Tag Archives: providence

Party Math: A Guide to Buying – and Serving – Booze

The good news is the party’s a raging success and your guests are having the time of their lives. The bad news is the party’s a raging success and you’re about to run out of booze. Here’s how to never let that happen again.

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Now that you have that down, ensure your party’s a smash by following these 8 Tips for Entertaining from team Bottles:

1. Don’t forget mixers & garnishes. Figure 1 liter of soda water/tonic/juice for every 3 guests; plan on 1 lemon/lime/orange for every 3 guests as well.

2. Have on hand at least 1 lb. of ice per person for storage & drink-making purposes. Which means your ice trays aren’t enough. Just go buy ice already, and put it in a cooler on the back porch. Trust us.

3. White wine is to be served chilled, not ice cold. Take your whites out of the fridge 10 minutes before serving. Most red wine is to be served a touch cooler than room temp. So don’t store it in direct sunlight, or, gasp, near the oven.

4. Worried about temperature fluctuations when buying cold beer? Fear not. Too much light and extreme heat (think noon heat in an un-airconditioned-car in August) are what will damage your brews. Subtle temperature changes are fine.

5. Always serve food alongside alcoholic beverages.

6. Place pitchers of water near the bar – and keep them filled.

7. Have a designated driver – or your Uber account – queued up for over-indulgers.

8. Reduce party stress by ordering your bottles in advance either in-store or via phone, and Bottles will deliver to your door day of!

Cheers!

 

 

Southside Manhattan, a SCLT Cocktail Recipe with Sage Honey Syrup

Southside Manhattan - cocktail recipe with rye whiskey and sage honey syrup

Bottles is proud to be a supporter of Southside Community Land Trust. SCLT is a fantastic organization and forceful change agent for community food security, providing land, education, tools, and support for people to grow food for themselves in greater Providence, Rhode Island.

This past Tuesday was a fundraising event, the 11th annual Harvesting Hope. Attendees enjoyed seasonal small plates featuring fresh ingredients grown on SCLT land, delicious wines from Bottles, and silent and live auctions.

The experts at Bottle created the Southside Manhattan special for the event; it’s a cocktail that uses fresh sage and honey that are grown and made by SCLT.

Try making your own Southside Manhattan at home!

First, make a batch of the Sage Honey Syrup, and combine with rye whiskey & a dash of orange bitters.

It’s yum. And a great way to use fresh, local ingredients in your cocktail.

 

HOW TO MAKE A
SOUTHSIDE MANHATTAN

INGREDIENTS
– 2 oz. Rye Whiskey
– 1 oz. Sage Honey Syrup*
– Dash of Angostura Orange Bitters

DIRECTIONS
Stir all ingredients over ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a whole sage leaf.
Alternatively, stir ingredients over ice & strain into a tall glass filled with ice; garnish.

*SAGE HONEY SYRUP
– 1 cup water
– ½ cup honey
– 10 fresh sage leaves

In a pot over high heat, bring water, honey, and sage to a boil. Reduce heat to low & simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow the mixture to cool completely. Remove sage.

Cheers!

How to make a sage honey syrup

 

Top 9 Fall Wines: New York, Washington, Oregon

Top Fall Red & White Wines

Ah, autumn.

It’s time to ditch your summery drinks and pull out those velvety reds and luscious white wines.

After all, you need something perfect to drink for the cooler weather, and equally yummy when with paired with harvest veggies, slow roasts, and big pasta dinners.

Luckily, the shop has tons of incoming wines. It was a hard job to taste them all and choose just nine favorites, but we did it.

We’ve focused on notable non-California wine regions—Long Island, the Finger Lakes, Washington State, and Willamette Valley Oregon.

Cheers!
– Eric Taylor, Bottles General Manager

 

OREGON

Firesteed Wine

Firesteed Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, Oregon

A great example of the elegance of Pinot Noir from Oregon.

Featuring great gobs of bright cherry fruit and cola (yes, cola) with hints of mocha and vanilla from the judicious oak aging.

Brilliant with salmon or lighter meat dishes.

 

Kings Ridge Pinot Gris - White Wine

King’s Ridge Pinot Gris
Willamette Valley, Oregon

Pinot Gris is often overlooked because of its famous cousin Pinot Noir, but this beautiful white certainly demands some love.

Fresh and lively with pretty peach, citrus and herbal flavors like lime, nectarine and thyme.

Drink this with harvest veggie dishes and TV snack time foods.

