Cuvelier Los Andes from them makers of Ch Leoville Poyferre

In stock and online

"Cuvelier Los Andes is owned by Bertrand and Jean-Guy Cuvelier, part-owners of renowned Bordeaux Chateau Leoville-Poyferre in Saint Julien. The estate is located in the Uco Valley at the foothills of the Andes and encompasses 115 acres of still young vines. The consulting winemaker is Michel Rolland." - The Wine Advocate

2010 Cuvelier Los Andes Cabernet Sauvignon...$18.99

The 2010 Collecion Cabernet Sauvignon displays darker fruit and a bit more richness. Supple, ripe, and velvety on the palate, it will offer prime drinking from 2012 to 2020. 
Rated 90/100 The Wine Advocate

2009 Cuvelier Los Andes Coleccion...$18.99

The 2009 Collecion is a blend of the varietals. Purple in color, with a brooding bouquet, it is a dense, structured, rich wine with impeccable balance, volume, and length. It has the structure to evolve for 2-3 years but can be approached now. It, too, is a great value.

Rated 92/100 The Wine Advocate

2008 Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Vin...$37.99

2009 Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Malbec...$53.99
The flagship is the 2009 Grand Malbec, a contender for Malbec of the vintage at this early stage. A glass-coating opaque purple color with legs that ooze down the glass, it offers up a beautiful bouquet of sandalwood, exotic spices, truffle, floral notes, red licorice, and black cherry. Voluptuous on the palate, this sweetly-fruited, dense, nicely proportioned Malbec will evolve for 4-5 years and deliver prime drinking from 2015 to 2029. 
Rated 94/100 The Wine Advocate

2010 Cuvelier Los Andes Malbec...$18.99
The 2010 Collecion Malbec is my favorite of the single varietal wines. Fragrant black cherries, exotic spices, and floral aromas lead to a plush, ripe, pleasure-bent wine that will drink well for another 8-10 years. It is a fantastic value in Malbec.

Rated 91/100 The Wine Advocate

94 Point Argentina and $25.99

In stock and online

2010 Montesco Passionate Wines Parral....$25.99
This wine is farmed biodynamically although the vineyard is not certified. The 2010 Parral is a blend of 40% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Bonarda that is aged in American and French oak. It has a very attractive, almost earthy bouquet with mulberry, raspberry leaf and a touch of wild mint. The palate is medium-bodied with a grainy entry, with dark plum and dried blood inflecting the black fruit. It is a little short on the finish, but is very fresh and focused. Drink now-2016.

Rated 94/100 The Wine Advocate

Great bargains from Argentina

In stock and online

2011 Chakana Estate Red Mendoza....$23.99
60% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Shiraz
"Chakana’s top cuvee is their 2011 Estate Blend, which is 60% Malbec from the Agrelo vineyard and the rest equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Aged 10 months in French oak, this wine displays notes of toast, blackberries, sweet cherries and Asian plum sauce as well as notes of white chocolate and barrique. The wine has great fruit, an opaque purple color, medium to full body, and loads of glycerin, fruit and length. It will drink well for 7-8 years, possibly even longer, and it is a sensational value."

Rated 94/100 The Wine Advocate

2011 Chakana Estate Malbec Mendoza...$23.99
100% Malbec
"The 2011 Estate Selection, much like the 2010, is 100% Malbec all from their Agrelo vineyard. Aged in mostly American oak, the 2011 has an inky purple color, plenty of chocolaty blackberry and cassis fruit, good acidity, sweet tannins and a fleshy, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, with briery fruit that sometimes veers toward Zinfandel but pulls back with Malbec’s blacker fruit character."
Rated 92/100 The Wine Advocate

Wind Gap Syrah form Pax!!!

Remember the sought after Pax Syrahs?  Well their back.  Wind Gap is Pax's new winery.  

