Labels

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Wine Education : Petite Sirah

Wine Tasting at all FOUR locations



Come taste 2011 Girard Petite Sirah
January 11from 11am-4pm.
(each store will also have other wines out to taste)

We 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".


Grape: Petite Sirah
The grape was first developed in the 1870s in France's Rhône region, the result of a cross between Syrah and a relatively minor Rhône variety, Peloursin. This rationale for this cross was to give Syrah a greater ability to resist mildew. Even though the origins of this grape are in France, Californiais the place to look for the best expressions of Petite Sirah. The "Petite" in the name refers not to the size of the vines but rather to the size of the grapes. In fact, the high skin to juice ratio that accompanies the small berries allows Petite Sirah to produce wines with high tannins and acidity, components that give them the ability to age well.

For a number of years, Petite Sirah was primarily used as a blending grape, thanks to its deep color and fairly intense tannins. Petite Sirah is frequently blended in to Zinfandel for added complexity, body, and to tone down the tendency of zins toward "jammy" fruit.

More recently, the grape has been bottled as a single varietal wine. On its own, Petite Sirah forms wines with dense blackberry fruit character, mixed with black pepper notes, licorice and smoked meats.

Come taste one of our favorite Petite Sirah this weekend
2011 Girard Petite Sirah Napa Valley CA...$21.99 93/100 The Wine Spectator
Will be tasted at all 4 stores.

Shackleton Mackinlay Rare Old Highland Malt Whiskey


SOLD OUT







Replica of a scotch that was found in buried in the ice in Antarctica back in 1907!

The distributor closed out 36 bottles and we have them.
The lowest price online is $134.99

Shackleton Mackinlay Rare Old Highland Malt Whiskey...$79.99
JOHN HANSELL
Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland whisky, 47.3%  $162
Rarely has a blend caused as much excitement as this one, but with good reason. This is also known as the Shackleton whisky, and is a recreation of the whisky abandoned in the Antarctic by explorer Ernest Shackleton more than 100 years ago. It has lemon, spring blossom, and wafts of smoke on the nose. The taste is full and citrusy, with peat and pepper in attendance. Beautifully balanced and outstanding, but there are just 50,000 bottles, so snap it up. –Dominic Roskrow
Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 92

2012 Spectacular Ken Wright Pinot Noir in stock now!


Buy them up before they are gone!!!

“Hard to believe anyone can get very excited over 2011....but À chacun son goût as the French say...2012 is the real deal in Oregon....just saying.... “ -- Robert Parker The Wine Advocate
From what we have tasted so far we completely agree with Mr. Parker's assesment, the 2012's are amazing. While the official reviews from the Wine Advocate aren't due until October I wouldn't wait until the score come out, many wineries have sold out their entire 2012 Vintage already.

2012 Ken Wright Oregon Pinot Noir currently in stock at The Wine and Cheese Place on Forsyth

2012 Ken Wright 
Pinot Noir Shae Vineyard...$46.99
This site is in the Yamhill-Carlton District just west of the Chehalem Valley. Our fruit is sourced from three small blocks, two of which are planted to the Pommard clone, with the third to Wadenswil. Soils are primarily of the Goodin and Melbourne type which are sedimentary in origin. The three blocks range in elevation from 450 to 600 feet and were originally planted in 1989. Trellis style is vertical shoot positioning. The wine from this vineyard has a complex array of aromas and flavors including black and red fruits, particularly blueberry, spice and earth. Approximately 725 cases are produced. The vineyard is owned by Dick and Deirdre Shea.


2012 Ken Wright 
Pinot Noir Abbot Claim Vineyard...$46.99
This site is a portion of the original John F. Abbott Donation Land Claim and lies in the middle of Savannah Ridge, a small east-west ridgeline of sedimentary rock just east of Carlton. This is a consistent broad face of land with soil depths of 30 inches to mother rock. Elevation ranges from 400' to 475' and the inclination is S-SE. Soils are mostly Wellsdale with some areas of Willakenzie, Melbourne and Peavine. All of them lie atop mother rock of fractured sandstone and siltstone.
The planted acreage totals 17 acres. Vines are roughly an equal mix of Pommard clone on Riparia Gloire rootstock, 777 on 101-14 and 115 on both 101-14 and 3309. As would be expected from a vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton District the wine is very darkly colored, dense and lush. Fruits tend to be darker such as plum, cassis and black cherry. Ken and Karen Wright own the vineyard. Mark Gould is the vineyard manager.

