Louis Tete Brouilly - A tasty and affordable Red for Thanksgiving

Louis Tete Brouilly - A tasty and affordable Red for Thanksgiving

For decades now, Gamay in the form of Beaujolais Nouveau has been a sought after wine. Its timely release (a week before Thanksgiving) made it the perfect option for the holiday and it adorned countless Thanksgiving tables. This fun, easy drinking, low alcohol, light-bodied and fruity wine made a lot of people happy and still has many loyal fans.

If you never got on the Nouveau band-wagon you are not alone; but don’t overlook Beaujolais altogether. May we suggest an upgrade? A 2016 Brouilly, a Beaujolais Cru by Louis Tete. Still made with the Gamay grape, but from a single designated area, Brouilly.

Brouilly has style, finesse, and character; showcasing the vibrant fruit of Beaujolais and the earthiness of Burgundy.

This classic Brouilly opens up with cherry and currant aromas, followed by floral notes highlighted by forest brush. On the palate this light-bodied wine has playful red berry flavors, mingling with licorice and mineral notes ending with a lingering finish and light tannins.

Four stars and two thumbs up!! 

Wine for Thanksgiving: Check

Tormaresca Neprica 2014

Tormaresca Neprica 

2014 Puglia, Italy

Years ago I was blind tasting wines for a large event focused on the wines of Southern Italy. The challenge was to find three wines that were reasonably priced (budget limitations) that would impress the attendees. Many were tasted and rejected before the three perfect wines were found for the event. One of the wines selected was Tormaresca Neprica, a red blend from Puglia. I couldn't get over this new discovery. It tasted great, the price was right and it had a cute name, NEPRICA. Neprica is a play on the blend of the wine, Negroamaro, Primitivo and Cabernet, hence NE-PRI-CA.

 Fast-forward a decade plus later and the wine is still as impressive as it was back then.

Mature aromas of plum and dark berries with subtle hints of baking spices. Medium-bodied and firm on the palate with vibrant tannins, locorice, black cherries and blackberries carrying through the lasting finish.  ****/5

Why you should buy this wine? Because it's frigging delicious.

Salute!

Costas Mouzouras

Motto Backbone Cabernet Sauvignon

Motto Motto Motto Backbone Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 California

This is the little Cali Cab that could!

Dark garnet color. Aromas of plum, dark mature berries and soft heather undertones. Plush and plentiful on the palate, with bright berry flavors that mingle among the light tannins. Notes of leather, tobacco and black olives echo on the background. Beautifully balanced with a finish that lingers forever. (in a good way!)

“This is a great Cabernet at $12.99 at $5.99 is the best thing that happened since sliced white bread!” ****/5

I understand that the holidays could drain everyone's budget but this Cab will deliver quality for just 6 bucks without putting a dent in your budget.

- Costas Mouzouras

CHINOLA Passion Fruit Liqueur

CHINOLA Passion Fruit Liqueur 21% abv 750ml by Costas Mouzouras

Chinola, from the Dominican Republic, is sustainably grown and kept 100% raw in an effort to provide an unparalleled level of freshness for your enjoyment. Employing an old-world blending style inspired by Austrian craft distillation methods, each passionfruit vine is meticulously grown and harvested by rows. It's natural, tropical aroma and subtle sweetness marry with the texture of its pulp to create a versatile product that appeals to all palates. Similarly possessing a nice tang due to its natural acidity. Chinola can be enjoyed as an aperitif, in a spritzer, or mixed with your favorite spirit!  Find it at Warehouse Wines

Tamworth Distilling Eau de Musc Castoreum Flavored Whiskey

“The most interesting part of this unusual spirit is how familiar it is. While the idea of beaver sac may conjure anticipation of odd flavors and sharp aromas, the reality is castoreum acts to fortify good whiskey flavors. The vanilla nose is underscored with the addition of spice from the birch oil and wild ginger. Wild ginger, or Canadian Snakeroot, has a woody spice much like common ginger, but offers floral (almost perfumey) qualities. These piquancy notes circle around to raspberry, which is also added to comingle with the castor sac’s natural fruitiness.

