Brew Hops & Wine Stops

One of the coolest things about working in the cigar business is getting to sample all of the new items before they are released. I like to get my hands on the cigars as early as possible, smoke them, and form my own opinions before they have a chance to be reviewed by the "professionals." It's nice to smoke a cigar that hasn't been reviewed yet, or better yet, be one of the first to review it! Then sit back and see what the other writers and bloggers have to say.

Judging a cigar is not an exact science, and just because you like something, doesn't mean the rest of the world will. This is why buying cigars for a retail shop can be such a crap shoot. There are no guarantees that the cigar you think is great will be appreciated by enough smokers to justify its addition to your humidor.

It's also great to see a nice rating or review on a cigar that you really like yourself. Couple that with the fact that we already have this cigar well stocked in our humidors and that is the proverbial homerun.

The stars all lined up for me just last week when the latest Cigar Aficionado hit newsstands. In the July/August issue CA gave the Nub Maduro 460 a highly coveted 90 rating. These half-pint cigars have always been a favorite of mine. Although I tend to favor the box-pressed torpedo versions a little more, I have smoked my fair share of the round 460. If you like dark, rich tobacco flavors and lots of coffee notes in your cigar, then look no further than this beauty.

So how spot on is CA's assessment of this cigar? There is only one way to find out, so I went into my humidor and plundered through my Nub collection. Although I have dozen or so box-pressed versions, initial indications were that I may have been out of the 460. Not being a quitter, I dug a little deeper and voilà, I had one.

After pouring myself a mug of Cuban Coffee, I grabbed my lighter and cutter and retired to my patio. After toasting this cigar it didn't take long for me to realize that the 25 words Aficionado used to describe this cigar just weren't enough.

The initial puffs are everything one would expect from a full-bodied Maduro. It's what my better half, the lovely Mrs. Loreal, would refer to as a smoke bomb. It's her term for cigars that emit a lot of smoke, most of which often finds its way to her side of the swing as we relax out back. Expecting these results, tonight I take my test drive alone.

Large volumes of cool smoke, which soon intensifies into a robust coffee flavor, are all of the things I love about smoking this cigar. There may be some negative sides to smoking the larger ring gauges, mostly weakened binder and wrapper influence on taste, but the positive is cool smoke. The Nub 460 Maduro delivers plenty of cool smoke.

I am certain that the coffee accompanying the cigar is making those flavors more pronounced, but there is a mild hint of cocoa. The wrapper is Brazilian and although they don't specify the exact leaf, I believe it to be Mata Fina because of the slight undertone of sweetness. The Nicaraguan binder and filler give it plenty of strength and make sure that the sweetness is kept in check.

This is an absolute gem of a cigar and don't let the Nub in the name fool you. This is still an hour smoke, so take your time and enjoy this perfectly constructed and well balanced cigar.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney

ABC Fine Wine & Spirits regional manager in Jacksonville. Follow him on Twitter @chrisgnole

Pairing beer with food can be an amazing experience. All the different beer styles can go with a wide range of foods. I decided to take my passion for dark heavy beers and pair it with something I equally favor: chocolate. I gathered some of my co-workers and had a delicious dark beer and chocolate pairing. Brittany is the novice of the group. She is just learning to like beer and venture out into the darker, bolder ones. John is just dusting off his newbie palate and is working to expand it even more with more obscure styles. Sean has good wine knowledge and is working on developing his beer prowess. Dave is older and has years of experience tasting different potables. Eric holds the same beer expertise I do, as he is a fellow beer consultant. 

For the tasting, I picked out four dark beers and four different brands and types of chocolate to best complement each one. The first pair was done on a different day. It was a Hoppin’ Frog collaboration with Danish brewery Fanᴓ called Natasha Rocks America, and the style was a chocolate rye imperial stout.  I paired it with Vosges Smoke and Stout Caramel Bar, a chocolate bar made with Rogue Chocolate Stout, alder wood smoked salt, and burnt sugar caramel. The taste of both was stunning.

The next three pairings were more in-depth. I asked everyone to silently write down what they smelled and tasted in each beer before and after eating the chocolate. This way I could get what everyone experienced without them being persuaded by others’ thoughts. The first beer and chocolate was the 2013 vintage Widmer Brothers Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout and Raspberry Kona Bar, 35% cocoa with Kona coffee grounds and wild raspberries. I got very light raspberry, oak, jam and milk chocolate in the nose. Taste was a big hop back, char, smoke, smooth, black licorice but no raspberry. After taking a nibble of the chocolate, the hop bite was subdued and raspberry peaked through in the beer. Sean found a raspberry mocha nose with a creamy, nougaty taste. John got raspberry, licorice and rich berries in the nose with a licorice, chocolate and coffee taste. Eric and Dave got mostly the same as John. Brittany noted hearty fruit, plum and licorice smells with a toasty touch of acidity in the taste.    

The second beer and chocolate was Great Divide Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Russian Imperial Stout with Perugina 51% Cacao Luisa Dark Chocolate Bar. To me the smell was oaky with milk chocolate and light espresso. The taste was velvety with a big virgin oak flash in the front then tropical notes of pineapple, papaya and a little black licorice. The dark chocolate accentuated the chocolate in the brew. Dave also experienced oak, chocolate, licorice and slight pineapple. Sean, John and Eric got the same as Dave and I, sans the pineapple. Brittany found it to be chocolaty and nutty. A side note was the color of the brew was an awesome, thick, used motor oil black.

The third beer and chocolate was The Bruery Rugbrᴓd, a Julebryg style dark rye ale and Sander’s Twisted Toffee and Pretzel Milk Chocolate Bar. I noted sour apple, honey dew, citrus, mango and sour cherry in the nose with a tart, spicy rye, fig and date taste. The pretzel complemented the rye nicely, and the milk chocolate created a sweet and sour effect. Brittany smelled apple and melon and tasted crisp apple cider. Dave tasted apple, melon, lemon and mango and smelled fruity and bready. John found the aroma fruity and caramel with a taste of caramel malt, melon and apple cider. Sean described the smell as Barleywine-esque with a tropical punch taste consisting of mango, pineapple, papaya, figs and dates. Eric remarked it similarly to Sean. 

This was a very nice pairing, which everyone enjoyed. As you can see, the veteran beer drinkers discerned a few more tastes to Brittany’s descriptions but each of our palates turned out to be very akin.

Adam Shugan, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Beer Consultant - Archer Ave, Gainesville

Follow him on Twitter @abcbeeradams

(In his blog on June 13^th Bill told of the long history of Greek wines, of their pre-eminence in ancient times, their sad fall from grace, and their recent resurgence in quality and popularity. Today he writes about some of the more popular wines and grape varieties ---)

The first experience for many people with Greek wine is Retsina, and I have to admit when I first tried it many years ago I did not like it. In fact I spat out what I had in my mouth and poured the rest of the bottle down the drain–something I’ve rarely ever done. Retsina is definitely an acquired taste. My first general acceptance of it was when I paired it with Greek food–suddenly the heavens opened and it seemed much more agreeable.

