T13:24:00.000-04:00

When you drink and/or dump quite a bit of wine, you end up with quite a bit of empties. As most New Haveners know, large glass bottles left in a recycling bin become large destructive projectiles for area teens. So what does one do with all those empties?
Grape Island Glass, currently from Orange, takes many of my old bottles and uses them for various glass-fusion experiments, my favorite of which are their cheeseboards (or mushroom pate boards for the vegans).
They recently took my old Cold River Vodka bottles...

No self-respecting wino is truly fulfilled until they own one of these.

116 Crown -- the last bar you'll ever need.

2007-08-12T12:32:00.000-04:00

Dog vs. Bird -- Max Toth; a reproduction is on the ceiling in 116 Crown's "tea room"

Last Saturday brought the soft-opening of 116 Crown, the brainchild of John and Danielle Giannetti -- formerly of BAR (254 Crown St.). Never ones to be on time, the ecWino crew headed down there Friday night to check out the scene. We took with us 2 friends, one wine novice and one wine newbie, to get an overall picture of the place.

As you enter, you are immediately taken aback by how beautiful the place is. Contrasting textures and bold effects dominate the design, and every 20 feet you enter a different theme. You are greeted at the door by well dressed, dare I say, hipsters, who offer you a tour of the entire establishment. There are various little areas -- the "pods", the "eye", and the "tea room" that need to be seen to be fully understood. A DJ plays music that falls somewhere between dance and lounge, adding to the vibe that this is not just a pretty restaurant.
We chose the "tea room", and enclosed space with block-style couch seating and small tea tables. The room is equipped with its own iPod docking station, so be sure to bring your own tunes. The ceiling is an amazing painting by Max Toth, who we were joined by later in the evening. There are two sets of tables in the tea room which allows your party to be joined by strangers, making for a fun, communal evening.

The wine list is, in my opinion, the best in the state. The designer of the list is Eoin Connors, a contestant in the 2002 Young Sommeliers Competition, and one of the brightest young wine minds in the Northeast. The wines run the gamut of grape varieties and appellations, and John has dedicated himself to keeping everything affordable. One of our selections, Tannat Amat, ran us $40, which is only slightly higher than retail.

We started with Clos de Roillette 2004 ($$), a stately Fleurie that is one of the BEST Beaujolais wines available at this price point. This is widely considered the better of top-growths in the region, it featured dried chrery and raspberry flavors. It's a bit drier than most Beaujolais, so it should appease most wine drinkers. It ran us around $30, again only slightly higher than retail. John said his intent was to charge, "by the ounce", an appropriate price for what you drink. There is no, "this looks like it should be X dollars" style mark-up -- what you pay for is what you get.

Expect to pay around $8-10 for wines by-the-glass. Even the b-t-g selection is wonderful, with one of the ecWino guests ordering a German Pinot Noir (yes, German) and contrary to Robert Parker's beliefs, it was quite tasty. There isn't a wine on their list that I wouldn't recommend.

116 Crown will be known more for their mixed drinks, however, with John and Danielle inventing new drinks or re-inventing old ones. Mo had a grapefruit and basil mojito that she just couldn't rave about enough.

This Tuesday marks their "grand opening" so be sure and get down there soon, before the boozerati crowd takes over.

Because Man Cannot Live On Rice Alone

2007-08-06T17:21:00.000-04:00

"Because Man cannot live on rice alone" is the creed by which the crew at Miya's (68 Howe St. New Haven) live, work, and play. Bun Lai, the proprietor, has been foraging through local woods with his most trusted henchmen (read: employees) in search of the most unique of local ingredients. These ingredients are not for his sushi, but rather for infused sake.
Bun has been fermenting his own sake for some time now, and tossing in things that at first glance seem like an experiment in beautiful anarchy. Truth is, many of these recipes are centuries old, such as the Gayanashagowa -- billed as, "the Iroquois peace drink that brought a thousand years of harmony".

Mo and I went down to Miya's last week to try these sakes out. Bun offers a Sake Sampler for $38.75. It comes with a brandy snifter of Ultraviolet Kisses, and small tasting glasses of 7 other infused sakes. The sampler is billed in the menu as being, "for 2 very close friends". It was actually a little much for Mo and I (amateurs), and quite a bit was left in each glass. Buy this for a crew of four (or more).

I'll do my best to describe each sake, as well as offer Mo's opinion (if she had one)...

EMERALD WITCHES' LIPS
This was infused with hand-picked green pine cones. The nose was very "piney" (not a word?), and reminded us of being in the Maine woods after a spring rainstorm. The taste, while still "piney", was actually quite citrusy (that's not a word either, eh?).
Mo: "Refreshing!"

GAYANASHAGOWA
The "Iroquois peace drink" is infused with Wisconsin ginseng and jasmine flowers. The jasmine is the first thing you smell, and even dominates the taste. There were also hints of edible flowers, much like the ones you can score at the farmers' market.
Mo: "This reminds me of flower arranging."

ULTRAVIOLET KISSES
"Ultrasalty kisses" was how our server described this one to us. It's served in a brandy snifter with seastones and ume - don't eat the rocks! This sake is aged with ume, and tastes a lot like seawater. This one is meant for slow, slow sipping. The first couple of sips are actually quite disgusting, but after the initial shock wears off, you can see why this one is Bun's favorite -- it comes out smoky, salty, and somewhat sweet. This one is for only the most refined of palates.
Mo: "Umeboshi!!!"

