December 12th, 2011 Posted in Past Events | Comments Off
DO’s like Cava and Priorat have raised the popularity of Spanish wines over the last two decades, but the country is covered with lesser-known regions that produce delicious, interesting wines. Join us Wednesday night to taste a vintage rosé Cava and a bold, densely layered Priorat. We’ll also pour two other Spanish beauties from the south of the country where just about everything exudes vibrant personality.
As always, 15% off wines featured at the tastings!
We’re not big fans of an early freeze, but the closer we get to winter the more we enjoy coming in from from the cold and opening a bottle of warm, toasty red. Whether you’re cooking a hearty stew, simmering a pot of Sunday gravy or roasting a duck (maybe a Cassoulet?), it’s nice to have a robust, flavorful red to open while you’re in the kitchen and around the table. Thursday night we’re tasting four wines that will ease the onset of winter.
Clockwise from left to right: Freedom Hill in Oregon, Sealing Wax at Breuckelen Distillery, Lake Garda, Italy, and Friuli, Italy
Ask someone who works in wine to explain the French concept of terroir, and you’re likely to get a tortuous explanation that mentions everything under the sun (literally), including what species of alfalfa the winemaker’s mother fed the family cows. Terroir is a sort of all-encompassing term (here we go!), but basically it means place – where does the wine come from? The most important factors, of course, are soil and climate, but for other reasons too numerous and intertwined for anyone to explain without sounding like an idiot, some sites just possess a little more magic than others. Friday night we’ll introduce you to three very distinctive wines that each embody the unique characteristics of their origins. We’ll also pour Breuckelen Gin and Whiskey, made a skip and a hop from the Gowanus Canal – distinctive indeed!
British Barmaster + U’luvka Vodka = The Perfect Holiday Punch
| Valdesere Punch
1/2 Bottle U’luvka Vodka |
Uluvka Vodka – Legend has it that members of the 17th century Polish Royal Court drank vodka from glasses without bases. Unable to set down their drinks, courtiers simply partied until the liquour was gone and then smashed their glasses in the fire. Unfortunately, affairs of state virtually ground to a halt as permanent intoxication set in. Loathe to reform, the king instead asked the royal alchemist to produce a spirit that would allow his people to party all night yet work all day. The King’s man responded by creating an elixir of rare purity. As the story goes, U’luvka has worked with modern alchemists to reproduce the recipe and distill an exceptional vodka from Polish rye, wheat and barley. The result is fresh, light and elegant with floral aromas and a smooth texture. Na zdrowie! |
