Utopia!!!!

sold out

Sam Adam Utopia  2013   - sold out

Caymus scores 95

In stock and online

2011 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon...$119.99
A brilliant wine, and one of the stars of the vintage, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection boasts aromas of blueberry pie, blackberries, cassis and white flowers. This full-bodied, velvety textured, delicious 2011 is already drinking well, and should continue to do so for 10-12 years. It is a terrific success for the vintage. 

Rated 95/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Amazing Foreau

In stock at Forsyth and online

The living legend of Vouvray: Philippe Foreau and the Clos Naudin:Philippe Foreau is the third generation of the Foreau family to produce Vouvray from this fabled domaine which his grandfather purchased in 1923. Philippe assumed the direction of the domaine in 1983 upon the retirement of his father, André. Today, the domaine consists of 11 1/2 hectares planted to Chenin Blanc. We are very pleased to offer a selection of Foreau’s most prize wines, quantities are limited:


2005 Philippe Foreau Clos Naudin Reserve....$99.99
Foreau’s 2005 Vouvray Moelleux Reserve smells spectacularly and kaleidoscopically of quince and apricot paste, date, honey, nutmeg, sweet floral perfume, pear distillate, lemon, white raisin, and hints of bitter quinine and smoky Calvados. Extraordinarily rich on the palate, yet clear, juicy in primary fruit character, and with luscious citrus leavening its concentration of nutmeg- and cinnamon-tinged apricot and quince, this finishes with terrific length and penetration, still clear and pure as honey, quince, apricot, apple blossoms and lilies slowly dissipate. Here is a Vouvray for the ages. Its 154 grams of residual sugar are by no means overwhelming and should assist it in a long, slow evolution. Furthermore, they are the reason one can enjoy the elegance and delicacy of 11.5% alcohol after, following sec, demi-sec and moelleux that weighed in at a surprisingly uniform 13.5%. 

Rated 96/100 The Wine Advocate


2009 Philippe Foreau Clos Naudin....$54.99
Candied grapefruit and lime peel in the nose of Foreau’s 2009 Vouvray Moelleux – a wine from largely over-ripe but not botrytized fruit – anticipate a tactile sense of palate attack that he thinks is too often lacking in wines of this vintage. A hint of white raisin woven into the candied citrus rind- and quince preserve-dominated palate here points to a level of ripeness that in Foreau vintages of an earlier era might have signaled a special reserve moelleux. Peppermint, white pepper, and citrus zest deliver piquant contrast to the candied sweetness in a finish of hugely impressive, sustained grip. Foreau thinks this ultimately superior to the corresponding 2008 (just as he agrees that 2008 has the edge in sec and demi-sec) but I am not prepared to go that far. Certainly, though, it is early days for this 2009 moelleux, a wine likely to reveal many additional facets over the next quarter-century.

Rated 94/100 The Wine Advocate 

As rare as it gets....

Lastly, a very special bottle, only produced for the 3rd time since 1947

SOLD OUT
2011 Philippe Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin 

"Goutte d’Or" Vouvray Moelleaux....$299.99
"Once in a generation, conditions conspire to create the grandest wine from the Vouvray appellation: Philippe Foreau’s “Goutte d’Or”, which in 2011 marks its third release in the entirety of the estate’s history (the previous two were 1947 and 1990). The wine is a tour de force, boasting 230 grams of residual sugar as a result of roughly 70% of the grapes enduring the effects of botrytis. On the palate, an impressive density delivers notes of apricot, straw, fig and kirsch, yet it carries only 9.5% alcohol. Harvest took place on the 10th of October and the total production was 2400 bottles. Philippe expects the wine to evolve over the course of the next 100 years, so this is a bottle for the deepest part of the cellar."

