Great wine and equestrian pursuits go extremely well together. That’s why when you are watching an important race event such as the Breeders Cup you want to have something that deliciously ties them both together.
Red wines continue to fascinate, and are often the wine of choice for many. Add these three romantic California reds selected by TasteTV to your lineup, and you will not be disappointed.
City Roots from Mass. Bay Brewing Company has a line of crisp ciders in a range of tasty flavors that celebrate both the urban drinker and the rural sources. Made exclusively from fresh-pressed apples, they are typically dry and naturally gluten free.
Current flavors include:
“At Mass. Bay Brewing Company, we’re all about innovating in new categories, and contributing to the communities we call home,” said Dan Kenary, CEO and co-founder of Mass. Bay Brewing Company. “City Roots helps us do both – establish a brand dedicated entirely to the cider category, while giving our fans something new to enjoy, and a reason to feel good about it.”
Says City Roots, “After apples from local New England orchards are fresh-pressed for cider, the apple pulp gets sent back to local farmers to feed their pigs to help eliminate waste. Then once the cider is packed, sold and sipped, a portion of all City Roots sales will be directed to local environmental groups in the area where the cider is sold, with the goal of bettering outdoor urban areas”
The brand launch includes a partnership with 1% for the Planet, a New England-based organization with a global mission to bring financial support to environmental nonprofits. Through this partnership, 1 percent of all City Roots sales will be directed to local environmental groups in the area where the cider is sold, with the goal of bettering outdoor urban areas.
Mass. Bay Brewing Company, which was originally founded as Harpoon Brewery in 1986, was established by a passionate group of individuals in search of better beer options, during a time when variety was limited. The company was issued Brewing Permit #001 by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, since it was the first to brew commercially in Boston after a dormant period of about 25 years. Today, Mass. Bay Brewing Company’s portfolio of brands includes Harpoon Brewery, UFO Beers, Clown Shoes, Arctic Summer and City Roots, with offerings ranging from Harpoon Brewery’s award-winning IPA to innovative limited release beers, as well as premium spiked seltzers and craft ciders. Mass. Bay Brewing Company celebrates its 5-year anniversary as an ESOP this year.
Find it at stores and online, and at http://www.cityrootscider.com
Premium Prosecco from UNESCO World Heritage site Conegliano and Valdobbiadene has a finish that is both bright and buttery, providing a luxurious tasting experience.
If you’re hungry or thirsty for great food, wine and beer in Napa or Sonoma, the Oakville Grocery has been re-energized with a new vision, new partners, and fantastic quality.
Oakville Grocery, the general store that has been a gathering place for locals and tourists for nearly 140 years, has been enhanced since joining the Boisset Collection in 2019. Visitors to both Oakville in Napa and Healdsburg in Sonoma will now find an emphasis on local sustainable, organic and Biodynamic food offerings as well as an expanded wine selection that includes exclusive, highly allocated wines by the taste, glass or bottle. These new items, as well as the grocery’s signature favorites, can now be enjoyed on renovated patios during extended summer hours.
“We are so excited to bring new life into community landmarks in Napa Valley and Sonoma County,” said Jean-Charles Boisset, proprietor of Boisset Collection. “Oakville Grocery is a phenomenal destination where guests can spend a relaxing afternoon trying a selection of amazing wines; fresh, healthy and local cuisine; and fabulous craft beers!”
The historical legacy of the Oakville destination has been made more prominent through extensive signage throughout the property that tell the story of its founding role in Napa Valley. In addition, the property next door — 1881 Napa Wine History Museum & Tasting Salon — features tastings of wines from 13 sub-appellations of Napa Valley as well as an archive of wine relics open for complimentary visitation and has published its own history of the region.
“Normally wine lovers have to wait on allocation lists for years to purchase these [hard to get] bottles,” said Ed Maass, Oakville Grocery Wine Program Manager. “We are thrilled that we can make these beautiful wines more accessible and offer them by the taste and glass at Oakville Grocery, and through our Oakville Wine Society.”
Throughout each store, the wine selections have been significantly expanded and diversified as well as organized by appellation. In the Oakville location guests can discover wines from nearly 300 Napa Valley vintners and in Healdsburg they can browse through an equally large selection of Sonoma County producers. The flagship location in Napa Valley also has two new spaces dedicated to wine: a “cave” where guests can sample the highest-end wines from the Napa Tech machines as well as a wine vault that guests can enter and make selections from, as if they’re perusing their own wine cellar at home.