Traditionally, Retsina was homemade wine–the commercially bottled version wasn’t available until the 1960s–usually made from the Savatiano grape. There are many stories of its origin but the most likely one is simply that the ancient Greeks, knowing that air was the enemy of wine, used what they had at hand–pine resin–to seal the tops of the amphorae. The pine resin infiltrated the wine, and Retsina was born. Remember too that traditionally Greek wine was always diluted with water (or snow), which would have reduced the pine resin flavor. In fact, even today, should you be served an indifferent house Retsina in a taverna, it is recommended that you add soda water to it.

But Greek wine is much more than Retsina. There are over 300 indigenous grapes in Greece that are used for making wine. Most of us can only name a handful, but I’m sure that with more DNA testing we would find that many of the grapes of Italy, Southern France and Southern Spain originated in Greece under different names. The Greek word for wine–oenos–dates back to the Mycenean Period (1600-1100 BCE), and you will note that it has the same root as most European names for wine.

Traditionally, Greek wines were often (but not always) sweet and aromatic, and they often added herbs, spices and even perfume–a kind of ancient version of vermouth. In ancient times, as already stated, it was said that all wine should be diluted with water. They believed that only barbarians drank undiluted wine and that drinking it could drive you crazy and even kill you.

White grapes dominate with Greek wine but some of their best wines are red. A good place to start might be with Moschofilero (mos-ko-fee-ler-o), a blanc de gris grape with a deep pink skin that produces crisp, aromatic white wines with nice acidity and floral notes of roses and violets. Another popular cultivar is Assyrtsiko (a-seer-ti-ko) which is an appealing, food-friendly multipurpose white. Often found on the island of Santorini, this is bone dry, has a steely minerality and high acidity with hints of citrus fruit and blossom. Pair with calamari, light seafood or Greek salad.

Of the reds the most planted grape is Xinomavro (ksee-no-ma-vro) which translates as ‘acid black.’ Best known from Naoussa in Northern Greece, this is a full-bodied, spicy age-worthy wine with good tannins, and flavors of black olives and dried tomatoes. It can sometimes be rustic, but is often compared to Nebbiolo. Pair with lamb, red meat or meat-based pasta.

Agiorgitiko (ah-yor-yee-ti-ko) is perhaps the most important and noble red. Grown largely in the Peloponnese, it can be made in many styles including a pleasant rosé. Look for soft, spicy cherry notes.

And then there’s Mavrodaphne (mav-ro-tha-fnee) which translates as ‘black laurel,’ and is made largely in the Peloponnese and Ionian islands. When blended with the Black Corinth current grape it produces a delicious fortified wine akin to port, made in the solera style. Mavrodaphne has the added benefit, according to an elderly Greek-American acquaintance of mine, of being an aphrodisiac.

Of course, in trying to appeal to an international market, grapes like syrah, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc have been introduced to Greek vineyards, and that is fine. But I hope you’ll be inspired to take a chance on their indigenous varieties. With recent investments and new technology we are seeing a rebirth in quality in these wines, as well as a link to the earliest days of wine history.

Yamas!

Bill Stobbs, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebills

Champy is a small, passionate, family-run business. The company’s principle is not to grow significantly, but to consistently produce artisanal wines with continued supply. The grapes for Champy wines come from two sources. The domaine consists of 28 hectares (acquired since 1990), all located in the Côte de Beaune. Other appellations are sourced by long standing contracts with viticulturists (where grapes are purchased, mainly from the Côte de Nuits). The estate produces approximately 40% white and 60% red wine.

Champy’s commitment to the environment means that all treatments in the domaine’s vineyards are organic and biodynamic. The vineyard tasks are based around the cycles of the moon, and no pesticides or herbicides are used. Champy is moving into an exciting new phase as the vineyards are currently going through a process of organic certification.

The winemaking techniques are non-interventionist (to maximize what nature has provided) and are adapted to the particular vintage in question. Harvest is 100% conducted and sorted by hand. 

Atanas Nechkov, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Supervisor

Follow him on Twitter @abcwineatanas

This is a little out of my area of expertise, but I know a good time when I see (or taste) one. Last Thursday at the Mandarin ABC Fine Wine & Spirits in Jacksonville, there was a Craft Beer Tasting. Now wine is always my first choice when it comes to enjoying an adult beverage, but I have also been known to drink a beer or two if the mood hits me. So for me and about a hundred others, this was a good chance to try some of the best examples of the more boutique or small production brews out in the market today. There was no Budweiser or Miller Lite to be found. No, this is where the true hopheads go to sample some of the truly artisan creations made from barley and hops.

I am not going to go into the unique differences of the myriad of recipes and styles of these special brews--I will leave that to our resident beer bloggers. I will tell you, though, of a couple of interesting events and nuances I saw. One of the most informative tables at the tasting was called the "Grape & Grain" table. This is an idea that was put forward by David Rigdon of Champion Brands, one of ABC’s beer wholesalers. This gives our guests a chance to see the similarities between wine and beer, not just as a beverage, but also as an accompaniment or match with food as a dinner drink. Most people are familiar with pairing wine with a meal, but more and more you are seeing restaurants hosting beer dinners to help expose the public to the compatibility of craft beer to food…and I’m not talking about chicken wings and a pitcher of Bud. We matched Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale with Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc, and it was easy to taste how much these two had in common; the beautiful grapefruit and peach notes of each would match equally well with a piece of grilled fish and mango salsa.

We also poured  Seven Sinners Petite Syrah with Dogfish Head’s Palo Santo Marron and wow! These two full flavored drinks will stand up with any and all grilled steaks you can find. The Palo Santo is aged in handmade wooden vessels and can be aged for 8-10 years…sounds very wine-like huh? The other match was with Angry Orchard Dry Cider and Oceans 11 Riesling and again, you could easily see how well each would complement grilled chicken or pork tenderloin. Beer with dinner…who knew?

Something else I learned that night was something that dispelled a lifelong misconception I had about beer: beer in a bottle is better than beer in a can. David explained to me that in days gone by, beer from a can really wasn’t too good, that the cans were not lined, so all you could taste was the can. These days all the cans are lined and the true flavor of the beer is there for everyone to taste. The other attributes to the can is that it seals in the flavor of the beer better and it also does not let in any light that will damage the beer, sound familiar wine geeks? One of our local breweries, Intuition Ale Works, is making the can a standard vessel for their delicious craft beer.

For all you Hop Heads and novice beer drinkers, next time you hear that an ABC Craft Beer event is coming to town (August 22^nd in Fernandina Beach), be sure to attend. I grudgingly have to admit, much to Mr. Rigdons delight, that beer is more than just what you get from the giant, commercial breweries. It can be every bit as complex and interesting as…gulp! a fine wine can be. So next time you throw a couple of beautiful strip steaks on the grill ask the beer consultant for one of the many great craft beer choices that can be found at your local ABC Fine Wine & Spirits & Beer near you.

