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Saturday, February 25, 2017

Top 100 Wine of the Year - #57



In stock now at Rock Hill and New Ballas

Exciting top 100 wine under $20 from the Languedoc-Roussillon Region!
2015 La Grange des Combes Cave de Roquebrun St. Chinian...$18.99
"A muscular but polished red, with brooding blackberry pie, dark cherry and roasted plum notes complemented by iron, peppercorn and licorice details. Full but not overpowering tannins linger on the savory, herb-tinged finish. Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2022. 12,000 cases made."
Rated 91/100 The Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016, Rank: 57 Score: 91



Forsyth Tasting Bar

We have set up a new Tasting Bar at our Forsyth location.
Watch for more tastings this year as we kick in our 35th Anniversary!


Of course we always have Friday night beer tastings, that will now be at the tasting bar/growler station.  Every Saturday we have wine, cheese, usually some whiskey too. 
Watch for more special events through the week too.



Some previous tastings...
Magnus Gin, Vodka and Bourbon tasting with their distiller


Smooth Ambler Tasting with Adrian


Beaujolais tasting with Aaron



As a result of these changes, we no longer need this refrigerator case. We still carry everything that was in it, just moved it into the open cheese case to make room for the tasting bar.

Case works great for meat, cheese, bakery case, or truffle candy. Refrigerated and stainless steal.  
More info on our Craigslist post - click here

The case was $5,900 new, we are asking $1900
Great for shops or restaurants if you know anyone that might be interested, pass it along.  Must be able to come pick it up in Clayton.


A blast from the past....



2014 J. Lohr Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon....$27.99
"A blast from the past:   As we celebrate our 35th Anniversary this year our wine buyers and purveyors (many of whom are former employees) have been reminiscing about the "wines that got us into wine" enter the 2014 J. Lohr Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon.  I remember tasting the 1996 Hilltop during my first holiday season here at The Wine and Cheese Place wanting to buy an "expensive bottle", $19.99 at the time to share with my parents. We liked it so much we bought a case, now 18 years later the 2014 J. Lohr Hilltop and is every bit as good as we all remember the 1996 to be." -- Aaron, The Wine and Cheese Place

Also some press...
This appealing wine is widely available. Blueberry, vanilla cream and gingerbread make for an inviting nose. The palate packs layers of intriguing, ripe and easily lovable flavors: baked strawberries, vanilla ice cream, blueberry sauce and baking spice.
Rated 93/100 The Wine Enthusiast

Ulysses is absolutely mind-boggling....Robert Parker

"2013 Ulysses is absolutely mind-boggling..."- Robert Parker



2013 Ulysses Napa Valley Red....$179.99
The 2013 Ulysses is absolutely mind-boggling, as so many wines from this vintage are. Gorgeous blueberry and blackberry fruit, along with the telltale cassis and floral notes, jump from the glass. Again, this is Pauillac-like, with some cedar wood and subtle barrique smells. Again produced nearly all from Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine is full-bodied, powerful, rich and long, with slightly sweeter tannins than the 2012. Production in 2013 was 960 cases, and Moueix told me that the entire growing season averaged about two and half weeks ahead of schedule from bloom break to harvest. This is a prodigious effort and will certainly stand as the great Ulysses of the first trio to be released. I suspect it will be drinkable in 3-4 years and keep for 30 or more, given the Moueix track record.
Rated 96/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
Rated 98/100 James Suckling

Stumpy's Old Monroe Bourbon



From Columbia Illinois
Stumpy's Old Monroe Single Barrel Select Bourbon...$29.99
Bourbon Whiskey (90 Proof)
Old Monroe Single Barrel Bourbon is crafted from our signature blend of corn, winter wheat, and barley malt and aged in charred Missouri oak barrels. We only use grain grown on our 8th generation family farm in Columbia, IL and fresh limestone well water to ensure we produce the highest quality spirit possible. Each barrel is individually tasted and selected for bottling to make sure only the best bourbon makes it into each bottle.
Tasting Notes: Rich caramel and vanilla, toasted oak, mellow and round with a long finish.


Here is a story about them on Fox 2 last year

12 Foot Beard Jowl Bristle Whiskey




12 Foot Beard Jowl Bristle Whiskey....$34.99
80 Proof
Distilled in Tennessee
Bottled by WoodHat in Missouri
Nothing is more important than keeping one’s word. It doesn’t matter if it’s in business, sport or even just day-to-day stuff; your word elevates you from a hairy bag of water to something of value.