2012 Ken Wright 
Pinot Noir Guadalupe Vineyard...$46.99
The vineyard was planted in 1989 and represents the definable change of the Jory soils of the Dundee Hills to the sedimentary soil of the Yamhill-Carlton District. It is spaced 7' by 5' and is planted to the Wadenswil and Dijon 115 clones. The soil, known as Willakenzie, is a well-drained shallow soil over siltstone. It lies at an elevation of 350'. The vineyard consistently produces small berries and clusters that are intensely colored. The wine possesses the character of blue fruits, cocoa, leather and earth. Approximately 400 cases are produced. Jim Stonebridge and Kathleen Boeve own the vineyard. It is managed by Joel Myers.

2002 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Bryce Vineyard...$46.99

2012 Ken Wright 
Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard...$46.99
Located just 1 mile from Canary Hill in the Eola Hills, Carter Vineyard is lower on the hillside yet has a leaner and less fertile soil. It is mainly Nekia soil, which is formed from weathered basic rock. It lies at an elevation of 325' and was planted in 1983. This bottling is comprised of the Wadenswil, Dijon 777, Dijon 667, Dijon 115, and Pommard clones. The wine is much firmer than Canary Hill in its youth but evolves beautifully after a few years in bottle to show dark fruits and fresh, healthy earth scents. Approximately 650 cases are produced. The vineyard is owned by Jack and Kathleen Carter, and managed by Mark Gould.

2012 Ken Wright 
Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard...$46.99
Freedom Hill Vineyard is located in the Coast Range just south of Dallas, OR. The soil type is known as Bellpine, which is sedimentary in origin. The fruit from our 2.85 acre block is wholly Pommard clone. The vineyard was originally planted in 1980. Wines from this site were once the firmest and most structured that we worked with. After replanting from phylloxera devastation the site was refitted with a vertical shoot position trellis. This switch from a hanging trellis affords more shading of the fruit area. The less exposed berries have thinner skins and lighter tannin levels which allow the resulting wine to be lush and approachable at an earlier age. Approximately 340 cases are produced. The vineyard is owned and managed by Dan & Helen Dusschee.

2012 Oregon - Fantastic vintage

Buy them up before they are gone!!!

“Hard to believe anyone can get very excited over 2011....but À chacun son goût as the French say...2012 is the real deal in Oregon....just saying.... “ -- Robert Parker The Wine AdvocateFrom what we have tasted so far we completely agree with Mr. Parker's assesment, the 2012's are amazing. While the official reviews from the Wine Advocate aren't due until October I wouldn't wait until the score come out, many wineries have sold out their entire 2012 Vintage already.

2012 Oregon Pinot Noir currently in stock at The Wine and Cheese Place on Forsyth

2012 Broadley Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.....$21.99
2012 H by Hamacher Pinot Noir...$21.99
2012 Argyle Willamette Valley Pinot Noir...$21.99
2012 Ken Wright Shae Vineyard...$46.99
2012 Ken Wright Abbot Claim Vineyard...$46.99
2012 Ken Wright Guadalupe Vineyard...$46.99
2012 Ken Wright Freedom Hill Vineyard...$46.99 

2012 Ken Wright Bryce Vineyard...$46.99
2012 Ken Wright Carter Vineyard...$46.99
Wine Tasting Today at Forsyth!

Janauary 11 from 11am-4pm
Come taste a few of these beauties this weekend and stay tuned as we bring you more wines from this benchmark vintage.