THE MAGIC GARDEN
This one is infused with wild dandelion petals. It took 2 people 3 full days to make 24 750ml bottles. It smells of orange and cloves -- think mulled wine at Christmas. It tastes mostly of butterscotch, with some of the orange and clove hints. I was reminded of a butterscotch candy.
Mo: "Smoky!"

CHEROKEE SUMAC LOVE POTION
Infused with hand-picked wild sumac berries, this one smelled and tasted quite citrusy (ok, still not a word). I immediately decided that if this was what sumac tastes like, the next time I find poison sumac, I'm rubbing it all over my tongue. (Our server explained the difference between sumac and poison sumac).
This one was my favorite, and Mo's second fave.

YELLOW FEVER
Guava sake. I could leave the description at that.
It smelled of a pineapple blended cocktail. It didn't taste as fruity as I would have thought from the smell. The alcohol actually overpowered the fruit just a little, and I hope this is corrected in future batches. I'm not saying not to get it -- just keep that in mind.
This one was Mo's favorite, and she downed the rest like a first year sorority girl at a UCONN frat party before I could even get another sip in.

CHINESE FIRECRACKER
Hot! Hot!! Hot!!!
No, really, it's friggin' HOT.
This one is infused with aged chili peppers, and was aged further in the bottle since January of 2006. This stuff even smells hot -- super hot. This one is not for the feint-of-heart. Mind you, while this concoction is super-spicy, it's quite well balanced. Unlike something like Dave's Insanity Sauce, it is not hot for the sake of "hot", and has quite a bit of flavor -- think hot, smoky salsa (but alcoholic).
If you like spicy foods, you have not truly lived until you have tried this sake!
This is my MUST BUY of the lot.
Mo: "It gets hotter at the end! I thought I was done!!"

DRAGON LADY
Apparently the last Empress of China's secret recipe, this one is infused with ginger, lemongrass, and clover honey. Any sweetness of the honey is lost in the taste, which is dominated by the ginger. You can still find traces of lemongrass in there. Vegans everywhere will hate me, but I'd like to see the next batch infused with more honey. The ginger, however, cancels out any alcohol taste, so beware of this one.
Mo: "eh."

If you haven't been to Miya's before, expect to spend another $20-40 per person, depending on how much you eat. There are amazing vegan options, and most nights Bun just brings you little dishes of things he's trying out. I'm unsure of the price (I think it was $35-50-ish), but on Wednesday they do a 10 course dinner for the meat/fish eaters. Much of it can be made veggie if desired.
If you're the type of person who gets creeped out when the server knows your name by the end of the meal, stay away -- there's a Denny's somewhere with your name on it.

Wine Tasting Notes generator

2007-07-26T20:14:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder how the wine bourgeoisie come up with their tasting notes?
So did I, but not anymore.

New Haven Restaurant Teasers

2007-07-26T20:06:00.000-04:00

1. Miya's (68 Howe St. New Haven) will eventually offer Sakes, Plum Wines, and Infused Liquors created by evil-sushi-genius, Bun Lai. Stay tuned for an update, as we believe Bun is "tinkering" around with the recipes.

2. 116 Crown (116 Crown St. New Haven) is in the process of having their liquor license approved. I have gotten a sneak peek of their wine list -- I'll probably be moving in.
The wine list will feature affordable stars of many different wine styles. I've heard the menu will include Pommes Frites. Frites and Good Wine? F@$%ing Genius!

Bodegas Carrau Tannat de Reserva 2003

2007-07-18T20:50:00.000-04:00

OK, so I have mentioned the Bodegas Carrau Tannat de Reserva 2003 ($) before, mostly as a cheaper alternative to the Tannat Amat. It also is the wine I've received the most feedback from, either by comment, e-mail, or stop-on-the-street.
I just opened another bottle tonight, after hearing many of the Colombian riders of the Tour de France train in Uruguay, and felt I needed to get y'all out there to get one (or two).
The Tannat Reserva is definitely a MUST BUY, and probably the first M/B at this price in a while.

Duckhorn Napa Merlot 2004

2007-07-18T20:35:00.000-04:00

Duckhorn Napa Merlot 2004 ($$$) is, in the French tradition, 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was an early harvest, due to a natural growth of the "buds", not a forced harvest due to climate. The wine comes from a variety of Duckhorn-owned and independent vineyards, showcasing the diversity of the Napa Valley region.
The nose is of green olives, cooking herbs, and oak. Fruit dominates this wine -- blackberry and black cherry, while it is rounded out by clove and black pepper. The tannins add to a nice feel and give the wine a wonderful finish. The wine is Merlot-dry, but even a fan of fruitier wines will stick around for the finish.
This is a wine best paired with a drum roll and timpani.
Worth the extra scratch for a special occasion.

Podge Belgian Imperial Stout

2007-07-12T18:04:00.000-04:00

I must admit that this review may be an exercise in futility, as only 120 bottles of Podge Belgian Imperial Stout ($) have made it into Connecticut. That said, if you find one of these little five dollar bottles, it is a MUST BUY. I found mine at Northeast Beverage in Killingly, CT, well over an hour's drive from New Haven. They have at least 3 left as of today, and possibly more in the back room, as I know they got 24 bottles of the CT allocation.

The beer, best poured into a brandy snifter or tulip shaped glass, pours a rich, black color with a nice tan, sticky head. It smelled of Chocolate, Vanilla, and Coffee, with a faint touch of Hops, which is an unusual smell in a Stout. The taste was of semi-sweet chocolate and dark coffee (not quite espresso), with quite a bit of sugar taste, much like the Mephistopholes by Avery.
The Belgians tend to add "candi sugar" to alot of their beers, this one is no different. There's also Pilsner Malt, 6 Special Malts, Challenger and Goldings Hops, and Irish Ale yeast.
It's produced by Alvinne, so if you see any of their stuff, give it a try as well.