-Importer Neal Rosenthal

New Luminus Chardonnay from Beringer

In stock now and online

2012 Beringer Chardonnay Luminus...$29.99
Oak Knoll District
A 100% barrel-fermented, relatively new offering is the 2012 Chardonnay Luminus, which is made from Dijon clones from the Oak Knoll appellation. A brilliant example of Chardonnay, it comes across as a first-growth Chassagne-Montrachet or Meursault. Aromas of honeysuckle, hazelnut and buttered citrus are followed by a medium-bodied white with admirable fruit intensity, decent acidity and nicely integrated wood. This cuvee is put through partial rather than full malolactic, and that appears to preserve a lot of vibrancy and freshness.
Rated 93/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Crazy Donkey IPA

Very limited amount came to St. Louis

In stock now at Forsyth and online

From GREECE

Santorini Crazy Donkey IPA...$16.99

Best by 2.10.14

Crazy Donkey - Produced in very limited quantities

The Crazy Donkey label signifies the first and only IPA (India Pale Ale) produced in Greece. Received with enthusiasm by beer aficionados near and far, the Crazy may even travel to Australia in the summer of 2012! Large quantities of Cascade and Nelson Sauvin hops yield a plethora of aromatic bitterness - marrying an arguably tropical start to a dry finish, for a distinctly different drinking adventure.Alcohol: 5.8-6.0% vol.

IBU: 50

Quick news...

Real quick as we are drowning in work...

In stock now
Schlafly Chrsitmas Ale
Bells Christmas Ale
Crown Valley Sleighbell Spiced Ale
Crown Carriage Cider
Crown Valley Coffee Porter
more NB LOF Le Terroir

JJ Neukomm Hopseky Whiskey - Hopped Whiskey
Compass Box 10th Anniversary Peat
More Compass Box Delilah

Wine Education: Vouvray

Wine Tasting at all FOUR locations

Come taste 2012 Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Cuvee de Silex

October November 2 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

On our blog, click on the  label "Education" and you can read all of the education articles (see the right column under the heading "labels".

Wine Education: Chenin Blanc
Can you believe we are already in November? It’s time to start thinking about Thanksgiving wines. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, lots of food and wine go figure, but it can be a bit daunting picking out the wines for such and elaborate dinner. With some many different flavors on the table, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, chestnut soup, sweet potatoes, green beans the list goes on, it can be very hard to find wines that will stand up to the bigger flavors but pair well with the lighter dishes. So for the next 4 weeks we will be focusing on Thanksgiving wines and we are starting with one of my favorite and I think most versatile white wine varietals Chenin Blanc.


Chenin Blanc Chenin Blanc is a versatile white wine grape variety known for its high acidity and aging potential. Most commonly associated with the Loire Valley, Chenin Blanc has been cultivated in France for nearly 1300 years; official French documents first mention Chenin Blanc as early as 845. It is only since the 1980s, however, that renewed interest has reinvigorated Chenin Blanc's position as a classic and noble grape variety.

Chenin Blanc may be crafted to any level of sweetness, ranging from bone-dry, crisp and sparkling, through to sweet dessert wines.

Chenin Blanc has thrived outside of France and is now grown all over the world including South Africa, Australia, and especially California. Com taste a Wine and Cheese Place favorite and beautifully classic example of Chenin Blanc this weekend:  2012 Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Cuvee de Silex

Great Malbec with 91 from Wine Spectator and $9.99

2011 Trivento Amado Sur Malbec....$9.99
This ripe red delivers jammy cherry, boysenberry and spice notes, backed by fresh acidity, light tannins and a zesty finish of spice box, licorice and smoke. Malbec, Bonarda and Syrah. Drink now through 2016. 40,000 cases made. –NW

Rated 91/100 The Wine Spectator

Kilchoman new release

Order Kilchoman online

Kilchoman Machir Bay Gift Pack...$49.99 with 2 glasses

The Machir Bay range is Kilchoman’s core expression, first launched in 2012 when it won the prestigious IWSC 2012 Gold Award – Best in Class. Bottled once a year, each release contains more mature casks allowing Kilchoman fans to follow the development of the unique Kilchoman malt as it matures. Matured in a combination of both bourbon and sherry casks, Machir Bay has a well-balanced combination of rich tropical fruit, peat smoke, light vanilla and intense sweetness.

Kilchoman 100% Islay 3rd Edition...$89.99

All parts of the production process for the 100% Islay have taken place at the distillery – from barley to bottle. The barley is grown, malted, distilled, matured and bottled at Kilchoman making for a unique character. Bottled at 50% abv and peated to a lower level to that of other releases, 100% Islay has a lighter, fresher feel to it. Citrus and lemon notes come th

Abraham Bowman - very limited release

Very limited...

Abraham Bowman Limited Edition...$69.99

Distilled: 04.21.06

Bottled: 08.14.13

Gingerbread Beer Finished Bourbon

In stock now at Forsyth and online



More info
Just in time for fall, A. Smith Bowman announces the release of its Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Gingerbread Beer Finished Bourbon.

