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Friday, October 4, 2013

Recipe of the Week : Pancetta, Onion, Parsley and Pea Pasta Sauce

Pancetta, Onion, Parsley and Pea Pasta Sauce

(Adapted from Marcella Cucina Harper Collins Press)
In honor of the passing of Marcella Hazan I thought it would be appropriate to re-visit this wonderful recipe, if you have not already please check out Marcella’s wonderful cookbooks, every recipe I have made has been outstanding.

This is one of my family’s favorite week night pasta sauces and can easily be made the night before. The original recipe does not call for peas, but for those of us with small children it’s nice to have something green you can sneak in with all of that lovely pancetta and onion flavor.

  • 4 ounces Pancetta  ***
  • (I prefer the Salumi Pancetta because the intense seasoning of this rolled bacon effectively acts as your salt and pepper for the dish) 
  • 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil  ***
  • 4 Medium or 2 Large Onions sliced thin
  • 3 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Parsley (either flat leaf or curly, preferably what you have in your herb garden)
  • 1 Cup Frozen Peas (if making the sauce ahead add peas while you re-heat do not make the peas the night before)
  • ½ Cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano   ***
  • Salt and Pepper to taste   ***


*** Available at The Wine and Cheese Place


Suggested pasta: Penne, Orchietta, or Fusilli (Available at The Wine and Cheese Place) (you want a pasta that will allow the sauce to cling easily so you don’t miss any of the amazing caramelized flavors from the onions and pancetta)

Put the pancetta and olive oil into a medium skillet and turn heat to medium cook for 3-4 minutes turning so the pancetta becomes browned but not too crisp.
Add onions a pinch of salt (to help release the sweet juices of the onion that form the base of this sauce) turn the onions a few times to coat turn the heat on low, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes turning occasionally to evenly caramelize the onions.

*If serving immediately add peas and cook until heated through about 5 minutes.
Stir in parsley.
Drain cooked pasta and toss in the sauce, swirling in the parmesan as you toss.
Plate and serve.



*If making the sauce the night before add the peas during the re-heating process in order not to over cook and end up with mushy peas.

Wine Education: Ribero del Duero

Wine Tasting at all FOUR locations


Ribero del Duero
October 5 from 11am-4pm.
Taste 2012 Convento de Las Claras Ribera del Duero
(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".


Ribera del Duero

Ribera del Duero sits on the elevated northern plateau of the Iberian Peninsula at 2800ft (800m) above sea level. It is divided by the Duero River (as its name would suggest – Ribera del Duero means 'bank of the Duero'), which provides the local vineyards with a much-needed water supply.The region's inland location, coupled with the sheltering effects of the nearby Sierra de la Demanda and Sierra de Guadarrama mountain ranges, creates an extreme climate in which hot and dry summers are followed by harsh winters.
Nowadays, Ribera del Duero is almost entirely devoted to red wine, with Tempranillo the most widely planted grape variety. It is known locally either as Tinto Fino or Tinta del Pais and produces wines which are deeply colored, with a firm tannin structure and complex aromas of mulberry and blackberry. Most of the top examples age gracefully for years. According to DO regulations, Tempranillo must make up a minimum of 75% of all vinos tintos (red wines). The balance is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec (varieties that were introduced by Vega Sicilia well over a century ago) or up to 5% of Albillo or Garnacha.


Come taste a Wine and Cheese Place Favorite: 2012 Convento de Las Claras Ribera del Duero $16.99

Barrel Aged Old Embalmer



Widmer Old Embalmer 2013 BARREL AGED...$13.99 / 22oz
For this version of our favorite barleywine, we’ve aged the beer in pinot noir barrels from Patricia Green Cellars, located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, which is regarded worldwide as delivering the highest quality pinot noir. Patricia Green crafts beautiful pinot using grapes from the best vineyards in the valley. The always-present sweet caramel, vanilla, and toffee notes of Old Embalmer are accented by tannic and vinous characters gained from the wine barrels, as well as the dry finish, all accented by an assertive does of X-431 hops.

