The Connections Warren-Watchung Edition Nov 2020

theconnectionsnj.com Located in Warren Unique Wine Shop 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 De Perriere Brut Blanc de Blanc Champagne, France NV Sassaia Gavi Piedmont, Italy 2019 Caruso & Minini Frappato Nerello Mascalese Sicily, Italy 2019 Marques De Montejos Mencia Castilla y Leon, Spain 2015 Exceptional Wines • Many Highly Rated & Single Vineyard With this coupon. Offer valid now thru January 31, 2021. Welcome to the Holidays! This year’s celebrations may be smaller in size, but they will be celebrations none- the -less! Whether you are hosting 4 guests or 40, 10 BELOW is still the place to find the perfect wine to fuel the party! While the holidays may not be what we are accustomed to, I feel that the right bottle of wine can convey a sense of reassurance that as bad as things might seem, all will be well! The first featured wine is Champagne, because no holiday party is complete without bubbles. There are two Italian varieties, a white and a red and last but definitely not least, an interesting red from Spain. The Italian Red and the Spanish Red couldn’t be more diŒerent, but both deserve a place on your table. Blanc de Blanc, “white of whites” denotes Champagne made exclusively from chardonnay grapes. Crisp, clean hints of apple and citrus waft to your nose and the bubbles tickle your senses. This variety is light bodied, and well balanced. A glass of Blanc de Blanc pairs well with everything from cheeses to seafood and even your holiday birds! Get fancy and add a fresh cranberry, raspberry, or a splash of Campari to create a festive holiday drink. A super a ordable Champagne that won’t disappoint! Reg. price: $13.99 / Sale price: $9.97 Reg. price: $15.99 / Sale price: $10.97 Reg. price: $15.99 / Sale price: $10.97 Reg. price: $15.99 / Sale price: $10.97 Gaviistypicallyafresh,mineraldriven wineproducedinthenorthernregion of Italy from the Cortese grape. The avorsherearemoreherbaceousand vegetable based than fruity. This is a fresh, light, easy sipping, stand alone whitewine. Servewellchilledandserve asanaccompanimenttoalight shdish orpastawithanherbypestosauce. “Oh so smooth” is how I would describe this indigenous Sicilian blend. Scents of cinnamon and cherries are detected after swirling the glass. The rst sip tastes of cherries and raspberries, and the soft nish brings more spice than fruit. A perfect equilibrium is achieved in balancing the notable tannins of the Nerello Mascalese grape and the low tannins and freshness of the Frappato grape. This is an extremely ver- satile red wine, light and refreshing but with enough body to stand up to slightly aged cheeses or redmeats. If you bored with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Malbec, step out and try this new grape varietal, Mencia (pronounced Men-thee-ah). The Mencia grape grows only on the Iberian Peninsula in Spain and Portugal. Intense red grapes produce a ruby colored, spicy scented wine. This 2015 vintage has been sourced by hand from a single vineyard; earning it a well deserved 90- point rating from Wine Enthusiast. This isamediumbodied, food worthy red that tastes of black cherries, fennel, mint and tobacco. I suggest opening the bottle prior to dinner and allowing it to breathe. The tannins will soften andmore of the complex avors of the grape will shine through. Serve this with braised short ribs, a thick, chewy steak, beef stew, or lentils. Consider giving this well priced, impressive wine as a holiday gift. 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 PAGE 35 HOLIDAY CHEER