karina@france44.com, Author at France 44

Cabin Crushin’ Beverages

As the weather heats up and cabin life begins, we find ourselves craving drinks that are refreshing, lighter, and portable! Here is what we will be drinking this holiday weekend and this summer to keep cool!

Cazadores Canned Margaritas - Hailey

Call me basic if you want, but I’ll drink a margarita any day. Cazadore’s 4-pack Canned Margaritas are perfect whether you’re camping, up at the cabin, or just hanging out at the beach. I’m a big fan of their Spicy Margaritas — they have a delicious jalapeno flavor without too much of a kick. Stick them on ice in the cooler and bring your fav coozie!

Junkyard Grandpa Bill's Pils 4pk Can - Bill

It’s hot! I want Pilsners to drink. And this all Citra Hopped Pils has been my favorite for the last 2 months. We just stole more from the North Dakota allocation and even that’s almost gone!

Easily one of my top picks of the year so far. It’s everything I love about craft beer!

Itxas Harri Canned Rosé - Josh

One of my favorite rosés is now in a can! This dry, light, and fresh Basque rosé is everything I want when sitting near some body of water during this hot MN summers. The demand and availability of really good canned wine has exploded in the past few years and I couldn’t be happier about it! Grab a ~~bottle~~ can today!

Fever Tree Light Cucumber Tonic Water - Ryan

Ever wish someone would bottle the bracing shock of jumping off a rope swing into a cool river on a 95 degree day? They did, and it’s called Fever Tree Refreshingly Light Cucumber Tonic. I drink it on its own with some ice as a rejuvenating afternoon cooldown, but it of course makes a perfect partner to your favorite vodka or gin.

Minneapolis Cider Co. Orchard Blend - Melissa

My go-to Cabin Crusher is Orchard Blend from Minneapolis Cider Company. It is well balanced and refreshing. Its even fun to mix with orange juice for a cidermosa as a lower ABV brunch beverage.

Ghia Non-alcoholic Aperitif - Karina

I’m riding the NO/LO bandwagon this summer. Balance is key! Ghia was my first love in this popular category. The ginger and bitter botanicals are great for digestion after too many brats and brownies, but it’s equally delicious in a low proof negroni (just add gin)!

Bell's Oberon - Aaron

If you’re looking to combat the hot summer sun, look no further than Bell’s Oberon. This delightful wheat ale is a perfect reward for mowing the lawn on a scorching day, and at 5.8% it’ll pack a punch!

Hi-Neo Chu Hi Yuzu Highball - Tom

YOU NEED TO TRY THIS! It’s seriously insane how declicious this is.

Highballs are a simple concept: base spirit, fruit juice, and sparkling water. This Japanese Highball is made from a shochu rice based spirit, yuzu fruit juice, and bubbly. Its crazy crushable refreshing patio drinker. I’ll have a few on the pontoon this weekend!

Escapada Vinho & Birrificio Tipopils - Stephen

I’m submitting two because I am an overachiever.

Escapada Vinho Branco

This wine is best chilled! Mildly effervescent, citrus notes with grapefruit in the spotlight, 9.5%, and ridiculously refreshing! Pairs well with patios, docks, and perhaps a even a garden gazebo.

Birrificio Italians Tipopils (11.2 oz bottle)

Do ya like Pilsners? Do ya like herby earthy flavors with very mild bitterness? Do ya like Italian goods? You do? Excellent. I have the beer for you. One of the OG Italian pilsners, you’ll be through your first one before you can say “Ciao Bella”

Heineken 0.0% & Superior Lemon Switchel - Tashi

We took a 12 pack of Heineken 0.0% cans canoeing and camping this past weekend and I was pleasantly surprised at how crushable they were, and the price didn’t disappoint either! Light, refreshing, and honestly you can’t even tell it’s NA. Not into beer? I recommend Superior Lemon Switchel. It will quench your thirst, keep you feeling refreshed, and has the same bubbly feel as a beer or seltzer.