12 FOOT BEARD IS A SPIRIT FOR PEOPLE WHO KEEP THEIR PROMISES.

In 1860, the men of Pike County, Missouri set the standard for keeping your word. Due to a lost bet, one of the men grew a beard of astonishing length. As uncomfortable as his fantastic follicles were, he never waivered. It wasn't long before others followed suit, but none were as majestic or long as the 12-foot beard. It's because of this history that we understand the weight of making a promise to distill a good whiskey. We swear that this smooth whiskey is perfect for fishing trips, BBQs, camping and even spelunking. And here in Missouri, we always keep our word.

Friday, February 24, 2017

Omnipollo Nautilus



Omnipollo Nautilus...$12.99 / 4pk
Sour Ale with Blueberry, Vanilla & Lactose Sugar

Black Pig - Back by popular demand!

"Bacon has no trans fat at all. Several slices of bacon are healthier in terms of calories, salt, fat and cholesterol than a hot dog, hamburger or glazed donut." -- Fun Bacon Facts

Back by popular demand at Forsyth

Black Pig Meat Company...$19.99 / 12oz package







Black Pig Meat co. is the brainchild of chefs Duskie Estes and John Stewart from two great California restaurants: Zazu restaurant + farm, and Bovolo. Their pigs are without antibiotics, hormone free, free range and they are Heritage Breed like the chickens we get our Farm Fresh Eggs. 

the pigs
Our pork comes from Pure Country Pork in the Northwest which is the first sustainable hog operation in the United States to earn Food Alliance Certification. The pigs are heritage breed, raised without antibiotics and hormones, and are allowed to roam free range.

the process
Most bacons you find on the market are wet cured injected fast and smoky from liquid smoke in a process that takes less than a day. We slow down and make sure it tastes good and the animals are treated right. Our Bacon is dry cured with brown sugar for up to 21 days and then finished with applewood smoking for about 12 hours. We are focused on quality not quantity.

the bacon
The result is a bacon that is perfectly balanced in salt, sweet, and smoke; complex from the brown sugar and real wood smoke; and one where you can taste the quality of the pork



Rare Beer Releases

First come, first served - at Forsyth

You can pick 2 bottles from this list depending on what is left.
Sorry, no reservations or transfers on this one.   


Stop by and see Adrian behind the new tasting bar at the Cheese Counter for these.


  • Deschutes  The Abyss Brandy Barrels
  • 4 Hands Kriek
  • 4 Hands Madagascar
  • 2nd Shift Coffee LSD
  • Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Bourbon Maple Syrup Barrel Aged
  • Evil Twin Double Barrel Jesus 
  • Evil Twin Even More Jesus Bourbon Maple Syrup Barrel Aged
  • Evil Twin Aun Mas a Jesus Aged in Brandy Barrels


Oskar Blues Pinner Throwback IPA


Oskar Blues Pinner Throwback IPA....$15.99 / 16 pack cans!

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Triple Mash




GONE AGAIN
Limit 2 bottles per person

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Triple Mash...$3.99 / 12oz
Our triple-mashed bourbon barrel stout is aged in New Holland Artisan Spirits oak barrels. Intense malt character is paired with the toasted notes of American white oak.
Dark. Smooth. Warming. 17% ABV

Magnus Bourbon

Short notice tasting
Nicole Hassoun - distiller at Magnus will be at the Forsyth from 1pm until 2pm today
Short notice - but come meet here and taste the Magnus Gin, Vodka, Bourbon and Murray Hill Club

She can sign bottles for you if you like!



Info from the Washington Post

Nicole Hassoun, named Best Bartender in the 2014 Express reader's poll, will turn her gin expertise towards distilling at Joseph A. Magnus and Co. (Photo by Kate Warren for Express)

Spearheading Magnus and Co.'s gin is Nicole Hassoun, who has worked in Washington's foremost gin bars, Wisdom and the Gin Joint at New Heights. (Readers of Express named her D.C.'s Best Bartender in 2014.) But Hassoun doesn't just mix other people's drinks: While at New Heights, she began developing a line of housemade tonics, which are now sold as Chronic Tonic at a number of D.C. liquor stores.

It's this creative background that Hassoun will draw on as a gin distiller, or "Gin Goddess," as a company press release puts it, working alongside such veterans as former Buffalo Trace general manager Richard Wolf and former Woodford Reserve general manager Dave Scheurich. "I don't have a lot of distillation in my background," Hassoun admits. "I've got the knowledge but not so much the hands-on experience." She's been working with her new co-workers and taking notes at other area distillers. "It's been cool learning and watching what other people do, and learning the thought process."

