Archive for July 2014

Home Archive for July 2014

Many wine drinkers have already thrown out the old rules of what wine to pair with what food. If you are still old school and insist on drinking white wine with fish, chicken and pasta or only drink red wine with red meats and tomato sauces, this blog is for you!

Yes, I understand why and where these rules developed. A hearty Cab tastes great with a rare steak. The fat breaks down the tannins…or do the tannins break down the fat? Who cares? And yes, a full bodied CA Chardonnay is perfect with that chicken alfredo. Both have a creamy texture, neither overpowers the other. And Gewürztraminer with spicy Thai food—yes, pairing opposite flavors does work. I’m here to mix up the rules! Let’s get started.

How many of you only drink reds? Lots I am sure. I meet those people all day, every day. So what do you pair with that chicken or fish dinner? Go red, but go light. How about Pinot Noir or Gamay? You still get the red wine you love, but the tannins are a little softer, the flavor a little lighter—perfect choice! And maybe you have roasted root vegetables with that white meat—how about an earthy red Bordeaux? Sounds good to me.

Now what about people that only drink whites, but are huge carnivores? Try a full bodied Chardonnay or white blend. Let’s also look at the side dishes or sauces that you will be serving with that steak. Maybe you have an asparagus side, Gruner Veltliner pairs perfectly, so try that with your steak dinner.

Summer is here. Maybe you are eating super light. What can you pair with that tomato and cucumber salad that isn’t light and white? Remember that tomatoes are high in acid and there is lots of flavor from the citrus or vinegar in your dressing. Wine Education 101 says Italian Tuscan reds pair perfectly with tomatoes. So, open up that Chianti, Brunello or Tuscan blend, pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes to bring the temp down to 55-60 degrees and drink up. That salad never tasted better.

The only rule you really need to remember is, “Drink what you love.” The food, the company, the atmosphere, the wine—it will all come together perfectly!

Bill Knowles, Boca Raton wine consultant

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebillk.

A few wine related things probably not right on the lips of many of us, but as I like to point out, ones that certainly should be….

White Bordeaux and Olivier Bernard are most likely words that have passed thru your vocabulary lately...Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Domaine de Chevalier perhaps a little more probable, but if all of these words seem foreign to you (they are foreign; French, of course) then you need to swing past your local ABC Fine Wine & Spirits shop and look for the new offerings I am prescribing.

Bordeaux is the largest AOP producer in France and the most famous wine region on the planet. Most of us equate Bordeaux with red wines, many of the most collectable and famous in the world (think PETRUS, LAFITE, LATOUR, MARGAUX, MOUTON, HAUT-BRION) but less of us are aware that Bordeaux is also world renowned for its sweet white wines and the dry whites as well. Sauternes, and her shining star Ch. d’Yquem, have been collected for a few hundred years, including by such luminaries as Thomas Jefferson, during his stint as ambassador to France (before his other well-known job, president). The least known of Bordeaux is the Bordeaux blanc sec, or the dry whites. Like Sauternes, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon with a dab of Muscadelle, these wines are world class whites of breeding, age ability and finesse. Most are made at the same facility as the Cru Classe vin rouge, such as Ch. Haut-Brion blanc, Ch. Smith Haut-Lafitte blanc and Domaine de Chevalier blanc, among many others.

Domaine de Chevalier is owned by Olivier Bernard, who in addition to his recent unprecedented success at Chevalier, has moved into producing a trio of spectacular dry whites separate from the Domaine, under the Clos des Lunes label. The vineyards are located in the appellation Sauternes, with the focus on producing dry white wine. The three wines are all quite stunning, yet quite different in style from one another. I had the pleasure of tasting not only these three cuvees last year at the Domaine de Chevalier, but at lunch with Olivier Barnard on my 50th birthday! He also opened a small collection of older gems and the day was simply spectacular! We offer two of these gems currently, including the Lune Blanche (white moon) and the d’Argent (silver moon) both which deserve your attention! All three cuvee’s are a blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon; the difference between these three cuvee’s will be the ageing program, the depth of fruit and complexity, and the quantity produced.

CLOS des LUNES ‘Lune Blanche’ 2012 ($17.99 ) The Blanche is made for immediate pleasure and offers freshness of aroma and fruit. Crisp and clean, with vibrant aromas and flavors, with a hint of pit fruit and white peach.

CLOS des LUNES ‘Lune d’Argent’ 2012 ($19.99 ) The cuvee d’Argent contains the same blend, with more obvious barrel age to add complexity and roundness. A wine with more depth and weight.

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida wine supervisor.

Follow me on Twitter @abcwineshayne.

So who says you can’t have steak in the summertime? Obviously, red meat is on the heavier side of summertime dining—so how do you avoid becoming the human version of the Titanic, slipping into a blissful doze at the dinner table?

It’s simple: choose a wine made from a varietal that is lighter in texture and tannin than the “old faithful” California Cabernet, yet still delivers on flavor profile while leaving you wanting another glass, and most importantly, upright and awake!

As a veteran of the restaurant industry and specifically an internationally renowned steakhouse, my favorite summer “steaktime” wines come from Spain. These days tremendous excitement surrounds the Spanish wine industry, adding to an already steadfast band of die-hard fans. Since we are talking about red meat, we are talking red wine. The main varietals for these Spanish reds include Tempranillo, Garnacha, Bobal, Monastrell (Mourvedre), along with well-known international varietals. For now, we will concentrate on the beloved Tempranillo, which is also called Tinto de Toro.

Young Tempranillo has a relatively neutral profile and is sometimes blended with Grenache and/or Carignan, and is accessible from an early age. However, something MAGICAL happens when Tempranillo is aged both in barrel and bottle for extended periods of time. The wine takes on a personality of its own: Bold, round and dense with brilliant fruit, balanced acidity and unctuous to the last drop.

The best examples of a fine Tempranillo hail from the regions of Rioja, Ribera del Duero and the Toro. The good news is that there is an amazing Tempranillo in just about every price range and they're available at most ABC locations! Here are a few of my favorites:

2004 Bai Gorri Reserva Rioja $39.99

Glass staining ruby. Ripe cherry and blackberry aromas are compiled with notes of vanilla and roasted coffee. Big and broad, with notes of smoke and cracked pepper speckled with candied violet. Finishes smooth and sweet with tenacity.

