Cathedral Square and Shmaltz new label

Cathedral Square Brewery and Shmaltz Brewing Collaboration.

A new label got approved for a Belgian Style Rye Double IPA Collab.  Just saw the label and though it was interesting, not sure when we will see the beer.

Will post when we have an ETA on the beer.

Recipe of the Week -

Shae has created some great samples for today!!

Check out this picture.

Open-Faced Goat Cheese and and Prosciutto on Baguette with Pistachios

Serves 12-14 appetizers

1/2 cup apple juice or cider  ***
1/4 cup Tiptree Apricot and Armagnac preserves     ***
1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar  ***
1  baguette sliced  ***
1/2 pound goat cheese or brie cheese   ***
1/2 pound prosciutto, thinly sliced   ***
1 cups Arugula, washed
1/8 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup unsalted, chopped pistachios   ***
In a medium saucepan, pour in juice, preserves and vinegar and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook until thick, 6 to 7 minutes; stirring often. Turn off heat.
Lay bread slices on serving tray(s). Spread or cover each piece with cheese. Lay thin slice of prosciutto and arrange arugula on top. Sprinkle basil and about ½ teaspoon pistachio pieces. When time to serve, drizzle warm balsamic and apricot glaze over top.

Recipe adapted from Food52

Great 2009 Bordeaux.

in stock and online

2009 Clos Lunelles.....$44.99
This is a gorgeous effort, made from a blend of 80% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Cropped at 22 hectoliters per hectare from their clay over limestone soils, the wine displays oodles of new oak, crushed chalk, and blueberry and blackberry fruit with hints of raspberries and pen ink. It is full-bodied and layered, with a fleshy, even succulent mid-palate and a long, long finish. This is terrific Castillon to drink over the next 10-15+ years.

Rated 93/100 The Wine Advocate

Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey

All back in stock and online now

Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey...$37.99 

     "Connemara's smooth sweet taste and complex peat flavours make it a truly unique Irish Whiskey.  Unlike most other Irish whiskeys, Connemara is double distilled in 2 small pot stills to ensure a whiskey full of robust flavour and character.  It is then left to mature for many years in American oak casks."

Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey Cask Strength...$53.99

     "To experience whiskey in its most natural form, it can be tasted at the natural strength it comes out of the cask.  Connemara Cask Strength offers a unique opportunity to enjoy Connemara in its unaltered state.  Bottled at 57.9%, it still retains an astonishing smoothness yet the character of the malt and peat is more pronounced creating an intense explosion of flavour across the palette.  Undiluted with no chill filtration or colouring, Connemara Cask Strength captures the true essence of Connemara Peated Single Malt."

Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiksey 12 Year...$57.99

     "Each year a small number of the oldest and most exceptional casks are hand picked to create Connemara 12 Year Old Peated Single Malt.   Containing some of the first distillations of Connemara, the 12 year old is a whiskey of great complexity and sophistication.  Accompanying the smooth malt and peat flavours is a rich layer of spiciness and lingering wood tones acquired from the extra maturation in American oak.  With limited availability, this is a whiskey that has been truly worth the wait."

Jim Beam Devil's Cut

Now online also...A new Bourbon from Jim Beam 
-- the whiskey left in the wood of the barrel -- "the devil's cut"

Jim Beam Devil's Cut....$17.99

As bourbon ages, a portion of the liquid is lost from the barrel due to evaporation—that's the "Angel's Share." After aging, when the bourbon is dumped out of the barrel, a certain amount of whiskey is left trapped within the wood of every barrel. We call that the "devil's cut."
To create Jim Beam® Devil's Cut™, an extraordinary new bourbon experience, we developed a proprietary process that actually pulls the rich whiskey trapped inside the barrels' wood after they're emptied. We hold this barrel-treated extract until it develops the proper balance of bourbon notes, then blend it with 6 year old bourbon and bottle at 90 proof. The result: a robust, premium bourbon with deep color, aroma and character.

A couple of Anniversary Ales

In stock now at Forsyth, New Ballas and Rock Hill

Also online now.
Order Avery online
Order Great Divide online

Avery Anniversary Ale Twenty...$6.99 / 22oz
Beer Style: XX India Pale Ale
Hop Variety: Bravo, Amarillo, Simcoe, Cascade
Dry-Hop Variety: Amarillo, Simcoe, Cascade
Malt Variety: Two-row barley, Honey malt, Gambrinus Dark Munich
Yeast Variety: Wyeast 1056
ABV: 9.7%What else? What else would you expect from us, a bunch of severely hop obsessed brewers, to celebrate such a glorious occasion? Anything other than a massively hopped IPA would be an affront to our rich history of loving excessive use of that beautiful flower, Humulus Lupulus.

