Debra C Argen & Edward F Nesta

After taking a morning Thimble Island Cruise aboard the Sea Mist, we had worked up a thirst and decided to remedy that by making a visit to Stony Creek Brewery located in Branford, Connecticut. A craft brewery, their specialties include Crankys, New England India Pale Ales, Ales, Lagers, Stouts, and more to appeal to diverse styles and palate preferences. In addition to their diverse selection of beers they also have an exciting music scene with live music making it a …

When friends invited us over for a spontaneous al fresco dinner, what did we bring? Ninety Plus Cellars Reserve Series Lot 132 Côtes de Provence, Rosé, A.O.P France 2022 paired with our easy to make, easy to love, Shrimp and Scallop Seafood Salad, because summertime is all about having fun and leisurely, easy dining. Ninety Plus Cellars Reserve Series Lot 132 Côtes de Provence, Rosé, A.O.P France 2022 is the essence of summer! Enjoy every moment! Santé and Bon Appetit!

Celebrating its 14th year in 2023, Westchester Magazine’s Wine & Food Festival was a true celebration of amazing wine and spirits, as well as delectable food, chef demos, and a wine seminar by wine expert Kevin Zraly, author of the Windows On The World Complete Wine Course. When we heard that Kevin Zraly was slated to give two wine seminars on June 10, 2023, we made time in our festival schedule to attend, as we always learn something new and …

What we love about LaBelle Winery located in Amherst, New Hampshire is that Winemaker Amy LaBelle, is crafting delectable, less well-known wines, like her LaBelle Winery Petit Verdot. This bold, red wine is richly succulent and redolent with black fruit, floral, violet, and tobacco notes. It’s gorgeous to drink on its own, and pairs well with grilled steaks, bold food, and dark chocolate. We paired LaBelle Winery Petit Verdot with Luxury Experience – Grilled Chicken with “PV” Barbecue Sauce. We …

Summer is on its way, when backyard parties and trips to the beach are the highlights of the season. For easy and delectable cocktails to enjoy anywhere you go, Fifth State Distillery based in Bridgeport, Connecticut, created the ultimate summer “ready to pour cocktail” with their newest creation, Fifth State Bee’s Knees made with gin, lemon, and honey. We enjoyed drinking this cocktail on its own as well as using it as a base to craft other custom cocktails and …

Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 197 Prosecco Rosé DOC Extra Dry, Millesimato 2022 from Italy is bellissima to drink all summer long. This medium dry sparkling wine combines Glera and Pinot Noir grapes that give it structure, layers of nuanced flavors, its elegant rose color, and lively bubbles. If you love Prosecco and Rosé wine, this elegant Prosecco Rosé is destined to become a new summer favorite and is perfect to drink on its own or to pair with food. To …

If an Espresso Martini is your go-to bar cocktail, you are in for a treat with Fifth State Distillery’s Master Distiller Rob Schulten’s latest creation, a ready-to-drink Fifth State Espresso Martini made with Rum. It’s as easy as pouring 3.5 ounces into a shaker, adding ice, then shake and pour into a chilled martini glass. The 375-ml size makes it perfect to take along with you wherever you go, to the beach, to an outdoor concert, or simply to drink …

Love white wine but want to try something different? For summer we like to lighten up and found LaBelle Winery Seyval Blanc made in Amherst, New Hampshire to not only be delectable, but it also only has 12% alcohol. This crisp, semi-dry wine pairs well with seafood, chicken, creamy pasta, or on its own. We paired it with grilled shrimp with mango and green pepper, and it was delicious, and we also used it in a wine-based cocktail, and it …

For the past 140 years, Carmel Winery in Israel has produced quality Kosher wines with layered nuances of flavors. After experiencing and enjoying their Carmel Signature Single Vineyards Volcano Merlot 2020, Evyatar Creek, Galilee, Israel we tried their Carmel Appellation Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, Galilee, Israel, which was also delicious and had aromatic notes of black fruit, black cherries, cassis, and blackberries, that followed through on the palate with balanced tannins and acidity. Imported by Royal Wine Corp., this wine will …

Now that Spring has arrived and Summer will soon be here, our thoughts and palates start thinking about lower alcohol wines to enjoy with friends. We found that Ottella Lugana DOC 2021 from the Lugana Region of Northern Italy to be a very notable choice with only 12.5% alcohol, but with layers of flavors. This is an elegant wine that is perfect to serve as an aperitif or to pair with food. Ottella Lugana DOC 2021 is imported by Vias …