Brew Hops & Wine Stops

Recently, your ABC Wine Team had a chance to visit Italy and explore a number of wonderful wineries in Piedmont and in Tuscany, and I’m sure you’ll be hearing a lot more about it from my colleagues on this site. But I’d like to tell you about just one afternoon at just one estate and about just one wine.

            Our hosts were importer Jonathan Shiekman of Margate Wines and for most of the Tuscan leg of our trip the amazing Bruna Baroncini who created and commands five great Tuscan estates. The Baroncinis are an old and respected family in Tuscany and have been making wine in San Gimignano since 1489.

     After a long highway drive from Costigliole d’Asti in Piedmont it was a pleasure to see the rolling hills of San Gimignano again. I’ve visited this area quite a few times over the years and I’m happy to say it still makes me smile to be there. We pulled up to Bruna’s estate, where she was waiting for us along with the lovely Monica Marcucci, head of Foreign Sales for Tenute Toscane di Bruna Baroncini.

 (With Bruna Baroncini)

What better way to begin the afternoon than with a delicious glass of Torre Terza Vernaccia di San Gimignano? Vernaccia, of course, is one of the great white wines of Italy. Grown in the sandstone hills around the small walled medieval hill-town of San Gimignano, it is dry, with crisp acidity, flavors of ripe peaches and subtle almond notes. It was the first Italian wine to be awarded DOC status (in 1966) and was upgraded in 1993 to DOCG.

 Imagine sipping on this wonderful wine while enjoying a light Italian lunch of Panzanella (a classic bread salad), Tuscan ham, and local cheeses. Imagine too that you’re out of doors on a beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the mid-70’s F. And, oh yes, imagine that you have a beautiful view overlooking the magnificent ancient town of San Gimignano.

There had been an Etruscan village at this site since the 3^rd century BCE. Historical records for the town begin in the 10^th century. It was named after Saint Geminianus who successfully defended the town from Attila and his Huns. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance it became a stopping point for Catholic pilgrims on the Via Francigena – the holy road that ran between Rome and Canterbury. The most prominent features of the town are the fourteen remaining ancient towers that have somehow survived centuries of warfare. (Movie-lovers will remember them from the 1999 film Tea With Mussolini.) It is admittedly full of tourists today, but there is still something special about the place that lingers and pleases.

            It certainly was an afternoon for the books! And the day was only half over - there was still a visit to Siena and a delicious multi-course dinner before making our way to our hotel in Montalcino. But all that is another story.

For the moment I just want to remember a delightful afternoon in a very special place and the taste of a wine that will always bring it back to me – Torre Terza Vernaccia di San Gimignano. It’s not currently available at ABC but watch out for it in the future!

Bill Stobbs, ABC Wine Supervisor

(Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebills)

Just finished a 5-day wine trip to Piemonte and Tuscany visiting wineries that are part of our wine portfolio. I haven't had time to write things up, so for now, here are a few of the highlights for you to look forward to: 

Malgra and Valfieri in Piemonte

Bruna Baroncini wines (Il Castellare, Querciarossa, Casuccio Tarletti, Torre Terza) and La Tancia in Tuscany.

Lots of inside info, buying and cellaring tips and more photos will be coming soon.

Brad Lewis, Bill and Paul, and also Andrew, Vilu, Brian and Joe, thank you for sharing your expertise and knowledge of Italian wine; it has been a great pleasure exploring wine country with you as always!

We tasted new vintages of some old favorites and found some new gems!!... as well. More detailed info coming soon.

Atanas Nechkov, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwineatanas

I had always wanted to visit the Rhone Valley and Burgundy in France, so I was very excited when I was invited to tour the region. So the second week of May, a group of nine of us from ABC and three retailers from New York embarked on a bus tour as guests of  Jonathan Shiekman of Margate Wine Importers.