Miya - Because Man cannot live on Sake alone

2007-07-05T21:48:00.000-04:00

We checked the Elm City Wino MySpace page today, and added a new friend, Miya Sushi. Honestly, I had almost completely forgotten about Miya (68 Howe St., New Haven). Bad move for me, as Mo grew up with Miya, the namesake and sister of Bun Lai, the man behind the curtain. Miya has many, many, many different creative sushi options available (vegan-friendly), but more importantly, many different Sake options. A little Sake Bombing run may have to be organized in order to bring you the skinny on the New Haven Sake scene.
I also remember several different Plum Wines as well. It's been a while, but we'll have to get over there again, ugh, just for you.

Calimotxo!

2007-07-05T21:17:00.000-04:00

Ah, Calimotxo.
I had believed it to be an abomination. Mixing 50% red wine and 50% Coca-cola. I wouldn't touch the stuff, that is, until ecWino staffer, Mo, made me some.
Mo had been doing a little research on her own, prompted by an article in Time Out New York. She had shown me the article, which suggested using Luzon Verde but had a bottle of Garnacha de Fuego in the picture. That error was enough for me to ignore the idea completely.
Mo tried the Luzon Verde and liked it, but knew I would scoff at the idea of using a decent, low-cost organic in a pseudo-mixed-drink. She tried the Garnacha del Fuego, the last bottle at ecWino HQ (and it's getting damn hard to find), and just didn't tell me about it. She tried it with Marques de Riscal, again knowing I would shudder at the waste of wine.
Then she poured it for me with Wrongo Dongo.

Wrongo Dongo is a food wine. Drink it on it's own, and it's so-so. Pair it with skirt steak or Italian tofu, and it's on fire. I tend to shy away from "food-wines", because, after all, who really wants to eat while they drink??? (50% sarcasm)
I had chalked this wine up to okay-wine-stupid-name, and left a few bottles on the shelf to rot away.

When Mo mixed this with Coca Cola, the whole thing came alive. No too sweet, only slightly carbonated, slightly chilled -- the perfect summer drink!

Calimotxo MUST be made with Coca Cola. It's not the same with Pepsi, Organo-farm, Diet Coke, Cola Spritzer, Sam's Club, HippieTime, any of that -- it's gotta be Coke.
50/50. Mix in a garbage bag for full effect (hey, it's the authentic way), or in a glass with a small cocktail stirrer (damn you, gringo).

Here's the bottle...

I stole the picture from Water Into Wino.
And here's the Wikipedia link... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calimotxo/Calimocho

Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Vin 2004

2007-06-20T21:09:00.000-04:00

I have recommended the Cuvelier Los Andes Colleccion before. Tonight, I opened the Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Vin 2004 ($$$).
There isn't anything I could say about this wine that these guys haven't already....

Video Translation:
"15 pound bottle of wine" = in the states this is about $40-50
www.vitualwine.co.uk = www.virtualwine.co.uk

Oh, and I'm totally down with the guy on the right -- let the other dude talk, and pour myself twice as much.

Again, Michel Rolland oversees the production. His name = MUST BUY. Jean-Guy and Bertrand Cuvelier run the estate. Their names = MUST BUY. This wine is bigger and sexier than the Colleccion, which is pretty hard to do.

Cold River Vodka

2007-06-19T21:00:00.000-04:00

Maine is a tricky place for imbibement, as gas stations sell jug wine, and high end spirit shops are rarer than the spotted loon.

A few years back, we went up to Maine for a concert and stayed at the Eastland Park Hotel in Portland. After the show, we took the elevator to their "rooftop" lounge, Top Of The East.
I had been ordering vodka tonics, when a few local hipsters turned me on to Cold River Vodka ($$$). Mainers (Maine-uhs) take pride in everything made locally, and this seemed to be their crowning achievement. Cold River is made from Maine Potatoes, Maine Aquifers, and triple distilled. This is the one of the smoothest vodkas I have ever tried. It can be had straight, at room-temperature, and would still rate with any top shelf producer.
The secret is in the potatoes. Potato starch is a natural sugar that slightly sweetens the vodka. It is a little pricey ($40-50 per 750ml bottle) but definitely worth the purchase, if you're the type who can avoid consuming an entire bottle in one sitting.

DeMartino Legado Reserva Carmenere 2003, finally!

2007-06-19T20:41:00.000-04:00

So we finally got our hands on the DeMartino Legado Reserva Carmenere 2003 ($-$$).
I've mentioned it before and have been having a hard time finding it. There were only around 1000 cases produced, and it is distributed in CT by a small distributor with limited warehouse space. Wine.com bought up most, if not all of it, for one of their wine clubs, so unless you get in on it (Discovery Club) through them, there's a good chance you won't find this vintage. Chatham Wine & Spirits may have some later this month, after all the internet orders are filled. We'll keep you posted.

It turns out this wine is as good as I originally thought. It's a deep, deep ruby -- almost black. It smells of ripe, red fruit and chocolate. The wine itself has soft and velvety tannins that challenge you to pick them apart in your mouth. It is full bodied and voluptuous. The finish is smooth and long.
The wine was a bit ripe, but it is only a few years old. Serve it from a decanter, if available, or allow it to breathe in the glass for about 20 minutes.
For a neat experiment, drink some immediately upon opening, then pour another glass and wait about an hour. The result will be two different wines, with complexities even the novice wine drinker will be able to pick out.