IWC 91

2010 Zumaya Crianza $18.99

A dense Tempranillo out of a great vintage year. Aromas of red and black fruit paired with warm black cherry flavors, create a notable style that is easy to enjoy.

2009 M.O. Olivara $17.99

A medium to full-bodied wine that has red berry-scented aromas and a big, rich, meaty flavor that will stand up to any grilled meat…and I mean any.

2011 Domino de Heredia Rioja $12.99

One of the great values from the Rioja. This wine is from 25+ year-old vines. Aging 5 months in French (80%), American (15%), and Hungarian (5%) oak casks, this Tempranillo shows dark ruby with aromas of red cherry and strawberry; intense flavors of red berry, with a bright middle and a profound finish.

Heather Burton, wine consultant at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Winter Park.

Follow me on Twitter @abcwineheatherb.

We can put another IPCPR Trade Show in the books. The 2014 International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailer convention was a huge success, not just for us, but the entire industry as well. There was a lot of discussion on the legislative side of things. Thankfully we have folks like Marvin Samel of Drew Estate and Bobby Newman of JC Newman Cigars willing to take the fight against over regulation to Washington D.C. It seems like more and more folks in our industry get involved with the important work of fighting to keep it alive and that is definitely a good thing.

Now I didn’t fly all the way to Vegas and spend nearly a week there to report to you on the goings and comings of Washington lobbyists. As important as that battle is right now, I am sure you want to hear about all the juicy details of our trip and, of course, the new products we have coming in. As far as everyone in our groups’ behavior on the trip, I can only say that we worked hard during the day and had a good time in the evenings. The cigar business is about relationships, more so than in any other industry. Although everyone may compete against each other for dollars, if we all don’t stand together we will certainly all fall together. Spending time with each manufacturer is very important. The men and women who make these cigars want to know your true feelings, they want to know how they can improve what they do. This requires lots of conversations and cocktails.

As far as the new items we have coming in, I have mentioned most of them in my previous four blogs this week. We have added Ashton Cigars to our humidors. They are an established, big selling power brand that will have a nice representation in our stores. We also added some more boutique brands, such as Kristoff, Christian Eiroa and Room 101. For you folks who love the big ring gauges, just wait until you see the 80 ring gauge we have coming. It is a full inch and a quarter in diameter and should take just under a week to smoke it.

One of our new cigars from Ashton

An 80 ring gauge Ogre coming to an ABC near you

We also added some items with local flair that will initially be placed in the markets in which they are produced. For those in South Florida, we have added the Casa Fernadez Miami. The tobacco is imported here to the states in bulk and the cigars are then rolled in a factory located in Miami, an absolute rarity today. We also added a cigar line from Orlando’s Fred Rewey. Fred is a great local guy who has a passion for creating a quality cigar at a fair price. He absolutely refuses to cut corners and it has resulted in a great product with a rapidly growing cult following. We are proud to get involved with the Nomad Cigar Company and those in the Orlando market along with a few other key ABC locations will soon be able to find his cigars in our humidors.

It was week of great cigars and even better people. I wish we had the room to expand even more but our humidors can only hold a limited number of sticks. We will continue to expand our selection, but if there is something you don’t see in our stores please ask. We did pick up several new items this year based on requests from our guests.

Thanks for following along this week. I can’t wait until next year when the show will be in New Orleans. I guess it is time to put a little hot sauce on the cigars.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North Florida regional manager, Certified Tobacconist and Cicerone Beer Server

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris.

According to a recently passed New Hampshire law, a nanobrewery is defined as a brewery that brews less than 2,000 barrel of beer a year. They are popping up all over the country and are giving new brewers a chance to experiment with a few brews in a concentrated group of consumers. Enter Alligator Brewing. They were incorporated in 2007 and are nestled inside of Tall Paul’s Brew House in downtown Gainesville. A good friend of mine who bartends at Tall Paul’s, gave me the opportunity to tour the tiny facility.

I started the night by sampling various brews from Tall Paul’s 30 tap list. One excellent one was Tartare Rouge by Bear Republic, also Hop Gun by Funky Buddha. Then I had a flight of Alligator’s brews, including Procrastination Brett(anomyces) Pale Ale, Pineapple Basil Saison, Devil’s Milhopper IPA, Habanero Smoked Ale and Baron, Lord, Knight – a strong ale. All were flavorful and exhibited unique tastes. I liked the Habanero Ale and Saison the best. Now I was ready for the tour.

He opened the room to reveal a space the size of a walk-in closet. To the right was a plastic container with some fermenting beer. Next to it were a few recipes with some interesting looking future brews, including a Black Widow Wit and an Orval clone. Above that was some cultured yeast in erlenmeyer flasks. In the middle was a crate of fresh pineapples for the saison and behind that some boil kettles. In a little refrigerator were some kegs and oak barrels for aging. Down a small hall were some maturing tanks. Even for such a minute operation, it was still really cool.

Now that I have toured Gainesville’s beer scene I need to go around Florida and hit up some good breweries like Intuition, Bold City, Cigar City, Funky Buddha and Due South. If you are ever in the Gainesville area, take a ride downtown to 10 SE 2^nd Avenue and experience the taste of Gainesville in beer form.

Adam Shugan, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits beer consultant - Gainesville

Follow me on Twitter @abcbeeradams

As the 2014 International Pipe and Cigar Retailers Trade Show came to end on Wednesday, most involved felt relieved. It is definitely four long days and, of course, lots of cigars. I won’t miss having meeting after meeting but I will have to get used to not seeing all the great folks who work in our industry.

Dinner with Drew Estate on day four

We started day four off with a visit to Ernesto Perez-Carillo. Ernesto is an absolute legend and we are proud to have his products in our stores. Although we’ve only had his cigars in our stores for about seven months, they have performed beyond our expectations and we look forward to launching some of his new brands in the future.

Our next stop was at the Ashton booth. I’m not sure why we haven’t done business with them in the past, as they are a staple in the industry and one of the best-selling cigars in the country. We are proud to announce the addition of their Classic, VSG Series, Aroma de Cuba, and their Cabinet Series. It’s hard to describe just how well this addition enhances our humidors.

Enjoying an Ashton on day four

After Ashton we took the opportunity to speak with some other accounts we currently don’t do business with. House of Emilio, Nomad, Ezra Zion, Epicurean, Crowned Head, Casa Fernandez and Bugatti. We were extremely impressed with these brands but we just don’t have any more room left in our humidors. We will be adding the Casa Fernandez Miami to some of our South Florida stores. These cigars are hand rolled in Miami and are moderately priced.

