Return of the Big Pour

After this week’s cover went to press, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission canceled 2022’s Wine Week events. Looks like we’ll have to wait another full year for “return of the big pour.” In the meantime, the cover story features interviews from wine makers (whose bottles you can find in the state) and information about Mocktail Month.

Explore new wines and meet the makers at NH’s Wine Week & raise a glass to mocktail month.

From the vineyards of Napa Valley to multiple growing regions across Europe, dozens of internationally known winemakers brave the Granite State’s cold January weather for a celebratory week of tastings, seminars and special dinners at local restaurants. New Hampshire Wine Week is back — and after the pandemic forced its transition to a series of virtual tastings in 2021, anticipation is high for in-person events to return for the first time in two years.

Taking place from Monday, Jan. 24, through Friday, Jan. 28, New Hampshire Wine Week has always revolved around the Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular. The expo-style wine tasting features thousands of wines to taste from around the world — usually poured and handed out by the winemakers themselves — in addition to locally prepared food options for pairing.

“Our broker community, our winemakers and our customers are really excited that we were able to bring it back,” said Lorrie Piper, director of sales, marketing, merchandising and distribution for the New Hampshire Liquor Commission. “I do feel like winemakers really understand the importance of New Hampshire as a market and they know their customers. … One thing I’ve learned is that our customers are hungry for information. They want to know where the products are coming from and to educate themselves about the different brands.”

The New Hampshire Liquor Commission experienced a robust holiday sales period and, despite ongoing supply chain issues that have impacted retailers nationwide, Piper said current inventory levels across the state’s nearly 70 Liquor & Wine Outlet stores remain strong.

“Fortunately, New Hampshire is in a better position than most other states, thanks to our ordering practices, inventory requirements and capacity in our million-plus-case warehouse,” she said.

A spectacle of wines

New Hampshire Wine Week’s main highlight, the Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular, returns for its 18th year to the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown on Thursday, Jan. 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. Since its inception, the Spectacular has become known as one of the largest wine tasting events in the country, with around 1,700 products from regions all over the world.

Attendees are given a program upon entry, which includes a floor map of each food and beverage purveyor to navigate through the tasting. It offers a unique opportunity to meet with winemakers face to face, and to learn more or ask questions about each of their products.

“Every year, we try to be on top of the trends [and] of what customers are looking for,” Piper said of the Spectacular’s planning and logistics. “We find that the millennial consumer, especially, [is] willing to spend a bit more on higher quality and high-end wines. Those typically come from Italy and France and are also made domestically. … We’re also seeing that people are looking for wines that fall into the ‘better for you’ category, so lower sugar and lower-calorie products. We tend to see the majority of those coming from the United States.”

Visitors to this year’s Spectacular hail from all over the West Coast, including several in California’s Napa and Sonoma counties, as well European nations like France, Italy, Spain and Austria. New Hampshire winemakers also join in on the fun with offerings of their own.

You likely won’t get to stop by every single table in the main Grand Tasting room — to get the most out of the event, Piper recommends planning your visit to include tables you know may be pouring your favorite wine styles, or your favorite grape varietals or growing regions.

In addition to the thousands of wines, the Spectacular features all kinds of silent auction items, a raffle, and dozens of food samples served by local chefs on site. The Common Man, LaBelle Winery, Rig A Tony’s, the Nashua Country Club, Red Beard’s Kitchen of Manchester, Tuscan Kitchen of Salem, the 110 Grill and Flat Iron Catering are all among this year’s participants.

“It’s really just small bites they’ll be serving. It kind of rounds out the event and gives people a chance to try pairing a wine with a food,” Piper said. “These are chefs that are obviously very skilled in creating different flavor profiles, and so it’s an opportunity to discover something that goes great with a cabernet, or goes great with a Bordeaux or a pinot grigio.”

More than $2.5 million from the Spectacular has gone to Easterseals New Hampshire. According to Easterseals senior director of events Christine Pederson, proceeds directly benefit its early intervention program, which provides physical therapy, speech and language pathology and other services to children ages 3 and under.

Wining and dining

Beyond the signature Spectacular, Piper estimates there will likely be more than 40 additional events across the Granite State during Wine Week. The multi-course wine dinners, also returning on a similar scale for the first time since January 2020, are often attended by the winemakers.