Hamm's - Rob

Just because my answer to every ‘staff-pick’ blog is the same doesn’t make it any less true. And let’s be honest, there is only one right answer for a crushable cabin beverage, and that answer is Hamm’s. It has been said that Hamm’s is the most refreshing liquid ever. Plus, now that our cases of Hamm’s have the throwback packaging, they taste even better.

Juneteenth: Remembrance and Reflection

“In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today.” –juneteenth.com

Juneteenth is far from being a “new” commemorative holiday. It was first celebrated in 1865, but had to wait until just last year to become a federally recognized holiday. Established originally to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States, today it stands as a day of remembrance and emphasizes education and achievement for Black Americans.

There’s plenty going on in Minneapolis and St. Paul to honor Juneteenth, so bring Dad and the family to a Minneapolis or St. Paul event to combine Father’s Day and Freedom Day into one epic Sunday! And at the end of all the fun (or in the middle of it), make your celebration libation count too: support local Black-owned businesses like Lovejoy’s Bloody Mary Mix, DuNord Distilling, or one of our particular favorites this summer: a beer collaboration between Arbeiter Brewing and Brewing Change Collective called Cool Jazz Cold IPA.

Cool Jazz is a cold IPA made with Jasmine rice and Azzaca, Chinook, and Zamba hops. Cold IPAs are a bit lighter and drier than a typical West Coast IPA, and the twist here is that they also use lager yeast, making this a “best of both worlds” IPA/lager style: it’s clean and light like a lager, but has enough hop flavors and aromas to pack it full of flavor. A great New School take on an Old School style!

The mission of Brewing Change Collaborative is to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion for people of color in the brewing and beverage industries through advocacy, outreach, and education. BCC has been doing incredible work in making the Minnesota brewing scene more diverse and inclusive since early 2019.

We’ve been fortunate to get to know the folks at BCC over the past two years and have partnered with them to provide entrepreneurial mentorship programming and project funding. We’re honored to be a part of the incredible work they’re doing in Minnesota and beyond, and we couldn’t be more excited for the big new changes to come for them.

We can’t think of a better way to spend this Sunday than engaging with your community with family and friends. Choose an event to go to, support local Black-owned businesses, and continue the conversation about diversity, inclusion, equity, and putting an end to racism.

“Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society.” –juneteenth.com

Springtime in a Bottle: The Wines of Austria

by Karina

Fresh. Mineral. Elegant.

These are some of the biggest hype words in the wine world today. These are also the words that are largely used to describe the wines produced in Austria. And if you’re a seasonal drinker like I am (zero shame in that—drink what the meteorologist tells you to drink), there are no better wines to scratch your springtime itch than these.

Maybe it’s because of its geographic proximity to Germany or its phonetic proximity to Australia, but poor Austria never gets the spotlight it deserves. There is no other wine-producing country that has undergone a bigger transformation in the last few decades than Austria. From scandalous adulterations of bulk wine in the 80s to adopting green farming and winemaking practices, Austria’s modus operandi today looks completely different than the lifeless, mechanized systems of the past.

Austria is a curious wine region. For being about the size of Maine, it still clocks in at 60-70 million gallons of wine produced each year—no small feat for such a small country. But what makes Austrian wine really interesting are its geographic connections and historic roots. This landlocked country shares borders with 7 other countries, and each one of those neighboring countries has influence on what wine is grown and made in the adjoining Austrian subregions. That’s why you’ll see Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and other international grapes grown alongside regional specialties like Grüner Veltliner, Sankt Laurent, and Blaufränkisch.

Austria has so many ties to various cultures and chapters in history, and they celebrate each one. From the crisp, clean white wines of the north to the unctuous dessert wines of the east and everything between, there’s an Austrian wine to fit every palate. We’re celebrating All Things Austrian this summer, and we’ve got some fun things happening to get you properly introduced to these exciting wines.