Ken Amendola, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Supervisor

Follor him on Twitter @abcwinekena

As a self proclaimed lover of Italian wine, I'm the first to admit that some of Italy's wines need a bit of  explaining. Vin Santo, or "holy wine," is an amber colored dessert wine produced throughout Tuscany. It is most often made from a blend of Trebbiano Toscana and Malvasia Bianco. Once harvested, the grapes are dried on mats over the winter before being pressed and fermented until the yeast dies off naturally.

Aging takes place in small wooden casks which are not topped up giving the wines an oxidative oloroso sherry character. In addition the Italians have a habit of keeping the barrels under the roof of the winery in a space called the vinsantaia. As the weather warms up each year this encourages refermentation of any unfermented sugars that remain in the wine. Nicolas Caramelli, the winemaker at Fattoria La Ripa, told me that making Vin Santo goes against everything he ever learned about producing clean, technically correct wine.

Vin Santo comes in a bewildering range of styles from bone dry to ultra sweet depending on how long the winemaker dries the grapes. The longer the drying process, the greater the evaporation and the sweeter the must. From my own personal experience, most Vin Santo falls somewhere in the middle of the flavor spectrum.                                                                                                                                              

La Tancia Vin Santo del Chianti has an intense, spicy bouquet of raisins and dried fruit. The palate has apricot, honey and vanilla tones with just the right amount of sweetness. Have an open mind and try this unusual wine with hard cheese or Cantuccini (Tuscan almond biscuits) at your next dinner party.

Paul Quaglini, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Supervisor

Follow him on Twitter @abcwinepaulq

 

 

When a team wins a championship what is the first thing that usually gets popped open in the victorious locker room? Of course it is a bottle of Champagne. The bubbly beverage has a long history of not only quenching the thirst of champions, but also serving as liquid confetti as the victors spray it all over themselves and their teammates.

But Champagne isn't the only way to celebrate, as the cigar has also been used for this purpose throughout history. Do you think there were a few cigars smoked in Miami on Thursday night? I can guarantee the moment Pat Riley raised that third Championship trophy for the Miami Heat, a large plume of cigar smoke rose over the city.

As I watched the Miami Heat finish off the San Antonio Spurs and wrap up their second consecutive NBA title, I had the privilege of sharing the time with two great cigar guys. Both of which just happen to reside in Miami. Since both of these two "brothers of the leaf" were working an event with me in Jacksonville and were unable to watch the game in Miami, I did my best to make them feel at home. We watched the game at a very lively establishment, enjoyed a few beverages, and smoked some amazing cigars. The cigars made the evening very enjoyable, but more so did the play of LeBron James, Shane Battier, and Dwayne Wade. The ride for this duo back to Miami will definitely be a little shorter because of the game’s outcome.

But you don't have to win an NBA championship or a Super Bowl title to spark up a celebratory cigar. For many years fathers have celebrated the birth of a child by handing out cigars. At ABC we still have the "it's a boy" and "it's a girl" stickers which allow any cigar to become that special newborn memento.

Cigars are also great for celebrating a graduation, job promotion, or the closing of a good business deal. As long as it involves a great time shared by great friends, then it's the perfect time to smoke a cigar.

Most everyone knows that ABC stands for "Always be Celebrating". So whatever the joyous occasion, don't forget the cigars—they certainly make everyday celebrations better.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney

ABC Fine Wine & Spirits regional manager in Jacksonville. Follow him on Twitter @chrisgnole

What is beer really? Is it a weird fermentation between a group of ingredients (water, yeast, malt and hops), or is it more than that? Beer can be found dating back around 7000 years ago in Sumeria. Scientists discovered a tablet at a site in Uruk which is located in Southern Mesopotamia. The tablet described people gathering together, and beer was the beverage they enjoyed. They used beer in everyday life.

Now we move on to the Middle Ages. I personally love the Middle Ages. Beer was consumed by both social classes (nobility and commoners) in the northern and eastern parts of Europe. The reason why it was more popular in those particular areas is because they couldn't grow grapes to make wine like the people in southern parts of Europe did at the time. Though, even in southern Europe, beer still had a huge presence. The people were never sure if the water was actually safe to drink, so the only thing could actually drink was beer.

Toward the late Middle Ages beer was consumed with every meal. At this point in the beer world people really start playing the mad scientist when comes to brewing. They started trying new ways to change beer, to make it better (beer changes from culture to culture). Around 800 years ago Germany start using hops in place of gruit (a type of herb mixture). They would use hops to add more flavor to their beers. They started to call it godale which was a term meaning "good beer." Germany was the pioneer for discovering how to standardize barrel size, which allowed them to make it a major export item. Before that, beer was only brewed in the home.

At the end of the Middle Ages, Germany implemented Reinheitsgebot (purity law) which was later adopted by William IV, Duke of Bavaria in 1516. The purity law states the beer can only use water, hops, malt and yeast. Beer grew from being necessity to everyday life, to being a social device, to becoming a major business.

Now let us head on to the modern day (sort of). Brewing and experimenting with beer has seen a continuous growth. 60 years ago in New Zealand a man by name of Morton Coutts created a system for double fermentation. In the 70s a man by the name of Michael Jackson wrote a book called The World Guide to Beer. In his book he categorized beer by style. In a way, he gave each and every single beer its own identity. Michael Jackson is the Robert Parker of beer. He was the most influential writer and rater of beers in the world. He also has been credited for jump starting the beer renaissance around the world, particularly in the US. Beer is growing more and more every day. It started out as necessity to survive and moved to being a social device, to being a business, and now to having a life of its own.

Ken Ransom, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Beer Consultant

Follow him on Twitter @abcbeerkenr

Perennially overshadowed by its prestigious Napa Valley neighbor to the south, Lake County must often feel like the Rodney Dangerfield of California wine.  You remember Rodney, right?  He’s the comedian that used to shout “No Respect” as the punch-line part of his act.

Once the best kept secret in the region, this sleepy little corner of the North Coast has been garnering a solid reputation lately for high quality wines produced at consumer friendly price points. 

In fact, Lake County succeeds at doing a very good impersonation of big Sonoma and Napa reds without the fanfare and pretention.  Yes, Lake County is a little short on star power for now.  But, give the region a little “respect” for dutifully slacking the thirst of discerning California wine drinkers demanding more bang for their buck these days.

What Lake County is missing in its standup routine is a signature grape variety that gives it some cache and distinguishes itself amongst its peers.  Even that other North Coast AVA, Mendocino, has hit the big time with Anderson Valley Pinot Noir.  It’s time for Lake County to find a better booking agent!

Maybe it could rest its laurels then upon Tempranillo, the red grape of Spain.  I’ve tasted some very good Tempranillo bottlings lately from Lake County, including Six Sigma Ranch and Shannon Ridge Single Vineyard Collection.  Taken on face value, this does make some sense.  At a higher elevation than Napa Valley (up to 3500 feet), Lake County’s key vineyards sport an environment that’s readymade for this early ripening variety, especially High Valley AVA.  The subsoil here is Franciscan shale instead of limestone, but on a sunny day (and if you squint a bit) the region does look a little like Ribera del Duero.

