Tastings: In the spirit of July 4, buy and drink American

Seek out wines and vodkas made in the U.S


By Lisa Ramirez
For the Times Herald-Record
June 29, 2008

The Fourth of July is the perfect time to celebrate the wonderful wines and spirits produced here in the U.S.

So we asked our local experts to share their recent American discoveries, just in time for the festivities ahead.

Tim Free, the wine consultant at Mid Valley Wines and Liquors in Newburgh, suggests stocking up with several American wines.

"For an important holiday like the Fourth of July, which this year marks the beginning of a long weekend, it's a good idea to have a few diverse wine picks on-hand for whatever occasion might develop," Free says. The shop is hosting a July 4 wine tasting (4-7 p.m. Friday) featuring his picks.

Whites, pinks and reds

In whites, Free suggests the 2007 Benmarl Traminette, a varietal from New York's Finger Lakes ($14.99/$12.99 on sale). "This is a new grape hybrid that hits on all cylinders," he says. "It has intense flavors and is fairly crisp. Pair it with flavorful preparations of fish or fowl."

In pink, Free likes the 2007 Stringtown Rosé from Oregon ($13.99/$12.49 on sale). "This is a nice, dry and fairly full-bodied pink wine that shows a lot of fruit," he says.

And in red, Free recommends the 2006 Jigsaw Pinot Noir from Oregon ($19.99/$16.99 on sale. "Oregon pinot noirs are among the best in the world, and many of them are priced to match. This one, in contrast, is a nice value and a great summer wine," Free says. "It has a fresh taste, is not heavy, and not overly-oaky."

For a sparkler, Free likes California's Jordan J20 Brut NV ($19.99/$16.99 on sale).

"(It) is shockingly good for the price," he says. "It's a great celebratory wine that has enough fruit to taste good while just sipping on its own, but it can also stand up to food, particularly finger foods like tapas and hors d'oeuvre."

Try A Donkey and Goat wine

The wines of A Donkey and Goat Winery of Berkeley, Calif., inspire Michael Taiani, a Pine Bush wine consultant and owner of Wines by the Glass.

"What could be more parallel to the freedom and spirit of the Fourth of July than to live the American dream?" Taiani says. Tracey and Jared Brandt, he says, quit their day jobs to pursue their dream. In 2001, the husband and wife left their technology jobs and went to France to study wine.

"(They are) the 'donkey and goat' behind these sustainable farmed and artfully produced wines," he says, which are in their seventh vintage. The wines are available in shops, some restaurants, and online at www.adonkeyandgoat.com.

Go vodka

For Marcus Guiliano, the chef and owner of Aroma Thyme restaurant in Ellenville, small-craft American vodka exemplifies the independent spirit.

"American vodka has begun a revolution in the past 10 years (and) America is now home to some great vodkas," he says.

"We love Hangar One from Alameda, Calif. They set up shop in an old airplane hangar, thus the name. Besides great straight vodka they make an incredible raspberry from Fraser River raspberries. Don't overlook their Mandarin Orange Blossom, Citron 'Buddha's Hand' and Kaffir Lime. (They) infuse real fruit," he says, adding, "Not many vodka companies actually buy real fruit for their vodkas. Most buy an essence or natural flavor."

Also from California is Charbay, which Guiliano describes as "one of the elite vodkas that buys real organic fruit to make vodka. They only make the fruit-infused vodkas when that fruit is in season. So the Meyer Lemon as well as all the other flavors are only made once a year. They run out quickly."

A cuke for you

Guiliano also suggest Square One Organic, which he says is a "huge hit" at the eatery.

"Their new cucumber flavor was an instant success muddled with fresh cucumbers and basil," he says.

Other recommended American brands include the Johnny Love Aloha (pineapple and coconut); Prairie, an organic corn vodka from Wisconsin; Glacier Vodka from the Tetons, made from potatoes; Chocoraspberry from Hamptons Vodka ("makes a great dessert martini"), and the unusual flavor lineup from Modern Spirits, which includes Celery Peppercorn, Grapefruit Honey and Black Truffle.