2012 / 2014 Samuel Smith's Winter Ale


In stock now at Forsyth


2013/2014 Samuel Smith's Winter Ale...$4.49 / pint
This seasonal beer is a limited edition brewed for the short days and long nights of winter. The full body resulting from fermentation in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’ and the luxurious malt character, which will appeal to a broad range of drinkers, is balanced against whole-dried Fuggle and Golding hops with nuances and complexities that should be contemplated before an open fire.

Odell Fall Montage



Odell Montage...$18.99 / 12pk

Includes 3 bottles each of
Odell 90 Shilling
Odell Isolation Ale
Odel IPa

Plus 3 bottles of this Saison - only available in this pack



Odell Wellspring Saison Ale.
Inspired by our small-batch pilot system, the Roots Release series honors our experimental brewing roots and invites you to sample some of our favorites. Slightly hoppier than the classic Saison, this debut is crisp with notes of lemon pepper, banana, and stone fruit.

6.6% Alc. By Vol. 

Odell Seasonals....



Back in stock for the season


Odell Mountain Standard Doulbe Black IPA...$9.99 / 4pk
"As the Colorado hop growers prove they can produce world class hops, we as a Colorado Craft Brewer want to showcase what our state can offer, not only with our hand crafted beers, but also with the ingredients used in creating them. Mountain Standard, Double Black IPA, features the homegrown hops our Brewers helped pick from farms along Colorado’s western slope. MST pours committingly dark with a light tan head and a slightly roasted hoppy nose. An ephemeral bitterness, the result of combining roasted malts with an assertive American hop profile, contributes to MST’s act of balance and harmony. As the season’s darkness sets in, why shouldn’t your beer become darker too?"






Odell Isolation Ale...$9.99 / 6pk
A funny thing happens here around summer’s end – our eyes start searching the skies for those first fall flakes. As we welcome autumn’s first snow, we celebrate the return of Isolation Ale. A sweet caramel malty ale that is balanced by a subtle crisp hop finish. Whether you ski, shred, or shoe, Isolation Ale will inspire you to make first tracks.
6.0%Alc. by Vol.


St. Ambroise The Great Pumpkin Ale


New, just arrived....



St. Ambroise The Great Pumpkin Ale...$9.99 / 4pk
Each year as the leaves fall and the north wind blows, St-Ambroise Pumpkin Ale make its return – a magical potion that casts a potent spell with its well-crafted blend of blond and caramelized malts, gentle hop, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and pumpkin. Its delicate malty character and hint of sweetness will quench any creature looking for easy-drinking refreshment.

The Wine and Cheese Place's own barrel of Knob Creek


Our next barrel has arrived!!!


Our next bourbon barrel arrived - Knob Creek 9 Year old. 
Very cool....the barrel was signed to us by Fred Noe 
(Booker Noe's son and Jim Beam's grandson)
We just filled this barrel with maple syrup


After tasting through barrel samples of Knob Creek with our customers, we selected Barrel 515 from the 5th floor and was put in barrel on November 13, 2003.  



Come in for a taste, we have a bottle open at Forsyth!

TWCP / Knob Creek Bourbon Single Barrel Reserve....$34.99
Deep dark color, with a ton of vanilla in the nose.   The vanilla comes through on the palate along with rich caramel and toasted nuts.   Very long and lingering finish.  Bottled at 120 proof. 


Thursday, October 3, 2013

Journeyman Single Malt Scotch New Zealand


Very limited, only 3,000 bottles produced, each hand numbered
Batch #1





10 years Old : 6 years in oak and 4 years in red wine barrels
Journeyman Single Malt Scotch New Zealand...$51.99 / 750ml
Back Label: Journeyman Around The World Series (TM) will offer one premium hand selected whisky on an annual basis as a tribute to adventure and great whiskys around the world. We lead off the series with this hand picked exceptional, limited edition New Zealand Single Malt Whisky. It was distilled in the Willowbank Distillery of Dunedin on the South Island of New Zealand. After distilling, it was aged six years in American oak and finished for four more years in French oak from New Zealand red wine barrels. It is with pride that Journeyman presents this fine single malt for your enjoyment.

