NH Liquor Commission to Host Exclusive Fine Italian Wine Tasting Event

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NHLC’s first Italian wine tasting event to feature more than 100 fine Italian wines at Tidewater Catering’s Riverside Room in Manchester


 

Enzo Boglietti Fussati Barolo 2008 will be one of the featured Italian wines at the May 15 tasting event in Manchester.
Enzo Boglietti Fussati Barolo 2008 will be one of the featured Italian wines at the May 15 tasting event in Manchester.

MANCHESTER, NH – Tapping into New Hampshire customers’ growing interest in the enticing flavors of Italian wines, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) will for the first time host an exclusive Italian wine tasting event on Friday, May 15, boasting more than 100 fine Italian wines paired with delicious Italian appetizers.

Proceeds will benefit Granite United Way’s literacy initiatives. The Italian wine tasting, which is limited to 125 guests, will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at Tidewater Catering Group’s Riverside Room, 250 Commercial Street in Manchester. The special tasting will feature 14 tables of wine, including a mix of as yet unavailable Italian wines and varieties currently available for purchase at NH Liquor & Wine Outlets. Tickets cost $45. For more information and tickets, visit www.liquorandwineoutlets.com.

“NHLC is committed to providing our customers with exciting new opportunities to taste wines and to expand their palates. This exclusive Italian wine tasting is a great example of that commitment. This is a perfect opportunity for wine lovers and casual wine fans to learn about Italian wines,” said NHLC Chairman Joseph Mollica. “NHLC has seen Italian wine sales increase steadily in recent years, as customers at our 78 New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets have sought out new and delicious wines from the renowned winemaking regions of Italy. With more than $278.5 million in wine sales alone during Fiscal Year 2014, NHLC is devoted to meeting the needs of the more than 11 million customers we serve each year.”

From Fiscal Year 2013 to Fiscal Year 2014, sales of Italian wines increased by 12.3% to more than $21.1 million. Based on customer demand, NHLC significantly increased its Italian wine selection in recent years, now with 976 Italian wines available for purchase at NH Liquor & Wine Outlets, which marks a 19% increase in the Italian wine selection since Fiscal Year 2013. NHLC plans to continue to add more Italian wines to its shelves.

“This tasting is a first-of-its-kind opportunity in New Hampshire for wine lovers and wine novices alike to immerse themselves in the historic and famous world of Italian wines in an intimate setting,” said Nicole Brassard Jordan, NHLC Wine Marketing Specialist. “For wine enthusiasts, this is a chance to either focus on a specific winemaking region in Italy, or to target wines or regions you have never tried before. For more casual wine drinkers, this is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the culture and the history of winemaking in Italy, and to sample from the breadth of Italian wines offered at NH Liquor & Wine Outlets.”

A sampling of featured wines include:

  • Enzo Boglietti Fussati Barolo 2008 – Characterized by a bright ruby color with an orange hue, this wine features an intense, complex bouquet of both pungent and sweet spice, along with notes of dried fruit. This wine has not yet been released for sale at NH Liquor & Wine Outlets.
  • Produttori del Barbaresco – One of the great wines of Piedmonte, this offering boasts a bouquet of spices, pepper and black cherry, with firm, elegant and ethereal flavors.
  • Ramato Pinot Grigio – This pinot grigio features a distinctive, coppery hue and a rich, fruity bouquet with notes of wild cherry and strawberry and a crisp finish.
  • Masi Amarone Costasera Valpolicella – Considered a wine for meditation, this wine features a powerful, complex aroma of dried plums with traces of balsamic, along with bright acidity and subtle notes of baked cherry, chocolate and cinnamon.
  • Allegrini Amarone Classico – A true classic, this red wine features complex aromas of mature fruit and spices, balanced acidity and refined tannins.

Event attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase wine via a state-of-the-art web ordering application – a first of its kind in the wine industry – which guests can access via their mobile devices. As part of the event, NHLC will raffle off a Tiffany blue Coach purse courtesy of La Marca Prosecco to raise even more funds for Granite United Way.

“Teaming up with NHLC, this is a chance for our supporters to socialize and enjoy themselves at an event that also serves as an opportunity to ensure the children in our community have high quality education experiences,” said Patrick Tufts, President and CEO of Granite United Way. “Providing access to important programs like our literacy initiative results in long-term healthy behaviors and strong financial stability.”

Granite United Way’s literacy initiative works in partnership with school districts throughout the state to improve reading proficiency. During the last 3 years, more than 2,200 students have made this initiative a part of their reading improvement strategy, and almost 500 students are back on track in reading thanks to this important work. Proceeds from the Italian wine tasting will help Granite United Way expand this strategy to some of the hardest-hit communities in New Hampshire, with a goal of reaching more than 1,000 struggling readers each year for the next 3 years.

To learn more about Granite United Way, visit www.graniteuw.org. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.


About the New Hampshire Liquor Commission
The New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) operates 78 retail locations throughout the Granite State and serves more than 11 million customers each year. More than $3 billion in net profits has been raised since the first store opened in 1934. NHLC had its best sales year ever in Fiscal Year 2014, generating $626 million in gross sales, an increase of $23 million – or nearly 4% over the previous fiscal year. Total liquor net profits transferred to the New Hampshire’s General Fund reached $148 million, which are used to fund programs including education, health and social services, transportation and natural resource protection. NHLC is expecting to net an additional $1 billion for New Hampshire’s General Fund in the next seven years.


Visit www.LiquorandWineOutlets.com to locate a store, search for product availability, learn about monthly sales, review wine tasting schedules, and sign up to receive significant savings with monthly Email Extras.


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About this Author

Carol Robidoux

PublisherManchester Ink Link

Longtime NH journalist and publisher of ManchesterInkLink.com. Loves R&B, German beer, and the Queen City!