 As with most wine areas in Europe, wine has been produced in the Rhône since ancient times. The Rhône is separated north and south with the north using primarily the Syrah grape and the south Grenache. As with most areas of French wine it is the “terroir” that dictates where a particular grape is planted. Terroir simply refers to all of the natural forces that influence the growing of the grape; i.e. amount of rain, sun exposure, soil composition, etc.

 At our first stop, Domaine de l’Obrieu, we met Jean-Yves Perez, proprietor of the domaine. Here, three cuvées  are produced; Côtes du Rhône Village Visan Tradition which is 80% Grenache & 20% Syrah, Côtes  du Rhône Village Visan Cuvée des Antonins which is 90% Grenache & 10% Syrah and the Côtes du Rhône Village Cuvée Spéciale, 70% Grenache & 30% Syrah.

The tasting took place at Jean-Yves’ dinner table with his wife Cécile, whose family owns Domaine du Grand Bourjassot in Gigondas, a later visit, and their adorable daughters, Marion and Pauline. So, along with plates of assorted cheeses, patés and terrines we tasted through l’Obrieu’s delicious wines. The wines were wonderful, each showing a different expression of the domaine and each vintage we tasted. We visited a number of other properties in the Rhône, which I will talk about in later blogs and you will see other reports from my colleagues, Shayne Hebert and Jim Greeley, so keep an eye out for those.

Ken Amendola, Wine Supervisor, N. Florida

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekena

Once upon a time in a far away land, there lived a beautiful princess. The princess lived in a majestic castle that was perched high upon a hilltop. On the slopes surrounding the castle the princess and her helpers produced aromatic, elegant wines for all to enjoy. I know this sounds like a corny fairytale but it's actually true.

Princess Isabella de Croy Collalto is the owner of the Collalto wine estate in the Veneto region of Italy. She can trace her family's wine making tradition back to the year 958AD. Today Princess Isabella, the heir of the family tradition, directs with passion and dedication the 370 acres of the estate vineyards.

Princess Isabella in front of the oldest part of the Castle of San Salvatore.

Perhaps the most amazing part of the story is that her wines can be purchased right here in Florida. The price to quality ratio of the Collalto wines is outstanding. Look for  Collalto Pinot Grigio, Collalto Prosecco and Collalto Spumante Rose in your local ABC store.

Vineyards sourrounding the Castle.

You can find a more in-depth report on this historic estate in the May issue of the ABC Wine Journal [available in our stores].

Paul Quaglini, SE Florida wine supervisor   

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinepaulq

I have crossed back over the Atlantic to our mounted neighbors of the North in the Province of Quebec, Canada at the brewery Unibroue.  I have procured a very special dark offering from them known as “La Terrible”, a little menacing don’t you think?

Appearance: The bottle is a stark black with Terrible simply scripted with a silver background.  I am intrigued at its simplicity.  It is a bottle REfermented Belgian style strong dark ale on the Lees.  A caged cork tames the beast within.  I am serving chilled in my big Duvel tulip.  A careful pour yields a massive, rocky head.  The liquid beneath is a permanent midnight.

Smell:  bing cherries, candied figs, molasses, and a hint of over ripe banana.  A great spicy, fruity bouquet.  I bet as I let it warm up it will evolve into new aromas.

Taste: rich and deep.  There is that hint of banana peel in the finish.  Sour cherries tickle the taste buds.  The 10.5% ABV taste is virtually none existent giving way to a velvetiness.  A second pour to top it off produces thousands of tiny little beads in the head, very nice looking. 

This is one fabulous brew from Unibroue and can be appreciated by any Belgian ale lover.  I am not sure if it is readily available from ABC as this was a generous gift from a friend but I am sure if you ask the manager or beer expert of the store nicely, he or she can probably locate some of this sweet nectar. 

Of course, Unibroue has other fantastic offerings: ask one of us to recommend one to your tastes.

