Free Tastings at Spiritus

Thursday, March 31st from 4:30 to 7:00 PM &

Saturday, April 2nd from 1:00 to 4:00 PM

2009 Domaine Henri Clerc Bourgogne Blanc White Wine; Chardonnay; Burgundy; $19.99
The small Burgundy village of Puligny-Montrachet produces some of the most amazing and prized chardonnays in the world. Unfortunately too many wine drinkers in the U.S. are prohibited from enjoying these wines due to prices over $50 for village AOC wines, and much more for premier cru or grand cru bottlings. To not experience these wines leaves a huge void in any wine lover's understanding of what wine can be. The best solution I have seen (and tasted) to this dilemma is Henri Clerc's 2009 bourgogne blanc. With highly-regarded negociant winemaker Vincent Girardin conducting the winemaking operations since Monsieur Clerc's retirement in 2002, this wine delivers unbelievable value. The vineyard block known as Les Riaux borders Pulignys AOC vineyards, so with Girardin limiting yields and deploying a deft hand in the cellar, the ripe 2009 vintage offers a glimpse of what all the fuss in Burgundy is about. Pear, gooseberry and acacia mingle with a seductive kiss of spice, all precisely cut with racy acidity and an impressively persistent finish.

2009 Michael Pozzan Winery Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Red Wine; Pinot Noir; Sonoma; $14.99
A frequent guest speaker at the University of California- Davis, Michael Pozzan has made the study of wine his life. Hand-selecting the most distinctive fruit each growing season, Michael and his winemaker Richard Bruno produce wines of excellent quality at remarkable prices. Their 2009 pinot noir from the cooler Russian River valley is aged for nine months in French oak and features a delicately spicy bouquet. This wine is easy drinking with the fruit, acid, and tannin components expertly balanced. Drink it on its own or pair it with duck confit.

2007 Villa Sant'Anna Chianti Colli Senesi Red Wine; Sangiovese; Tuscany; $19.99
The Villa Sant Anna property is actually a small subset of a larger Tuscan estate in Abaddia di Montepulciano that has been owned by the Simona Ruggeri Fabroni family for the last 200 years. The land is primarily used to grow an assortment of fruits and vegetables and, like many small growers in Chianti, they traditionally sold off their grapes for bulk wine. In 1989 the matriarch of the estate Simona Ruggeri decided it was time to start producing and bottling the estate juice, and with the help of her two daughters Anna and Margherita, the Sant Anna winery was born. The quality of the fruit was superb and that initial attempt was so successful the Ruggeris decided to expand their operation. Since that first vintage, they have purchased new parcels in the Vino Nobile appellation to marry with their Chianti, as well as the finest French oak barrels for aging. Their 2007 Chianti is a traditional-style Italian red with dusty, le athery undertones and a core of warm, brambly berries and fresh acidity only Tuscany can deliver.

2009 Chateau La Croix Blanche Montagne Saint Emilion Red Wine; Bordeaux Blend; Bordeaux; $16.99
The Bordeaux are coming, the Bordeaux are coming! The 2009 vintage has re-ignited interest not seen since the great 2005's. And while prices on the big-name, classified growths have returned to their lofty levels, both consumers and suppliers now realize better than ever before that this world-class, historic region has so much more to offer from smaller estates. I have eagerly yet patiently awaited the 2009's, dismissing a number of early arrivals this winter after uninspired tastings, so I am now excited to have finally found the right wine to introduce you to the vintage. Blending 70% merlot with equal parts cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, fifth generation winemaker Claude Guimberteau tends 50-year-old vines just north of the prestigious Saint Emilion district. His 2009 shows the full-bodied fruit of the harvest with a ripe, fleshy core of black currant and plum with an easy, velvety structure. Pounce on this great value now and look forward to more 2009's arriving later this year.

Easiest Free Parking in Town

Thirty-minute curbside parking is available directly in front of the store (outside of afternoon rush hour from 3:30-6:00). No meter, no hassle! We also offer free parking in the XL Center garage immediately next to our store. Have us validate your ticket and the garage parking is free for sixty minutes. Plus on Saturdays street parking is free all day!

