The Quarter Moon

June 1, 2009 - Issue 2

Welcome to Issue II of The Quarter Moon, the quarterly news letter from ADS Wines. Each issue will bring you wine industry news you can use, a favorite family recipe, updates on ADS’s brands and business, an invitation for you to let us know what’s on your wine mind and…

Wine Industry News

The 2008 harvest brought numerous challenges, starting with some unseasonable (although thankfully brief) weather during the first half of the growing season. Things calmed down for a while, and then a heat wave late in the season ripened an unusually large number of vineyards in a very short time. In other words, there were a few weeks during the harvest when we were crushing more and sleeping even less than normal. This was also about the time the economy started to collapse, so there was no shortage of things to worry about as the harvest was winding down. However, now that we’ve had the 2008 wines in the tanks and barrels for a while, I’d have to say all the worry was worth it. We have some very nice white and blush wines which will start showing up in the market around mid year, and the reds are generally very well balanced and showing nice body and fruit at this early date. We’re working hard to keep up with demand, especially for Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Cabernet, but fortunately we’ve found three new vineyard sources that have supplied us with some very nice fruit. We are looking forward to the second half when we release more of our oak and bottle aged reds from the 2006 vintage, and as always, we hope you enjoy our wines.

Our Family Favorites

Like most of our family dinners, this month’s recipe is built around pasta. It’s usually served hot, but can also be prepared ahead of time and served chilled on a warm summer evening. A few interesting facts about pasta follow the recipe:

Pasta Grill

Light the grill and while it’s warming up, season your favorite cut of beef (flank steak, sirloin or New York strip, about 4-6 ounces per person) with black pepper, onion powder and a touch of seasoned salt or soy sauce and return it to the fridge until the fire is ready. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta (we prefer rigatoni for this recipe) and slice some red onions, mushrooms and perhaps a few red bell peppers to cook on the grill with the meat. When the fire is ready, brush the vegetables with olive oil and place them around the edge of the fire; put the meat directly over the coals and close the cover. Add the pasta to the boiling water (note the cooking time and serving portions on the package). Check the grill every 5 minutes or so and turn the meat and vegetables as needed until done, usually 10-15 minutes depending on the fire and the cut of beef. Drain the pasta, pour into a large bowl and sprinkle with olive oil. When the beef and vegetables are ready, slice into thin strips, toss with the pasta and add a little parmesan. Serve with a salad and warm bread or chill for the next meal. This works with sausage, chicken and grilled salmon, too!

Pasta Trivia (courtesy of our friends at Lisante Food Service)

Pasta has existed since at least 5,000 B.C., but probably was not prepared with tomato sauce until the Spanish explorer Cortez brought tomatoes from Mexico to Europe in 1519. The word “pasta” comes from the Italian word “paste”, meaning a combination of flour and water.

Pasta is traditionally served al dente (al-DEN-tay), which means “to the tooth”; in other words, cooked until the firmness pleases the teeth of the chef. Thomas Jefferson is credited with introducing macaroni to the U.S. after he discovered it in Naples. The first pasta factory was opened in Brooklyn, New York in 1848 by a Frenchman, Antoine Zerega. Today, the average American enjoys pasta 40 times a year.

ADS News

These ADS Wines are now available from our distribution partners in:

Georgia: Giani from Empire Distributing

Hawaii: Dante Robino, Howling Moon and Silver Peak from Allied Imports

Iowa: Brownstone, Dante Robino, Heavyweight Red, Novecento and Silver Peak in Davenport from Dimitri Wine & Spirits; SUA in Des Moines from MJ Distributing

Maryland: 99 Vines and Dante Robino from Lanterna Distributing

Mississippi: SUA from Paul Lavender Brokerage

Missouri: SUA from 7 Seas Distributing

Oklahoma: 99 Vines and Compagno from Dynamic Brands and the leading distributors

Tennessee: Dante Robino, SUA and Heavyweight Red from Horizon in Nashville and Chattanooga

Texas: 99 Vines, Howling Moon, Silver Trail and Compagno at Majestic Liquor Stores in Fort Worth

If you can’t find your favorite ADS Wine brand, ask your wine provider to contact us at: nscotto@adswines.com or through our website, adswines.com. As you probably know, state and local regulations can sometimes be a distribution challenge for both wineries and consumers, but we’ll try our best to make your favorite brand available in your market.

We’ve recently released our newest brand, 99 Vines. Named after the highway that runs through the heart of California’s wine country, 99 Vines includes America’s most popular sizes and varietals, including:

     

That’s it for the second edition of The Quarter Moon. Send us an email and let us know what you think and what you’d like to see in future issues. Thanks for reading, and many thanks for your interest in ADS Wines!

Anthony Scotto III

Anthony Scotto III