“It’s typically an intimate setting … where you get to meet them, and they’ll walk you through the specially prepared menu and serve one of their wines with each course,” Piper said. “They talk to you a little bit about the history, and the notes that you’ll detect in the wine and all that.”

Winemakers and brand ambassadors also hold bottle signings and wine tastings at various Liquor & Wine Outlet stores — most of them run for two hours and are free to walk-in visitors.

A continuously updated list of each bottle signing and wine dinner, complete with details on each wine that will be poured, can be found at nhwineweek.com under the “featured events” tab.

Meet the winemaker: Joseph Carr

Founder and winemaker, Joseph Carr Wines and Josh Cellars, joshcellars.com

Joseph Carr

The son of a lumberjack and a stock car racer from Vermont, Joseph Carr launched his first wine brand in 2002, a premium cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley. He started Josh Cellars a few years later as a tribute to his father, whose nickname was Josh — that brand originated from a collaboration with Sonoma winemaker Tom Larson. At the insistence of his wife, Deirdre, Carr added chardonnay to the Josh Cellars portfolio and over the years also added merlot, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, rosé and a collection of reserve wines. In 2021 Josh Cellars was named American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine.

What will you be pouring at the Winter Wine Spectacular?

We actually pour quite a few of our wines — I want to say six, maybe seven different varietals of the Josh Cellars brand. We’re also going to be doing a four-course wine dinner in Nashua [at Bistro 603].

What makes your wines unique?

When Josh Cellars was born, Tom [Larson] was encouraging me to make wine outside of Napa Valley, and he showed me vineyards in Sonoma and in the Red Hills. … I learned that while Napa Valley was where we actually produced everything, the grapes were coming from all these other small boutique growers. … We made cabernet sauvignon the first year, because that was all we could afford to make. Now, all in all, we have 11 varietals that are nationally distributed. We produced an Italian prosecco from the Veneto region with [winemaker] Daniel Posey and his son that was one of the first prosecco rosés ever produced in Italy. We’ve also raised money and done special labels for the National Volunteer Fire Council and for Operation Gratitude, which is a foundation created by a retired marine that writes letters and sends care packages to servicemen and women overseas.

What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?

The wine business is always evolving, particularly in America. … The great thing about America is that people, especially of the generations of today, have a very open mind … and when you come to events like this one, you’re going to have a chance to taste lots of different things from lots of different producers and styles. It also gives us an opportunity to show our innovation. So for example, a couple of years ago we started making wine in Pasa Robles, California, which we had never done before. The wines coming out of there used to be high in alcohol and I wasn’t really a big fan of them. But we realized we could pick the grapes a little earlier and still get the ripeness that we want to produce a very approachable cabernet sauvignon.

What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?

I look at New Hampshire as another part of my home. I lived in New England for over 20 years and I’ve spent a lot of time up there, so coming back is going to be a lot of fun. I know that I’m going to get the chance to reconnect with some people that believed in me along the way.

Meet the winemaker: Brian Ferguson

Owner and head distiller, Flag Hill Distillery & Winery, flaghill.com

Brian Ferguson

Totaling 14 acres in the town of Lee, Flag Hill is one the largest vineyards in the Granite State. Originally on the site of a dairy farm, Flag Hill began as a winery with its first harvest in 1990, growing over the last couple of decades into a family-operated vineyard, distillery and popular wedding and event venue. Owner and distiller Brian Ferguson and his wife, Maddie, use the land to produce grapes for the winery, grain for the distillery and vegetables for its events. Ferguson is a graduate of Penn State University; he took over as head distiller in 2013 and acquired the business two years later.

What will you be pouring at the Winter Wine Spectacular?

We’ll be pouring our sparkling Cayuga and our Cayuga white wines. Those use grapes that we grow here on the farm. We get really excited about showing off the wines that we do really well, and those two definitely fall into that category.

What makes your wines unique?

Our sparkling Cayuga and our Cayuga white … make what I believe is a perfect example of what can be done really well here in New England. We have the absolute perfect climate for growing white grapes to make intensely aromatic white wines. Everything about where we are here is perfectly attuned to it, [from] the climate, to the temperatures at harvest being colder and the amount of growing degree days that we get so that we don’t have super overly ripe fruit. We have perfectly ripe fruit for making aromatic whites and slightly underripe fruit for when we want to make sparkling wines. … We have another grape called La Crescent, which is probably my favorite one that we grow here on the farm. It’s really beautiful and aromatic but has a lot of acidity. We do everything we can to manage the acidity during the winemaking process, and we blend it with a little bit of the Cayuga white grape, which has a little bit lower acid, and it makes this incredibly beautiful aromatic white wine.

