Brew Hops & Wine Stops

My esteemed colleague, Mr. Chris Gwaltney, has already talked a bit about Camacho cigars and has touted the virtues of the Camacho Corojo.  Definitely an outstanding smoke, but perhaps a bit on the overpowering side for some folks.  Let’s take a look at its close relative…the Camacho Criollo.

Corojo and Criollo.  Two terms that can get confusing to many cigar smokers.  Without trying to get too technical, let’s just take a quick historical look at tobacco in Cuba and its movement into the other tobacco countries.  The original tobacco developed in Cuba was known by its scientific term of Habanesis, which is basically the father of all cigar tobaccos.  One of the hybrids of Habanesis that was developed back in the 1940s was known as Criollo and this eventually became the heart and soul for all cigar-making in Cuba.  This Criollo hybrid would actually become the tobacco from which all Cuban tobaccos would derive from and was used for wrappers, binders and filler.  In the mid-1940s on the El Corojo farm in Cuba, a hybrid was derived from the Criollo…and appropriately called Corojo.  This new hybrid Corojo created a leaf that was absolutely perfect for a wrapper leaf and became the leaf of choice for wrappers displacing the Criollo.  There is much more history to delve into but the bottom line is that Corojo is essentially a hybrid of Criollo.

While many cigars in the Camacho lineup are Honduran puros, the Camacho Criollo is not a true puro.  It has a Honduran Criollo 98 wrapper, a Honduran Corojo binder, and filler that is Honduran Criollo with a bit of Dominican Piloto Cubano added.

So let’s take one out of the humidor and enjoy an evening smoke!  First off, I get a little whiff of the “barnyard” smell prior to lighting.  Not as pronounced as I thought it would be, but still there nonetheless.  The first few draws were very easy and continued to be easy draws throughout the smoke.  Very light flavors of earth and rich tobacco are the first flavors to be noticed along with what seemed to be almost a raw honey flavor.  I thought that was odd and I looked at some other reviewer notes and they all described that same honey note, so I was thankful I wasn’t alone in my experience!

As I get about one third through the cigar I begin to pick up some pepper on the retrohale…not overpowering but definitely there.  And the honey notes still remain to help balance out the pepper and keep the flavor well balanced.  The full and rich tobacco flavors that Honduras is noted for also keep shining through.

The remaining two thirds of the cigar gave essentially the same flavors of pepper and honey along with that rich earthy tobacco flavor, although the intensity increased as I got down to the last two inches or so.  In terms of complexity, I would say this is not an overly complex smoke…a bit of a change at the one third mark were I was picking up peppery notes, but stayed fairly consistent from that point.  It had a good burn throughout the smoke and only needed one touch-up.  Produced a fairly solid medium gray ash and the smoke maintained its smoothness from start to finish.  I would call it a medium-bodied cigar with mostly medium strength; however strength does kick up a notch or two in the last third.

An overall nice smoke that gives one a good idea of the flavor profiles and boldness that Camacho is known for, without going over the top.  Not as powerful as its bigger brothers, Camacho Corojo or Triple Maduro, but still a bold cigar!

The best cigar is the one you enjoy,

Steve Mungeer

ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Cigar and Gourmet Products Planner and Certified Retail Tobacconist

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarmungo  

I was honored and excited to host my first beer and cheese pairing party this past week. A very affluent husband and wife approached Daniel Eddy, the wine consultant for ABC on Newberry road in Gainesville.  They explained that their sons-in-law were flying in from Denver and Atlanta with their wives for Thanksgiving and were very craft beer savvy. They wanted to host a surprise craft beer and cheese pairing party as an early Christmas present. Dan immediately referred them to me as the perfect candidate for delivering a great and memorable event.

They came to me and requested I pick out six six-packs of different beers and the cheeses that corresponded with them. Knowing that the two men were coming from big craft beer cities, I knew I had to pick some fun and special beers. I scoured my shelves for unique styles and found the ideal ones. The first was Anderson Valley’s The Kimmie, The Yink, and The Holy Gose with Beemster soft goat cheese. The mildly sweet taste of the cheese complements the salinity of the Gose. Next was Founder’s Dirty Bastard Scotch ale with Boar’s Head cream havarti. The buttery, slight sweet body of the cheese goes well with the rich maltiness of the ale. Third was Two Brothers Heavy Handed Wet Hopped IPA highlighting Cascade hops with Old Croc sharp cheddar. The tangy, robust taste of the cheddar marries with the floral, bitter hops of the IPA.  Fourth was Two Brothers Atom Smasher oak aged Oktoberfest with Boars Head gruyere. The forward light fruitiness and nutty finish of the cheese pairs with the caramel maltiness and vanilla notes from the aging of the lager. Fifth was Bell’s Special double cream stout with Laura Chenel chevre. The earthy tartness of the chevre plays well with the sweet roastiness of the milk stout. Last was Harviestoun Old Engine Oil porter with Cashel blue cheese. The bold, salty flavors of the blue cheese go great with the dark malts and coffee notes of this beer.

I arrived at the two-story house in Gainesville’s Golf and Country Club and was told to come to the side garage to keep the surprise alive. The couple, along with their two daughters and husbands, their third daughter and a family friend, happily greeted me. We exchanged greetings and they tried to guess why I was there. Finally, the surprise was revealed and everyone got really excited. Everything was done perfectly. Each person had his or her own paddle with six four-ounce flight glasses for each beer. The cheese was elegantly displayed on wooden cheese boards with each cheese named so the guests could distinguish them. I sat at the head of the table and gave a brief speech on each beer, what the style was, some tastes to expect and the proper cheese to pair with it. There were beer bratwursts and smoked sausages along with spicy pickle chips and an assortment of olives. Everybody had a great time and the guys talked about their favorite beers and breweries from the cities they were from. It ended quickly and they all thanked me for my services. I hope I get this opportunity again!

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

Follow me on Twitter @abcbeeradams

All of us at ABC Wine Country wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving! Guessing that you’ve already chosen and most likely enjoyed your Turkey Day wines, we decided to move on to a new topic. Hope you enjoy!

Pinot Grigio? They make oceans of this stuff and it sells like there may well be no tomorrow. At the same time 7 out of 10 self-respecting wine drinkers tend to pooh-pooh it. The next time you’re dining at a prestigious restaurant try asking the sommelier to recommend one. You will likely receive the most withering of glances and be mentally put in that circle of hell reserved for those who imbibe wine coolers and sugary pink wines.

Pinot Gris? Well, that might be a different story. That might be acceptable, except that many novice wine-lovers don’t quite know what it is or how to say it (‘gree’).

The fact is, of course, that the two grapes are exactly the same, ‘grigio’ being the Italian name and ‘gris’ being the French. At face value it’s as simple as that. AND YET – though the grape is exactly the same, in most cases the wine labelled ‘grigio’ will be stylistically very different from the wine called ‘gris.’ So what’s the difference?

