Rant: MA Wine Lovers, We Urgently Need Your Help!

Massachusetts wine lovers, we urgently need your immediate assistance! It will only take about one minute and the potential benefits are great. 

In 2014, Massachusetts passed a Direct Shipment law, allowing out-of-state wineries to ship to consumers in the state. This was a great start and numerous wineries took advantage of this new law, acquiring licenses so that they could ship to local consumers. However, the law applies only to wineries and doesn't include out-of-state retailers. Thus, Massachusetts residents are still unable to order from online retailers or cool wine stores in other states.

However, that may change soon but your help is needed to enact this great and positive change.

Wine Freedom provides information about a new bill, H3891, sponsored by Representative John Lawn, Jr., which would allow Massachusetts residents to "purchase and have shipped to them wine from out-of-state wine stores, Internet retailers, wine auction houses and wine-of-the-month clubs." Retailers would only need to acquire a license, for an initial fee of $300 and $150 in subsequent years, to be able to sell and ship to Massachusetts consumers.

What a great thing if this bill becomes law! You would be able to order almost any wine available in the U.S., vastly expanding your vinous choices. Under the current law, you can order from U.S. wineries, but opening up matters to online retailers and stores would also allow you to purchase international wines that have not previously been available in Massachusetts. We desperately need this bill to pass.

As an added bonus, Massachusetts would receive significant revenue from taxes on these wine shipments, which Wine Freedom states would be "upwards of $2 million." Obviously, the added revenue could assist our state budget, providing monies for programs that might otherwise had been cut or reduced.

On Tuesday, September 12, Bill H3891, which has been assigned to the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, is set for a hearing at 2 pm. Now, here is the part where we need your urgent assistance to "contact their members of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure now and urge them to support and sign on as a sponsor of this legislation." All you have to do is go to this webpage and take 30 seconds to fill out the form, which will get emailed to all of the committee members.

PLEASE, PLEASE FILL OUT THIS FORM! It takes almost no time to fill out this form and we need you to do so immediately, prior to the upcoming committee hearing on September 12. If you love wine, then why wouldn't you want access to thousands of additional wines that were previously unavailable to you? Expanding your wine choices benefits all of us. Massachusetts wine laws have been slowly changing, in a positive way, and we need to continue that streak by allowing direct shipment from not just wineries, but also wine retailers and stores across the country.

Join me and other wine lovers in Massachusetts and lend your support to this bill. All it takes is filling out the form on this webpage. It would also help if you spread the word, telling your family and friends to fill out this form too. We need as many people as possible to give their support to this bill and let the Committee know about our support.

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
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1) On September 25, at 6:30pm, Legal Sea Foods in Park Square will host a wine dinner with selections from Feudi di San Gregorio’s extensive portfolio of Irpinian wines. True visionaries from the mountainous Italian region of Irpinia in Campania, Southern Italy, Feudi di San Gregorio focuses on blending the heritage and traditional flavors of Irpinian wine with a forward-thinking emphasis on art and modernity, encapsulating the excellence and esteem that the brand has commanded since its inception in 1986. Distinguishing itself from other Campanian wineries, Feudi di San Gregorio emphasizes its region, by explaining how the unique climate and environment of Irpinia cultivates a distinctly rugged, yet natural vineyard that sets Irpinian wines apart. A region characterized by mountains and woodlands, Irpinia boasts robust vineyards, grown naturally alongside fruit trees and forests, that take advantage of the region’s unique rainfalls and mild Summers to produce distinctly Irpinian grapes. With great respect for the traditions of the land, coupled with a comprehensive mastery of modern oenological techniques and an emphasis on art and design, Feudi di San Gregorio produces wines that piece together a mosaic of the communities, hills and cultures of Irpinia.

Legal Sea Foods will team up with Feudi di San Gregorio’s Brand Export Manager, Andrea Fabiano, to host a four-plus-course dinner featuring signature cuisine paired with his selections from the winery’s collection of Irpinian wines. The menu will be presented as follows:

HORS D’OEUVRES
Uni Bisque
Tuna Crudo
Brandade Croquette
Feudi di San Gregorio “Ros’Aura,” Irpinia Rosato DOC, 2016
FIRST COURSE
Seared Halibut Cheek (gnocchi, toasted hazelnuts, sage brown butter)
Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina del Sannio DOC, 2015
Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino DOCG, 2015
SECOND COURSE
Rosemary Smoked Salmon (morel mushrooms, plum demi-glace, prosciutto)
Feudi di San Gregorio “Pàtrimo,” Campania Rosso IGT, 2013
MAIN COURSE
Braised Pork Shank (bone marrow butter, roasted root vegetables)
Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi DOCG, 2011
Feudi di San Gregorio “Piano di Montevergine” Taurasi Riserva DOCG, 2011
CHEESE COURSE
Pecorino Romano, Manchego, Taleggio
Feudi di San Gregorio “Serpico,” Irpinia Aglianico DOC, 2011

COST: $110 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Reservation required by calling 617-530-9397

2) The Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca team have banded together to support the victims of Hurricane Harvey by donating 100% of the sales of their designated beef dishes, from September 1-30, to the American Red Cross. 100% of the proceeds from Babbo's Beef Brisket and Pork Polpette will be donated to the cause. I recently had the polpette and it was delicious, tender and flavorful. So, enjoy some good food and help a much needed cause.

