The Best of Bordeaux 2009 vintage

Also online

Rare and limited

In stock at Forsyth
2 bottles of
2009 Cheval Blanc First Growth $1150 net per bottle

• Rated 99/100 Wine Advocate 
• Rated 98/100 The Wine Spectator
• Rated 99/100 James Suckling
• Rated 97/100 Stephen Tanzer

In stock at Forsyth
3 bottles of
2009 La Mission Haut Brion $800 net per bottle

• Rated 100/100 Wine Advocate
• Rated 96/100 The Wine Spectator
• Rated 98/100 James Suckling
• Rated 97+/100 Stephen Tanzer

Highly rated Spanish wines....

In stock and online

Bodegas R. Lopez de Herdia
“I have adored, indeed occasionally worshiped, the wines of Lopez de Heredia for many years, so I am not ashamed to admit that visiting both their vineyard and their winery was a pilgrimage. Founded by Rafael Lopez de Heredia y Landeta in 1877, it has withstood the tide of corporatization and homogeneity, and epitomizes timeless, artisan winemaking in their own individual, almost solipsistic manner. Technology is noticeable by its absence here. For example, to quote her sister Maria-Jose at a tasting that I subsequently attended in London: “Indigenous yeasts have adapted to high temperatures. To control the temperature during fermentation, we open doors and windows” and “malolactic is the invention of modern winemakers.” I had to check whether this was 2012 or 1912.”-  Neal Martin The Wine Advocate


1994 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Rioja $88.99
The 1994 Vina Tondonia Reserva has a beautiful bouquet of morello cherry, vervain tea and crushed strawberry that is feminine and alluring. The palate is crisp and poised on the citric entry with racy acidity and sublime delineation. It is underpinned by sappy red currant and raspberry leaf, just a dash of white pepper and dried orange peel. This is utterly delectable. Drink now-2025. 

Rated 96/100 The Wine Advocate

2001 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva Rioja....$44.99

The 2001 Vina Tondonia Reserva is bridled with a lovely nose of decayed red fruit, fireside hearth, a touch of mulberry and small red cherry. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, crisp red fruits (wild strawberry and cranberry) with a sharp, vibrant, tense, tannic finish that has immense precision. There is a slight saline note lingering in the mouth after the wine has (regretfully) departed. Drink now-2030+ 
Rated 95/100 The Wine Advocate

2005 Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo Crianzo Rioja.....$26.99

The 2005 Cubillo Tinto Crianza has a wonderful bouquet with leathery red fruit augmented by subtle hints of undergrowth, tobacco and a touch of spice. The palate is medium-bodied with a bit of piquancy on the entry. The acidity is quite sharp and it is missing a little flesh and weight towards the tensile finish. Drink now-2018. 

Rated 91/100 The Wine Advocate

10 Year old White Wine - current release!

Yes, it is 10 years old and according to 

The Wine Spectator you still have 10 years to drink it!

In stock now at Forsyth and online

2003 Lopez Vina Gravonia Rioja Blanc...$28.99
A beautiful example of a traditional white Rioja. Fresh and elegant, with harmonious, complex flavors of apple, mint, almond, beeswax and rose water. Delicate yet intense, balanced and long. Drink now through 2023. 2,083 cases made. –TM
Rated 93/100 The Wine Spectator
(from current Aug 31, 2013 issue of The Wine Spectator)


(100% viura): Full gold. A perfumed, complex bouquet evokes dried pit fruits, honey and toasted nuts, with floral and beeswax accents adding complexity. Deep, fleshy and broad, offering chewy peach, pear skin and candied almond flavors lifted by gentle acidity. Closes with firm grip and very good persistence, leaving floral and honey notes behind. 91 points
Rated 91/100 Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar



The Wine Advocate has not rated the 2003 yet, but here is some words about the 2002 version which they gave 91 points.
More interesting reading from Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate
"I have adored, indeed occasionally worshiped, the wines of Lopez de Heredia for many years, so I am not ashamed to admit that visiting both their vineyard and their winery was a pilgrimage. Founded by Rafael Lopez de Heredia y Landeta in 1877, it has withstood the tide of corporatization and homogeneity, and epitomizes timeless, artisan winemaking in their own individual, almost solipsistic manner. Technology is noticeable by its absence here. For example, to quote her sister Maria-Jose at a tasting that I subsequently attended in London: “Indigenous yeasts have adapted to high temperatures. To control the temperature during fermentation, we open doors and windows” and “malolactic is the invention of modern winemakers.” I had to check whether this was 2012 or 1912. If you were to award points for charisma, then this producer would be in a league of its own. That would count for nothing if their wines were not distinguished, individual, long-lived and above all, delicious. It is commonly known that if you are seeking bags of fruit and lashings of oak, this is not the place to come. My views and these scores might be irrational to someone with a penchant for lush, voluptuous Rioja. Lopez de Heredia is the apotheosis of traditional, classic wines: taut, fresh, bucolic, utterly charming and amazingly long-lived. I spent two or three hours with winemaker Mercedes Lopez de Heredia, who was celebrating her birthday with, appropriately enough, a bottle of Tondonia Gran Reserva from her year of birth. I urge readers to access the video I took of Mercedes explaining the vineyard in her own breathless style. In the meantime, I will crack on with the wines “Wines should talk by themselves,” Maria-Jose enthused to her enraptured audience at a tasting in London. “My father was a vine maker, not a winemaker. Each wine is a reflection of a different land that my great-grandfather bought. Our wines respond to the history of Rioja.” I would add to her comments that since these are mainly aged wines, a bottle of Lopez de Heredia is an individual and each time you meet, you may see a different side to its personality. So treat these reviews as they are: snapshots at a given moment. We commence with their white wines and indeed, I know of several connoisseurs who rate these even better than their reds and I can sympathize with that view. “  The white wines were made as a copy of Graves and were made to be aged,” Marie-Jose continued. “So they are made like reds and are harvested at the same time. They undergo skin contact for one, two or three days to absorb the preservative from the skins and pips. Viura gives complexity as it ages.”

Grand Marnier Cherry - closeout

Another great closeout!
In stock at all stores and online

Check out this price - only $12.99

Grand Marnier CHERRY...$12.99 / 750ml
Compare to Spec's Wine and Spirits....$34.31

An icon was born over 150 years ago when the world-renowned House of Marnier Lapostolle created Grand Marnier which is a rich blend of wild oranges and fine aged Cognac. Now, for the first time, the Grand Marnier family is proud to introduce an intriguing new flavor, Grand Marnier Cherry.

Grand Marnier Cherry is an elegant, yet complex blend of wild tropical oranges, European griotte cherries and exceptionally smooth Cognac. The result is an alluring, smooth, delicious and ultra-mixable spirit that stirs up unforgettable experiences.

Another vodka closeout

In stock now at Forsyth and online

Three Olives S'mores Vodka...$13.99 / Liter

A blend of English Vodka, Chocolate, Marshmallow and Graham

How about some Three Olives S'mores Cupcakes!!

see recipe

Another great closeout...

Compare to....

Premium Wine and Spirits...$22.99 / liter

Empire Wine....$23.99 / liter

Amazing closeout on Stoli

You will not believe this price....

Available in Forsyth and online

Stoli Chocolat Razberi...$9.99 / Liter bottle

Stoli® Chocolat Razberi™ features sweet, rich milk chocolate and clean vodka characters in balance with ripe tart fleshy raspberry, creating a creamy-silky texture on the palate.

To give you an idea how great a price this is....

This is the liter bottle, not 750ml (1/3 of a bottle more)

Compare our price of $9.99 / LITER...

$24.99...K&L Liquors 

$27.49...The Party Source

$30.52...Spec's Wine and Spirits

$17.99...BevMo for a 750ml

Try this one....