Adam Shugan is store manager at our Silver Springs Blvd, Ocala store

Earlier this month, nine members of the ABCFWS wine team spent several days in France on a promotional trip hosted by Jonathan Shiekman of Margate Wines & Spirits.  Highlights included winery visits in the Rhone and Burgundy plus an extra day in Paris.  It was simply phenomenal.

A special thanks to Jonathan and Jean-Claude Poisson for organizing a memorable tour.  I would also like to sincerely thank my travelling colleagues: Ken Amendola, Shayne Hebert, Cindy Michaels, Mike Kelley, Andrew Carmody, Larry Baker, Dave Malone, and especially Brad Lewis.  Thank you all for making it an unforgettable experience.   I look forward to the next time we can enjoy a glass of wine together in wine country.

- Jim Greeley, WS SWFL

I know, you should be taking advice on Spanish wines from Jim Greeley and not me. But, as it turns out, he and I both have a fondness for Godello and the Grenache is pretty nice too. We have just gotten to the stores two new wines from Spain, both worthy of your time.

The Godello (that is the grape) is Atalaya do Mar and is $12.99. This wine easily gives many Chardonnays at twice the price something to aim for. The wine offers a minerality/slate aroma with spice, melon and moderate acidity. A real steal for the price, the wine is a natural served beside sardines/anchovies and maybe a bowl of warm olives. This is exactly what Jim and I look forward to eating every time I am in Naples, at his (and my) favorite tapas restaurant…IM Tapas. Robert Parker liked it too, enough to give it 91 points! It won’t be around long.

 The red is a power-packed old vines Garnacha from Las Pizarras del Jalon. Intense fruit, made from 70-100 year old vines, is obvious, along with Asian spice, mineral and black cherry notes. Awesome balance and concentration (and no oak) for a wine at $14.99…again, there are many wines at twice this price that under-deliver….this one does not.

I would love to open this with top quality Jamon and maybe some blood sausage. Parker again gave this one 91 points.

Cheers!

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwineshayne

While in Germany in March we met with Johannas Selbach, who gave us an interesting overview of their "wine-growing" family, which they can trace back to the year 1600. 

Their riesling is grown on approximately 50 acres of steep south-facing mountain slopes that face the Mosel River.  The Selbach-Oster vineyards are located on some of the best vineyard land in the heart of the Mosel wine country, called"Mittelmosel."

More than 50% of their vineyards are still planted with very old, ungrafted vines, yeilding very concentrated fruit.

Selbach-Oster is ranked by the German and American press as one of the top 10 in the Mosel.

Their philosophy is to make the elegant, crisp, low-alcohol but full-flavored wine which the Mosel is famous for.

A great selection of these wines can be found at our ABC Fine Wine & Spirits stores and you can see for yourself how wonderfully they fulfill their mission.

Marie Griffin, NW/North Central Wine Supervisor

follow me on Twitter @abcwinemarieg

I love rum. Kind of in the same way I love Scotch--taste aside (and to me, rum tastes much better than Scotch), there's a whole romance associated with it that appeals to me...pirates and palm trees and rum runners--oh, my. Plus, there's summer and beaches.

History we'll save for another day--right now, let's talk beach drinks!

Palms is one of the best values around (under $15 for the 750ml bottle--but on sale until June 4 for $9.99 here or in our stores). And there's a flavor for every drink: try the Pineapple, Coconut or Banana in orange juice or make a quick pina colada with the Coconut and pineapple juice...or a PC shot with Coconut and Pineapple flavors layered.

One of my favorite drinks is the Painkiller (originally made with Pusser's). Almost any good dark rum will do, but adding an ounce of flavored rum to the mix is a tasty addition. I generally make it with 2 parts dark rum, 1 part pineapple or coconut rum (if desired), 4 parts pineapple juice (from the original recipe), 2 parts orange juice. Pour into shaker and shake until blended--or whip up in the blender--and pour over ice. The kicker is the nutmeg. This drink is garnished with grated nutmeg over the top, and it is worth the trouble to freshly grate your own.

