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Sons of Liberty Spirits Co. Flavored Whiskies
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News Bites: New Sons of Liberty Flavored Whiskies / Anchor & Hope Wins Four Awards / RI Seafood Launches New Site and App / Help Giusto Donate Lasagnas / Neon Marketplace Opens in Providence

by David Dadekian December 7, 2022
written by David Dadekian

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.


Sons of Liberty Launches New Flavored Whiskey Line

Rhode Island’s Sons of Liberty Introduces 4 Flavored Whiskies – Maple, Honey, Apple, Coffee

EDITOR’S NOTE: Sons of Liberty Spirits Co. was kind enough to provide samples so there’s already an Eat Drink RI Tasting video on YouTube for you to view: https://youtu.be/z8kWdDHfmuI

Sons of Liberty Spirits Co. has released a new line of flavored whiskies that are now available throughout Rhode Island and select stores in Massachusetts; the four year-round flavors are Maple, Honey, Apple, and Coffee. The 750ml, 70 proof offerings are all crafted with real ingredients and are on store shelves for a suggested retail price of just $29.99. This line release comes on the heels of Sons of Liberty’s recent brand-refresh after nearly 11 years in business.

Sons of Liberty is no stranger to flavored whiskey having produced various award-winning flavors dating as far back as 2012. Their most notable awards include World’s Best Flavored Whiskey, Best Flavored Whiskey in North America (both awarded by Whisky Magazine’s World Whiskies Awards) and a handful of gold medals from prestigious competitions. 

“We’re really excited with how these turned out,” said Sons of Liberty’s President and Founder, Mike Reppucci. “You don’t feel like your teeth are coated in sugar after enjoying them.” Contrary to some other flavored spirits in the market, Sons of Liberty prides itself on using real ingredients to flavor their whiskies, no chemicals or flavor substitutes. Real honey, real maple syrup, real apples, and real coffee beans. “It just tastes better that way.” Mike explained.

The flavors themselves provide for many ways of enjoyment. “They’re very versatile whiskies,” said Rachael Soderberg of the Product Development Team. “Delicious on their own or with an ice cube since they aren’t overly sweet, but also excellent in fun cocktails since the whiskey itself can hold its own.” The team at Sons of Liberty has numerous cocktail recipe suggestions on their website (https://www.drinksol.com/cocktails).

Sons of Liberty has already shipped a second batch to market and are currently working on a third as the initial response has been very positive. To find retailers near you for any of Sons of Liberty’s flavored whiskies, visit https://www.drinksol.com/where-to-buy. Or order ahead and pick up at Sons of Liberty’s retail shop (tasting room remains closed): http://shop.drinksol.com

Please check out the Eat Drink RI Tasting video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/z8kWdDHfmuI


Anchor & Hope Wins Four Awards at Boston Wine Competition

Four Varietals Receive Medals, including a Best in Class for Winery’s 2020 Riesling 

Anchor & Hope, a craft winery located in Rumford, Rhode Island, is proud to announce that it was awarded four medals at the inaugural Boston Wine Competition, which began on November 4.   

Anchor & Hope’s grapes are grown on small family farms in Germany, California, Oregon, Rhode Island, and New York, and blended, aged, and packaged in Rumford. All their wines are farmed sustainably and made using minimal intervention practices, resulting in elegant, easy drinking, and food-friendly wines.

All four Anchor & Hope wines submitted scored highly in the judging criteria of quality and diversity. Its 2020 Riesling received Best in Class for the category and a platinum award for receiving unanimous gold medals from the judging panel.  Grown on a historic vineyard site, the off-dry Riesling is mineral-driven and bursting with ripe fruit and floral aromatics. Winemaker, mentor and grower Eckehart Groehl produces this wine with earth-friendly farming,native fermentation in stainless steel tanks, and some skin contact before pressing. His vineyard hangs on the historic red slate and sandstone cliffs of Nierstein, Germany along the Rhine River. 