Stoli Choco Raz and Ginger Ale

• Stoli® Chocolat Razberi™1 ½ parts
• Ginger Ale2 part

Dry Dock Farms

We have both fresh Dry Dock Farms Eggs and Home Grown Tomatoes in stock at Forsyth!

10 Year old Dunn - ready to drink!

In stock at Forsyth and online

2003 Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon...$94.99 / 750ml

2003 Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon....$199.99 / Magnum

Rich with surprisingly soft tannin, this dense plum/ruby/purple-colored 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits lots of briary mountain fruit, blackberries, blueberries and cassis, outstanding purity, full-bodied power and nicely integrated tannin. There is no evidence of toasty oak to be found in this beauty from Randy Dunn. Drink it now or cellar it for 15+ years. It finished at 13.8% natural alcohol.

Rated 95/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Recipe of the Week : Insalata Caprese

Insalata Caprese

Insalata caprese (literally, the salad from Capri) is the perfect summertime dish for cooks in a hurry; slicing is the hardest part. The salad was created in the 1950s at the Trattoria da Vincenzo for regulars out for a light lunch. They'd order a just-picked tomato and fresh fior di latte (cow's-milk mozzarella — no buffalo on Capri). The salad has evolved on the island to include a few leaves of rughetta (wild arugula) and a pinch of dried wild oregano, both local products; everywhere else (including St Louis) in Italy it takes the form of tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil.

The dressing is always a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil — only. Vinegar would destroy the delicate flavor of the cheese and is never used. Because this salad is so simple, top-rate ingredients are imperative:

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Dry Dock Farms  vine-ripened tomatoes (about 4 large), sliced 1/4 inch thick ***
• 1 pound Marcoot fresh mozzarella, sliced1/4 inch thick   ***
• 1/4 cup packed fresh basil    ***  Free with purchase of Mozzarella
• 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil   ***
• fine sea salt to taste   ***
• freshly ground black pepper to taste   ***

*** In stock at The Wine and Cheese Place Forsyth

 ***  Our Forsyth store has some potted Basil growing.  When you purchase fresh mozzarella, we can clip you some for FREE for your salad.  While it lasts.
PreparationOn a large platter arrange tomato and mozzarella slices and basil leaves, alternating and overlapping them. Sprinkle salad with oregano and arugula and drizzle with oil. Season salad with salt and pepper

*Adapted from Epicurious.com

Wine Education: Chianti

Wine Tasting at all FOUR locations

Taste Isole e Olena Chianti Classico  at all four of our locations this Saturday, 
August 3 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".

Wine Region: Chianti

The first definition of a wine-area called Chianti was made in 1716. It described the area near the villages of Gaiole, Castellina and Radda; the so-called Lega del Chianti and later Provincia del Chianti (Chianti province). . In 1932 the Chianti area was completely re-drawn and divided in seven sub-areas: Classico, Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colline Pisane, Colli Senesi, Montalbano and Rùfina. Most of the villages that in 1932 were suddenly included in the new Chianti Classico area added in Chianti to their name-such as Greve in Chianti which amended its name in 1972. Wines labelled "Chianti Classico" come from the biggest sub-area of Chianti, that includes the original Chianti heartland. Only Chianti from this sub-zone may boast the black rooster seal (known in Italian as a gallo nero) on the neck of the bottle. Chianti has changed little from the original “recipe” of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo and 15% Malvasia Bianca as formulated by Baron Ricasoli in the middle of the nineteenth century, though the white varietals are no longer allowed except in the region of Chianti Rufina. Today most Chianti is made using at least 80% Sangiovese grapes with the balance often being the more international varietals of Cabernet and Merlot creating a slightly more modern flavor and greater appeal. Long a store favorite we feel Chianti is the source of some of the great red wine values in the world. 

2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico....$21.99
"Dark fruit and pressed flowers on the nose. Tight, young and grippy palate with racy plum and cherry fruit, touches of pepper and an aromatic, herby finish. A wine of depth and fascinating complexity. 19pts/20 (96/100)"
Rated 96/100 Decanter Magazine

Craft Beer Week - Deschutes Tasting

Tonight, FRIDAY!!