If you want to judge for yourself just how good Tempranillo from Lake County can be, check out the most recent release of Shannon Ridge Morine Ranch Tempranillo ($29.99).  Winemaker Mike Wood emphasizes the grape’s signature black cherry fruit and spice notes by judiciously aging this scrumptious red in a 50/50 combo of new and used French oak. 

Very tasty right now, especially with grilled lamb, this wine should improve nicely in your wine cellar in near term, too.

Jim Greeley, SW Florida Wine Supervisor

Make mine wine, that’s what I always say. My auto signature on e-mail tells you this, as I have been a wine lover for as long as I care to remember. Don’t know for sure if my age plays a part, but lately I have begun finally to discover other beverages besides wine (although they will never replace it) including quality beer and even a spirit or two. Up until a year or two ago, I would average about a beer a month (lawnmower refreshment) and almost never any spirits, besides the occasional Campari or Pastis (my spirit weakness).

With all the renewed interest in microbrews and craft brews, and the standard high quality imports, I too have been experimenting with beers from around the world. I prefer full flavored English ales, Pilsners and many German beers like Tucher and Weihenstephaner…but one thing is certain, I have been sampling more and more of these each month at the expense of my wine intake. And I like it!

As for spirits, I usually have a few bottles of Pastis—Pastis 51, which I bring back when travelling—and sometimes a bottle of Campari, and that is more than enough…well, until recently. For Christmas a few years ago, I was given an old copy of a Zane Grey collection of short fishing stories. Zane, best known for “Riders of the Purple Sage” from 1912 was an avid fisherman, and in case you did not know, so am I. I especially enjoy reading short stories like these from Tom McGuane and the Hemmingway stories of Nick Adams, who both liked to cast a line. So one evening a few Decembers back, I decided to soak in the tub and crack open the Zane Grey book and I thought, this would be a nice time for a warm snifter of Cognac. Turned out, I happened to have a bottle of Pierre Ferrand 30 year in the house, which up until that moment had no chance of being consumed. The combination of the hot tub and the warming stories of childhood fishing in the creeks of Zanesville, Ohio just made that cognac so comforting that I, after all this time, finally understood the pleasure of brandy!

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida Wine Supervisor. Follow Shayne on Twitter: @ABCwineshayne

So last time we spoke, it was about wines and pizza.  This time we are going to drink some appetizers. Who wouldn’t like to know about that?  We will make this into a full fun meal by the end of it! 

Starting with appetizers, depending on what you want to do, we can give you three examples.  You don’t always have to order food for your appetizer, especially since sparkling wines are known as aperitifs to enhance the flavor of food.  This is where we play around with Champagne, Prosecco, and even Cava.  Any way you look at this it will be sparkling wine, it just depends on where you want it from.  Here is one of each to give you a couple of different flavors to try…Champagne, do we want brut, extra dry, or demi sec?  Let’s go a bit sweet with the first one, that is demi sec, and we will go with our own Moutard Demi- Sec.  Juicy and still a bit reserved, but modest cellaring should bring the core flavors of white peach, blanched almond, honeysuckle and salted butter to the fore.  Just a great balance of sweet and dry together. 

Next we take a closer look at Prosecco.  This little number comes from Italy and has been on a hot streak at many restaurants for the bubbles by the glass.  Price wise, it’s a home run for those who like bubble but can’t afford Champagne every day.  We went simple for the first taste, so let’s jump it up a bit for the second one, peppered pear Prosecco.  This was one of my favorite recipes from a restaurant I used to work at.  Pear puree mixed with fresh cracked pepper at the bottom of a Champagne flute, then topped with Prosecco.  Talk about a winning combination for the summer!  I have used Tosca Brut for this one many times over at parties!

Finally we come to Cava, our bubbly from Spain.  We just got a new one at ABC if you haven’t tried it yet… Dominio De La Peseta Cava. Besides drinking simply, two other ways I always enjoy Cava are in a peach Bellini—peach puree, a small amount of triple sec, and topped generously with Cava.  And also, mimosas aren’t just for Champagne anymore, in fact are sometimes they’re better with a hint of
Spain.

So now you have a few new things to try before a meal, and I have a few things I need to make for a great Sunday brunch!

Get out and drink! (Responsibly…of course.)

Kathleen Anderson, North/West Wine Supervisor. Follow Kathleen on Twitter: @ABCwinekat

This Friday marks the longest day of the year. June 21^st is the first day of summer, the Summer Solstice. And for some, that simply means a longer Friday night, but for others, it’s another reason to have a party. For those summer-ready celebrators, we’d like to offer a few cocktail ideas to make your Summer Solstice a twinkle in your eye that lasts for the rest of the season.

We’ve taken these cocktail ideas from our Pinterest page—these are the ones we’re dying to try as the sun sets this Friday:

Citrusy Champagne Sangria

This sweet cocktail is a combination of grapefruit juice, ginger ale, a few citrus fruits and of course, chilled Champagne. Click the photo for the full recipe!

Pear Bellini

Combine a slice of pear, some grappa and Champagne for a crisp and light cocktail. It’s refreshing and cool and exactly the type of Summer Solstice cocktail your guests will love. For more details, click the photo!

The Frenchy

This pear vodka cocktail includes pineapple juice and cranberry juice poured over a bed of ice for a pretty, sweet beverage. This would be beautiful by itself, or maybe with a thin slice of pear in the glass. Either way, the pale pink color makes us think of summer right away. (Click the photo for the recipe!)

Popsicles in Prosecco

It’s exactly what the title says:  homemade fruit popsicles (or store-bought, we don’t judge!) sitting in your (large) wine glass with prosecco poured over top. It adds a fruit flavor to your bubbly beverage and a little spike to your popsicle dessert.

Are there any summer cocktails you’re excited to try? How do you celebrate the coming of summer? Comment below and let us know!

Cheers!

Hannah and Meghan

If you live in Florida you should definitely plan to visit the JC Newman Cigar Factory Museum in Tampa. I am a bit embarrassed being a "brother of the leaf" and having not visited this last American Tobacco Castle until earlier this week. There is a fully functioning cigar factory--it is something that is nearly impossible to find in the U.S. these days. A fitting tribute to not only a great cigar-making pioneer, Julius Caesar "J.C." Newman, but also to his descendants who continue to operate the business today.

There is a lot of cigar history in Tampa, Florida. In its heyday, more Cuban tobacco cigars were produced in Tampa than were produced in Cuba for export to the United States. JC Newman Cigar Factory was actually founded in Cleveland, Ohio, by Julius Caesar Newman. In 1895, after completing a cigar apprenticeship, JC borrowed $50 and began making cigars in his family barn. It wasn’t long before JC had a booming business. His company survived the Great Depression, and in 1954 he decided to move his operation to Tampa. The move put him closer to Cuba—the supplier of tobacco for most of the premium cigar manufacturers. Tampa was certainly the center of the cigar world here in the U.S.