The barrels used for this bourbon have had quite a journey, starting with originally aging Bowman Brothers Bourbon from 2004 to 2012. In 2012, four used barrels were given to Hardywood Brewery located in Richmond, Virginia, upon which the Brewery aged its award-winning Gingerbread Stout inside for 12 weeks.

In February 2013, the barrels were returned to A. Smith Bowman and were filled with bourbon that had been made in April 2006 and then aged for another two months. The bourbon was then removed and put into used bourbon barrels, where it was left to age for four more months.

In total, the Abraham Bowman Gingerbread Beer Finished Bourbon has been aged seven years and three months. Tasting notes for the bourbon describe it as toasted graham crackers and gingerbread spice. Wonderful toasted nut, cinnamon, and clove, followed by hints of fruity nut bread. This bourbon has a medium palate weight and pleasantly moderate finish.

“The Gingerbread Beer Finished Bourbon has a great nose and taste starting with its spicy entry and rounding out with a pleasant finish,” says Brian Prewitt, master distiller, A. Smith Bowman Distillery. “It’s been a fun experiment to be a part of and I’m looking forward to coming up with more experiments under the Abraham Bowman line in the future.”

The Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Whiskey Gingerbread Beer Finished Bourbon will be available starting in October. It is a very limited supply. Alcohol by Volume is 45 percent (90 proof).

Info from FSR Magazine

Apple Knocker Hard Cider

Brand NEW to Missouri from our neighbors in the Shawnee Hills AVA, Apple Knocker Hard Ciders! They are the first local ciders produced in the Shawneee Hills AVA, and are produced by Owl Creek Vineyard in Cobden IL. All craft ciders are naturally fermented and use as many local apples as can be acquired.

Apple Knocker Hard Knocks..$5.99 / 22oz
Traditionally American Oak barrel fermented with select Belgian yeasts. Perfect for Kraut and Sausage.

Apple Knocker Bad Apple...$5.99 / 22oz
Green apples, a little tart and tangy with a crisp lightly sweet finish.

Apple Knocker Sweet Knockers...$5.99 / 22oz
Traditional cider yeasts pop all over the sweet and juicy flavor of ultra ripe, delicious apples

Pike Creek Canadian Whiskey

In stock now at Forysth and online

Pike Creek Canadian Whiskey...$25.99

Finished in Port Barrels
Great whisky makers have to trust nature. Understanding what role the surrounding environment plays in the maturation of their whisky is an art, as much as it is a science. Our distinctive whisky is aged in barrels that are exposed to the air and environment that surrounds it. Pike Creek whisky is truly a one-of-a kind small batch, sipping whisky.

Matured in warehouses in Pike Creek, Ontario, Canada, this distinct whisky is crafted by the elements of its birthplace. In a non-climate controlled warehouse, that contains no electricity, the erratic Northern climate plays a key role in Pike Creek’s maturation. Dramatic swings in temperature maximize the interaction of whisky and wood.

Contraction of the barrels during the sub-zero winter months and their expansion during the searing summer adds unique character, complexity, and flavor to Pike Creek.

Wood is another essential element in the creation of Pike Creek’s unique flavor. The whisky is first aged in American Oak. This imparts vanilla and toffee notes to the liquid. We then finish in vintage port barrels. This rounds out and gives the whisky a sweet, dried fruit flavor led by hints of raisin, currant and sultana.

The end result is a whisky that is extraordinarily full and robust in body, offering a complex nose of dried fruits with underlying peppery spice and subtle toffee notes.

Unique packaging elements such as hand-crafted satin-etch glass, antique finish label and all natural cork, complement the unique character of the liquid. Finally by hand, we carefully apply a Miller’s Knot to the neck of our bottle, our own subtle nod to the original distillers of our corner of the whisky world.

Now it is your turn to discover Pike Creek.

New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon

Back in stock at Forsyth

New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon...$31.99 / 750ml
Many craft brewer’s will attest that whiskey barrels make great beer, and our Dragon’s Milk, a stout aged in bourbon barrels, is a delicious example. Beer Barrel Bourbon goes to show that the opposite is also true; beer barrels make remarkable whiskey.