2012 Broadley Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.....$21.99
2012 Argyle Willamette Valley Pinot Noir...$21.99
2012 Ken Wright Abbot Claim Vineyard...$46.99
2012 Ken Wright Freedom Hill Vineyard...$46.99

plus taste the Girard Petit Sirah - 93/100 Wine Spectator

Friday, January 10, 2014

2nd Shift

Back in stock!

Forsyth and online



2nd Shift Brewing Katy...$8.49 
Don't know what to call it besides a Brett Beer. This one gets aged for 3 months in oak barrels with Brettanomyces Lambicus, a cool yeast that gives this beer a wonderfully pretty aroma and flavor that everyone better like or else I'll look you up and teach you a lesson.
5.4% ABV


New batch arrived at Forsyth -- bottled 12/27/13


2nd Shift El Gato Grande IPA...$7.49 / 750ml
Heres a big hoppy IPA that is done the way they should be done and has about four truck loads of hops in it, although it's not very bitter at 62 IBUs. LOTS of Amarillo with a good bit of Citra and Columbus just for a good time." -- label

EGG is another IPA that we came up with. All you need to know is over 3 lbs. per barrel of Columbus, Amarillo and Citra. 7.6% ABV 62 IBU 

Schlafly BBQ Volume II Release Party!

RELEASE PARTY!
SOLD OUT

Hosted by Nick Vickery and Augie Altenbaumer
Schlafly Bourbon Barrel Quad - release date January 17, 2012
from 6-7pm

Beer will go on sale Friday Jan 17 also!!

Schlafly Bourbon Barrel Quad

We will taste....

  • Schlafly Quadrupel
  • Schlafly Bourbon Barrel Quad Volume I
  • Schlafly Bourbon Barrel Quad Volume II


Tickets for the release party --


Schlafly will be hosting

  • Limited to 28 people 
  • To be held in our tasting bar
  • $10 per person
  • Informal tasting of all 3 beers
  • We also have some cheese out for sampling with the beers
  • Very informal, taste the beers and stay as long as you can
  • Plus we will have up to 2 bottles of the Schlafly Bourbon Barrel Aged Quad Volume II reserved and available for you to purchase that night 
  • If you do not show up for the release party, the beers will not be held for you.



The beer will also be released on January 17, watch for the link on that day.  




Thursday, January 9, 2014

Bittercube Bitters

In stock now at Forsyth!


Bittercube Door County Hop Bitters...$9.99 / 1oz bottle
Limited batch release.  Bright and aromatic made with fresh Chinook and Cascade Hops exclusively from Door Peninsula Hops.

Bittercube Blackstrap...$19.99 / 5oz
Full-bodied, with molasses, clove, sassafras and sarsaparilla aroma and flavors. Two types of molasses are utilized, a Double A grade and a Blackstrap Molasses. These sit perfectly atop egg white cocktails and provide intense aroma and visual appeal.
Application: Rum, Egg White Cocktails, Whiskey, Hot Cocktails.

Bittercube Bolivar...$19.99 / 5oz
Light and aromatic, with notes of chamomile, jasmine, cinnamon and dried fruits. An homage to an old recipe from a 19th century cocktail book, these are aromatic and extremely versatile due to the fact that they contain three types of spirits at the base.
Application: Champagne Cocktails, Whiskey Cocktails, Rum Cocktails.

Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla...$19.99 / 5oz
Aromatic and potent, with hints of cherry, cocoa and Madagascar vanilla. The cherry aroma comes from wild cherry bark, and from Syrian cherry pits. The bitters have an interesting aroma of cocoa and bitter almonds.
Application: Manhattans, Highballs, Old Fashioneds, Sours

Bittercube Jamaican #1...$19.99 / 5oz
Robust Jamaican Spice overtones, with hints of ginger and black pepper. These are extremely spicy, somewhat like an Allspice Dram. Being the most spice forward bitters, Jamaican #1 can be utilized in baking, marinades, and in vinaigrettes,
Application: Rum, rum, rum. Hot cocktails and punches.