Rich and fuller bodied than expected from a 2-year bourbon, this whiskey has a bolstered mouthfeel from the ingredients. Dry, smoky spice with fleeting hints of fresh-cracked boughs and mint that open up to reveal rustic-sweet sensations of wet hay, vanilla, wood sugar, and saddle leather interspersed by waves of red fruit. This raspberry aroma fits nicely with the fruit notes of a sweet bourbon. Warmth and spice finish out the first sip, where oils act to lengthen the finish. The finish structure all coming from those deeper qualities of birch oil, oak, ginger, and leather.”

Tamworth Distilling

It seems that I am one of a few people outside the distillery that actually tasted the new Tamworth Whiskey called Eau de Musc, I have to say that it was amazing. Notes of honey heather and vanilla Soft, round and balanced on the palate and an amazingly soft finish. I am certainly buying a bottle for myself, did you get yours?

by Costas Mouzouras

ROSE PISCINE Rose Wine France

ROSE PISCINE

Rose Wine

France

You don't have to be in the Mediterranean to enjoy this Rose. 

Traditionally people in the French Riviera will order “Une Piscine de Rosé”, a glass of rose wine served in oversized goblets over ice that will quench their thirst and remain cold in their glass under the rays of the Mediterranean sun. 

Rose Piscine, is a wine specifically made to be enjoyed over ice. 

Made with Negrette (90%) and Muscat de Hamburg (10%) in the south of France this pale, pink colored wine, shows white flowers and rose petals on the nose, followed by strawberry and lychee. “Salty” minerality on the palate and supple exotic fruits on the finish.

If you are heading to the shore, to the pool, to the park or planning a BBQ  this Memorial Day weekend, grab a few bottles of this Rose and kick-start your summer the right way! Open the bottle (no corkscrew needed) when you are ready, add some ice cubes in your glass and voila! 

by Costas Mouzouras

Dopo Teatro by COCCHI

Dopo Teatro by COCCHI Vermouth Amaro 500ml 16% abv by Costas Mouzouras Dark purple color, aromatics ripe plums, macerated dark berries, cinnamon, cardamom, chocolate sweet vanilla.  Followed by a herbaceous and earthy bouquet.   Lavish palate, with sweet berries, spices and herbs witha hint of bitterness, that carries through the long, long finish. Cocchi likes to refer to their products as aromatized wine. I guess it makes it easier for consumers to understand than referring to them as Vermouth or Amaro. The mixology crowd is always on the hunt for interesting Amari and Vermouth and this combines the two! Dopo Teatro is a Vermouth Amaro. The original recipe of Giulio Cocchi is used for Dopo Teatro with Artemisia, Rabarbaro, ChinaCalissaia and Legno di Quassio and a double infusion ofcinchora. What makes this product very unique from the rest of the Amari out there is the addition of Barolo Chinato to the base wine. Barolo Chinato is made by adding a maceration of herbs and spices to a Barolo wine. Just like an Deus ExMachinaVermouth drinkers will love the complexity of Dopo Teatro, sweet enough to be consumed on its own but it the Barolo Chinato provides a divine intervention to make this Vermouth Amaro far from ordinary.reallyshine in cocktails.  Amaro drinkers will love the bitterness and the balanced sweetness. Use it in your favorite cocktail for added complexity or enjoy it on the rocks with a slice of orange. Vermouth di Torino alle erbe e spezie amare ____ Fondata 1891 Asti - Italy Shortcut Manhattan 1 part Cocchi Dopo Teatro 3 part Sagamore Spirit Rye (or your favorite one) Fill glass with ice, add Dopo Teatro and Rye, stir until the ice starts melting, top off with more ice and garnish with a maraschino cherry.