While getting a guided tour of the museum from Eric Newman, current JC Newman President and grandson of the company’s founder, I was treated to great stories about his family and their role in American cigar history. One statement that really stuck with me was: "There was a time when you could stand on our roof and literally see all of our competition," said Eric Newman. "But today, we are the only ones left."

 

JC Newman Cigar Company is the only one left, mainly because President John F. Kennedy signed a trade embargo with Cuba and, almost overnight, a majority of America's cigar factories came to a grinding halt. With no source for cigar tobacco, Stanford Newman, a true visionary and 25 year veteran of the cigar industry, looked to a faraway continent more known for its big game safaris than its premium tobacco leaves. Yes, we have Stanford Newman to thank for introducing our nation to the wonderful flavor of Cameroon tobacco. He was the first person to import and use it in premium cigars and the chief reason why they still make cigars—and the other beautiful brick factories around them are now either vacant or office buildings.

Today the company is run by President Eric Newman and Executive Vice President Bobby Newman. Both continue the great Newman legacy with the fourth generation prepared to grab the reins.

Some of their great cigars that we stock in our humidors at ABC include Brick House, Perla del Mar and the great selling Quorom line. JC Newman also proudly distributes Arturo Fuente cigars.

If you want a taste of Cigar City, you can do so by visiting your local ABC store. If you would like to see and hear it, then make your way to Tampa. My only regret is that I took so long to make the trek myself.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney

ABC Fine Wine & Spirits regional manager in Jacksonville. Follow him on Twitter @chrisgnole

I am here to try a little taste experiment between bottling and canning. The two big enemies of beer are oxidation and being light struck. Unfortunately, beer in a bottle is susceptible to both. What used to be the downside of canned beer was that older beer cans were unlined, allowing the beer to leech the aluminum or tin giving it a metallic taste. 

For this experiment, I got three bottles of beer and their can counterparts. The first is the mass-produced Budweiser American Adjunct Lager, the second is the smaller yet still widely produced Red Hook Long Hammer India Pale Ale and the third is the microbrew Breckenridge Summer Bright American Pale Wheat Ale. I have two identical glasses to keep the integrity of the taste and not adulterate it with a glass made to accentuate aroma or allow for additional decanting.

Since hops are the first to fade as a consequence of oxidation, I will sample the Long Hammer. Both were stored at the same temperature. I poured at the same angle, but the bottle yielded a larger head. From a whiff of each glass, I get a little more piney hops in the can one and a touch more malt in the bottle one. Redhook’s six pack packaging is tall enough to conceal the bottle up to its neck so being light struck is very unlikely. After a sip from each glass, I find both tastes are nearly identical. There is slightly more bitterness in the can glass. With the bottle glass, the beer sticks to the sides nicer.

Now the Budweiser. No head was produced from the bottle or the can. The smell from each is nearly identical aside from a tad more sweetness in the can glass. The can tastes quite a bit crisper with bright malt and corn notes. The “born on” date on the two are actually the same.

Lastly, I have the Breckenridge. Again, no head was made. Interestingly, the bottle has a much nicer aroma of lemon rind and wheat husk. The can nose is more flat with light orange pulp notes. The taste is the same. The bottle exhibits wheat and citrus flavors, while the can is more muted. There is no “born on” or “best by” date on either packaging, so I do not know if the can is older. Now the question arises whether or not the wheat needs a touch of oxygen to stay fresh--as in bottle conditioning, where yeast is added to the bottled brew to remain active and continue adding flavor and depth.

Therefore, as for results, it seems that IPAs and other non-wheat beers stay fresher and more flavorful in a can where light striking and oxidation is eliminated. I would like to compare more, but wheat beers and possibly even any actively yeasted beer benefits from a little oxygen in their environment. Many microbreweries are strictly canning or have switched to cans, such as Avery and Cigar City. Oskar Blues and Narragansett solely can their brews. Samuel Adams has introduced their patented aroma friendly cans with a wider lip and mouth hole. Magic Hat and Abita offer both bottles and 12-pack cans. So next time you are shopping for beer, pay attention to what style you are getting and make your beer drinking experience the best it can be.

Adam Shugan, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Beer Consultant

Follow him on Twitter @abcbeeradams

Editor's Note: This is the first in a two part series by Bill Stobbs on Greek wines. Have more questions on the subject? Comment below and let us know!

While I often eschew both the media at large and the topical wine media for always having to be on the lookout for the new and next big thing, I must also admit that as a simple wine lover I enjoy exploring wine areas and facets that are new or at least largely unfamiliar to me.

Lately, somewhere in the back of my mind, I’ve had this vague but often-present need to taste and understand the wines of Greece a little better. Now, the enjoyment of Greek wine is hardly new, reaching back as it does beyond the dim undulations of Homer’s “wine-dark sea.” Nor is it exactly the next big thing except in as much as there currently seems to be a minor renaissance in quality winemaking in Greece as well as a burgeoning cult-following throughout much of the world.

I’m far from being an expert on Greek wine, and that’s the reason I decided to do some research. For this blog I’ll speak about the history of Greek wine and I’ll continue next time with a kind of beginner’s guide to Greek wine and grape varieties.

Most of us know that Greece is one of the oldest wine-producing areas of the world, and winemaking there dates back to the Bronze Age. We also know that wine became a dominant factor in their trade and economy. The Greeks introduced vines and winemaking practices to countries that have long since surpassed them in international recognition for wine, such as Italy, Sicily, France and Spain. So what happened? Why did this small country that dominated the ancient wine trade become little more than a footnote as far as the international market is concerned?

Let’s begin at what we know of the beginning. Proper winemaking practices probably came to Greece from Egypt and quickly grew in quality and popularity. Greece has a moderate climate, plentiful sunshine, low average rainfall and moderately fertile soil–just perfect for those grape vines. And so as the early historian Thucydides indicates, “The peoples of the Mediterranean began to emerge from barbarism when they learned to cultivate the olive and the vine.” Festivals and celebrations that worshiped Dionysus, the god of wine, became widespread and eventually reached almost all parts of the Mediterranean. Symposia were held (intellectual gatherings to discuss philosophical subjects) at which wine was used (in moderation) to stimulate intellectual clarity and spiritual awareness. In medicine Hippocrates used wine as a cure for fevers, to ease convalescence and as an antiseptic, as well as an analgesic, a diuretic, a tonic and a digestive aid.

 

And, as stated, Greece eventually brought vitis vinifera vines to the rest of Europe. Exactly what those vines were is largely unknown, but it is known that many Italian grape varieties such as Moscato, Malvasia, Trebbiano, Aglianico, Greco di Tufo and Grachetto originally came from Greece. Vinsanto, that delicious naturally sweet dessert wine that we usually associate with Italy, originated–both the wine and the process–on the Greek island of Santorini. Hence the name.