1993-2013. 20 years of brewing excellence. To all who have played a part in creating such a vibrant and quality conscious culture, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts and pint glasses!!


Great Divide 19th Anniversary Ale...$8.49 / 22oz
19TH ANNIVERSARY ALE
19th Anniversary Ale isn’t just a wood-aged ale. It’s a compass – a reminder of where we’ve been and where we’re going. Brewed with pure birch syrup and aged on birch wood, this beer embraces reverential tradition and revolutionary innovation. As we celebrate our 19th year, we hope you’ll join us for the road ahead.
ABV.: 10.2%

Plastic wine glasses

Tumbers in stock at Forsyth

Plastic wine glasses in stock at all four locations now

Amazing 2007 vintage Bordeaux blend...

In stock at Forsyth

2007 Dry Creek Endeavour....$29.99

Lowest price on Wine-Searcher is $49.99
Winery price = $65


81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot Bordeaux BlencWinemaker Comments:
At first swirl, this incredible wine offers aromatic elegance and classic Dry Creek Valley characters of bright red cherry fruit, black tea and dried spices. On the palate, the flavors become harmonious and lush with mocha, plums, cassis, and juicy red cherry elements. The silky tannins are refined and polished presenting underlying characters of earth, minerals and dried flowers. The result is a pleasing and lengthy finish with a smooth texture and a refined structure which offers the potential for very long term aging.

Wine Education : Syrah Grape

Wine Tasting at all FOUR locations

Taste Syrousse (70% Syrah) all four of our locations this Saturday, July 6th from 11am-4pm.

(each store will also have other wines out to taste)

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

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

Grape: Syrah

image from Wikipedia

Syrah or Shiraz?  Yes, they are the same grape.  What about Petite Sirah?  It is a descendant of Syrah, but it is a different grape.
Syrah is very popular and continues to increase in popularity.    Syrah originally got its fame from the Rhone region of France, particularly Northern Rhone where it makes the great wines of Hermitage, Cote Rotie and Crozes Hermitage.    Since you do not see the grape name printed on many French wine labels, you have most likely had Syrah if you enjoy the wines of the Rhone.  It can be bottled 100% Syrah or it makes a great blending grape in Cotes du Rhone and Chateuneuf du Papes.     In America, Syrah makes a big fruit forward wine and can handle a lot of oak ageing.   A lot of California producers will add some Syrah to their Pinot Noir to add body and fruit.   It is also blended with Cabernets to add that extra fruit dimension also.     Syrah is the most widely planted red in Australia where they call it "Shiraz".

At Forsyth we will taste Syrousse Cotes du Roussillon Syrah Blend, Bogle Petite Sirah, and Penfolds Koonunga Shiraz

Great values just llanded at Forsyth...

2010 Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio...$6.99

Lowest price on Wine-Searcher is $11.98

Description: Light yellow to sandy-coloured in appearance, with an unobtrusive bouquet, and hints of pear and candied fruit. The strong harmonious structure emphasizes its dry full-bodied taste and round finish.

Food pairing: lightly appetizers, fish dishes and South Tyrolean

Grape varieties: 100% Pinot Grigio

Eberle Full Boar Red...$6.99

Best price in the U.S. next lowest price on Wine-Searcher is $14

"The best kept secret in the Passage of the Oaks! Predominantly Cabernet, our non-vintage Full Boar Red gets its versatile characteristics from splashes of Sangiovese, Barbera and Tempranillo. Definitely the wildest country wine your table’s ever seen." - Eberle

2011 Heitz Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc...$11.99

Compare to $19.75 at Heitz Vineyards

Our winemakers created a new summertime favorite with the first-time release of our refreshing Sauvignon Blanc in 2008! This wine is a lively expression of the varietal, brimming with wonderfully integrated citrus and tropical flavors. It is produced with organically grown grapes that flourish in a sun-drenched pocket of our Valley Oak Vineyard. We are delighted that this addition to our line-up has created such a stir; however, we do have limited production from this small estate parcel. 