Let’s start at the beginning. Gris or grigio - the word translates as gray, which seems to indicate the grape’s gray-blue skin. (Pinot is the French word for pine cone, which may have something to do with the shape of the cluster.) It seems to have originated in Burgundy in the Middle Ages, and from there brought to Hungary and to the Champagne region. In the 16^th century Hungarian plantings found the way back to France, this time to Alsace, where it became one of their noble grapes. For a while the grape gained some prominence and recognition, but by the late 18^th century Pinot Gris fell out of favor in Burgundy and Champagne. It was introduced to Germany in 1711 where it was known as Ruländer (after wine merchant Johann Seger Ruland) or Grauburgunder (‘gray burgundy’), and it was most likely from there that it was brought into northeast Italy, where it still proliferates today.

What is the difference in style? In a nutshell the Italian style is light-bodied, fresh, crisp, dry-ish, with light simple fruit flavors and a pleasing acidity. The French style is rich, full-bodied, fruity, sometimes spicy, with higher alcohol levels, often a hint of oiliness and low acidity. This style can also be subdivided into dry fruity and sweet fruity.

The grape itself has a natural low acidity which is why in the cool higher elevations of northeast Italy it is picked relatively young so that it retains its vibrant acidic qualities. In the warmth of Alsace, on the other hand, the grapes are allowed to ripen longer, which enhances their full-bodied fruitiness and reduces the acidity. Both styles are usually fermented in stainless steel (occasionally in old barrels that impart no wood flavors). The Italian style does not usually go through malolactic fermentation, while the French style often does, giving it a rounder, richer, creamier mouthfeel. The French style is often aged on the lees, which contributes to a greater complexity.

Though we speak of an Italian and a French style, Pinot Gris/Grigio is produced all over the world now. The first American Pinot Gris was planted in Oregon in 1966 by David Lett of Eyrie Vineyards. King Estate followed a few years later, and today Oregon is known and respected for its many fine Pinot Gris wines. No matter where it comes from, the producer will usually use the name Grigio or Gris to denote the style used in the making of the wine.

So should we be ashamed to drink it? Certainly not! Pinot Gris has a complexity and full-bodied flavor that many white wines would envy and is a natural partner for many fine foods. As for Pinot Grigio – any wine that has a long tradition and a style founded on the region that it comes from is worthy of interest. And provided that it is created with this in mind, all wines have their time and place. The honest simplicity of Pinot Grigio is a natural for casual dining, especially out of doors, and is perfect in these surroundings with picnic foods, grilled seafood, chicken, light pasta and appetizers.

No matter which style you’re looking for, your nearest ABC wine consultant will have plenty of delicious suggestions to offer. Cheers!

Bill Stobbs, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebills

Everyone has felt the pressure of all of the holiday festivities. The most important thing for your sanity, the safety of your family and friends, and perhaps most importantly, your heart health (note: I’m not a doctor), is to DRINK GOOD WINE!!! After this base is covered, even if your turkey (or your gift ideas) turn out like Clark Griswald’s, no worries—you have cold cuts in the fridge!

A few wines will definitely be making an appearance at my holiday table, and a few wines will be hidden after opening so that I can have them all to myself.  Here we go:

1. For starters, bubbles are always a good idea. One of my favorites is the Veuve Ambal “Marie Ambal Brut Rose” [$24.99]. This wine is a cremant from Burgundy. The majority of the blend is Pinot Noir with a little bit of Chardonnay. The wine is aged for at least 48 months before secondary fermentation in the bottle. The mousse is delicate and steady with aromas of strawberry and it toasts with a crisp and clear finish.


2. For white wine lovers, the choice is not a difficult one. At the pinnacle of domestic Chardonnay sits the 2013 Buoncristiani Chardonnay out of Napa [$39.99]. The fruit is sourced from Hyde, Stagecoach & Pahlmeyer’s Waters Ranch and picked at optimal ripeness, fermented in new (and twice used) French oak followed by 10 months surlie. This wine is focused primarily on fruit, minerality and balanced acidity with secondary flavors of integrated French oak richness framed by a full mid-palate and a lingering finish. You may want to bathe in it, but don’t!  Just sip it—and then hide it!


3. The piece de resistance for any and all holidays is without a doubt the 2010 Durand Cornas [$39.50]. It is a steal! Not only was it given a 95 from Robert Parker, it was also the highest rated 2010 Rhone wine reviewed through July 2012. I will leave the review to Wine Spectator:

    Wine Spectator – 94 points. Mouthfilling, with deliciously intense anise, blackberry compote and plum     pate de fruit flavors backed by well-integrated briar and iron notes. The long racy finish has lots of life.      Best from 2013 through 2023. 1,500 cases made. –Jim

The old saying, “It ain’t Christmas till somebody cries,” is a thing of the past. Don’t let turkey get the best of you this holiday season because you are never too far from an ABC Fine Wine & Spirits with knowledgeable consultants ready to put your holiday anxieties to rest and ensure your party’s success. Just remember to always celebrate. Cheers!!

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

Two days before the great turkey shimmies down your chimney to leave gifts, toys and….wait a minute, wait just a minute…whoa, holy holiday overload! Working the last three months to prepare for the next five weeks must be getting to me a little--same with some of you I’m sure. Though the big bird won’t be sliding down the chimney, he will sure be getting in the fire one way or the other on Thursday. We’re going with the oil-less turkey fryer, or infrared method, for one our birds, and the other is getting butterflied, then tossed on the grill. We have done birds in the regular turkey fryer in the past, but what a mess you’re left with and then you have 25 pounds of turkey fat diluted oil that I have no use for…infrared is the way to go. I also find that when you cut out the backbone, spread out the bird and place it over the dressing, the results speak (taste) for themselves and it cuts down on the cooking time by about thirty percent! Plus it leaves the oven available for the other 20 dishes we’re preparing for our dozen or so guests.

Later today I will be making a run to my local ABC to grab a case or so of wine for Wednesday and Thursday…what they are, I haven’t yet decided. I guess the easy, or typical, would be Pinot Noirs and white Burgundies, which are always good choices. This year I am thinking of going with the Nestor Greco di Tufo from Tenuta Cavalier Pepe ($18) and for the red wine, a wonderful Barbera d’Asti from Pavia, La Marescialla ($27). This delicious red wine from the Piedmont region of Italy is just over the top with rich, ripe flavors of plums and blueberries and black fruits. It is not a wine that is going to overwhelm the holiday meal; it is really a perfect complement to the entire table. If you have not had a chance to enjoy the Greco di Tufo from Cavalier Pepe, this would be a good time give it a try. A flavorful wine with notes of mineral and citrus, fresh and aromatic with a very long, intense finish. A terrific wine to drink while you’re preparing the meal, as well as serving with your Thanksgiving dinner.

If you have already picked out your wines, then give these a try another time, but if you are a last minute shopper like so many others, then I highly recommend these two Italian beauties. Either way, I hope you enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with those family and friends that mean the most to you.

Ken Amendola, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekena

Why not invite the three little pigs to your Thanksgiving feast this year?

Is it just me or does it feel like your inbox is blowing up with a constant barrage of Thanksgiving wine suggestions? Google "Thanksgiving wine" and you will find more choices than you ever thought possible.The Internet wine experts will suggest red, white, pink, dry, sweet, sparkling and fortified wines that must be on your table. If I left something out I apologize, but after digesting your web search my suggestion is ignore most of it and just remember a few simple guidelines.