Hassoun doesn't want to give away too much about the as-yet-unnamed gin, though she says it's "really well-balanced" in the London Dry style. It also uses exclusively American ingredients, so Hassoun says she's spent her time "knocking on farmers' doors, schmoozing them, and getting them to sell me their wares."

Working at D.C.'s top gin bars has allowed Hassoun to try a wide variety of gins, and she says she's "not beholden to one style." She explains that she didn't have any particular cocktails in mind when crafting the new recipe, but "prefers a gin that can shine through, and stand out" regardless of other ingredients. "I've been through it all," she says, "Aviations to Last Words to gin-and-tonics, making sure the gin shines through, whether you're doing [cocktails] with citrus or doing it with chartreuse."
But Hassoun isn't just planning to be a fixture among the stills: She's also going to be crafting the cocktail program for the Jos. A. Magnus and Co. distillery bar, creating drinks featuring all of the house spirits. "I'll be hands-on, pushing my boundaries and educating myself," she says.




Back in stock!
Our next load arrived!

Plus they have a St. Louis connection -
The master distiller, Brett Thompson, is a Kirkwood High graduate and one of their partners lives in Clayton!


We are the first place and only place outside the Washington D.C. area that you can find their Bourbon!!





Joseph Magnus Bourbon Straight Bourbon Whiskey...$79.99

Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a marriage of bourbon aged in white oak and finished in Oloroso Sherry, Pedro XimĂ©nez Sherry, and Cognac casks—for a wholly unique flavor profile that’s worthy of the Magnus name.   Thanks to our loyal supporters like you, our Joseph Magnus Bourbon in Inaugural Edition bottles was a smashing successes -- both batches sold out within hours! But we are not ones to rest on our laurels. For the New Year, we have retired the Inaugural Bottles and proudly introduced our product in custom designed bottles inspired by historic Magnus bourbon bottles. It's the same great bourbon, only sexier!
Tasting Notes - Rich deep flavors with notes of orange citrus, dried dark fruits and vanilla.
Alc. by Vol. 50% / 100 proof

GOLD MEDAL
2016 American Distilling Institute
Craft Blended Spirits Competition

BEST IN CATEGORY:
BOURBON AGED 5+ YEARS
2016 American Distilling Institute
Craft Blended Spirits Competition

BEST IN CLASS: WHISKEY
2016 American Distilling Institute
Craft Blended Spirits Competition



Joseph Magnus Murray Hill Club....$79.99
Blend of 18 Year Old, 11 year old and 9 Year Old
Murray Hill Club is the historic Magnus flagship brand, and is a blended bourbon whiskey - Magnus Master Blender Nancy Fraley is to be commended for her work to get the balance just right - the Murray Hill Club a blend of 18-year bourbon, 11-year bourbon, and a bit of 9 year-old light whiskey to round out the flavor -- it is truly an exceptional and unique product.

Richard Wolf, Magnus Dream Team member and former GM and VP of Buffalo Trace had the following notes upon tasting a sample of the finished product: "Nice amber to golden color, clear, clean. Fantastic, ‘old’ whiskey nose - smells like Warehouse C at Buffalo Trace (one of my favorite places to hang out)! Notes of wood, char, vanilla, dried fruit. Taste delivers on promise of nose, nicely balanced, lots of black pepper forms at mid palate and lingers, Finish, long and warm. Overall, quite lovely."

Henry Preiss, creator of A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16 had the following notes: Tasting Murray Hill was an adventure in whisky made in a fashion of an era gone buy. Rich notes of vanilla and layers of dried fruit make for an most enjoyable whisky.

Magnus Master Blender Nancy Fraley shared: The 21st century Murray Hill Club whiskey is made as a nod to the ancestral art of our Magnus blending fore bearers by carefully selecting, blending, and marrying mature whiskeys from 9 to 18 years old to give it complexity, elegance, and finesse. The whiskey has notes of honey, toffee, dark dried fruit, orange citrus, and brown baking spice, with a long, warm finish.





Jos. A. Magnus Vigilant Gin...$27.99 / 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

The Sazerac Cocktail

MARDI GRAS!!

 The Official Sazerac Cocktail 





Herbsaint Liqueur...$18.99 
Herbsaint Liqueur 100 proof....$32.99

Absinthe style Liqueur originally produce in New Orleans

Make the classic Sazerac with Herbsaint and Peychaud Bitters (both in stock)








How the Sazerac Cocktail Came to Be
In 1838, Antoine Amedie Peychaud, owner of a New Orleans apothecary, treated his friends to brandy toddies of his own recipe, including his "Peychaud's Bitters," made from a secret family recipe. The toddies were made using a double-ended egg cup as a measuring cup or jigger, then known as a "coquetier" (pronounced "ko-k-tay"), from which the word "cocktail" was derived. Thus, the world's first cocktail was born!

