Seven Great Wines for Thanksgiving at Wine Country

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to open a delicious bottle of wine to share with all of your loved ones. Let Wine Country help you pick out the perfect bottle for your table while saving you money this year! Here are our favorite picks for Thanksgiving 2014.

Ravenswood Vintner's Blend Zinfandel

Vintner's Blend is our go-to Zin. It's a wine we absolutely love for it's bold, rich taste. What you'll find with this mouth-watering wine are seductive aromas of black cherry, raspberry and blueberry with a hint of oak. It pairs with a wide variety of foods, making this bottle of wine an easy crowd pleaser. On sale for $8.97

Toasted Head Chardonnay

Toasted Head is named for the age-old practice of toasting the inside of barrel heads with fire, which creates the rich toasty flavor in this wine. Big and bold, with juicy apple, oak, cinnamon and butter notes, followed by tropical fruits with a hint of maple on the long finish. On sale for $9.97

Milestone Red Blend

Milestone Wines invites you to celebreate both the everyday and the momentous occasions in your life. Every shared glass of Milestone reminds us that, in life, every moment counts. Sweet, seductive aromas mingle with flavors of black cherries, cassis, and hints of vanilla. On sale for $8.97

Folie a Deux Pinot Noir

Sourced from the cool climate of the Sonoma Coast, the Folie a Deux 2012 Pinot Noir is 100% French oak-aged Pinot Noir. That cool climate shows in the wine's smooth mouthfeel and flavors of juicy cranberry and baked cherry flavors with a bit of toast and enough acidity to enliven the palate. On sale for $15.97

Hogue Merlot

Washington State has gained recognition for being one of the best Merlot-producing regions in the United States. This Merlot lives up to this reputation and delivers a bright, fruit-driven wine with aromas of plum and cranberry. Ripe berry and cherry flavors mingle on the palate with warm cinnamon, nutmeg and spice. On sale for $8.97

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

Here's New Zealand's Sauv Blanc Darling of 2013, already haled as "The Vintage of a Lifetime". Bright, perfumery on the noese with passion fruit and peach notes, then an exuberant burst in the mouth of more fruit. With a nice weight to it. Less grassy than some Sauvignon Blancs, done intentionally to bring out the fruit flavors. On sale for $15.97

Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

Beautiful dark cassis and cherry mingle with spicy notes of anise, tobacco and rosemary. Additional notesof sweet herbs, clove, vanilla, and toasted oak finish with a hint of cocoa. Blackberry, cocoa and black peppercorn unite on the layered palate with complex notes of mocha, sage and ripe cherry. Full yet elegant, with vibrant fruit and very approachable tannins, this wine is an easy gift for any special occasion. On sale for $34.97

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Beaujolais Nouveau Has Arrived!

Le Beaujolais Nouveau Est Arrivé!

Thousands of wine lovers braved the cold to get the first sip of this year's Beaujolais Nouveau in its home town as part of a time-honored tradition to celebrate the arrival of the young French wine.

Eager crowds gathered outside the church in the eastern French town of Beaujeu ahead of midnight when at the cry of "The Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!" France's first wine of the year was unleashed.

With a bash of the mallet on a barrel, the weeks-old wine gushed into glasses and smiles spread across the faces of the happy crowd of wine fans, some from afar afield as China, Russia and Brazil.

The annual tradition where winemakers in Beaujolais country rush "primeur" wine to market, often with only a few days of fermentation to its name, has become a worldwide sensation as taste for the like-it-or-loathe-it wine has spread.

"A little acidic," said Daniel as he took his first sip, sporting a straw hat with "Beaujolais" emblazoned across the front.
The 60-something Frenchman makes the pilgrimage from the eastern town of Jura every year with his friends to take part in the long-standing event. "We know it's not the best on offer but above all we come for the atmosphere," he said.

Eight hours earlier, in a restaurant in the centre of Tokyo, crowds decked in red scarves and hats held their own rather different countdown to the 2014 vintage: "Three, two, one...kanpai!" meaning cheers in Japanese.