Buy Deschutes 2012 The Dissident!

We will have 10 bottles of The Dissident for sale on August 2!

• Each person that comes to the Deschutes Craft Beer Week Tasting at the Forsyth location can enter their name TWICE in the drawing for a chance to purchase a bottle of The Dissident.  If you show up for the tasting, your odds increase.
• You can also enter between now and the tasting by coming to the Forsyth location and purchasing any six pack of Deschutes product.  For each 6 pack you purchase, you can enter your name in the drawing.
• Karen from Deschutes will draw the names at 5:45pm on August 2nd
• Maximum 1 bottle per person can be purchased (if your name is drawn twice, we will discard and draw another name)

Deschutes Beer Tasting!

 The Wine and Cheese Place

7435 Forsyth Blvd

Clayton, MO 63105

314.727.8788

Reservations are not required - but let us know you are coming on facebook

For St. Louis Craft Beer Week 2013 The Wine and Cheese Place will feature a very special Deschutes tasting with Karen King

Friday, August 2nd from 4-6pm 

We will taste:
Deschutes / Great Lakes Smoked Porter
Deschutes River Ale
Deschutes Chainbreaker IPA
Deschutes Black Butte
plus Deschutes The Dissident!

Deschutes 2012 The Dissident

Alc. 11.4% | IBUs 18

The Dissident is an Oud Bruin, a distinctive Flanders-style sour brown ale, with a heavenly aroma and flavor. Our first and only wild yeast beer, we use Brettanomyces to give The Dissident its characteristic sour taste. Our stiffest brewing challenge, it must be fermented in isolation from our other beers for a full 18 months, partly in pinot and cabernet barrels. The words coddled and “worth it” come to mind.

Deschutes / Great Lakes Brewing Class of 88

We've teamed up with another porter brewmaster — Great Lakes Brewing Co.of the famed Edmund Fitzgerald Porter — to create a very special porter for the Class of '88.

This Imperial Smoked Porter is brewed with both roasted and smoked malt that delivers not only a subtle smoky flavor but a rich, chocolaty aroma. Enjoy every layer of porter craftsmanship from this limited-run collaboration.

Firestone Walker Double DBA

This one we will just do in store pick up - first come first served to Forsyth

Firestone Walker Double DBA...$12.99 / 22oz
DDBA is our flagship beer brewed at double strength. It is amazingly similar in many respects to our barrel fermented DBA and possesses everything we love about that beer times two. English caramel malts lend rich toffee character that pairs well with assertive medium toast American oak barrels.

REMEMBER: Watch for bottled on dates located on the necks or bottom left corner of the label for each of our beers. Our Proprietor's Reserve Series, Barrel-aged beers are built to aged carefully. Storing in a dark place at or below 40F will allow them to best age for several years.

4 Hands Wood Series Volume #1

We will do online reservations only for pick up at all stores.  No phone call reservations.  No pre-arrival reservations.  You can pick which store you want to pick up.

We will do 1 bottle per person to make it last longer.

SOLD OUT

wait for confirmation

4 Hands Brewery Wood Series Volume #1...$12.99
Volume #1 is the first release in our Wood Series- a series of high gravity ales aged in American spirit barrels that will really make you say “Oh My!”. Volume #1 is a Russian Imperial Stout with cocoa nibs and coffee aged for 16 months in whiskey barrels. How Awesome is this brew? 

Avery Odio Equum

SOLD OUT

You have 7 days to pick up or it goes back out for sale.

Avery Odio Equum Barrel Aged Sour Ale...$7.99 / 12oz

Such a strong and ugly word, but unfortunately true. Our vintner friend just doesn't appreciate the depth and character of the aromas and flavors that Brettanomyces creates like we do. Like you do. But the dude has some seriously fine Cabernet Sauvignon barrels that he shared with us to help create this wondrous sour ale. Our lucky #13 in this series. Aged for 12 months in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels.