The just-released 2021 Pinot Gris received a gold medal for its rich, honeyed and tropical fruit flavors, salty minerality, and almond pastry note that is derived from aging on the native yeast with some skin contact. The grapes are grown on the rolling hills above the Rhine River by the Groehl family, where the sediment of prehistoric, calcium rich shells, volcanic rocks, and red sandstone make Rheinhessen an incredible place for Pinot varietals.

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc from the Foxhole Vineyard in Rheinhessen, Germany, won a silver medal for its bright and refreshing flavors of citrus and fresh herbs, salty minerality, and crisp acidity. Clean winemaking, extended skin contact and slow, cold fermentation in stainless, it is the culmination of more than 15 years      of collaboration with grower, mentor and co-winemaker, Eckehart Groehl.

Lastly, the 2020 Pinot Noir received a bronze medal for its ripe flavors of cranberry and raspberry enhanced by aromas of cocoa and leather. These Massal Selection vines were planted and grown sustainably by partner winemakers Nico and Laura Espenschied on their family estate in Flonheim, Germany. The grapes were hand-picked and fermented in open tonneau by native yeasts before softening and aging for 18 months in large oak tonneau.

The Boston Wine Competition showcases wine diversity across the globe, spotlighting wines that earn renowned recognition. Judges score wines highly, based on the winemaker’s ability to balance the art and science of winemaking, while making sound, quality wines that consumers will love. 

Raye Bouschet, Executive Director and co-founder of the Boston Wine Competition says, “Our competition celebrates wines that capture the essence of art and science in the glass, from vine to bottle. This competition not only analyzes quality, but places emphasis on what differentiates it from the pack. We’re on a mission to showcase winemakers that express grape and regional diversity and celebrate what each winemaker brings to the table.”

The judging panel at the competition was made up of sommeliers, buyers and writers with extensive commercial buying responsibility. During the judging stage, judges determined which entries were worthy of a platinum, gold, silver, or bronze medal. Entries that received a gold medal from all judges on a panel earned a platinum award. On the final day of the competition, platinum and gold winners advanced to the sweepstakes round to determine Best in Class and Best in Show winners.

“In today’s competitive market, and with more sophisticated consumers who prefer diversity and uniqueness in their wine, a well-made wine is not enough to win over a customer. This competition awards wineries that express the grape’s potential in its given region, appellation, and vineyard, making these awards incredibly significant for us as a growing brand,” said Anchor & Hope co-owner and winemaker James Davids. “Not only does this recognition show that we are making the types of wines that customers will enjoy, but that we are also making quality wines that stand out in a crowd.”


RI Seafood Launches New Website Tools And “Fishline” App To Help Local Consumers Find Fresh, Local Seafood

The Rhode Island Seafood Marketing Collaborative has launched a mobile app and a redesigned website to heighten Rhode Island consumers’ awareness of the value, appeal, and year-round availability of fresh, local Rhode Island seafood, the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announced today. Developed in partnership with the Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island, the new app, FishLine, lets consumers search for fresh seafood to buy from seafood markets, farmers’ markets, and restaurants, as well as directly off the boat from fishermen. The FishLine app and newly updated SeafoodRI.com website are examples of ways that the state is trying to boost its commercial fishing and seafood industry, and strengthen Rhode Island’s local food system and food economy.

“Making it easier for people to find and buy Rhode Island seafood is good for everyone,” said Governor Dan McKee. “It supports the thousands of hard-working men and women of one of the Ocean State’s oldest industries, celebrates the restaurants and seafood dealers and food businesses that have made Rhode Island such a ‘foodie’ destination, and ensures a steady supply of fresh, healthy, locally caught seafood, which is a cornerstone of our state food security strategy.”

“From calamari to oysters to various species of finfish, Rhode Island seafood is already known around the world; what we’re trying to do is jolt interest in and demand for our seafood right here in Rhode Island,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “Through the new FishLine app and website, DEM wants to help connect local consumers and especially younger consumers to local seafood because local is fresh and fresh is delicious.”

“Access to fresh Rhode Island seafood is now, literally, at the fingertips of all Rhode Islanders,” said Robert Ballou, Chair of the RI Seafood Marketing Collaborative. “Increasing consumer awareness of and demand for Rhode Island seafood products in Rhode Island increases in-state sales, spurs growth of the local seafood economy, and supports a stronger, more resilient local food system that is less dependent on less reliable out-of-state sources. Shorter supply chains, or food miles, also have smaller carbon footprints, thereby helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change.”