In stock now and online

Wind Gap Griffin's Lair Syrah...$47.99
Inky purple. Exotic bouquet combines wild dark berry, cherry compote and licorice, lifted by notes of potpourri and cracked pepper. At once dense and juicy, with a compelling sweetness to its intense blackberry, boysenberry and violet pastille flavors. Bright acidity and a deep Moroccan spice quality give this wine energy and aromatic persistence. The blue fruits continue on the finish, which refuses to let up. 95 points

Rated 95/100 International Wine Cellar

"I was deeply impressed with many of the wines I tasted from Wind Gap and proprietors Pax and Pamela Mahle. The estate favors cooler, marginal sites. The wines are made with a very natural approach, which is to say the grapes are crushed by foot, aging is largely done in neutral oak and the wines are bottled without fining or filtration. Best of all, many of these wines sell for very reasonable prices. Readers should note that Mahle’s Agharta line-up is reviewed separately. Pax Mahle told me he plans to re-launch his Pax label in the near future." -- Wine Advocate

June 15 : Saturday - Silver Oak Tasting! - New Ballas

Silver Oak Wine Tasting

Father's Day Weekend Tasting

TODAY! - Saturday - June 15, from 1pm-4pm

The Wine and Cheese Place - NEW BALLAS

457 N. New Ballas, Creve Coeur MO

314.989.0020
Click here for Google Maps and directions

Join us at New Ballas  to taste the amazing Silver Oak wines.
We will taste

• 2008 Silver Oak Alexander Valley
• 2008 Silver Oak Napa Valley

$5 / person and you get to keep the tasting glass!

Reservations are not required, but we only have a limited number of tasting glasses for you to take home, so you can make a reservation to guarantee yourself a glass.

We are no longer taking reservations, just show up or call 314.989.0020

Amazing Champagne 97/100 Wine Advocate

In stock now at Forsyth, only 12 bottles

2002 Dom Ruinart Brut...$149.99

Now with another year of bottle age, the 2002 Brut Dom Ruinart is even better than it was last year. A huge bouquet of smoke, roasted almonds, nutmeg and graphite melds into layers of huge, exotic, super-ripe fruit. The 2002 has more than enough pure density and richness to fill out its broad shoulders nicely. It remains a big, powerful wine endowed with tons of pure structure. I can’t wait to see how the 2002 ages. It is without question one of the truly great wines ever made at this historic maison. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2032. 
Rated 97/100 The Wine Advocate

Perfect 100 rated Cote Rotie!

2009 Ogier Cote Rotie La Belle Helene...SOLD OUT

The 2009 Cote Rotie La Belle Helene is another perfect wine. Made in a completely different style than the more structured, mineral-laced 2010, the 2009 is a flamboyant, exuberant effort with nearly over-the-top ripeness and fruit. However, it is extremely supple, sexy and bursting with complexity, revealing notes of truffles, graphite, black raspberries, espresso roast, spice box, tapenade and bouquet garni. The wine’s richness, full-bodied, massive fruit impact and 50-second finish are amazing.

Rated 100/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

"Offers stunning cut and precision, with dark, winey fig and blackberry fruit completely harnessed by taut iron and racy acidity. There's a gorgeous smoldering black tea leaf note, with flecks of charcoal and graphite, studding the finish. Best from 2013 through 2028. 200 cases made. –JM"
Rated 97/100 The Wine Spectator

New Artisan Gin - Greyling - Batch #1

We have Batch #1

In stock and online for shipping

Two Birds Artisan Spirits
Greyling Modern Dry Gin...$24.99
Michigan’s rivers once drew droves of anglers in pursuit of the Greyling; a small, noble, silver-scaled fish. Sadly, overfishing and pollution destroyed the Greyling by the 1930s. Reborn, the Greyling returns as this crisp, juniper-forward, Hand-Crafted Gin made with Michigan spirits and botanicals.

Banana Bread Beer!

In stock at all stores and online

Wells Banana Bread Beer...$9.49  / 4pk
Alcohol strength:
5.2%
Wells Banana Bread Beer continues the Wells family traditional yet innovative approach to brewing fine ales and is available in 568 ml bottle - the British 'Pint'. Wells Banana Bread Beer partly take its name from the Saxon phrase for beer - 'Liquid Bread'. Combining traditional ale recipe with the flavor of 'fair trade' bananas creates an intriguing and flavorsome pint.

It has been described by renowned international beer writer, Michael Jackson, as "...fruity roughness of winter barley and toffeeish sweetness of crystal malt...hugely tempting aroma of bananas; creamy head; firm, silky body."

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof - SOLD OUT

Sorry, it is ugly how little we got.  We have a bunch of people asking for it, so we are just going to do first come at the Forsyth store.

No reservations, no phone orders.  First people here can get a bottle.

I will update when it is gone.

Fresh Two Hearted Ale!

