Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured

Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured....$99.99
September 2016, the Sauternes Cask Matured was limited to just 6,000 bottles. It followed the Port and Madeira cask matured expressions released in 2014 and 2015 respectively and continued our commitment to small batch ‘full term maturation’ rather than the more common practice of finishing whisky in such casks for a short period prior to bottling. Quarter casks, roughly a quarter the size of a 500 litre Butt, allow for increased whisky to wood contact within the barrel which has created pronounced caramel and vanilla character along with fruit notes and peat smoke typical of Kilchoman spirit.

Foursquare Rums

Foursquare Rum Distillery is located on a former sugar plantation that dates back to 1636 within the tiny Caribbean island of Barbados. Founded by the Seale family, distilling operations and blending are currently directed by Richard Seale, 4th Generation Trader/Distiller.
Exceptional Cask Selections represent the unique, and rare offerings of Foursquare Rum Distillery that Richard Seale has hand selected – his personal aging experiments only released when he feels they are of exceptional quality. These are one of a kind expressions, available for a limited time, and showcasing truly unique approaches to both Rum blending and maturation. Their releases have garnered a number of awards including the 2016 Rum Producer of the Year, A Trophy Award in the Rum Category, Two Gold Medals, and a Silver Medal at the 2016 International Spirits Challenge. Always with No Sugar, and No Additives. A paragon of the potential in Rum.

Aging: All maturation occurs in Barbados, in open wall warehouses, allowing further influence from the tropical climate. This accelerates the maturation process by 2-3x from that of a temperate climate, with 5-8% loss occurring annually. The backbone of Foursquare Rum Distillery’s aging operations are Ex-Bourbon barrels, however Richard has collected a wide variety of unique and rare barrels – from former Cognac, Port, Zinfandel, Sherry, Madeira barrels and more – allowing for either subtle nuances or bold character as desired.

Foursquare Rum Zinfandel Cask Blend....$49.99

Wood - Bourbon and Zinfandel

Cask Aging - 11 Years

Foursquare Rum Port Cask Finish....$45.99

Born: 2014 - Aged 9 years
Origin: St. Philip, Barbados
Master Distiller: Richard Seale

• Aged 3 years in Bourbon Barrels
• Aged 6 years in Port Barrels 

Raw Ingredients: Molasses produced from sugar production in both Barbados and Guyana.
These rums are made from a blend of rums from both traditional twin column coffey and artisanal copper pot stills. This is very rare in the Caribbean. Richard Seale uses both because they produce a rum superior to using either method on its own. The pot still gives the rum good complexity and depth of flavor while the twin column coffey allows the final blend to have a more balanced aroma and flavor.
The pot still is made completely of copper.
The column still is comprised of 3 columns 20 feet in height. Its shell is made of stainless steel and all of its interior surfaces are made of copper.

Foursquare 2004 Single Blended Rum...$61.99

Aged for 11 years in Bourbon Barrels
Exceptional Cask Selection Mark III: 2004 Single Blended Rum
This selection has been aged for 11 years in Ex-Bourbon Barrels, and is comprised of a blend of both Artisanal Copper Pot and Traditional Twin Column Coffey distilled Rums.
Bottled at Cask Strength, 59% ABV – this expression has immense depth in flavor and aroma, further captured by it’s higher proof point. Best enjoyed similar to a great Scotch.

Lemon Hart & Son Overproof Rum 151 is back

Lemon Hart & Son Overproof Rum 151...$27.99
A true Legend in overproof rums, Lemon Hart 151, is the "Gold Standard" sought after and coveted by rum enthusiasts worldwide. Many rum aficionados believe that there simply is no substitute for Lemon Hart 151.

Lemon Hart 151 (75.5% abv) is blended to exacting standards from an age-old recipe of select high proof Demerara rums. The epitome of an exceptional rum, Lemon Hart 151 is best used as a float in drinks and signature cocktails alike, and is called for by name in many of Trader Vic's and Don the Beachcomber's classic drinks recipes. Rum always.
TASTING NOTES:

Hues of deep rich amber and mahogany sing through its crystal clear clarity. Perfectly balanced, round, smooth and velvety. Exceptional complexity over gentle oak with enticing hints of raw brown sugar, dried fruits, burnt caramel, exotic spices, vanilla and baked apples. Warm, lingering, complex and smooth finish.