The reason for Greece’s fall from grace as a major wine producer seems to have been a series of mishaps over many centuries beginning with the 400 year Turkish Occupation. The Turks discouraged winemaking during those centuries. Even in 1821, when the occupation ended, the retreating Turks burned many of the Greek vineyards. Soon afterwards it became more profitable for Greek farmers to grow currants rather than wine grapes. When French vines became ravaged by phylloxera they were forced to buy Greek currents in order to increase production and strengthen their own wines. But by 1900 the French wine market was back on its feet, and the Greek market for currants collapsed. By that time phylloxera had also completely destroyed the Macedonian vineyards and done considerable damage to other Greek wine areas. The 20^th century offered little respite to winemaking with the Balkan wars, two World Wars, and the Greek Civil War.

Hopefully, despite all their economic woes, the 21^st century will mark the beginning of a new age of internationally recognized quality wines from Greece.

To be continued...

Bill Stobbs, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Supervisor

Follow him on Twitter @abcwinebills

VinExpo is upon us again.

VinExpo-Bordeaux takes place every other year in the city of Bordeaux, France, and represents the world’s largest wine fair open to the trade. Wineries from Europe, Asia, the Americas, etc. showcase their production to potential buyers from around the world.

We will taste and compare hundreds of wines; of those, only about a dozen will be retained as potential candidates to become part of the wine portfolio at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits.

Our two-week journey started in Northern France’s Loire Valley, followed by winery visits currently in Burgundy.

Tomorrow we are visiting for the first time the wine region of Savoie, home to high-elevation whites with lower alcohol levels that are fresh and light; this style of wine seems to be the new general trend for whites.

We will finish with five days at VinExpo in Bordeaux; with that, our “Tour de France” will be complete.

Stay tuned for more information over the next few months on exciting new discoveries from wine country.

Atanas Nechkov, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Supervisor

Follow him on Twitter @abcwineatanas

I’ve been putting these tastings on for almost 12 years now, and I sometimes take for granted how special these events really are…I’m speaking of the ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine tastings that you can find somewhere in almost every part of Florida on a given Wednesday or Thursday night.

Now I know what you’re thinking, "Big deal! A wine tasting…everyone does those." Well, in a way you’re right in saying that, because nowadays most everywhere retail wine is sold, someone is having a wine tasting of some sort--just check the local “What’s Happening” section of the newspaper. From small mom-and-pop shops, boutique retailers, grocery stores or large retailers like ABC, someone is having a wine tasting on almost any given night of the week. But the only thing ABC’s wine tastings have in common with the others is the name; that is where the similarities emphatically end.  

A few of the biggest differences are the amount of preparation involved and the scope of the events themselves. We start setting up an event the day before, not because we want to, but because to do it right it takes a little more time. Quite a lot goes into the setup--much more than just grabbing a card table out of the stockroom or setting four or five wines at the end of the bar. A typical event in a larger store has 30 or more tables to sample over 100 assorted wines, spirits, craft beers and gourmet offerings. Occasionally, a wine celebrity such as a winemaker, importer or owner will be in attendance to answer all the questions that our guests can come up with. Oh by the way, did I mention all this for just $10, and you get to keep a complimentary wine glass?! So with the much appreciated and invaluable involvement of our wholesale partners, an ABC tasting has much more in common with a $50 or higher priced ticket charity wine event.

One of the best reasons to attend an ABC wine tasting is that they are not focused on any one type of wine drinker. You will find wines from practically every major--and sometimes minor--winemaking region from around the globe. You get an opportunity to taste wines made from grapes you have never heard of or maybe one you just haven’t had a chance to try. We attempt to cover all the bases as far as price, region, grape varietal and style. Recently at the Fleming Island ABC Wine Tasting, a guest of ours was introduced to Aragosta, a wine made from the Vermentino grape produced on the island of Sardinia. She was also thrilled to meet the importer, Nadia Galati, who was there to share her charm and knowledge of her unique and delicious wines. You should know that many ABC stores have a wine tap system that will allow you to sample a number of different wines at any time the store is open…and that is free of charge.

If you have not had the chance to do so, make your way to an ABC wine tasting near you. How do you find this out you ask? Simply click here to go to our online event calendar! Look for a tasting in your neck of the vineyard, grab a friend or two and enjoy!

Ken Amendola ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Supervisor

Follow him on Twitter @abcwinekena

Trying to keep up with the ever changing world of Italian wine can make your head spin. I'm a huge fan of Italian wine but trying to properly inform our staff and guests can be a daunting task.

Last week I was asked why some Italian wines had a paper strip on the neck of the bottle and others did not. I stumbled a bit to compose a concise explanation and then came to the realization that there was no short answer. Italian wine and its laws are confusing!

Basically you have four classifications: VdT, IGT, DOC and DOCG. VdT stands for Vino da Tavola, or table wine, and is usually consumed in local Italian trattoria. IGT stands for Indicazione Geografica Tipica. As the name suggests, wine typical of a geographic region. DOC or Denominazione di Origine Controllata (try saying that 3 times quickly) is a wine produced in a specific well-defined region in Italy. And finally DOCG, the highest wine classification in Italy. The "G" stands for Garantita, a wine guaranteed to follow stringent wine making rules. It's here where you find some of Italy's top wines.

But what about the question concerning the paper strips on the neck of the bottle? I turned to our Italian importer extraordinaire Nadia Galati for more insight. Nadia explained to me that back in the 1980s, Italian wines started being more closely regulated. Originally only Chianti, Vernaccia and Brunello had the strips, or fascetta in Italian, on the bottles. Today all DOCG wines are required to wear the strips. The DOCG strips are supplied by the state. As for DOC wines, it's up to the regional consortium but in the near future all consortium will require the fascetta.
The fascetta is much more than a cosmetic strip.They are all numbered so that at any time they can track the number of bottles produced and any other historical facts needed. The fascetta has to be requested and paid for (a tax) when the producer bottles the wine.

Personally I often find myself scratching my head trying to figure out the latest changes in Italian wine law. My suggestion is to ignore the regulations and just enjoy the wines.

 

A few weeks ago we picked up a new cigar from the fine folks at JC Newman. The Perla del Mar, which literally means Pearl of the Sea, comes in four sizes and for today's review I will be sampling the P which is a 3 3/4  X  56 shorty.

Upon first inspection the Perla del Mar P is a tightly constructed, box-pressed cigar. Its square shape, though very tight, invites me to use a punch to pierce the cap in preparation of putting flame to stick.  The wrapper has a little toothiness, with a nice sized vein running from foot to cap.

I take my time toasting the foot, as to make sure it gets off to a good start. Being such a short cigar, any burn problem related to operator error would not have much time to sort itself out.

After lighting and taking my initial puffs the first thing I notice about the cigar is the tight draw. This has little effect as the cigar provides plenty of thick creamy smoke. There is a little earthiness that I attribute to the wrapper, but it's milder than what one gets from Connecticut wrapper grown here in the USA. I find the Ecuadorian "cloud-grown" tobacco to be a little nuttier and less grassy than its American cousin.

