Friday, April 30, 2010

Big Changes At Vin Santo

Vin Santo wishes to thank all our loyal customers for their years of patronage! Vin Santo is looking forward to new management and an awesome menu with fantastic dishes! Our final dinner service before the switch will be May 8th, new management's projected debut for May 22nd.

For more information, click on the link below
http://blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping/

Got Vin Santo gift certificates and can't make it in before May 8th? No worries, Vin Santo gift certificates will be redeemable at All Star Wine and Spirits. Sphere: Related Content

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Enjoy Our Outdoor Patio!



The weather is starting to get nice and this weekend is suppose to be absolutely beautiful! So why don't you come on over to Vin Santo Tapas Wine Bar?

In case you didn't know, we are located here:

Latham Farms
Exit 6 off I-87
579 Troy-Schenectady Rd.
Latham, NY 12110

And our hours of operation:

Mon - Thurs 4:00pm to 11:00pm
Serving Food until 10pm

Friday 3:00pm to 1:00am
Serving Food until 11pm

Saturday 4:00pm to 1:00am
Serving Food until 11pm

Closed Sundays
(Ask about private parties and events)

See you there!

Visit Our Other Social Media Networks!

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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Check Out Our Private Events Menu



Are you having or thinking of having a private event? If so, you should check out Vin Santo's Private events menu! Click here to take a look at all the details!

Private Events Menu Options

Small platter options:

Shrimp Cocktail

Filet Mignon Crostini w/ either horseradish or wasabi aioli

Smoked Salmon Crostini

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed Cherry Peppers

Brown Sugar Baked Brie w/ Crostini

Tempura Battered Vegetable Skewers

Crab and Artichoke Stuffed Phyllo Cups

Chicken Satays w/ dipping sauce

Beef Satays w/ dipping sauce

Salmon Satays w/ dipping sauce

Mini Crab Cakes

Hummus and Pita Bread

Artichoke Dip w/ Garlic Bread

Arancines ( fried risotto balls with parmesan cheese )

Homemade Salsa w/ Chips

Bruschetta w/ Crostini

Olive Tapenade w/ Crostini

Sushi

Various Cheeses

Fruit

Pizzas


For an additional $2 per person we also have:

Shrimp Cocktail

Sushi

Lamb Chops

Whole Grilled Tenderloin


Dessert Options:

Cookies

Cupcakes

Mini Cheesecakes

Chocolate Truffles




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Thursday, April 15, 2010

Which Wine For Which Food?


Matching food and wine is something of an art. However, even the novice can follow a few guidelines that will definitely improve their ability to appropriately pair a wine with a meal.

One guideline to live by in pairing food and wine: Light foods go with light wines. Heavy foods go with heavy wines. Delicate meals need a light wine. Heavier meals need a bigger wine.

Example: Filet of Sole goes nicely with a Sauvignon Blanc, not a Zinfandel. The Zin in most cases would overpower the fish.

Example: A pesto pizza with prosciutto and cheese goes nicely with a Zinfandel, not a Sauvignon Blanc. The pizza would overpower the Sauvignon Blanc.



Here is a list to get you started:


Sauvignon Blanc – white or light fish, mild cheese, fruit




Chardonnay – grilled chicken, salmon, shellfish, and grilled fish, anything with a cream sauce.






Pinot Noir – light meats, chicken, grilled anything, salmon.








Merlot – pasta, red meat, duck, smoked or grilled foods




Cabernet Sauvignon – red meats, especially a juicy barbequed steak, grilled and smoked foods.






Syrah – red meats, spicy pizzas, herbed sauces on red meat, turkey








Dry Rosé - salads, pasta salads, bbq chicken or fish, light spicy foods



Zinfandel – tomato pasta dishes, pizza, pesto, red meats, chicken with heavy sauces





Things to keep in mind:

The rules for wine pairing have relaxed a bit, but the fact remains that certain flavors of food and wine mix better together than others.

While it isn't unheard of to have a white wine with meat or a red wine with fish or seafood, you don't want to serve a very strong tasting wine with a delicate entree, or the other way around.

The wine and the food should complement each other, not battle against each other. One way to decide is to remember what some experts recommend, "Simple wines with complex foods...complex wines with simple foods."

Here is a Fun Video on wine tastes and wine pairing:



Do you still want more?
Go here for the most comprehensive food and drink matching resource on the web:
http://www.matchingfoodandwine.com/ Sphere: Related Content

Friday, April 9, 2010

Which Wine Glass To Use


Believe it or not, the taste of a wine changes when you drink the wine out of different types of glasses.

Three aspects of a glass are important: its size, its shape, and the thickness of the glass.

Wine glasses must be plain and transparent, so that you can appreciate the wine’s color, and made of glass or crystal.

Let's keep things simple with three glass options: glasses for red wine, for white wine and for sparkling wine



Red wine

Red wine glasses are wider, with a very large bowl, since red wine needs to be swirled around to come in contact with the oxygen, and benefit from a larger area of contact with the air.