For Reservations, please call (617) 421-4466.

3) Earls Kitchen + Bar soon will open their second Massachusetts location within The Shops at the Prudential Center in Boston’s Back Bay. Opening to the public on September 8, the new location will be Earls’ 10th and their largest concept in the United States. "Earls Kitchen + Bar, the iconic staple from Canada, strikes a balance of healthy and indulgent by offering a menu diverse in culinary experiences inside a lively, high-energy bar and dining environment complete with an unmatched rooftop patio where authentic hospitality takes centerstage."

Earls has a fun cocktail menu curated by internationally renowned beverage director Cameron Bogue. Earls’ cocktail gurus will shake-and-stir modernized classics in addition to pouring authentic craft cocktails and balanced libations with a twist of novelty. They use freshly-squeezed juices, seasonal fruits, small batch syrups and market-fresh herbs. Check out cocktails like the Paper Plane (with Buffalo Trace bourbon, Montenegro, amaro, Aperol and fresh lemon), and Absinthe Minded (with Bombay dry gin, Tio Pepe Fino Sherry, Martini blanco vermouth, absinthe and fresh lime).
Each month, Earls will feature a specialty cocktail that is available all day, every day for only $5; in the spotlight in September are four renditions of the Moscow Mule.

Earls also features local and regional craft beer selections and an unpretentious wine list focused on quality and value that is curated by corporate sommelier David Stansfield, a wine educator and writer who is known for his wit and keen understanding of the wine experience. The wine list is presented in an easygoing fashion that is tailor-made for its Prudential Center location with a heavy focus on wines of Italy and classic biodynamic producers.

Each Earls menu is unique to its local market and surroundings. At its core, Earls offers diverse selections ranging from bibimbap, jeera chicken curry, sushi and south-of-the-border specialties in addition to serving up classics like gourmet burgers, steaks and fresh seafood. Choices from its all-day menu include three types of Wings from traditional hot and Korean hot to Jamaican jerk;  Blackened Swordfish Tacos in flour tortillas with melted white cheddar, roasted jalapeño crema, pico de gallo and fresh cilantro; a half-dozen burger options, including the Fenway Burger with battered onion rings, red pepper relish, aged white cheddar and lettuce on a freshly baked brioche bun; and, Steak & Sushi with tataki-style steak and ponzu sauce with a choice of a dynamite roll or spicy tuna sushi.

4) The SRV team and Nino Negri winemaker, Claudis Alonghi, invite guests to join them at their first-ever wine dinner on September 12th at 6:30pm. Established in 1897, the winery is located in the Vatellina valley in Lombardy, and primarily grows Chiavanesca, the local clone of Nebbiolo. One of their specialties is Sfursat, a wine made from grapes that are allowed to initially dry for about 100 days in the cool, dry, alpine air.

Cost: Tickets cost $100 per guest, not including tax and gratuity, and will include a multi-course dinner paired with some of Nino Negri's top bottles.
To make reservations, please contact (617) 536-9500

Pierde Almas Maguey de Lumbre Mezcal: Light My Fire

Fresh citrus flavors always taste especially good in the summer, whether you're eating a salad, enjoying grilled fish, or sipping a wine or cocktail. Last week, I tasted an intriguing and unique spirit, one with vibrant citrus flavors as well as much more. It was a perfect summer drink.

I've been taken with some of the more unique Mezcal offerings from Pierde Almas, a Mezcal producer also devoted to being a socially, culturally and environmentally responsible company. Master Distiller & Owner Jonathan Barbieri is personable and passionate, an innovator who is helping to spread love for Mezcal. Check out my prior articles, Pierde Almas 9+ Botanicals: The First Mezcal-Gin and Pierde Almas & Mezcal de Conejo, for reviews of two of their other Mezcals, a Mezcal-Gin hybrid and a Pechuga made with wild rabbit.

Now, I'm here to discuss one of their special Mezcals, made from a rare agave, the Pierde Almas Maguey de Lumbre Mezcal ($79.96), which I bought at Astor Wine & Spirits in New York City. I note that Astor is currently having a Mezcal sale, from August 28-30, with 15% off everything, so you can purchase this Mezcal right now for only $67.97.