The Nicaraguan binder and filler give the cigar a nice underlying bite that I would rate at medium strength, definitely a step down from its Brickhouse brethren.  There is a mild spice to the cigar, which, in my opinion, hovers closer to the sweet side of the flavor wheel. There is a little pepper, but it is minimal.

Anticipating this to be a mild cigar, I decided to pour a little scotch to go with the Perla del Mar. I usually drink nothing but water when I do reviews, but I thought that once I hit the final third I would wash the final puffs down with a splash of 21 year old Balvenie Portwood. As I approached the halfway mark of the cigar I decided two things. First: though milder than I usually prefer, the cigar had enough kick to stand on its own. Second: I could no longer let that scotch sit on the table daring me to drink it. I obliged and prematurely picked up the glass and took a few sips.

It's amazing what a little scotch did to the experience. The subtle peatiness of the scotch intensified the pepper notes and pulled the cigar away from the sweet spectrum. I would almost be willing to bet that a glass of cognac or well-aged rum would make the cigar gravitate more towards the sweet side. I guess I will have to give that a shot after I pick up a few more of these little guys.

The cigar finished well and, although it burned a little uneven, it did correct itself. It took me 45 minutes to complete this little cigar, but I did take my time, probably the reason that the burn corrected itself. This cigar could be easily enjoyed in 30 minutes, so this could be the perfect smoke for that half hour lunch or that quick cup of coffee in the morning.

I haven't seen a lot of info on this cigar, as it is still fairly new, but I’m certain that most reviewers will rate this as a medium to full bodied cigar in strength, while I consider it a solid medium. No matter the strength, this is a great little smoke and one that everyone should have in there humidor and lunchbox. Even if the world isn't your oyster, at least you can still have a pearl.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney

ABC Fine Wine & Spirits regional manager in Jacksonville. Follow him on Twitter @chrisgnole

When you think “Detroit,” your next thought might be a combination of Eminem, Ford, James Earl Jones and the Temptations. But a craft brewery located in the historic Rivertown district is about to change that. Allow us to introduce to you Atwater Brewery.

Coming soon to ABC is a selection of Atwater brews, including Dirty Blonde Ale, Grand Circus IPA and Vanilla Java Porter. Take it from us, they can’t get here soon enough.

Atwater’s Dirty Blonde Ale is an American blonde ale with distinct notes of orange peel and coriander. This beer is brewed with American hops, it’s crisp, slightly sweet and comes in a can. What more could you need a summer—or any season, for that matter—beer? This was definitely a crowd favorite as the lightness of this straw-colored ale was refreshing and easy-drinking. It is 4.2% ABV with 10 IBUs.

The Grand Circus IPA boasts a hoppy profile, with a surprisingly crisp citrus finish. Atwater describes this IPA as having “light caramel and bready notes…the American-bred hops come through without being overbearing or cloying.” At 4.2% ABV and 62 IBUs, the Grand Circus IPA comes in with a pale color and leaves you with a lasting finish.

And lastly we sampled Atwater’s Vanilla Java Porter, a deep brown beer with a beautiful espresso, vanilla bean flavor and aroma. The smoothness of this porter fills your mouth and leaves you wanting another taste. Then another. And another, leaving us to fully understand why Atwater’s slogan is “We drink all we can and sell the rest.” If brewing this porter was our business, we’d probably do the same.* One suggestion after tasting this one was to pour it over ice in substitution of coffee for those especially hot days. Bad idea? Maybe—or a really great idea. Either way, this Vanilla Java Porter is deeee-licious.

Look for these and more Atwater beers to show up on ABC shelves sometime in the near future!

*We are not, of course, condoning irresponsible drinking.

We have a limited release of two very good Portos from Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo.

(Kind of rolls of the tongue, doesn’t it?)

This is a relatively new producer in the Douro’s Cima Corgo sub-region whose focus is primarily dry Douro reds supplemented with a concise portfolio of fortified wines (they don’t make any Tawny, for instance). 

Owned by the Amorim Family (the owners of Amorim Cork, the largest producer of cork products in the world), the winery is named after Nossa Senhora do Carmo (Our Lady of Mount Carmel) and the nearby 17^th century riverside chapel dedicated to her.

From a relative terroir perspective, Quinta Nova is well situated near famed Quinta do Crasto.  It’s steeply terraced, schist soils are planted to traditional Douro varieties including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Cão, Souzão and Tinta Barroca. 

Francisco Montenegro and Pedro Pina Cabral oversee the winemaking.  Ana Mota tends to nearly 85
hectares of vineyards. 

Quinta Nova CLA Special Reserve Porto ($28.99) comes from 20 to 30 year old vines and is aged 4 years in a mix of stainless steel tanks and oak vats.  It sports a bright ruby rim and is medium-sweet with ample red raspberry and blackberry fruits nicely supported by complex vanilla and spice notes. It’s perfect with a handful of walnuts or an after-dinner cigar.

Quinta Nova Late Bottled Vintage Porto ($29.99, 2008 vintage) is a real eye-opener with deep purple color and a substantial structure.  Black raspberries, chocolate, holiday cake and well-integrated tannins show a wine with good density and finish.  It’s best to have this with Stilton or other blue-veined cheeses.  I believe it will also cellar well in the near term.

Jim Greeley, SW Florida Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @ABCWineJimG

In the spring of 2012, a few of us were traveling the Rhone Valley, visiting some of the estates we carry, tasting and eating north to Burgundy. We were all anticipating the tour/tasting/dinner at one of our
favorite Chateauneuf du Pape producers, Ch. Cabrieres. Vines have been planted in Chateauneuf for centuries, some back to the 1340’s and before.

Today Ch. de Cabrieres is owned by Patrick Vernier, who retains Phillippe Cambie, a well-regarded consultant in the Rhone, to work with him on the wines. The vines here are between 40 and 90 years old. The vineyards are, as is the case with all of the top wines from Chateauneuf, covered in a thick layer of stones, or galets. Vernier has about 60% Grenache (for structure, body, and alcohol) 15% Syrah (for fragrance and tannic structure) 15% Mourvedre (again for aromatice, and to help with ageing) and about 10% Cinsault (which adds a bit of style, elegance and fruit).

The tour and tasting were wonderful, and we tasted the Chateauneuf Blanc, Chateauneuf Rouge and Prestige from all three current vintages. Then on to dinner, in the barrel room, where we began with
ratatouille and salads, followed by a parade of local meats and other animal parts which, although I cannot name all these parts, I certainly ate them. We washed them down with multiple older vintages of both the Chateauneuf and Cuvee Prestige.

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida Wine Supervisor. Follow Shayne on Twitter: @ABCwineshayne

So, I have noticed that pairing wine with pizza has become a bit more popular lately. Growing up, I always remember having beer and pizza night.  But now, anything goes--even white wine. 

I thought I would try to get a bit more in depth and maybe talk about what I like to drink with my pizza.  I’ll sum it up with 3 types of pizza and you can go crazy after that with the mixing and matching. 