You can also jazz up an ordinary pina colada with Charlie Noble spiced rum and some Michael's Irish Cream. Whatever recipe you generally use, swap out the rum for the Charlie Noble Spiced, and add another 1/2 part Irish cream (so if you use 2 oz. rum, add another ounce of the Irish cream).

Don't bother with a calendar--summer's here! (Just remember to celebrate responsibly.)

Beer blogger (and manager at our W Gandy, Tampa, store) Stephen Schmitt recently tasted a couple of Cisco Brewery offerings. It's a good weekend for something light and refreshing to combat the heat and humidity! 

Cisco Whale Tail, Massachusetts (INantucket) Pours orange with a huge fluffy white head. The aroma is full of spice and pine with hints of sweet bread. The taste is equal parts tangerine, pine, and spice. The finish is sweet grain with lingering pine resin. This is very refreshing with a nice complexity. Good everyday beer. 88/100

 Cisco Grey Lady, Massachusetts- Smells of light spice and a hint of floral sweetness. The spice is apparent up front with some citrus and hints of hibiscus. There is a bit of cinnamon in the finish. Overall, this is a light and refreshing brew and the spice additions keep things interesting. 86/100

Somehow I missed the announcements! I didn’t realize it was in our stores until one of our Wine Consultants mentioned it to me. I’m talking about Jules Taylor Marlborough Pinot Gris.

            We’ve been carrying the Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir here at ABC for a few years now. The wines are absolutely gorgeous – everything you’d expect from these grape varieties and more! But I’m always pleased to introduce people to some of the other wonderful wines from New Zealand – both red and white.

            Jules Taylor grew up in the famed Marlborough wine region at a time when winemaking was just getting underway there. She did not plan initially to be a winemaker but with study and working in vineyards around the world, as well as being mentored by such people as Kim Crawford, making wine became her passion. Her first wines were produced in 2001 – Pinot Gris and Riesling. Shortly afterward came Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Rosé. Some years she will also make Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner (I would love to taste her version of this favorite varietal of mine!) and Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc. Arneis is also in the pipeline, it seems.

            With grapes sourced from the Wairau and Awatere sub-regions of Marlborough, the Pinot Gris is wonderfully fresh and vibrant and shows nice complexity. Using both wild and malolactic fermentation, the wine is pale straw in color, with lovely aromas of honeysuckle, pear and white peaches. It makes an excellent aperitif, or pairs well with seafood, light pastas, chicken and Asian cuisine.

            Try a bottle or two soon – you won’t be disappointed!

(Note: I'm in Italy this week to taste some wine in Piemonte and Tuscany and visit a few wineries that will be new to me as well as a few old faves. Stay tuned….)

Bill Stobbs, ABC Wine Supervisor

(Follow me on Twitter at abcwinebills)

I am very pleased to announce the addition of Pic-Chapoutier wines to the ABC portfolio of fine wines.

 Pic-Chapoutier is a combined effort of two of the most influential people in their respective fields: Anne-Sophie Pic (restaurant Pic in Valence) and Michel Chapoutier (domain M. Chapoutier).

Maison Pic in Valence is one of the highest places of French gastronomy, located in the town of Valence in the Rhône Valley. The restaurant has more than a century of history, three generations, each generation distinguished by the highest three-star Michelin award.

 The Chapoutier family has more than 200 years of winemaking history in the Rhone Valley, producing some of the world’s greatest wines (Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, Crozes Hermitages, Saint Joseph, Châteauneuf du Pape, Luberon) and more recently in the wine regions of Roussillon, Languedoc, and Alsace and outside of France in Portugal and Australia. The vineyards are cultivated organically or biodanamically.

Even if you can’t make it to Pic restaurant this year, you can get the wines served at the restaurant at ABC; we have the Crozes Hermitage, Châteauneuf du Pape, the Côtes du Luberon and the Côtes du Rhône. Santé!!!