NB collab with Orval

New Belgium Lips of Faith Collab with Orval...$9.99 / 4pk
Anne-Françoise Spiced Dark Strong Ale
The final beer in this Belgian-collaboration series is a spiced dark strong ale. Deep into Belgium’s Forêt d'Orval two brave brewmasters—Orval’s first female brewmaster Anne-Françoise Pypaert and New Belgium’s Peter Bouckaert—crafted Spiced Dark Strong Ale. They brought spruce tips and medium-toasted American oak to this brooding chocolaty beer, and then wove deeply herbal French Sprisselspalt and spicy Liberty and Willamette hops into the mix. A dash of grains of paradise offers a beam of citrusy light.
Anne-Françoise Spiced Dark Strong Ale is 9.5 percent ABV

Whiskey Advocate Craft Whiskey of the Year - Bainbridge Yama !!

Whiskey Advocate Craft Whiskey of the Year - 

Bainbridge Yama !!

Back in stock!

We were lucky enough to taste this amazing spirit!

We scored 28 bottles SOLD OUT now

Bainbridge Yama American Single Grain Barley Mizunara Japanese Oak Cask, 45%...$499.99

Experimentation is the hallmark of America’s craft distilling movement. But even during this ambitious era, few distillers forge ahead with the determination of Bainbridge’s Keith Barnes. Already a proponent of locally grown organic grain, Barnes set out to design a whiskey with a Japanese connection that would benefit the historic site of the village of Yama on Bainbridge Island, the last remaining first-generation Japanese immigrant village in the U.S.


After some consideration, Barnes decided to pursue mizunara oak, a rare and distinctive variety from the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The Japanese government and various specialty importers failed to deliver, so Barnes finally used a clandestine approach, bidding through family friends in Japan to secure his first lot of mizunara at auction. It was air-dried in Japan, then shipped to the U.S., where Gibbs Bros. Cooperage was tasked with crafting the notoriously twisty, brittle and leaky wood into small barrels. The process took six years, and each 10 or 15-gallon barrel costs between $2,000 and $3,000.

Faced with a decision of what to place in the precious virgin barrels, Barnes bet everything on a single grain whiskey, double distilled from unmalted Full Pint and Alba barley grown in Washington State’s Skagit Valley. The delicate distillate lets the wood shine through, resulting in a richly layered yet very pretty whiskey, displaying enticing aromas of lemon chiffon cake and baking spice, and a palate that balances sweet marshmallow, toasted almond, and marzipan with a bright beam of tart, mouthwatering citrus—clementine, lemon, and yuzu.Following the first release of 200 bottles, a second release of longer-aged Yama is forthcoming. Some barrels will also receive a second fill. Yama expands the palette of American whiskey, is a testament to the determination of the distiller, gives back to the community, and delights the whiskey lover with new flavors. It fulfills what great whiskey can accomplish in making the world a better place.—Jeffery Lindenmuth, Whiskey Advocate 

Classic Chablis from Duplessis

As this year nears the end, it is worth noting that next year, The Wine and Cheese Place will be celebrating its 35th Anniversary with a bang.  Stay tuned next year for more details.  

I bring that up because of this producer has a long and important history with us.

This wine always has been a favorite.  It is the wine that helped us discover Dan Kravitz Hand Picked Selections back in the early 90s.  There was an amazing review of Duplessis Les Clos by Robert Parker in the Wine Advocate (that was when you get the Wine Advocate in the mail, I don't think the internet even existed yet).  I remember it saying only 150 cases made.  I contacted Dan Kravitz about getting his wines in Missouri and he said yes, we got this small production Chablis in our store....and we still bring his wines into Missouri.

Ecocert - certified Organic.  One of the few in Chablis!

