The Connections Bernards Ridge Edition Sep/Oct/Nov 2021

theconnectionsnj.com PAGE 13 CELEBRATIONS & EVENTS Including SALE ITEMS! With several exceptions. 1 5% OFF Your Entire Purchase 61 Mountain Blvd (Next to Lukas’ Restaurant) At intersection with 2 massive American Flags. Ph: 908-222-WINE Town Center Dr Lukas’ Seafood & Grille WC10Below winecentrals10below G RAPESINTHE G LASS Reserve Durand Sauvignon Blanc Loire Valley, France 2020 Exceptional Wines • Many Highly Rated & Single Vineyard With this coupon. Offer valid now thru September 30, 2021 It’s time to move on from the fun and frivolous wines of the summer to wines with a little more substance. 10 Below is highlighting three wines that fit the bill. This issue features an aromatic smooth French Sauvignon Blanc, an interesting, mouthwatering, double barrel aged Cabernet Franc, and an intense, juicy Malbec. All three are very different, but what they have in common is the “yum” factor! Buy one of each; you’ll be glad you did. The avors of Sauvignon Blanc vary greatly depending on the region where the grapes are grown. Loire Valley is the original home of the Sauvignon Blanc grape, and Reserve Durand is an estate in the heart of the valley that boasts mature, 25-30 year old vines. Crisp and refreshing with notes of apple, citrus and stone fruit, this aromatic white wine makes a wonderful sipping wine. It’s perfect to serve with salty bits such as nuts or chips. However, there is a good balance of fruit and acidity that enables it to pair well with seafood dishes such as scallops, shrimp or lobster in butter, cream, or herb sauces. Reg. price: $13.99 / Sale price: $9.97 Decagon Cabernet Franc Pays D’Oc, France 2018 Malbec Mendoza, Argentina 2020 Cabernet Franc is most famously known as the “third” grape of Bordeaux and is found inmany of the world’s top Bordeaux blends. It is lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon, and known for impart- ing herbaceous notes to the blends. Decagon is 100% Cabernet Franc and the unique avors it imparts come from the grapes aging 5 months in Cognac barrels and 5 months in wine barrels. The resulting wine is bright, ruby red in color with an extremely pleasing nose that immediate- ly sweeps you away to an old French wine cellar. The aging process in the old Cognac barrels intensi es the spice and tobacco avors inherent to the grape and evens out the existing tannins for a soft, yet full avored mouth feel. Smooth and Silky in texture, this wine is very pleasing to drink alone, but it would also be a terri c accompani- ment to lamb, burgers or a holiday brisket. (No additional discounts allowed) Reg. price: $16.99 / Sale price: $10.97 psh Rich in avor and deep in color, this wine is a creation from Philip Schell, a native Frenchman from Bordeaux. His goal was to nd the best terroir for Malbec in Mendoza and create the best expression of Argentina’s most famous grape. The color is a deep ruby red, but shy of the inky color that typi es most Malbec wines. Each mouthful is intense, yielding plenty of black fruit, oak and peppery notes. A nice chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano would go really well with this wine. I would also pair it with any hearty meat, like a let mignon with a gorgonzola sauce, osso bucco, or a simple grilled cowboy steak. A great price for a Malbec of this quality. Reg. price: $14.99 / Sale price: $10.97 Each wine carefully chosen. Most are $15 and up regular price. ALWAYS on SALE $10.97 AND BELOW GrapesintheGlass A wine blog by Debbie Vanderbeek Unique Wine Shop Located inWarren