Atanas Nechkov, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwineatanas

I don't believe the French term "terroir" is more important anywhere else in the wine world than it is in Burgundy, France. Terroir is used to describe all aspects of nature that influence the growing of the grapes, i.e., sun exposure, soil composition, wind, rain, etc. Burgundy is made up of myriad micro-climates that can change not just from vineyard to vineyard, but from row to row. We drove through  some of the most expensive patches of dirt in the world, trying to understand why this piece of land produces wines that can sell for a thousand dollars a bottle and the land thirty yards away can "only" get ninety-five dollars per bottle. Terroir!

   These wines of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay separate themselves from wines of the same grape varietals solely on the fact that their terroir cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. The wines we have been tasting from Lequin-Colin, Paul Pillot, Ballot and others are wines full of subtle nuances that confound those looking for big, bold wines of extract and alcohol, but bring great pleasure to those who enjoy the intricate flavors that only a great Burgundy can produce.

  We will be visiting properties in Chablis where the chalky soils and absence of barrel aging produces a very true expression of the Chardonnay grape. I will be writing a much more indepth report on the trip through Burgundy and the Rhone in the next few weeks...

Ken Amendola

Wine Supervisor, N. Florida

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekena

I'm heading back to "wine country". This should be a familiar theme in the near future to those readers of our wine blog because I am not alone in this endeavor. In fact all six of my fellow wine bloggers [wine supervisors] as well as a dozen of our top wine consultants will be traveling to the vineyards of France and Italy in the next few weeks.

Shayne Hebert, Ken Amendola and Jim Greeley will be traveling to France to visit producers in the Rhone Valley and Burgundy. Atanas Nechkov, Bill Stobbs and yours truly will be traveling to Italy to visit producers in Piedmont and Tuscany. Marie Griffin decided she didn't want to travel with the boys so she will be off to France shopping in Paris as well as visiting wine makers in the Loire and Rhone Valleys [wish we were together, Marie]. This should make for some interesting reading, especially if you have grown tired of reading some of our recent articles about cat food and duck fat.

On the Italian tour we will be visiting some great estates whose wines are imported by Jonathan Shiekman, owner of Margate Wine & Spirits Company. I will be reporting back on Fattoria Querciarossa, Tenuta Casuccio Tarletti and Tenuta Poggio Il Castellare, as well as some estates we do not yet have in our stores. I will also be staying on a few extra days with our main wine buyer, Brad Lewis, to visit some lesser known estates like Altesino, Castello Di Bossi, Falesco and Tignanello.

It would be hard to say what I am most looking forward to but if pressed it would have to be my visit to the picturesque hillside town of Montalcino. We have appointments scheduled at two classic estates; Poggio Il Castellare and Altesino.  Montalcino has several great vintages [2006, 2007, 2010] that will be in our stores in the coming months and years [for the 2010]. I look forward to reporting back on as many vintages that I'm allowed to taste.

Please stay tuned as I'm sure there will be a plethora of news for you.

Paul Quaglini, SE Florida Wine Supervisor

 Follow me on Twitter @abcwinepaulq

Today I am in Copenhagen, Denmark, at Carlsberg Breweries tasting Carlsberg “Elephant”, a European strong lager.  This is the European equivalent to an American malt liquor.  This type of beer is usually meant for a quick buzz with very little flavor.  Very few microbreweries produce this style for that reason.  Rogue offers “Daddy’s Little Helper,” but mostly you will find those 16 to 40 ouncers like Colt 45, Olde English, Mickey’s, and Steel Reserve.  Rice and corn are heavily used to lighten the body and give a smoother drinkability to offset the high alcohol taste.  I am almost tempted to get a little brown bag for this one--to be honest, it's not my favorite style, and your mileage may vary.

Appearance: I am serving this ice cold in a regular tumbler.  It is a big 7.2% ABV.  A menacing bull elephant stares me down from the silver label.  It pours a light ochre color with a sizzling white head.

Smell: musty wet cereal and alcohol solvent.  The hops are probably Pilsner style Saaz to keep bitterness to a minimum.