Fresh Bells is here! 
Bottled June 11 !!! 
Bells Two Hearted Ale in stock at The Wine and Cheese Place!
Two Hearted Ale is defined by its intense hop aroma and malt balance. Hopped exclusively with the Centennial hop varietal from the Pacific Northwest, massive additions in the kettle and again in the fermenter lend their characteristic grapefruit and pine resin aromas. A significant malt body balances this hop presence; together with the signature fruity aromas of Bell's house yeast, this leads to a remarkably drinkable American-style India Pale Ale.

Ransom Dry Vermouth

Ransom Dry Vermouth....$29.99
Base Wine: A blend of organically farmed aromatic white varietals and Pinot Noir blanc.
Fortifying Brandy: Alambic pot distilled in house from a blend of wines from Pacific Northwest grapes. Barrel aged in mixed French oak.

Specifications: 18.4% alcohol by volume.

750mL bottle.

Infusion: 

• Wormwood*
• Rosehip*
• Scullcap*
• Chamomile*
• Orange Peel*
• Verbena*
• Spearmint*
• Star Anise*
• Cinnamon Bark*
• Coriander*
• Arch Angel Root*
• Burdock Root*
• Fennel*
• Cardamom*
• Lemon Peel*
• Vanilla Bean.

(* denotes Organic ingredient)

Ornellaia 2010 Anniversary Bottle

In stock and online

2010 Ornellaia 25th Anniversary Bottle...$199.99 / 750ml
Ornellaia, Estate’s flagship wine, was first produced with vintage 1985, from an extremely careful selection of the vineyards Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, grown on Ornellaia. The 2010 vintage marks Ornellaia’s 25th Anniversary. A celebratory logo, exclusively designed for Ornellaia 2010 and silkscreened in gold and ivory, gives a unique distinctiveness to each and every bottle of this vintage.

A wine with a wonderful depth of berry, chocolate and hazelnut character. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a round and delicious finish. Fruit-forward and exuberant. More in your face fruit to this wine than in many past vintages. Enticing all the same. This comes in a special bottle commemorating the anniversary of the wine being on the market. Try in 2016.
Rated 95/100 James Suckling (formerly of The Wine Spectator)

Glenmorangie Pride

Sorry - sold out!

Glenmorangie Pride1981....$3,299.99

Amazing bottle!  Only 1,000 made and only 1 made it to St. Louis

Description

A single malt whisky beyond comparison, Glenmorangie Pride 1981 is the culmination of 28 years of passion, patience and artistry.

As its name implies, the birth date was 1981 – in the month of October - when the original liquid was distilled and laid down for maturation in Glenmorangie’s finest oak casks.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Captivating and heady with the combination of poached pears, baked pineapple sponge, demerara sugar, nutmeg and aniseed.

Taste:The layers of delicious desserts are joined by honeydew melon and lemon vanilla madeleines with oak tannins bringing hints of French toast.

Finish: Long, succulent and sweet with sultanas, toasted almonds and the lingering memory of lemon and coconut desserts.

Colour: Intense, deepest gold.

June 14 : Friday - Mad Buffalo Whiskey Tasting - Forsyth

Open House Tasting!
reservations not needed

Mad Buffalo Whiskey
June 14, 2013 from 4pm-6pm
The Wine and Cheese Place
7435 Forsyth Blvd
Clayton, MO 63105 
314.727.8788




Meet Chris Burnette, Head distiller and presidient
From Union, Missouri

In stock and online now

Mad Buffalo Brewing Thunderbeast Storm 

Moonshine Corn Whiskey...$27.99

Mad Buffalo Brewing Company, Inc. is a small, family-owned company that focuses on high quality, hand-crafted distilled spirits produced in small batches. Each inspired by our distinct family traditions. The Mad Buffalo Distillery, owned and operated by the Mad Buffalo Brewing Company, Inc., is a craft, small-batch producer of ultra-premium spirits that includes vodka, whiskey, rum, absinthe, gin, moonshine and other products. We focus on the “craft” in craft distillation. We consider ourselves to be artisans first, and beverage producers second. Everything we do revolves not only around the finished product, but how it comes into being. Our processes, traditional in nature, have been learned, honed, and crafted into a modern day replication of traditional methods. We still do most everything by hand. From malting our own grain, to our hand-crank grain mill, to actually stirring our mash, we focus on what is best for our product.Located in Union, Missouri, Shawnee Bend Farms has been in the family for nearly 50 years and serves as the backdrop for the Distillery. It is a serene place where the neighbors are as close as family. Which is good, since we value our community, our friends, and our family. We work diligently to maintain a good relationship with the surrounding residents and include them in our plans when possible. We also work to ensure that they, if they are able and willing, are looked to first before looking to outside local vendors. We try to keep it “in the family.”