This wine is a MUST BUY, and every bottle you see should be purchased, if possible. This wine will probably make my top 10 of the year.

Lindeman's Reserve Chardonnay

2007-06-18T20:26:00.000-04:00

After the surprisingly decent taste of the Lindeman's South African Chardonnay, I figured we try the Australian Reserve blend. To be honest, the Lindeman's Reserve Chardonnay 2004 ($) was barely drinkable. It was way too "oily", with a poorly balanced alcohol.
This would be a good second bottle, if you were going that far.

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA

2007-06-18T17:02:00.000-04:00

Dogfish Head has long been guilty of stunt brewing. It seems they will throw just about anything into a beer and sell it. At either of their brewpub/restaurants, they have served up an ale made with a rare algae that only grows in the still water of Tibet. They have aged beer in Pinot Noir barrels. They constantly push the limits of alcohol content in their beers. Usually, however, their beers are on point, and they have set new standards in the world of craft beers.

Enter Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA ($). The name comes from a 2-hour, continual addition of hops -- there are also 60 and 90 minute versions. While the 60 and 90 come off as standard to above-standard IPAs, the 120 Minute introduces the average consumer to a new realm of beer. Not quite barleywine, and definitely not beer beer, the 120 minute IPA is 2 different beers.
First, the 120 Minute IPA is a strong, syrupy beer that will remind you of brown sugar and oatmeal (with way too much brown sugar). Age the 120 Minute, however, for a year or two, and you are left with a heavy port-wine-like brew that lacks most of it's carbonation, but has increased in alcohol content. It starts out around 12-14% (for reference, a Guinness is around 3 1/2%).
This beer should be shared with a friend (yes, split the pint) and served in a brandy snifter at room temperature, or slightly chilled.

Others to try (and to age), are...
Dogfish Head Old School Barleywine ($)
Dogfish Head Raison d'Etre ($)
Dogfish Head Worldwide Stout ($)
(these beers are around $8-10 per bottle)

For the highest octane Black 'N Tan you've ever had, mix 50% Dogfish 120 minute IPA and 50% Dogfish Worldwide Stout. To make it a bit more digestible, use the 90 Minute IPA.

Look for 120 Minute tastings at snooty beer-bars. The rep.s from Dogfish come out with a paintball-gun hopper filled with fresh hops, pour the 120 through it into a glass, making a 125 minute IPA.

Henri Bourgeois 'Petit Bourgeois' Sauvignon Blanc

2007-06-17T20:21:00.000-04:00

Henri Bourgeois 'Petit Bourgeois' Sauvignon Blanc 2004 ($)
It has been referred to as a "simple, summer white". It is.
Some have complained that the alcohol has too much bite. It does, but not too much -- it's actually bearable with a little air time.
The wine opens somewhat "stinky", which quickly goes away to reveal a light aromatic smell similar to a fresh cut lawn. The wine was acidic, higher than I'd have liked, with a bit of a tang. Not the best white for under $10, but readily available.
Drink this when you're in the backyard grilling.

More Corkage

2007-06-17T19:58:00.001-04:00

Due to the constantly fluctuating temperatures in New Haven right now, the ecWino headquarters is losing a fair share of its inventory to corkage.
I've mentioned corkage before, as well as tips on storing wine in a New Haven apartment. The main problem for us is too many bottles, leading to the "overflow" being kept upstairs, out in the open.
To those of you unfamiliar with the term "corkage", I'm basically referring to a bottle that has allowed oxygen to pass through the cork. Hot and Cold temperature fluctuations cause the cork to shrink and expand, slowly allowing oxygen into the bottle. The oxygen, in turn, ruins the wine.
-Some indications your wine has "corked"...
---When you cut away the foil on the top of the bottle, you find mold on the cork.
---As you remove the cork, you see evidence of moisture on more than half of the cork.
---When you remove the cork, the wine smells of dirty laundry or rotten eggs.

Unfortunately, there isn't much that can be done with the wine at this point. Some people will make Calimotxo, which is essentially 1/2 red wine and 1/2 Coca Cola. I wouldn't suggest this, however. My hesitance is not out of purism, Calimotxo should be made with a red table wine (one that is still drinkable), preferrably Grenache. Pretty much the only thing the wine will be good for is staining the deck at this point.

The names of the fallen soldiers...
2005 Steltzner Sauvignon Blanc (my free bottle from a previous bad review)
2002 Louis Bernard Cotes du Luberon (White Rhone)
2005 Domdechant Werner Riesling Spatlese

The Steltzner was an interesting one because it has a twist-off cap, which is supposedly designed to minimize the risk of corkage. The entire cap and sleeve came off, without splitting at the cap...

DeMartino Carmenere update

2007-06-14T19:19:00.000-04:00

The DeMartino Legado Reserva Carmenere 2003 that I mentioned yesterday may or may not be readily available in Connecticut. I can't seem to find it anywhere.
Wine.com is offering it as part of their "Discovery Tour" Wine Club for $20 per month. It turns out this wine should be offered at retail for around $15.
If you can find this wine, it is a MUST BUY.
It's grown organically. 2003 was one of the better Chilean Carmenere vintages in some time. Carmenere is often referred to as the lost grape of Bordeaux. It was originally a blending grape, and considered one of the "six noble grapes" in France. Pests and disease all but wiped out the varietal in France, and today it is rarely found there. In Chile, it has found a new life as an independent varietal, and does really well in the South American climate.
There is a rumor out that an entire container ship of the stuff is headed to the States, so it may become more available soon.