What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?

There is a shift in general to healthy living, and I think the pandemic has brought this out even more. People are asking themselves, ‘How do I live healthier?,’ and so they’re starting to ask more questions about whether there is a lot of sugar in this wine, or what additives may be in the wine. Sulfites have always been a question, but we’re starting to see more of those questions. … People want to know more about the agricultural practices in winemaking. There’s definitely been an uptick in that.

What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?

The Wine Spectacular itself is just an incredible event, because there are so many people that have the same affinity for the things that we love. … It’s great for our staff who go, because we actually get a lot out of the event. For me, personally, I run into winemakers from other parts of the country who I otherwise don’t get a chance to talk to, and I’m able to bounce thoughts and ideas off them. … So it’s a great way to not only see a lot of great wines but also talk to a bunch of people who you normally wouldn’t have access to. If you’re a wine lover, it really is an incredible opportunity.

Meet the winemaker: David Phillips

Co-owner and president, Michael David Winery, michaeldavidwinery.com

David Phillips

David Phillips and his older brother Michael are fifth-generation wine grape growers and natives of Lodi, a city about 40 miles south of Sacramento in California’s Central Valley. After graduating from the University of California at Davis in 1987, Phillips embarked on a worldwide tour of wine across multiple regions of Europe, South Australia and New Zealand. He then went on to work for an international cork company in San Francisco before returning to Lodi to help his brother run the family business in 1989. Michael David Winery’s lineup of products includes selections of zinfandels, cabernets and petite sirah wines under multiple labels, like Freakshow, Earthquake, Inkblot, Rapture and many more.

What will you be pouring at the Winter Wine Spectacular?

I know for sure that I want to do our Inkblot petite sirah. That’s a dynamite wine for a cold winter night, because it’s so dark and deep. We’ll be featuring our Freakshow labels too — we have three different varieties that we do under the Freakshow label, which are a cabernet, a zinfandel and a red blend. We also have a new listing called Lodi Red, and that’s a heritage blend of old grapes that go back to the days of Prohibition, when our great-grandparents were shipping grapes from all over the country. … Those vines are still thriving today, because our soils here are so deep and sandy.

What makes your wines unique?

We’re in a special location here in Lodi because of the San Francisco Bay influence. We have a micro-climate that’s very different from the rest of the Central Valley. We’ll get these warm or hot days in the summer, but then at night the sea breeze comes in and cools us off. The grapes, and the vineyards in general, just love that. Lodi has more than 100,000 acres of grapes planted here. It is by far the largest wine growing region in North America. … We’re most famous for zinfandel, because we have more old vines here than any other place in the world. [We have] vines that are anywhere from 80 to 135 years old that we’re still picking grapes from.

What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?

I think people are learning to step up a little bit and go for those higher quality levels and try new things. … Crazy labels, actually, have also really caught on. You can only sell a wine for the label one time, but if you back it up with good juice in there, hopefully people will buy it over and over again. That’s kind of been the key to our success with these brands.

What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?

We enjoy coming out there and we just love New England in general. … One of the nice things about coming out and doing these shows is you make a connection with people and you feel like they’re part of the family when they support your product.

New Hampshire Wine Week 2022

Monday, Jan. 24, through Friday, Jan. 28. Visit nhwineweek.com for the most up-to-date information and upcoming events Be sure to contact each restaurant or liquor store outlet directly for the most up-to-date details on bottle signings and wine dinners.


18th annual Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular
When: Thursday, Jan. 27, 6 to 9 p.m.
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, 700 Elm St., Manchester
Cost: $65 for the Grand Tasting in the expo room (purchase them online; tickets to the Bellman’s Cellar Select VIP tasting room are sold out)
Visit: easterseals.com/nh

New Hampshire Mocktail Month

Even if you’re not a wine drinker, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission is inviting you to participate in another promotional campaign — the second annual New Hampshire Mocktail Month, which is also observed in January. The NHLC has partnered with Old Forester Bourbon and The Mocktail Project, a grassroots movement launched in 2017 by Jesse Hawkins as an initiative to promote responsible consumption and a stigma-free drinking culture.