Beer Barrel Bourbon is first aged in new American oak barrels for several years, before a three month beer-y slumber. The beer-barrel aging lends biscuity notes and a smooth malt character to the robust whiskey tones of toffee and caramel.

Type: Bourbon whiskey finished in oak beer barrels.
Proof: 80
ABV: 40%
Base/Wash: Bourbon sourced at 110-115 proof.

Summit Unchained Series "Another IPA"

British Style IPA
Summit Unchained Series "Another IPA"...$7.99 / 6pk
The Summit Unchained Series is all about exploring the boundaries of brewing. So when it was Brewer Mike  Lundell’s turn to create any exotic brew he could dream up, what does he choose? Another IPA. No, really.  He calls this brew Another IPA.   But as the tongue-in-cheek name suggests, this isn’t just another IPA. Mike wanted a beer with a subtler complexity than most American IPAs. With more herbal hop notes, nutty malt character and a fruity nose. So why order another IPA,  when you can get Another IPA?

New - Newcastle Black Ale - Cabbie

Newcastle Cabbie Black Ale...$7.79 / 6pk

"Hail this smooth dark ale.  There are many ways to order a Newcastle Cabbie, but we chose 'hail' because it sounds like a cabbie word.  Newcastle Cabbie is brewed with dark malts and noble aroma hops to create a flavour with hints of chocolate, coffee and light fruit. -  because we think those words will make your mouth water.  So if all those words don't make you want to grab a Cabby, the label guy obviously lied to us." - label

Burgundy of Claude Dugat

The rare and amazing Burgundy of Claude Dugat from Bobby Kacher

In stock now and online

2011 Dugat Claude Bourgogne Rouge...$59.99
"We are very pleased to represent Claude Dugat, who is widely considered one of the top producers in all of Burgundy. The property consists of 12 hectares and ranges from Bourgogne to Griottes-Chambertin where he owns .15 hectares.   All of the vineyards are farmed organically and only fertilized once every 4 years. This is done to strain the vines and naturally produce very low yields of outstanding fruit. All of the wines are fermented and aged in barrels for up to 16 months." -- Bobby Kacher 

2011 Domaine Claude Dugat Griottes-Chambertin Grand Cru....$449.99
Bright, deep red. Knockout perfume of red cherry, framboise, flowers and crushed stone. Wonderfully silky and sweet on entry, then reticent and primary in the mid-palate, showing less obvious power than the Charmes. Not a powerful style but finishes with outstanding finesse of tannins and a whiplash of red fruits and stone. This will call for at least five or six years of bottle aging.

Rated 92-95/100 Stephen Tanzer

2011 Claude Dugat Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru....$339.99

(10 btls available)

Good bright, dark red. Pure but subdued nose hints at black cherry and licorice. Juicy, intense and imploded, suggesting very pure dark fruits and salty minerals but coming across as rather clenched today. Most impressive on the rising, almost peppery finish, which stains the palate with flavor and stimulates the salivary glands.

Rated 91-91/100 Stephen Tanzer

2011 Claude Dugat Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St Jacques...$213.99
(10 bottles available)

Bright, dark red. Wild small red berries, soil tones and flowers on the complex, classic Gevrey nose. Silky-smooth and fine-grained in the mouth but at the same time precise and perfumed, with cherry and saline notes leading to a juicy, rising finish featuring round tannins and excellent lift. Lovely length here

Rated 90-93/100 Stephen Tanzer

2011 Claude Dugat Gevrey Chambertin AC....$109.99
(36 bottles available)Tangy, pure aromas of redcurrant, red cherry and minerals. Dark fruit flavors are complicated by notes of herbs, licorice and spices. In a moderately ripe style and a bit lean for this cuvee in the early going. Just a tad dried by reduction on the back end.