"The End of History"

It is truely strange to imagine what kind of individual thought this one up. But yes, it was an actual product, not a gimmick. The taxidermy models of squirrels and other rodents became beer bottles to package and sell the strongest beer ever made by the company called "Brewdog". Here is a bit of background on it: "The End of History, at 55%, is the final instalment of our efforts to redefine the limits of contemporary brewing. This blond Belgian ale is infused with nettles from the Scottish Highlands and Fresh juniper berries. Only 12 bottles have been made and each comes with its own certificate and is presented in a stuffed stoat or grey squirrel. The striking packaging was created by a very talented taxidermist and all the animals used were road kill. This release is a limited run of 11 bottles, 7 stoats and 4 grey squirrels. Each ones comes with its own certificate of authenticity.In true BrewDog fashion we've torn up convention, blurred distinctions and pushed brewing and beer packaging to its absolute limits. This beer is an audacious blend of eccentricity, artistry and rebellion; changing the general perception of beer one stuffed animal at a time. The impact of The End of History is a perfect conceptual marriage between art, taxidermy and craft brewing. The bottles are at once beautiful and disturbing – they disrupt conventions and break taboos, just like the beer they hold within them."

So there you have it. Very strange...
and certainly offensive to many. But wouldn't you rather know about this than not? I would.


If you are interested in checking out other offerings by this company, their website is: http://www.brewdog.com/beer.

Grow-your-own-rice Bra unveiled in Toyko

While I can certainly appreciate the thought behind this invention, I am doubtful that it has any practical usage at all. But hey, you gotta hand it to the Japanese for coming up with this. So, what the invention consists of, is basically an everyday bra that you can convert into a device for growing your own rice. Very, very strange. But in the end, maybe it will do its part to raise consciousness about farming and the importance of agriculture. Especially as a large proportion of grains that are cultivated in Asia are sent overseas to America to feed livestock. This action has been noted as contributing to hunger and food shortages in those countries. Food for thought.

Hendrick's Gin Cocktail Party at 116 Crown (New Haven)

Coming March 30th: The long awaited Hendrick's Gin Cocktail Party

Menu Includes:
Crispy Rosemary Potato Chips...Cucumber Terrine, Thai Style Noodles, Cucumber & Mint Tea Sandwiches, Salmon With Mint Yogurt

Each hors d'oeuvers will be paired with a Hendrick's Cocktail

Time: 6:30pm

For Ticket Information please call: 203.777.3116 or email: 116Crown@gmail.com.

2011 Enviromental Film Festival at Yale- FREE!

So, it shouldn't be much of a stretch to see the connection between a love of good food and an enduring concern for our environment. Naturally since we all want to consume the best produce, grains, etc., we don't want to have our Earth contaminated since that affects what we eat. Thus, worthwhile to check out and educate yourself about is what's happening globally. Yale has a yearly Enviromental Film Festival and it is free and open to the public. Here are some of the highlights.

WASTELAND

Filmed over nearly three years, WASTE LAND follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world's largest garbage  dump,  Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of "catadores"  --  self-designated pickers of recyclable materials.  Muniz's initial objective was to "paint" the  catadores  with  garbage.  However, his  collaboration  with  these  inspiring  characters  as  they recreate photographic images of themselves out of garbage reveals both the dignity and despair of the catadores  as  they  begin  to  re-imagine their lives.

CONNECTED

Between texts and tweets, memes and microchips, we’ve become conditioned to break the world down into byte-sized bits. In the process we’ve stopped seeing the forest for the trees, never mind the root system that connects them all. In Connected, Tiffany Shlain—award-winning filmmaker and founder of The Webby Awards—sets out to explore these bonds with the help of her father, acclaimed author and thinker Dr. Leonard Shlain. When the unexpected happens during the making of the film, Tiffany is forced to reexamine everything she thought she knew about life, relationships, and connectedness. Tracing interdependence through history, she discovers the surprising links between right brain and left; alphabets and power; honey bees and stress; hormones and happiness; technology and nature; progress and consequences; and parents and children. The result is a personal film with universal resonance that encourages viewers to make connections of their own. Offering an exhilarating stream-of-consciousness ride, Connected is a journey through the interconnectedness of humankind, nature, progress and morality at the dawn of the 21st century. For centuries we’ve been declaring independence. With insight, curiosity, and humor, this film explores whether it’s time to declare our interdependence.

