Spirits Weekly Wine Webinar

By SOMDATTA SENGUPTA

Spirits Unlimited Middletown is bringing to you a new feature starting this week: the Spirits Weekly Wine Webinar.



Each week, one of the wine experts from Spirits Unlimited Middletown will share with you their insight about a wine or wines that they think stands out from competition.



This week Rick Allocca, the local wine expert and assistant manager at the Middletown store, shares his opinion on the Michel Torino Cuma Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec.



Both are organic wines from the Cafayate Valley in Argentina. According to the El Esteco Bodega, the winery was founded in 1892 when two French brothers David and Salvador plated their first vines. It is said that the local climate of the Cafayate Valley and beauty of the landscape is very conducive to quality grapes cultivation.



The bodega, situated at the heart of the Salta Province in Argentina, is a very modern winery, which started producing organic wines in the early 90s.

According to wine importer Frederick Wildman and Sons, Ltd., the Michel Torino line of wines is representative of pure, clean environment. Essentially, Cuma means “clean and pure” in the language of the Aymara, who occupied the lofty elevations of northern Argentina before the Incas and have long since migrated throughout South America’s Altiplano, or high plains, the official El Esteco Web site states.



The 2007 Cuma Cabernet Sauvignon (750 ml) selling at $12.99 at Spirits Unlimited Middletown has dark ruby-red color with purple highlights, Rick said. It has hints of spice, dark berries and black currants on the nose with a touch of red pepper and black olives. It has huge ripe fruit notes on the palate giving way to an elegant long finish.



The Cuma Cabernet Sauvignon is an excellent wine to serve in good company.











The 2007 Cuma Malbec (750 ml) priced at $8.99 per bottle is red-violet in color with aromas of rosemary, raisin, vanilla and plum jam, Rick said. It has ripe fruit palate, a combination of raisins and dates, with sweet yet soft tannins and a long finish with hints of spice and nuts. 



The Cuma Malbec is an excellent everyday wine to enjoy with hearty meals and comfort food.

Both wines are located in aisle 4a in our Organic Wines section.

New wines from Argentina at Spirits Unlimited Middletown

By SOMDATTA SENGUPTA

Spirits Unlimited Middletown welcomed two wine specialists from Argentina on Friday, September 25 to sample three Argentine wines — Sangre De Vina Torrontes, Sangre De Vina Malbec and El Guardado Syrah. Notably, these three wines are featured in the 25% Case Discount Corner at the Middletown store.

From 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. Laura E. Ciacera and Miguel Cano shared their insight about the vineyards of San Juan area, the wines they were introducing and answered questions.

Ciacera, one of the owners and sales and marketing director of La Guarda vineyards, Argentina, explained how the San Juan area is working to produce some of the more interesting whites and reds that are appearing in American liquor stores at the moment.





Cano, president of Don Cano Wines Import Corp. in the New York/New Jersey region, is a wine producer from the up-and-coming San Juan region as well. He said the altitude and soil of the San Juan area help craft the complex wines that he was sampling at the store.


Overall, these wines are great buys, according to Rick Allocca, the local wine expert at the store.

The new 25% Case Discount Corner at Spirits Middletown

By SOMDATTA SENGUPTA

Store Manager Ray Kimble and Manager of Liquor Operations Stuart Keats have brought to you another great offering from Spirits Unlimited Middletown.

It's the new 25% Case Discount Corner offering great wines from Agrentina, Spain and Italy. These include three from Agrentina — the Sangre De Vina line featuring torrontes and malbec and an El Guardado syrah. The Italian wines include the Saladini Pilastri Falerio and the Vasari Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. The Spanish red is the much talked about Viña Borgia old vine grenache from the Campo de Borja region.

Vina Borgia: The Vina Borgia Grenache from Spain comes from the Campo de Borja region that lies between the plains of the river Ebro and the mountains of the Sistema Iberico. The color is ruby-purple, with lots of fruit aromas, deep color, a little bit of smoke and has a pepper finish. It's all stainless steel, no oak. A great wine for making sangria.

It goes well with pasta, chicken and anything that's spicy.

Price per bottle: $6.99
25% Case (12 bottles) Discount price including tax: $63.73


Saladini Pilastri Falerio: A medium bodied white wine from Italy that goes very well with fish and seafood. It is from the Spinetoli region of Italy which has gravelly soil. The grape varieties used in the wine include Trebbiano, Passerina and Chardonnay. The vineyards are grown using biological farming systems, according to the official Web site. Saladini Pilastri, has been making organic wine since 1995, says snooth.com and this white wine is lemon oil and fennel-scented, and is crisp, dry, intriguing and compelling.

Price per bottle: $8.99
25% Case (12 bottles) Discount price including tax: $86.52



Vasari Montepulciano d’Abruzzo: It has incredible amounts of forward fruit according to WineExpress.com. It has intense color, the nose has a rich black cherry and hints of cedar. Great with pasta.