Day four didn’t take very long and it was nice to end the last day early. Overall, it was a very productive week. We were able to see a lot of new items while getting to have fun with all of our friends in the industry. The cigar business is all about relationships and it is nice to see all of these different “competitors” hanging out together having a good time. Not a lot of industries can boast this type of cooperation, but in the end we are all fighting for the same cause: To ensure that our guests receive quality products at an affordable price. And to also make sure that we aren’t regulated out of business. It was a truly amazing experience and if you want to be a part of something similar then go ahead and buy your tickets for the Big Smoke, which will be held in Las Vegas November 7^th thru the 9^th. It is an event that is open to everyone as long as you are willing to buy the ticket.

I hope you enjoyed our four part series on the IPCPR show. You can expect me to post many reviews in the future on new cigars we picked up at this event, but only after my palate recovers.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North Florida regional manager, Certified Tobacconist and Cicerone Beer Server

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris.

Hot weather is upon us. This means when I get home from a hard day tasting, talking about and stocking wine, it’s time to relax with a glass of my own. And when it’s hot outside I want something refreshing that makes me happy. While I always have a bottle or two of white in my fridge, more and more I find myself reaching for the rosé.

And no, I’m not talking about the Portuguese rosé of everyone’s youth. Nor am I talking about the sticky sweet White Zinfandels or White Merlots struggling to stay just outside the jug wine aisle. I’m talking about proper dry rosé. The kind of wine that is as refreshing as it is flavorful. The kind of wine that is impossible to drink while in a bad mood. It’s the kind of wine that real wine lovers aren’t afraid to drink.

It’s vibrant, flavorful and more importantly, cheap. With the exception of some sparklers from Champagne, most rosés are less than $20 (and my favorites hover closer to $10). It’s the perfect Florida porch wine and pairs well with just about any food. I have been known to pop a bottle whenever tacos are present. Rosé cools off spicy food perfectly, and pairs just as well with salads or BBQ.

Southern France makes some of the best rosés, but there are also gems to be found in Italy (Rosato), Spain and the United States. In the French section of your local ABC, you can pretty much guarantee it is going to be dry (and delicious). The only exception is Rosé d’Anjou, which tends to be on the sweet side. If you happen to be a White Zinfandel fan, though, definitely seek these out. The ABV will be a good indicator of the dryness (lack of sweetness) of the wine. Anything 12% or over will be nice and dry.

So why not give rosé a try this summer? Who knows? You might be surprised. And just in case you think I’m crazy for writing about pink wine, check out these other blogs by people who know a lot more about wine than myself (they're all wine supervisors at ABC!): Ken Amendola, Paul Quaglini, Bill Stobbs and Kathleen Anderson.

Bill Dahl, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine consultant

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebilld

Well, it’s our third day of the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Trade Show in Las Vegas and I must be up to 75 cigars smoked already. Today we met with some really great vendors, including Oliva, Gurkha, My Father, SAG Imports (Quesada), Xikar and Perdomo.

Our first stop of the morning was with the Oliva family. It’s a good thing we started there as they have an excellent coffee bar. I really get a kick out of seeing all those bloodshot eyes early in the morning. It’s such a huge gathering of cigar people it just doesn’t seem right not to spend as much time as you can hanging out after hours. It’s a good thing that they hold the convention in a city that never sleeps, because I can honestly say that cigar people rarely sleep, at least during this week.

Our Oliva connection, Albert Sosa, met us with a bright smile on Tuesday morning and I know it took some effort because Albert was one of the guys who didn’t get any sleep. We checked out some exciting new products from Oliva and decided to grab a few things.

Our second visit of the day was with Gurkha cigars, and like Albert, Juan Lopez didn’t get much sleep the night before either. It’s amazing what a few puffs of a full bodied cigar will do for you in the early morning. As always, Gurkha has a lot of new things to offer. One of their new items that we decided to pick up is the Extreme. It comes in a beautiful humidor box and has a military theme. I just know this cigar is going to be very popular. We also grabbed a new gift set from them. If you like the Godzilla pack then you should really like our newest addition, which should hit the stores in time for the Christmas season. It’s a travel humidor packed with five amazing sticks. Don’t worry, we will still offer the popular Godzilla packs again.

Our third stop of the day was with My Father Cigars. Life has been really good for these guys the last two years. Since their Flor de las Antilles was named Cigar of the Year by Cigar Afficionado their sales have really taken off. We looked at their new items and decided that they deserved a little more room in our humidors, so expect a few new sticks from these folks. All of you Don Pepin fans will be happy to know that you will soon be able to buy the blue at our stores.

After a quick lunch we hopped over to SAG Imports, which provides us with our Quesada and Casa Magna lines. We have decided to continue stocking the Oktoberfest cigars and will expand them into more stores this year. There is also a great gift pack of cigars that we thought was so amazing we will carry it year round. It contains six outstanding 6 X 60 cigars, including the Oktoberfest, and it will be priced around the $30 mark.

Terence Reilly of Quesada explains to Jeremy Fulmore on the great bourbon he missed out on Saturday night due to his late flight.

Terence Reilly of Quesada explains to ABC's Jeremy Fulmore what great bourbon he missed out on Saturday night due to his late flight.

I know this week is about cigars but we can’t forget about accessories. A quick visit with our newest partners Xikar gave us a chance to add a new lighter and cutter to our lineup. The new cutter is guillotine big enough to clip 70 and 80 ring gauge cigars. Of course, these new items back the same 100% lifetime guarantee that all of their other products carry…which is the reason they are the absolute best to do business with.

Nelson Boronat of Xikar goes over all the latest "bling" they have to offer.

We ended our day at Perdomo. Their Champagne cigars, along with the Lot 23, have long been strong sellers for us. We decided to expand our line of the Habano series. They have so many great cigars you just wish you could have them all, but we are limited to the size of our humidors.

Nick Perdomo takes time to discuss the industry with us.

I am optimistic that we did a good job of diversifying our humidors and I know you won’t be disappointed once we get all of these great cigars into our stores. Tomorrow we will dedicate the last day of the show to talking with new potential partners. Check back and see who we talked to and if we decided to grab anything else.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North Florida regional manager, Certified Tobacconist and Cicerone Beer Server

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris.