Glasses for red wines should hold a minimum of 12 ounces; many of the best glasses have capacities ranging from 16 to 24 ounces, or more.

Fun Fact!
**As oxygen from the air chemically interacts with the wine, flavor and aroma are subtly altered. This process of oxidization is generally more compatible with red wines, whose complex flavors are smoothed out after being exposed to air.



White Wine

White wine glasses are tulip shaped. They are smaller than red wine glasses and have a smaller mouth. The reduced surface area of contact with the wine prevents the white wine of warming up too fast and in reduces the rate of oxidization for a crisp, clean flavor.

White wines glasses should hold 10 to 12 ounces.

Fun Fact!
**White wines which are best served slightly oxidized are generally full flavored wines, such as oaked chardonnay. For lighter, fresher styles of white wine, oxidization is less desirable as it is seen to mask the delicate nuances of the wine.



Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wine glasses are small and flute shaped (tall and thin). The reduced surface area of contact keeps the wine colder and the flute shape allows for the proper development of bubbles.

Glasses for sparkling wines should hold 8 to 12 ounce capacity.

Fun Fact!
**The glass is designed to be held by the stem to help prevent the heat from the hand from warming the champagne.

For more about Vin Santo Wine Bar:
Check Out Our Website: http://www.vinsantowinebar.com
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Thursday, March 18, 2010

It's Thursday....Thinking Pizza?

Stop in and see us tonight for a pie and a glass of your favorite wine! We offer several pizza selections and you are sure to fine one you will fall in love with! See you soon!

Margherita
House made mozzarella, marinated tomatoes
and fresh basil


Artichoke & Spinach
Wild mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan


Wild Game Sausage & Peppers


White Pizza
Rich Bechamel topped with homemade mozzarella


Vodka Chicken
Creamy vodka sauce with fresh grilled chicken and Parmesan cheese

Classic
House red sauce and fresh mozzarella
with or without sopressata

http://www.vinsantowinebar.com/menu.cfm/info/62344
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Thursday, March 4, 2010

Large Plate Selections at Vin Santo


Vin Santo offers a nice selection of large plates for your dining pleasure.
Free Range Grilled Chicken Breast and Day Boat Scallops to name a few. Have you been to Vin Santo lately? Stop in and see what we have to offer today!

Day Boat Scallops
A sherried mushroom ragu over a lemon tart

Free Range Grilled Chicken Breast
Served with garlic smashed potatoes, market vegetables and a Dijon white wine sauce

To view more of our Large plate selections, visit http://www.vinsantowinebar.com/menu.cfm/info/66195






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Thursday, February 11, 2010

Valentine's Day at Vin Santo


Vin Santo Wine Bar will be open Sunday February 14th from 4pm - 9pm for Valentine's Day.

Our intimate setting, cozy tables and tremendous wine/food selection makes for an ideal choice for you and your sweetheart.

Take a look at our Valentine's Day menu and call us (518-786-8272) to make reservations.

The menu will be offered at a $50 prix fixe price per person.
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Monday, February 8, 2010

Talking Tapas

Popular throughout Spain in bars and restaurants, tapas are appetizers that usually accompany cocktails. They can also form an entire meal and can range from simple items to more elaborate preparations (http://www.epicurious.com/).

There are many ideas behind the origin of Tapas dining. Having food in small portions while enjoying a drink is a way to keep you sober. In Spain, dinner is traditionally served later in the evening than in the United States, so Tapas portions were a bridge between meals. It has also been said that putting a piece of bread over your glass during conversation was both a method to keep insects out, while providing a small snack. All of these ideas make sense and fall in line with how Tapas is generally offered today.

http://www.vinsantowinebar.com/ Sphere: Related Content

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Jaunuary 31st, Special Sunday Hours!


Vin Santo Tapas and Wine Bar will be open this Sunday, January 31st. Join us from 1P.M. to 5P.M. for a nice Sunday lunch or early dinner with a glass of wine. Bring your friends and relax in our lovely "Wine Sanctuary" setting.Never been to Vin Santo? There's never been a better time to try us! View our menu and our wine list at http://www.vinsantowinebar.com/


So stop in and say, "Goodbye" to January with us, Vin Santo Tapas and Wine Bar!

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Thursday, January 7, 2010

A Few Wine Quotes To Start Your Day!

"I have lived temperately....I double the doctor's recommendation of a glass and a half of wine each day and even treble it with a friend." - Thomas Jefferson

"I have enjoyed great health at a great age because everyday since I can remember I have consumed a bottle of wine except when I have not felt well. Then I have consumed two bottles." - A Bishop of Seville

"Wine is the most civilized thing in the world." - Ernest Hemingway


Vin Santo Wine Bar has a large selection of wines to choose from. View our selections, pick your vintage and stop in and see us today with your friends! Vin Santo opens at 4p.m. http://www.vinsantowinebar.com/vinsanto_wine.cfm Sphere: Related Content