Pair the wine to the people rather than the food. Unless you have a bunch of wine geeks coming to dinner forget about food and wine pairings. Now is not the time to try and figure out what wine goes best with Grandma's green bean casserole. All you need are a couple of all-purpose, tasty wines--one red and one white--that will go with many different dishes.

The only other thing to keep in mind is to have plenty on hand. Few things are as sad as running out of wine on Thanksgiving Day. If your holiday feast is anything like mine we start eating and drinking around noon and don't stop until the final football game has ended around 11:00 p.m.

Which brings me back to inviting the three little pigs to dinner this year. If my previous two blog posts I highlighted two terrific red wines for Turkey Day, Pigro Rosso and Pigro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. I've neglected to tell you about the Pigro Pinot Grigio. This light, refreshing, delectable white wine would be the perfect partner for your guests who prefer white wine. At just $9.99 per bottle, you can afford to have plenty of these cute little piglets being passed around the dinner table until the wee hours of the night.

Paul Quaglini, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinepaulq

One of the new lines of cigars we picked up at the IPCPR Trade Show this summer that is quietly making its appearance into our stores is Kristoff.  Considered by some to be part of that “boutique premium” market, Kristoff has established itself as more of a mainstream cigar the past few years.  They were founded back in 2004 by Glen Case and through a lot of hard work and countless hours have established themselves as a serious player in the ever expanding cigar market.  His striving to find the highest quality tobaccos available has paid off well and his cigars are some serious smokes!

We only brought in a handful of Glen’s offerings to start and today we’ll take a look at one of my favorites:  Kristoff Original Maduro.  I’m sure in the next few months we’ll take a closer look at both the Kristiana and Corojo Limitada that we picked up, but today we’ll take a peek at the maduro.

It was a beautiful, cool evening so I poured myself a bit of Port to go along with the maduro robusto I picked from my humidor.  And let’s just say right now that Port is the perfect companion for this smoke!  The basics of this cigar are an old school pigtail cap and an uncut “shaggy” foot.  Very rustic looking appearance, yet very classic in construction.  We’ve got a beautiful oily Brazilian maduro wrapper on this cigar with a Dominican binder surrounding the Dominican olor and Nicaraguan filler. 

Right off the bat you will notice that fresh “barnyard” smell to this stick.  Just a wonderful aroma and hoping the rest of the experience will match this.  The first few draws are a little tight but they soon open up to nice draw…just enough to produce some serious smoke.  And it is one beautiful smoke with flavors of coffee and cocoa and just a hint of spice.  The smoke is full of flavor and extremely smooth with essentially no pepper notes that one might expect from the Nicaraguan filler.  The retrohale is just full of rich tobacco and coffee and cocoa flavors with not one bit of harshness.  The smoke is thick and almost has that chewy texture which pairs just perfectly with the glass of Port. 

Halfway through the smoke, the flavors begin to change a bit as some more earthy flavors begin to creep in and just a bit of the pepper notes start to show—but this cigar is still amazingly smooth even with these complex flavors.  The burn has been perfect and never needed retouching and it has a nice solid silvery-gray ash building.  As it nears the end, some bitter sweet chocolate flavors come into play along with some bitter orange.  Definitely some interesting flavor profiles on that last couple inches.

This is just a great smoke and I highly recommend trying it.  This is a medium-bodied cigar that is unbelievably smooth and has great flavor.  If you’ve been put off by maduros thinking they are way too strong, then you need to give this a try; it will make you a maduro fan.  If you don’t see it in your favorite store yet, just ask our staff if they can get some for you.  This cigar will not disappoint you!

The best cigar is the one you enjoy,

Steve Mungeer, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits cigar and gourmet products planner and Certified Retail Tobacconist

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarmungo

Every season brings new brews and exciting beers to try--sometimes you even find yourself anxious to get to the next quarter of the year just to get your hands on a few of these rotating seasonals. This winter, these are the beers you should be on the lookout for--at least, I will be!

Abita Christmas Ale

A dark ale with each year recipe changes 6% ABV. 

Each year at the Abita Brewery, we craft a special dark ale for the holiday season. The recipe changes each year so that Abita Christmas Ale is always the perfect gift. Its spicy character is excellent with traditional holiday foods such as gingerbread or spiced nuts. Try some blue cheese or a creamy Camembert with a Christmas Ale. - Brewery Notes

Blue Point Winter Ale

Robust amber 5.5% ABV.

Blue Point Brewing's Winter Ale is a hearty and robust amber ale. Brewed to chase away the chill of a cool winter night. Made with Pale, Vienna, crystal and chocolate malt. This uncommon amber is only brewed during the cold months of the year. Winter Ale is an extremely popular seasonal specialty. Enjoy the tasty balance of malt and hops. Remember this special ale leaves with winter. - Brewery Notes 

Breckenridge Christmas Ale

American-style strong ale, 7.4% ABV.

The chill of a Colorado high-country winter calls for a beer with extra flavor and strength. Here it is. Breck Brew's Christmas Ale. At over 7% alcohol, with a sturdy texture and rich flavors of caramel and chocolate, our holiday seasonal is the fermented equivalent of a good fire. The ultimate winter warmer. - Brewery Notes 

Brooklyn Winter Ale

Scottish ale, 6% ABV.

When the days grow short and the beach recedes into our dreams, we need a very nice beer to get us through the long winter. Based on the satisfying malty ales of blustery Scotland, Brooklyn Winter Ale will have you looking on the bright side of things. Rich Scottish malts bring deep bready flavors to a beer with a full copper colour, a round, smooth palate, and brisk hopping that pulls the sweet malts into balance. See--things are looking up already. - Brewery Notes

Cisco Winter Shredder

Spiced winter ale, 8.8% ABV.

Gnar-Gnar Lumpkin, the shreddingist snowman this side of Nantucket Sound, likes nothing better than catching a wave on his board...a Cisco wave that is, cold, fresh and wicked cool! Get mad shacked with the Shredder and have yourself a merry little winter. Shredder is a winter ale brewed with natural spices. - Brewery Notes

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

IPA, 6.8% ABV. 

The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home. - Brewery Notes

Southern Tier 2XMas Ale

Double spiced ale, 8% ABV. 

Swedish flags are a fairly common sight in our part of the country. Holiday parties often have warm concoctions of spices and booze ready to knock the ice off of toes while raising spirits. We were inspired by a glogg party, deciding on the spot to brew a beer that pays tribute to this Nordic tradition. 2XMas Ale combines traditional breweing ingredients with figs, orange peels, cardamom, cinnamon, clove and ginger root. It's a holiday addition to the 2X line and another reason to toast the season, but unlike glogg, we recommend serving this one chilled. - Brewery Notes

Southern Tier Krampus

Imperial helles, 9% ABV. 