New IPA from New Belgium

New Belgium French Aramis IPA...$3.79 / 22oz

Made with Bravo, Czech Saaz and French Aramis hops, French Aramis IPA is the latest great beer brewed up in the New Belgium Hop Kitchen. This dry IPA is perfect for refreshing afternoons of summertime drinking.

BEER FACTS
Birthdate: July, 2013
ABV: 6.7%
IBU: 75
Hops: Bravo, Czech Saaz, French Aramis
Malts: Pale, C-120, oats
Aroma: Earthy, grassy, potpourri floral, oranges, peppery, malty and medicinal
Mouthfeel: Smooth medium-full body, resinous coating, pleasant lingering bitterness, dry
Visual: Sunset orange, tight white head, heavy haze – nearly opaque

2nd Shift releases

BOTTLED JULY 30th!

A fresh batch arrived, in stock at Forsyth, no limit.
We have 2 cases of each in stock now.

2nd Shift Brewing Brew Cocky Ale....$8.49 / 750ml

"Yup, we love hops and this IPA puts them all up in your face.  Loads and Loads of Falcaner's Flight, a blend of Northwest hops was used in such a gratuitous manner heretofore not seen in these parts.  ENJOY" - label

2nd Shift Ratsalad...$8.49 / 750ml
Just love making IPA's, so here's another one that uses a new hop blend called Zythos that is just delicious and should be enjoyed with a blow-up doll or something similiar.
It is 8.5% ABV

Blue Ice "g" Vodka

Special prices while supply lasts!

Our local distributor closed this one out and we 

took all 40 cases at this great price, we are the lowest price in the country

In stock at Forsyth, Rock Hill and online

Blue Ice "g" Multi-Grain American Vodka....$9.99 / 750ml

Compare to $14.99 at Wally's Wine and Spirits
Blue Ice G Vodka is made from a high quality blend of American grain. The name Blue Ice “G” celebrates American Grain and American Growers. Blue Ice G Vodka was developed to extend the brand’s commitment to premium vodkas reflective of the purity of America’s natural resources while also appealing to the growing market of at-home vodka consumers whose priorities include quality spirits, home Mixology, creative packaging and outstanding discernible value.

Blue Ice G Vodka continues the family-owned business’s devotion to bottling classic American vodka. The success of our occasion-based potato vodka in the luxury category and our organic wheat vodka in the niche organic spirit category has laid the foundation for our Blue Ice G line extension for the everyday vodka consumer who values brand reputation and a good price to quality ratio.

96 Point Lewis Reserve Cabernet

James Laube does not give out sky high ratings - a 96 point rating is huge!   

James Laube, Wine Spectator senior editor and expert Napa Valley wine critic has just rated the 2010 Lewis Reserve Cabernet a chart topping 96 points. The only 2010 Napa Cabernet to score higher is the Schrader Beckstoffer To Kalon MMX going for $800 and up for a magnum.

Pre-Arrival
2010 Lewis Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon....$109.00
Bold, rich and complex, yet delicate and graceful, featuring finely detailed currant, dark berry and licorice notes, with jazzy spice and mocha-scented oak leading to a long, firming finish that gains depth and dimension.  Drink now through 2026. James Laube 

Rated 96/100 The Wine Spectator

Once again, The Wine & Cheese Place has the lowest price in the USA!
Just check out our price and see for yourself - wine-searcher.com

Pre-Arrival.  Pre-order to secure your bottles.

 Click here to reserve yours at this great pre-offering price

1er Cru Burgundy at a great price!

Great price on this great Burgundy!
2005 Domaine de la Vougeraie Vougeot 1er Cru 

"Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot" Monopole...$49.99

(compare to JJ Buckley at $79.99)

"The Clos Blanc, a mythical, mystical vineyard, is adjacent to the Château du Clos de Vougeot. This golden triangle, surrounded on all sides by great reds, first offered its pure, golden sacrament to its spiritual fathers, the first monks of Cîteaux, in 1110. Known as “The White Vineyard”, it is like a diamond set in the centre of rubies."