At a resort spa in Hakone, west of Tokyo, some 60 people really took the plunge, celebrating the arrival of the new wine by swimming in a huge tub of specially prepared dark red water as "Miss Bourgogne" poured in full bottles.


This year is the eighth time the arrival of Beaujolais has been celebrated at the resort, where about nine litres of wine was emptied into water already containing special wine-based bath salts.

Party-loving Japan, where alcohol accompanies everything from flower festivals to Christmas, imported 7.9 million bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau last year - more than four times the 1.8 million bottles drunk in the United States.The annual festival welcoming France's first wine of the year has now taken its place on the calendar of restaurants around the world.

Merchant George Duboeuf, who started the Beaujolais Nouveau event in 1967, this year feted the arrival of the new wine by holding a soiree with his son Franck.
In China, expatriates and locals took their first sips of the 2014 vintage accompanied by France's other famous delicacy, cheese, made by a young Chinese who studied in France. Some French producers also took advantage of the time difference to enjoy their own early celebrations.

"We will celebrate the Beaujolais Nouveau on Skype with our Japanese clients," said 30-year-old Claire Chasselay, whose family exports some 40 percent of the wine they produce at Chatillon d'Azergues in the south of the region. For them the celebration is a big boost to business: "Our Japanese clients know us thanks to Beaujolais Nouveau. Now they buy our line throughout the year."

But while the party has become a worldwide tradition, predicting the popularity of this year's vintage is a lot harder."There are 2 000 producers in Beaujolais, all small operations, who all make their wine differently," said Chasselay. In the days when it was mass produced with little care for the quality, Beaujolais was derisively known as the banana-flavored wine.

"(Banana) is an aroma that can be found naturally in wine," said Melina Condy, another producer. "But for Beaujolais, it was due to a yeast that was added that had a secondary effect on the taste. It is no longer used."

Now the wine is instead known for its light and fruity flavour, but even those depend on the winemaker.
Fabien Chasselay, the family's vinologist, said they produce two different types of wine, a younger one emphasising the fruity flavours, and another with more tannins and depth that takes longer to make.

"The Beaujolais Nouveau is a very rude wine - very young and spirited," he said.

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Cocktail Country: Purity Vodka

Celebrate National Vodka Day with Purity Vodka!

Purity Martini

• 3 parts PURITY Vodka

• 1/2 part St Germain Liqueur

• 1/2 part Tonic Water

• Fresh Lime Juice

Directions: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass

PURITY VODKA IS THE RESULT OF A LONG LASTING QUEST TO REDEFINE VODKA, BRINGING CHARACTER TO A SPIRIT WHICH BY TRADITION IS MORE ONE OF IMAGE AND STYLE RATHER THAN SUBSTANCE.

Hush Moonshine Review Coming Soon

Hush Moonshine is a new and very smooth moonshine that comes in four flavors.

Wine Country Stores Review Coming Soon!

www.hushmoonshine.com

Cocktail Country: Hard Cider Sangria

Wine Country Oradell - Grand Opening

Thank you to everyone that came out for the Grand Opening of Wine Country Oradell!

Plus, a special thank you to Oradell Mayor Joseph Murray for cutting the ribbon!

Cocktail Country: Whiskey Sour

Cocktail Country: Purity Vodka

Upcoming Tastings:

Wine Country: Bergenfield

Friday, 8/15

4:30-7:30pm

Wine Country: South Plainfield

Friday, 8/22

4:30-7:30pm

Kosher Wine Tasting - Wine Country Bergenfield

Cocktail Country: Coco Limbo Jumbie

Coco Limbo Jumbie
• 2 parts Rum Jumbie Coconut
• 1/2 part Midori
• 1 part orange juice
• 1 part pineapple juice

Shake all ingredients with ice and
strain into a martini glass.

Russian Diamond Tasting

Celebrate National Tequila Day this Thursday!

Celebrate National Tequila Day with us July 24th!