Two Whole Weeks

2007-06-12T21:24:00.001-04:00

Two whole weeks have passed, and not a single update on Elm City Wino. I'm sorry friends, I just don't drink enough. Hi, my name is Matt. This is my first meeting. I drink everyday so my friends don't have to...

There have been quite a few samplings, actually, but many didn't earn the effort to turn on my computer.

Alas Rioja, my Muga Rioja Reserva 2000 ($-$$) corked, which was a sad, sad event. Another must buy for fans of Rioja, Muga has been described by local legend, Rinsey, as, "peel-your-face-off-good". Robert Parker (The Wine Advocate) suggests the 2001 vintage ($-$$) should be purchased by the case. A distant relative of Pinot Noir, this Tempranillo has elements of black cherries and good ol' earth and is a great stand alone wine.
New Haven area renters who fear the corkage during this heat should check out Storing Wine in a New Haven Apartment. Others should just throw a wine bacchanalia and invite the ECW crew.

Renwood 2002 Zinfandel Jack Rabbit Flat ($$-$$$) was a nice change of pace. The wine was a dark ruby color, with aromas of blackberry, cherry, cocoa, and pepper. The wine itself was a combination of dark fruits (plums, cherries, blackberries) and black pepper, which, surprisingly, works. The finish lingered, but not for too long, and offered up vanilla and oak.

There was a horizontal tasting of two vintages of Twenty Bench Cabernet from the Napa Valley, 2002 and 2003. Current vintages are around $15. The wines vary from vintage to vintage in that they have small amounts of Syrah added. The two vintages sampled didn't show much difference, other than the 2002 being a little less ripe. This is a MUST BUY, as it will probably be the BEST $15 Cabernet you will ever try, and the only $15 Cabernet you will ever consider aging. A little on the drier side, they open up if poured into a decanter or left open for 45 minutes before pouring (the ghetto-decanter technique).

On one of my visits to Chatham Wine & Spirits (the CT arm of Wine.com), they were tasting DeMartino Legado Reserva Carmenere 2003 ($-$$). As I was driving, I didn't try any (see, mom, I am responsible!), but I did shove my oversize schnoz into a glass, and was taken aback. This wine is going to taste just like Cuvelier Los Andes at half the price, I guarantee it. I ran down to the Wine Thief as soon as I got out of work, but they didn't have any yet, so if you find this, call me and tell me where.

There have also been experiments with German Rieslings, which may or may not make it into a future post. The problem I have with the Germans is that they are hard to differentiate, as all the bottles look the same (blond hair, blue eyes). Thanisch ($-$$) has been a good bet so far.

Summer Whites

2007-05-27T06:45:00.001-04:00

I tend to shy away from white wines. I'm not entirely sure why, it's just always been a matter of preference for me; there aren't many that I like. The weather, however, has been lending itself to a nice chilled white.
A few we've sampled as of late...

2005 Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc ($-$$) is a Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma County, California. It has a tropical, earthy aroma reminiscent of kiwi or pineapple. It has a rich, fruit flavor, with a lingering aftertaste. It's aged in both stainless steel and French oak barrels, giving it complexity and depth.
It goes well with a variety of foods, but its lively fruit flavors will pair best with spicy ethnic dishes.
It's on the wine list at Portofino, where it does best with a light pasta dish.

Lindeman's 2006 South Africa Chardonnay ($) struck me as Not Chard-ey. It wasn't oaky at all, yet offered loads of citrus and tropical fruit aroma -- most notably, banana -- and had a matching flavor. The mouthfeel was also unlike most chards, it had all the "buttery" Chardonnay qualities, but none of the "oilyness" typical to chard.

Caymus Conundrum ($$-$$$) has aromas of peach and flavors of melon, pear, and apricots with a hint of vanilla bean. There is a balanced, citrus-ey, finish.
This wine is proof positive that a screw cap and a bottle of wine can go together. In the case of Conundrum, the screw cap seals in those flavors for a few days in the fridge, not that it matters, 'cause you're going to finish this one in one sitting. This was the only white I'd drink for a long time.

Provenance Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

2007-05-18T19:01:00.000-04:00

Moodus Package in East Haddam is one of those little known gems that constantly surprise us. At first glance, they are your typical working-class shop, with a line of construction workers clutching Miller by the case and a bottle of Yellowtail for the wife. Take a closer look and find vintage Bordeauxs, California cult-wines, and hard to find South Americans. Their staff is just as surprising, especially in an industry where the customer usually knows more than the shopkeeper.
That's where we heard about Provenance Vineyards Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 ($$$), which turned out to be in the cellar already.
The wine comes from a vineyard that is steeped in history. It was originally owned by George Yount, one of the areas first white settlers. It is believed that the first Cabernet grapes in the Rutherford area of the Napa Valley were planted here. The vineyard has also been owned by Thomas Rutherford, the Dioceses of San Francisco, and Georges de Latour, founder of Beaulieu Vineyard (BV).
It's an interesting, full-bodied Cabernet with hints of mocha, chocolate, and French Vanilla (probably from the barrels). This wine is aggressive and subtle at the same time -- worth grabbing if you see it.

Campion

2007-05-18T17:28:00.000-04:00

Campion is a winemaker who is something of an enigma. Campion does one grape, and does it well. It is always interesting when, after years in the business, someone dedicates themselves to one type of wine. Campion does Pinot Noir.

The visionary behind Campion is Larry Brooks. Larry worked for Acacia, Chalone, and Echelon (all producers of decent value Pinots), but more importantly, he started out racing bicycles. (inside joke, sorry!)

Campion has several different Pinots available (check their website for a list), but for this horizontal tasting, we tried 2001 Firepeak Vineyard, 2002 Santa Lucia Highlands, and 2004 Central Coast.