McEwans is back in stock !

In stock and online now

McEwans Scotch Ale...$9.49 /4pk
William McEwan opened the Fountain Brewery, Edinburgh, in 1856 and by 1889, it was the UK's largest brewery in the hands of a single owner. At its peak, the Fountain Brewery was producing two million barrels of beer a year and became Scotland's biggest ale brand.

One of the most successful and best-loved beers from the Fountain Brewery was McEwan's Scotch Ale, fondly known as "Red Top" by its legion of fans. The beer was remembered for its unique and distinctive tartan packaging, which is now protected on The Scottish Register of Tartans as 'The McEwan 1856' by the renowned Scottish tailors, Kinloch Anderson.

McEwan's Scotch Ale has gained a fiercely loyal following throughout the years, especially in North America; and its rebirth is a direct result of customer demand. Wells & Young's Brewery has resurrected this iconic beer using the original recipe that made it so famous. Proudly bearing its Highland roots, Scotland's most iconic Scotch Ale returns to the States.

94 Points and $25.99

In stock now

Rated 94/100 

The Wine Advocate

2010 Montescao Parral…$25.99

This wine is farmed biodynamically although the vineyard is not certified. The 2010 Parral is a blend of 40% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Bonarda that is aged in American and French oak. It has a very attractive, almost earthy bouquet with mulberry, raspberry leaf and a touch of wild mint. The palate is medium-bodied with a grainy entry, with dark plum and dried blood inflecting the black fruit. It is a little short on the finish, but is very fresh and focused. Drink now-2016. 

Education : Bourbon

Father's day weekend, we decided to do Bourbon for our Education!

A little more education: We are going to try to feature either a grape or a wine region each week at our stores. We will give you some background information on the grape or region and feature a wine that highlights what we are featuring. We will taste that wine on Saturday at all four of our locations. We will post it here in our blog and send it out in our emails - click here to sign up for our emails

I have started a new label "Education" that you can hit to read all the education articles (see the right column under the heading "labels".

Bourbon 
Bourbon whiskey is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn (though each distillery has its own recipe featuring corn, barley, wheat and rye). The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky (which, in turn, was named after the French House of Bourbon royal family). It has been produced since the 18th century. While it may be made anywhere in the United States, it is strongly associated with the American South in general, and Kentucky in particular. For a whiskey to be legally labeled as bourbon it must meet the following requirements:

• Must be made from a minimum of 51% Corn
• Must be made in NEW charred oak barrels.
• Bourbon has no minimum specified duration for its aging period. Products aged for as little as three months are sold as bourbon.
• Bourbon that has been aged for a minimum of two years, and does not have added coloring, flavoring, or other spirits may (but is not required to) be called straight bourbon.
• Bourbon that is labeled as straight that has been aged under four years must be labeled with the duration of its aging.
• Bourbon that has an age stated on its label must be labeled with the age of the youngest whiskey in the bottle.

As stated above each distillery and specific bourbon has their own formula some have a high rye content resulting in a spicier flavor, some feature a higher wheat content thus a softer sweeter flavor while others follow the more traditional formula of mostly corn with small amounts of barley and rye and use the type of barrel and position in the warehouse to influence the flavor of the bourbon. Stop by and taste which formula best matches the father on your list.

Basic Bourbon "Styles"Classic Bourbon Recipe: 70% Corn, 15% Barley and 15% Rye
Baker’s
Knob Creek
Elijah Craig
Evan Williams
Jim Beam
Booker’s
Wild Turkey
Old Crow

Bourbon with higher Rye content
Buffalo Trace
Eagle Rare
Woodford Reserve
Basil Hayden’s
Bulleit
Four Roses
George T. Stagg
Old Forester
Old Grand-Dad
Early Times
Wild Turkey
Evan Williams

Bourbon with higher Wheat Recipe:
W.L. Weller Reserve
W.L. Weller Antique
W.L. Weller 12 Year Old
Maker’s Mark
Old Fitzgerald
Rebel Yell
Van Winkle

We will taste a bourbon from each category this weekend at our Forsyth location on Saturday from 11am-4pm

Recipe of the Week

Warm Goat Cheese and Smoked Duck CanapésWith summer time and deck season upon us we always like to have and arsenal of very easy yet seemingly fancy appetizers at the ready for afternoon gatherings. Below is one of my favorites that combines the bright grassy hints of fresh chevre with the sweet smoky flavors of smoked duck breast.