Biodynamic as of 2013 also

Great to see the latest vintage get a big score!
2014 Duplessis Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru...$59.99
The 2014 Chablis Grand Cru les Clos was matured for six months in barrel (15% new) and 12 months in vat. The bouquet is very attractive with white flowers and hints of dried honey infusing the citrus fruit, harmonious and nicely focused. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity, full of energy and tension with touches of stem ginger, dried orange peel and sea salt towards the harmonious and tender finish. This is a gorgeous Les Clos from Duplessis that is going to mature beautifully over the next decade and more.
Rated 94/100 The Wine Advocate

When I first started learning about wine many, many years ago, I was told to always look for Fourchaume 1er Cru Chablis, it was the closest in flavor to Grand Cru that you can get. I still am a fan of Fourchaume.

2014 Duplessis Chablis Fourchaume 1er Cru...$34.99

The 2014 Chablis 1Er Cru Fourchaume was quite reticent on the nose, a little austere compared to others that I tasted from Duplessis at the domaine. There is an earthiness here--a stubborn Chablis, perhaps. The palate is well balanced with a saline entry. It does not possess huge depth, but there is plenty of freshness here and the vein of brown spice and white pepper towards the finish is welcome. This improves in the glass, gaining cohesion and mineralité. This is one of the best examples from this Premier Cru that I tasted.
Rated 92/100 The Wine Advocate

2015 Duplessis Chablis AC....$24.99
Known as the antiquarians of Chablis, the father and son team of Gérard and Lilian Duplessis have gained a reputation for their “immortal”, age-worthy wines and unparalleled store of older vintages. For those who love the intense minerality and glacially slow development of great Chablis, these are wines of reference. A classic Chablis in every sense, offering well defined citrus, green apple and floral aromas, and a strong underlying mineral character. Excellent with seafood of all types, especially oysters and scallops. As of 2013 the wines are completely biodynamic.

Amazing Rose Sparkling for $12.99

Damia 1637 Brut Rose Cava....$12.99

Suggested retail is $19.99

Varieties 100% Trepat ‘Méthode Champenois’.

The Trepat grape gives the wine a beautifully rich pink hue and vibrant aromas of fresh summer strawberries and raspberries. On the palate, the wine is crisp, dry and refreshing with a wonderfully fine and consistent flow of bubbles. The extra time on lees offers an appealing complexity and depth of flavour which only found among the very finest sparkling wines. 

More info:

Our small Trepat vineyard is located in the area of Conca de Barberà, where we have been perfecting the art of producing this rare varietal for our Cava Rosé for over 40 years. This region in the Catalan hills outside the city of Barcelona is one of the few regions in the world, if not the only region, in which the Trepat grape is able to truly flourish. Our small plot slopes up to an altitude of 500 metres where the cooler temperatures help us to produce deliciously healthy grapes with crisp acidity perfect for sparkling wines.
After aging for between 18 and 24 months, a team of five skilled workers riddle each bottle by hand, taking a total of 20 days to complete the process. Disgorgement only takes place when an order is received which allows us to guarantee optimum freshness for every bottle.
Ageing 18 – 24 months on the lees.

Chateau de Cordes Minervois great value

2012 Chateau de Cordes Minervois...$8.99

Great Price: Lowest price online is $12.99

The 2012 Minervois is impressive. A blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Carignan, it offers beautiful Syrah typicity with ample blackberry and plum pit-like fruits, pepper, hints of spring flowers and leather-like aromas and flavors to go with a medium-bodied, balanced and nicely textured profile that’s hard to resist. Drink it over the coming 2-4 years. Chateau de Cordes covers over 35 hectares around the village of Rustiques, which is just north of Carcassonne. Owned by the Casals family, the estate is managed by Michel Camillo, and they produce a single white and red cuvee, both of which are excellent.

Rated 89/100 The Wine Advocate

Calathus Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Calathus Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza...$9.99

Wine Advocate Sugggested Retails is $24

Lowest price on Wine-Searcher is $14.99

"The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits attractive notes of tobacco leaf, cedar wood, black currants, spice box and licorice. Medium-bodied with loads of fruit, soft, silky tannins and a heady finish, it can be enjoyed over the next 3-4 years."