 

Ken Wright Cellars - Willamette Valley Oregon - Pinot Noir - Red Wine

Ken Wright Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, Oregon

Ken Wright, maker of very high end Pinot Noir, makes this wine by blending grapes from his very best vineyards.

Extremely enjoyable, lush and full of pure Pinot fruit flavors like ripe raspberries and cherries.

This wine and roast chicken are meant to go together.

 

WASHINGTON

Columbia Crest 'Horse Heaven Hills' Merlot - Washington Wine

Columbia Crest ‘Horse Heaven Hills’ Merlot
Washington

Merlot is making a big time comeback amongst serious wine drinkers and this wine is one of the reasons why.

This medium-bodied Merlot delivers aromas of spice and blackberry, with a perfect balance of earth, cocoa and ripe cherry flavors with a rich velvety finish.

Slow braised pork or beef with this wine will make you happy.

 

Owen Roe 'Lenore' Syrah - Washington Red Wine

Owen Roe ‘Lenore’ Syrah
Washington

In our opinion, Syrah is the showcase grape coming out of Washington and Lenore is a great example why.

This is powerful and intensely concentrated and while shows boastful fruit flavors, this comes across as more savory than fruity with flavors of wild herbs and black pepper.

Lamb + Lenore ≥ Heaven

 

K Vintners Viognier - Washington White Wine

K Vintners Viognier
Yakima Valley, Washington

Rock star winemaker Charles Smith turns it down a bit from his head-banging Syrah set with this elegant and frankly sublime white from a top-tier vineyard in Yakima Valley, Washington.

This Viognier shows layers and layers of complex flavors and aromas of Meyer lemon curd, clove, melon and bee’s wax all with big mouthfeel that a Chard drinker would love.

Can stand up to meat dishes, but will excel paired with savory veggie soups and side dishes.

 

NEW YORK

Ravines Riesling - Finger Lakes Wine

Ravines Riesling
Finger Lakes, New York

Dry and crisp without being sweet. Some of the best wine from the Finger Lakes Region!

Look for flavors of peach and honeysuckle with a nice crisp ripe lemon/lime finish.

Try it with roasts that include apples in the recipe.

 

Shinn Estates Wine

Shinn Estate Vineyards Red Blend
Long Island, New York

A blend of all of the Bordeaux grape varieties (Cab, Cab Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petite Verdot) grown in the beautiful North Fork region of Long Island.

Luscious bright fruit and acidity with flavors and aromas of red cherries, licorice and spice.

Goes great with red meat based pasta sauces.

 

Southold Wine - Devils Advocate

Southold Farm + Cellars ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ Chardonnay
Long Island, New York

An intriguing, one may even say beguiling, Chardonnay from the North Fork.

This is certainly not the oaky/butter bomb that you would get from California – this is much more restrained and truer to the flavors of Chardonnay.

Look for beautiful tropical fruit flavors and big rich body – great as a cold weather aperitif or paired with squash based soups.

 

 

 

Top 5 Fall Beers

 

Top Fall Beers 2015 - Pumpkin

At the end of summer, there is a sudden and abrupt change in season, at least in the beer world.

Though we may not be ready for it, we are inundated with mountains of pumpkin, harvest, and fest beers, even though it’s still warm outside. Each year, the familiar arrivals are joined by a growing roster of newbies, and it can be easy to overlook some unfamiliar gems.

So here are some of our favorites for your perusal. We hope that, when you’re ready, you’ll be able to find a new favorite from the mix. Cheers! – Liam, Bottles Beer Manager

1. Grey Sail Autumn Winds

What’s better than Grey Sail’s award winning Captain’s Daughter? A Grey Sail beer you can actually find! This rich & bready brew is a great way to usher in another New England fall, especially with the sausages you barbecue before packing up the grill for another season.

2. Mayflower Autumn Wheat

Mayflower’s perennial favorite among the Bottles’ staff. A dark wheat ale, it has the richness & complexity of a robust ale, but with the lightness of a wheat beer. It’s the perfect brew for those in-between days, when it’s not quite summer & not quite fall yet.

3. Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen

When in doubt, go for a classic. Ayinger makes a benchmark Oktoberfest beer. Deep amber in color, with a crisp, clean, & refreshing maltiness. Drink like a German!

4. Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale

Smutty pumpkin makes the list because it’s one of the driest, purest pumpkin beers out there. It tastes like a real beer, with just a smattering of spice & toasty pumpkin. With a dry, lightly hoppy finish, it accentuates the best flavors of the season without a cloying finish.