The new FishLine app and SeafoodRI.com list more than 40 restaurants, seafood markets, grocers, and direct sellers that offer local seafood, profiles about local species and harvesters, and tips for how to cook and enjoy it. Direct sellers and other seafood retailers can use the app to post real-time updates on landings and sales opportunities, helping consumers geo-locate the opportunities to purchase and enjoy RI seafood closest to where they are located. Simply go to SeafoodRI.com and click on the RI Seafood Finder to get started or download the FishLine app from the Apple or Android app store.

Both tools are initiatives of the RI Seafood Marketing Collaborative and industry partners to promote and market fresh Rhode Island seafood. The trademarked RI Seafood brand logo is a core component. Over the past year, the RI Seafood logo has been featured in a variety of online and print advertisements across Rhode Island and at public events including the Charlestown Seafood Festival, the Newport Seafood Festival, and most recently, the Taste of Rhode Island, where Chef Frank Terranova demonstrated how to prepare locally landed monkfish to nearly 1,000 attendees.  The 2022 RI Seafood Marketing campaign is supported by a federal Saltonstall-Kennedy grant awarded to DEM and the Collaborative by NOAA Fisheries last year.

Established by the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2011, the RI Seafood Marketing Collaborative is a public-private body that aims to support local fishermen and seafood farmers and increase awareness and consumption of locally harvested species by the public. Its membership includes representatives from all key sectors of the commercial fishing, aquaculture, and seafood industries joined by representatives from URI, RI Sea Grant, and state agencies including DEM, which chairs the group, and the RI Commerce Corporation, Rhode Island Department of Health, and RI Coastal Resources Management Council.

Rhode Island has a diverse and dynamic commercial fishing and seafood industry. Steeped in tradition, the industry continues to thrive thanks to the health and abundance of locally available fishery resources and the ingenuity and sweat of thousands of hard-working men and women who harvest seafood and make it available to consumers in Rhode Island, across the United States, and around the world. Annual wild harvest landings total over 80 million pounds, valued at over $100 million (ex-vessel). These landings yield a total economic output valued at over $400 million and support over 4,000 jobs, according to a URI study. In addition, shellfish farms in RI waters produce more than 8 million oysters annually, with a farm-gate value of nearly $6 million. The commercial fishing industry has rebounded after huge challenges posed by the COVID pandemic, with 2021 landings, valued at more than $102 million, up by 31% over 2020 landings (ex-vessel), according to the DEM Division of Marine Fisheries.

Follow RI Seafood on Facebook or Instagram (@RI.seafood) for timely updates. Sellers of RI seafood interested in joining the RI Seafood Marketing Campaign can sign up on the RI Seafood website. For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem).


“Buy One, Give One” Lasagna Promotion Returns at Giusto

Now in its third year, the “Buy One, Give One Lasagna” promotion is back for the holidays. Giusto is selling their ready-to-bake lasagnas to support the MLK Center in Newport. For each lasagna purchased, Giusto will donate one to the MLK Center. There are two variations available, Meat Bolognese and Mushroom Ragu. Each lasagna serves 6-8 people and costs $75. To order: 401-324-7400 (with 24 hours notice).


Neon Marketplace Opens in Providence; marks Occasion with $10,000 Donation to Hasbro Children’s Hospital

New Location is the Growing C-Store Brand’s Sixth Store, and its Fourth in Rhode Island 

Check Presentation: Tracey Wallace, Vice President, Pediatric Services, Hasbro Children’s Hospital; Michele Brannigan, Senior Major Gifts Officer and Campaign Manager; Bahjat Shariff, Brand Leader, Neon Marketplace; Ralph Izzi, Vice President, Corporate Marketing & Public Affairs, The Procaccianti Companies.