On Thursday, Jan. 13, at 5 p.m., Hawkins, along with Old Forester master taster Jackie Zykan, will lead a free virtual event via Zoom demonstrating unique mocktail and cocktail ideas. The discussion will also stream live on the NHLC’s Facebook page.

All throughout January, nearly 30 Granite State eateries have added specialty alcohol-free mocktails to their menus. The NHLC also recently launched an online recipe guide detailing ingredients, garnishes and tips for how to replicate each mocktail at home.

“The way the recipe book is laid out, each page has a recipe for a mocktail and it tells you where you can order it and where it was created,” NHLC director of sales, marketing, merchandising and distribution Lorrie Piper said. “If you were making it at home and you wanted to turn it into a cocktail by adding alcohol, it tells you how to do that too.”

The NHLC is inviting those who visit any of the participating restaurants to share their experiences on social media, by posting pictures with the hashtag #nhmocktailmonth.

Here are a couple of mocktail examples featured in the recipe guide. The full list can be viewed and downloaded at liquorandwineoutlets.com/responsibility.

Jingle juice

From behind the bar at Tandy’s Pub & Grille, 1 Eagle Square, Concord, 856-7614, tandyspub.com

  • 2 ounces orange juice
  • 2 ounces pineapple juice
  • Splash cranberry juice

Top with Sprite, serve on the rocks and garnish with an orange, cherry and a lime

Forester smorester mocktail

From behind the bar at Sky Meadow Country Club, 6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua, 888-3000, skymeadow.com

  • 2 ounces guava juice
  • 1½ ounces pear juice
  • 1 ounce authentic homemade sour mix
  • ½ ounce cherry juice

Pour over ice in a shaker. Serve straight up or on the rocks. Garnish with an orange and cherry.

Vanilla ginger sparkler

From behind the bar at The Common Man (locations in Concord, Merrimack, Windham, Claremont, Ashland and Lincoln)

  • ½ ounce vanilla syrup
  • 1 ounce cranberry juice
  • ½ ounce lime juice
  • 2 ounces house sour mix
  • 2 ounces ginger ale

Bottle Signings & Wine Tastings

Winter Wine Spectacular. Photo by Timothy Courtemanche

MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Tues., Jan. 25, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 55, 9 Leavy Drive, Bedford. Call 471-0998.

MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Tues., Jan. 25, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 69, 25 Coliseum Ave., Nashua. Call 882-4670.

MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Tues., Jan. 25, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.

MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.

BODEGAS LAN Lorea Amatria, brand manager for Bodegas LAN, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 55, 9 Leavy Drive, Bedford. Call 471-0998.

BAILEYANA WINERY John Niven, brand ambassador for Baileyana Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.

HARKEN WINES Adam Popp, winemaker for Harken Wines, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 49, 32 Plaistow Road, Plaistow. Call 382-8511.

RABBLE WINE CO. Loren Miller, winemaker for Rabble Wine Co., will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.

MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 2 to 4 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 41, Southgate Plaza, 380 Lafayette Road, Seabrook. Call 474-3362.

FERRARI-CARANO VINEYARDS & WINERY Sarah Quider, executive winemaker for Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 2 to 4 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.

JUSTIN VINEYARDS & WINERY Justin Baldwin, founder of Justin Vineyards & Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.

BODEGAS LAN Lorea Amatria, brand manager for Bodegas LAN, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.

BAILEYANA WINERY John Niven, brand ambassador for Baileyana Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 55, 9 Leavy Drive, Bedford. Call 471-0998.

RABBLE WINE CO. Loren Miller, winemaker for Rabble Wine Co., will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 79, 5 Brickyard Square, Epping. Call 679-1799.

MONSIEUR TOUTON SELECTION Andrea Lucignani, Italian wholesale portfolio manager for Monsieur Touton Selection, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 49, 32 Plaistow Road, Plaistow. Call 382-8511.

MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 5 to 7 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.

WINES FROM CALIFORNIA Winemaker Adam LaZarre of Wine Hooligans will be hosting this event, giving participants the opportunity to learn first hand about California wines. Products to be featured include selections from Adler Fels and Cycles Gladiator. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 to 7 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. $12; tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite. Call 888-0271.