5. Two Roads Roadsmary’s Baby

On the other end of the pumpkin spectrum is this surprisingly quaffable rum barrel-aged beast of a beer. We think everything Two Roads makes is liquid gold, and this beer is no exception, striking a very tasty balance of spice, oak, & malt.

BONUS BEER!

Allagash Saison Beer

Not ready for summer to be over? Can’t find your favorite summer ale in midst of the pumpkin conflagration? Try one of our favorite Saisons as an alternative to the autumnal madness. Allagash Saison is available year round, and tastes like sunshine in a glass. Cheers!

 

Favorite Kosher Wines at Bottles This Fall

Kosher Wines - Victor Lazio

With the fall High Holidays coming up, you’re most likely looking for new and exciting Kosher wines, in addition to the already extensive selection at Bottles.

This year, a must-try is this trio of delicious wines from the Lazio region of Italy (the area around Rome). They’ll surprise you with their quality and price!

Really, these wines fall into the category of ‘great wines that just happen to be Kosher’.

Victor Chardonnay – Not a big oak/butter bomb, like from California, but much more subtle and true to the flavors of Chardonnay: ripe red apple and pear. A dry white that would be great with appetizers and lighter first courses.

Victor Merlot – This has everything that is great about Merlot: soft and smooth without any sharpness or bite and big delicious flavors of dark plums and cherries. Great as a party wine as it doesn’t need food to be enjoyed, but would love to paired with roast lamb or chicken.

Victor Cabernet Sauvignon – A great example of Cabernet, with big flavors of black currants and blackberries with plenty of stuffing to stand up to the most decadent of Holiday meals.

The best part of these wines is that they’re only $9.99 each – one of the best values in the store!

Shop one of the best selection of Kosher wines in the area at Bottles. Plus, these qualify for the Bottles case discounting (6% off 6 bottles, 12% off 12, 15% off 18 or more).

Happy Holidays and we hope to see you in the shop!
– Eric Taylor, Bottles General Manager

 

 

Rosé Wine: Color Chart with Flavors & Pairings

Rosé Wine Guide - Styles, Colors, Flavors

Have you ever had trouble deciding which rosé wine to get when shopping at a wine store?

Well, to help you out, we’ve created this handy infographic on rosé wine colors, pairings, and flavors. Looking at the color of a rosé tells you a lot about its general flavors and potential food pairings.

Most of the rosés we have on our shelves are dry, and they’re definitely not the sweet blush or white zinfandel wines you might be thinking of. Learn more about the particulars on rosé wine in our video.

The color of rosé wine ranges from a light salmon pink, all the way to a deeper ruby-pink tone. Actually made of the same grapes used in red wines, the longer a wine sits on its skins, the darker it is, and the richer and fuller it tastes.

Stop by Bottles for the best selection of rosé wines in town!

Cheers!

 

Top Spring Wines!

springtablewines-blogheader Spring’s arrival brings to mind new ​beginnings: the snow banks are melting, the days are getting longer and the sun is making itself known. Just as you pack away your bulky, winter jackets and unearth your light, spring coats – your wine choices gravitate away from hearty reds that pair well with comforting stews and towards delicate, white wines that complement fresh salads and grilled fish served optimistically outside. Here are our top picks for the season! springtable-terraprima Terra Prima Blanco – Mostly Xarel-Lo, an incredibly aromatic Spanish grape with vivid lemon flavor and a bright acidity. Winemaker Carlos Esteva actually defeated a proposed mining operation next to the winery to preserve the region’s rich limestone soil. springtable-chateaupesquieterrasses Château Pesquié ‘Terrasses’ – Grenache and Syrah lend a bright raspberry and strawberry flavor with an underlying spice note and a smooth finish. Great pairing for goat cheese. springtable-borgopg-600 Borgo M Pinot Grigio – A remarkably dry Pinot Grigio, notes of honeysuckle and melon are woven through this complex yet completely approachable wine. springtable-cheverny Domaine du Salvard Cheverny Blanc – Loire’s best secret, the village of Cheverny is located two hours from Sancerre and has similar limestone and chalky soil which creates mineral, dry focused white wines. Blended with a touch of unoaked Chardonnay, this wine is Sancerre’s cousin at a very attractive price. springtable-saintpeyrepicpoul Saint Peyre Picpoul de Pinet – Long time staff favorite, such intense acidity that will match vinaigrette dressing, pair beautifully with oysters and all sorts of shellfish dishes. Super thirst quenching, also pairs well with all sorts of rich, soft cheeses. springtable-chateauvitallispouilly-fuisse Chateau Vitallis Pouilly Fuissé – Rich, dry with a hint of minerals, Pouilly-Fuissé is a wonderful pairing for lobster and grilled bacon wrapped scallops. springtable-ilcasolare Fattoria San Lorenzo ‘Il Casolare’ Rosso – A blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese, light with bright acidity, great slightly chilled. Substantial enough for pizza or pasta, soft enough to pair with take-out sushi or cioppino.