St. Nicholas, aka Santa Claus, is a magical figure, the bringer of gifts and an icon of holiday spirit. Forgotten by most is his evil sidekick and enforcer of the list. European tradition says while St. Nick is busy delivering presents to good little boys and girls, Krampus hands out punishments to the bad. A fanged, goat-horned bully, the Christmas Devil uses sticks and chains to beat the naughty children. Dark malts and aromatic hops create the diabolical spirit of this brew. It is finished with lager yeast and aged cold for no less than 30 days. - Brewery Notes

St. Bernardus Christmas Ale

Belgium strong dark ale, 10% ABV. 

St. Bernardus Christmas Ale is the youngest descendant in the illustrious family of delicious abbey ales by Brewery St. Bernardus. This specialty beer of 10% ABV is characterized by its deep dark color, with a creamy, thick head and a full, almost velvety taste with a fruity nose. It's a seasonal ale, brewed annually for the holiday season. The long winter nights are perfect moments to savor this ale with or without friends and to enjoy its unique, complex taste and aftertaste. - Tasting Notes

Victory Winter Cheers Wheat Ale

Wheat ale, 6.7% ABV. 

Light in body with a soothing texture, Winter Cheers is a stark contrast from the pungent punch of DirtWolf. A wheat ale, combining German wheat and barley malts, oats, torrified wheat and whole flower Tettnang and Citra hops, this fruity and warming holiday brew delivers a refreshing finish, with spicy hints of banana, clove and citrus. At 6.7% ABV, this beer will fuel festive times and chase winter’s chill. - Brewery Notes

What are you excited for this season? Let me know on Twitter @abcbeerbretth!

Cheers!

Brett Hallenbeck, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits beer consultant - Cape Coral

Harvesting in the Beaujolais region took place under extremely favorable conditions and lasted three weeks, finishing at the end of September.

The year 2014 was characterized by a hot and sunny spring and good conditions for optimal flowering temperatures in early June. August saw a drop in temperature and rainy spells, slowing down the ripening of the grapes; however, an Indian summer with long sunny days and cool nights allowed grapes to mature steadily, reaching optimum maturity before harvesting.

The 2014 Beaujolais Nouveau exhibits typically for the style aromas and flavors of raspberry, banana, strawberries fruit and floral notes of poppy flower and violet, but with more saturation of color and polyphenols than previous two vintages.

Beaujolais Nouveau is not a wine to sniff, swirl and contemplate too much—rather a light-hearted wine to enjoy in a relaxed way. It should be served slightly chilled as an aperitif or to complement a variety of dishes like grilled meats, pastas and roasted pork and poultry. It is the perfect complement to the holiday turkey meal. Do not miss out on a great holiday wine!

The following three Beaujolais Nouveaux are available at most ABC Fine Wine & Spirits stores today (Thursday, November 20^th): 

Jean Saint Honoré $8.99

Rochecorbière Vieilles Vignes $8.99

Georges Duboeuf $9.99

Atanas Nechkov, Central Florida wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwineatanas

It’s that time of year again for turkey and Beaujolais! While most people are not concerned too much about which breed of turkey to eat, they are very particular about which style of Beaujolais to drink. There are three styles and each boasts different qualities. There are the Crus, Beaujolais Villages and the ever popular Nouveau.   

The Nouveau is by far the most popular of the three. It is released the third Thursday of November and is meant to be consumed by the end of the year. Originally, it was only drunk locally to celebrate the end of the harvest but now has grown into a global staple. The process in which it is made is actually quite neat.

Carbonic maceration is the process in which Nouveau is produced. Start by filling a large vat with grapes. The grapes on the bottom will be crushed by the weight of the fruit above them and will start fermenting naturally using the yeast that is present on the skins. One by-product of fermentation is CO2, which fills the sealed tank and permeates the whole grape skins which then triggers fermentation inside the grapes. After a few weeks, the grapes are pressed and wine comes out. Again, this is not a serious wine nor is it meant to be, but it is fun and palatable for the holidays. 

Next is the Villages. These wines are made in a very similar way as the Nouveau, except there is also traditional fermentation that takes place at this level. These wines are a bit more serious and are meant to be consumed within 2-3 years. I guess I should probably go over a few basics. Beaujolais is a region in the southernmost part of Burgundy, France. Mostly red wines are produced here with the main grape being Gamay. Some whites are made with Chardonnay or Aligote. My favorite of the three is next!! 

Now we go to the Cru Beaujolais.These are very serious wines where Carbonic Maceration is a four letter word! Only traditional winemaking is allowed in these parts.These wines usually drink like Pinot Noir from Burgundy with their full body and rich flavors. Most can age for manyyears and will not reach maturity until at least three years in the bottle and barrel aging is required. These are by far the best quality, but are the least popular. Check one out and see for yourself!

George Ryan, wine consultant at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits - Sunrise

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinegeorger.

If you are looking for a bottle of wine to take with you for a big splash at your Thanksgiving gathering, one fabulous recommendation I have is a nice Tuscan wine from La Gerla called Birba ($29.99). I was in one of our ABC stores trying to think of what to bring with me besides the traditional wines I take every year, and while thinking of what we serve, I wanted something that was a WOW wine for the season. All of a sudden, this bottle caught my eye and I remembered meeting Alberto on the Italian wine tour in Tallahassee (drinking this wine with dinner). So not only do I have a WOW wine, I have a great story to go with it. Then I had to buy a bottle, you know, just to make sure I wanted to take it with me next week.

First thing I would tell you is to open this bottle about 20 minutes before serving. Like a Brunello, this wine needs to stretch before consumption (think of this wine as Brunello’s little sister). Voluptuous raspberry and red berry fruit, then it finishes with a note of cedar and a hint of acidity to balance the Turkey and stuffing.  This wine is what I think of that goes with the beginning, middle and end of a Thanksgiving meal (but something tells me it won’t last that long). I’m always looking for a way to impress without breaking the bank, and this nice bottle fits that niche.

So what do we take from this? Head out after you read this, find your local ABC, and talk to your wine consultant about this wine. Try Birba and impress those around you for having such great taste. And maybe repeat for Christmas, or just for whenever you want a nice bottle with dinner.

Kathleen Anderson, Northwest Florida wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekat.

As a wine consultant, I constantly get frantic guests running into the store in demand of a wine to bring for a dinner party. I ask the usual questions, trying to get an idea of what they may want—but ultimately they have no clue what the host likes, no idea what is being served and not even sure if the bottle will be opened that night. All I can get out of them is how much they want to spend, and under $30 is a popular answer. So for this blog I’ve compiled a few wines, all affordable, that are sure to impress. I offer sparkling, whites and reds.

Let’s first look at two sparkling wines from Italy. Contadi Castaldi Franciacorta rosé and satèn. Both are made in the traditional method and easily stand up to many top quality Champagnes at a fraction of the cost. The rosé is exquisite with subtle berry fruits, citrus and roses. The satèn is Chardonnay based with exotic fruit and toasted nuts. They are rated 88 and 91 respectively from Wine Enthusiast.

My three favorite “go-to” whites right now are Solitude Chardonnay, Clos Reissier Pouilly Fuisse and Franciscan Equilibrium. If the guest knows his host prefers CA or French Chardonnay, then either of the first two will be perfect. Solitude has the classic oak and creaminess to suit that palate, while the Pouilly Fuisse shows its distinct crisp, clean taste with perfect acidity. It’s the total opposite of the heavier CA Chard. When the guest is at a loss and cannot choose, I pick the white blend. Equilibrium is quite possibly the perfect white wine. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Muscat, it has great body, nectarine and stone fruits with floral and citrus notes. Delish.