Each week, we ask wine and spirits professionals for advice. You don't need to own a shop to join the conversation. Wine and liquor lovers are welcome. E-mail Lisa Ramirez at Lmjramirez@hotmail.com.

Are the Bee's Buzzing Again?

I just got this article e-mailed to me from one of our suppliers.

We can only hope that the honey bee's are making a come back.

Marcus Guiliano
Aroma Thyme Bistro



Why honey is short
Bee Swarms in New Jersey Spur Hope of Rebound From U.S. Die-Off
By Joseph Galante

June 26 (Bloomberg) -- Seth Belson remembers getting a phone call last month asking him to remove a bee swarm the size of a Volkswagen from a man's front yard in Merchantville, New Jersey.

The beekeeper found a mass of bees towering 50 feet (15.2 meters) above the ground. There was nothing he could do but wait for them to move on, he said.

``It was mind blowing,'' Belson said. ``It sounds like a train when 50,000 bees take off within seconds of each other.''

Swarms of wild honeybees have increased in the U.S. mid- Atlantic region this year, according to Belson and other experts. That's a hopeful sign for commercial beekeepers across the country, who have seen their hives devastated in recent years by parasitic mites and a phenomenon termed Colony Collapse Disorder.

Nationally, the commercial honeybee population dropped more than 36 percent last winter, according to a survey by the Apiary Inspectors of America released in May. Commercial bees, which do most of the pollinating for one-third of U.S. crops, have declined over the past two decades to about 2.3 million honey- producing colonies from about 3.5 million.

Belson says he has removed about 40 swarms at elementary schools, golf courses and houses this year, compared with one call to do so the past two years.

`Premature to Say'

``Hopefully it's a sign that bees are coming back, but it's very premature to say that,'' said Belson, who is president of the South Jersey Beekeepers Association. ``If this happens over the next two years we'll call it a trend. At this point it's just a hopeful aberration.''

A resurgence of feral honeybees is important because beekeepers build their farms in part by collecting from the wild. It may also suggest that some bees are building immunity to the varroa mite, a common killer of colonies, said Tim Schuler, New Jersey's chief beekeeper.

Schuler and other experts attribute the new swarms this season to mild weather and abundant rain. Commercial bees add $15 billion annually in value to U.S. crops, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Gary Neil, a beekeeper in Williamstown, New Jersey, said he too has been removing swarms. ``We're doing a lot more than we did last year,'' he said.

There are more of the clusters in Virginia also, said Alan Fiala, former president of the Virginia State Beekeepers' Association who lives in Falls Church. Glenn Davis, a board member in Bates City, Missouri, for the Midwest Beekeepers Association, said he's gotten more calls to remove swarms as well.

The rebound may not have reached California, the nation's biggest beekeeping state. Steve Arnold, who specializes in bee removal around California's San Luis Obispo County, said he hasn't seen any signs of resurgence in wild bees. Swarms typically thrive in mild climates and the weather has been erratic in the region this year, Arnold said.

Congressional Hearing

The plight of bees and their keepers will be taken up by the U.S. Congress today, when the House Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture hears testimony from researchers and farmers on population trends and progress in understanding Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD.

Pesticides, mites and viruses are the leading suspects behind the sudden, massive disappearance of bees that occurred in 35 states and three continents last year and began in the U.S. as early as 2004.

Wild bees have a tougher time surviving than commercial bees, which are closely monitored by beekeepers, said Maryann Frazier, an apiculturist at Pennsylvania State University. Their resilience may be a sign that some bees are adapting to the diseases and parasites out there, New Jersey's Schuler said.

``There seem to be some blood lines that are more resistant to the mites than others,'' Schuler said.