PAIRING IDEA: Il Casolare Rosso & Cioppino

Cioppino, a kitchen sink of a spicy, seafood stew was created by Italian and Portuguese fisherman in San Francisco and is a perfect addition to our spring recipe line up. Stop by your local fish market, pick up some cod and mussels and enjoy this flavorful and hearty stew! Feel free to use this recipe from Serious Eats as a jumping off point, adding shrimp, scallops,  crab, catch of the day special at your favorite fish monger.

springtable-birichino

Birichino Malvasia – An interesting Greek grape relocated to Santa Cruz, California, this wine boasts an amazing aroma of honeysuckle and elderflower. Dry with a lovely pear note, this will pair well with spicy pan fried noodles.

 

Elemental: WaterFire Providence’s Benefit Bash!

waterfire10WaterFire is a local institution, and on the crisp first day of fall at the Elemental WaterFire Benefit Bash, Bottles was proud to support and donate to this local arts organization that inspires Providence and its visitors.

waterfire4 waterfire5 It was a beautiful clear evening full of wine, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and the quintessential creative scenery of WaterFire, including performers, lights, live and silent auctions, and of course the blazing baskets we know and love. We supplied some of our favorite wines for the generous attendees to enjoy; a variety of French, Californian, and Italian wines to choose from, including red, white and champagne.

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It was a celebration of the elemental experience of WaterFire that transforms our perceptions of the urban landscape. We hope everyone enjoyed the event and hope to see you soon at the next WaterFire event! 

Cheers!

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Pimm’s Cup & Light Cigar Pairing – 5 Vegas Gold Nugget

Last week, you may have read about the Classic Corona — here is another cigar from our selection from the highly regarded 5 Vegas family, Gold Nugget. A great cigar at a great price, Gold Nugget mild enough for an early morning or afternoon cigar.

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5 Vegas Gold Nugget, 4.5 x 44

The Gold blend is finished with a mild Ecuador Connecticut wrapper, making flavorful with a slightly sweet finish.  If you are new to smoking cigars or simply want a mild afternoon smoke, this is the perfect smoke.  At 4.5 inches by a 44 ring, it is an ideal size for a cocktail or aperitif.

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Need a pairing idea? Try an aperitif or summer cocktail – like a Pimm’s Cup, Grumpy Cup, or your favorite summer ale – no jet fuel required!

A classic summer refresher, and popular in Britain, a Pimm’s Cup is easy to mix up. Fill a tall glass with ice, pour in about 2 ounces of Pimm’s No. 1, and fill the rest with your favorite ginger beer. Garnish with a slice of lemon or cucumber.

Pimm’s No. 1 is a gin-based liqueur, dark in color, and with some lovely citrus and bitter notes. Combined with Fentiman’s ginger beer, you can have a few and still be standing. A tasty drink to pair with this light cigar!

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  Enjoy!

 

 

Wine Tasting at WaterFire Providence! (Bottles for the Cause)

WaterFire is a Providence institution, and this summer Bottles is proud to support this local arts organization that inspires Providence and its visitors.

WaterFire Providence 2014

WaterFire Providence - Brazier Society 2014

If you’re a member of the WaterFire Brazier Society, you may have seen some familiar Bottles folks at the wine tasting table. The Brazier Society is an exclusive membership includes access to one of the best seats on the river, catered appetizers and drinks, and even access to VIP boats through the entire WaterFire season.

WaterFIre Providence Brazier Society Membership - Waterfire ProvidenceGondola Ride - Providence, RIDessert Table at Brazier Society

The Bottles wine tasting offers 5 wines to choose from, including some of our favorite reds, whites, and rosés. If you find a wine especially delicious, 20% of orders placed at each event go to benefit WaterFire.

Wine Tasting - Waterfire ProvidenceBrazier SocietyWine Tasting - Waterfire Providencewaterfire_12Brazier Societywaterfire_9Bottles - Waterfire Providence Bottles at Waterfire Providence Bottles at Waterfire Providence

See you all summer long!

SCHEDULE

Saturday, July 12th
Saturday, July 26th
Saturday, August 9th
Saturday, August 23rd
Saturday, September 27th
Saturday, October 11th
Saturday, October 25th
Saturday, November 8th