Neon Marketplace, the newest, most innovative, and elevated brand in the convenience store industry, with locations in Warwick, Rhode Island and Seekonk and Freetown, Massachusetts and express locations in Middletown and Portsmouth, Rhode Island, is pleased to announce the opening of its newest store at 288 Kinsley Avenue in Providence. 

Neon celebrated the grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony with Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, Mayor-Elect Brett Smiley, and Providence City Councilman Oscar Vargas, as well as a $10,000 donation to Hasbro Children’s Hospital.

The first 100 customers at the Providence location also received a special winter-themed gift with purchase.

“We are thrilled to open our doors in the Capital City,” said Bahjat Shariff, Brand Leader, Neon Marketplace. “With our convenient location, competitively-priced gas, Tesla charging stations, and chef-inspired food and beverage choices, we hope to become the go-to stop for the local community and visitors alike.”

Neon Marketplace offers a full array of dining options, including its signature artisan, hand-pressed pizzas. Developed in conjunction with James Beard award-winning chef and restaurateur Michael Schlow, Neon’s pizza pies are baked light and fluffy onsite in Neon’s traditional brick ovens. Each hand-crafted pizza pie starts with dough that is proofed for several hours to give it a light and airy texture, and is then baked in Neon’s brick ovens. On “Pizza Twos-day” Tuesdays, customers can pick up any two of Neon’s Roman-style specialty pizzas topped with house-made sauce and Neon’s signature three-cheese blend for just $15.00 at the Providence, Warwick, Seekonk, and Freetown locations.  

In addition to its signature pizzas, Neon offers a variety of made-to-order and grab-and-go options, including gourmet coffees, breakfast sandwiches and baked goods; hand-made grinders and sandwiches; salads; snacks; fountain and cooler drinks; as well as delivery and catering services for any size group and for any occasion.    

Soon, guests of the Providence location will be able to enjoy Neon’s new chicken sandwiches, which feature a choice of a buttermilk-battered crispy chicken breast or a tender sous vide chicken breast grilled to perfection andtopped with tangy pickles and the slightly sweet, slightly spicy, and always creamy Neon sauce served on a toasted brioche bun.  Guests can make their sandwiches deluxe with the addition of crispy bacon, American cheese, green leaf lettuce, sliced tomato, and onion.

Neon also recently added new menu items inspired by the flavors of the holiday season, including Peppermint Hot Chocolate: extra rich dark hot chocolate with a kiss of peppermint and finished with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and crushed peppermint candies; a Peppermint Mocha: Neon’s smooth and rich espresso infused with chocolate sauce, wintery peppermint, and steamed milk and finished with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and crushed peppermint candies; an Iced Peppermint Mocha: smooth and rich espresso infused with chocolate sauce, wintery peppermint, and milk, poured over ice, then finished with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and crushed peppermint candies; and an indulgent Candy Cane Cookies & Cream Milkshake: creamy vanilla soft serve ice cream blended with peppermint and Oreo cookies and topped with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and crushed peppermint candies.   

Seasonal baked goods, made fresh in-house daily, will feature the Cranberry Orange Nut Muffin packed with juicy cranberries, tangy orange pieces, and toasted walnuts, and the decadent Red Velvet Cookie with white, dark, and milk chocolate pieces, available warm.

Neon Marketplace caters to today’s modern traveler by delivering a uniquely refreshing and stylish experience designed to create loyal customers. Neon locations are targeted to areas where the convenience store customer is currently underserved and in areas where growing populations and/or business growth has resulted in increased vehicle traffic and consumer demand.   Guests are also encouraged to download the Neon Rewards app on their iPhone or Android device to receive special discounts throughout the year. Neon Rewards members who also join Spot Pay will receive 10-cents off every gallon of gasoline purchased for the duration of their membership. Spot Pay offers all participating members discounts and instant reward payments on fuel purchases. 

December 7, 2022 0 comment
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News Bites: Daniele Wins 2015 Good Food Award, Easy Entertaining Healthy Meal Delivery, Papa Razzi Weekly Specials

by David Dadekian January 14, 2015
written by David Dadekian

Daniele Juniper Berry Pinot Noir Salame

Daniele Juniper Berry Pinot Noir Salame

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

Juniper Berry Pinot Noir Salame Wins 2015 National Good Food Award

For the second consecutive year Daniele, Inc. has been recognized as a winner of the prestigious national Good Food Award for its local line of charcuterie made in Rhode Island from locally raised hogs.