Ingredients:

• 2 - 8oz Fresh Chevre packages preferably in log shape.  ***
• 3 sprigs (1 teaspoon) thyme
• Black pepper
• Arugula 
• 1/4 pound smoked duck breast, thinly sliced *** (we can slice it for you right here at the shop)
• Olive Oil  ***
• 2 teaspoons chives, finely chopped
• 1 Package Sable & Rosenfeld ready to fill pastry shells  ***

*** Available at The Wine and Cheese Place


1. Pre-Heat Oven to 300 Degrees.
2. Using a thin knife warmed under running water to prevent sticking, slice the Chevre logs into thin discs.
3. Remove from the oven, then on top of each pastry base, place a slice of goat cheese, and a sprinkle of thyme and black pepper, then bake for 5 minutes (the shells are already baked but won't burn at this temperature)
4. Remove from the oven and arrange on a serving plate. Place a couple of small pieces of arugula and a slice of duck breast on top of the goat cheese, drizzle a few drops of olive oil on each one, along with a sprinkle of chives. Serve immediately.

Odell IPA

I forgot how good Odell IPA was, took some home yesterday because it was fresh, brewed May 12.  Make sure you grab some if you have not had it in awhile.  You might remember, it came in first place at our blind IPA tasting last year!

Odell Brewing IPA

best by 9/12/13
We took the traditional IPA, originally shipped from England to India in the 1700′s, and made it bolder and more flavorful – American Style. We’ve added new varieties of highly aromatic American hops to create a distinctive bitterness profile and an incredible hop character.

7.0%Alc. by Vol 

60IBUs

Brilliant Barolo - Perfect Price - Stunning Score!

In stock now at Forsyth and online 

2008 Vajra Baolo Albe...$34.99
The rose, strawberry and cherry aromas and flavors are beautifully displayed on an elegant frame in this pure and delicately wrought red, which shows harmony and depth. The fine lingering finish expresses energy, with a mineral element.
Rated 94/100 Wine Spectator
The 2008 Barolo Albe is flat-out delicious. The Albe has often been a big step below the flagship Barolo Bricco delle Viole, but not in 2008. Although softer and rounder than that wine, there is plenty of vintage character in this vibrant, beautifully articulated Barolo. Sweet dark cherries, incense, licorice and tobacco are all wrapped around a pliant finish. The 2008 is accessible even today, and is a great – and I mean great – introductory Barolo for the year. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.
Rated 93+/100 Wine Advocate

We have 120 bottles available and in stock now!

New Lips of Faith Pluot

In stock now and online

New Belgium Lips of Faith Pluot...$7.19 / 22ozHook up a plum with an apricot and they’ll make you a pluot. This sweet hybrid fruit is as refreshing as it is strange, and it’s the perfect starting point for our new Lips of Faith beer. Pluot Ale pours a bright, light golden. The aroma is full of fruit tones and distinct esters from blending the funky brettanomyces and our house Belgian ale yeast. The flavor carries the same weight, adding a spicy, vinous subtlety to stand up against the malt backbone. To build a beer around this worldly fruit is purely Belgian in imagination. Pour some Pluot and enjoy!

BEER FACTSBody: Medium-Full
ABV: 10%
IBU: 5.0Hops: Target
Malts: Pale
Yeast: Brett Claussenii
Fruits/Spice: Pluot
Aroma: Very fruity: tart apple, papaya, pineapple, plums, bananas, stone fruit and a touch of cloves.
Mouthfeel: Feels big from sweetness and warm from higher ABV.
Flavor: Sweet with a tart end and a touch of bitter (almost texture)
Visual: Goldenrod yellow, bright with thin white and sticky lacing

New- John Powers Signature

NEW!

Powers Signature Release Irsih Pot Still Whiskey...$42.99

Matured in American Bourbon Barrels and a few first fill Oloroso Sherry Casks

Come taste it Friday night from 4-7pm at our Forsyth Store!

