Mas Oller - 91+ score

2011 Mas Oller Plus Emporda...$14.99
The 2011 Plus is a Syrah-Garnacha blend aged in oak for one year. It feels serious and balanced, with a nose of smoked bacon, tar, ripe plums, raspberries and olives, reminiscent of a northern Rhone red with a juicy, tasty palate, with fine-grained tannins, ripe flavors and a mineral sensation toward the end. It feels fresh, despite the warm vintage. Drink now-2019. 

Rated 91+/100 The Wine Advocate

Teso la Monja "Almirez"

2012 Teso la Monja "Almirez"...$24.99
The 2012 Almirez (a 1,000-case cuvée of 100% Tinta de Toro) was aged 14 months in French oak. This sensational wine comes from vines planted between 1949 and 1999. Yields were a conservative 1.8 tons of fruit per acre. An inky/purple color is followed by aromas of camphor, ground pepper, blackberries and cassis. This full-bodied, Northern Rhône Valley-like Spanish red exhibits meaty/lard notes, terrific density and purity, and a finish that lasts nearly 40 seconds. It should drink nicely for a decade or more.
Rated 93/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Venta Morales Tempranillo value...

2014 Venta Morales Tempranillo...$6.99

Opaque ruby. Vibrant red and dark berry aromas are complemented by hints of cola and candied flowers. Silky and open-knit, showing good energy and appealing sweetness to its blackberry and cherry compote flavors. This fresh, seamless, fruit-driven wine finishes on a tangy note, with gentle tannins and lingering spiciness. There's outstanding value here.

Rated 89/100 Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

Volver Single Vineyard

2014 Volver Single Vineyard....$15.99

The 2014 Volver Single Vineyard, 100% Tempranillo from La Mancha as opposed to Tierra de Castilla, was aged in new French oak for 18 months and bottled unfiltered. This is a serious wine from one of their finest vineyards, Finca los Juncares. This wine shows deep ruby/purple color, notes of licorice, blackcurrant and black cherry, perfect fruit on the attack, medium body, impressive intensity, purity and texture. This should drink well for 3-4 years.

Rated 89/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat

Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat 2014...$23.99

(fermented in stainless steel and concrete tanks and aged for eight months in French oak casks of varying size): Brilliant ruby. Intense, spice-accented, ripe black and blue fruits, violets and smoky, mineral aromas build in the glass. The sweet, expansive palate reveals concentrated blueberry and boysenberry flavors that tighten up slowly on the back half. The finish clings with excellent tenacity, providing a framework for the wine's exuberant dark fruit.

Rated 92/100 Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

Rated 90/100 The Wine Advocate

Domaine de Bibei Ribeira Sacra

Domaine de Bibei Lalama Ribeira Sacra 2011...$32.99

Grapes: 90% Mencia, 10% bend of Brancellao, Mouraton, Souson, and Garnacha 

Vine age: 15 - 100 years
(made from vines ranging in age from 15 to more than 100 years of age): Bright violet color. High-pitched dark berry and floral scents are complemented by suggestions of smoky minerals and cracked pepper. Nervy and sharply focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry and blackberry flavors that deepen with aeration. The energetic finish features fine-grained tannins and lingering floral character. This wine was fermented in large, used French oak casks and then aged for seven months in a combination of large and small French oak vessels, all of them used.

Rated 92/100 Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

Domaine de Bibei Lacima Ribeira Sacra 2011...$66.99

Grapes: 100% Mencía 

Vine age: 50 - 100 years

(fermented in used 500-liter French oak barrels, with the malo occurring in used French oak barriques, where the wine then rested for 19 months before bottling): Bright violet color. Heady black and blue fruit aromas are complemented by suggestions of smoky minerals, cola and spicecake, with a peppery nuance adding lift. Smooth, concentrated and broad on the palate, offering sweet cassis, blueberry and bitter chocolate flavors and a subtle touch of candied violet. Velvety tannins give shape to a long, fruit-driven finish complicated by notes of allspice and mocha. These vines reportedly range in age from 50 to more than 100 years old.
Rated 93/100 Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

Honoro Vera Garnacha 90 points and $7.99

Bodegas Ateca Honoro Vera Garnacha 2014...$7.99

Deep ruby. Powerful red fruit liqueur aromas are enlivened by sexy floral and Asian spice nuances. Fleshy, palate-coating raspberry and spicecake flavors show very good ripeness leavened by tangy acidity. At once rich and lively, this Garnacha wine finishes sweet, silky and long, with a hint of fine-grained tannins adding grip. An amazing value.