Well, we just wrapped up day two of the IPCPR Trade Show and what a day it was. Although we only met with four vendors, they were four very important ones.

We got started a little later on Monday morning, as our first meeting with J.C. Newman wasn’t until 10am. It’s a good thing that we had that extra hour because it was a late night for us; we spent much of the evening mingling and talking with all of our industry friends. I told someone last night that if a bomb had gone off at the Circle Bar in the Palazzo last night, the cigar industry here in the United States would have been in big trouble. There were so many cigar makers, cigar distributers and cigar sellers packed into that place it was impossible to look anywhere and not see a familiar face.

Sitting down with our partners and friends, the Newmans, was the perfect way to start the day. We shared some coffee, cigars and great sales numbers from the previous year. Look for a few new items from these guys really soon. While visiting with the Newmans I enjoyed a wonderful Fuente cigar and walked away with an Opus X for the road.

Our second stop was just a few feet away at the Padron booth. The thing that amazes me more about these folks, even more than their great cigars and subsequent cult following, is the fact that almost every employee at their company is a Padron. We have a lot of parallels between the two of us, considering that we are both family owned and operated companies. As we met and decided on some new Padron items, they graciously supplied us with a delicious Padron 1926 Maduro. If you have never smoked one of these and love full-bodied maduros, then you have to give this one a try. I can’t think of anyone that makes a better maduro than Padron in the industry. Expect a few new offerings from Padron in the near future.

Our third stop was to the cigar giant General Cigar. It is here where we picked up some great new lines. Of course, we grabbed this years’ version of the La Gloria Trunk Show and also grabbed a double wrapper stick from them as well. My friend and La Gloria Master Blender Yuri Guillen gave me his customary bear hug as I approached his booth yesterday. We also picked up some really unique items from Foundry’s Michael Giannini. I don’t know how he comes up with some of his blend and box design ideas, but I’m glad the industry has folks like him. Winning the unique tobacco award for new items has to be Rick Rodriguez at CAO. Rick has blended a cigar using tobacco from an Amazon Rain Forest in Brazil. The tobacco is so limited that they purchased it all to make this very limited run of cigars. This tobacco is so scarce that it takes them three years to produce enough to make these few boxes. Needless to say, it won’t be around long, so snatch em up while you can.

Our fourth and final visit was with the very colorful Jonathan Drew and his Drew Estate Cigars. I love these guys because they broke out some great bourbon and Scotch for our sales meeting. I am proud to announce that we finally will be carrying a Joya de Nicaragua cigar along with a few others from their Acid line. We also may have another surprise edition but I will have to keep that a secret for the time being. The only thing I can say at this point is that it is a very popular cigar and very hard to find.

Sometimes making buying decisions can be difficult. At Drew Estate, they have a unique way of loosening things up a bit.

We concluded our Monday with a dinner at Del Frisco Steak House with Bobby Newman, Dawson Newman and Harry Preston of JC Newman cigars. The food and cigars were outstanding, but both were overshadowed by the great time we had talking and “joking” about the business and various other topics.

Make sure to check in tomorrow when I bring you all the action from day three.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North Florida regional manager, Certified Tobacconist and Cicerone Beer Server

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris.

I have a good friend who is a master at taking cuts of beef, pork, chicken, sausages or about any meat product and turning it into smoked barbeque heaven. I am pretty well versed in the ways of the kitchen and gas grill, but even with his help in trying to make me an accomplished “smoker," I just haven’t gotten the hang of it yet. Now this has not kept me from cooking up racks of baby backs or St. Louis ribs--I do it all the time. After I pull off the membrane on the back of the rib I apply liberal amounts of my son’s special dry rub to each side of the rack. I let the rub work itself in for about 30 minutes and then set the rib on a cookie sheet in a preheated 200 degree oven ( I use convection ) for four hours. Then the ribs get wrapped in foil until they cools, about 30 minutes, and then into the fridge until I need them. The rest is pretty easy, I have a four burner gas grill with cast iron grates, which are great because they really retain the heat--perfect for indirect grilling. I turn the burners to each end on high until it gets to 400 degrees, set the ribs on the two middle grates and let them heat through…about 10 minutes on each side. By using indirect heat, there are no worries about flare-ups that could burn the ribs. The dry rub we use has a little dark brown sugar in it and will quickly turn black and grisly if it catches fire from a flare-up, and I certainly don’t want that!

Now that’s what I have to do until I learn how to use my smoker. What I don’t have to learn is what wines are really good with my barbequed ribs. After much enjoyable trial and error I have found a couple very good wines to drink while the ribs are grilling, and some to go with them at the table too. My go-to wines right now are the Petite Sirah from High Valley Vineyards ($16.99) and Playtime Red ($9.99) from Lake County in northern California.

The Playtime Red is a crazy blend of Zinfandel, Grenache, Petite Verdot and Barbera, but somehow this odd collection of red varietals turns into a red wine bursting with ripe fruit flavors and hints of spice that are barbeque's best friend.

The High Valley Petite Sirah is a much bolder wine than the Playtime and will stand up to anything you can think to spice up to smoke and grill. It is one of those wines that will stain your teeth and warm your very soul!!

Now there are many good wines that will go with your outdoor cooking this summer, but these are two that I really enjoy. If you know of any others that you would recommend, comment below and I’ll pass it along.

Ken Amendola, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekena

To say we got off to a great start at the 82^nd International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Convention Las Vegas, would be a huge understatement. After traveling across the country on Saturday afternoon, we arrived at our destination just in time to attend a welcome party hosted by our friends at Quesada Cigars. I’m not sure if they were catering to us specifically but it certainly seemed that way when they threw this get-together at a place called The Whiskey Attic. It’s hard to think of a more appropriate venue for a bunch of guys from ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. It was an evening of cigars, food, craft beer and of course whiskey. Actually we had over a thousand choices to choose from when it came to the brown stuff. Being the first night in town we paced ourselves nicely and retired without too much excitement in anticipation of our first day of the trade show.