BAILEYANA WINERY John Niven, brand ambassador for Baileyana Winery, will be hosting this event. Thurs., Jan. 27, 1 to 3 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.

FERRARI-CARANO VINEYARDS & WINERY Sarah Quider, executive winemaker for Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, will be hosting this event. Thurs., Jan. 27, 1 to 3 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 34, 92 Cluff Crossing Road, Salem. Call 898-5243.

KLINKER BRICK WINERY Steve and Lori Felton, owners of Klinker Brick Winery, will be hosting this event. Thurs., Jan. 27, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.

Wine Dinners

SHARE A SPLASH WINE DINNER Yoav Gilat, founder and CEO of Share a Splash Wine Co., will be in attendance. Tues., Jan. 25, 6 to 8 p.m. Copper Door Restaurant, 41 S. Broadway, Salem. $95. Visit copperdoor.com or call 458-2033.

BANFI WINE DINNER Dino Altomare of Banfi Vintners will be in attendance during this five-course wine dinner. Tues., Jan. 25, 6 p.m. Tuscan Kitchen, 67 Main St., Salem. $120. Visit tuscanbrands.com or call 952-4875.

SERGE DORÉ SELECTIONS WINE DINNER Serge Doré, founder of Serge Doré Selections, will be in attendance during this multi-course dinner. Wed., Jan. 26, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sky Meadow Country Club, 6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua. $125. Visit skymeadow.com or call 888-9000.

SPIRE COLLECTION WINE DINNER Tom Gannon, Northeast regional manager for the Spire Collection, will be in attendance. The dinner will include a five-course menu with wine pairings. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 to 9 p.m. CR’s The Restaurant, 87 Exeter Road, Hampton. $95. Visit crstherestaurant.com or call 929-7972.

CECCHI FAMILY ESTATES WINE DINNER Andrea Cecchi, CEO of Cecchi Family Estates, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Tuscan Kitchen, 67 Main St., Salem. $95. Visit tuscanbrands.com or call 952-4875.

FERRARI-CARANO WINE DINNER Sarah Quider, executive winemaker for Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Tinos Kitchen + Bar, 325 Lafayette Road, Hampton. $95. Visit tinosnh.com or call 926-5489.

CASTELLO DI QUERCETO WINE DINNER Marco Fizaletti of Castello di Querceto will be in attendance during this five-course dinner. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Tuscan Market at Tuscan Village, 9 Via Toscana, Salem. Visit tuscanbrands.com or call 912-5467.

SOKOL BLOSSER WINE DINNER Allison Sokol Blosser, co-president, CEO and second-generation winegrower at Sokol Blosser Winery, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 to 8 p.m. Copper Door Restaurant, 15 Leavy Drive, Bedford. $95. Visit copperdoor.com or call 488-2677.

HESS COLLECTION WINE DINNER Dave Guffy, senior vice president of winemaking and viticulture for The Hess Collection, will be in attendance during this five-course dinner. Wed., Jan. 26; the event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by the dinner at 6:30 p.m. The Common Man, 88 Range Road, Windham. $95. Visit thecman.com or call 898-0088.

FRESCOBALDI WINE DINNER Mike Miller of Marchesi De Frescobaldi will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Toscana Italian Chophouse & Wine Bar, 3 Pleasant St., Portsmouth. $125. Visit toscanachophouse.com or call 570-3600.

JOSH CELLARS & JOSEPH CARR WINES DINNER This special four-course meal will feature wine pairings from Joseph Carr Wines and Josh Cellars. Wed., Jan. 26; the event will begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the dinner at 7 p.m. Bistro 603, 345 Amherst St., Nashua. $95. Visit bistro603nashua.com or 722-6362.

KLINKER BRICK WINERY DINNER Julie Handel, Northeast regional manager for Klinker Brick Winery, will be in attendance. Following the reception, guests are invited to partake in a specially curated wine and food pairing menu by chef Corey Fletcher. A la carte options will also be available. Wed., Jan. 26, 5:30 p.m. Revival Kitchen & Bar, 11 Depot St., Concord. Price and menu info TBA. Visit revivalkitchennh.com or call 715-5723.