“Our motto is ‘Eat Local, Drink Local, Picnic Local.’ We want to sell products that are made as close to Oakville Grocery as possible,” said Oakville Grocery General Manager Barry Dinsmore, referencing both the Oakville and Healdsburg locations of the store. He estimated that 70% of products in the stores hail from California, with another 20% from the U.S. and the remaining 10% international.
One of the new food providers Oakville Grocery has partnered with is Ohm Coffee Roasters. The Napa Valley-based company led by former sommelier and wine marketing professional Derek Bromley is the exclusive coffee provider for both the Oakville and Healdsburg locations. The Oakville location now has a coffee machine from La Marzocco, the benchmark Italian brand, as a central feature of the upgraded coffee program.
In addition to new foods and wines, the Oakville location has a renovated patio with new furniture and umbrellas to better enable guests to take in views of some of Napa Valley’s most notable landmarks—the Mayacamas Mountains and the landmark To Kalon vineyard to the west and the valley’s highest point, Mt. St. Helena, to the north.
“None of us own 1881 Napa or Oakville Grocery. We are just guests in their history. These places will outlive us,” said Boisset.
More Information
In Oakville (Napa Valley), Oakville Grocery is located at 7856 St. Helena Highway. In Healdsburg (Sonoma County), Oakville Grocery is located at 124 Matheson Street
About Boisset Collection
Boisset is a family-owned collection of historic and unique wineries and lifestyle destinations led by Jean-Charles Boisset and bound together by a common vision: authentic, terroir-driven wines in harmony with their history, their future and the land and people essential to their existence. With more than 25 historical and prestigious still and sparkling wineries in the world’s preeminent terroirs, including Burgundy, Beaujolais, Jura, the Rhône Valley, the south of France, and California’s Russian River Valley and the Napa Valley. Its California wineries include DeLoach Vineyards, Raymond Vineyards, Buena Vista Winery and JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset; its French properties feature Domaine de la Vougeraie, Jean-Claude Boisset, Bouchard Aîné et Fils, J. Moreau et Fils, Louis Bouillot, Henrie Maire, Fortant and Bonpas. Each house retains its unique history, identity and style, and all are united in the pursuit of fine wines expressive of their terroir. Wine is at the center of Boisset’s mission, and is complemented by spirits, beer, cider, gourmet foods and luxury goods, both of its own design and from partnerships with historic companies such as Baccarat, Lalique, St. Louis, Riedel, Christofle, and Bernardaud. To learn more about the Boisset Collection, please visit www.boissetcollection.com.
BROCCOLI CHEDDAR FRITTATA
Eggs for breakfast are a standard menu item in North America and in Europe. However in our busy days trying to cook egg recipes may take a little bit more time and effort then we have available, especially when you’re on the go. Fortunately there is a new product of egg frittatas by Veggies Made Great that has become available and tastes fantastic. If you like any type of egg dish in the morning or for lunch, these frittatas are perfect.
SPINACH EGG WHITE FRITTATA
Primarily plant-based, very healthy, and premade and frozen, you simply select the one you want and microwave it for about one minute. After that you can put it on a plate alone, or between slices of bread and make a delicious egg sandwich. They’re also easy to transport; simply throw one in your purse or backpack in a Ziploc bag and take it to work, then heat it there for breakfast, for lunch, or for snack.
Veggies Made Great by Garden Lites new Frittata flavors include
VEGGIE BACON & POTATO FRITTATA
Like all the items from Veggies Made Great, veggies are the #1 ingredient and they are Gluten Free. The Frittatas also have less than 90 calories and 5 grams of Protein.
They smell delicious and taste equally so.
TasteTV’s tasters tried several of the new combinations and found them all outstanding. We were fortunate enough to compare each one side-by-side, and found that the quality was high and there was no residue from having been frozen in the flavors. They tasted warm and freshly made.
MUSHROOM & 3 CHEESE EGG WHITE FRITTATA
As an aside, we could point out that you can cook them for friends or special guests, and you don’t really have to tell them you didn’t make them by hand. You’ll look like a very talented home chef. But that would be dishonest, right?
https://www.veggiesmadegreat.com/frittata