Bell's Wheat Love Ale


Bell's Wheat Love Ale....$2.49 / 12oz
Limited to in store pick up only.  No reservations.

2 bottles per person

In stock at Forsyth and Rock Hill now
(should hit our other stores later today)

New - O'Fallon 10 Day IPA


O'Fallon 10 Day Imperial IPA....$9.49 / 4pk
9% ABV

"10-Day IPA is big, bold Imperial IPA brewed with a ridiculous amount of hops. O’Fallon Brewmaster, Brian Owens started with two-row barley, caramel and honey malt and white wheat. He then added Magnum, Centennial, Chinook, Cascade and Calypso hops – over three pounds of hops per barrel!

The result is a very hop forward beer, but 10-Day also has a sturdy malt backbone which balances the beer. The malt also gives 10-Day IPA a subtle caramel sweetness and a hint of honey both which help balance hop bitterness. Once the beer was finished Owens added even more Centennial, Chinook and Calypso hops (a process called “dry hopping”) to give the beer a huge citrusy, piney aroma which has become the signature of American Imperial IPAs.

“We’ve brewed many beers we’re proud of since I joined the O’Fallon Brewery 13 years ago, but 10-Day IPA is a true labor of love for me,” said Owens. “Most brewmasters don’t admit to having a favorite style of beer, but I love huge Imperial IPAs, and I’ve wanted to create 10-Day for some time. This is a limited run as part of our ‘Brewer’s Stash’ series, so I encourage anyone who’s a fan of big, hoppy beers to get their hands on some 10-Day IPA before it’s gone.”

10-Day IPA is 9.0 percent alcohol by volume, 75 IBUs and will be priced similarly to other specialty craft beers. The beer will be available September through December when it will be replaced with the next beer in the “Brewer’s Stash” series." - O'Fallon Brewery

Tullamore Dew Phoenix Irish Whiskey





Tullamore Dew Phoenix...$51.99

Triple Distilled
55% ABV
Finished 2 years in sherry cask

TULLAMORE - 1785A hot air balloon accident above Tullamore created an inferno which destroyed much of the town. In the face of such devastation, the people of Tullamore rebuilt their town. The placed the PHOENIX in Tullamore’s coat of arms. This authentic and complex LIMITED EDITION commemorates Tullamore’s strength, resilience and optimism.

Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix is a non-chill filtered, triple blended Irish Whiskey, at 55% ABV. This medium bodied limited release is crafted to perfection in small exclusive batches, with distinctive sherry notes and pleasantly spicy creamy pot still whiskey flavors nicely balanced.

TASTING NOTES
• COLOUR: Medium Golden Amber
• NOSE: Warm and spicy initially, then rich, toffee, vanilla notes become evident. The characteristic leafy, malty notes of Tullamore D.E.W. are enriched with deeper, toasted oak aroma and a hint of sherry nuttiness.• TASTE: The higher strength tingles on the tongue, leaving a spicy pot-still flavour. Addition of a little water releases layers of caramel sweetness, delicate floral notes and oak tannins.  Altogether a perfect balance of Oloroso sherry sweetness and spicy creamy pot still.
• FINISH: Long lasting with a lingering warmth

Perennial Heart of Gold 2013 Edition


Perennial Heart of Gold 2013 Edition...$13.99 / 750ml
"Heart of Gold is a well balanced Wheat Wine with a creamy mouth feel, a big hop character and a rich, caramel malt finish.  Clocking in at 10% ABV, you'll find that it is surprisingly smooth for its strength." -- Perennial Artisan Ales


Numanthia Numanthia - great price!!!