Here’s your homework (it’s fun, don’t worry):

Buy a bottle or two (or more!) of a new Austrian wine you haven’t tried. We’re offering 10% off all Austrian wine both online and in-store this weekend, and this weekend only!
Pick up one of the Austrian recipe cards at the Service Desk, swing by the France 44 Meat Counter for your protein, and put together a delicious Austrian dinner.
Sign up for our newly-announced Austrian Wine class at The Bakken Museum on June 14^th! We’ll be tasting through a big lineup of Austrian wines in the Bakken’s beautiful outdoor garden. There’s no better way to get acquainted with the styles, grapes, history, and traditions of this fantastic wine region.
Extra credit: purchase an Austrian wine map to kick off your Austrian wine nerd fest, designed in-house by the fabulous Dio Cramer! Purchase in-store only.

Not sure what wine direction to go first? Check out a few of our current favorites in the wine shop:

LOIMER ‘LOIS’ GRÜNER VELTLINER

BIOHOF PRATSCH ROSÉ

ZANTHO ZWEIGELT

This is a picture-perfect example of what good, zesty Grüner Veltliner is all about. The Loimer ‘Lois’ comes from a small northern region called Kamptal, which is situated on the river Kamp and northwest of Vienna. This region is well-known for Grüner with its volcanic, mineral-laden soils, steep terraces, and cool growing temperatures. Expect some springy green herbal notes, ripe orchard fruits, a good burst of acidity, and just a whisper of spritzy carbonation.

A perennial favorite pink of the France 44 wine staff, this delicious rosé is made from 100% Zweigelt and has just enough juicy fruit to keep you reaching for your glass. It comes from the ridiculously-long-named region Niederösterreich, translating to “lower Austria,” which is actually located in the north—not confusing at all. Chill this down for your next patio party… or just keep it to yourself in a hammock by the lake. No glass required.

We love this Burgenland producer! Burgenland sits on the edge of southeast Austria and flows right into Hungary. This is one of the most fascinating regions of Austria politically and culturally, and it doesn’t hurt that its wines are delicious too. This easy-going red is a silky-smooth rendition of Zweigelt, an important red grape in Austria that was created in the 1920s by crossing two other important Austrian red grapes: Sankt Laurent and Blaufränkisch.

Beer Style Highlight: The Oak, The Barrel, The Funky

by Kayla

Traditionally, brewers who wanted to make specialty wood aged beers, used oak casks and barrels to take their base beer and put a unique twist on it. Using things like a foeder (pronounced food-er), a larger vertical or horizontal oak barrel that beer can be aged or fermented in. It’s a simple way to infuse a level of oakiness in beer that’s less intense and achieved at a slower rate than barrel aging. Historically in Europe they used french oak, or cypress to make the foeders. Today in the US, they use American white oak with a blend depending on the preferred flavor outcome. Portage Brewing Company from Walker Minnesota collaborated with Bent Paddle Brewing from Duluth Minnesota to make a oak fermented Maibock called Tallest of Trees. They use traditional European Pilsner, Munich, Vienna and Carefa 3 Special malts from Weyermann® Czech Saaz, Hallertau Mittelfruh hops, house lager yeast and American white oak foeder. This combination gives the classic Maibock a unique twist. Tannins from the wood are balanced from the biscuit, toasted bready malts and the earthy, herbal, and slightly spicy notes from the hops, giving this beer a refreshing finish. 6.9% ABV in 16oz 4pks for $13.99

If the brewer wanted to incorporate a charred then, much like roasting malt it depends on the type of wood and how long it’s charred. Flavors of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, coffee, ect will come through and those types of flavors are best used in barrels that contain alcohol, like wine, port, sherry, madeira, bourbon, rum or tequila. These types of barrels benefit from beers with a fuller body and higher alcohol that use malts having chocolate, roasty, coffee, toasted break with the addition of oxidation to enhance the levels of both the base beer and the barrel. Revolution Brewing from Chicago, Illinois makes an Imperial Oatmeal Stout aged for 1 year in American bourbon barrels named Deth’s Tar. The use of English malts in the beer brings flavors of vanilla, toasted coconut, and caramel candy for a full body but silky mouthfeel. At 14.8% this beer is almost too easy to drink during those cold spring days when we’re looking forward to summer coming. 12 oz can for $6.99