Steve Mungeer and I at The Whiskey Attic

Aided by the effects of jet lag, Sunday morning came a little too soon. We had just enough time for a quick breakfast and we were off to our first meeting with Altadis. For those not familiar, Altadis is the company that is responsible for such iconic brands as Montecristo, H. Upmann and Romeo Y Julieta. At approximately 9:15 I was enjoying my first cigar of the show, a new item from Montecristo that is a collaborative effort with the Plasencia family in Nicaragua. It is Montecristo’s first time doing a Nicaraguan stick, and I can’t think of a better family to team up with than the Plasencia family.

Steve Mungeer and I with Matt Booth maker of Room 101 cigars.

Others we visited on Sunday were Rocky Patel, Torano, Villager, Davidoff, Christian Eiroa and Kristoff Cigars. Not only can you expect some new things from all the vendors we visited on Sunday, but we added new lines never before carried by ABC, and I am very excited about it. Coming soon to your neighborhood store you will find the brands Asylum 13, Kristoff and Room 101. The Asylum line of cigars is the masterpiece of Christian Eiroa, the creator of the famous Camacho family brand which has become synonymous with boldness and Honduras. Kristoff is a line of cigars that guests have requested numerous times and these will be a welcome addition to ABC. As far Room 101, if you’ve ever picked up a cigar magazine you are familiar with the maker of this label, Matt Booth. He has a very distinctive look with his spiked hair, large framed glasses and signature tattoos. Matt is an icon in the industry and we are excited to bring his boutique quality cigars into our humidor.

Can you say 80 ring gauge? Yes, you will be able to buy that fat boy on the right at ABC in the near future.

After an amazing first day at IPCPR we ended things with a nice dinner with our friends from Rocky Patel. We also had the pleasure of hearing some great baseball stories from former big league slugger, Gary Sheffield. Gary partnered with Rocky Patel several years ago and launched his own line of cigars, and he certainly made the evening extra special with his stories about his playing days in the big leagues and some of the characters of the game he encountered throughout his 23 year career in Major League Baseball.

I don’t know how we will top day one, but I’m certain we will do our best to do so. Check back tomorrow when I discuss our visits with JC Newman, Padron, General Cigar and Drew Estate.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North Florida regional manager, Certified Tobacconist and Cicerone Beer Server

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris

Since ancient times the Campania region of Italy has been known for the excellent quality of their wines. The wines were considered the "Wines of the Emperors" and were praised by the greatest classical writers of the times: Cicero, Pliny, Martial and Tibullus.

If we fast-forward to current times Campania is still producing world class wines worthy of an emperor, however they remain largely unknown to the average American wine drinker.

While a number of high quality white wines are produced here, Greco di Tufo, Fiano di Avellino and Flangina to name a few, today I want to focus on the red wines produced from the Aglianico grape. Aglianico vines have been cultivated in this part of Italy since before Rome was founded. Imported by the ancient Greeks, the high quality Aglianico vine has found its best expression in the soil of the Irpinia hills east of Naples.

ABC group with Milena Pepe in her Taurasi vineyards.

The most prestigious of the wines produced with Agliancio is Taurasi. Taurasi is recognized as one of Italy's greatest wines but its popularity is a relatively recent phenomenon. Until the 1990s there was only one winery, Mastroberadino, producing wine for export. By the mid-2000s there were close to 300 producers in the zone.

A few years ago we went to VinItaly in search of a good producer of Taurasi. With the help of Italian importer Nadia Galati, we were able to start offering you the wines of Tenuta Cavalier Pepe.

For several generations the Pepe family has been very active producing wines sold throughout Italy. Today winemaker Milena Pepe is quickly becoming a superstar in the region. Her Taurasi Riserva 2008 just scored 91 points in the Wine Spectator, and her Greco di Tufo 2012 received a score of 90.

I know mid-summer in Florida might not be the best time to enjoy a powerful red wine like Taurasi, but if you're looking for something to pair with that juicy steak on the grill, look no further than Tenuta Pepe Opera Mia Taurasi.

Paul Quaglini, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinepaulq

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…if you are in the cigar industry, that is. Tomorrow is the start of the 2014 International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Trade Show—when all of the cigar world’s top folks descend on Sin City. They even allow me to attend and it is something that I don’t take for granted. There is one big rule when it comes to this four day cigar fest and that is that no consumers are allowed. The time is reserved for buyers, sellers and industry supporters. It is during this show that the largest numbers of cigars are sold in this country. It is when most retailers get their best deals and load up their inventory levels.

I wish everyone could attend because it is certainly a “who’s who” of the cigar industry, but I have made a commitment to make sure all who read my blog can follow along in real time. I will be live tweeting from the event and will also post a daily blog after each day of the show. You can look for my first blog on Monday afternoon and it will be followed up with three more through Thursday.

To make things even more open, I will include our itinerary for the week. This way, if you want to follow along with us daily you will know who we are meeting with and when.

We get things started early on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. with Altadis. We will then meet with Rocky Patel, Torano, Villager, Davidoff and Asylum.

Day two has spending time with JC Newman and Fuente, followed by Padron, General Cigar and Drew Estate. Our third day has us visiting our friends at Oliva, Gurkha, My Father, SAG Imports, Xikar and Perdomo. Day four brings EPC, Ashton, and several others that we currently don’t do business with.

So if you can’t be in Las Vegas for the trade show, at least you can follow along here. I will also do my best to keep you well educated on the intricate details of our buying team. I have warned all of my travel companions that what happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas—but it also goes in the blog. Oh, and there will be lots of pictures.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North Florida regional manager, Certified Tobacconist and Cicerone Beer Server

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris

As anyone who has stepped outside can tell you, summer is here. The humidity is around 100%, the mercury in the thermometer is above 90 and there are plenty of kids in summer camps. The folks at Sierra Nevada have just released what I can playfully call "camp for adults." Yes, I am talking about the 2014 release of their Beer Camp Across America. This is a mixed 12-pack of beers brewed at their original Chico, California, brewery and at their new Mills River, North Carolina, location.

Every beer in the 12-pack is brewed in collaboration with another well respected and highly acclaimed brewery. This is not a new concept for Sierra Nevada as they have released Beer Camp collaborations for the last few years. But they were nothing like this.

$25 for a 12-pack of beer may raise eyebrows initially, but when you consider what is inside, it really is a bang for the buck. The styles of beer in the 12-pack run the full gamut from milk stouts, IPL, ESB, dark ale, Belgian-style blonde, pale ale and Scottish ale, just to name a few. What still has my jaw on the floor as a Floridian are the breweries in this 12-pack that have no other presence in our state. A few of the breweries in the pack include Firestone Walker, New Glarus, 3 Floyds, Russian River and Allagash.