Rated 90/100 Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

Best buy Tempranillo

2012 Bodegas Triton Entresuelos Tempranillo...$11.99

(aged for six months in French oak): Inky ruby. Smoky cherry and dark berry aromas are complicated by notes of roasted coffee and mocha. Broad and fleshy in the mouth, offering sweet black and blue fruit flavors that show a hint of warmth. Closes smooth and broad, with repeating smokiness, a hint of bitter chocolate and gentle tannins. 

Rated 89/100 Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

91 points and $15.99 Breca Garnacha

2012 Breca Breca Garnacha Old Vines...$15.99

The 2012 Breca from Calatayud is 100% old-vine Garnacha (from vines planted between 1925 and 1945) made from yields of less than one ton of fruit per acre. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and then transferred to new to 3-year-old French oak casks for 21 months, this outstanding red is the poor man's Priorat. Mineral notes of wet slate and gun flint are intermixed with blackcurrant, black cherry and cassis fruit in this dense, full-bodied, pure, lavishly rich, intense Spanish red. It is hard to believe what one can get at this price point if the importer and wine producer are committed to high quality.

Rated 91/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2009 Sotorrondero

2009 Jimenez Landi Sotorrondero....$19.99
The 2009 Sotorrondero was produced from some of Bodegas Jimenez Landi’s younger vines. It is a blend of 85% Syrah and 15% Garnacha aged for 10 months in 300 and 500-liter French oak. Smoked meat, game, and wild black and blue fruit aromas jump from the glass of this Cote-Rotie look-alike. Plush bordering on opulent, this sensual beauty can be enjoyed now and should continue to drink well for another 6-8 years. 
Daniel Jimenez Landi is one of Spain’s new star vignerons.

Rated 92/100 The Wine Advocate

90 Point Ribera del Duero - $13.99

2014 Rios de Tinta Ribera Del Duero...$13.99
Bright violet color. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes fresh dark berries, lavender pastille and Asian spices, with a subtle touch of licorice emerging with aeration. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering black and blue fruit flavors that flesh out on the back half. In an energetic style, displaying zero excess fat, easygoing tannins and strong spicy persistence.
Rated 90/100 Vinous Media

Seghesio scores big again...

2014 Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel...$16.99

Plump and luscious, this is jam-packed with fruit. Lively blackberry, pepper and other spice box aromas lead to ripe and rich flavors of black raspberry, caramel and licorice. There are more complex Zinfandels, but few that are more enjoyable to drink. Drink now through 2022. 116,000 cases made.
Rated 93/100 The Wine Spectator

New Le Grand Clos whites!!

WOW Wine of the Week! Come taste it February 20th from 11am-3pm at all 4 locations!!

We are very excited to introduce these wines to Missouri. The Chardonnay is creamier and richer than most French Chardonnays. If you usually drink California, give this one a try, it is a fantastic value and a good introduction to French Chardonnay as it still has some of that flinty minerality you get in French wines.

2014 Le Grand Clos Chardonnay....$11.99
Facing the Pyrenees, surrounded by vines on hillsides speckled with trees and flowers, this pirvately owned winery is nestled in a large pine forest. Le Grand Clos is located near the world famous medieval city of Carcasonne. Exceptional climate conditions and terroir allow us to produce high quality wines. Le Grand Clos Chardonnay has a beautiful nose with aromas of stone fruit, white flowers, and subtle oak and ginger spices. The palate is lively with bright acid backbone. Flavors of nectarines, peaches, and juicy citrus fruits abound in this wine. This wine has a delicate texture with a flinty minerality, and creamy notes of vanilla, brioche and hazelnut in a generous finish.

Le Grand Clos Sauvignon Blanc...$11.99
"Le Grand Clos Sauvignon Blancis full of the classic lemon boxwood, and floral notes one would expect. In the mouth, ripe citrus fruit flavors combine with a flinty minerality. This wine is aged on its lees, giving additional depth, and complexity, to this lively wine.

Cheese Department features

Each store carries a different and diverse selection.  Come in for a free taste and we will help you find a favorite....always cut fresh to order!!  Real Parmigiano Reggiano grated fresh to order.

Ballwin location cheese feature:
Piave Vecchio
Piave is a DOP Italian cow's milk cheese, that is named after the Piave river that is produced in the Veneto Region of Italy.   Our Ballwin location is featuring Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro which is aged more than 12 months.  Piave Vecchio has firm texture and tt has a slightly sweet flavor. Once fully aged, it becomes hard enough for grating, and it develops an intense, full-bodied flavor.  

New Ballas Cheese Feature:
Swiss Raclette
Raclette, a semi-firm cheese from the Swiss and French Alps, is a fun and different way to enjoy cheese at a friendly get-together on a cool fall or cold winter night. Raclette, which means “scraper,” is traditionally hung on a fork in from of a fire so that the face of the cheese softens. As it melts, it is scraped off the cheese slab and eaten with boiled new potatoes, pickled onions, and cornichons. Today there is an easier way. Electric raclette melters are available for borrow (for free) or for sale from The Wine and Cheese Place, along with properly sliced French or Swiss raclette. Slices of raclette are placed in individual melting trays for a few moments, and then spread on fresh slices of French bread. This is an easy and delicious alternative to fondue ~ no mixing and heating ingredients ahead of time! The texture of raclette is very smooth, and seems to melt in your mouth even without heating. The taste is rich, reminiscent of wine and fruit, with a pronounced tang. Thinly sliced dried ham, such as prosciutto, iberico or serrano is an excellent accompaniment. Raclette, thin ham slices, bread, boiled potatoes, pickled onions and sour gerkins, make for a light and festive supper for friends or family.

Forsyth location cheese feature:

Somderdale HarlechCreamy English Cheddar with horseradish and parsley

The Somerdale flavored cheddar range has created a loyal following over a number of years. We all have our favorite accompaniment to go with cheddar and why not have it already in your favorite English cheddar. All the cheeses are natural and contain no artificial flavors or preservatives. They are all presented in a beautifully waxed deli wheel or fixed weight parchment pack.

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New City of London Gin

City of London Gin...$14.99

Was $17.99, we are the lowest price on Wine-Searcher

City of London Gin is a refreshing traditional style of London Dry Gin made from a unique family recipe and contains a blend of 9 botanicals including juniper, lemon peel, coriander, angelica seed, orris root and cinnamon. City of London is distilled in a pot still under the careful expertise of the Master Distiller which allows the flavours of the botanicals to develop to their full potential.The City of London is synonymous with rich history of Gin. London Dry Gin dates back to the late 19th century during which time London was a well respected and dynamic distilling hub. Today, although Gin is produced internationally, London remains the true spiritual home. “Intense juniper and zesty citrus aromas accompanied by a subtle spice and earthy hints on the palate with a smooth, refreshing, firm dry finish.”

93 Point Sauvignon Blanc

The weather is amazing this weekend, we should all celebrate with a bottle of bright, fresh crisp Sauvignon Blanc. How about the 2014 Greywacke Suavignon Blanc from Marlborough rated 93/100 by The Wine Spectator and only $18.99.


2014 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough...$18.99
Smooth and succulent, with supple melon, peach and lemon meringue flavors that manage to be graceful and seamless while still packing a wallop of intense flavors. Spice, chamomile and lemon verbena details crescendo on the long, lingering finish. Drink now.
Rated 93/100 The Wine Spectator

94 Point Castillo Ygay

2005 Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial...$89.99
Bold and rich, this red fills the palate with blackberry, plum sauce, soy, chocolate and spice flavors. Broad and deep, in a modern style, with plenty of oak and enough backbone to stay focused. Drink now through 2020. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 750 cases imported. –TM

Rated 94/100 The Wine Spectator

Bell's Smitten Golden Rye Ale

Bell’s seasonal, Smitten Golden Rye Ale
Bell's Brewery, Inc.

Bell's Brewery Smitten Golden Rye Ale....$9.99 / 6pk

With a new year comes to a new addition to the Bell’s seasonal spring lineup.  In early February, Bell’s Smitten Golden Rye Ale will be released on draft and in six-packs - just in time to help transition into warmer days.  Coming in at 6% ABV, Smitten pours a hazy gold appearance.
“This is the perfect beer to help brighten those gray winter days and help warm your heart,” said Laura Bell, Marketing Director for Bell’s Brewery, Inc.   Drawn from one of Larry Bell’s oldest recipes, Smitten began as part of a series of rye beers at the Eccentric Café in downtown Kalamazoo, where a variety of new and old favorites are still brewed right next door at Bell’s original location.  That series also included Black Rye, Rye Stout and Kal-Haven Ale.  A combination of sharp citrus and resinous flavors from the Pacific Northwest hops with the earthy, rustic overtones of the rye malt yield an interesting and refreshing take on the American Pale Ale.

Nit de Nin - 94 Points

2011 Nit de Nin Priorat....$89.99

The 2011 Nit De Nin is from a single vineyard, Mas d’en Cacador, a steep, north-facing vineyard in the village of Porrera on slate soils where vines are very old – all over 70 years of age. Yields in this vineyard were six hectoliters per hectare. The blend is 60% Garnacha, 40% Carinena, full-cluster fermented in demi-muids and aged for 10 months in barrel and eight months in foudre. It is very aromatic, flowery and mineral, reminiscent of a great Barolo, tar and roses, with telluric, earthy notes of peat and graphite intermixed with aromas of red, black and blue fruit. There’s more concentration and depth than in the Planetes, but equally great acidity that gives freshness and makes it very drinkable. It’s a savory, umami-driven wine, big, but it does not shout, it whispers, and you have to listen to it. A great effort for a very difficult vintage that could be drunk now or aged for a long time. Drink now-2024.