Inspired by Belgian wild fruited ales, like Flanders red, Oud Bruin, Gose or Berliner Weisse with fruit addition, modern US craft brewers are making their own interpretations. using wild ale yeasts and microorganisms like Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Brettanomyces. With the addition of fruit, herbs or spices it really helps bring uniqueness to the beer. Funk Factory Geuzeria in Madison Wisconsin makes a Blackberry Meerts fermented in french oak foeders with wild yeast. They take second runnings of a Lambic and use Pilsner malt, raw wheat, Saaz hops, using a turbid mash and a long boil before the foeder fermentation and finally, fermenting it on blackberries for 2 months before bottle conditioning. The beer has a brightness from the fruit, with a clean, dry finish that balances out the beer perfectly. This sour is 4.5% and comes in a 750ml bottle for $17.99

irish whiskey

Wines for Spring

By Amy

Every year around this time, we Minnesotans go wild for spring. We’re out in shorts, polar plunging, hitting any patio that has chairs and braving Twins games at frigid temperatures. We’re starved for warmth and sunshine and it’s gone to our heads. And, despite the fact that ‘spring has sprung’, our weather has a mind of its own. Ice, snow, thunderstorms and wind leave us in a constant state of flux, unable to let go of the ice scraper for fear that spring might not make it.

Fortunately, the sun is shining today and I’m going to call it. The time has come. Time to finally put away your winter coat and while you’re at it, put away those winter wines. Let the fresh flavors of spring emerge and carry us through to warmer days.

My tastes have started to shift and I’m craving the light, vibrant flavors of spring more than ever. The flavors of a farmer’s market trip with asparagus, spring greens, ramps, watercress, morels and fresh herbs. The freshness of spring cheeses and the scent of tulips just burst from the ground. The zingy, refreshing wines of Sauvignon Blanc, Silvaner, Gruner Veltliner, rosé (although I enjoy the pink stuff year round) and light fresh reds.

Drink these 4 fresh wines to shift your mindset to spring, no matter what our Minnesota spring throws your way:

Schplïnk! Gruner Veltliner | Austria

Yes, you can LOVE a boxed Gruner Veltliner called Schplïnk! How can you not love the bright yellow box, crazy graphic and 80’s block font. This chuggable white wine is organically grown by 11th generation winemakers in the Weinvertal region of Austria. Austria is Gruner Veltliner’s homeland and here, the grape shines its brightest. Green apple, citrus and herbal notes abound from this zesty wine making it the patio pounder (no patio required). // $37.99

Pfeffingen Dry Scheurebe | Pfalz, Germany

Spring is right time to explore the lesser known (and much-loved) aromatic, white grape variety of Scheurebe! Pronounced Shoy-ray-bah. This zippy example from Weingut Pfeffingen is reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc in all the right ways. Bright notes of pink grapefruit, guava and papaya accented with tarragon and sweet chervil on the finish. Pfeffingen has been producing wine for hundreds of years and is well loved for their wines AND the unicorn on their label. Everyone should have their own unicorn wine. A perfect pairing for spring salads, grilled peaches, and freshwater fish. // $21.99

Hammerling ‘The Wild One’ Cabernet Pfeffer | California

Recently, there’s been some buzz around the obscure grape variety, Cabernet Pfeffer. Nearly extinct and also known as Mourtaou, there are just a few acres of this long lost grape planted in the world. Thank goodness that our friends at New France Wines were on the lookout and connected with Josh Hammerling at Hammerling Wines to bring us this Califonian grown babe. ‘The Wild One’ is a refreshing, medium-bodied red wine with a bit of tannic grip, ripe cherry and spice. New to the market and just the thing for your spring grilling adventures. // $32.99