A great deal - limited....




2007 Numanthia Numanthia.....$69.99 / MAGNUM

Lowest price on Wine Searcher is $105.99
The 2007 Numanthia is marginally more approachable but it, too, is a dense, layered, voluminous, structured wine. Given the requisite cellaring, it will eventually become both elegant and powerful. 
Rated 94+/100 The Wine Advocate
This rich red brims with ripe, fresh flavors of blackberry and cassis, backed by toasty chocolate and dried spice notes that caress the palate and linger on the finish. Plush yet structured, in the modern style. Drink now through 2014. 1,000 cases imported. –TM
Rated 92/100 The Wine Spectator

Duckhorn's Goldeneye Pinot Noir at a great price!



2010 Goldeneye Pinot Noir Anderson Valley....$39.99
Compare to $55 at Goldeneye Winery
Shows good tension between the tight, vibrant blueberry and blackberry notes, with firm tannins showing a loamy earth and roasted herb edge. This fans out nicely on the finish. Drink now through 2022. 16,293 cases made. –JL
Rated 91/100 The Wine Spectator

The Filson Bourbon Academy



PRESS RELEASE
__________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
09-25-2013

Contact: Judy Miller (x211) or Jamie Evans (x212)
Ph: (502) 635-5083 
Fax: (502) 635-5086
1310 South Third Street 
Louisville, KY 40208 
www.filsonhistorical.org
jevans@filsonhistorical.org

The Filson Bourbon Academy
The Filson Bourbon Academy comes to Gamlin Whiskey House
November 9, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Gamlin Whiskey House

LOUISVILLE, KY – The Filson Historical Society is pleased to announce that our popular Filson Bourbon Academy is coming to St. Louis! Bourbon and Banter (BourbonBanter.com), a daily destination for both long-time bourbon aficionados and those just learning about bourbon, is thrilled to be working with The Filson Historical Society and Mike Veach to bring the Bourbon Academy to St. Louis bourbon lovers.

The Filson Bourbon Academy offers the opportunity to enhance your appreciation of bourbon and increase your knowledge of Kentucky whiskey. The Academy is a series of educational seminars is supported by the Kentucky Distillers Association and the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau and offers a firm background in Kentucky’s native spirit to those who are interested in bourbon, as well as licensed bartenders and servers working in the hospitality industry.

This eight-hour course will take place on Saturday, November 9 at the Gamlin Whiskey House, 236 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, Mo. Topics to be addressed include: “The Whiskey Rebellion, Early Distillers, and the Origin of Bourbon,” “The Evolution from Farmer Distiller to the Modern Distillery,” “What is Whiskey?” and “The Repeal of Prohibition and the Evolution of Modern Bourbon.” The class will be led by The Filson’s bourbon historian, Mike Veach, member of the Bourbon Hall of Fame.

Veach began his career as an intern with United Distillers. Since 1997, Veach served on the staff of The Filson as a Special Collections Assistant, later moving to Associate Curator of Special Collections. In the past 20 years, he has dedicated his time to studying the distilling industry, and in 2006 was inducted into the Bourbon Hall of Fame. Veach is the author of “Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey: An American Heritage” (2013), which has received praise from The Wall Street Journal, the Courier-Journal, and other media outlets. He is currently completing a book on bourbon tasting with former Courier-Journal journalist Susan Reigler.

The Filson Bourbon Academy will be held at the Gamlin Whiskey House. Tickets are $175 for members of The Filson Historical Society and $200 for non-members. Ticket price includes a light breakfast offering and plated lunch for each participant. The Academy is limited to 40 participants. For more information about the Bourbon Academy, please visit http://filsonhistorical.org/the-filson-bourbon-academy/. To register, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/event/8247184551 or call The Filson Historical Society at (502) 635-5083.

