Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Wine-ish weekend

I just received news about two local tasting events that sound like fine opportunities to discover some new favorite wines just in time for Thanksgiving ...

-- Madden's Fine Wine and Spirits, 65 Broadway, Kingston, will offer a champagne and wine tasting from 5-7 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 21). The new(ish) shop in the city's Rondout waterfront area will serve food and offer a 10 percent discount on all wines and champagnes tasted and purchased that evening. Madden's phone number is 845-340-WINE (9462).

-- Whitecliff Vineyard’s Red Wine & Chocolate tasting takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 22) at the winery at 331 McKinstry Road in Gardiner. An $8 tasting fee covers this "annual exploration of the wonderful, complex and complementary flavors of red wine and chocolate." Directions are available by calling 845-255-4613 or visiting www.whitecliffwine.com.

Here is more info:

Whitecliff’s Red Wine & Chocolate! tasting will offer a terrific line of Belgian chocolate by Newtree that made the “O list” in The Oprah Magazine in April. The chocolates combine unique flavor extracts with playful names, like milk chocolate Crave with apricot, or dark chocolate Sexy with ginger, and dark chocolate Renew with black current.

Whitecliff will pour some of its award-winning red wines, ranging from light bodied to full bodied, and dry to slightly sweet. With side-by-side sampling of chocolates with these different styles of red wine, people will experience a culinary adventure that allows everyone to get to know their own personal preferences.

Surrounded by 24-acres of vineyard, Whitecliff offers a great wine tasting experience: spectacular cliff views, fine Hudson River Region and New York wines, and friendly staff happy to share their knowledge of winemaking and grape growing.

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