J. LOHR VINEYARDS & WINES DINNER Cynthia Lohr, co-owner and chief brand officer for J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Greenleaf, 54 Nashua St., Milford. $125. Visit greenleafmilford.com or call 213-5447.

MICHAEL DAVID WINERY DINNER David Phillips, co-owner and president of Michael David Winery, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. O Steaks & Seafood, 62 Doris Ray Court, Laconia. $75. Visit osteaksandseafood.com or call 856-7925.

Featured photo: Winter Wine Spectacular. Photo by John Hession

A new old wine

Get to know claret

The Wine Lover’s Companion, a compilation of “nearly 4,000 wine-related terms,” defines claret as a term used by the English when referring to the red wines from Bordeaux. It’s derived from the French clairet, which refers to a Bordeaux wine with a style somewhere between a red and a rosé, or a light refreshing young wine. It originated in the Middle Ages when, as a dark rosé, spices were added to increase its complexity. “Claret” continues to appear on some labels, but to the French it has no legal definition.

Claret is known as a name for sweet, red wine sauce, poured upon spumoni or ice cream. August Escoffier, the noted 19th- and early 20th-century French chef and cookbook author who popularized and updated traditional French cooking methods, created a cocktail called the Claret Cup, a concoction of red wine, sugar, oranges, lemons, cucumber peel and brandy; something to warm you on a cold winter’s day.

Times and tastes change, and today a claret is known as a blend that favors the way Bordeaux are composed, that is with a base of merlot or cabernet sauvignon, with additions of cabernet franc and petit verdot, but today’s blends are not limited to just those varietals.

Our first claret, the 2018 Francis Ford Coppola Winery Diamond Collection Black Label Claret (priced at $19.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets), is a true Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, malbec and cabernet franc. Presented in a dark bottle with gold netting, this wine is the flagship of the Coppola Diamond Collection. The inspiration for this wine came from a bottle of 1906 claret found in the cellar of a Napa Valley property purchased by Coppola in 1975. While not fully understanding the origin of the term “claret,” Coppola liked the word because it implied something clear and pure; however, he was discouraged at first from using the term because Americans wouldn’t know what it meant.

The wine has a nose of dark cherries, and, to the tongue, berries, plum and anise emerge, accompanied by smooth tannins. As a blend, this wine varies from vintage to vintage, made from grapes that are grown across California to Oregon. The 2018 vintage is predominantly based on Napa Valley-farmed cabernet sauvignon grapes and has an alcoholic content of 13.9 percent.

Our second claret, the 2017 Ramey Wine Cellars Claret (priced at $46.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets), is a blend of 44 percent cabernet sauvignon, 20 percent merlot, 14 percent malbec, 12 percent petit verdot, 8 percent syrah and 2 percent cabernet franc. Ramey Wine Cellars is located just off the square of downtown Healdsburg, California. The dream of David and Carla Ramey, the winery seeks to produce wines of the highest quality, sourcing their grapes from vineyards with which they have worked for many years. This claret follows the Bordelaise model of blending the different Bordeaux varietals, with fermentation occurring in the barrel and the blend assembled early so it is “elevated” as the finished wine. This claret rested on its lees 12 months in French and American oak barrels, of which only 24 percent were new. The wine was then lightly fined with egg whites and bottled without filtration and released in March 2020. Alcohol content is 14.5 percent.

Robert Parker gave this wine a score of 92 points, deservedly, given its highly structured notes of dark chocolate-covered cherries and tobacco, derived from the time spent on oak. It has a medium-bodied, plush feel to the tongue, with an exceptionally long finish.

These two wines, from opposite ends of the spectrum, are both called clarets, a moniker we discovered that evolved from the Middle Ages to today’s blends. They are examples of the wide diversity of wine structure, body and taste that can be experienced from attention given to the detail of blending certain varietals, coupled with divergent methods of production.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Lemon 2 the Rescue

So, you know how every three or four months you go through your pantry and get rid of all the food that you forgot about, which has expired?

Actually, you know what? We’ve known each other a while now, and this is a safe space. We can be honest with each other. It’s been at least a year and a half since you looked at the back of any of those shelves, hasn’t it?

It’s OK — no judgment. In fact, it sort of advances my point for me.

Anyway, you know how, when you finally get around to cleaning out the whole pantry, and take everything off all of the shelves, you find yourself looking at some exotic ingredients you barely even remember buying?