The Ultimate Easter-Passover Pairing Post

Ah, the inevitable Passover/Easter pairing post. What does go with Easter ham? What even is Kosher wine? Does the Pope sip in the woods? These and many more questions we’ll try to answer, while doing some very scientific, highly-researched, definitely not off-the-cuff opinion-based reporting on the best wines, spirits, and beers to pair with your holiday meal. To guide you through the morass, we’ve assembled two experts in everything related to springtime feasting:

Playing for the Jews, it’s Sam Weisberg — wine and spirits specialist, Slivovitz enthusiast, and former theater kid who definitely loved Passover the most out of all of the other holidays because of all the singing he got to do at the dinner table.

On Christ’s team, we’ve got Josh Timmerman — wine specialist, social media mogul, fan of cocktails with less than three ingredients, and that guy from church who built his own deck and always seems really friendly but you can never remember his name.

* A final disclosure; not all of the products we are going to recommend are certified Kosher or Kosher for Passover. If you keep strict kashrut, we do carry a small selection of dry Israeli wines which make that cut, plus the obligatory Manischewitz. Ok, let’s get going!!

ROUND ONE: WINE

Passover

Easter

Georgian wine has always made sense to me for Passover pairings. Maybe it’s the similarities between Georgian cuisine and the traditional Seder table mains (lots of spiced meat?) or maybe it’s just my made up sense of wines from the “Ancient World” being closer to what my ancestors might’ve had on their table. Either way, this savory, apricot-like amber wine is a knockout with a huge range of foods, especially chicken dishes.

This Israeli Cab is a great choice for those keeping strict kashrut, as it is both normal-Kosher and Kosher for Passover, but it also is a delicious wine in its own right. Produced on the slopes above the Sea of Galilee, it’s a fresher, lighter style of Cabernet than California drinkers might be used to.

Nebbiolo, with its occasionally rusty color and heady aromas, seems like the perfect wine to use for a holiday that does a lot of (metaphorical!) conflating of blood and wine. For a Passover brisket, you’d be hard pressed to find a better pairing than Angelo Negro’s Roero, a killer deal for Piedmont Nebbiolo. If you need a bottle to bring to a religiously-mixed celebration, it’d probably go quite well with Easter ham, too.

This rose of Grenache is plush, ripe, and bursting with strawberry fruit. Its got enough weight to stand up to the heavy-hitters on the Easter table–ham, turkey, and the like–but it’s still fresh and light enough to give a definite summertime-is-here vibe. From an awesome producer in Central California, Cruess, this is a great domestic rose that would be the perfect way to start off your Sunday supper.

This unique white blend from Southern France is made by an organic producer called Maison Ventenac. Located in the middle-ground between Southern and Southwestern France, the winery works with an eclectic mix of grapes that go into highly unique blends. This Colombard-Chenin blend is one such example; yellow apple and subtle chamomile notes mingle here to create an absolutely delicious white that is bright, fresh, and full of simple joy.

A great wine, from a great winemaker, from a great region, from a great vintage can be exceedingly difficult to find, especially less than $50. The Tondonia is an exceptional wine and has long been one of my favorites, period. Though it is over a decade old, it’s still unbelievably vibrant and vivacious. Its rustic dark cherry and plum notes play well with traditional Easter ham or lamb, but it pairs well with a shockingly wide range of dishes.

ROUND TWO: SPIRITS

Passover

Easter

If you have any Eastern European heritage whatsoever, Jewish or not, slivovitz probably graced your holiday table at some point in history. A bracing distillate of plums, this clocks in at 50% ABV and makes you feel very well equipped to be “living in unprecedented times.” With its alluringly tasty almond-tinged flavor and surprisingly strong, burns-all-the-way-down texture, it’s straight-up Biblical. Jelinek, based in the Czech Republic, has long been known for its Kosher booze, and makes a sterling example.