Sierra Nevada is hosting a series of beer festivals around the country this summer to celebrate the release and showcase plenty of other breweries. If you can’t make one of their festivals, make your own. Pick up a 12-pack and some small sample glasses. Invite some friends over and sample the beers, try some blind, make people guess what they are, have a food and beer pairing contest with the beers. These beers will not be around for long, so hurry up and jumpstart your own summer beer camp today.

Note: This is not available in all ABC locations and many have already sold out. Talk to your beer consultant to find out if your ABC will be getting any!

Evan Kaye, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits regional manager and beer consultant

Follow him on Twitter @abcbeerevank

One of the special qualities that makes Bordeaux (and especially Burgundy) so interesting is their sense of place. Pauillac has her own local ‘thing'--pencil lead, cedar box, lovely adjectives that seem to be associated with her wines, yet rarely with the wines of either St. Estephe or St. Julien. Even though these two villages bookend Pauillac. Crazy! Margauz afficanados know when they are drinking wines from this illustrious appellation. The Graves too has its particular style, most likely given the fact that vineyards there are planted on elevated sites deep with gravel, dropped there by the Gironde/Garonne currents and helped a bit by dredging up the river to keep it passable as a port. These deep gravel beds are a favorite of Cabernet Sauvignon, whereas Merlot does well enough, but tends to prefer more clay. It finds more of this iron/clay in St. Emilion. Grave takes its name from gravel, and the wines from Graves, Pessac-Leognan most famously, have their unique aromas and flavors derived from this soil composition. Whereas Pessac-Leognan (you might say the best section of the Graves) tends to be pricier, wines from the Graves are not, and can be excellent value. Remember, this part of Bordeaux is unquestionably the top spot for white wines, both dry (Graves and Pessac-Leognan) and just a bit south, sweet (Sauternes, Barsac, St Croix du Mont, Cadillac, Monbazillac and Loupiac).

Jean Michel Cazes, one of the more important figures in Bordeaux wine in our lifetime, is the well-known proprietor of Ch. Lynch Bages in Pauillac. He spent many years before retirement with the AXA group, managing their numerous Chateaux. One of the Cazes families little gems is the Chateau Villa Bel-Air, which they acquired in 1988. The Chateau produces a red and a white, both which you should consider! The white, Ch. Villa Bel-Air 2012 Graves blanc ($24.99) is a fresh blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Sauvignon adds citrus, freshness and acidity, while Semillon adds fruit and weight/body. The Villa Bel-Air leans toward the racy Sauvignon Blanc style, with 65% and 35% Semillon. Expect citrus/floral aromas backed by lychee flavors and subtle vanilla notes. I like this wine with grilled prawns.

The red is quite fine too! Chateau Villa Bel-Air 2010 rouge ($24.99) is a blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc that earned a 90 point rating from Wine Spectator. The wine spends a year in barrel, adding toasty notes to the ripe black fruit flavor. Delicious now, and probably for the next 5-6 years, and is definitely a beef wine. Rack of lamb or simple grilled steak is right on the mark!

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida wine supervisor. Follow me on Twitter @abcwineshayne.

I keep thinking back to my journey through Northern Italy. I love that I found so many new white wines to try in the heat of our Florida summer. Besides all the great coffee and history, I got to try a particular wine from my favorite Italian winemaker, Bruna. This time we travel to San Gimignano Torre Terza Estate.

At our lunch here we began the day with a white wine called Vernaccia. This wine is greatly known through Tuscany and should be known through any tropically aired place. The wine is robust with citrus finishing with a grand minerality that pairs with any and all seafood and salted air.

Keeping with the travels through Tuscany, one would be remiss to pass the church of Sant’ Antimo. This church was a former Benedictine Monastery in the center of Tuscany. Walking up immediately shows this beautiful history that dates back (as far as they have found) to the 9^th Century. The Abbey now has something I have never seen in real life, only in recordings…Gregorian chant.

Some people may remember a few years ago—there were a few recordings of Gregorian chant that were popular. The chant is somewhat sung as a praise to God. These monks feel that prayer should be more than spoken, so they sing praise. The coolest thing was that I got to sit through the chant/prayer. These monks do not speak any of their prayer—they walk in, each has their own tune and it comes through with such melody, like I have ever seen before. They pray nonstop for about 15 minutes, then leave. We were unable to photograph the monks or record them, but I will never forget it.

Just to accentuate this day, I got to drink fabulous, robust/ crisp wine from near Siena, visit a church that possibly dates back to the 9^th Century, and hear Gregorian chant. I have to think I am a lucky person to have done all of this in just one day. So the next time you are looking to have a Tuscan experience here at home, find Torre Terza Vernaccia, sit outside with a breeze hitting your face, and pop in a recording of the Gregorian chant. I don’t know how much more Italian you can get.

Kathleen Anderson, NW FL wine supervisor. Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekat.

On my recent visit to Burgundy, France, I noted a generational shift with a few of our regular Burgundy producers. Generation next has truly taken over. Sons and daughters, in their twenties and thirties, have taken over from their baby boomer parents. They bring the vigor of youth, and gasp, new ideas, to one of the most traditional winemaking areas in the world, a tradition going back to Roman times. Balancing tradition and innovation is always the key in a changing world wine market.

We stayed about four days in Burgundy, at a hotel in Beaune, the center of some of the most famous wine appellations. Generally called the Côte d’Or (or “Golden Slope”), this heart of Burgundy is split into the northern Côte de Nuits and the southern Côte de Beaune. The former specializes in Pinot Noir while the latter focuses on Chardonnay. Only when there, looking at the rolling hills, and the tiny towns nestled between them, can you understand the special nature of this appellation. You see that the Grand Cru vineyards are never in the valley, nor at the top of the hill. This Grand Cru “golden mean” is about midway up the slope (perfect drainage and exposure), and only twenty feet away is not Grand Cru. Classification can change from row to row. Talk about history.