Heitz Napa Valley Ink Grade Port...$12.99 / 375ml

Compare to $20 at Heitz Vineyards

Tasting Notes: Rich and full-bodied with a wonderfully balanced sweetness, Heitz Ink Grade Port has been a customer favorite since we introduced it in 1994.

The lush, fruity character of this wine is produced with a harmonious blend of eight classic Portuguese varieties from the 2005, 2006 and 2007 vintages. Dark berry flavors laced with notes of honey cross the palate with the smoothness of velvet. You will not want to wait for dessert! Heitz Ink Grade Port is also terrific paired with your favorite cheese or by itself as an aperitif. 

Great Divide

Back in stock from Great Divide!

 Order Great Divide online

Great Divide Rumble Oak Aged IPA...$9.99 / 6pk

Rumble IPA is an American IPA with subtle nuance. Brewed with heavy handed additions of Pacific Northwest hops, this beer is gently aged on French and American oak resulting in a wonderful balance of bitterness, caramel sweetness, vanilla, and undertones of pine and citrus. Very inspiring. 7.1% ABV

Great Divide Hoss Rye Lager...$9.99 / 6pk

"Hoss is based on the Marzen lagers of Germany. Rich, layered malt notes, with hints of cherry and dark fruits, dominate, while the unique addition of rye imparts a slightly earthy, spicy character. Hoss finishes crisp and dry, and its brilliant red-orange color is a toast to the late-summer sunsets that make the perfect backdrop for this beer." -- Brewery

Great Divide Wolfgang Doppelbock...$6.99 / 22oz

Originally called “liquid bread,” the Doppelbock style sustained monks through periods of penitent fasting. Wolfgang has heavenly notes of caramel, dark fruit, and toffee balanced by a subtle hop character. While its revered history evokes an appreciation of austerity and sacrifice, this Doppelbock is a rich luxury—no repentance required.
ABV.: 8%

Great Divide Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti...$9.99
"Welcome to the newest incarnation of our revered imperial stout. We toned down the hops a bit to allow cocoa nibs to contribute some pleasing bitterness, while vanilla notes from the oak combine with the cocoa to create an aroma and flavor akin to a gourmet chocolate bar. A dash of cayenne keeps things lively, adding just a bit of heat to the finish. A Yeti for summer? Hell yes. 9.5% ABV." -- brewery

Food Pairings from the brewery:
Raw oysters, grilled NY strip, chicken mole, Roaring 40’s blue cheese,crème bruleé, chocolate raspberry mousse cake.

Best place to buy cheese

Sauce readers, thanks for voting us the best place to buy cheese!

Favorite place to buy cheese 

THE WINE AND CHEESE PLACE 

Various locations, wineandcheeseplace.com

Saucemagazine.com

Charcoal for July 4th and beyond....

This time of year, we fly though this charcoal.  We have professional grillers that buy 10 bags at a time.  We just received another 72 bags late last week.  In stock now for you July 4th grilling.

In stock at all 4 locations - pick some up for the holiday weekend


"Highly Recommended" - Dragon Breath - $19.99 / 20 lbs - read review
compare to: 
"Recommended" [not highly] -- Big Green Egg Lump Charcoal - $23.99 / 20 lbs at Straubs - read review

Dragon's Breath Lump Charcoal....$19.99 / 20lbs
From Missouri
Made from Hickory and Oak
This is one of the top rated and one of the few "Highly Recommended" Lump Charcoals by the Naked Whiz's Lump Charcoal Database

"The charcoal is quite easy light, taking 3 sheets in our chimney starter test. This is low compared to other charcoals. There was very little sparking and no popping while the charcoal burned in the chimney starter. The smoke had the classic smell of American hardwood charcoal.


In our maximum temperature test, the charcoal burned at 980 degrees which ranks very high compared to other charcoals. The fire spreads quickly and there was very little sparking and no popping while the charcoal was burning full tilt. When using a MAPP torch to start the charcoal, we did observer moderate sparking AND popping, so you should exercise care in using a torch to start this charcoal.


Finally, in our burn time test, Dragon Breath burned a very long time ranking Very High compared to other charcoals. In fact, it is one of the longest burning charcoals we've encountered. The ash production was Low compared to other charcoals.


In conclusion, we were very impressed with this charcoal. It is easy to light, has that great American hardwood smell, burns hot, burns long, and produces a low amount of ash. 
Review from the Naked Whiz's Lump Charcoal Database

Ruby Redbird!!!

This one sells well for us, we sold out over the weekend, but more arrived today!

Ruby Redbird is here!