Price per bottle: $8.99
25% Case (12 bottles) Discount price including tax: $86.52





El Guardado Syrah: This is a new line of Argentine wines that Spirits Unlimited Middletown is introducing at the store this fall. According to Rick Allocca, the local wine consultant at the Middletown store, the El Guardado syrah really delivers. Coming from the San Juan area of Argentina, this wine is ruby-red in color and exhibits aromas of leather, graphite, dry fruits and plum, Rick said. It is dry on the mid-palate with a long graceful finish, fine tannic structure and hints of smokiness, according to him. The wines goes well with grilled meats as well as veggies, but it is excellent with beef stew, Rick said.

Price per bottle: $10.99
25% Case (12 bottles) Discount price including tax: $105.84


Sangre De Vina Torrontes: This is a very crisp and light wine, according to Rick, the local wine consultant at the Middletown Spirits Unlimited store. It has floral overtures but is not sweet like the riesling. Rick ranks this wine high on texture, acidity, fruit. Overall, a great drinking wine all year long, he said.

Price per bottle: $8.99
25% Case (12 bottles) Discount price including tax: $86.52





Sangre De Vina Malbec: This wine is rich in color with spice notes to it, Rick said. It has good tannins and fruit characteristics with blackberry and dark cherry. It is another all-year drinking wine, he said, and goes great with barbecue.

Price per bottle: $8.99
25% Case (12 bottles) Discount price including tax: $86.52

Rick Allocca and his world of wines

Rick: Spirits Unlimited Middletown's “go-to-guy” for wines

Profile by: SOMDATTA SENGUPTA

Rick Allocca, the “go-to-guy” at Spirits Unlimited Middletown, is the most unassuming person you would ever come across at any liquor store. But ask him anything you want to know about wines, you will be amazed by his depth of knowledge, his willingness to work with you to help you discover your palate, and his very charming and pleasant manners that takes the edge off your wine-shopping hassles.
Then you are left to ask yourself, how come he is so humble and unassuming?

According to Stuart Keats, Manager of Liquor Operations at Spirits Unlimited Middletown, Rick exemplifies what each member of the store is about: Helping the customers find and enjoy the best wines and spirits.

Rick’s passion for wines comes from his family table. Growing up in an Italian family in Middletown, dinner was always served with wine, as far as he remembers.

“My family is huge on wines,” he said. “Wine is as common as water in my family. My father is a big fan of the cabernet. He got me interested in wines. My grandfather too is big on wines. So for me it was a natural thing to get to know about wines.”

Looking back on his first day at the job at Spirits Unlimited Middletown, Rick shares his encounter with his first love: vintage wines!

“On my first day, I bought a case of mixed wines, a lot of them I have never heard before and within a week they were all gone,” Rick said. Trying various wines, learning about them, where they come from was a habit they kept growing on him.

“I think the reason I am so passionate about wines is because it is a natural occurring thing,” he said. “It has health benefits, can be shared with friends and family almost like music. Also, because the art of making a good wine involves so many people, from the one who plants, to the one who tends to it and then the whole process of harvesting and turning it into something special…it’s a very involved process and requires the expertise of many people to deliver a perfect product at your family table.”

As such, you can imagine Rick intends to make wine a big part of his adult life. “It’s something that I wanted to keep in my life, want to grow upon, learn more, keep around me and my family,” he said.

It has already grown on him since he started to work at Spirits Unlimited Middletown. He used to like the sweet, easy tasting wines before whereas now he is into more complex wines, Rick said.

His dream — “I would like to have my own vineyard.”

“Making your wine is leaving your mark on this world,” Rick said. “My great-grandfather used to make wine, and the tradition discontinued from my grandfather, who owned a deli store in Red Bank but did not pass the wine-making knowledge to my father. My dad wishes he had learned it. So, I would like to start a new legacy and continue that tradition that was lost from grandpa.”

“It’s personal, Rick said, “To me wine is a very personal experience.”

If you have a question about wines, please write to Rick at rickswineworld@gmail.com.

Russo to stop by Middletown "Spirits" on Saturday, July 18

Louis Giovanni "Gianni" Russo is passionate about many things. Acting, singing, performing and entertaining are just some of the highlights of this Italian American’s career. Lately, Russo’s passion for food and wine is what has brought Rizzi from The Godfather in the spotlight again.

On Saturday, July 18th, Russo is going to visit Spirits Unlimited on Route 35 in Middletown to introduce his four best sellers from the “IL PADRINO” label. These include his Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, Chianti, Pinot Grigio, and Prosecco. Between 1 and 4 p.m. area residents and wine enthusiasts can meet Russo in person, ask questions and learn about his entry-level wines.

According to Russo: You don’t have to be rich to enjoy a great glass of wine.

Now in his 60s, this incredibly fit celebrity is a great host and entertainer and loves to share his tips for great food and parties with all.

His advice in short: Keep it small, get a good mix of people so the conversation is fun, and if you are stuck with all family members then have a sip of his Prosecco before the party.

In keeping with Russo’s attempt to bring great wines to all sections of people, especially in this economy, Spirits Unlimited, Middletown, part of the Circus Liquors chain, is offering these wines at unbelievable prices.

It’s really an offer you can’t turn down.

For more on Russo and his passion for fine wines, check this blog tomorrow evening when you are back from work and the day’s chores are done, and its time to sit back and relax with a great wine as you plan your weekend.

We promise to keep you engaged and entertained with events, information and our unbelievable “super” discount offers.