Lastly, two reds that are sure to be a hit. When unsure of what red to bring, my go-to is a Pinot Noir and none better than Laetitia Harvest Moon Ranch. More full-bodied than some Pinots, it offers layers of smoke, earth and the typical red fruits. Cabernet Sauvignon is probably the most popular go-to red these days, BUT they are often too dry and too tannic for the masses. I rarely let a guest bring a Cab as a gift unless they are certain the host loves them. Collalto Torrai Cabernet Riserva is the one exception, a blend of 70% Cab Sauv and 30 % Cab Franc. This is a much more reserved style than your typical CA Cab. Medium ruby in color, notes of red fruits, a dash of pepper and a hint of vanilla. A must try.

So my wine loving friends, when in doubt of what to bring to that dinner party, go with any of the above and everyone will be pleased and impressed with your choice. Salute!

Bill Knowles, wine consultant at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits - Boca Raton

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebillk

Their scientific name is “Lasioderma serricorne” and their game is wreaking havoc on cigars and your humidor. If you smoke and collect cigars for a while, you will more than likely come into contact with one or two of these little monsters. Fortunately for cigar consumers today, finding these little guys has become a much rarer occurrence than years past. Cigar makers go to great links to eradicate their tobacco bales as well as finished cigars of these little tunneling stogie destroyers.

So exactly what is a cigar beetle and what does it do? They are brown in color and average 2-3 mm in length. The eggs are often laid on live tobacco leaves and that is how they end up in the bales and eventually cigars. The eggs like to hatch at around 75 degrees Fahrenheit and, once sprouted, eat their way through a cigar. Once a female reaches adulthood she can lay another hundred eggs, which of course restarts this nightmarish circle of life.

Perfect example of cigar beetle holes. As you can see, they are right through the cellophane.

Like I stated earlier, most cigar growers and producers take very intensive steps to destroy these guys. The tobacco leaves and bales can be fumigated, as well as the finished cigars. The chemical used imparts no flavor and usually evaporates naturally after a few days. Many cigar factories I have visited even freeze their cigars before shipping. Adult beetles, along with their eggs, can’t survive for long in freezing temperatures.

So, what do you do if you encounter a beetle tunnel in one of your cigars? The answer is quite simple, freeze your cigars. At the first sign of beetles, remove all the cigars from the affected humidor. I go ahead and toss the tunnel filled cigars in the trash. Those without signs of infestation I place in freezer bags and toss them into my chest freezer in the garage. Let them sit for at least 72 hours in the freezer before removing them. I also strongly suggest giving them at least a day in the regular fridge to slowly thaw. After removing from the fridge, let them slowly come back to room temperature before putting them back in the humidor. Oh, did I mention that you need to clean out your humidor too? Yes, while your cigars are freezing away take that time to vacuum and wipe out all dead beetles, their residue, and any other debris that you encounter. Make that humidor as clean and sterile as possible. Also make sure you maintain a proper environment (65-70% humidity and 67-72° are pretty good numbers to strive for).

I hate having to write about these pests but if gone unchecked they can ruin your entire cigar collection. Like I stated earlier, your chances of encountering these pests are slimmer than years past, but I want to make sure you know how to handle these little devils if the situation ever arises. 

Long Ashes,

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

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris.

It is getting to be that time in Florida when the temperature takes a dive into the low seventies and the parkas and Ugg boots come out. We can pretend it is a snowy winter wonderland and it is time for those dark, viscous, crude oil beers to come out. Although, I asked recently on Twitter what everyone's go to winter beer is and the general consensus was an IPA; when I think of winter, even the Florida winter, I think of high alcohol by volume stouts and porters. An added bonus, breweries take these delicious ebony creations and age them in different barrels for an even more complex taste. I have seen and tried beers aged in rum, Irish whiskey, Scotch, Calvados (apple brandy), bourbon, tequila, Chardonnay, port, sherry, Cabernet and Pinot Noir barrels.

The barrel room at Terrapin Beer Company

Naturally, with beers aged in wine barrels, you get essences of grape must (fresh squeezed grape juice), soft tannins (the polyphenolic compounds found in wine subsequently gives the beer, as well as the wine that was aged, an astringent finish), hints of vanilla from oak, and a slight char taste if the oak was toasted. With Scotch aged beers, you get mild peat, a toffee presence, hints of smokiness and those same oak notes. Port and sherry finishes impart a nutty sweetness. I had Innis & Gunn in Oloroso sherry cask and it was delightful. Calvados casks bestow baked apple and a little sweetness. Irish whiskey and bourbon barrels give mild whiskey notes from smoky to caramel, but Anderson Valley is the only beer company to work with Wild Turkey and have permission to bare the Wild Turkey logo on their products. There are two beers, a stout aged in the barrels and a pumpkin spice beer called Pinchy Jeek Barl that was fantastic.  The high proof of the Wild Turkey 101 displays much brighter and more complex bourbon notes. Tequila barrel aged beer usually comes from Anejo tequila meaning the tequila itself was aged for at least a year to gather the most flavor. Tequila gives the beer a tropical finish (to me) with notes of pineapple, guava, papaya and a little agave sweetness. I have found that most rum aged beers are in spiced rum casks mainly for the strong vanilla notes and that well-known spiced rum taste.

Not all aged beers are stouts. The agave tastes complement the hops in IPA and Oskar Blues Gubna double IPA is one worth trying. Tequila aged beers are not to be confused with the old Anheuser-Busch Tequiza or the newer Heineken produced Desperados, where agave nectar is added to the brew to give the “essence” of tequila aging. A number of different beer styles age better in their respective barrels such as strong ales, Scotch ales and Scottish ales. Innis & Gunn, I have found, has the best variety of styles and barrels they age their beers in as well as ease of access in ABC. Some breweries simply age their beers in new oak, meaning the barrel has not seen any other spirit nor toasting or charring, and the beer takes on typical new oak barrel tastes. 

Some breweries that do large-scale aging use foudres (foo-druhs), which are huge barrels, and some are not even the typical oval shape. Barrels, also known as cooperage, range in size with the smallest being a firkin all the way up to a tun. Breweries sometimes do not age their beers in a barrel, but instead add wood chips like oak, cedar or in the case of Budweiser, beechwood to the secondary fermentation to achieve the desired “barrel aged” effect.   

I was very lucky to procure a much desired beer from Sierra Nevada, a bourbon barrel aged Narwhal Imperial Stout, which I will do a brief tasting and review of now.

Appearance

Pouring at cellar temperature into my custom engraved Guinness pint glass. It pours a pitch-black color with a nice two-finger mahogany head.

Smell

Big bourbon, molasses, smoke, bittersweet chocolate, boozy.

Taste

Wow--very rich, boozy, velvety, notes of cinnamon stick, vanilla, milk chocolate, like a liquid bourbon torte.  It has great flavor and a high 12.8% ABV to boot! 