Rated 88/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

1792 Full Proof

1792 Full Proof Bourbon....$39.99

SOLD OUT 

1792 High Rye Bourbon...$31.99

Tilquin Quetsche

These went BRC based on overall purchase

Tilquin Oude Gueuze A l'ancienne 375ml...$11.99
Tilquin Oude Gueuze A l'ancienne 750ml....$19.99
Tilquin Quetsche...$28.99 / 750ml
Tilquin Rullquin...$17.99 / 750ml

Destihl Dosvidanya Russian Imperial Stout Bourbon Barrel Aged....$15.99 / pint

BRC - Yellow Belly and FW Agrestic

These beers went through the BRC - based on Beer sales only

Emails just sent

Omnipollo Yellow Belly Barrel Aged Sundae....$12.99 / 11.2oz

Omnipollo Yellow Belly...$11.99 / 11.2oz
This beer is a collaborative effort together with our good friends – and world class brewers – at Buxton Brewery (UK).
Yellow Belly — a person who is without courage, fortitude, or nerve; a coward. To us, one of the most cowardly deeds is to act anonymously, hiding behind a group. A signifying trait of institutionalised racism.  This beer is brewed to celebrate all things new, open minded and progressive. A peanut butter biscuit stout with no biscuits, butter or nuts. Taste, enjoy, and don’t be prejudiced
Henok Fentie, Karl Grandin, Denis Johnstone, Jake Oulsnam, Geoff Quinn, Colin Stronge
Imperial Stout, 11 % by vol.

Firestone Walker Agrestic #3....$11.99 / 375ml

Here is info on Batch #2, could not find 3
The 2015 Batch #2 begins its journey as DBA, then transforms into Agrestic by a “chrysalis” process involving 85% French and 15% American oak barrels and our proprietary collection of microflora. To blend, we selected beer matured eight to 36 months in barrels, creating a synergistic beer. Like Batch #1, Agrestic Batch #2 signature flavors and aromas shine. Toasted oak, lemon pith, and rosewood swirl on the nose and palate, followed by an amazing harmony of vanilla, coconut, Earl Grey tea, dark cherries and spice. The finish is crisp, with a mouthwatering acidity and chewy tannins. A santé!

Auchentoshan 25 Year Old Single Malt Wine Cask Finish

Auchentoshan 25 Year Old Single Malt Wine Cask Finish..$349.99
Age:  25 Years

Distilled: 1988

Aged: 8 Years Bourbon Caks

Aged: 17 Years First Fill Wine Barriques from Bordeaux

ABV: 47.6%A 25 year old, triple distilled single malt from the Auchentoshan distillery in the Lowlands that has been finished in first-fill Bordeaux wine barriques. It was first matured in American ex-bourbon barrels for 8 years before being moved over to the wine cask for a further 17 years. A very lengthy finishing period! A very impressive dram!

George Dickel 9 Year -- TWCP Single Barrel

Our next single barrel has arrived.....

This is our 3rd single barrel from George Dickel

George Dickel 9 Year Single Barrel Tennessee Whisky....$45.99

Hand Selected by The Wine and Cheese Place

103 proof

Only 168 bottles produced

Over the years, Master Distiller John Lunn has carefully set aside a limited number of barrels holding our most precious, mellow, and richly complex George Dickel Whisky at peak periods of maturation.  No two barrels are the same, and we've opened our rick houses to only our most discerning, loyal customers to purchase."

     --The Wine and Cheese Place has selected this barrel

BALLWIN's Friday night tastings continue

Friday - December 9th
FRIDAY NIGHT TASTINGS AT BALLWIN.
Every Friday from 5-7. We will be tasting a featured winery/region.