You must have had some recipe that called for lotus root, but seriously, when have you ever even considered using bee pollen? And that tin of smoked octopus? What were you thinking?

You know that feeling?

That’s an emotional road map to my liquor cabinet. I’ve got a truly distressing number of tiny sample bottles of liquor I totally meant to use in something, someday. Even worse are the almost full bottles of exotic liqueurs that are missing just that ounce or two that I used in that one cocktail that one time and then—

And then, what?

I’m not sure. Things get a little fuzzy when I think about it too much.

Anyway, this is all to scaffold my explanation for why, when I found a drink recipe I wanted to try and it called for a blackberry liqueur called créme de mûre, I balked at hunting down a bottle of it. Even if I was able to find a bottle of it, and it wasn’t too expensive, and it tasted good, when would I ever use it again?

Oh, yeah, right — like I could serve lemonade to guests next summer, and say with a straight face, “Oh, that? Do you like it? It’s créme de mûre. Remind me to get you some.”

I don’t know who could pull that off — somebody in loafers and a yachting cap, probably — but not me.

Anyway, I ended up making some blackberry syrup (see below) and figured that a small amount of it with a small amount of good vodka would probably make a decent substitute.

And it did. The drink was fine, just a little flat. It needed some acid, so I added some lemon juice, and it was better, then some more lemon juice and it was even better. At that point I realized that the bourbon in the recipe was distracting from the really good stuff — the little dance that the lemon and blackberry were doing—

And that’s how we ended up here:

Lemon 2 the Rescue

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces nice vodka — this is another one of those times when you’ll want to avoid any harshness from the bottom-shelf stuff
  • 1 ounce homemade blackberry syrup (see below)
  • 2 ounces fresh squeezed lemon juice

Shake all three ingredients with ice.

Strain into a coupé glass.

Congratulate yourself on being so clever

On first sip, this tastes a bit sweet. You ask yourself if perhaps it could be a little less sweet, but then, like a woman on a horse in gleaming armor (A point of clarification: The woman is the one in the armor, not the horse), the lemon comes thundering to the rescue and lets your palate know that “Shh — everything is alright; let me handle this.” And then she does.

It’s another good omen. We’re going to get through this.

Blackberry syrup

In a small saucepan, bring equal amounts (by weight) of frozen blackberries and white sugar to a boil. Stir frequently, and if you’ve got one, it wouldn’t hurt to hit the berries with a potato masher at some point. Let the mixture boil for a few seconds to make sure that all the sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat. Strain everything through a fine-meshed metal strainer, and allow it to cool, then bottle it, label it, and store it in the refrigerator for a month or more.

Featured photo: Lemon 2 the Rescue. Photo by John Fladd.

Healthy-ish cauliflower cakes

Hello, 2022! As one often does at the start of a new year, I am eating a little more mindfully after all of the frivolity of the holiday season. However, the fact that I’m being mindful doesn’t mean I am limiting myself to boring foods.

These cauliflower cakes are a great example of how you can eat a healthier snack or side dish that is still fun and flavorful. The majority of the ingredients in this dish are on the “good” list. Steamed cauliflower and egg whites are about as mindful as you can be when eating. What makes them only healthy-ish, subjectively speaking, is the topping of shredded cheese. If you’re feeling that you need to make these 100-percent healthy, just eliminate the cheese.

There are a few tips to go with this recipe. First, you need to use fresh cauliflower. Frozen cauliflower contains too much moisture. Second, be sure to mince the garlic so that you don’t end up with a large chunk in one of the cakes. Third, you can replace cheddar cheese with any other cheese that melts well.

Here’s to a healthy-ish start to 2022!