This is the epitome of a perfect cold weather barrel aged stout. I can picture bundling up and roasting marshmallows out of a chiminea while sipping this beast with good friends and family.  

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

Follow me on Twitter @abcbeeradams

ABC is happy to add two great South African wines to our portfolio from A.A. Badenhorst Family Wines:  Secateurs Chenin Blanc and Secateurs Red. Winemaker and co-owner Adi Badenhorst, who trained in Bordeaux, the northern Rhone and New Zealand before becoming winemaker for nine years at Rustenberg, purchased 60 hectares in the Swartland in 2008 and set about making natural wine in the traditional manner.

Once something of an ignored area in South Africa’s Western Cape, the Swartland has grown in stature over the past decade and has become one of its most interesting appellations. A beautiful but sometimes wild, sometimes forbidding area it is now the home of The Swartland Revolution (‘We came, we saw, we revolted’) of which Adi Badenhorst is a founding member. The idea of the Revolution is to showcase the wines of the area. Despite whatever stylistic or philosophic differences the winemakers of the Swartland may have, all will agree that it offers a true sense of place which can be enjoyed and detected in the wines.

Old bush vines

Most vines in the area are bush vines, which is the original and most natural way of planting. With no trellis support, only pruning, the vines flourish in the wilderness and produce wines that have great character and depth, wines that are meant for enjoyment even more than idolization. When asked what he likes most in wine Adi replies, “Just that it quenches your thirst. Wine that you can drink and that can last and change in the glass. You must feel nourished after drinking wine. You mustn’t feel confused by wine.” Pretentious is the last thing that Adi Badenhorst is.

Secateurs Chenin Blanc is beautifully simple and delicious. Crisp and vibrant with pleasant citrus aromas and a dry finish, it is the perfect white wine for our Florida weather.

Secateurs Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault and Grenache. Badenhorst’s vines are unirrigated, biologically farmed as much as possible and fermented in traditional concrete tanks. The 2011 Secateurs Red was awarded 91 points by Wine Advocate. (Though when asked his view on wine scoring Adi replied, “I don’t know. I’m no good at maths so it doesn’t work for me. If it’s more than 10, I get a bit nervous!”)

Breakfast with Adi Badenhorst

I had the pleasure of staying at Adi Badenhorst’s Kalmoesfontein farm in the Swartland a while back, along with our ABC Director of Wines Brad Lewis and a small group of wine specialists. It was, as you might expect, a very happy and laid-back time, with the emphasis on enjoying the wines in good company, in pleasant surroundings and with great home-cooked food. Somehow it seemed wrong to discuss the wines too deeply, as wonderful as they were. The farm was a real ‘home’ – with Adi and his beautiful family making us perfectly at ease, and neighbors stopping by to join the festivities (and to watch the rugby game). But my prime memory was after everyone else had gone to bed, sitting up until late at night with Adi, drinking that delicious South African Rooibos tea and talking about – not wine so much – but good books, life philosophies, the pleasure of collecting vinyl records and our mutual affection for Hergé’s Adventures of Tintin.

I don’t think I need to say more about the wines. Try them. Enjoy them. Oh, and “Long live the Revolution!” 

Kalmoesfontein Farm

Bill Stobbs, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebills

Good news for our Bordeaux aficionados in general and those who have been enjoying Château Carignan Prima 2008 in particular. And if you have not, there will be one more opportunity, thanks to our ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine buyers, who have been able to secure the very last of the 2008 Prima. Fifty more cases of this fine wine are on their way to Florida as we speak, directly from the château’s cellars.

This wine has become a favorite among all who have tasted it, and for that reason, we have sold out of it already twice. The wine is evolving slowly and gracefully and is now showing better than ever! The 2008 Prima has received a gold medal at the prestigious Concours de Bordeaux in 2011 and was rated 90 points by James Suckling.

The 2008 Prima exhibits saturated, dark ruby color and a complex, aromatic bouquet of currant, blackberry, cedar and spice. The wine has gained even more body; the mouthfeel is persistent, precise and round, with assertive but silky tannins, and rich fruit flavors of black-currant, blackberry and spicy oak. The incredible 30+ seconds finish leaves a velvety sensation.

Château Carignan is one of Bordeaux’s largest estates; the domain covers an area of ​​150 hectares total, of which 70 hectares are vineyards planted on stony hillsides of predominantly clay-limestone soil with southwestern exposure. The vineyard is composed of 30% 40-year-old vines and 70% between 8-25 years of age. The varieties are divided into 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. The entire production is vinified and bottled at the domain; no grapes are ever sold to other producers.

Château Carignan is embracing the sustainable approach in farming. Most importantly, no herbicides are ever used in the vineyards of Château Carignan and occasionally organic fertilizer, from the Château’s own herd of Limousin cows, is used. 

Prime quality terroir and impeccable vinification are obviously not a rarity in Bordeaux, the worlds’ largest fine-wine region. What makes the wines of Château Carignan unique is the next step: distribution. In fact, the wines of Château Carignan are directly distributed to only select wine retailers in the United States and are not available through the Place de Bordeaux and the négoce network after 2009. Cutting out the middle man adds even more value to the high quality, moderately priced wines from Château Carignan. 

At only $24.99, it's one of the best wines you can get at this price. 

Atanas Nechkov, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwineatanas

Wine tastings are always fun for everyone, whether at a winery or at your local ABC.  However, it seems that the people who don't enjoy them may not be getting as much out of the wine tasting as they could. Here are some tips to help enhance your wine tasting experience:

I'm writing today to tell you about the second of three fabulous new Pigro wines. Yes, that adorable piglet has struck again. This offering from winemaker Stefano Moccagatto and importer Giulio Galli is a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

First a word on Montepulciano. Italy's wines are as delicious as they are confusing. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a wine made from the Montepulciano grape in the Abruzzo region. It should not be confused with Tuscany's Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which is an entirely different region and produced primarily from Sangiovese. In the Tuscan version, Montepulciano refers to the town. Confused yet?

The Montepulciano grape, when grown in Abruzzo, is quite prolific. It is plump with high amounts of juice. Unlike most other varietals, Montepuliciano is capable of producing nice wine even in huge quantities. The grape has deep purple color and lower acidity with mild, sweet tannins. The resulting wine is a soft and accessible wine that works well with or without food.

There are a few serious producers of Montepuliciano d'Abruzzo but for the most part this region is known for its easy-drinking, superb value, everyday red wines.

The Pigro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo ($9.99) has the classic, well-rounded plum and blackberry notes with a hint of tobacco and bright acidity on the finish. Try this wine with basil rubbed pork tenderloin, maple glazed pork chops or just about any dish with bacon. I do not however recommend it with pig tails.

Paul Quaglini, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinepaulq

You don’t have to be a die-hard baseball fan to know who Gary Sheffield is. He spent over twenty years smashing home runs with his very unique swing. He won a World Series with the Florida Marlins and later spent time with the Dodgers, Yankees, Braves, Mets and Tigers. Gary retired from Major League baseball in 2009 and when he hung up his cleats for the final time he finished with 509 home runs and 1676 RBIs.

Enjoying a cigar with the legend himself.

