Category Archives: Learn About Wine

Video! How to Open a Bottle of Sparkling Wine

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Nothing says celebration like a bottle of bubbly! But wait, how do you open that pesky cage and cork top? Is there a way to open it safely? Just watch our short and sweet instructional video on opening your next bottle of Champagne or sparkling wine. Cheers!

Additional Tips for Opening Sparkling Wine:  

– Serve as cold as possible!  If possible, use ice and water to cool the bottle, letting it sit for 30-45 minutes.  Colder wine will result in less gas release when uncorking, making it safer and easier. And bubbly is always best super cold. 

– Hold your thumb over the cork the entire time you are opening the bottle, and always point away from faces, keeping your thumb on the top of the cork until it’s out of the bottle. 

– Serve in a flute, if you can, but sparkling wine can be enjoyed in any glass.

 

Top 9 Holiday Wines!

holiday-vert1 The Holidays are busy times for all of us, with numerous family gatherings, parties, and special dinners to attend or even host. The wine experts at Bottles are here to take the stress out of the Holidays by helping you select great wines for any occasion. Need a handsome hostess gift? Having a few people over to your home? Choose from our top 9 Holiday wine picks – they are sure fire bets to please any wine lover, novice or expert.

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Laetitia Chardonnay, California – Mouth filling and spirited fruit flavors of Bosc pear, pineapple and ripe lemon.  Great to sip on as an aperitif or with warm appetizers.

sonoma-cutterSonoma Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, California – One of the most iconic wines from California!  Great balance between lively acidity and rich flavors of Golden Delicious apple, white peach, a hint of vanilla and a touch of butter.

Cheveau Pouilly-Fuisse ‘Les Vieilles Vignes’, France – Made from 50 to 70 year old vines!  A powerful wine of great depth and length.  Only 1200 bottles of this elite cuvée are imported into the U.S.

gruetGruet Brut, New Mexico – Brilliant with ultra fine bubbles.  A wonderful, fine aroma dominated by green apple and grapefruit flavors.  A true classic!

perrierPerrier-Jouët Grand Brut, France – Delicate, elegant and balanced with striking freshness of the floral and fruity fragrances of lemon and bergamot orange coupled with richer notes of butter, vanilla sugar and hazelnuts.

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Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, France — From one of Champagne’s oldest houses and is bottled in the traditional bottle shape from the 1800s.  Impressive power and elegance with exotic ground spice, orange zest, anise and jasmine flavors and aromas.  An invigorating finish and an excellent gift for anyone, including yourself!

chateau-vaisinerieChâteau Vaisinerie St Emilion, Bordeaux, France – Smooth, lush and voluptuous wine – a really special treat for yourself or any wine lover.  Mostly Merlot with a little Cabernet Franc blended in for an expressive nose and flavors of ripe bramble fruit, wet crushed stones, cedar and graphite.  Excellent with prime rib, roast lamb, or rib eye steaks.

chateau-mathelineChâteau La Matheline Bordeaux Superieur, France – Impressive wine at an unbelievable price!  From a great vintage and from just outside the famous St Emilion region.  Big, ripe flavors of dark red currant, cherry and raspberry fruits coupled with cedar, tobacco and dark chocolate.  Great with lamb or roast beef.

chateau-blaignanChâteau Blaignan Medoc, Bordeaux, France – A new top pick for staff and customers alike.  Almost half and half Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a little Cabernet Franc for added perfume and complexity.  Pronounced notes of blackcurrant, black cherries and a hint of spice with a rich, smooth body and velvety tannins.

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Happy Holiday! (Good luck….)

Cheers, 

The Bottles Team

3 Great Kosher Wines for Hanukkah

Kosher Wines for Hanukkah

Each year, there seem to be more and more great Kosher wines to choose from. Just take a look at the Bottles Kosher wine section, and you’ll be impressed by the range and quality of wines available. Here are just a few highlights that we find to be particularly wonderful for Hanukkah and your holiday dinners. Happy Hanukkah!

Terra Vega Cabernet Sauvignon is a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile with extremely soft tannins and a nice note of cherries.

Borgo Reale Chianti is a Classic Italian Chianti with notes of black currant and raspberry with mouth watering acidity that will pair well with red meat.

Cantina Gabriele Pinot Grigio is a crisp and balanced white wine with notes of lemon and lime, perfect for pairing with chicken.

Kosher Wines

Besides our Kosher wine section, Bottles carries many more beers, spirits, and mixers that are Kosher. A few favorites are Wiser’s Whiskey, Stirrings All Natural Cocktail Mixers, Milagro Tequila, Brooklyn Brewery Chocolate Stout, and many more. Just ask a Bottles staff member for guidance!

Cheers!
Jo

All About Champagne Infographic!

Whether you are a Champagne aficionado, or a newbie eager to learn, we’ve created this handy infographic to keep you in the know on the specifications of sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France! It’s chock full of cool tidbits such as: label requirements, the fermentation process, how to chill different varieties of champagne and more! So take a look, it speaks for itself! Learn something new today!