Healthy-ish cauliflower cakes
Makes 12

1 pound cauliflower florets (approximately half of a medium-sized head of cauliflower)
1 egg white
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place florets in a steaming basket over boiling water, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until fork tender.
Divide cooked cauliflower florets in half.
Place half in a food processor with egg white, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.
Chop the other half into small pieces (about the size of a peanut).
Combine the pureed and chopped cauliflower in a mixing bowl.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat.
Coat the baking sheet and frying pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Scoop 1/4 cup of cauliflower mixture, and place in preheated frying pan, pressing gently to flatten.
Repeat, leaving an inch between cakes.
Cook for 1 to 2 minutes (or until golden brown); flip and repeat on second side.
When both sides are golden brown, transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
After all of the cauliflower patties are on the baking sheet, top with shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Photo: Healthy-ish cauliflower cakes. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler

In the kitchen with Liz Houle

Liz Houle is the owner of Good to the Last Krumb (find her on Facebook @goodtothelastkrumbnh), a homestead business specializing in scratch-made quick breads, whoopie pies, cookies, muffins and other baked goods, including multiple seasonal items. A native of Hudson, Houle has also worked as a baker at Lull Farm in Hollis for the past three years. Her products can be found at Estey’s Country Store (9 Old Nashua Road, Londonderry) and Mack’s Apples (230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry) and are also available to order through Facebook, for local pickups with at least a three-day advance notice.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

Probably a good sturdy rubber spatula.

What would you have for your last meal?

Filet mignon with a baked potato and a nice cold salad.

What is your favorite thing that you bake?

It would probably be either my lemon blueberry bread, or my whoopie pies.

What celebrity would you like to see trying something you’ve baked?

[Food Network’s] Duff Goldman.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

I think it’s food trucks. Whenever there’s a food truck festival, all my friends and family are there.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

North Side Grille, right here in Hudson.

What is your favorite thing to make at home?

Any type of cookie, whether it’s chocolate chip or molasses. My family loves them.

Molasses sugar cookies
From the kitchen of Liz Houle of Good to the Last Krumb in Hudson

¾ cup shortening
¼ cup molasses
½ teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon cloves
2 cups flour

Mix ingredients together well. Roll into balls in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 6 to 7 minutes.

Featured photo: Liz Houle. Courtesy photo.

Sushi, hibachi and more

Osaka Japanese Restaurant now open in Manchester

A new eatery in downtown Manchester is offering daily lunch specials of sushi or hibachi, along with teriyaki and tempura entrees, appetizers, desserts and a full line of sake rice wines, Asian imported beers and house cocktails.

Osaka Japanese Restaurant arrived on Elm Street just before Christmas. It’s named after one of the largest and busiest commercial centers in Japan, said manager Kunchok “Jenny” Choedon — a friend of her husband’s had run The Seafood King inside that storefront before moving into a larger space on South Willow Street.

Photo courtesy of Osaka Japanese Restaurant.

You can mix and match from more than two dozen types of sushi rolls, including both cooked and raw options, from spicy tuna, salmon and yellowtail to avocado, asparagus and cucumber, as well as a lobster tempura roll with fish eggs, and a spider roll with fried soft shell crab, avocado, cucumber, masago and eel sauce. Hibachi plates feature a choice of grilled protein like chicken, steak and shrimp, served with soup, salad and fried rice.

“The hibachi portions [are] very big,” Choedon said. “We have a lot of really good options for sushi … and if you have any specific fish you like, you can create your own rolls.”

Other menu items include teriyaki and tempura bento boxes, cooked to order with proteins like chicken, shrimp, steak or salmon or a vegetarian option; udon noodles with chicken, steak or vegetables; and appetizers like steamed pork dumplings, fried calamari, and edamame with garlic butter. Choedon said a few Chinese wok and grill platters were added as well, like General Tso’s chicken, sesame chicken and beef broccoli, served with white or fried rice.

Despite Osaka’s small space, the restaurant does have a full bar. There are more than a half dozen brands of sake, or Japanese rice wine, in several flavors, as well as other wines and beers.

“We have a lot of Japanese beer,” Choedon said. “The most popular one is Sapporo … and then we have Ichiban and Asahi, and Tsingtao, which is a Chinese beer.”

Desserts include fried vanilla or green tea ice cream, fried cheesecake, and mochi ice cream, or pounded sticky rice dough with a vanilla, green tea, mango or strawberry ice cream filling.

Sushi and hibachi lunches are available at discounted prices from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Osaka also offers online ordering and deliveries through third-party apps GrubHub and DoorDash.

Osaka Japanese Restaurant

Where: 1077 Elm St., Manchester
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 9 p.m. (lunch specials are served daily until 3:30 p.m., except on holidays)
More info: Visit osakanh.com, find them on Facebook or call 232-0761

Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Osaka Japanese Restaurant.

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