Don't Drink and Drive - But Cycling? Ok, Once You're Off the Saddle

http://www.packetinsider.com/blog/bike/?p=385

SATURDAY BIKE TOURS INCLUDE COMPLIMENTARY WINE TASTING!

Mimi Omiecinski September 2nd, 2008

Yep, it’s true. A $20 bike tour (less if you Bring Your Own Bike & Helmet) with a free wine tasting. You can’t do much better than that!

Hey Steveie, we may have to buy more bikes to accomodate the demand!

Princeton Bike Tours is partnering with COOLVINES - the the new AMAZING wine shop at the corner of Harrison and Nassau Street ……..if you can’t make the tour at least check out their stuff. (Plus, they are conveniently located next to Whole Earth and Tuscan Hills - Put together your own tasting with advice from Eric Mihan - 609-924-0039. He can help know which cheeses and fruits you need from Whole Earth. Then, the gang at Tuscan Hills can help you set a table to die for!) I had a bunch of Steve’s bosses over and did a wine tasting with Eric and EVERYONE loved it! The best part? It’s wine, cheese and bread so we didn’t have to ask for a raise after the party!!!!!

Dominico Selections

http://winegroupie.blogspot.com/2008/12/domenico-selections-coming-out-party.html

Sunday, December 7, 2008
Domenico Selections Coming out party
Last night Coolvines of Westfield set up a local tasting and my new company was privileged to present a small portion of our portfolio. I was told the attendance numbered about 60. They must have all hit my table at the same time. I felt like I was back on a trading desk by the amount of information coming and going. The down and dirty is we have selected some great wines!

The lineup:

Whites:
Terra di Vento Fiano 2007
Angelorosa L'Ambriana Falanghina 2007
Angelorosa Greco Di Tufo 2007
I Stefanini Soave "Monte di Fice" 2006

Reds:
Terra Di Vento Aglianico "Petrale" 2006
Reale "Cardamone" 2007
Bocella Aglianico "Rasott" 2006
Piandibugnano "L'Erpico" 2005

The wines are all from local varieties and exhibit "correct" characteristics of what they are. Some of the folks were trying to get their arms around what the hell Falanghina can be compared to that they have tried. When you go into Baskin Robbins you ask for a taste of something new. Essentially that's what was going on last night.

Eventually drinking chocolate and vanilla (Cab and Chard?) will get boring so in our wine lives we all look for something different. Unless you're a race horse and eat the same thing every day you'll always look for new flavors. The risk is in the price. What we've tried to offer the market is something excellent and different for a down to earth tab. The wines have soul and the crowd went for it in a big way.

To anyone who attended and reads this, a big THANK YOU for showing up and tasting. For anyone who is curious what you missed, contact Coolvines at 908 232 5050 or www.coolvines.com. I think they are believers as well. A good wine shop can make a huge difference in your experience. Try these guys. You won't regret it.
Posted by Wine Groupie at 4:25 AM

Our picks for Thanksgiving wines - NJ Life Mag

http://www.newjerseylife.com/dining/index.aspx?pageID=944

got another nice mention in NJ Life's online mag, featuring our pix for Turkey Day wines. Click on link above or read on...



With so much focus on the food, sometimes the wines served at Thanksgiving can be almost an afterthought, but the right bottle can make the meal. Not sure what to bring to the table this year? Mark Censits, owner of Cool Vines in Princeton and Westfield, has suggestions for both modern and traditional feasts.

Traditional Reds:

Domaine Gabriel Billard Millaine 2006
Style: Light Bodied
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Region: Burgundy
The vines that produce this wine are over 50 years old, but instead of calling it an old vines wine, Laurence Jobard named it after her grandmother, Emily Anne. That's respect, Burgundy style. The wine fits Laurence's style ind is terroir driven.
Price: $26/bottle, $23.40/bottle for a case




Triembaumer Blaufrankisch 2007
Style: medium-bodied
Grapes: Blaufrankisch
Region: Austria
The microclimate of this winery is characterized by Austria's longest hours of sunlight, high humidity, and moderate temperatures. Blaufrnkisch, a late-ripening variety, gives red wines which are typically rich in tannin and may exhibit a pronounced spicy, masculine character.
Price: $18/bottle, $16.20/bottle for a case



Traditional Whites:

Dom Jouard Chass-Mont 1er Cru "Les Baudines" 2005
Style: Full Bodied
Grapes: Chardonnay
Region: Chassagne-Montrachet, Burgundy
Paul Jouard represents the sixth-generation of winemakers of a 125,000-square-yard estate. The premier cru wine comes from forty-year-old vines. Along with a mineral character that is intense and complex, a delicate yet pronounced fruit character is found in this "Les Baudines" wine.
Price: $66/bottle, $59.40/bottle for a case



Aquila del Torre Riesling 2006
Style: Light Bodied
Grapes: Riesling
Region: Colli Orientali del Friuli, Italy
Aquila del Torre expresses the true elegance and complexity of the famed Colli Orientali. Michele Ciani's attention is focused on the production of expressive wines of the territory through the respectful management of the vines and surrounding environment.
Price: $21/bottle, $18.90/bottle for a case





Modern Reds:



Rusina Dry Creek Zinfandel 2005
Style: Full Bodied
Grapes: Zinfandel and Petite Sirah
Region: Dry Creek, CA
92% Zinfandel from the hilltop of the Stefani vineyard located on Canyon Rd. near Geyserville in the Dry Creek Valley, the small addition of Petite Sirah adds brown spice and structure to the wine.
Price: $29.50/bottle, $26.55/bottle for a case

Pikes the Red Mullet 2006
Style: Medium Bodied
Grapes: Shiraz and Grenache
Region: Clare Valley, Australia
Red Mullet is a classic "kitchen sink" blend. With the grapes and percentage changing every year, it gives them the flexibility to produce a great wine every vintage.
Price: $12/bottle, $10.80/bottle for a case


Modern Whites:

Bethel Heights Chardonnay Estate 2004
Style: Full Bodied
Grapes: Chardonnay
Region: Willamete Valley, OR
Sustainably-grown Chardonnay from family-owned winery Bethel Heights; this blend of old and new world Chard clones shows off its age elegantly. Notes of warm apple pie and ginger rise off the ample nose.
Price: $22/bottle, $19.80/bottle for a case


Batterieberg Detonation Riesling 2006
Style: Light Bodied, Off-Dry
Grapes: Riesling
Housed in a 1,000-year-old castle, the estate of Batterieberg takes its name from its vineyard that was created in the mid-19th century by blasting away a mountainside with dynamite. Crisp acid with an off-dry palate, this wine goes well with spicy foods or just by the glass.
Price: $12/bottle, $10.80/bottle for a case

Let's Try...CoolVines: U.S. 1 News - Nov 5, 2008

What's New in Princeton & Central New Jersey?
Reprinted from the November 5, 2008, edition of U.S. 1 newspaper
Let's Try...CoolVines
by E.E. Whiting

Tucked away on a cozy corner of Nassau Street and Harrison is a new shop specializing in wines and fine spirits. CoolVines is overflowing with choices and to help sort things out, the shop sponsors free wine tastings every Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 2 to 5 p.m.

On a brisk Wednesday night, my friend and I arrived around 6 p.m. for a tasting of Rieslings. The shop was buzzing and the wines were a revelation. As many do, I had avoided Rieslings as being too sweet for my taste. However, the beauty of a tasting is to have your preconceptions blown out the door. We started with a dry German wine with a kick of Granny Smith apple at the end that, as advertised, would be the right choice with spicy Oriental food. The other two offerings were each progressively a tad fruitier.

In addition to the wines, the range of unusual beers was entertainment in and of itself and the staff was very knowledgeable about the differences among Belgians, organics, and British and American brews. My personal favorite section was the variety of gins with botanicals to make your head spin without even opening the bottle. To complement the gin, owner Eric Mihan pointed out a specialty tonic infused with herbs. Both ended up in my shopping bag. Also intriguing were the single grower champagnes and sparkling wines. As I am a lover of all things bubbly and different, into the bag they went.

Each bottle of wine is clearly labeled with a tag that classifies the wine, for example, as light, medium or full, as well as a “style” description such as traditional, modern, or dry, and the recommended serving temperature range. Prices run the gamut, as expected, from around $20 per bottle to, well, let’s say sums similar to the cost of dinner for four.

Beyond the wines and spirits, Cool Vines offers gift items such as stemless champagne glasses, hilarious napkins, variously flavored bitters, sake sets, and snacks. A holiday tasting will be held on Wednesday, December 3, which will showcase gift baskets created with specialty chocolates and other goodies.

Other upcoming tasting events include “Hail to the Chief,” Wednesday, November 5, 5 to 8 p.m.; “Thanksgiving Wines,” Saturday, November 8, 2 to 5 p.m.; and “Holiday Gift Wines,” Wednesday, November 12, 5 to 8 p.m.

CoolVines also participates in offsite events. On Saturday, November 8, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., the store will sponsor a wine tasting at Queenstown Gallery, 24 West Broad Street, Hopewell, at the opening reception for an exhibit of watercolors by Beatrice Bork. And on Wednesday, November 19, at 7 p.m., CoolVines will co-host a multi-course Italian wine food and wine pairing dinner with special guest Doug Salthouse of Willette Wines at Gennaro’s 47B State Road (Route 206 north). The cost is $85 per person, includes tax and gratuity.

On the evening we went to the wine tasting at the store, a steady stream of visitors came and went, some coming in for the first time, others repeat customers. Cool Vines clearly has an established coterie of clients despite having opened only in August. The conversation around the tasting wines was lively and inclusive. Some folks knew about the wines, others had never tried them and were delighted to discover a new find.

Rums of all sorts, ouzo, gins, and specialty vodkas are there in plenty. Browsing is welcome and more gift items are being unpacked daily. We left with the distinct impression that if you need a special libation, this shop is apt to have it. CoolVines is also available to host private wine tastings, wine dinners, and other events. Parking is plentiful and easily found behind the shop. Stop by for an education, a chat, and a chance to discover more in the world of wine and spirits.

— E. E. Whiting

Cool Vines, 344 Nassau Street. 609-924-0039, www.coolvines.com. Complimentary wine tastings Wednesdays, 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturdays, 2 to 5 p.m. Hours: Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 8 p.m.