On the southern edge, in the town of Chassagne-Montrachet, we visited Thierry Pillot, who has taken over from his father Paul Pillot producing wines with much acclaim. Young and hip, wearing jeans, he led us to his wine cellar to pop some corks. My personal favorite we sampled was the 2012 Chassagne-Montrachet, which showed incredible elegance, soft and supple, yet framed with perfect acidity. His balance in this wine was impressive. Luckily for my pocketbook, I also enjoyed his more affordable options, including his Bourgogne Chardonnay, which is available at ABC for $22 per bottle. We all called it a “poor man’s Montrachet” since it was sourced from vineyards very close to his property in Chassagne. At first whiff I got a sense of Fig Newtons in a pine forest, followed by a creamy texture and razor sharp precision. Thierry also makes an unoaked Aligoté, with pine and cedar notes on the nose, bright acid and a crisp, pithy finish. In France, Aligoté is classically used to make a Kir (by adding some Crème de Cassis) and the sweet black currant helps to balance the bright acid of this varietal.

Ballot-Millot winery in Meursault, a little north towards Beaune, has a three hundred year tradition in this town. Charles Ballot, the son, has garnered much praise for his modern style Burgundies, and there is a hip, coolness about him, not at all stuffy as he takes us through his “man cave” with a billiards table, a big screen TV and a motorcycle, past the kid’s toys, to his cellar where we enjoyed a family dinner with Charles and his wife Annabelle (and their Boston terrier named iTunes). He showed us just how well his white Burgundies age. The 2002 Meursault “Les Criots” was outstanding, and it paired perfectly with some of their local cheeses, like the Citeaux, made by local monks, and the infamous Epoisses.

Charles Ballot in his vineyard

His Aligoté, one of the other approved white varietals in this region besides Chardonnay, was my favorite, since Charles uses 100% oak to bring out a softer richness. Yes there was green apple and quince notes, but a rounder mouthfeel to mellow the bright acid. My other favorites were his Meursaults, which were ripe and rich Chardonnays. Plenty of butteriness, but without the over the top butterball flavors of some of California’s best. These wines maintain their bright acidity, and that differentiates Burgundy. His Bourgogne Chardonnay was sourced 70% Meursault and 30% Puligny. So for $23 you are getting some pretty impressive juice. I got hints of vanilla on the nose, plus figs and kiwis, with a perfect richness on the palate, buttery but still elegant and bright. Charles likes to use a little more oak than Thierry, each letting their own style redefine their wines without forgetting their traditions. Both are open to a little experimentation, even using some American Oak on occasion, but they know their terroir, which is their history.

I was excited to find the special nature of each of their “generic” Burgundies, which were anything but generic. Both of these young men are ready to take over their family traditions, and are not afraid of modern techniques, but are not limited to them either. Both talked about 2012, which was a tricky vintage, with two major hailstorms early in the season. Limited quantity but great quality, and I recommend buying them as soon as you can, before the Wine Spectator scores come out and they’re gone.

Daniel Eddy

Gainesville Wine Consultant for ABC Fine Wines and Spirits

Wine Pairing Examiner for Examiner.com

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinedane

There is nothing more relaxing than a nice cigar in the evening. After the stresses of the day have hounded you into near submission, it's the peaceful respite of an hour and a half long smoke that really softens the edges. But as relaxing as a cigar may be in the evening, enjoying one for breakfast can be equally as appealing.

As I type this I am enjoying a pre-dawn cigar as I contemplate my final day of a long and very busy week. As with many things in life, the projects I put so much planning into seemed to fall apart with each passing day. There were many unforeseen challenges that made things difficult for my entire team, but we were able to forge ahead and get things done.

As I puff on this Foundry cigar and sip on some Dominican coffee, I can't help but think of when I was in the DR and our friends at General Cigar were just launching this beauty. I remember smoking quite a few of them that week, along with some delicious local coffee. The cigar actually became a morning staple for me, and smoking one now takes me back to that fun trip.

When it comes to selecting a breakfast cigar there are two schools of thought. Since it is early in the day, conventional wisdom would suggest that you go with a mild selection. The Foundry is certainly on that side of the spectrum. However, I have also discovered that smoking a full-bodied cigar in the morning can also provide one with a nice jump start to the day. I would warn anyone that decides to go with a power stick for breakfast to make sure that they go slow. Even with some breakfast in your stomach, a novice smoker may get a little green under the gills if they try and overdo it. Early in the morning isn't the best time to rush a cigar.

For breakfast I tend to choose a cigar that complements my coffee. Connecticut and Ecuadorian Connecticut are great wrapper choices for breakfast. Consider them as the cream to your coffee. I'm not saying that a maduro won't do, but since there is plenty of coffee flavor in the cup, I find it better to contrast tastes a bit.

So, if you are having a tough week or just want to get the weekend started off right, fire up a breakfast cigar. It's also ok to get up a few hours early to fully enjoy it—especially if you work where you can't smell like a cigar all day. You can be done with your smoke and shower before the sun comes up. I can't think of a better way to greet the new day.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North Florida regional manager, Certified Tobacconist and Cicerone Beer Server

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris

Everybody knows about celebrities endorsing or singing about different spirits and wines, but there are a few stars out there who have a love for craft beer.

Hall of Fame White Sox first baseman Frank Thomas has Big Hurt Beer, after his nickname in baseball. There are two styles; BHB Original, which is an imperial lager available in cans, and BHB MVP, an American lager available in bottles. It is brewed at Minhas Craft Brewery in Monroe, Wisconsin, and is distributed mostly in Chicago but has also gone to Alabama, California, Georgia, Nevada and Tennessee. The beer was featured at the Monterey Beer Festival and the Great American Beer Festival where I was very happy to meet Mr. Thomas and try his new beer.

In 2009 singer Kid Rock worked with Michigan Brewing Company to brew Badass American Lager, but soon after, the brewery went bankrupt and not much of the beer went to market. In August of 2013, Kid announced a comeback of the beer in the downtown Detroit area to be served on draft at shows and then canned and bottled at retail outlets throughout Michigan.

Pop group Hanson started Hanson Brothers Beer Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and brewed their flagship beer, Mmmhops, a pale ale style. It is widely distributed throughout Tulsa and Oklahoma City. They say with each bottle sale, the customer gets a free song and 10 percent of the proceeds go to Take The Walk, a non-profit company for clean water well-drilling in Africa.

Singer Jimmy Buffet started the very successful Margaritaville Brewing Company in St Louis, Missouri, to brew Land Shark Lager, which is distributed throughout the United States. For years the company has teamed up with Ocean Conservancy to participate in the annual International Coastal Cleanup to help clean up the world’s oceans and waterways.