By 1850, the Sazerac Cocktail, made with Sazerac French brandy and Peychaud's Bitters, was immensely popular, and became the first "branded" cocktail. In 1873, the recipe for the Sazerac Cocktail was altered to replace the French brandy with American Rye whiskey, and a dash of absinthe was added.

In 1933, the Sazerac Cocktail was bottled and marketed by the Sazerac Company of New Orleans. That same year, "Herbsaint," a pastis, was made according to a French recipe; "Herbsaint" was so named for the New Orleans term for wormwood - "Herb Sainte."

In 1940, the Official Sazerac Cocktail recipe was modified to use Herbsaint as the absinthe.

Finally, in 2000, the Official Sazerac Cocktail recipe was modified to use Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey.

The Official Sazerac Cocktail
1 cube sugar
1½ ounces (35ml)  Rye Whiskey 
¼ ounce Herbsaint
3 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
Lemon peel

Pack an Old-Fashioned glass with ice
In a second Old-Fashioned glass place the sugar cube and add the Peychaud's Bitters to it, then crush the sugar cube
Add the Rye Whiskey to the second glass containing the Peychaud's Bitters and sugar
Empty the ice from the first glass and coat the glass with the Herbsaint, then discard the remaining Herbsaint
Empty the whiskey/bitters/sugar mixture from the second glass into the first glass and garnish with lemon peel

Stone Pataskala Red X IPA





Stone Pataskala Red X IPA...$9.99 / 6pk
Pat-ASK-ala? Pata-SKALA? Pa-TASK-a-la? While those in the know favor the third pronunciation, no matter how you say it, this is a unique red IPA. The beer was first brewed in September 2015 to support music and arts education programs in Pataskala, Ohio, where Stone co-founder Greg Koch grew up. People there loved it, so we added the beer to our seasonal lineup. The deep crimson hue is courtesy of a fairly new special German malt variety by BESTMALZ called Red X. Dry-hopped with Mosaic, Cascade and Amarillo hops, this beer is incredibly citrus-forward, rounded out with biscuit and toffee notes. We think you’ll find this red IPA to be quite deliciously satisfying, no matter how you choose to pronounce it.

Imperial Stout with Blueberries

More in stock now


Evil Twin From Amager with Love...$14.99 / 22oz
Imperial Stout with Blueberries
Rated 98/100 RateBeer
Amager is an island south of picturesque Copenhagen, mostly notable as the home of the airport, the place you go to get high and the common colloquial name for Amager is Lorteøen (Shit Island). But Amager has much more to offer than you might think. Like these two dedicated brewers from Amager Bryghus, who traveled all the way from Amager to the states to brew a pitch-black and troublesome Imperial Stout infused with the cutest blueberries. It might look shitty, but once you let it sink in you can feel the love within.
Style: Imperial Stout with Blueberries
Brewed: Westbrook Brewing Co
ABV: 12%

Stillwater Super Hop IPA

Stillwater Super Hop IPA....$11.99 4pk/16oz
Neo-Tropic India Pale Ale
6% ABV

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Big Muddy Vanilla Coffee Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels



Big Muddy Vanilla Coffee Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels...$9.99 /22oz

Aged in Buffalo Trace Barrels
Stout - Milk/Sweet - Vanilla Stout infused with coffee from our local roaster Jen's Joes in Murphysboro, IL- Aged in a Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels 8% ABV

New Mikkeller beers have arrived

New Beers arrived

Lots of new beer - some just changed into much more affordable cans!

Online now



Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast ... $ 11.99 / 4 pack cans
Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch ... $ 11.99 / 4 pack cans
Mikkeller Rauch Geek Breakfast ... $ 7.49 / 22oz bottle
Mikkeller Hop Geek Breakfast ... $ 5.99 / 22oz bottle
Mikkeller Brand New Normal Berliner Weisse ... $ 9.99 / 6pk Cans
Mikkeller Waves IPA ... $ 10.99 / 6pk cans
Mikkeller Sparks APA ... $ 9.99 / 6pk cans
Mikkeller California Dream ... $ 9.99 6pk cans








BRAND NEW NORMAL 
Berliner Weisse, 3.2% 






BEER GEEK BREAKFAST 
Oatmeal Stout with Dark Horse Coffee, 7.5% 





BEER GEEK BRUNCH 
Imperial Stout with Coffee, 10.9% 








CALIFORNIA DREAM 
Hoppy Pilsner, 4.6% 





WAVES IPA