Another possible Father's Day Gift!

Dry Fly Distillery from Spokane Washington

Father's Day gift!

Order Dry Fly online now

The American Distilling Institute ( ADI ) announces " Dry Fly Distilling is Distillery of the Year "

"Dry Fly Distilling is a craft distillery in Spokane, Washington. They produce craft-distilled vodka, gin and whiskey using only locally grown grains and botanicals. Their still, manufactured in Goppingen, Germany, is a Christian Carl pot still with multiple rectification columns. It has a 450-liter capacity and they expect an annual output of approximately 3,500 cases of 12/750 ML bottles.  Dry Fly is owned and operated by Don Poffenroth and Kent Fleischmann. Prior to starting Dry Fly, Don and Kent studied with Kris Berglund at Michigan State University and trained in distillery operation with Alexander Plank and Nick Haase of Christian Carl Distilleries in Germany."

Dry Fly Vodka....$29.99 / 750ml

Crystal clear. Once the appearance is considered, it holds absolutely no resemblance to a classic Vodka and we mean this in very positive sense. It’s amazingly fruity ( apples & berry ) with strong accents of cream soda and hints of cocoa. The palate delivers the same while being amazingly lush with a silky texture that extends the flavors for minutes. This attractive drink has perhaps launched a new spirits category.
****/ EXCEPTIONAL !!!!
- Beverage Experts

Voted # 1 BEST VODKA
DOUBLE GOLD - San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2009

Spirit Journal Rating 2008: Highly Reccomennded

Notes: This Vodka is microdistilled in small batches from locally sourced wheat in Washington State. It is both pot, and then column distilled and fresh mountain water is used to cut to 80 proof.As this is a wheat vodka, my thoughts were this could go either way- many wheat vodkas seem to me to be harsh and smell like rubbing alcohol (not nearly as charming as a rye). Others can be floral, peppery and full of good smell. This vodka was thankfully one of the latter.

Taste: Buttery body to it, almost fatty (and I mean that in a good way - it is not some cheap, thin, spirit). Much more vanilla, smooth, charming and the vanilla starts to dry and linger nicely on the tongue while other floral and light citrus aromatics continue.






Dry Fly Gin....$29.99 / 750ml

List of botanicals used to create the gin:
Juniper, Fuji Apple, Coriander, Lavender, Mint, Hops
All the ingredients come from local, sustainable farms around Washington State.
Everything they make is from scratch... “from farm to bottle”


This is a different style of gin from the much more common London Dry style. It is made in by a small company in Spokane, Washington which uses one of the more unique blends of botanicals for gin I have heard of, and trust me that is saying a lot ! They start out with their excellent vodka as a base and then use a blend of the usual suspects of juniper and coriander, with lavender (I've seen that before in a couple), along with mint, dried Fuji apples, and hops - which is something no else we know of has attempted.

"This is a top notch gin - better than some that cost a good bit more and is cheaper than many in the premium category. Different enough that even gin haters will like it and just familiar enough for gin lovers to embrace it as a new beginning in gin adventures.
RATED 5 OLIVES TOP RATING
- Spirits Review



"A rising star on the new American Gin frontier. ~ **** / EXCEPTIONAL !!!! "
- Beverage Experts





Dry Fly Wheat Whiskey ....$39.99 / 750ml

Distilled in a Christian Carl pot still to 120 proof (60% alcohol by volume), this whiskey then spent 18 months in new American oak casks. Both runs of approximately 1500 bottles were cut to 80 proof (40% abv) and hand bottled.
At first appearance, this whiskey shines bright like a freshly polished copper penny. On the nose, it was slightly spicy and a bit hotter than I expected a whiskey at 80 proof to be. After a bit of time, the nose revealed big caramel tones, with hints of butterscotch pudding, tangerines, almonds, tupelo honey and hay.
On the palate, neat this whiskey was very soft, almost like a baby's blanket caressing my tongue, with freshly baked orange scones, cinnamon toast, white pepper and peppermint notes. When I added a splash of water, this whiskey became even softer, with ripe peaches, spice cake, Juicy Fruit gum and grassy notes.
The whiskey had a finish of 25 to 30 seconds, taken neat the finish was heavy on cinnamon, caramel and spice notes while with water this whiskey slowly disappeared with teasers of caramel, nectarines, peaches and mint. My only criticism of this whiskey is that I'm curious to see what this would taste like at a higher proof. I think that if this was 90 or 100 proof versus the current 80 proof it would probably get my top recommendation rating.
With this whiskey and their award-winning gin and vodka, Dry Fly has established itself as one of the premier American artisan distillers and established conclusively that great distilled spirits are here to stay in Spokane Washington.
Highly Recommended.
- About.com, cocktails