I drink slivovitz neat, and recommend you do as well. However, it’s also got potential in a few different martini variations, and makes a nice highball. Most important, however, is that it’s consumed in very small glasses with very beloved people.

Although there isn’t a traditional liquor for Easter, the Empress 1908 Gin embodies the season well. It’s citrus, blossom, and ginger characteristics offer a modern take to the more traditional juniper-driven style of gin. The stunning purple-blue color is naturally derived from the Butterfly Pea Blossom, and when combined with citrus the gin changes color to a lovely lavender-pink. This blend of colors is reminiscent of dying easter eggs as a child (Who am I kidding? I still dye eggs). It’s the perfect ingredient to add a colorful (literally) take to a classic French 75 for your Easter lunch. Try like this:

1 oz Empress 1908 Gin
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
Simple Syrup to taste (couple dashes)
2 oz Sparkling wine (Flora Prosecco would be great)

Add gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into Champagne flute and top with sparkling wine and a lemon twist.

ROUND THREE: BEER?

Passover

Easter

+1 for Easter! Crisp, clean, with a pleasant hoppy bitterness, Fair State hit it out of the park on this one. Why would you need anything else???

Single Barrel Season: On the Bourbon Trail with Tashi

by Tashi

Column still at the Angel’s Envy Distillery

In March I took my first France 44 trip to Kentucky with our liquor buyer, Tom, to help pick out two single barrels for the store. I was super excited for the opportunity to experience the bourbon trail and get some insider knowledge, so I tried to pack in as much as possible (much to Tom’s annoyance, I’m sure). We started with a vegan lunch in Louisville as soon as we landed, and had what ended up being a private tasting at Old Forester – always gotta love when no one else shows up and you get some one on one time with the experts! Then we went to Angel’s Envy for a tour and tasting which was the first time I had toured a distillery of that size, and everything I’d studied in my WSET Spirits 2 Certification finally all clicked into place. Taking my spirits test two weeks before this trip made March quite the month for me! Then we bopped around for a bit to kill time while we waited to get picked up by the Libation Project crew. We ended our evening with dinner and drinks with everyone that had traveled from Minnesota with Libation to pick barrels.

Day two we started bright and early with a tour of Barton Distillery. This was my favorite tour because Barton has been around for a long time and their campus is huge and lived in and gives you a real taste of how long whiskey has been around. We carry 1792 and Very Old Barton from the Barton Distillery, and were able to sample a couple other products that are only available at the distillery, including a Bourbon Ball Chocolate Cream liqueur! Fun fact, no one knows why the owner named the distillery Barton. It isn’t a family name, but rumors say he lost a bet to a Barton but this is unconfirmed. The coolest part about this tour was being able to sample neutral spirit right off the still! It was sweeter than I expected and a really cool learning experience, but it was a little too early for me to sample more than a little sip.

After a quick lunch we were off to [redacted] to pick out two single barrels. We got a tour of the distillery and they took some neutral spirit off the still for us to smell. If you rub your hands together really fast with the neutral spirit on them you can smell all the unique characteristics of the grains, and sanitize your hands! After the tour we got set up with our samples. We had three barrels of [redacted] to pick from, and five barrels of [redacted]. I used the tasting techniques I learned in my WSET class and was apparently too slow for Tom because he was always waiting for me to finish and give my opinion! When I tried the third sample of [redacted] I knew it was the one. I even told Tom that’s the one but I’ll finish the five samples anyway! He agreed with my pick so I’m incredibly excited to share that our [redacted] pick was mine! What a cool journey working at France 44 has been! Last stop we had for the day was a tasting at Heaven Hill. We carry a lot of Heaven Hill which includes Rittenhouse, Elijah Craig, Mellow Corn, Bernheim, Larceny, Pikesville, and Evan Williams. I wish we could have gotten a tour of the grounds but unfortunately that did not work out, but we did take a little stroll to look at things. And we were blessed with some good clouds.