Rated 87-89/ Stephen Tanzer

Stone Double Bastard Ale

Now available online

Just arrived at Forsyth
Stone Double Bastard Ale...$6.59 / 22oz

This is one lacerative muther of an ale. It is unequivocally certain that your feeble palate is grossly inadequate and thus undeserving of this liquid glory...and those around you would have little desire to listen to your resultant whimpering. Instead, you slackjawed gaping gobemouche, slink away to that pedestrian product that lures agog the great unwashed with the shiny happy imagery of its silly broadcast propaganda. You know, the one that offers no challenge, yet works very, very hard to imbue the foolhardy with the absurd notion that they are exercising ‘independent’ thought, or attempts to convey the perception it is in some way ‘authentic’ or ‘original.’ It’s that one that makes you feel safe and delectates you into basking in the warm, fuzzy, and befuddled glow of your own nescience. Why so many allow themselves to be led by the nose lacks plausible explanation. Perhaps you have been so lulled by the siren song of ignorance that you don’t even notice your white-knuckle grip on it. You feel bold and unique, but alas are nothing but sheep, willingly being herded to and fro. If you think you are being piqued in this text, it is nothing when compared to the insults we are all asked to swallow streaming forth from our televisions and computers. Truth be told, you are being coddled into believing you are special or unique by ethically challenged “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” marketers who layer (upon layer) imagined attributes specifically engineered to lead you by the nose. Should you decide to abdicate your ability to make decisions for yourself, then you are perhaps deserving of the pabulum they serve. Double Bastard Ale calls out the garrulous caitiffs who perpetrate the aforementioned atrocities and demands retribution for their outrageously conniving, intentionally misleading, blatantly masturbatory and fallacious ad campaigns. We demand the unmitigated, transparent truth. We demand forthright honesty. We want justice! Call ‘em out and line ‘em up against the wall... NOW.

Beer news....

Random beer news of interest....

• Deschutes....$6.99 / 6pk sale ends on Thursday (Oct 31) Just a few days left.  Stock up.
• Firestone Walker Walkers Reserve Porter - No longer going to be available.  What I have on the shelf is it.  Not sure if it is just a St. Louis thing or not.  Buy it now if you are a fan.
• Stone Suede - 1 case left
• New Holland Fresh Hop Hopivore - 5 - 4pks left
• Ommegang Game of Thrones - 1 case left
• Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad - only 1 bottle left at Forsyth (I think I saw 7-8 at Rock Hill)
• 4 Hands Chocolate Milk Stout is sold out

Pumpkin Ale and Oktoberfest update

Pumpkin Ales are almost gone!

Don't miss out! Buy them now!

Less than a case left of these at Forsyth...
(I did not get inventory from the other stores)

• Wild Onion Pumpkin Ale 
• Hermitage Fruit Crate Pumpkin Ale
• Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale
• New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin
• Southern Tier Warlock (3 bottles left)

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale still in good supply

Oktoberfest Beers 

(less than a case of each left for the season)

• Leinenkugels Oktoberfest
• Excel Oktoberfest
• Boulevard Bob's 47
• Ayinger Oktoberfest
• Paulaner Oktoberfest
• Hofbrau Oktoberfest

Recipe of the Week: Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo Sauce
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
Having to get the kids from ballet to soccer, piano and everything in between, the idea of the complicated weekday meal has long since gone out the window, which is why I’m always on the lookout for great “base” recipes that allow us to tweak as the seasons change and work with what ever protein we happen to have in the fridge. This Alfredo Sauce is simple, delicious and works with everything from smoked salmon, shrimp ,chicken or just some fresh herbs and vegetables. As you will notice the ingredients are very simple so it is important to use the best you can find to get the optimal flavor, really it’s all about the cheese in this sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter    ***
• Table salt   ***
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper    ***
• 9 ounces Fettuccine or other pasta    ***  
• 4oz ounces Parmesan cheese, grated use Vacche Rosse Parmesan when available this incredibly rich and creamy parmesan adds an extra dimension to the dish   ***
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (fresh is best but the jar works just fine)

 *** In stock at The Wine and Cheese Place

Bring 4 1/2 quarts water to boil, covered, in large stockpot or Dutch oven. Using ladle or heatproof measuring cup, fill each individual serving bowl with about 1/2 cup boiling water; set bowls aside to warm.

While water comes to boil, bring 1 cup heavy cream and butter to simmer in 3- to 4-quart saucepan over medium heat; reduce heat to low and simmer gently until mixture reduces to 2/3 cup, 12 to 15 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining 1/2 cup cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water; cook pasta until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta. Meanwhile, return cream mixture to simmer over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low and add pasta, Parmesan, and nutmeg to cream mixture.

Cook over low heat, tossing pasta with tongs to combine, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is just al dente and cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in reserved pasta-cooking water; sauce may look radically thin but will gradually thicken as pasta is served and eaten. Working quickly, empty serving bowls of water; divide pasta among bowls, tossing pasta to coat well with sauce. Top with protein of your choice.