The Spirits Review:
"A completely different whiskey from the usual even from many microdistilleries these days. Made from 100% locally sourced Washington Wheat (rather than the many attempts at corn whiskey or bourbon) and using the "farm to bottle" green/environmental approach working with local people and resources. Using a small (450 liter) Christian Karl Copper pot still."


Appearance: Amber gold color, very clear. Darker than a four year-old bourbon. Thin edge line on the glass when you swirl it, smooth layer of whiskey on swirling.

First Impression: Nice toasty char oak smells paired with a sweet wheat mash- somewhat toffee flavored.

Taste: Sweet, smooth start, almost fatty (in a good way) mouthfeel, biscuits yeast, bread type notes great full on grain mash notes at midpoint and a nice full with a nice drying finish of oak and pepper. Finish is long,smooth and leaves you hungering for another one.

Drinks: No known drinks specifically for this whiskey as now one has really made anything similar in the US. The Old Fashioned was very nice in a clean, spare minamalist way, the Manhattans (both dry and perfect) were also very good if a touch hot. I think it would also make for some outstanding gourmet food pairings also, especially game or seafood.

Cigars: Something mild so as not to lose the nuances. Small natural wrapper cigar.

Final Thoughts: Really quite charming in a understated way. Could be compared to some Genevers of European (non-Scotch) whiskies. Damn cheap if compared almost all microdistilled whiskey of any age. Especially something aged two years or more.

Bottle: Distinctive, short cylindrical bright clear glass with sharp shoulders,
shows the whiskey to excellent effect. Simple eye catching graphics silk screened or printed directly onto the glass of a dry fly fly fishing lure. Nice heft to the bottle and a good grade of clear glass with nice decanter base so it is solid and hard to knock over. Nicely done graphics on the paper band/label. Cork with wooden top makes for decorative but easy opening.

New Black Barrel Mt. Gay Rum

A new expression from Mount Gay Rum

Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum...$24.99

The latest from Master Blender Allen Smith, Black Barrel is a small batch, handcrafted blend made of matured double pot distillates and aged column distillates. In a process called finishing, the blended rum is then matured for a second time in deeply charred Bourbon oak barrels. This unique process releases spicy aromas that are at once balanced, and bold.

Great Napa Valley wines....

2011 Antica Napa Valley Chardonnay....$29.99

Antica’s 2011 Chardonnay is laced with lemon peel, white flowers, spices and crushed rocks. In this vintage, the estate’s Chardonnay is especially rich and powerful, largely because the irregular flowering lowered yields by 50%. This is an unusual Chardonnay that is bright in its aromas and flavors but fairly broad-shouldered in style. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016.
Rated 92/100 The Wine Advocate


2010 Antica Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon....$39.99
The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon bursts from the glass with juicy plums, black cherries, mocha, spices and French oak, all of which come to life on a big, powerful frame. There is nothing subtle in this rich, intense Cabernet Sauvignon. A huge, juicy finish backed up by serious tannins and sweet floral notes rounds things out in style. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.

Rated 92/100 The Wine Advocate

June 10 - Scotch Tasting - New Ballas Location

TONIGHT!
Open House Scotch Tasting!

Get ready for Father's Day

reservations are not required, but let us know you are coming

Meet Dr. Tom Turner, Master of Whiskey for Diageo

Throughout his 9 years in the spirits industry, Tom has served as a vodka ambassador, studied tequila in Jalisco, and sipped rum on exotic beaches throughout the world. While Tom enjoys his work with all types of spirits, his heart belongs to whisky, which is why he considers his role as Master of Whisky for Diageo the pinnacle of his career.

Monday, June 10 from 5pm-7pm
The Wine and Cheese Place - NEW BALLAS
457 N. New Ballas, Creve Coeur MO
314.989.0020

We will taste the Diageo Classic Malts....

• Lagavulin
• Talisker
• Oban
• Dalwhinnie
• Glenkinchie
• Cragganmore