Cheers!
The Bottles Team

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Top 9 Bubbly Wines for the Holidays!

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There is no other category of wine in the store that can do or say so much than Sparkling Wine! Regardless of price, a glass of bubbly is the best way to start any occasion.  The ‘pop’ of the cork is the official sound of party time, and perfectly sets the tone of any gathering. Not only is sparkling wine delicious and one of the most versatile wines for food pairing, but also is the perfect way to say Thank You, I love you or Congratulations!

With so many choices, names and styles it can be difficult to pick a sparkling wine that suits your occasion or meal. We’ve simplified your decision making process by creating a list of our Top 9 Sparkling Wines for this holiday season. Cheers!

Download & Print the List >

Pol Roger Champagne – Good enough to be served at Kate and William’s royal wedding so it’s definitely good enough for any occasion at your home.  Classic Champagne with plenty of structure and delicious complex flavors.

Charles de Fère Blanc de Blancs – Made in the same style as Champagne, but much less expensive.  Made with 100% Chardonnay, it’s light and lively but has a deep and complex toastiness that makes it a great value.

Ca’ Furlan Prosecco – Our most popular wine in the store!  Beautiful and crisp and a perfect pairing with party time!  Superb value!

Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs – California’s premier sparkling wine producer and often poured at the White House for fancy state dinners.  Packed with gorgeous tropical fruit flavors, fresh green apple, roasted nuts and a long creamy finish.  Also available in a 1.5L!

Mercat Cava Brut – Beautiful Cava in a beautiful package. Aromas of creamy pear and apple burst out of the glass coupled with flavors of papaya and hints of toasted hazelnuts. So good!

Egly-Ouriet ‘Brut Tradition Grand Cru’ Champagne – The King of the ‘Grower Champagnes’! Made by the same people that grow the grapes, this is an absolute sleeper of a Champagne.  Dry, perhaps even austere, with some much complexity of flavor that you’ll be thinking of it for days after.

Mionetto Brut Prosecco – Perhaps the most iconic Prosecco in the world!  Intensely fruity aromas – very dry, fresh, light in body and well-balanced.  Perfect alone as an aperitif or as a complement to appetizers.  Also excellent as a base for Bellinis and other sparkling wine cocktails.

Möet & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne – So much elegance and complexity wrapped up in one bottle!  Vibrant intensity of green apples and citrus fruits, freshness of mineral nuances and white flowers and elegance of brioche and fresh roasted nuts.

Chandon Rosé – A dramatic sparkling wine from California!  Deep pink color with intense ripe strawberry, juicy watermelon and fresh red cherry fruit flavors and aromas.  A very creamy and seductive wine that is bold and sure to make a big impact at any occasion.

Cheers!
Eric Taylor

Top 9 Thanksgiving Wines!

What wines pair best with a Thanksgiving Feast?

The simple answer is that the very best pairings are the wines that you like best. A typical Thanksgiving Dinner has so many different flavors on the table that it is nearly impossible to pick just one go-to wine that will pair with absolutely everything.  We recommend choosing 3 or 4 of your favorites, open them all at once and let your guests choose the wine they want to drink.   

If that isn’t enough of an answer for you, then ask us your specific food pairing questions — it’s our passion! And we love to share our passion and knowledge with anyone who will listen – both experts and novices alike.

All of us at Bottles have been thinking about Thanksgiving all year, and can give you an emphatic guarantee that all nine wines on this list will be the perfect complement to your dinner.  So relax, with so much to worry and think about, at least you know that the wine will be perfect!

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Top 9 Wines

Listed in order of lightest to heaviest:

Sutto Prosecco – Holy Wow! Very fresh, vibrant and dry Prosecco makes for a perfect treat before, during, or after dinner.   

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Secateurs Chenin Blanc – An expressive and aromatic white from South Africa, this Chenin Blanc is turkey’s best friend. Bright and engaging with lots of white peach and tart apple flavors with a rich and silky mouthfeel.

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Château du Rouet Provence Rosé – Rose is our go to no-brainer pairing with all things Thanksgiving.  Not only can it pair perfectly with almost all things on the dinner table, it’s great to sip pre-dinner while cooking or relaxing with your friends and family.

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Aviary Chardonnay – Our favorite California Chardonnay of the moment.  Everything you want and nothing you don’t:  rich and creamy but without being oaky or buttery.  Elegant and restrained and an excellent pairing to all things Thanksgiving.  

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Grisy Bourgogne Rouge – Beautiful Pinot Noir with loads of character and a sure fire winner at dinner.  Soft and silky texture with bright tart fruit like cranberry and raspberry with a hint of savory earthiness that makes it all appealing and interesting.

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Adelsheim Pinot Noir – From one of the founding wineries from Oregon, established in the early 1970’s.  American elegance at its best and a honest expression of the brilliance of Oregon.  Supple and elegant with cola and black cherry flavors with hints of fine leather and earth.

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Dupeuble Beaujolais – Classic Thanksgiving pairing! A richer, more concentrated Beaujolais with blackberry and blueberry fruit flavors with hints of cinnamon and violets.