Rated 94/100 The Wine Advocate

Death's Door Vodka LITERS!!! Super price!!! Stock up!!

Super special on Death's Door Vodka LITERS while they last - only $19.99
Death's Door Vodka...$19.99 / LITER bottles   (60 cents per ounce)
compare to the 750ml bottle

Death's Door Vodka..$27.99 / 750ml    ($1.12 per ounce)

Death's Door Vodka is a locally grown, small-batch vodka that combines unique wheat with crisp, pure water to provide a sweet, wheaty bouquet, tasteful middle notes and a clean finish for your palate. Getting this particular wheat isn't easy - it's grown in only one place: Washington Island. Here, ships must safely charter our precious grain to the mainland through the respectably deep currents and counter-currents of Death's Door Passage, the historic waterway where Lake Michigan and Green Bay meet.

Hidden Ridge new 2012 amazing Cab!

Only 30 bottles in stock !

2012 Hidden Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 55% Slope...$55.99

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon 55 Degrees Slope exhibits an opaque ruby/purple color as well as beautiful, sweet crème de cassis, Asian plum sauce, licorice and forest floor notes. Full-bodied with velvety tannins, and impressive concentration, texture and length, this superb Cabernet can be drunk early in life because of its velvety opulence or cellared for two decades.

Rated 94/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

BRC release - 2nd Shift

The 2nd Shift Blueprint LSD and "regular" LSD emails went out yesterday

Based heavily on 2nd Shift support

Firestone Walker new packages

Now in 12oz bottles

Firestone Walker Opal Farmhouse Ale...$10.99 / 4pk bottles

Opal is an unfiltered interpretation of the classic saisons that originated from the 18th century farmhouses of southern Belgium’s Wallonia region. In true agrarian beer fashion, Opal is loaded with rustic grains and spicy Belgian yeastiness, with a hazy namesake opalescence in the glass. Into this mix comes a dimension of dry-­‐hopped brightness, layering in notes of fragrant citrus and tropical fruit. The result is a rootsy, rustic saison that brings down the farmhouse, merging Belgian tradition with West Coast style.

Now in CANS
Firestone Walker Pale 31 California Pale Ale...$9.99 / 6pk CANS
Pale 31 is brewed to exemplify the classic California pale ale style, hence the name honoring the Golden State as the 31st state to be admitted to the Union. Beautiful floral and citrus hop aromas greet the nose with undertones of lightly toasted malt. Crisp pale and crystal malts offer a hint of sweetness. Subtle hop bitterness offers a refreshing finish. Perfect for a sunny day at the beach or barbecue with friends, Pale 31 represents the bold yet approachable spirit that embodies our state.

Now in CANS
Firestone Walker DBA British Pale Ale...$9.99 / 6pk CANS
DBA—a.k.a. Double Barrel Ale—is the trailblazing flagship beer that started it all for us back in 1996. Partially fermented in our patented Firestone Union oak-­‐barrel brewing system, DBA quickly took the Central Coast by storm and set the pace for future beers to come. Today, DBA is regarded as a California classic, and stands as an iconic tribute to traditional cask-­‐fermented English ales. Pale malts create a smooth middle with ribbons of caramel, English toffee and toasted oak.

Planetes de Nin - 92 Point Priorat

2011 Planetes de Nin....$47.99

The 2011 Planetes de Nin is 70% Garnacha and the rest Carinena from the Partida Planetas, a vineyard in Porrera with slate soils. The grapes are destemmed and the wine aged for 18 months in foudre. The nose is full of lactic and red fruit notes with some cereal aromas thrown in and just a whiff of volatility. The palate is medium-bodied, with very good natural acidity (this is an east-facing vineyard) and freshness (almost citric, for sure red and not black fruit), with precise flavors, polished, sophisticated tannins, very good balance and length. This is an impressively fresh 2011. Drink now-2018.

Ester Nin is the winemaker at Clos i Terrases, the producers of the famous Clos Erasmus, where she also crafts a couple of small cuvees from biodinamically farmed vineyards with the help of her husband Carlos Ortiz. All their vineyards are in Porrera, all on slate soils. In 2011, she harvested very early to keep the freshness.

Rated 92/100 The Wine Advocate