July EVENTS
Tasting & Class
Thur., July 9th at 7 PM
Lisa just visited NY; please join us to learn about (and taste) wines from the Finger Lakes, NY. Event is free, but we ask that you purchase a $20 gift certificate to hold your spot – space limited! Phone Colonial at 294 – 4623.
Pot Luck
Wine Dinner & Concert
Wickford Concerts (Tues.) are a great excuse to gather on Wickford Cove. Details are being worked out (maybe July 22nd). As always, reservations will be made through Colonial Wine & Spirits 294-4623. Look for an ‘Event Alert’ with further details.
Belgium Beer Dinner
Watch for an event alert; and get on our e-mail list. Caroline fell in love with Belgium beer during a recent visit to Brussels & Brugge. She wants to share her ‘findings’ and ‘passion’ for these beers with you.
FREE In-Store Tastings
Learn from Guest Industry Experts
Fridays 4–7 PM we host a weekly wine tasting. Spend a few minutes to sample one red and one white wine.
Finger Lakes, NY
by Lisa Magnuson
The region has long been known for producing great German and Alsatian style white wines (Riesling and Gewürztraminer). The most famous winery of the region, Dr. Konstantin Frank (heralding over 45 gold medals for 2009 alone), also produces the oldest known white vinifera called Rkatsiteli (ar-kat-si-telly.
Chateau Frank, another label of Dr. Frank’s, is some of the best sparkling wine in the market. Made in Methode Champagnoise, it’s aged 7 years and costs half of their French counterparts! “New York is similar in climate to Epernay [the famous Champagne region of France] so we don’t need to add additional acid (they do in California)”, says Fred Frank (third generation owner). Try Célèbre, made with Riesling.
A true pioneer of the region and Ukrainian immigrant, Dr. Konstantin Frank arrived in 1953 and began growing the classic European “vinifera” grapes. Frank found success with hybrids (grafting vinifera like Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir on to the native “labrusca” grapes (Niagara and Concord).
Chardonnays, like those produced under Frank’s second label Salmon Run, are tropical and rich - similar to California’s Russian River Valley.
Dr Frank has been winning awards since the 1990s with their Pinot Noirs, and after barrel tasting some 2008 Pinot Noirs, I’ll bet money that we’ll see more awards on the reds.
The passionate and dedicated winemakers of the Finger Lakes make this the region to watch for fine wine. I was definitively bottle shocked, but happily not sticker shocked.
Lisa is now the Providence Wine Examiner. Visit her blog http://www.examiner.com/x-14504-Providence-Wine-Examiner to hear more about the region and to find links to the wineries she visited.
Snug & Safe
Climate Control
Did you know we GUARANTEE all our wines? This is possible because Colonial Wine & Spirits is one of the only stores in the state that can boast of having a CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE ROOM. It takes only a few hours of unfavorable conditions to ruin a bottle of wine! Over 5,000 wines are snug and safe preserving all the aromas and flavors! There are aged Cabernets reaching peak – and you can be sure they are in great condition.
Quote
A bottle of good wine, like a good act, shines ever in the retrospect.—by Robert Louis Stevenson
WINE PAIRING SEAFOOD
OK, you all know about fish going with white wine. Maybe you know that both Unoaked Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc go very well with almost all fish and seafood. Unoaked Chardonnay has no oak flavors to overwhelm the delicate food (see our in-store display). Sauvignon Blanc varies in style; France has grapefruit and ‘grassy’ aromas (think Sancerre) where New Zealand has racy tropical fruit. California draws from both styles. Sparkling wines like Champagne, Spanish Cava, and Italian Prosecco also are very flexible and pair well.
But, why get in a rut; there are dozens of exciting whites to choose from. This summer experiment with outstanding other whites which add excitement to your menu. Try Grȕner Veltliner (Austria), Riesling (Germany & Finger Lakes, NY), Arien, Albariño or sparkling Cava (Spain), Vinho Verde (Portugal), Gavi, Soave, Falanghina, Vermentino & Vernaccia (Italy), Chenin Blanc (S. Africa & Loire, France), Champagne, Bordeaux Blends (blends of Sauv. Blanc & Semillon), Muscadet, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, and Picpoul de Pinet (France); to name a few!
The second question is, what specific wines pair with various seafood. Our staff suggests these matches:
BBQ Fish: Falanghina, Soave, Sauvignon Blanc (Bordeaux)
Broiled Fish (light): Grȕner Veltliner, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris (Grigio), Vernaccia
Grilled Fish (firm – Salmon, Tuna, Swordfish): Cava, Falanghina, Soave, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer with spicy), Vermentino,
Clams (raw): Albariño, Muscadet, Orvieto, Arien (Oroyo), Pinot Blanc, Picpoul de Pinet, Cava,
Crab: Albariño, Vindho Verde, Cava, Riesling, Chenin Blanc,
Lobster: Cava, Gewurztraminer, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux Blends, Riesling, ‘Oaked’ Chardonnay
Mussels: Muscadet, French Bordeaux blends, Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc
Scallops: Albariño, Gavi, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc (French) Vinho Verde
Shrimp: Cava, Albariño, Sauv. Blanc, Riesling
She’s Back! “Private Invitation” Wine Sales
Keep your eyes open for e-mail invitations to special in-store sales by owner, Caroline Larson. That’s when those allocated, rare wines get pulled from the back room (climate-controlled) and offered to customers.
Wine Word - Saignée
Rosé, a refreshing summer ‘chilled’ wine, is growing in popularity. The famed French Rosé de Provence is made by the method Saignée, or bleeding the vats, is one way Rosé wine is produced. During early stages of fermentation, some of the pink juice can be removed via Saignée. The red wine remaining in the vats is intensified as a result of the bleeding. The pink juice that is removed can be fermented separately to produce rosé. Rosé de Provence is made this way.
Sangria Wine Recipe
1 750 ml bottle of red wine (Spanish or Portuguese)
¼ cup brandy
4 Tbls Lemon Juice & Orange peel
2 Tbls sugar (optional)
2 cup Sprite or Club Soda
Sliced oranges, cherries, etc.
(Fred Vuono’s recipe)
BYOB – SAVE $$$
Save money- go to a BYOB Restaurant! Pick up the new list at Colonial! New listing: Sonoma Grille (Mon. only)!
JULY
Wine of the Month
Case discounts on each btl! White: Kim Crawford Sauv. Blanc (New Zealand); W.S. Top 100
Red. In Situ Cabernet Sauvignon. (Chile)