Winemaker notes:
The Vougeot appellation covers 168 acres, 126 of which are taken up by the Clos de Vougeot. The Clos Blanc de Vougeot is just in front of the Chateau, below the western half of the Clos de Vougeot's north wall.
Soil:  Very calcareous; silyt clay subsoil.
Barrel-aged 16 months.
Visual Aspect: Deep gold; beautiful brilliance and attractive green reflections.
Nose:  First nose is stunning. Powerful, complex, managing to be both fruity and mineral.
Palate:  Possesses richness of taste, with dry fruits, hazelnut and cashew nuts. The opulence of the mouth shows great acidity, with a distinguished and refreshing finish.

2011 J.J. Prums are in stock now

Order Prum online

2011 JOH. JOS. PRÜM Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Auslese....$42.99
A savory and delicate style, with well-integrated passion fruit, apple compote and Key lime pie flavors. Zesty acidity and notes of chive and green herbs give this plenty of snap. Candied mango notes linger on the plush finish. Drink now through 2034. –KM
Rated 94/100 The Wine Spectator


2011 JOH. JOS. PRÜM Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese...$34.99
Features a savory aroma, with flavors to match, showing good acidity to the juicy apple, pear and white currant flavors. Curry notes extend on the finish, displaying plenty of cream. Powerfully structured and deep with spice. Drink now through 2032. –KM
Rated 93/100 The Wine Spectator


2011 JOH. JOS. PRÜM Riesling Bernkasteler Badstube Spatlese...$33.99
Elegant, with rich citrus overtones to the passion fruit, melon and baked pineapple flavors. A touch languid, with notes of lemon cake and white chocolate that linger on the rich, well-honeyed finish. Drink now through 2032. –KM
Rated 93/100 The Wine Spectator


2011 JOH. JOS. PRÜM Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese...$46.99
Delicate and elegant, with anise and tarragon accents to the crisp apple, grapefruit and ripe citrus flavors. Crystalline notes of mineral and granite put this into relief. Light and airy on the broad finish. Drink now through 2032. –KM
Rated 94/100 The Wine Spectator

Rated 94/100 The Wine Advocate

2011 JOH. JOS. PRÜM Riesling Kabinett....$23.99
This features ripe lime and slate notes on an elegant frame, with lively hints of white chocolate and vanilla. The rich finish of peaches and cream is accented by light, smoky notes. Drink now through 2020. –KM
Rated 90/100 The Wine Spectator

Dominus 2010 is here!

SOLD OUT

Sale!

2010 Dominus Proprietary Red...$164.99 
(net, no additional discount)

The sweetest and most succulent black cherries, plums, violets, graphite, cinnamon and cloves come to life in the 2010 Dominus, a wine that stands out for its superb precision and balance. There is a purity and sheer sweetness in the fruit that is completely striking. As with the Napanook, today the 2010 lacks some of the depth of the 2009. It will be fun to see how the wine develops in bottle. The 2010 Dominus is a model of class and elegance. I find it utterly compelling. The blend is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2035.

Rated 96+/100 Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate

The Rule Cabernet Sauvignon...

We are told that this wine is sourced from famous Napa vineyards

It is one fantastic $20 bottle of Cab!

In stock at Rock Hill and Forsyth

2010 The Rule Cabernet Sauvignon....$19.99

There are expectations of Napa Valley Cabernet. A specific set of “rules” must be followed. The grapes must be picked at a certain sugar range, fermented at the exact temperature for a certain amount of time, and rest several months in the perfect combination of oak barrels. These guys follow all of the rules, except they break the one rule most wineries won’t.....the price! 

Made by winemaker Tony Leonardini whose family owns of course the famous Whitehall Lane Winery

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

SOLD OUT!

Limit 2 bottles per person - in store pick up only until it is gone!


Goose Island Bourbon County Stout...$4.99 / 12oz