TWO CLASSIC CALIFORNIA WINERIES

2013 Walter Hansel Winery • Chardonnay Estate 

There are 1,260 cases of the 2013 Chardonnay Estate, a great bargain. At a retail price of $25 a bottle, it is hard to get more flavor and complexity in a Chardonnay than this cuvée possesses. Notes of poached pear, honeysuckle and white peach notes are offered in an elegant, medium-bodied, lively style. Like all of the Walter Hansel Chardonnays, it went through 100% malolactic fermentation, and was aged 10 months in 30-40% new French oak. Consume it over the next 5-6 years. 91 Parker $27.99

2013 Walter Hansel Winery Chardonnay Hansel Family Vineyard Cuvee Alyce 

Made from the Hyde and Hudson selections of the Old Wente clone blended with Clone 95. It sees 40% new oak, and comes across as the richest, most intense of the Hansel Chardonnays. Clean, pure, white peach, honeysuckle and crème brûlée notes are followed by a touch of brioche and subtle oak. This is a beautifully crafted, medium to full-bodied, rich, stunningly proportioned wine to enjoy over the next 7-8 years. 93 Parker $39.99


2012 Caymus • Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection

 - Dense blackish/purple color and creamy, sweet crème de cassis fruit, blackberries, a touch of graphite and vanilla, This exuberant, boisterous, in-your-face style of Cabernet Sauvignon is clearly a fruit bomb, so be warned. Full-bodied and opulent with stunning concentration and richness, the wine has no hard edges and is much in the Caymus style of terrific fruit intensity , voluptuous texture, and a stunning finish with plenty of glycerin, wood and spice. The alcohol on the label is listed at 14.8%, which seems about accurate. The Caymus Special Selection can be drunk now, or cellared for 20+ years. 96 Parker $148.98


2014 Caymus Cabernet Sauvigon – Although this wine has NOT been reviewed, It is still Caymus and it is still delicious! $64.98

Perennial Abraxas GROWLERS!!!

The Firestone Walker / Russian River STIVO is gone --- and now we have in its place....

Perennial Abraxas is now available at our Forsyth location

at our GROWLER STATION

We are very excited to get a 1/6 barrel of this one....

Perennial Abraxas....$30 / 32oz Growler

1 - 32oz Growler per person

4 Hands The Devil's Invention

4 Hands The Devil's Invention...$8.99 / 4pk 16oz Cans
Stout brewed with Coffee
The Devil's Invention is a full bodied stout brewed with coffee. Inspired by one of the early nicknames for coffee, "the bitter invention of Satan", this stout has a bold chocolatey aroma with complex notes of coffee and a smooth, sweet finish. The Devil's invention pours black in clor with a tan head.

Boon 2013 Kriek

Boon 2013 Kriek...$12.99 / 750ml

For this speciality, we use old and young lambic beer that has aged in our oak casks. When the lambic is 6 months old, we add 25% black cherries. This provokes the second fermentation. We then clarify, filter and bottle it. Kriek Boon has an alcohol volume of 4% 

Prairie Noir and BA Bomb!

The left overs of the Prairie - 
there is not much left, but we are going to send the left over bottles to the other 3 stores for those customers to get some.
None is left at Forsyth.

Prairie Artisan Ales Noir $9.99 / 12oz
Imperial Stout Aged in Whiskey Barrels
11% ABV

Prairie Artisan Ales Coffee Noir...$9.99 / 12oz
Imperial Stout Aged in Whiskey Barrels with coffee beans
Coffee Noir is Prairie Noir kicked up a notch! Whole roasted espresso beans are added to the barrels in order to enhance the roasted and chocolate malt flavors in this intense beer.

Prairie Artisan Ales Barrel Aged Bomb!...$9.99 / 12oz
Imperial Stout aged in Whiskey Barrels with Coffee, Cacao Nibs, Vanilla Beans and Chillies


SOLD OUT
Prairie Artisan Ales Vanilla Noir...$9.99 / 12oz
Imperial Stout Aged in Oak Whisky Barrels with Vanilla Beans
Vanilla Noir is Prairie Noir aged on organic, fair trade vanilla beans, and let’s just say it takes a lot of beans! The vanilla flavor compliments the whiskey barrel aging process and adds a delicious layer to the beer.
ABV12.5%



SOLD OUT
Prairie Artisan Ales Pirate Noir...$9.99 / 12oz
Imperial Stout Aged in Jamaican Rum Barrels
Pirate Noir is our Jamaican rum barrel aged imperial oatmeal stout. This beer takes our already delicious Prairie Noir and adds intense notes of vanilla, coconut, and rum to the beer.
ABV 12%

Charleville Flanders Red with Cherries

Charleville Flanders Red with Cherries...$15.99 / 4pk
Flanders Red aged in two years on cherries.