The resurgence this season may be short-lived, Frazier said. ``We have years like this where we have increases in swarming,'' she said. ``It's pretty much a temporary phenomenon

Say No to Large Commercial Alcohol Brands

Ever wonder what makes Baily's, Jack Daniels or Absolut vodka more visible. It the million dollar ad campaigns they have. I don't know how you feel about paying for these ads. But we don't like it at all. The fact is that there are still small independent companies that produce small batches of hand crafted alcohol. But we don't know much about them.

Aroma Thyme Bistro strives to find these producers and highlight them over the big brands.

We just got Meletti Anisette, they have a great history. And they make much more than anisette.

Always ask your bartender for a non-comercial brand, he/she should be able to recommend these gems.

Marcus Guiliano

Here is their story:
The Meletti Anisette was invented and produced for the first time in 1870 by Silvio Meletti, who perfected and improved an aniseed-based liquor produced by hand in his mother's small shop. Silvio Meletti had the idea of offering the country a product of an ever higher quality to stand up to the competion of the extremely expensive foreign anisettes, and threw himself into the study of Italian and French manuals on the distillation and production of liquors until he was able to design and supervise the production of a bain-marie still, with very slow evaporation in order to obtain an alcoholate as aromatic as possible. It was found that the very delicate taste and special aroma of the Meletti anisette came from the quality of the aniseed (Pimpinella Anisum) carefully cultivated in certain areas of clay soil around Ascoli Piceno, favoured by the very special conditions of the land and the climate.
In 1904 the distillery was built near the railway station in Ascoli Piceno. The anisette produced was aged in iron casks in the large cellars, of which there were many at the distillery. Now, more than 120 years since it was first produced, Meletti anisette is still made with the systems developed and established by our founder. The aniseed is produced in the province of Ascoli Piceno. The central aspect of the production is the distillation of alcohol in the presence of aniseed. With suitable stills the alcohol absorbs the aromatic part of the aniseed. The result is a liquor with a high alcoholic content known as "aniciato", which is the raw material for subsequent processing.
The production of anisette involves the addition of a special "aroma" which is also produced through the distillation of various spices. The resulting anisette is then transferred into special tanks of more than 10,000 lt. for the ageing process. The ageing is necessary because in this stage the anisette clears, forming a deposit on the walls of the recipient, and amalgamates the various components which give it that unmistakable flavour.

Non-Alcoholic Wine, Twelve at Hudson Valley Restaurant

At Aroma Thyme Bistro our best selling non-alcoholic beverage is Twelve. Twelve is a sparkling blend of fruit juices, green & white teas, herbs and citrus essence. At Aroma Thyme Bistro we can pair this balanced beverage like wine with food. It drinks like a dry Riesling which lends it self to many wine drinkers and food. Try Twelve with curries, Indian food, sushi, salmon, chicken, salads, dessert, brunch or on its own.

Twelve is made locally in Rhinebeck NY

We serve Twelve in Riedel Champagne flutes to give the full dining experience. Twelve is a great way to add sophistication to a non-alcoholic beverage.

Don’t be afraid to make mixed drinks with Twelve as well. Everything from Vodka to Tequila and other juices will mix well. We please both crowds with this one.

Marcus Guiliano


From the Twelve website:

Twelve is a sophisticated, culinary inspired,
non-alcoholic beverage for fine dining and
entertaining.

Created in a base of organic white, green, and
black teas with a select mix of herbs, spices,
and citrus essence. Twelve complements food
and is equally enjoyable on its own.

"Twelve is the perfect product that fills that
'white' space when customers want something
more than water and are not drinking wine with
their meal; it is far more complex and flavorful
than iced tea. Twelve pairs well with food and
affords us a 'hand sell' at lunch we never had
before - simply because it's free of alcohol, yet
very polished in flavor and finish."

-Chef David Burke


Twelve also works very well at the bar - mixing
nicely with tequilas, gins, and vodkas. By the
glass, sales are significant for the pre-cocktail
hour because it affords patrons a non-alcoholic
option that subtly imparts qualities traditionaly
only found in spirits.

Twelve only measures 50 calories per 8 oz.
serving.