BAG IT

BAG IT follows Jeb Berrier, an average American guy who is admittedly not a “tree hugger,” who makes a pledge to stop using plastic bags. This simple action gets Jeb thinking about all kinds of plastic as he embarks on a global tour to unravel the complexities of our plastic world. When Jeb’s journey takes a personal twist, we see how our crazy-for-plastic world has finally caught up to us and what we can do about it. Today. Right now. The film examines our society’s use and abuse of plastic. The film focuses on plastic as it relates to our society’s throwaway mentality, our culture of convenience, our over consumption of unnecessary, disposable products and packaging—things that we use one time and then, without another thought, throw them away. Where is AWAY?? Away is over flowing landfills, clogged rivers, islands of trash in our oceans, and even our very own toxic bodies. Jeb travels the globe on a fact-finding mission—not realizing that after his simple resolution, plastic will never look the same again!

Wasteland is playing tonight at 7pm. You can check out the rest of the scheduled films, times, location, etc on this website: http://www.environment.yale.edu/film/films

Cheese anyone?

Well, I don't know about you....but I absolutely, positively, without a doubt LOVE cheese and can't dream of living if my life doesn't have cheese in it! Ok, perhaps that is a bit drastic, but truely I don't think there is a more pleasurable experience than sampling and exploring all the varities, tastes and regions of cheeses that are out there.

So when I saw these events that are coming up at Caseus in New Haven, which I apologize for not reviewing yet for you (I will do so imminently),...I naturally had to share them with you and cross my fingers hoping that you all share my enthusiasm.

The first is: Women Cheesemakers that is going to be held on April 4th at Caesus from 6-7:30pm. It is going to give you a chance to taste the cheeses that women have produced from around the world. Plus you'll get a chance to listen to the fabulous Professor Maria Trumpler, a senior professor at Yale University, who's interests include gender and science, feminist critiques of science, scientific studies of sexuality, and food studies. She is currently teaching a seminar called “Women, Food and Culture”.

The second event is: Beer and Cheese that is going to be held on April 18th from 6-7:30 pm. Despite beer not being my favorite thing in the world, I am sure that it does appeal to quite a few of you foodies, so this might be right up your alley! Along with the glorious cheeses that are awaiting your palates, you will get a chance to pair them with beers from Berkshire Brewing Company. They are a regional brewery located in South Deerfield, MA, established in 1994 by Christopher T. Lalli and Gary A. Bogoff. Their mission is to produce clean, fresh, well-balanced ales & lagers in small batches. All of their beer is unfiltered, unpasteurized and contains no chemical additives or preservatives.

"Every Cheese Has a Story" couldn't be a better motto for Caseus. I am sure that both of these events are going to be a tremendous success, so I would recommend making reservations early!

http://www.caseusnewhaven.com/
Phone: 203.6.CHEESE (203.624.3373)
Caseus Fromagerie and Bistro
93 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06510

Free coffee!!!!

Yup, you read right...as I was perusing the Hartford Courant newspaper this morning, a teensy, tiny blue square hidden at the very bottom of the page caught my eye. It reads: "A Free Barista. Thirsty? Stop by Cosi, at 970 Farmington Ave. in West Hartford Center, any day through Friday and say, "I'm Thirsty", to recieve a free tall barista drink. Information: 860-521-8495 or getcosi.com." While I have to say that I am still slightly bitter about Cosi's descion to close the flagship store in Hartford, called Zuzu's (this happened obviously a long time ago!), I won't hold it against them when it comes to free coffee. Afterall, my experience working at Zuzu's is what made me the coffee snob, I am today. Did I say snob? Actually I meant to say coffee "authority". Since it's already Wednesday, I am wondering if this means that you can get a free coffee each day? Anyway, check it out and report back!

Tonight at Dev's!!!!

A friend of mine told me about an event in New London tonight at a place called Dev's that she assures me is well worth the drive. From 4-9pm tonight there is an event by which 10% of your total bill gets donated to  the Gemma Moran United Way Labor Food Center.

From what I can tell, the menu seems to be centered around ecletic tapas, which of course is a good thing. After perusing their menu, here's what caught my eye.