Taste: cloying malt sweetness with almost a seltzer water quality and an astringent finish.  The alcohol solvent taste shines through and sits heavy in the stomach.

It is much as to be expected from a strong lager/malt liquor in a convenient twelve ounce size.  Many beer drinkers will probably want to use this in a drinking game for quick inebriation.  It's not to my taste, although there are people who prefer this style. I believe this is the only Euro strong lager ABC has to offer unless there is any Efes or King Cobra is out there.  Break out the beer pong and get to tossing!

beer blogger Adam Shugan is the manager at our Silver Springs Blvd, Ocala, store

I’m preparing for another sojourn across “The Pond”; bag half-packed, checklist in-hand, dry cleaning to pick up, loose ends to tie before departure etc.  Heading home, I swung by the Port Charlotte ABCFWS to retrieve the extra pack of business cards I had squirreled away in my office desk drawer and to pick up a bottle of wine for dinner.  The store staff was feverishly putting away the latest delivery, when I glanced at the new wines that just arrived.  And then I saw it…..

Could it be?  Godello!!   Yes!!!

Specifically the new Atalaya do Mar Godello from the Monterrei DO.  Hello, you crisp, white Galician beauty!  Where have you been?  Took the long route home, did you?  I've been worried.  What took you so long?

OK, “worried” might be a bit of stretch.  “Pleasantly surprised” probably sums it up better.  I thought we ordered this new wine eons ago (we did, about seven months).  I'd have bet the farm that it would've been delivered just after the holidays.  February rolled around but no Godello.  On more than one occasion, I checked with our Orlando office for a status report.  Several times I heard the phrase “it’s not coming”.

Ah, the vagaries of wine importing.

As a company, we literally scour the world for our Direct-to-You exclusives.  The wine team collectively selected this little gem in a tasting of Spanish wines last September.  I had been bitten by the Godello bug after first enjoying a glass at my favorite tapas restaurant early in ’11.  I then had the pleasure of sampling more on a trip to Galicia last July (blog post on Jan 5, 2012). About the same time, Bill Stobbs and Shayne Hebert became Godello converts too.  We lobbied our buyer, Brad Lewis to add one to our growing Spanish portfolio. 

And there you have it, albeit a little later than anticipated.  One man’s quest for Spain’s most exciting white wine grape ends tonight in a glass of juicy, slate and talc tinged, exotically fruited, complex white wine.  Cheers!

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor, SW Florida

Follow me on Twitter @AbcWineJimg

While attending the Dusseldorf Wine & Spirits trade show in March (Prowein), I experienced a number of great new wines. What a fantastic event! Wines from so many countries to try. But even though the event itself was a wine lover's dream, a visit to the Mosel afterwards completed the dream. We visited one of my favorite estates, Weingut Thanisch.

This story-book estate's vineyards overlook the medieval city of Bernkastel, on the Mosel River. It was founded in 1895 by Dr. Hugo Thanisch, a Prussian politician and his wife Katharina. The Riesling wines from the great "Berncasteler Doctor" vineyard are some of the most famous white wines in the world. According to a legend of the 14th. century, Bishop Boemond II (1354-1362) cured himself by drinking this wine and gave it the name "Berncasteler Doctor". Today the estate is managed by Sofia Thanisch, the great granddaughter of the founders, and the fourth generation of women to run the estate! ABC carries a variety of Thanisch wines at great retail prices.