The Filson’s mission is to collect, preserve, and tell the significant stories of Kentucky and the Ohio Valley’s region and culture. Bourbon and Banter’s mission is to spread the bourbon gospel within the St. Louis area and around the world.
Since its founding in 1884, The Filson Historical Society has preserved the region’s collective memory, not only of Kentucky but also of the Ohio Valley and the Upper South. The Filson continues to collect and tell the significant stories of the region. An independent historical society, The Filson serves the public through its extensive research collections and numerous educational opportunities. The Filson is headquartered in the Ferguson Mansion in Old Louisville and houses a library, a museum and a special collections department.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

2011 Tikal Patriota arrives 92 rating

In stock now and online



2011 Tikal Patriota..$17.99
The 2011 Tikal Patriota is a blend of 60% Malbec and 40% Bonarda from Vista Flores and La Vendimia from 14-year-old vines. It is raised in French and American oak for 12 months (30% new.) It has a confident, out-going bouquet of raspberries and wild strawberry complemented by hints of marmalade and quince. The palate is medium-bodied with luscious black fruit infused with minerals and a touch of graphite. It is supremely harmonious and seductive with filigree tannins on the refined finish. Wonderful. Drink now-2017. 
Rated 92/100 The Wine Advocate

Pumpkin Spice Cream Liqueur

In stock now for a limited time!

Mothers Pumpkin Spice Cream Liqueur...$8.99 / 750ml
Tasting Notes
Mothers Lemon Pumpkin Spice Cream Liqueur is deliciously rich tasting of fresh dairy cream, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, just like your Mother’s home made Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.
Notes

25 Proof

Reviews & Awards
Mothers Pumpkin Spice Cream Liqueur
90 Points GOLD MEDAL BEST BUY
"Milky taupe each color. Convincing aromas and flavors of pumpkin cheesecake with a graham racker crust with a creamy, moderately sweet medium-full body a whipped cream and nutmeg egg nog like finish. Tasty and nicely composed holiday flavors."
Beverage Tasting Institute December 2012

New - Wells Bombardier Ale


Wells Bombardier Ale...$3.99 / pint
Alcohol: 4.7% Vol.
Bombardier is an iconic real beer loaded with distinct English brilliance. Like me, it's the epitome of impeccable taste and great character. The rich, full-bodied nectar is a lingering reward for the ol' tonsils.
Bombardier tastes splendid when served from a perfect amber 500 ml bottle fashioned by English craftsmen, better still, get your hands on 4 or 8 of these ample beauties, presented in trusty man sized cases.

Orange Shandy now in 6 packs!



Leinenkugels Orange Shandy....6pks
Our newest Shandy, Leinenkugel’s® Orange Shandy is a refreshing spin on the traditional shandy style. It’s crisp, refreshing wheat beer with natural orange flavor inspired by the fall orange harvests. With a zesty, citrus taste, Orange Shandy is just what you need to stay on the brighter side of fall and winter.

2nd Shift Hibiscus Wit is back in stock!


2nd Shift Hibiscus Wit is back in stock and online

Plus, I don't think I ever posted the new price of only $6.49.
This is quite a deal!




2nd Shift Hibiscus Wit....$6.49 / 750ml
Hibiscus Wit...it's all over the place.  Heres what I've been goofin around with for a while. I love belgian wits on hot summer days (or freezin your butt off days). Anyway I took a witbier and threw in a bunch of hibiscus flowers from Egypt and made the stuff even better. 5.2%


Jacquesson Brut Cuvee 736



Jacquesson Brut Cuvee 736....$63.99

The NV Brut Cuvée 736 is outrageously beautiful. Wonderfully alive and vibrant in the glass, the 736 exudes energy, tension and class, all hallmarks of 2008, the base vintage for this release. Dried pears, crushed flowers, anise and mint develop in the glass, but ultimately, the 736 is really a wine of textural elegance and class. With each passing vintage the 700-series wines seem to keep getting better. Simply put, the 736 is one of the top wines in Champagne. And its price? Very reasonable for the quality of what is in the glass. If I were going to buy only one mid-tier Champagne by the case, this would be it. The 736 is 53% Chardonnay, 19% Pinot Noir and 18% Pinot Meunier based on 2008, with the addition of 34% reserve wines. In this release dosage is just 1.5 grams per liter, which is low by house's historical standards. Tasted again after the 2004 lieu-dits, the 736 more than holds its own. A rose version is slated for release towards the end of the year. It should be a stunner. Disgorged October 2012.