Free Giveaways - Cocktail Tasting - Good Times

Featuring 1800 Tequila

Only at Participating Store Locations: Bergenfield,Saddle Brook
Wine Country South Plainfield, Wine Country Lyndhurst & Wine Country - Hackettstown

#tequilatuesday #cheers #nj #tasting

Cocktail Country: Rum Rita

Cocktail Country: Rum Rita featuring Ron Abuelo
• 2 parts Ron Abuelo Anejo
• 1 Part Triple Sec
• 1.5 parts Fresh Lime Juice

1. Pour all ingredients into an ice-filled
shaker and shake vigorously.
2. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass
3. Garnish with a wedge of lime.

#cocktail #rum

Crystal Springs Resort - Beer & Food Festival

Order Your Tickets Now!

Crystal Springs Resort continues to brew up new ways to have fun with the Annual NJ Beer and Food Festival! Spend a day or the whole weekend as you sample your favorite brews, discover a variety of new flavorful beers, enjoy great food ranging from an all-out BBQ feast to a beer & food pairing reception with top chefs from NJ, party to all your favorite music, participate in the Brews & Birdies Golf Tournament and so much more!

Mother's Day Wines

Anna Codorniu Sparkling Rose

Delicate cherry color with strawberry tones. Fine and persistent bubbles. Aromas of red fruit, strawberries, cherries and woodland fruits with hints of green apple. Elegant and light on the palate. Well balanced between acidity and sweetness with a refreshing finish.

Piccini Memoro Rosato D'Italia

Light, fresh and bright, displaying aromas of raspberry, red currant and delicate wild mint notes. Good palate weight, with ripe flavors of strawberry, raspberry and red cherry. Well balanced with a clean finish.

Now Available: Russian Diamond Vodka

Russian Diamond Tasting Notes:
Brilliant crystal clear. The nose is cleanand pure with subtle notes ofgrain and mineral redolent of wet river stones with hints of dried stone fruits, and pepper. The palate echoes the nose opening with a vibrant attack of citrus zest that merges to a silky and lush core that is then swept away with dry notes of black pepper, and mineral. Ideally balanced with plenty of crisp acidity to wet the appetite and encourage the next sip.

Upcoming Crystal Springs Resort: Golf Fest 2014

Don't Miss out- Order your Tickets Today!

Cocktail Country: Tegroni, Cinco de Mayo Remix

TEGRONI
CINCO DE MAYO REMIX ON A CLASSIC NEGRONI

• 1 oz Blanco tequila
• 1 oz Sweet vermouth
• 1 oz Campari

1. Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice.
2. Stir, and strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
3. Garnish with a grapefruit twist

Recommended Tequila: Cruz Silver Tequila
“...Remarkably smooth and delicate with pure agave flavors on the palate.”

Cocktail Country: Oh Gosh!

Cocktail Country: The Brooklyn

Cocktail Country: The Smoky Paloma

The Smoky Paloma
• 1 part El Buho Mezcal
• 1 part San Pellegrino Pomelo Soda
• 1 part Pink Grapefruit Juice
• 1/2 part fresh lime juice

Cocktail Country: Moonshine Sangria

Moonshine Sangria
• 1 part Hush Spiced Apple Moonshine
• 1/2 part Hush Original Moonshine
• 1 part Red Wine
• 1/4 part Triple Sec
• 2 parts Orange Juice
• Chopped fruit of your choice

http://www.hushmoonshine.com/ 

Cocktail Country: The Lone Ranger

The Long Ranger
Ingredients:

* 1.5 oz Cruz Silver tequila
* 1 oz Lemon juice
* .5 oz Rich simple syrup
* 2 oz Brut rosé sparkling wine

Directions:
Add the tequila, lemon juice and simple syrup to a shaker. Fill with ice and shake. Open the shaker and add the sparkling wine, then strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon twist.

6th Annual Wine and Food Festival of New Jersey at Crystal Springs Resort

It's that time of the year again!

Join us for the 6th Annual Wine and Food Festival of New Jersey.

