Manoavino Taste!

Fin Brings the Shore to Montclair (via Jersey Bites)

If it wasn’t for one of my very best friends, I would have overlooked and ultimately missed out on what I believe is some of the best food in NJ. You see, my friend, Jayne, lives in Montclair and every so often we and another “bestie” meet up…

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Recipe: Banana Creme Pie from The Gables in LBI (via Jersey Bites)

Sponsored Content by The GablesTastes Like Summer Banana Crème Pie Served in a mason jar, The Gables’ deconstructed version of an old favorite rocks with flavor and style. Start with ripe bananas sliced on the diagonal, fill the bottom of your jar…

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Spread the Word: New Voice for Wine Consumers

by Angela Logomasini

 

With the launch of The American Wine Consumer Coalition today, U.S. wine consumers now have a place in public policy debates for the first time ever.  Brainchild of award-winning wine blogger and wine industry public relationsconsultant Tom Wark, the new organization will focus on increasing consumer rights to access wine via direct shipping, supermarket sales, privatization, and more! Wark is executive director, and AWCC’s president is David White, who this year won “Best Overall Wine Blog” at the 2013 Wine Blog Awards for Terroirist: A Daily Wine Blog (congratulations, David!). I serve as a member of the AWCC board.

Check out the AWCC website and member benefits. And most importantly, spread the word. Email friends, share on Facebook, Twitter, and more.

Here’s a little more information from AWCC’s press release:

“In 2011 Congress held hearings on a bill (HR 1161) that, if passed, would have fundamentally and negatively impacted consumer access to wine, yet not a single consumer was invited to testify before Congress,” notes AWCC President David White. “While this was not the first nor the last time those most impacted by these kinds of deliberations were shut out of the conversation, this is when it became clear to a number of wine consumers across the country that their voice is ignored, and that something needed to change.”

Today, numerous states block consumer access to wine and the ability of consumers to enjoy a simple bottle as a result of a variety of archaic and protectionist laws that serve special interests, but not the basic interests of wine consumers:

• 11 states still ban their residents from having wine shipped to them from out of state wineries.
• 36 States still ban their residents from having wine shipped to them from out of state retailers
• 17 States still ban its residents from buying wine in grocery stores
• 4 states ban the purchase of wine on Sundays
• 2 States control the sale of wine, rather than allowing its residents to buy their wine in a free and open marketplace
• 15 states ban their residents from bringing a bottle from home into a restaurant.

Among the issues that are high on the AWCC’s agenda are legal consumer access to wine via direct shipment, grocery store wine sales and privatization efforts that take the government out of the business of selling wine and putting it into the hands of the much more responsive free market.

Summer Wines - What's Great, New and Fun This Year

We try to write an article on summer wines every year, so what’s on our mind June 2013?

Summer Wine Cocktails are on the top of our list, and creative Sangrias. These are easy to create, entertaining and healthy.

Then we are very excited about the growing number of lively wines from the South of France that are finding there way to us.

My Italian favorites still include Vermentino, but Fiano and Insolia are new summer favorites.

And if you’re a Millennial or hang out with them Moscato is likely to be on your list.

Foodie Things to Do This Weekend and Beyond (via Jersey Bites)

June 22nd & 23rd: The summer will uncork in grand style when 18 of New Jersey’s finest wineries join together for the “Washington Lake Park Wine Festival” on June 22 – 23 from 12 noon – 5 pm each day. Produced by GPS, Inc. this weekend of great New Jersey wine, local culinary treats…

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National Martini Day–June 19th 2013

You have to love the American marketing genius of holidays. Seems we have one for just about everything. Everyday another reason to buy more stuff.

Today is one of my favorites, National Martini Day. But, trust me I won’t be imbibing until much later today. I can’t find the origin of this holiday but we can certainly write about the Martinis we like.

One martini is all right. Two is two many, and three is not enough.” — James Thurber -

Back to the High Line with Lunch at Terroir at "The Porch"

You know how much we love the High Line, it just keeps getting better and sadly on weekends often very crowded. We like to visit during the week or in the evening when it could not be better, short of more gentle sunny days and balmy dry nights.

One great new addition is Terroir at “The Porch” the latest outpost of the great East Village restaurant, Hearth. This is a sincere extension of their Terroir wine bars. There are now five around town.

Hanging over 10th Avenue with a view of the river and Hudson River Park, it is an outdoor oasis for great beer, food and wine.  We took a day off on Monday and treated ourselves to a great lunch here.

Unionville Vineyards Earns Governor’s Cup – Again (via Jersey Bites)

They’ve done it again at Unionville Vineyards. After crafting a Bordeaux-style blend that earned the title of best bottle of wine in the state in the 2012 Governor’s Cup competition, on Memorial Day Unionville was awarded the crown for best dessert wine in the state in the 2013 judging for their…

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