With his baseball career in the rearview mirror, Gary turned to another passion to help fill his spare time. Growing up near Ybor City one can say that he was born with cigar culture in his blood. When Livan Hernandez defected from Cuba and joined the Marlins in 1991 his cigar journey really took off. I recently spent some time with Gary, enjoying a few of his cigars and talking about baseball and what got him interested in the making his own smokes.

Gary credits Hernandez with his increased passion for cigars. Sheffield told me that Livan always had cigars and the two of them enjoyed them after games. It was a practice that Gary would continue throughout his major league career. 162 games can take a toll on a body and it was the relaxation afforded by a nice cigar that helped Gary get through the grueling schedule.

Today, Gary has his own cigar line through Rocky Patel. He spent a lot of time working on his blend. He credits Rocky with providing him with the knowledge and educated palate, which allowed him to create the 500 Home Run Club cigar.

The first thing you notice about the cigar is all of the elaborate artwork. There are three separate bands that nearly cover the stick from head to foot. Once removed though, the real beauty lies with the Ecuadorian habano wrapper. The inside of the stick is packed with some of Nicaragua’s finest. There is the signature black pepper and coffee notes and it can pack a little punch. I rate the strength at just a shade below full-bodied, a 400 foot shot to centerfield that bounces on the warning track.

Gary told me “they almost killed him” when he was working on the blend. Smoking Nicaraguan filler all day can have that effect on you. I am personally glad that he endured the process, for we are all rewarded with a great cigar.

It is safe to say that Mr. Sheffield has hit home run number 510 with this stick. 

Long Ashes,

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

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris.

Cooperstown, New York

Cooperstown is a small town. Locals joke that they have “one stop light and a flag pole.” There is a farmer’s market every Saturday down an alley on Pioneer Street. When I first saw the main part of town I immediately thought of Mayberry, Mom, apple pie and baseball. For me, Cooperstown became the real-life approximation of small-town America. It is the embodiment of all that America holds dear:  our tradition and culture. To expand that distinction, Cooperstown is America. Seeing this first-hand, it became immediately apparent why the Baseball Hall of Fame is at home here. It also became apparent why Brewery Ommegang is equally at home here. How can the real-life version of Americana be the perfect place for a farmhouse-style brewery specializing in Belgian beer? Tradition and culture.

The backyard of Brewery Ommegang

Central and upstate New York was an important hop growing region in the 19th century, with Cooperstown an integral part of the industry. Appropriately, Brewery Ommegang was built on a formerhop farm. Founded and built in 1997, Ommegang sought to produce authentic Belgian-style ales. Blending American and Belgian tradition, its name came from a festival held in Brussels in 1549 to commemorate a visit by Emperor Charles V.  All of their beer is brewed with tradition in mind. Their ales are open-fermented and spiced with traditional Belgian ingredients such as grains of paradise, licorice root, star anise and coriander to name a few. Also according to tradition, each beer has its signature glass.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

Current owners Duvel Moortgat cemented Brewery Ommegang’s place of prominence in brewing culture. Much like their other brands – Duvel, Liefmands, De Koninck, Chouffe and Boulevard Brewing – their focus is on maintaining the local culture and tradition of the brewery, creating a network of internationally known and respected local breweries. Much like the famed Baseball Hall of Fame exemplifies the great American past-time, the bastion of sports equality, Brewery Ommegang personifies the cultural blending that made America a great nation.

Stop by your local ABC to find a selection of Brewery Ommegang beers today. 

Stephen Schmitt, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits beer consultant - Tampa

Follow me on Twitter @abcbeerstephens

The month of October has things moving at a brisk pace here at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits.  Upon the heels of our very first store opening in the Florida panhandle west of Tallahassee (see our Panama City Beach post on October 11^th), our team members throughout the state are busy prepping our locations in anticipation of upcoming holiday season.  It’s hard to believe that it’s that time of year already!

On the wine side we’ve received some nice new surprises recently including the latest release of Roquette & Cazes Douro Tinto ($35) from the fabulous 2011 vintage.  Roquette & Cazes is the collaboration of two legendary wine men:  the Douro’s Jorge Roquette of Quinta do Crasto and Bordeaux’s Jean-Michel Cazes of Chateau Lynch-Bages.  The wine is a blend of 60% Touriga Nacional, 15% Touriga Franca and 25% Tinta Roriz grown on the Douro’s steeply terraced schist soils and aged up to 18 months in French oak.  The result is an expressive Bordelaise take on Portugal’s top terrior.  A powerful red with a long finish, it is accessible now but will definitely reward short term aging. 

Speaking of Bordeaux, we’re also shipping some great Sauternes right now too, including the 2011 Chateau Rabaud-Promis ($35).  Now to be honest, our Bordeaux beat is the purview of my colleagues Shayne Hebert and Atanas Nechkov, so I’ll defer to them to fill you in on the many great wines coming out of this excellent dessert wine vintage.  But I happen to have a tie-in here with Chateau Rabaud-Promis.  While in Bordeaux last April for En Primeur week, I had the good fortune to sample several vintages of this Premier Grand Cru Classe Sauternes including a decadent, well-preserved bottle from 1947.  Back then the wine was simply bottled as Chateau Rabaud.  It would later be split into two estates: Chateau Rabaud-Promis and Chateau Sigalas-Rabaud. 

Furthering the Bordeaux theme of this post, I would be remiss not to thank Hugo Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier and Guillaume Casteja of Bordelaise de Grand Vins who graciously stopped by the Naples area for a visit last week.  Domaine de Chevalier is one of finest producers in the Pessac-Leognan appellation of Bordeaux.  It’s a reference point for cellar-worthy reds and dry whites.

L-R: ABC Wine Consultant Stephen Simms, Guillaume Casteja, Hugo Bernard

Hugo spent considerable time talking about his estate with our ABCFWS staff members and answering questions.  He even managed to pour a few exceptional wines for our guests at our North Naples wine tasting.  Don’t miss out on his 2010 L’Esprit de Chevalier Blanc ($33) and L’Esprit de Chevalier Rouge ($33).  

Jim Greeley, SW Florida wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @ABCWineJimG

When it comes to white wines, nothing holds a candle to Chardonnay. I make up facts pretty often, but my guess is that Chardonnay surpasses all the other white wines combined in terms of sales and of consumption. So, describe to me what California Chardonnay tastes like? It tastes like everything. Some are light and focused, some are heavy hitters laden with oak and buttery malo, and everything in between…

Pinot Grigio is another huge growth category and we do well with other white wines, like Sauvignon Blanc and Moscato, but nothing like Chardonnay. So what else is there? Hundreds of choices, it turns out! There are easily thousands of white varieties throughout the world, and literally hundreds of excellent wines most have never heard of. Some have different names once they cross borders; some have similar names but produce completely different styles of wine when they cross those same borders. Think you know Pinot Grigio? Try a comparative tasting (not a blind tasting; nobody would guess they are all the same grape) between an inexpensive national brand Italian Pinot Grigio, a more expensive Pinot Grigio from the Colli Orientali, one from Oregon and the fourth from Alsace, France. So, describe to me what Pinot Grigio tastes like now!