Hall of Fame Chicago Bear running back Walter Payton’s son Jarrett, who played two seasons with the Titans and is now a recording artist and motivational speaker, has a single brew called The Swheatness – Jarrett Payton All-American Wheat Ale. It is brewed by Argus in Chicago. You can find The Swheatness at almost all ABCs. I was very happy to meet Mr. Payton at an Argus beer pairing in Jacksonville. He is a funny, energetic person with some great stories. We enjoyed his beer and other Argus brews with a wonderful dinner. Afterwards, he gave us a taste of his free styling.

Rock group KISS teamed up with Kronleins Bryggeri AB in Halmstad, Sweden to brew a German style pilsner called KISS Destroyer. It is distributed overseas for now in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK.

Adrian Grenier who played Vincent Chase on Entourage, co-founded his very own brewery, Churchkey Can Co. There is one style, a pilsner, which comes in the original flat top can style of the early 1900s, and each six pack comes with its own church key to open the cans.

Actor and comedian Tom Green paired with Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company of Ontario, Canada, to brew Tom Green Beer, a sweet milk stout. It was debuted in 2013 at Yuk Yuk’s Ottawa and Session Craft Beer Festival in Toronto. The style is a nod at Tom’s silly comic antics of lying under cow udders and spraying himself in the face.

Wil Wheaton, best known as Doctor Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, is an avid craft beer drinker and frequently tweets under the handle @wilw about different craft beer he is enjoying. He is even a member of the beer social media phone app Untappd. In 2013 he teamed up with news website Fark.com creator Drew Curtis and Stone Brewing CEO/co-founder Greg Koch to create Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout, an ale brewed with pecans, wheat and rye, with some of it being aged in Bourbon whiskey barrels. I really liked this one with its nice smooth nuttiness and a rye spice in the finish. Sadly, I have not met Mr. Wheaton yet, but if I did, I would have a Cannery Brewing Company – Vulcan Ale with him!

In 2012, Sam and Dan the Automator of Deltron 3030 teamed up with Dogfish Head to create Positive Contact, an ale brewed with Fuji apple cider, roasted faro, cayenne pepper and cilantro. A case of the brew featured a ten-inch vinyl EP from Deltron with band-inspired food recipes from different chefs.

In 2013, the Grateful Dead also teamed up with Dogfish Head to bring fans American Beauty: an imperial pale ale brewed with organic granola (honey, toasted grains, almonds and oats). 1500 Dead fans were asked what the best ingredient should be, and granola topped the list for its major role in feeding the masses of fans at music festivals in the 60s and 70s.

Vocalist Bruce Dickenson of the band Iron Maiden developed Trooper, an extra special bitter (ESB) style brewed at Robinsons Family Brewers in the UK. It is one-time release and was distributed in the states. The bottle depicts a fierce skeleton toting a torn English flag from the album cover.

Sportscaster Dan Patrick of the Dan Patrick Show worked with Redhook Brewery to make Audible Ale. It is a “crushable” amber ale with a low ABV, making it sessionable for watching games without getting obnoxiously drunk and finding yourself face-to-face with the ref on TV arguing a bad call.

Iron Chef star Masaharu Morimoto teamed up with Rogue Ales to create three award winning Signature Series beers including Morimoto Soba Ale, Black Obi Soba Ale and Morimoto Imperial Pilsner. All three are big, hearty ales made to pair well with a flavorful dinner.

These celebrities all share a passion for craft beer and are happy to share it with everyone. The two most widely distributed ones are Land Shark and Audible. A few ABCs may have Trooper, Morimoto, American Beauty, Positive Contact, and w00tstout with Payton’s ale being exclusive to ABC (in Florida).

Adam Shugan, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits beer consultant

Follow me on Twitter @abcbeeradams

Being that I am just a few years younger than dirt, all this new technology is a little bit foreign to me…okay, a lot! And even though I have had to enter modern social media, kicking and screaming, I do see that more and more of my wine information is coming from…gulp! Twitter. I find myself spending much more time browsing Twitter than I do looking through the more traditional wine routes such as the Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate. More and more, as I am asked to take part in the Twitter world, I found myself searching more links to sites that I was not aware of in the past, like The Drinks Business, @WineInfoNews and many more. Now I can’t tell if our tweets are selling wine, but I do see that millions of people from all different demographics, from everywhere in the world, from every social/economic level have moved away from newspapers, magazines and television and are looking at Twitter to get nearly instant access to any and all categories of information.

I still shy away from other social media that I feel are intrusive and invasive, but as a way to better my knowledge of what is going on in the wine world, I have begrudgingly accepted the fact that this Twitter thing can be a very beneficial. Along with wine websites like Wine Searcher and my best friend Google, I can research most any subject related to wine that I ever need. Another advantage to this modern media is people giving their seemingly unbiased opinion on most every type of wine from all parts of the wine world. I don’t always agree with these opinions, but I haven’t always agreed with Mr. Parker, Suckling, Molesworth or the rest either.

If you would have told me 10, five or even two years ago that I would be lauding the world of Twitter, I would certainly have laughed at you. I must admit--stop laughing Chris Gwaltney--that you can definitely derive much info in those minimal 140 characters. So if you are also one of those anti-Twitites, like I was, take the plunge and give it a chance. Sometimes new is good.

Ken Amendola ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekena

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Brew Hops & Wine Stops

Updating the Rules of Food and Wine Pairing

The Man in the Moon

Still Thinking in Italian

BEEF…sometimes it’s what you just have to have for dinner!!

IPCPR 2014 Wrap-up

Alligator Brewing--a nanobrewery in Gainesville, Florida

IPCPR: Day Four

Summer Rosés

IPCPR: Day Three

New Bordeaux wines in select ABC Fine Wine & Spirits stores

IPCPR: Day Two

Fire up the Smoker...or Grill!

IPCPR: Day One

What's Old is New: Taurasi

It’s IPCPR Time Again

Beer Camp is Here

Pulpo Gallego: A Galician Tapa

Ch. Lynch Bages--Pauillac, France

Refreshing White and a Bit of History

Burgundy’s Next Generation

Breakfast Cigar

Stars! They're Just Like Us (they love craft beer too)!

Pepperjack Barossa Red

The 2008 Prima from Château Carignan is back in stock!

Wine on the Web

Gavi, Refreshing and Enjoyable