Brew Hops & Wine Stops

Christmas and Hanukkah have come and gone. The nights are getting bitter cold and it is time to curl up next to the fire with a good beer. What better style is there to leave you all roasty and snug than a Winter Warmer? These are high malt, low hop beers with elevated ABVs to help raise your temperature and fill your tummy. Some of them are moderately to heavily spiced to take the place of hops called Wassails. Spices used include allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. They are beers that invoke the holiday tastes and smells. Traditional Wassails include Madeira or brandy and apple cider. These are good party cocktails if you do not like eggnog and want something fruity and festive. They can be warmed up to your liking for an instant holiday sipper. Some examples of Winter Warmer beers you can find in select ABCs include Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig ale found in the Winter Favorites variety pack, also, Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome, Anderson Valley’s Winter Solstice, Harpoon Winter Warmer, Redhook Winterhook, Full Sail Wassail, SweetWater Festive ale, Shipyard Prelude Special Ale and Anchor Christmas ale. A cool thing about Anchor’s Christmas ale is that the recipe changes each year and so does the tree on the package.  

Since the Viking ages, Norwegian farmers brew Jueol, or strong dark Christmas beer to share with their neighbors. Nogne O Brewery of Norway has their Christmas beer, Vidunderlig Jul. Winter warmers can be a nice treat. They are great to sip on with loved ones around a roaring fire and fill the air with a smells of Christmas.

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

Follow me on Twitter @abcbeeradams 

Helping guests at ABC is very eye-opening at times, especially this time of year.  During the holiday season, I have many guests ask me for good Champagne, only to get sticker shock when I show them my most moderately priced bottle.  Of course, if it’s not in the budget, there are many sparkling wines that I recommend.  This sometimes leads to disappointment with some people when I describe it as sparkling wine rather than Champagne, though there are some excellent sparklers available.

All Champagne is sparkling wine, but only a few sparkling wines are Champagne.  Make sense?  Champagne is made only from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France.  The rules also require secondary fermentation in the bottle to produce those magical bubbles.  Sparkling wines may be made with the same method (usually indicated on the label) or other methods and do NOT use grapes from the Champagne region of France.

If a bottle in the sparkling aisle calls itself “California Champagne” or some other iteration, it is NOT Champagne and is almost always a very poor substitute.  This is simply winemakers looking for a way to sell their cheap imitation to less knowledgeable consumers.  It is never “just as good” and usually the worst sparkling wine you can buy.

While Champagne does certainly have a reputation for producing the best sparkling wines (Mignon Cuvee Marne Grand Cru is one of the several lesser-known, but superb choices), there are many other options that aren’t from that region.  Prosecco from Italy, for example, is becoming more and more popular (Collalto is one of the best).  Also, Cava (from Spain) is very affordable (try Dominio Peseta Cava) and, in my opinion, makes the best mimosas.  There are other regions of France where you can find sparkling wines without the premium of Champagne.  Cremant de Bourgogne, for instance, uses the legendary Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from Burgundy to make sparkling wine on par with some of the most popular Champagnes. Veuve Ambal is an excellent choice, as is Chandelles sparkling white.

Of course, many buy a bottle of sparkling wine for celebrations, open it, and don’t drink it.  This is usually done as a customary toast with something bubbly.  I always try to find out if my guest LIKES Champagne and, if not, try to find something sparkling that suits their tastes.  Many sparklers are done off dry (called Extra Dry), half dry (Demi Sec) and sweet.  If you typically drink Moscato, an Asti Spumante will be much more enjoyable than a Brut Champagne.  When it comes to celebrating, bubbles are bubbles, but the wine they are in is much more important.

Bill Dahl, Wine Consultant

Lakeland

It’s that time of year again!  It’s time to think up what to bring to your holiday parties, friends’ gatherings, family homecomings.  This year I’ve got two spectacular options for anyone who wants to make a great impression: Giorgi 1870 or Giorgi Platino, two great Pinot Nero wines for your celebration! Pinot Nero is Italian Pinot Noir but both these sparklers are white (Blanc de Noirs).

Giorgi Platino Brut.  100% Pinot Nero Spumante method Charmat in a beautiful silver painted bottle.  Bright straw yellow with greenish nuances. Fresh and delicate bouquet of fresh pears, apples and white peaches.  Good structure with a dry and soft palate.

“Very nice refreshing and crisp sparkling with citrus notes and a variety of pears from quince to barlett pear.  The fast and refined perlage indicate a high quality sparkling and the taste is full, distinctive and crisp.”  Chris Thompson (Alberello Imports)

Giorgi 1870 Gran Cuvee.  100% Pinot Nero Spumante Methode Champenoise. (Fermentation in bottle.) Intense straw yellow with golden nuances, bouquet of sage, mint, apricot, vanilla, with a dry, rich and long finish. (Tasting note).

I got a chance to taste both of these wines together and either way you go, you’re gonna have a good time.  I decided first to open the Platino, painted silver bottle, just from the first view, it’s a firework in a bottle (think New Year’s), …this wine is fresh, clean, with a hint of lemon and I can definitely taste the pears.  I would recommend buying at least two of these at a time, as one will not be enough for any celebration…

Next, I opened the 1870.  Have I mentioned the award it received in Italy?  Three glasses (tre bicchierl) from Gambero Rosso 2014.  This is the highest award given to wine from this publication (think Wine Spectator in Italy). This wine jumps from the glass and into the party without asking twice!  It has a nice toasty mouthfeel, with hints of vanilla and mint.

If you want something amazing for your holidays this year, come see anyone at ABC and ask about our Giorgi Pinot Nero.  I’d even recommend buying both!  I myself may need two more before the year is up…

Kathleen Anderson, Northwest Florida wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekat.

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

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

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