Here is a quick list of some white wines you might like to try. Some use more traditional varieties while others I can’t even pronounce. What I can do is attest to the quality of the wine. Once you look past Chardonnay, there is a whole world to discover. Like eating pineapple your entire life, then someone gives you an apple!

Roussanne:

Shannon Ridge Roussanne, Lake County, California ($17)

Jacquere:

Perrier Apremont, Savoie, France ($14)

Vermentino:

Santa Maria le Palma ‘Aragosta’ Vermentino di Sardegna, Sardegna, Italy ($13)

Chenin  Blanc:

G. Beck The Game Reserve Chenin Blanc, S. Africa ($17)

Les Fosses d'Hareng Vouvray, Loire, France ($13)

Pinot Blanc:

Papas Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley, Oregon ($16)

Zinck Pinot Blanc, Alsace, France ($13)

Picpoul:

Ch le Petit Rubie Picpoul de Pinet, Languedoc, France ($11)

Falanghina:

Cavalier de Pepe Falanghina, Benevento, Italy ($12)

Greco di Tufo:

Tenuta Cavalier Pepe Greco di Tufo, Campania, Italy ($17)

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwineshayne.

Every once in a while at a few of our ABC stores throughout the state, our wine consultants get to have a bit of fun first learning, then teaching our wonderful guests about wines.  The two I will focus on will be the French wines “stand alone” tastings.  They are called “stand alone” because they alone speak of one style of wine, or one region.  This past weekend, out consultants got to open a few bottles of red Bordeaux.  This is the perfect time of year for this.  The holidays are about to begin…and the first big family dinner is less than a month away.  What do you have with Thanksgiving?  While it is hard to appease all people, you hope you can get close—and with this most recent red Bordeaux wine tasting, you get three possibilities to taste and they all go with turkey/ham/stuffing…even cranberry sauce.  These three Bordeaux include:  F Theinpoint (2011), Ronan by Clinet (2011) and Ch. Feret Lambert (2010).  They are all blends with a Merlot predominate.  They have rich, dark berry flavors and a tinge of tannin on the finish.  These wines were meant to be enjoyed with food.  What better food than what you share with family.  Plus, you can get any of these three for under $20.00 at your local ABC.

If red isn’t your thing, I can hope you checked out the white Bordeaux tasting at some of our stores last month!  Again, white wine is great for food; fresh and crisp flavors of limes, lemon, honey and white flowers.  It goes well with turkey and can give you a fresh look at what to open with your family.  You can even buy the white to start the night with apps and nibbles, and keep the red for the meal.  The whites we tasted last week were F Thienpont (2012), Michel Lynch (2012) and Ch Martinon.  Bordeaux whites have Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blends.  These wines have the great acidity but not so much that you lose the white flower floral note.  Again, these are under the $20.00 price.

Turkey better watch out this year; we are aiming to get the best pairing for you and your family!  And don’t worry, if you didn’t get to make it out this weekend, we do several throughout the year, and as always, ask your local wine consultant for his/her favorite. They’ll love to impart what they have learned!

Kathleen Anderson, Northwest Florida wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekat

There are personalities that stick with you long after they have left you; people who impact your life suddenly, with purpose.  People who, through sheer kindness and humble friendship, have the ability to change the way you see yourself, or a place, or such a strange thing as wine.  I have found one of these people to be Fabiano Giorgi.  Owner and winemaker of Giorgi Winery in Oltrepò Pavese; oft-time considered the producer of the best sparkling wines in all of Italy.  He is also acting president of the Consortium for the Protection of Oltrepò Pavese Wines.  By resume alone he is quite literally the King of Oltrepò Pavese.

I first met Fabiano Giorgi on the patio of the Savini restaurant before our very first lunch in Milano.  The regal Savini is packed within the massive Galleria Vittori Emanuale II.  A four-story monolith of a shopping mall, one of Europe’s oldest, set in the heart of Milano city center.

Fabiano is a man who sees you before you see him.  A handsome, tall man, impeccably dressed, he is ready with earnest smile and a firm handshake long before you realize the magnitude of the moment you are in, or of the man you are about to meet.  His connection to you and his unflinching hospitality are both immediate and gracious.

There is an openness and truth in his quiet, deep voice that puts one at ease.  And his habit of yielding many of the answers to our questions to his wife Ileana and sister Eleonora speaks volumes of the man he is— that even though he is the perfectly booted and suited face of his illustrious winery, without his family standing right beside him, it perhaps might all be for not.

The morning of our second day we toured the Giorgi winery and vineyards.  We ran up the sun-soaked slopes of the vineyard rows chasing the perfectly-ripe, nearly-black clusters of warm Croatina grapes.  We snacked on the grapes happily, knowing this beautifully rich fruit would soon become one of ABC’s most popular, sweet sparklers: Giorgi CostaRosa.  A wine known not only for its decadent sweetness and popping effervescence, but more for its elegance and balanced character.  The tannic skins and sugar-sweet pulp of the grapes hummed softly of their terroir.  A hum to be transformed into rapturous harmony at the hands of Giorgi’s cellar team.  There is real comfort in knowing that an incredibly high demand wine like CostaRosa can still come from such high quality, low yield fruit.  Fabiano has figured out how to produce wines with mass appeal without sacrificing tradition or quality of the fruit.  An idea that has fallen on many a deaf ear these days in wine production.

We moved from the vineyards to Fabiano and Ileana’s home where we were greeted with pure surprise.  We were to have a sit-down vertical tasting of five vintages of The Giorgi 1870: a blanc de noir sparkling wine made from 100% Pinot Noir, produced in the raditional Champagne method.  The flagship of the Giorgi winery, this wine deserves its chance to be spoken of along the like of some of the great Champagne houses.  This is a wine to surely transform Giorgi’s image in the States.  Soon enough the words we speak will be less about the wines of Franciacorta and more of the elegance being produced in Oltrepo. 

Our tasting was led by wine journalist and professional taster, Francesco Beghi.  We began with the current 2009 vintage of the 1870 and moved back into the 2005.  Each vintage showed something different; though a common thread of freshness and herbal complexity was shared by all of them. 

Of them all, the 2008 vintage hung with me the longest.  Aged 48 months on its lees and two years in bottle, it was noticeably fresher than the 2009 and it hailed its terroir louder than the others.  Aromas of star fruit, passion fruit and pink grapefruit pulp envelope the nose; accompanied by complex, evolved notes of wild rosemary blossom and thyme.  Also a gossamer thread of salinity runs the length of the palate through to the finish.  Refined silky ropes of tiny elegant bubbles pass quickly through to the top of a bright, golden wine, completing the 1870’s gorgeous presentation.

What Fabiano has been able to do with the Pinot Noir in these wines is something magical.  He reigns in the region’s wild expressiveness, capturing the subtle beauty and elegance thrumming within.  He understands that his wines are made in the vineyard and it is his job not to bend them into perfection, yet to quietly persuade them in that direction.  It is within the dark, heavy glass of the Giorgi 1870 where Fabiano’s personality speaks in its purest form.  More than any word one could write of him. 

Wid Kever

Wine consultant at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits - Cocoa Beach