Red Dragon Noodle Bowl- Rice Noodles Dancing in a Broth of Red Asian Curry, Ginger, Coconut Milk, Slivered Almonds and Tender Bits of Chicken $6

Toasted Goat Cheese- Three Taste Sensations await you: Warm Goat Cheese, Almonds and Honey $7

Lamb Chop Fondue- A grilled trio with Gorgonzola dipping Fondue $12

Si Si Pollo-Crispy Chicken & Prosciutto served with Citrus Sauce $7

Shaka Zulu- Moorish Pork Meatballs in Sweet & Spicy Butternut Squash Curry $6

Mmmmmm....So if you're up for something different, by all means, head to Dev's and report back!

Website: http://www.devsonbank.com/
Address: 345 Bank Street, New London, CT
Phone: 860-442-3387

Spiritus Tasting Schedule March 3rd-March 5th

FREE IN-STORE TASTING SCHEDULE

Thursday, March 3rd from 4:30 to 7:00 PM/ Saturday, March 5th from 1:00 to 4:00 PM

2008 Bodegas Pazo de Monterrey Pazos del Rey Monterrei $12.99
In rural Galicia in northwestern Spain, the Bodega of Pazos del Rey lies near the river Duero and its tributary the Tamega which bisects the region from north to south, exposing sloping cliffs of granite and slate from which the traditional grape of godello pulls its sustenance. This modern winery occupies the very heart of the historical wine-producing area of Val de Monterrei where vines have been cultivated since the Roman era. Godello is one of the ancient grape varietals that was saved from extinction by the concerted efforts of winemakers such as Pazos del Rey, and Spanish wine lovers appreciate its aromatic and flavorful qualities, unusual notes of spice, quince, pear, a touch of cream and white flowers, combined with a delightfully drinkable medium body. This wine marries well with delicate seafood or a variety of tapas.

2009 Broadbent Vinho Verde $8.99
Like a bit of warm Atlantic breeze from Portugal, Broadbent's selection of green wine has arrived just in advance of springtime. The vivid flower label reminds us that crocuses are waiting and ready to signal the end of winter. Classic vinho verde, this is cool, fresh, clear and bright, with tart apple, petrol and clementine notes, finishing with a tiny bit of tangy spritz that excites the tongue. Yum! A lovely aperitif on its own or a foil for salty, spicy foods such as white clam pizza, spicy seafood, or southeast Asian cuisine. A fresh and simple wine for drinking pleasure now and even better yet when the temperature gets warmer (tip: case buyers will be duly rewarded come Connecticut summer).

2008 Quinta do Crasto Flor de Crasto Douro $8.99
It is a pity that quality Portuguese wines often fly below the radar for many wine drinkers. Many miss the experience of diversity and favorable quality/price ratio found in modern Portugal. Often the wines deliver more wine drinking pleasure than the price tag. A new bottling from the famed Quinto do Crasto just flashed on our store radar with a very bright blip! Flor de Crasto, is a young-vine cuvee, an unoaked blend of the classic trinity of indigenous Douro grapes, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional. This little flower shows a bright, leafy bouquet with forward sun-ripened fruit, good structure and a pleasingly tangy finish. Somewhat akin to a very light-bodied California zinfandel at a purse-friendly price, this wine belongs on your radar. Don't miss it!

2006 Bodegas Vinas del Cenit Venta Mazzaron Tempranillo Vino de la Tierra de Zamora $12.99
Located on the high plateau of central Spain, Vinas del Cenit has vineyards ranging over a multitude of parcels planted with old tempranillo vines, some of which are ungrafted and can claim more than a century in the earth. The region's history is rich not only in wine but also in silver, as the Roman legions moved along its main thoroughfare, the 2000 year-old Via de la Plata, a route which served to move troops and merchandise such as these wines around the Roman Empire. Aged in oak for nine months, the deeply crimson succulence of this 100% tempranillo beauty thrills with complex aromas of licorice, espresso, blackberry, leather, dark spices, plum, and black cherry. This is a rich wine from a torrid climate, a more opulent contrast to last month's Rioja. Chorizo sausage, hard cheeses, Spanish torta of potatoes, and all manner of saffron-rich paella would form a perfect complement. Parker's Wine Advocate, 90 points.