Daniele, Inc.’s Juniper Berry and Pinot Noir salame received a first place award in the blind taste test by 225 of the nation’s top chefs and food critics.

Daniele’s local line was developed as part of an initiative that supports local farmers and encourages the emergence of a new comprehensive food culture in Rhode Island and nearby states.

Enrico Porrino, Daniele’s resident Salumiere, developed the recipe after taste-testing several combinations of wines and herbs. “I decided juniper berries and Pinot Noir made the best marriage,” said Porrino. “This Salami embodies classic Italian flavors, reminiscent of cuisine enjoyed in the Italian Alps.”

Enrico, who is a new addition to the Daniele family, is a 3rd generation Salumiere and was partially inspired during his last trip to Italy where he dined deliciously in the village of Courmayeur, at the foot of Mont Blanc.

The result was another award-winning product from the Daniele, made from hogs raised and made in New England. The Good Food Awards recognize American food producers and the farmers who provide the ingredients for pushing their industry towards craftsmanship and sustainability while enhancing the agricultural landscape and building strong communities.
In announcing the winners, the Good Food Awards said those chosen represent some of the country’s best cutting edge culinary talent.

“These awards are a testament of our community’s ability to produce excellence,” said Davide Dukcevich, whose family started Daniele in Rhode Island over 30 years ago. “On behalf of everyone at Daniele, I want to congratulate Enrico Porrino for having won the prestigious Good Food award for best salame. His Juniper Berry and Pinot Noir salame took top honors in a fiercely competitive category. We are all very proud of Enrico.”

Small family farms, including RI’s Timberstone and Blackbird Farm raised high quality hogs for use in the new local line.

Daniele and other food producers in the New England region are continuing to focus on locally grown high quality products. This collaborative effort brings together farms, educational facilities, restaurants, chefs, and food manufactures like Daniele creating economic growth around the agriculture and food sector.

 


Easy Entertaining Healthy Edamame "Fried" Rice

Easy Entertaining Healthy Edamame “Fried” Rice

Easy Entertaining Inc. Offers Healthy Meal Delivery!

Have you started the New Year with a resolution focused on your health and fitness? Easy Entertaining Inc., a homegrown farm-to-fork catering company, has a program that’s perfect to help you achieve your goals.

Fit Feast and it’s sister program Fit Family, are make-ahead meal programs designed to make healthier meals a more convenient choice than they’re known to be. Fit Feasts are pre-portioned, calorie controlled, meals that consist of hormone free proteins, whole grain carbohydrates, and locally sourced and seasonal vegetables. This combination of ingredients brings satisfying and healthy meals to the table to make the challenge of staying on the healthy track much easier. The meals are delivered to clients’ homes weekly and are guaranteed fresh for five days in refrigeration.

Easy Entertaining has had success with this program for more than 5 years now. For under 500 calories per serving, Easy Entertaining’s Fit Feast clients enjoy appetizing and satisfying meals while keeping their healthy habits on track. What’s easier than healthy take-out?

Favorites from past Fit Feast and Fit Family menus have been dishes such as Orange Chicken Stir Fry over barley with Baffoni Farm’s chicken, Vegetable Grilled Pizzas with a light dusting of cheese and a side salad, Whole Grain Butternut Mac ’n Cheese, Naked Angus Burgers with Blackbird Farm’s beef, house ketchup, and homemade pickles, and more. Easy Entertaining’s Fit Feast program takes healthy eating to a new level with meals packed with protein, fiber, whole grains, and vegetables while keeping bold and interesting flavors in mind.

Make Sunday meal preparation a project of the past and sign up with Easy Entertaining for their Fit Feast program. There’s no better time to build new habits than the start of the New Year and this program can make it easier than ever. For full details and the most current Fit Feast and Fit Family menus and pricing visit Easy Entertaining’s website at EasyEntertainingRI.com.

For more information about Fit Feast, Fit Family, and Easy Entertaining Inc. please call Nik Delfino at (401) 437-6090 or e-mail him at nik@EasyEntertainingRI.com.

 


Enrich the Week with Delicious Experiences at Papa Razzi

New England’s Italian Destination Introduces Specials to Help Live ‘La Dolce Vita’ All Week Long

WHO: Papa Razzi, an Italian eatery offering a sophisticated dining experience focused on fresh ingredients and unparalled service, has created weekly specials worthy of celebration.

WHAT: Papa Razzi invites diners to stray away from weekly routines and experience a slice of Italian life. Combining the best of traditional Italian recipes with fresh, local ingredients, Papa Razzi is the perfect place to enjoy the comforts of home cooking in a relaxed, inviting atmosphere.

Beat the Monday blues with Mangia Mondays – where all entrees are $15.99 all day. Add an appetizer, pizza, or antipasto or salad for only $7.99, and a glass of house red or white wine for only $5.99.

Break bread while embracing a traditional Italian dish with family and friends on Wednesday nights for Spaghetti Notte. Choose from a selection of gourmet appetizers including the Insalata di Papa and Margherita Pizza. For the main course, enjoy house made pasta dishes including the traditional Spaghetti alla Bolognese or Spaghetti alla Polpetta – the Papa Razzi version of spaghetti and meatballs. Allow yourself to relax from your busy week and rejoice amongst a hearty and delicious dinner for all to enjoy for only $19.99. Add in a bottle of house red or white with Spaghetti Notte menu for only $29.99.

The weekend is when the fun really begins! Indulge in classic brunch offerings Saturday and Sunday with Brunch & Bubbly. From Steak & Eggs to Linguini al Fresco con Funhgi, there are flavors to delight any palate. With the purchase of any brunch entrée, the first Bellini or Mimosa is on them.

WHEN: Mangia Mondays
Every Monday

Brunch & Bubbly
Saturdays and Sundays until 3:00PM

Spaghetti Notte
Every Wednesday

WHERE: Papa Razzi Cranston
1 Paparazzi Way
Garden City Center
Cranston, RI 02920
401.942.2900
Mon – Thurs: 11:30AM – 10:00PM
Fri: 11:30AM – 11:00PM

January 14, 2015 0 comment
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2012 Gift Guides: Wine, Oysters and a Book

by David Dadekian December 11, 2012
written by David Dadekian

90+ Cellars Holiday Wine Essentials, photo credit: Michael Diskin

90+ Cellars Holiday Wine Essentials, photo credit: Michael Diskin

It’s that time of year again: gift giving season. Holidays abound, everyone’s going somewhere where they want to bring something. Heck, sometimes when you’re buying things for others you feel like buying something extra for yourself. There wil be a series of posts this week and next based around a number of items that either we were sent as gifts and enjoyed or picked up ourselves and have to tell you about them.

First up, the 90+ Cellars Holiday Wine Essentials. From the New England-based 90+ Cellars comes this curated selection of six wines for celebrating the season from a Prosecco to a Cabernet Sauvignon, wrapped in a convenient festive gift box. I’ve seen 90+ Cellars wines over the past year since they launched, but I’ll be honest, I was a little leery of buying wine, even well-priced wine, where I knew nothing about the wine other than where it came from and the varietal. Here’s how 90+ Cellars describes what they do.

“90+ Cellars is a limited collection of wine sourced from elite vineyards all over the world with a history of producing wines with 90-point ratings, gold medals, and best buy awards. The 90+ Cellars team tastes several wine samples each month, selects the best of the best for the 90+ Cellars label, and offers them at up to 50% less than the original brand’s price so savvy wine consumers can enjoy great wine anytime.”

As I tasted the six wines in the Holiday Wine Essentials box I realized, of course there’s value in finding a producer who’s wine you know and trust, but I have also come to trust certain importers of wine. For instance, I know I enjoy wines produced by Marchesi di Barolo, but at the same time, I’m more willing to blindly try a wine that Frederick Wildman imports. So perhaps I could put that same trust in the wines that 90+ Cellars is curating. 90+ Cellars is maintaining a form of producer individuality in their Lot number labeling. For example, their Lot 66 Riesling which was included in this Holiday Wine Essentials box is a 2011 vintage from Mosel, Germany, while they also sell a Lot 19 Riesling, which is a 2008 vintage from Columbia Valley. So we are getting specific wines, we just don’t know the producer’s names.

The 90+ Cellars Holiday Wine Essentials includes, with my notes in italics:

Lot 50 Prosecco, Veneto, Italy, NV: Possibly the best Prosecco I’ve ever had. Seriously. We opened it on Thanksgiving before dinner and as our guests took tastes the bottle quickly disappeared. Everyone wanted more of Lot 50.

šLot 64 Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County, CA, 2011: The weakest wine in the box, but drinkable. It seemed more like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with a lot of grapefruit up front. But it was a little too sharp and would be overpowering some foods you might have considered to be a good pairing.

Lot 66 Riesling, Mosel, Germany, 2011: This was excellent, very typical of a Riesling from Mosel, off-dry but not overly sweet. I rarely have met a Riesling I didn’t like and this was love.

Lot 68 Pinot Noir, Central Coast, CA, 2010: Also typical of a Central Coast Pinot Noir. It was very juicy, not particularly exciting, but good, and a nice, light red for all kinds of food.

Lot 21 French Fusion Red, Languedoc, France, 2009: Here’s where we saw some depth. This wine shouted Languedoc. It was a bit heavy and needed to open up a bit. This is a good wine for slow drinking over the course of a meal and seeing how it develops. Great spiciness and fruit as it opened.

Lot 72 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, CA, 2010: This was very enjoyable, and at it’s suggest price point on the 90+ Cellars site, a very good value. An easy drinking Cabernet Sauvignon with lots of cocoa and warm spices. It was very silky and of course went well with a steak.

The Holiday Wine Essentials is available for purchase at these Rhode Island retailers:

  • Madeira Liquors, Providence
  • Nocera’s Liquors, Providence
  • Haxton’s Kent Liquors, Warwick
  • Bobby Gasbarro’s Oaklawn Discount Liquors, Cranston
  • Bristol Wine & Spirits, Bristol

Suggested retail is $60, but you may find it on sale. It’s a great value for some very good wines. Plus, as I’ve found in person and read on Twitter, the whole 90+ Cellars concept is a great conversation starter, and isn’t that a large part of what holiday gatherings is all about?

The "Ditch the Fruitcake and Get 'Shucked'" Holiday Package

The “Ditch the Fruitcake and Get ‘Shucked'” Holiday Package

This next gift I haven’t received, but it was suggested to me and does seem like a perfect item on many levels. One, I love oysters and Island Creek Oysters from Duxbury, Massachusetts are excellent. Two, I’ve been reading Erin Byers Murray’s Shucked and very much enjoy it. Three, my good friend Jacqueline Church created the Oyster Century Club© this year and it’s a phenomenal way to get into eating the delicious bivalve. So I give you:

The “Ditch the Fruitcake and Get Shucked” Holiday Package

From Island Creek Oysters:

Island Creek Oysters has grown into one of the largest and most reputable aquaculture businesses in the US, selling nearly five million oysters a year around the world. Intense care is given to every step of the farming process, from hatchery to harvesting. Because of Island Creek’s commitment to excellence, the National Shellfish Association named Island Creek Oysters the best oyster in America. Today, diners can find Island Creek Oysters on the menu at restaurants across the country including Per Se, The French Laundry, Le Bernardin and even The White House.

Offering all the accouterments for bivalve novices or long-time fans, the “Ditch the Fruitcake and Get Shucked” Holiday Package package is almost too good to give away. For $100 it includes:

  • Erin Byers Murray’s memoir Shucked
  • Three dozen Island Creek Oysters
  • Shucking knife
  • Island Creek Oysters short sleeve t-shirt

Shucked chronicles Erin’s experience when in March of 2009 she decided to ditch her pampered city girl lifestyle and convince the rowdy and mostly male crew at Island Creek Oysters in Duxbury, Massachusetts, to let her learn the business of oysters for a year. Shucked is a lively narrative of oyster farming from a true farm-to-table perspective. Her book is part love letter, part memoir and part documentary about the world’s most beloved bivalves.

Again, another gift item that seems like a complete steal at that price and another brilliant gift for a holiday gathering because how do you not have a party when a group of people are shucking and slurping oysters?

December 11, 2012 0 comment
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The Capital Grille’s The Generous Pour Summer Wine Event

by David Dadekian July 23, 2011
written by David Dadekian

The Capital Grille in Providence

The Capital Grille in Providence

One of the better restaurant wine deals that I’ve come across in a while is going on now, through September 4, at The Capital Grille in Providence. The Generous Pour Summer Wine Event lives up to it’s name. For $25, with dinner, diners may have as many of nine specially selected wines as they like. You can try all nine or choose a few favorites for multiple glasses. I was a guest at a preview dinner where I decided on the former, tasting through the complete selection that The Capital Grille’s Master Sommelier George Miliotes has put together for this event.

The nine wines are an eclectic list from well-known names such as Freemark Abbey and Chalk Hill, to wines only available in the U.S. at The Capital Grille like the 2009 Tarima Hill Monastrell. Miliotes’s selections were well-paired with the restaurant’s dishes we ate. The dishes tend toward rich, heavier flavors (think dry-aged beef), even with items like their Cedar Planked Salmon or Lobster Mac ‘N’ Cheese.

The wines are:

  • Marquis de la Tour Cremant de Loire Brut
  • La Cana Albariño 2010
  • Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre 2008
  • Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosché 2003
  • Chalk Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
  • Byron Pinot Noir 2009
  • Conte Brandolini Vistorta Merlot 2006
  • Tarima Hill Monastrell 2009
  • RL Buller The Portly Gentleman

As with any food or wine experience, personal preference will vary. I enjoyed the Marquis de la Tour Cremant de Loire Brut as an opening wine, though I could also see it as an end-of-the meal drink with the Strawberries Capital Grille dessert. It’s light with some melon flavor and a lot of crispness. The La Cana Albariño 2010 was a perfect summer white wine and would go very well with a seafood appetizer. The Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre 2008 was a classic California Chardonnay in that it was heavily oaky for my palate and not to my tastes.

Of the reds, the Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosché 2003 was the standout Cabernet Sauvignon when paired with the Capital Grille’s Bone-In Kona Crusted Dry Aged Sirloin. I enjoyed the Chalk Hill Estate 2006 but it just struck me as too big and tannic right now. The Byron Pinot Noir 2009 was a typical fruity Central Coast Pinot Noir, one I would gladly have again and should work with a variety of dishes, though not the Dry Aged Sirloin. The Tarima Hill Monastrell was delicious, but very young. It held it’s own with the sirloin but I would like to try it after a few years of age or against a lighter beef dish.

For me, the standout red wine was the Conte Brandolini Vistorta Merlot 2006. Harvested from 100-year-old vines in a small vineyard in Northeast Italy (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), this was an elegant wine, beautifully balanced with a little spice. It may have been a touch light for the Dry Aged Sirloin but I’d be more than happy to have it again with steak, or perhaps lamb or duck. The final wine was the RL Buller The Portly Gentleman, an Australian wine made in the style of Port. I enjoyed trying it, but I would advise if you want Port, order Port.

George Miliotes, one of only 173 Master Sommeliers in the world presents his notes on the wine in a video online. “I believe that wine education must be experienced first-hand,” Miliotes said. “That’s why I’m thrilled to be able to provide a fun, wide-ranging wine exploration at The Capital Grille.  We are especially pleased to bring our guests some of the world’s most exclusive wines this summer, for a delightful, educational taste journey.” Miliotes can be found on Twitter at @thewineexpert.

The Generous Pour Summer Wine Event runs through September 4 at all The Capital Grille locations. The Providence location is at 1 Union Station. The restaurant is also hosting a charity event on Friday, August 26 in conjunction with the inaugural Providence Food & Wine Festival (of which Dadekian is an organizer) to benefit Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy. Tickets and more information can be found here.

July 23, 2011 0 comment
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