Campion Pinot Noir 2004 Central Coast Appellation ($$) has a nose of black cherries and "the woods after a rainstorm". The mouthfeel is smooth and luscious., with a taste of red currants. The wine has a beautiful finish, and may change your life.
I'm going to suggest you stop right here. While the other wines were amazing, this one is by far the cheapest, and unless you have the extra scratch, or a super-refined palate, this is about as good as any of the others. Good luck in your search, as only 56 barrels were produced.
The Appellation, Central Coast is good for Pinot Noir, as the grapes are cooled by winds from the San Luis Obispo Bay. This area is often referred to on labels as Edna Valley, and as such, if you're drinking by the glass, an Edna Valley Pinot is usually a good bet.

As I have said before, there was very little bad Pinot Noir throughout the Pacific Northwest in 2002. If your vineyard felt the breezes of the Pacific Ocean, you probably did alright. Part of the reason for such a good year was that the end of the growing cycle saw very mild weather, keeping the harvest from being forced.
Campion Pinot Noir 2002 Santa Lucia Highlands ($$$) is a perfect example of the benefits of this vintage. This wine is exclusively from their Sarmento vineyard, and turned out to be Brooks' favorite of the year. Only 21 barrels were produced.
The nose reminds me of Cherry Coke meets black pepper and sage. The mouthfeel is big and silky with a taste of blackberries-meets-earth.
The Appellation, Santa Lucia Highlands is cooled by the Monterey Bay, but sheltered by the Salinas hills.

Campion Pinot Noir 2001 Firepeak Vineyard ($$$) is another Edna Valley vineyard with only 9 barrels produced. This one may be tough to find, but can still be special ordered (at least here in Connecticut). The grapes grow in a light volcanic soil and are cooled by a fog that rolls in off the Pacific Ocean. This wine has been referred to as Campion's Reserve -- it's limited production adds to this feeling.
The wine has a nose of pomegranate, cherries, black tea, and wet soil. The body is BIG and voluptuous with a taste of red currant and raspberry with a smooth, fine acidity. This wine could make you ignore every Oregon or Washington State Pinot for the rest of your life.

All of these wines were great, and the nice thing about a good, well-rounded Pinot is that it can be paired with anything, or just enjoyed on its own.

gonzo winetasting

2007-05-14T15:15:00.000-04:00

Friday night, we met friends out at Cafe Goodfellas. [insert stereotype joke] I was actually quite impressed with the place, especially their Wine List ($$+). The list is rather large for a restaurant of their size, focusing on California and Italy. Even the lower end wines ($$), are better than average. The typical restaurant mark-up is lower than most (the wines will still be $15 or more over retail).

We started with David Bruce 2004 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($$) and salad.
While the wine might be a little young, it was still impressive for the price. It smelled of cherries and strawberries, and tasted of ripe plums and other fruits with a smooth oaky finish.
Use a decanter, if available. Buy a second bottle, you'll want another.

A bottle of 2003 Clos Du Bois Alexander Valley Reserve Merlot ($-$$) kept away the Sideways comments.
This was actually one of the best Merlots I've had in a while, and the price works quite well. The wine smelled of plum, blackberry, and chocolate. The taste matched the nose, and this wine was "lighter" than other Merlots in this price range.
Tell your friends it has, "Fleshy, supple tannins".

With dinner we had a 2002 Bastianich Vespa Rosso ($$). The wine is a blend of Merlot, Refosco, and Cabernet Franc. It's a bottle that's good now, while showing signs it will benefit from aging. The nose was fruit and earth, with a very "lush" palate.
Tell your friends it's "an impressive blend of indigenous and international grape varieties".
The wine is grown in Italy, but it's producer, Joe Bastianich, is behind a few New York Restaurants and is the founder of Italian Wine Merhcants, a shop that you must check out the next time you're near Union Square.

After dinner, we headed over to Firehouse 12 to see what Carlos was hiding under the bar. He suggested a 2004 Castello Di Monastero Sangiovese ($-$$). I'm going to admit that at this point, I'm not quite sure what it tasted like. My notes say exactly the following, "TUSCANY DRY HOTFRUIT TOMATOSAUCE ""SOR"' Firehou se."
Carlos' suggestions are usually on point, though.

Duboeuf Chateau Des Capitan Julienas.

2007-05-03T18:50:00.000-04:00

Beaujolais is usually quite fruity, and actually can benefit from being slightly chilled. Chateau des Capitan is a Cru Beaujolais, as designated by the name of the village (Julienas), as opposed to Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages. Only 10 villages are recognized as Cru Beaujolais.
Not your typical Beaujolais, Duboeuf Chateau Des Capitan Julienas 2005 ($-$$), has been referred to as a "happy medium".
Duboeuf's Julienas is a little more "serious" than the lively, fruity Beaujolais that Duboeuf is recognized for. (For a more complex Beaujolais at a similar price point, try Louis Jadot). Soft, fruity texture, with "hidden" tannins, this wine features berry and plum flavors. I couldn't find much nose on this wine, and honestly didn't quite like it. I'm not much of a Beajolais fan, however.

Other Beaujolais reviewers have recommended this wine, so consider my opinions biased.
It's on the wine list at Istanbul Cafe on Crown St.

Marques de Riscal

2007-05-01T19:10:00.000-04:00

don't worry the gold wire is easy to cut through
A tale of Christmas-Past -- Our "Brooklyn Connection", Karolina, once bought us a bottle of Marques de Riscal Reserva Rioja 2000 ($-$$). It was the holidays, and as most, she was tapped out cashwise when it dawned on her that she would be visiting with the ECW crew. She went to Uva Wines in Brooklyn (no relation) and told the salesperson she needed a wine that would impress wine snobs, but didn't cost much. Her first mistake was to assume we were full-fledged snobs, her second was to introduce us to this wine. Since that Christmas, we have probably had this wine at least 50 times, and there is always a bottle in the rack.
This wine, a Tempranillo blend, is grown in the Rioja region of Spain. Tempranillo and Graciano y Mazuelo (grenache) grapes produce wines that age very well in wood. The result is a structure with mellow tannins (still not for you dry-haters). Blackberries, figs, black pepper can be found after the initial tannin-shock.
The bottle itself is wrapped in a thin gold wire, really just a novelty, that makes it at least look cool on the rack. The winemaker boasts a collection of medals from the late 1800's, although the vines for the current vintages of Marques de Riscal are only about 20 or so years old.
Definitely worth trying, especially at the price point.

Bodegas Can Blau

2007-04-29T18:36:00.000-04:00

Priorat. It sounds like some sort of super secret society guarding the secrets of old Europe. It very well may be. Priorat, or Priorato, is a newer appellation of the Montsant region of Spain. Priorat, while a new region officially, has been producing robust wines for some time. Cellars Can Blau has a knack for utilizing the soils of the rather unforgiving Montsant hills. Carinena grapes from sandy clay, Syrah from chalky soil, and Garnacha on slate are blended together to make a medium bodied wine with a huge fruit presence. Blueberries and raspberries run the show here. Earthy accents take second billing.
The better Priorat wines will usually set you back at least half a weeks pay. Can Blau 2005 ($-$$) has been referred to as "poor man's Priorat", but having had quite a few of the higher end Montsants, I can assure you that this wine should cost quite a bit more. Wine Advocate gave this wine 90 points. It's on the wine list at Barcelona.
This wine starts out fruity, and ends up with a little bit of dryness. This is another wine that I would suggest to just about anyone, as it has qualities most people like. This wine is in the running for the ECW top ten of the year.
BUY THIS WINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More entry level Aussies

2007-04-28T10:47:00.000-04:00

Yellowtail, Papio, Little Penguin, Alice White. To many, these brands are comfortable options. To others, they aren't worthy of using to stain the back porch.

Wine can be very intimidating, what with all those crazy French words and umlauts and such. Wine doesn't have to be this scary. Sometimes all it takes is one bottle to change your life, sometimes it's a work in progress.
To those of you just coming over from the low-end Aussies with cute, cuddly marsupials on the labels, I offer you an alternative.
While I have mentioned some others before (Penfolds, The Turk), I'd like to suggest an entire line of wines from one producer to help kickstart your wine appreciation.
Enter Rosemount. Rosemount offers a myriad of different varietals and blends, as well as various price points.
Wine Spectator's May issue reviews quite a few Rosemount wines, and I'd like to pass them along.

First, Rosemount's Diamond Label Southeastern Australia Shiraz 2005 ($) was one of 5 wines they picked as Best Value and received 87 points. This wine is a little lighter than your average Shiraz/Syrah, but still holds up well enough.

Other Rosemount wines rated...
-- Diamond Label Southeastern Australia Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($) - 86 points.
-- "Traditional" South Australia 2002 ($$) - 85 points. Blend of Cab. Sauv., Merlot, and Petit Verdot.
-- Diamond Label Southeastern Australia Cabernet-Merlot 2005 ($) - 82 points.
-- Diamond Label Southeastern Australia Chardonnay 2006 ($) - 86 points.
-- GSM McLaren Vale 2003 ($$) - 91 points. Blend of Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvedre.
-- Diamond Label Southeastern Australia Shiraz-Cabernet 2005 ($) - 87 points.
-- Diamond Label Southeastern Australia Shiraz-Grenache 2005 ($) - 87 points.
-- Diamond Label Southeastern Australia Pinot Noir 2006 ($) - 84 points.
-- Diamond Label Southeastern Australia Shiraz Traminer-Riesling 2006 ($) - 89 points.
-- Diamond Label Southeastern Australia Pinot Grigio 2006 ($) - 86 points.
-- Diamond Label Southeastern Australia Riesling 2006 ($) - 86 points.

To be honest, I haven't tried all of these. I'm just forwarding some information from the magazine. Don't just take my word, go out and pick up the issue (Wine Spectator - May 31, 2007 $5). There will be tasting notes on each wine, as well as an explanation of the points-system, in the magazine.

I often shy away from certain wines grown out of their "usual" territories. For example, I probably wouldn't order a Pinot Grigio that didn't come from one of the better Italian estates. Then again, I probably wouldn't order a Pinot Grigio.
That said, I have had the Traminer-Riesling (not this vintage) at Nikita and liked it. It paired well with a variety of spicy appetizers, even sushi. I've also had their Diamond Label Shiraz quite a few times, and have had no problems with it.

Mind you, there are no furry animals on these bottles.
Cheers!

Breaking News!!! Clos de Los Siete by the glass.

2007-04-26T19:51:00.000-04:00

Alright, maybe not breaking news, but one of ECW's wine-spies has informed us that Firehouse 12 is serving Clos de los Siete by the glass (or at least they were last Saturday). This is one of Carlos' You-Gotta-Ask-For-It items; it's not on any wine list. Tell 'em Elm City Wino sent ya!.

Firehouse 12's website and myspace.

Coppola Rosso Shiraz

2007-04-24T19:00:00.000-04:00

Back home, Francis Ford Coppola is known only as "Frank". Frank's wine has played a large part in our family gatherings ever since my father, not much of a drinker, put away quite a bit of Frank, and then proceeded to give an oral dissertation on the advantages of diversification in business. As Dad saw it, if Coppola had a bad vintage, he could just go out and make another movie, and if that movie bombed, he could just make more wine. It was quite entertaining, to the point of having Frank as a required part of every family meal.

Coppola's estate, Niebaum-Coppola, once belonged to a Finnish sea captain, Gustave Niebaum, who founded Inglenook Vineyards. Coppola and his wife bought the property in the 70's. In the 90's they purchased the surrounding vineyards, as well as the original Inglenook Winery. The estate is best regarded for it's Rubicon Series, a higher end, limited run wine. To "pay the bills", they put out various varietals under various different Coppola labels - Diamond Collection, Director's Cut, Rosso and Bianco, etc.

Coppola's Rosso Shiraz 2004 ($) was opened for this tasting, and while it won't blow your mind, it's a good drinker, especially at the price. It's soft and supple with a taste of berry jam with mild tannins. File this one under Art Opening Wines

Raiding the B-Day gifts for more stuff I can't afford.

2007-04-22T19:14:00.000-04:00

yes, the picture's big, but so is the wine.

Caymus is one of the big names in the Napa Valley. Their brand has been synonymous with Cabernet Sauvignon for decades. Their 2003 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($$$$) is a blend of Cabernet grapes selected from 11 different vineyards within the Napa Valley. Four sub-appellations of Napa Valley are represented here -- Atlas Peak, Mount Veeder, Rutherford, and St. Helena. (As an aside, try Rutherford Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon ($-$$) for a decent, entry level Cab. Sauv.)
Currants, Plums, and Blackberries start this wine off, eventually turning to black pepper, sage, and maybe a little A-1 Steak Sauce (apologies to wine snobs everywhere). The wine has a long -- make that looooooooong -- smooth aftertaste.
This wine is usually paired with meats (or tofurkey in our house), but will do great on its own.

Caymus Vineyards also put out some great Pinot Noirs, which is a fairly new venture for them.

Making Wine, But Not Money

2007-04-21T15:43:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Dr. Brionics for the head-up for this story from NPR about vineyards that produce world class wines, but don't produce much profit.

If the link doesn't work, cut 'n paste --> http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9647826

Spring Sprung. Picnic Pinots.

2007-04-21T14:30:00.000-04:00

Now that Spring has finally arrived in New Haven, it's time to have yourself a little picnic.
New Haveners treat the picnic as an art form, or even a competitive sport. Everyone has "their" spot. There's lots of veggies, poetry reading, romance, and, hopefully, wine.
I find that the first picnic of spring, on a perfect day, goes great with a big Pinot Noir. This combination always trumps any food pairings, and the bigger, the better.

Here are some of my favorite Picnic Pinots...

Caymus Belle Glos Pinot Noir: Clark & Telephone Vineyard ($$$), Taylor Lane Vineyard ($$$), or Sonoma Coast ($$).
C&T and TL bottles have a wax top a la Maker's Mark; the extra effort is worth the wait. SC is a blend of grapes from the region, and Caymus grapes that didn't make the cut for the others. (It's still pretty good). I won't get into the differences in these wines, as they will be subtle to the beginner. Be sure to check out Alder Yarrow's Vinography blog for some neat tidbits about the Clark & Telephone (my personal fave of the lot).

Adelsheim Vineyard Williamette Valley Pinot Noir ($$-$$$)
The flavor starts out with wild berries and fades into cooking spices. The wine is big, yet subtle (if that's possible). The tannins have enough bite to please drinkers who normally go drier. The finish is as strong and powerful as the initial nose.

Campion Santa Lucia Highlands ($$$) - The wine smells of Cherry Coke and sage or pepper, and a taste of blackberries is balanced by something earthy. BIG!!!

Bethel Heights Estate ($$-$$$), Erath Prince Hill Vineyard ($$$), Williamette Valley Vineyards ($$-$$$) or W.V.V. Signature ($$$$-$$$$$), are also worth trying.
Orogeny ($$-$$$), also from Oregon, was already reviewed.

I haven't given you any vintages here, as almost any will do. Some things to keep in mind -- a. Pinot is usually best while somewhat young, and b. there was very little bad California or Oregon Pinot Noir in 2002.
I've also gone a bit over my usual price range. The first picnic of the season is worth that special bottle.

Edna Valley Pinot Noir

2007-04-19T19:51:00.000-04:00

not necessarily the same label, but you get the idea.

First, I'm not going to give you a vintage for Edna Valley Pinot Noir ($). It's one of those wines that are blended to give a similar taste from vintage to vintage. (That may give you an idea of where we're going here).
Smoky, with medium body, and a decent aftertaste, this wine is "drinkable". I would not recommend this wine if you're looking to impress the in-laws, new ladyfriend, etc. I would, however, recommend this wine if you've just come over from Yellowtail and the like, and are looking for a simple, decent, drinkable wine. It's fairly smooth, somewhat "light and fluffy" for a Pinot Noir, and affordable. This is the kind of wine I'll drink at a club. Consider this another one of my "art-opening wines".
I'll definitely take heat from the oeno-snobs for this one. However, I think this is a decent deal in an inexpensive wine. It won't change your life, but it'll do the deed, and you won't look like an Aussie-swill-schlub.

p.s. if you're past the intro to wine stage, and you've taken a liking to Pinot Noir (with or without the help of Sideways), message me, and I'll send you a list of Pinots that'll send you right through to Snob level.