Rated 94/100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Hermitage Fruit Crate Pumpkin Ale



Hermitage Fruit Crate Pumpkin Ale...$4.79 / pint
Fruit Crate Pumpkin Ale achieves the perfect essence of Fall with sweet, California-grown Heritage Pumpkins.

The sun-filled Summer days of the Pajaro Valley are tempered by the salty marine air from the Monterey Bay, allowing for slow ripening of sweet, delicious pumpkins. We plant our Heritage Pumpkins early to take full advantage of the area’s perfect microclimate. In late Summer, we harvest the pumpkins for our special release pumpkin ale.

The fruit is roasted to extract maximum sweetness and flavor. We add pumpkins three times during the brewing process: in the mash tun, kettle, and fermenter. The outcome is a perfectly sublime pumpkin flavor melded into a deliciously strong brown ale.

We further celebrate our local agricultural legacy with a “fruit crate” art inspired label. Celebrate Fall, and celebrate California with this truly special limited release.

9% ABV

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Deschutes Jubelale 2013



2013 Deschutes Jubelale Festive Winter Ale...$8.99 / 6pk
A dark, malty celebration ale with layered flavors and beautifully balanced hopping. Jubelale pours deep garnet in color, medium bodied, with notes of chicory, earth, spice and fruit. To beer lovers, it’s like Yule fire and family.

Malt: Pale, Crystal, Extra Special, Carapils, Roasted Barley
Hops: Nugget, Cascade, Willamette, Styrian, Tettnang, East Kent Goldings

For the 2013 label Avlis Leumas created a piece that's balanced with opposites, combining a serene and quiet landscape where there is movement and activity everywhere. At the time Leumas created the piece, there was an owl living along the Deschutes River in Bend, who had become a bit of a local celebrity. Leumas wanted to tell the story of the owl by loading the artwork with landmarks, while weaving in history and metaphor. He wanted people to look at the label and get lost in the story, just like they get lost in the complex flavors of Jubelale each season.

2013 Bells Stouts and Old Ale

In stock now at Forsyth (order Bell's online now)

Bells Third Coast Old Ale...$14.99 / 6pk
Third Coast Old Ale is a cellerable American-style barleywine that has notes of dried fruit and caramel embedded in a rich malt background that will grow more complex over time.



Bells Expedition Stout ....$16.99 / 6pk
10.5% ABV
One of the earliest examples of the Russian Imperial Stout in the United States, Bell's Expedition Stout offers immensely complex flavors crafted specifically with vintage aging in mind, as its profile will continue to mature and develop over the years. A huge malt body is matched to a heady blend of chocolate, dark fruits, and other aromas. Intensely bitter in its early months, the flavors will slowly meld and grow in depth as the beer ages



Bells Double Cream Stout ....$11.99 /6pk
Double Cream Stout derives its name from its smooth, creamy texture, not the ingredients. Completely dairy-free, this stout blends eight different specialty malts to yield a remarkable depth of flavor. With only a touch of burnt notes, Double Cream Stout focuses on the softer, cocoa & espresso-like aspects of roasted malt.



Bell's Java Stout.......$14.99 / 6pk
"Java Stout uses a custom blend of coffee beans, roasted locally for us by Water Street Coffee Joint, to generate its intense flavor. Possessing an unmistakable aromatic punch,Java Stout has long been one of our most popular stouts." -- Bells Brewery