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Gran Passione Rosso Veneto – Rich and smooth wine from the Veneto region.  Stacked with rich, opulent dried fruit flavors of plums and blackberries with generous hints of mocha and toffee.

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La Posta PIzzella Vineyard Malbec – For those who like a big, heavy, rich and delicious wine, this is for you.  Dark and ripe flavors with cherry and creamy blueberries with hints of spice and mineral. 

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Enjoy your day of thanks, and thank the wine for helping you get through it!

Cheers,

The Bottles Team

 

How to Pair Wine with Your Pizza!

winesDon’t want to drink beer with your pizza? Or that pesky water stuff?? Gross! Well, here is our handy dandy guide to pairing wines with different varieties of our, (and hopefully your) favorite pizzas!

-Margharita, pepperoni, white, vegetable, Greek, and Hawaiian-

All pizza in this video is from the delicious Nice Slice in Providence.

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Cheers, 

The Bottles Team

Learn About Malbec

Malbec Wine Information - regions, styles, brands

What exactly is Malbec wine? And, why should you care? Eric, one of our resident Bottles wine gurus, gives you the lowdown in our newest video. Malbec is an extremely popular type of wine in our store because you get a lot of bang for your buck. Full of antioxidants and great with roasts and grilled meat, find out why Malbec is a solid choice.

Learn about wine by subscribing to our Youtube Channel!

Cheers!

Top 9 Fall Wines!

We love fall at Bottles! It marks the beginning of our ‘busy season’ and we get to really dig in to the richer, heavier white and red wines to pair with the richer, heavier foods from the autumn harvest. As you know, we taste every wine that comes into our store, and as we taste, one of the many things that we think about is “what kind of food would this wine pair with?” To take some of the guess work out of what wines you should pair with your favorite fall dinner, we have chosen our favorite Malbecs, Chardonnays and Italian Reds that are sure-fired, bonafied, slam-dunk winners.

>>> Download the Wine List here! <<<

Santa Julia Malbec
Organic and a great value! Look for complex aromas and flavors like cherries, plums, vanilla and sweet pipe tobacco. Way more full bodied, complex and delicious than its price would suggest – a must try!

TintoNegro Malbec
A beautiful, full-bodied, seriously endowed Malbec. Possesses a dense purple color and a sweet bouquet of blueberry and black raspberries with hints of mint, anise and spring flowers. Try it with any roast meat dish.

Luca Malbec
 A worthy splurge! Dark, inky saturated color with very concentrated, very bold flavors of dark berries, black cherry cola and cocoa. It is very difficult to find a wine that has the depth of flavor, structure and balance at this price! Share a bottle with friends and family with your favorite roast beef dish.

Domanie Bernier Chardonnay
 From France’s Loire Valley, you may have a very difficult time finding a better value than this stunning wine. Light and crisp with flavors of ripe apple and pear makes this a great pairing with lighter chicken dishes, soft cheeses and baked apples.

Bread and Butter Chardonnay
 A beautiful, well made California Chardonnay! Rich and creamy with big soft flavors of caramel, butterscotch, apples and tropical fruits. Great by itself or with roasted chicken or white fish dishes.

Domaine Cordier Pere et Fils St Veran Chardonnay
From the very southern region of Burgundy, this is a special treat for those who like rich smooth Chardonnays without the oak and butter. Powerful, elegant and complex, expect flavors and aromas of ripe orchard fruits with savory/mineral overtones.

Fantini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Both immediately appealing and versatile, this ‘Monte’ is packed with beautiful red fruit flavors like cherries and plums spiked with a little leather and smoke. Pair with your favorite hearty pasta dish like meaty lasagna.

Poliziano Rosso di Montepulciano 
From southern Tuscany, this wine is highly prized for being so polished and nuanced. Big flavors of plums, cherries and dark berries with a noticeable depth of flavor and a smooth texture. Pairing with a decadent lamb roast would bring you and your guests lots of pleasure.

Tascante Ghiaia Nera
 Looking for something different? Try this! The grape, Nerello Mascalese, is grown on the slopes of Mount Etna, an active volcano on the isle of Sicily. This wine is packed with bright red cherry, mineral, dark spice and dried herb flavors. A very cool wine that would love to be paired with lamb, game or eggplant parm.

So enjoy the nearing cool weather, and this excuse to drink 9 bottles of wine! Cheers! The Bottles Team

Rosh Hashanah Wines! (Kosher Wine Picks)

Happy Rosh Hashanah! Bring in the Jewish New Year with a few of our favorite Kosher wine picks for this season. Though we’re pretty happy about our year-round Kosher wine selection, we’ve made sure to layer in a few more additions just for the holiday.

Kosher Wine Brands for Rosh HashanahLove a nice red? We highly recommend Arza ‘Ariel’ Merlot. Expect flavors of blackberry and raspberry with a soft finish.

Another fantastic wine to look for is ARFI ‘Gabriel’ Cabernet Sauvignon. Simply a phenomenal wine! Black currant, olive, cedar, and black cherry notes are coupled with a delicate structure.

Cheers!