Pizza type one would be the all veggie pizza. You have your basic crust, tomato sauce, cheese, and...what veggies do we use?  Let’s try green peppers, onions, and mushrooms.  This is the basic pizza (add in whatever you want).  When you think of these veggies what wine would you put with them? I could think of a couple: Willamette Valley Pinot Noir?  Have you ever had Carelton Cellars Seven Devils? If you haven’t, try it with this veggie pizza tonight.  If you like something a little heavier, go towards Washington state into Yakima Valley and grab a bottle of Fall Line Red Willow Red Blend. Both wines have a bit of that earthiness that the veggies have.  Either way you will hopefully see pizza in a new light.

Pizza two would be the meat lovers.  For this one, let’s add pepperoni, sausage, and bacon (because, as we all know, everything’s better with bacon)! Now let’s talk about Valpolicella, or more importantly, Nicolis Valpolicella.  This is an Italian blend that is a lighter flavor that goes with the tomato sauce and all the meats...and it's under $15.00!  Again, if you are looking for something heavier, go merlot. 
I know, I know, nobody drinks merlot, but that should change!  Come in and pick up a bottle of Perimeter
Merlot (again under $15.00) and I gotta say I have a bit of a love affair with Washington State wines!

For the final pizza, we go white.  So with this pizza, think fresh garlic, spinach, and Ricotta cheese.  Here is where I find the white wine to come in handy.  American Pinot Blanc or Italian Pinot Grigio will go perfectly! I would say to pick up a bottle of Collalto Pinot Grigio or Pappas Pinot Blanc.  Either way, there would be no disappointment.

Now that you have my humble opinions, go with your own! Find me on Twitter (@ABCwineKat) and let me know some mix and matching you can think of!

Kathleen Anderson, North/West Wine Supervisor

The team at MAN Vintners has brought us a selection of wines mainly from Paarl, South Africa called Tormentoso, recognizable by a sea creature on their label—based on the sea monsters once used on ancient explorers’ maps that symbolized danger and the unknown, but also just used for a cool decoration.

ABC has picked up all five wines that make up the Tormentoso line—let’s start with the only white of the bunch, Old Vine Chenin Blanc. It is sourced from a 33 year old, dry farmed, bush vine vineyard in Paarl and 40% barrel fermented in new barrels, with 5 months on lees. Winemaker Francois Bezuidenhout  told us when we sat down to chat about his new wines that this one in particular is very crisp, with natural acidity. It has intense aromas of apricots and canned white peaches with touches of coconut cream. The palate is packed with ripe yellow fruit and other tropical flavors. Jokingly, Francois told us the Chenin Blanc was his “favorite white” of the group.

The Syrah & Mouvèdre is considered the flagship wine of their collection. This one is 93% Syrah and 7% Mouvèdre, also from the wine origin of Paarl, and Francois was also caught saying it was “the best in the range.”  The Syrah & Mouvèdre is intensely aromatic, with some aromas of orange-peel, leather, cigar tobacco, black liquorice and dark-plummy fruit. The finish shows typical black wine gum flavors rounded out by soft, juicy tannins.

The Mouvèdre is what Francois calls a “special item for them,” as well as a “looked after gem of a block.” This wine, also from Paarl, is a blend of 85% Mouvèdre and 15% Syrah. It has a complex nose of berry fruit that is complemented by Flynbos (heather/bracken) and spice aromas. The palate is layered with flavors of cloves, leathery spice and red fruit. It has a dry and savory finish.

The only wine from the Tormentoso line not 100% from Paarl is their Cabernet Sauvignon, partially blended with grapes from the coastal region. This has classic cabernet cassis with tobacco aromas and when asked which of the five would be his favorite if he had to choose, Francois said it would be this Cabernet.

But what South African line of wines be complete without a good Pinotage? The pinotage grape is South Africa’s signature varietal, and one that has recently been gaining more popularity. The Tormentoso Pinotage has a rich concentration of red fruits and is aged in new American oak barrels for 15 months. This aging gives it a hint of vanilla and coconut to complement the red fruits.

Be on the lookout for the Tormentoso wines. This Direct to You wine will hit ABC shelves this summer!

Cheers!

Hannah and Meghan

It's not often that I review exclusive, hard to find cigars. I don't want to get folks excited about a cigar that they can't find at their local shop. But, with the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) trade show just 42 days away, I thought I would take the time to talk about one of those limited production cigars. The trade show is a very exciting event, in which cigar retailers all over the country will meet with every cigar maker under the sun. It is the industry’s chance to launch new items, reinvigorate old brands and, of course, offer big deals for the coming year. But for me, the best part of the show is the new releases. It is sad that we can’t buy them all, but it sure is fun giving them all a test drive. There will be cigars that will have very limited distribution and that is what inspired me to write about this week’s subject, a cigar that upon its release was only available for purchase in New York City. I am referring to Montecristo's first connoisseur edition cigar, New York City.

The cigar was first released in 2011, but I have not had the opportunity to smoke one of these until now. I recently received a nice collectors set of these cigars from our good friends at Altadis. The pack contains New York City along with later releases Texas and Las Vegas.

Upon visual inspection the Montecristo NYC really hits it out of the park. The gorgeous Ecuadorian Habano wrapper perfectly encases the box-pressed beauty. This cigar only comes in the 6 x 60 vitola.   Here comes a little cigar cutting hint. I have found that the best way to handle a box-pressed cigar or any other cigar with a squared head is with a straight punch or v cut. Trying to clip below the cap can be difficult and even if you do it right, the squared shape has a tendency to squeeze in and release small bits of tobacco in your mouth. For this cigar, I use the bullet punch on the bottom of my lighter and after a skillful push and twist, I’m ready to explore New York City from the quiet calm of my back yard.

Without lighting the cigar, it gives off deep, rich tobacco flavors with hints of oak and leather. After toasting the foot and taking a few puffs, there are some really nice things going on. Not a lot of spice, but what is there is mildly on the sweet side, perhaps nutmeg with a hint of cinnamon. As I retrohale the flavor takes on a mild cedar quality. As I complete the first third this has developed into a medium bodied smoke.

As I stroll into the second third of the cigar the strength picks up along with the creaminess of the smoke. It now lingers on my palate a little longer. Now the sweet spice gives way to the peppery version. As the ash approaches the first band, flavors of coffee enter into the flavor profile. The cigar is now a solid medium to full bodied experience.

As the smoking experience winds down and the cigar has become a nub, the smoke intensifies a bit but remains cool. The coffee flavors are more pronounced and the black pepper spice is at its strongest. Until the very end the cigar burned cool and very even. I removed both bands without any damage to the wrapper and I would definitely like to get my hands on a few more if these. This cigar is a solid medium to full bodied cigar as bold as the city it is named for. This cigar has also taught me that I don't need Billy Joel to get into a "New York state of mind," I just to light up a Montecristo New York City.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney

ABC Fine Wine & Spirits regional manager in Jacksonville. Follow him on Twitter @chrisgnole