ReNew Haven

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

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)

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...

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

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

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

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.