Check out all the different events and Hurry and Buy your tickets, they are selling fast.

http://crystalgolfresort.com/DiningWine/NJWineFoodFestival.aspx

Cocktail Country: The Blackthorn

Blackthorn

• 2 oz Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey

• 1 oz Sweet vermouth

• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

• 1 dash Absinthe

Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice.

Stir,and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish with a lemon twist.

Cocktail Country: Irish Blonde

Irish Blonde

Ingredients

2 oz Irish Whiskey

.75 oz Orange Curaçao 

.25 oz Tio Pepe Sherry

1 dash Orange Bitters

Directions 

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain intoAdd all the ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir, and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a flamed orange peel.

O3 Wine Tasting

O3 Wine Tasting 

Friday, February 28th, 2014

Wine Country Bergenfield 3:30 -  6:30 PM

Wine Country Newton 3:00 - 7:00 PM
Wine Country Bound Brook 3:30 - 6:30 PM
Wine Country Hackettstown 3:30 - 6:30 PM

Saturday, March 1st, 2014

Wine Country Clifton 3:30 -  6:30 PM

Wine Country Lyndhurst 3:30 - 6:30 PM

Cocktail Country: Frisky Whiskey

Frisky Whiskey
Ingredients
1 oz Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur
1 oz Irish Whiskey
1 oz Fresh orange juice
.25 oz Simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Directions
Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into
a highball glass filled with fresh ice.

Cocktail Country: Between The Sheets Cocktail

Between The Sheets

Ingredients

•  1 oz Cointreau

•  1 oz  Cognac

•  1 oz Light rum

•  .25 oz Fresh lemon juice

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and

strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Flame an orange peel

over the glass and discard before serving.

Cocktail Country: Very Sexy Martini

Want to spice things up this Valentine's Day? Try the 'Very Sexy Martini'!

Cheers to a night you'll never forget!

Very Sexy Martini

Ingredients:

* 1.5 oz Moët & Chandon Rosé Imperial * 1 oz Fresh lime juice * 1 oz Simple syrup * 1.5 oz Premium Citrus vodka * 3 to 4 Raspberries * 5 to 7 Mint leaves

Directions:

In a shaker, muddle the raspberries and mint. Add the remaining ingredients except the Champagne and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a Martini glass. Top with the Champagne and garnish with a mint spring and a raspberry

Cocktail Country: Snakebite

Snakebite

• 1/2 a pint of beer (lager or stout)

• 1/2 a pint of hard cider

(We Recommend: Angry Orchard Crisp Apple)

Pour into the same glass. Turn a spoon upside-down over the beer and gently pour 

the cider over the back of the spoon. This allows the cider to pour down

the edge of the glass and rest on top of the beer in a pousse-cafe layering.

Taste. True Myth Chardonnay

True Myth Chardonnay

This wine comes from The Paragon Vineyard - one of the best vineyards for white wine in Edna Valley. This wine shows brilliant acidity and flavors of mango, citron, lime and orange. A touch of oak brings rich notes of buttered toast and vanilla. This great value wine will dazzle you.

91 pts -Wine Enthusiast

New Item: Russian Diamond Vodka

Diamonds may be a 'girl's best friend' but this vodka is a friend to all. With it's superior

 distilling technique, this vodka is sure to shine above the competition

 and we introducing it at an excellent value.

Russian Diamond Vodka

Brilliant crystal clear. The nose is clean and pure with subtle notes of grain and mineral redolent of wet river stones with hints of dried stone fruits, and pepper. The palate echoes the nose opening with a vibrant attack of citrus zest that merges to a silky and lush core that is then swept away with dry notes of black pepper, and mineral. Ideally balanced with plenty of crisp acidity to whet the appetite and encourage the next sip.

The art of manufacturing of the Russian Diamond Premium vodka is comparable to nothing but a diamond faceting; it is a long and thorough process, demanding the total engagement of the master distiller. Any, even the tiniest error, would break the perfection and the purity of the precious drink. Drop by drop the blend goes through the most complex filtering system, ever known for vodka manufacturing.