The Connections Warren-Watchung Edition Dec 2019-Jan 2020

Holiday Cheer theconnectionsnj.com 15% OFF Your Entire Purchase Including Most Sale Items • Expires 12/24/19 WC10Below winecentrals10below JUST GREAT WINES. $10 AND UNDER. Town Center Dr Lukas’ Seafood & Grille Located in Warren 61 Mountain Blvd (Next to Lukas’ Restaurant) At intersection with 2 massive American Flags 908-222-WINE MUST PRESENT THIS COUPON A wine blog by Debbie Vanderbeek 10 Below continues to expand their inventory daily, offering great value and encompassing many different varietals from all around the world. Today’s lineup features a French Sparkling Wine, a California Chardonnay, a French Bordeaux and an Italian Primitivo. G RAPESINTHE G LASS Veuve du Vernay Brut Sparkling Wine Beaune Region, France With the holidays quickly approaching, it is always a good idea to have a “bottle of bubbly” on hand to enhance the occasion. This sparkling wine from France is carefully craft- ed in the traditional French style, at a fraction of the price. This is a light to medium body wine, fresh and lively with tastes of green apples, pears and a well balanced minerali- ty. The tiny bubbles dance on the tongue with each sip. Veuve du Vernay can work as an aperitif or an accompani- ment to your Thanksgiving Dinner. (Birds and Bubbles is a new trend). Regular price: $14.99 / Sale price: $9.97 The Atom Half Life Chardonnay Napa Valley, California 2017 If you are looking for a true California chardonnay you have found it. It is pale gold in color with a fruity, creamy vanilla nose. The first sip yields stone fruit, peaches and apricots, followed by a slight buttery, toasted coconut flavor. This is a nicely balanced chardonnay that works well as a sipping wine but that will hold up just as well with your meal. Regular price: $15.99 / Sale price: $10.99 Chateau Clos Moulin Pontet Bordeaux Superieur Bordeaux, France 2016 This wine is a nice blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. It is dark ruby in color with aromas of black cherry, cinnamon and nutmeg. The softness of the merlot grape and the power of the cabernet sauvignon grape com- bine to make a silky, yet fuller bodied bordeaux. The flavors will smooth out and develop in the glass. Decanting or sim- ply opening the wine an hour prior to drinking will enhance it even more. A great option if looking for a red sipping wine. Regular price: $14.99 / Sale price $10.99 Castello Monaci Piluna Primitivo Salento, Italy 2017 The heel of the boot, in the Puglia region of Southern Italy is where this full bodied, wine is crafted. The Primitivo grape is indigenous to Italy – and most closely resembles Zinfandel. The clay and tufaceous limestone soil, plus the abundance of sunshine result in a very distinctly flavored wine with low acidity and high tannins. Both the nose and taste are very pronounced. Dark fruits, figs, and prunes combine with black pepper, fennel and licorice. A big bold wine to go with hearty pastas, meat and wild game. Regular price: $15.99 / Sale price: $10.97 TWO OTHER OPTIONS: Sophie Bertin Pinot Noir Loire Valley, France 2017 A very light and fruity pinot noir. Strawberries, cherries and a hint of spice are present in each sip. This wine is very low in acidity and tannin. I would recommend giving it a slight chill before drinking. It would be a good accompaniment to Thanksgiving Dinner and works well as an overall basic drinking wine. Regular price: $14.99 / Sale price $10.97 Dante Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, California 2017 The Dante line is one of many produced by the family owned winery Michael Pozzan. From a blend of specially selected grapes in Napa, Sonoma and Calistoga, they pro- duce high quality wines for reasonable prices. This wine features pronounced flavors of blackberry, black cherry and licorice. Medium acidity and high tannins balance the pro- nounced fruits. Definitely a food wine that will pair well with the heartiness of fall and winter menus. A great holi- day dinner wine for the price. Regular price: $13.99 / Sale price $10.97 PAGE 19