Marie Griffin, Central NW Florida Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinemarieg

Color: golden orange both clear, brilliant, and deep. Polished pennies. Thick layer of tears upon gentle swirling. Nose: spiced boozy sweet apricots and peaches followed by oak and cracked pepper. Saffron wafts by upon a gentle breeze. Touch of flambéed banana in the middle – bananas foster comes to mind. Candied pineapple chunks. Heat is a gentle tease in the back. Palate: sweet then oily then spicy and hot, with the heat growing softly and slowly in the back of my throat and just before it becomes too much, it levels out. Peppercorn and embers. Bananas foster and flambéed banana peel. Saffron and cracked pepper in the breath. Boozed, stewed, succulent peaches and apricots. Finish: long, lingering, and mischievous. A dry spiced raw oak heat warms the chest and invites long lingering nights lounging in a lazy chair by the fire before finishing with a soft soothing honeyed kiss. Certainly not the black sheep of the Bushmills family by any means, the venerable spunkerific Black Bush was welcomed into the family fold in 1934 as the “Old Bushmills Special Old Liqueur Whiskey”. That tongue twister has since been shortened down to the aforementioned Black Bush. Featuring a generous malt whiskey content, the finished distillate is aged in specially selected previously used Spanish Oloroso oak casks mature to add further complexity to the malt before it is blended into a much lower ratio of sweet single grain whiskey, hence the nice spicy kick to one’s tastebuds. Yowzum! Innovation. Tradition. Soul. Pride. Many more prophetic adjectives could be used to describe the enduring legacy of Bushmills with my words being yet another offering to the angels share and everything in-between and after. It is privilege to savor Black Bush and every time I pour a dram and share a dram, the great legacy of Bushmills lives on. Liquid history. Know it. Share it. Drink it. Cherish it.

Kristyn Lier, Vero Beach (20th St. ABC Fine Wine and Spirits) -- read more of her reviews and musings on her website: beerambassador.net.

Weyerbacher is one of those breweries that has never let me down, and I have no doubt that their Quad will be of similar blessing. A Belgian-style quadruple and one of the first ever brewed in America, she has won many accolades since her inception. Weyerbacher also ages a limited quantity of their Quad in oak-barrels each year, and we all know my love for beery things aged in oak. The standard Quad from Weyerbacher may not be aged in oak, but she screams decadence nonetheless. With nary a reservation, I happily surrender myself to her will.

 A thick, viscous pour almost threatens to upset the balance of gravity as she slowly meanders her way into my awaiting chalice. Deep, burnt orange with shades of khaki and leather, she sports only a minuscule head which disappears almost as quickly as she appeared. Compared to other Belgian quads, she is the palest one that I have seen visually; I am used to deep russet browns with fluffy tan heads planted firmly atop their murky wealth. Intrigued by her seemingly light clarity, I raise my glass to my nose and am immediately smitten by her massive nose. She may be pale in color, but her nose bursts with a rich bouquet of yeasts, cinnamon, ginger and ginger bread, nutmeg, orange, mango, melons, red apples, bananas, and bubblegum. Thick, rich, and succulent; I can almost touch it. As I lean in for a more intimate experience, our lips touch in an explosion of thick, mouth-coating yeasty ecstasy. Her high ABV is front and center with almost immediate warmth that permeates and lingers long into the finish. Bananas and spice add to her heavy nature while mango, melons, and oranges are drizzled with chilled honey, thick, sticky, and sweet. A touch of dryness settles on top of my tongue like a gentle dry rub of cinnamon and nutmeg while the ginger adds a playful punch. As she warms, her viscosity increases along with the overall intensity of her palate. It is a good thing I am sitting down, for I am feeling a bit weak in the knees in beery ecstasy. Luckily, I am able to retain my senses, and savor each sip of my Weyerbacher Quad up until the very last one.

 If a quadruple and tripel were to have a scandalous tryst and bear a child, she might be a lot like the Weyerbacher Quad. But quadruples, like all Belgian “styles” are a kind of enigma; a denomination more for strength of palate and alcohol than taste, color, and aroma which is why the Weyerbacher Quad is as much of a quad as St. Bernardus Abt. 12 or Chimay Grande Reserve. Mm, mm, tasty.

Beer blogger Kristyn Lier can be found at our 20th Street, Vero Beach store, and more of her writings can be found on her personal blog: beerambassador.net

Continuing my occasional look at some great Australian wine, I’m sitting here with a bottle of d’Arenberg ‘The Dead Arm’ Shiraz in front of me.