Drink of the Month #6 - Vieux Carre

Drink of the Month #1 - Negroni - click here to see that one
Drink of the Month #2 - Manhattan - click here to see that one
Drink of the Month #3 - Chrysanthemum  click here to see that one
Drink of the Month #4 - The Jungle Bird click here to see that one
Drink of the Month #5 - Rosita click here to read about that one

DRINK OF THE MONTH #6 - Vieux Carre

Roughly, each month we will present a new drink that you can make at home with the guidance from a professional.  The professional that will be providing the recipes and the instructions will be mixologist, Jeffrey Moll.

Jeffrey Moll, the Head Barman at Randolfi's
Defender of both the fundamentals and DIY cocktailing. Reverence for all things liquid. Jason Molina fan. Avid cyclist. Loyal curmudgeon.

2015 St. Louis Magazine "A-List Award" Winner

Jeffrey Moll Jr., MIXOLOGIST

Dozens of the concoctions lining bartender Moll’s mixing station at Randolfi’s were formulated by the barkeep himself. Nabbing a tincture-side seat at the bar provides a nonpareil liquid education, with Moll dispensing as many answers as imbibers have questions. The cognoscenti gather, knowing that Moll’s labor-intensive seasonal creations (such as the garnish-laden Moll’s Cup No. 3) will keep them ahead of the cocktail curve.

The drinks will be presented in a "progressive" format so that you will end up with an amazing bar at home so that you can create every drink you would ever want.  Progressive meaning that next month you will not need to buy every ingredient, it will use some of the spirits you bought in the previous month(s) and so on.


Thank you to Jeffrey Moll for his help.  You can also head down to Randofi's and have Jeffrey make the drink for you!


For the sixth installment of The Drink of the Month.....

VIEUX CARRE

You'll never **not** see a certain two ingredients in my home bar (besides a gratuitous amount of amaro bottles). The first is Campari and the second is a good workhorse brandy/cognac. I find that almost every drink that calls for rye or bourbon whiskey is even better with a good cognac. ei: Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, Sazeracs, etc. Whiskey is truly the spirit of America, but there was a time when the brown spirit that stood supreme was brandy/cognac. I would definitely encourage you to revisit some of the past drinks and try them out after this with the cognac you'll need for this month's drink.

This month, you will be utilizing your bottles of Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey, Cocchi di Torino Sweet Vermouth, Benedictine and Angostura bitters to make a drink called a Vieux Carre. For this drink you will need to get your hands on a bottle of Camus V.S. Cognac and a bottle of Peychaud's Bitters.


First, these are the tools one would need for this cocktail:

•  Stirring Vessel
•  Mixing spoon
•  Hawthorn Strainer
•  Conical Fine Strainer (optional, but recommended)
•  A Rocks Glass

Second, these are the bottles and ingredients that you need for this cocktail.

• Camus V.S. Cognac
• Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
• Cocchi di Torino Sweet Vermouth
• Benedictine
• Angostura Bitters
• Peychaud's Bitters
• Luxardo Cherries

Lastly, here is the preparation for the cocktail:

• .75 oz Camus V.S. Cognac
• .75 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
• .75 oz Cocchi di Torino Sweet Vermouth
• 1 barspoon (1/8 oz) Benedictine
• 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
• 2 dashes of Peychaud's

- Add all spirits to your mixing glass
- Fill mixing glass 3/4 of the way with ice
- Stir gently, quickly and fluidly (no pun intended) keeping the bottom of the spoon in constant contact with the side of the glass for about 25-30 seconds
- Using your hawthorn strainer and fine strainer (if possessed) strain into an ice filled rocks glass.
- Skewer three Luxardo Cherries and place in the glass
- Enjoy!


Bonus Drink: The B&B
On the next cold night that need a drink to warm your spirits, pour equal parts (1.5oz ) Cognac and Benedictine into a rocks glass or snifter and drink neat (room temperature).