Maguey de Lumbre is a rare type of agave, usually wild though a small amount is cultivated. Little is known about this agave and there is even some disagreement over its nature. Some believe it is a type of Karwinskii agave, like Madrecuixe or Barril, but it seems more believe that it is a unique species. Jonathan Barbieri told me that it resembles Espadín, but has thinner leaves and a reddish tint which gives it the name Lumbre, which means "fire."

Most often you will see Maguey de Lumbre used in Ensemble blends, and usually only a tiny amount will be added. Piedre Almas though chose to bottle a 100% Maguey de Lumbre and this is a special bottling, which is not made on a regular basis. Barbieri recently discovered that one of his producers has several hundred plants of Maguey de Lumbre, interspersed on a hillside among about a thousand Espadín. The Lumbre plants though are only 2 to 3 years old, so it'll be five or six years until they are ready to be harvested. Thus, there is only a very limited availability of the existing Pierde Almas Maguey de Lumbre and I highly recommend you pick some up. You won't regret it!

How does it taste? Jonathan Barbieri told me, "It could be described however, like an great Espadín, only better. Somehow, rarer, purer - adjectives that I realize are completely unhelpful." Sometimes words are inadequate to properly describe a spirit or wine. In that instance, you must experience it for yourself, and then you may understand the nature of such a spirit or wine. After drinking this Mezcal,   Jonathan's words made sense to me.

The aroma was more subtle, with hints of citrus and smoke, but it was on the palate that this Mezcal grabbed my attention. The first taste was pure gustatory pleasure, a hedonistic revel in the complexities and flavors of the Mezcal. I didn't try to understand or analyze that first taste, rather letting myself experience what it brought to my mouth. This was a compelling Mezcal and once I started looking deeper, it only became even more intriguing.

Citrus notes dominated the flavor profile but there was much complexity providing harmony to the spirit. There was also a mild smokiness, subtle herbal accents, and wispy spice notes. Just sit and sip it and you'll realize the fascinating complexity of this spirit. The taste was clean and smooth, and although it was 49% ABV, you probably wouldn't have realized the alcohol level was that high. It was an elegant pleasure, something to slowly savor on a summer evening, though you could certainly enjoy this year round. It is certainly a spirit you need to experience to best understand its nature.

The Pierde Almas Maguey de Lumbre Mezcal receives my highest recommendation and I strongly urge you to let it light your fire. I also give my highest recommendation to the Mezcal producer, Pierde Almas, which is creating some amazing and unique Mezcals. I'll enjoy more of the Maguey de Lumbre this upcoming holiday weekend, and maybe I'll even share it with some family and friends.

Rant: Want Ice With Your Wine?

I brought a couple bottles of wine to a pool party, including an inexpensive and delicious Portuguese white blend. I shared the wine with my friends who were intrigued to try it. As I sat at a patio table, sipping my own glass of wine, I suddenly cringed when I witnessed one of my friends carrying two glasses of my wine.

What made me cringe? He had ice cubes in both wine glasses. Ice cubes!

Initially, it seemed like such sacrilege and I teased my friend about the ice. In one respect, the ice was a mistake. My friend had brought his own wine, and it hadn't been chilled, so his wife asked him for ice in her glass. Even though my own wine had been chilled, my friend still added ice to the glass, following his wife's wish. If she had known the wine was already chilled, she probably wouldn't have asked for the ice.

In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have cringed at all. People are certainly entitled to drink their wine anyway they prefer and the wine was also inexpensive. And when I thought more about it, I realized that many of us also drink wine with ice, though we don't think about it very much. So, if many of us drink wine with ice, then we shouldn't be cringing when others also do so.

Ever drink a glass of Sangria with ice? Most people have and the base of Sangria is wine. I don't see anyone complaining that Sangria is a sacrilege of wine because of the ice. Tonight, I'll be at a restaurant serving a few different Sangrias for the summer, and I'll likely partake, basically enjoying wine on ice. And I won't think anything wrong about it. There are a number of cocktails, which contain ice, that also use wine as an ingredient. That is seen as creative not cringeworthy.

I still would cringe if someone added ice cubes to an expensive wine, even though they would be in their rights to add ice.

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
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1) On October 13,  from 7pm-9pm, Identità Golose, the international culinary organization highlighting the best of contemporary cuisine, hosts its inaugural dinner in Boston at Eataly Boston’s Terra, featuring acclaimed local and Italian chefs.

