Lots of New Wine, Spirits and More

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I had a lot of sampling to do this month and actually had to leave some for next month. It’s harvest season for wine, plus there are some great new spirits out there. Here are some of the things I loved this month.


A very special scotch from Glenfiddich…
What do you get when you blend together 20 single malt whiskies? Something especially delicious. Glenfiddich Project XX is a treat for any scotch lover. It’s full of vanilla and oak, with a bit of apple, and a cinnamon finish.


Try these wines…
I’ll never forget when I was in Burgundy, France, and we headed to Chablis to taste some of its namesake wine. It was the first time I had tasted true Chablis and I fell in love with the wine. The William Fevr Chablis brought that memory back. It’s buttery, but not heavy, has a touch of vanilla and a bit of lemon.

When I saw the “sweet” on the label of Aime Sweet Moscato, I saved it for dessert. That wasn’t necessary as this wine is less sweet than most moscatos. It’s an excellent summer sipping wine, with lots of tropical flavors and a touch of sweetness.

I also fell for the Chateau Rollan de Medoc Bordeaux. It’s my kind of red, not too heavy, light on the pepper with a burst of berries.

My friend Lisa prefers her reds drier, so she really appreciated the 2014 Meli Maule Valley Carignan, with lots of spice and dark berries.

Another Van Gogh to try…
It’s hard not to enjoy Van Gogh Vodkas. They really know how to bring flavors alive. This holds true for  Van Gogh Cool Peach. It’s bursting with peaches, but not too sweet. I could definitely sip this over ice, or in one of these cocktails…

PEACHY PALMER
2 oz. Van Gogh Cool Peach Vodka
2 oz. Iced Tea
2 oz. Lemonade
Add all ingredients to a tall glass filled with ice and stir well.
Garnish the cocktail with fresh raspberries.

THE ROYAL PEACH
Created by Jonathan Pogash, The Cocktail Guru
 1-1/2 oz. Van Gogh Cool Peach Vodka
3/4 oz. Elderflower Liqueur
3-4 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Stir ingredients in a mixing glass with ice
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a flamed orange peel.

SKINNY PEACH COOLER
Created by Sue Pietoso, Mixologist at Jasna Polana, Princeton, NJ
2 oz. Van Gogh Cool Peach vodka
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
3/4 oz. sugar free sweetener syrup
1 oz. peach purée
2 basil leaves
1 oz. club soda
Shake all ingredients, except basil and club soda with ice.
Pour into a glass.
Top with club soda.
Garnish with basil leaf.


Big Red and Big Blue…
I’m not a big soda drinker, but I was curious when I was presented with the opportunity to try Big Red and Big Blue. It turns out Big Red has been around a while and has quite a fan base among my friends. I too enjoyed the vanilla cream soda which, for adults, goes great with whiskey. As for Big Blue, there were a few who enjoyed it, but it was a bit too bubble gum-like for me.


Nothing like a good marinade…
Moore’s had sent me their buffalo marinade a few months ago and it was delicious on chicken. They followed up with a bottle of Zesty Garden Herb. I marinated boneless pork chops in it, then brushed more on during grilling. It was delicious. I could also see this on chicken, or even a grilled Portobello if you are looking for a vegetarian meal.


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