Bittercube Jamaican #2...$19.99 / 5oz
Bright, with grapefruit and hibiscus overtones, and underlying island spice notes. The viscosity to the touch is a result of the added grapefruit molasses, which we create by using juice leftover after we add the peels to the mash.
Application: Rum cocktails – Daiquiri’s, Punches and Mojitos. Highballs, Old Fashioneds.


Bittercube Orange...$19.99 / 5oz
Citrus forward with aromas of caramelized orange, toasted coriander, and toasted cardamom. We double macerate the orange peels to make the orange flavor pop, and add burnt sugar at the end of the process to create a subtle carmelized orange flavor.
Application: Gimlets, Old Fashioneds, Mojitos, Beer, Highballs.

Bittercube Variety Pack...$49.99 / 6 - 1oz bottles
A Bartender’s Spice Rack. The Bittercube Variety Pack has one bottle of each variety of Bittercube Bitters. A variety pack equips its owner with an arsenal of flavors. Try one cocktail six ways to add variety to your standby libations. The Bittercube Variety Pack is also a unique gift and comes with a recipe card and info on how to get to the Bittercube online recipe database.


click here for recipes

Deschutes and Goose Island Collab

Just a few bottles left, call to reserve if you like 314.727.8788

Just got it one more case at Forsyth!
Deschutes / Goose Island Class of 88 Belgian Style Ale....$14.99
Our barrel aged tribute to the Class of '88
Alc. 10.9% | IBUs 17
In this third and final creation of our collaborations with other breweries celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year, we’ve partnered with Goose Island Beer Company.

Michigan Riesling and Oregon Pinot Noir grapes age with Mt. Hood whole flower hops and Pilsner malt in Muscat casks. The fruit aroma unites with Belgian yeast esters and oak for a crisp, dry and slightly tart flavor. Sip slowly and enjoy the complexity.
Malt: Pilsner, Flaked Oats, Malted Wheat
Hops: Tettnang, Mt. Hood
Other: Michigan Riesling juice and Oregon Pinot Noir grapes
Barrel-Aging: 100% in 10-year-old Muscat barrels

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Michael Ballard's Full Throttle S'loonshine






Michael Ballard's Full Throttle S'loonshine Platinum Batch...$25.99


Michael grew up and went to school in the little town of Trimble, TN. It was a great place to raise kids--so his mom says. Michael was...well let's just say...full of life. The chief of police and Trimble judge called Michael: little Al Capone. At the age of 12 Michael was sneaking into the back of the Silver Dollar Cafe. This is where his interest for liquor started. The owner of the bar, Lewis Drummond, sometimes would want to throw Michael out because he was so young but Michael's uncle, Ralph Alford, was the bars number one customer and would tell Lewis to, "leave that boy alone."

Everybody within four counties used to come to Trimble to visit the Silver Dollar and that's where Michael's fascination with alcohol started. He would hang out and watch older people come into the bar, (I should hope so he was only 12) sit down with friends, and start drinking.
It was amazing what drinking did to them from Michael's point of view. They would go from being normal to getting real happy then loud to dancing. Michael still remembers family members going from drinking together to fighting each other back to drinking together. "It's all in a good time," is what Ralph would tell Michael. So from that point Michael wanted to be in the liquor business.
His first step, which was a huge one, was building the world's largest biker bar the Full Throttle Saloon. Now the Full Throttle Saloon is a house hold name (as seen on TruTV) and he plans to do the same with his Full Throttle S'loonshine (an authentic Tennessee Moonshine)
Michael, like a lot of people, had to leave Trimble to make his living but it's great that he is returning back to his hometown to build his moonshine distillery. It's also great how all the people of Trimble have welcomed him back. This will bring lots of tourists to Trimble and put some of the small town people to work. The distillery is set to open for business in the Fall of 2013 but the moonshine will hit the stores this June (2012). If you do not see it in your liquor stores or bars, ask for it!

Label Image: Brand (front)

Monday, January 6, 2014

Cold Outside!!

Not many people shopping today.  
We are just going to stay open until 3pm
Monday January 6
At Rock Hill, New Ballas, and Forsyth
(Ballwin never opened today)

All stores will open at 9am tomorrow