Identità Golose, founded in 2004 by Italian food journalist Paolo Marchi, aims to highlight the best of contemporary cuisine and honor the chefs who proudly blend traditional techniques with modern methods. The first Identità Golose Chefs’ Congress was held in Milan in 2005, and many more have been held since, each one showcasing the greatest Italian and international chefs. In 2010, Identità Golose decided to share the talent of Italy’s finest chefs with an American audience and brought the event to Eataly New York, followed by Identità Golose Chicago in 2014. This year Identità Golose expands its US reach to include Identità Golose Boston.

Marchi adds, “The debut in Boston, the most European among American cities, will be a dinner that brings together culinary personalities from the homeland and those located in Boston to highlight the quality of Italian ingredients and demonstrate the pleasure of Italian hospitality.”

At the dinner, four celebrated chefs will wow guests with international dishes while discussing this year’s theme “Great Italy at the Table.” The dinner commences with an aperitivo welcoming guests to the restaurant followed by a seated, coursed meal featuring a refreshing seafood starter by Chef Michele Carter, a pasta dish compliments of Chef Caterina Ceraudo, a stuffed pasta dish from Chef Michael Schlow, and a hearty main course by Chef Chris Fischer, ending with a dessert created by Chef Caterina Ceraudo.

Tickets are $150 per person and available on the Eataly website.

2) Executive Chef Matt Drummond, Bar Manager Kaitlyn Fischer, and the crew at Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar continue endless summer with a special Luau-themed Labor Day Brunch on Monday, September 4, from 10am-3pm. Kick back, relax, and embrace the spirit of the islands with live music at this special Labor Day Weekend installment of Loco’s brunch featuring a variety of tropical bites and cocktails to toast to endless summer.

In addition to Executive Chef Matt Drummond’s signature brunch items (Avocado Toast with marble rye, aji Amarillo goat cheese, smoked mahi mahi, avocado; Fried Chicken & Waffles with a jalapeno cornbread waffle and chile maple butter sauce and Breakfast Tacos with carnitas, scrambled cheesy eggs, smoked tomatillo salsa, chile de arbol) guests will be treated to tropical-inspired specials and ceviches.

Those looking for a liquid brunch can sip on signature cocktails from Bar Manager Kaitlyn Fischer including the cult-favorite Coco Margarita and Rum Punch specials like the refreshing Watermelon and Pineapple Punch Bowls served in a hollowed out watermelon to keep the island vibes flowing or sip on the indulgent, newly-debuted Dirty B cocktail made with Myer’s Rum, Rum Chata, Kahlua, freshly muddled bananas, chocolate drizzle.

To make reservations, please call 617-917-LOCO

3) Tony Maws, Chef/Owner, Craigie On Main and The Kirkland Tap and Trotter is thrilled to welcome friend and fellow chef Seamus Mullen to his two kitchens on September 12 and 13. It will be Two Chefs, Two Nights, Two Dinners. Chef Seamus Mullen will be cooking some of the delicious, wholesome recipes featured in his new cookbook, Real Food Heals: Eat to Feel Younger + Stronger Every Day.

Seamus, chef of Tertulia and El Colmado, both in NYC, recently had to confront his own health after a near-death experience brought on by an autoimmune disease he had struggled with for years. This battle has changed the way he cooks and eats both at his restaurants and at home, and he shares more than 125 Paleo inspired recipes in his new book, Real Food Heals.

“Seamus is an extraordinary chef” shares Maws. “We can all learn something from his battle and his new outlook. We share many of the same passions, from food to biking to family and searching for balance. I am delighted to welcome him to my kitchen and cook with him. It’s going to be a blast and absolutely delicious. I think we will be surprising people with what we prepare together.”

September 12: Dinner With Tony & Seamus at The Kirkland Tap & Trotter
Tony is welcoming Seamus to the kitchen at The Kirkland Tap and Trotter. Seamus and Tony will bring the dishes to the table family style, speak with the guests and share stories. This is an intimate, candid dinner with two seatings of 12, at 6pm and 6:30pm.
Price: $85.00 (Dinner includes an autographed copy of Real Food Heals by Chef Seamus Mullen)
Beverage pairings will be available.
Reservations: Required. Please visit their Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dinner-with-tony-seamus-tickets-37040731826

September 13: Chef Tony Maws Welcomes Chef Seamus Mullen to Craigie On Main: 
Tony will welcome Seamus to his kitchen at Craigie On Main. Tony and Seamus will cook side by side, bringing seasonal ingredients to new heights from the perspective of Real Food Heals. This will be a very special and memorable evening with two chefs creating spectacular dishes that not only are seasonal but good for you too.
Price: $115.00 (Dinner includes an autographed copy of Real Food Heals by Chef Seamus Mullen)
Wine pairings will be available.
Reservations: Required. Please call Craigie On Main, 617-497-5511