Magnus Gin and Vodka

Jos. A. Magnus Vigilant Gin...$29.99 / 750ml
SILVER MEDAL WINNER at 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition!
Inspired by our quest to make the perfect cocktail gin, we created Vigilant Gin — a London style dry gin, showcasing hand-foraged Oregon juniper berries, bright citrus, and balanced herbs.
Alc. by Vol. 42% / 84 Proof

Jos. A. Magnus Royal Seal Vodka....$27.99
BRONZE MEDAL WINNER at 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition!
Created by distiller Nicole Hassoun, Royal Seal vodka is a perfect cocktail vodka and is so smooth its great straight.

Tasting Notes - slight citrus nose, smooth clean finish, perfect in a martini.

Alc. by Vol. 40% / 80 proof

Priorat, Gratallops

We have just received another great shipment from one our favorite Importers, Eric Solomon. We are going to feature a few wines from a small subregion of Priorat, Gratallops. While we have had great success with the Black Slate wines from Porrera and Vila Alta in the past this is the first time we have been able to get the Celler Cecilio Black Slate Gratallops. August Vicent is not only the proprietor Celler Cecilio, the oldest registered estate in Priorat (established in 1942), but he happens to be a neighbor of Daphne Glorian, owner and wine maker of Priorat's most famous Estate Clos Erasmus. These wines have an amazing pedgree and we cannot recommend the highly enough:


2014 Celler Cecilio Black Slate Gratallops...$16.99
August Vicent makes characterful, lush and exotically-spiced wines from his vineyards in the village and has been persuaded to sell us some for our Black Slate Gratallops. It is a blend of Garnatxa Negra, Carinyena, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon from vines ranging in age from 20 to 65+ years old. Fermented entirely with indigenous yeasts, it is aged in a combination of concrete and French oak barrels.

2014 Celler Cecilio Negre $23.99
Not Yet Rated, the 2013 was rated 95/100 by Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate

Its simple and unassuming name, Negre, somehow fails to do justice to this wine which is a blend of half Garnatxa Negre with old-vine Carinyena and younger-vine Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Harvested by hand it is fermented in stainless steel tanks by indigenous yeasts with a maceration of around 20 days before finishing in concrete tanks and large neutral oak barrels. At a very reasonable price, it captures the richness and power of the wines of Gratallops – relying solely on the quality of the fruit rather than the cleverness of the winemaker.


2014 Clos Erasmus Laurel....$51.99
I was really blown away by the aromatics of the 2014 Laurel. As soon as I put my nose in the glass I was transported to the vineyards of Gratallops, with a blast of wild herbs and flowers followed by a stream of smoked meat, juicy red currants and raspberries. It is mostly Garnacha but with some 10% each Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. This might very well be the finest Laurel to date. Simply stunning!
Rated 95/100 The Wine Advocate


2012 Clos Erasmus Priorat $199.99
The palate shows power, elegance and a special mineral savoriness akin to licking stones. There is more Garnacha in the blend (there's only 15% Syrah) which gives a Mediterranean juiciness. A new life for Erasmus, very much recognizable as Priorat, Gratallops and Erasmus, but with a more elegant haircut. Only 2,000 bottles produced.
Rated 98/100 The Wine Advocate

Truvee super value wines

2014 McBride Sisters Truvee Chardonnay...$5.99

was $12.99

compare to $13.99 at Wine.Com

The elegance of our 2014 Chardonnay comes from its subtlety and balance. Fresh pear, white peach and Fuji apple seamlessly weave together with hints of lemon zest and citrus blossom. The palate is fresh and expressive, with just enough oak and malolactic influence to enhance the complexity of the fruit and add weight and structure. Crisp fruit flavors give way to a lightly toasted finish, accented with subtle barrel spices. The well-poised profile allows this wine to be enjoyed with a variety of foods, from spicy tandoori chicken to simple, herb-roasted pork loin.

2013 McBride Sisters Truvee Red Blend....$5.99

was $12.99

compare to $13.99 at Wine.Com

Elegant and refined the red blend is evocative of Cotes du Rhone Village style. A rich layered wine with intense character and accessible delivery. Dark fruit and spice unfold into layers of cocoa, blackberry, cherry, rose, plum and spice. The palate is velvety and rich with a long finish.