There are literally hundreds of great d’Arenberg wine stories that are still regularly told when wine lovers get together. The vineyard itself, located in the McLaren Vale, was purchased exactly one hundred years ago this year by teetotaler Joseph Osborn. The winery truly came into its own when third generation family member Francis d’Arenberg Osborn – universally known as d’Arry – launched the d’Arenberg (his mother’s maiden name) label in 1959. Now in his eighties, d’Arry is a much loved and respected figure in the wine industry and is still involved in the wine-making process along with his son, the dynamic and decidedly individual Chief Winemaker Chester d’Arenberg Osborn.

Under Chester’s guidance the family vineyards returned to traditional grape-growing practices of minimal inputs and no fertilization, cultivation and irrigation whenever possible, therefore achieving natural soil flavors and very low yields. All grapes, red and white, are basket-pressed, and the reds are still traditionally fermented with the grape skins submerged in open wax-lined concrete fermenters utilizing the age-old technique of foot-treading.

 So coming from a winery that prides itself on ‘The Art of Being Different’ and imparts some amusingly off-the-wall names to its wines, just what is the Dead Arm?

Actually, Dead Arm is a vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa lata which can randomly affect vines throughout the world. In effect it kills off one half, or arm, of the vine, reducing it to dead wood. Many wineries choose to severely prune these vines or even rip them out and replant. But d’Arenberg, it seems, prefers to perceive the glass as being half full rather than half empty. They see this disease as a natural part of vineyard life. Noticing that the remaining unaffected part of the vine produces rich, intense, highly flavored grapes, they decided to vinify it separately from other d’Arenberg Shiraz. The result is a wine that has power, depth and length, with immense structure (and yet a remarkable finesse) that is enjoyable now but can age at least 20 years to reach its full potential.

I’ve been staring at this bottle of Dead Arm long enough. Anybody want to join me?

Bill Stobbs, ABC Wine Supervisor, Tampa/St Pete

(Follow me on Twitter at abcwinebills)

As you may know, the 2011 Bordeaux Futures campaign is now open. Here are some insider tips from the Bordeaux Futures tastings I was at two weeks ago.

Highly recommended:

 Inexpensive: Domain de l'A 2011- saturated ruby red, great fruit, red berries and black cherry, nice middle and balance, long finish.

Moderately priced: Chateau Franc Mayne 2011 - deep ruby color, freshness, elegance and power, long finish. Great effort; sleeper of the vintage.

 Expensive: Chateau Troplong Mondot 2011 - one of the best St Emilion estates and very consistent in recent vintages. Another great effort, this 2011 exhibits saturated  ruby red color, aromas and flavors of blueberry and blackberry fruit, great balance, elegance and depth, long lasting finish.

Atanas Nechkov, Wine Supervisor Central Florida

Follow me on Twitter @abcwineatanas

The excitement is beginning to build as an upcoming wine-trip to France is right around the corner…ten days away. I’m looking forward to this because I am about to travel through some wine regions that produce many of my very favorite wines. We will be visiting chateaux and domaines in the South and Northern Rhône Valley, continuing north to parts of Burgundy, wandering around Paris a couple of days and ending the trip back down south in Marseilles for a few days.

 The first part of the trip will be fast and furious, seeing a number of our top providers of Rhône  and Burgundy wines, such as Chateau Cabrieres, Domaine Paul Pillot, Domaine Renee Lequin-Colin and Chateau de Maligny among others. These excellent producers of Rhône and Burgundy wines will open my eyes to these extremely important regions of the wine world…can’t wait. The last few days will be spent seeing France at much more leisurely pace, taking in all the sights, sounds and flavors that Paris and Marseilles have to offer. I will be sending my next couple of posts from and about this French trip, so until then…au revoir.

Ken Amendola, Wine Supervisor, N. Florida

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekena