Wine Gadgets

If you are vino fan then stocking up on wine gadgets for your house or apartment becomes great for entertaining. Today I thought I would share with you two of my favorite wine toys: Brookstone's Iceless Wine Chiller and an electric wine opener from Food Network. 

  

One of my all time favorite wines recently came in stock at my store, Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc, so I was beyond thrilled to bring it home and stick it in my wine chiller. Cakebread has become more of a restaurant wine in Massachusetts, so if you can find it in your local store do not pass it up! 

 There are 40 different wines in the chiller's database to choose from located within the menu button. You simply select your wine (i.e. Sauvignon Blanc) and the chiller will bring your bottle to the optimal temperature recommended for that varietal. It will even warm reds up to their ideal temp in order to bring out its best possible bouquet and palette. 

 

The screen displays a count-down timer (left number) to let you know when your wine is ready, as well as the temperature your wine currently is (the number furthest to the right), the ideal temperature (center number). There is also a quick chill feature, which will speed up the chilling process. I am almost always use this feature otherwise my wine will not be ready till after I eat dinner.

 My other favorite gadget is my electric wine opener! I know opening a bottle of wine the conventional way is not a difficult task, but having this wine opener just makes life easier. I received this Food Network one for Christmas a few years ago and it has opened countless bottles since.

 

It pulls out synthetic and natural corks with the touch of one button. You continuously press on the button, pictured above, until the cork is removed from the bottle and released from the opener. Plus it leaves the cork completely intact, which is perfect for wine cork wreaths or similar cork projects.  

What wine gadgets are part of your kitchen/bar area? P.S. The Brookstone Iceless Wine Chiller is currently on sale with free shipping!

Miraval Rose

 

After truly neglecting this blog for the majority of the winter, I'm back and promise to be more consistent with my postings! This winter was one for the record books and it left me feeling very unmotivated. However, I have my fingers crossed that the weather has finally turned the corner. In honor of wishful thinking and warmer temperatures, I present you with Miraval Rose. 

In January, I took a vacation with my mom to my parents condo in Naples, Florida. It consisted of relaxing by the pool, shopping and of course happy hour. I convinced my mom, a habitual "oaky" Chardonnay drinker, to try a glass of Miraval Rose with some cheese by the pool. (...and she liked it!)

You might have heard of Miraval before because of its famous creators. Chateau Miraval Winery is a joint venture between Famille Perrin and Brad and Angelina Jolie-Pitt. The 2013 vintage expressed floral aromas on the nose and followed through with strawberry and citrus notes on the palette. I found it to be light to medium in body with a wonderful acidity that gives the wine structure and a fresh finish. 

I really enjoyed this wine, so much that I just ordered a few bottles of the 2014 vintage for myself. It does run a little pricey and it is possible to find similar Roses from Provence for a cheaper price. However, its fun to splurge a little and drink a celebrity wine that is actually good!      

Cheers to warmer weather and Rose sipping with a cheese platter!  

Apothic Crush: Perfect Valentines Day Vino

This bottle of wine is hands down my favorite recommendation for Valentines Day tomorrow. I must admit I was skeptical to try it after being less than impressed with the original Apothic Red. However, the praise that Apothic Crush has received over delivers for its $11.99 retail price tag. A real steal!  

The blend is composed of Pinot Noir and Petite Sirah....an interesting combination! The Pinot Noir gives the wine a velvety finish with strawberry undertones while the Petite Sirah adds structure, body and caramel notes. It pairs perfectly with desserts, especially chocolate, and is decadent enough to drink alone after dinner. Blends tend to be on the sweet side, but I promise this one is not sticky sweet nor does it taste like fruit juice.  

My only wish for this wine is for it to be around longer than its limited release. Sometimes the Apothic Red be can lack luster for me leaving me wanting a bolder body. In my opinion the Crush blend has more complex aromas and a longer, smoother finish than its Red blend.  Due to its limited release and allocation, it is going fast so make sure to pick up a bottle and some chocolates this weekend for your sweetheart!  

DOWNEAST Winter Blend Cider

I must preface this post by saying I have never been a big fan of hard cider...until... I tried Downeast Winter Blend Cider. It had everything I wanted and more in a 4 pack: fresh-pressed apples, natural ingredients and cinnamon spices! Not to mention it is made in Boston and I always enjoy a local product. 

Downeast cider sets itself apart from other cider houses by pressing fresh local apples and by using ale yeast instead of white wine or champagne yeast. The result is a refreshing taste and great unfiltered color. 

As I mentioned before I almost never drink hard ciders, but my craft salesman assured me that this winter blend was worth a try. This seasonal apple cider is fermented with ale yeast then aged on toasted oak chips, cinnamon bark and nutmeg. The all spice flavoring is what I truly enjoyed smelling and sipping on with the turkey I made for dinner. A 6.5% alcohol ABV gave this gluten free beverage an extra kick perfect for chilly nights. 

Have you tried Downeast cider yet? Have a great weekend!    

Bully Boy Hub Punch

 Today's post is inspired by a recent in-store tasting with Bully Boy Distillers. My store has been supporters of Bully Boy's craft spirits since its 2010 launch and are very proud of their success. My town is neighbors to where Will and Dave Willis', creators of Bully Boy, story begins. Their family owned a farm in Sherborn, MA which was home to a secret vault/speakeasy of local spirits during Prohibition. The vault was rediscovered about 70 years later and became the inspiration for Boston's first craft distillery. Their focus is on hand-crafted, premium spirits produced in small batches. The product line up includes Vodka, Boston Rum (aged), White Rum, White Whiskey and American Straight Whiskey. 

The latest Bully Boy creation brings consumers back to the early 1800s with the release of Hub Punch. This rum based product, infused with fruits and botanicals, was a popular drink many Bostonians consumed until Prohibition hit the city. Bully Boy has revived this classic libation for new generations of Bostonian drinkers to enjoy! 

In terms of specific tasting notes, this spirit starts off as Bully Boy's aged Boston Rum then is stepped with orange peel, lemon peel, raspberry as well as other botanticals and herbs. This part of the recipe is not disclosed. The end result is a fruit forward rum designed to mix well with both dry and sweet mixers. Aside from using soda water, ginger ale, iced tea or lemonade, I have included some suggested recipes below to try!  

The Hub Punch

1.5oz Hub Punch

3oz ginger ale

3oz Soda Water

Squeeze and garnish with a lemon wedge

The Sagamore

Muddle ten mint leaves

Add ice

1.5oz Hub Punch

3 oz lemonade

3 oz soda water

Optional: two dashes Angostura bitters

Have a great day!  

Meiomi Pinot Noir

The holidays are here and I must apologize for not staying on the ball with blogging. I have not quite figured out how to juggle blogging and the busy holiday season at work so please bear with me! 

Smooth. Fruit-forward. Delicious. My hands down favorite Pinot Noir under $25 that I love to put in my customers hands is none other than Meiomi. This Pinot from the Wagner Family of Wines delivers intense fruit flavor and a velvety smooth finish. It is a blend of grapes sourced from Santa Barbara, Sonoma and Monterey, which are all regions known for quality Pinot Noir production. 

When I first tried Meiomi it was still under the Belle Glos label, which makes unbelievable Pinot Noir! It's major success has paved the way for its own line with an extension of a new grape: Chardonnay. Everything that the Wagner Family creates always makes the top of my wine wish lists (i.e. Caymus Mer Soleil, Conundrum and Belle Glos). 

The new 2013 vintage continues to deliver a fruit-forward style made for easy drinking. I slightly prefer the 2012 vintage as the new vintage is quite ripe. With that being said I suggest you decant this wine and let the air open it up. It can be enjoyed without food or with a wide array of food. Meiomi pours a rich garnet color and delivers wonderful cherry, ripe berries and vanilla notes. These aromas carry though on the palate and compliment the rich, smooth texture. Its fresh fruit flavors and sweet oak on the finish allow for this wine to age further, yet is mature enough to open for dinner tonight! 

If you do not believe me how great this wine is, then you can trust the experts. Meiomi was awarded the prestigious 2014 Market Watch Wine Leaders Choice Award for “Wine Brand of the Year.” Have you tried Meiomi Pinot Noir yet? Have a great day!

Happy Veterans Day!

I wanted to take a time out from the usual review today and wish all of the men and women of the armed services, past and present, a Happy Veterans Day. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do to keep this nation safe! 

On this day, as well as Memorial Day, I think of my grandfather, Vincent Palumbo. Not only did he start the business that is now my career, he was a WWII veteran. He has always been an inspiration in my life and always love sharing his story whenever I can. 

On June 3, 1943 in Big Spring, Texas my grandfather, 22 years old, was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps. As a bombardier with the Eight Air Force and part of the 306th Bombardment Group, my grandfather risked his life for our country in WWII. While on his B-17, nicknamed the “flying fortress,” I am proud to say that he accomplished 32 combat bombing missions over Germany and German occupied countries. My grandfather would often share stories with me about the war and his time as a bombardier, but I will always remember the diagrams that he would draw me when he would explain the flight formation and how the bombs were dropped. I loved when he did this because I was so proud of his position as the bomber on the lead plane. Wherever my grandfather dropped his bombs is where the rest of the bombardiers would drop their bombs. He had to be incredibly accurate and on target for all 26 missions as a bombardier in the lead planes and he was. My grandfather earned the rank of Captain and was awarded with the Distinguished Flying Cross. 

Make sure to thank both past and active duty men and women for their service today!