Our last day in Kentucky we headed back to Louisville bright and early for a tour of Brough Brothers Distillery, the first black-owned distillery in Kentucky! I got us hooked up with a tour during the week when they normally aren’t offered, and we lucked out with a tour from Bryson, one of the brothers himself! It was really cool to learn about their mission and see what they’ve been working on. Their goal is to make bourbon more approachable to the younger crowd, and lead their community to show that anything is possible when you set your mind to it. Bryson had us try their bourbon with lemonade, and said it was his favorite summer drink – especially while mowing the grass. I fully plan on drinking this all summer myself, it was very refreshing! Not to ruin any surprises, but we will hopefully have a new product of theirs on the shelf late spring! So keep your eyes peeled for a funky new addition to the Brough Brothers lineup.

After our tour we had lunch with our Libation Project rep, Jon, and headed to the airport. Please enjoy this picture of the best doggos hanging out on their stoop a few doors down from our lunch spot.

This trip was an amazing learning opportunity for me. As I mentioned, the timing of this trip right after I had studied for my WSET Spirits Level 2 Certification was perfect. I was able to take everything I studied in text form and see it happening in real life. I was able to retain more information from the tours, use the proper tasting method to learn more about what I was sampling, and help make two really tasty picks for our single barrel selections! It’s crazy to think we didn’t make it even halfway through bourbon trail even though I filled our itinerary with as much as possible. I can’t wait for more adventures and learning opportunities on the horizon with France 44!

Ribera y Rueda: Spanish Wine Deep-Dives

WINE & CHEESE PROMO

In an effort to get more incredible Spanish wine in your life, we’re running a special wine + cheese promo from April 1-15!

Buy a featured wine from Ribera del Duero or Rueda in the liquor store, bring it to the Cheese Shop to have a cheese paired to it, and receive $3 off your cheese purchase.

Plus, you’ll get a chance to enter to win a trip to Spain for the ultimate wine tour!

What comes to mind when someone mentions Spain? Flamenco dancers, bull fights, Salvador Dali, paella and siestas are all acceptable answers. But what about Spanish wine?

It’s reasonable to suggest that France and Italy have Spain well beat in terms of recognizability, and you wouldn’t be alone if you couldn’t name any Spanish grapes off the top of your head, even though Spain is #1 in the world for vineyard acreage. We usually head to the Spanish section when we need a cheap, fruity red for sangria or mulled wine, or easy-on-the-budget Cava bubbles for mimosas.

But Spain is so much more intricate than that, so we’re highlighting two regions over the next two weeks to showcase how uniquely characterful Spanish wines can be. We’re moving onto one of Spain’s most underrated regions this week: Rueda.

Rueda

The small(ish) region of Rueda is often overlooked. It’s sandwiched between a few different red wine regions, most with arguably more recognizability than Rueda. But Rueda is white wine country, and the grape to be aware of here is Verdejo (ver-DAY-yo). It takes up nearly 90% of vineyard plantings in Rueda, almost all of which are farmed organically due to Rueda’s warm, dry climate.

But the Verdejos of today are vastly different than anything you’d find even three decades ago. The traditional style was to make Verdejo oxidatively in wooden casks, and was reminiscent of Sherry: baked fruit, nutty, and definitely not the fresh and crisp style we know Verdejo to be today. There are a couple wineries that hang onto this old-school oxidative tradition, but the vast majority of winemakers today use temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to make sure their Verdejo is crisp, clean, and refreshing.

Check out the wines below for three different takes on Rueda Verdejo:

Even though the current style of Verdejo may be newer to Rueda’s wine ethos, their winemaking history goes back just a bit farther–back to the 10th century. Small family growing operations have been the backbone of this region for centuries, and that remains true today. The bright fruit and balancing acidity make Verdejo a fantastic pairing wine with a variety of cuisines, including shellfish, salads, and Asian-inspired dishes. Or, try them with one of these tried-and-true recipes:

Try it with:

Rueda wines also are a great match for young Manchego, fresh goat cheeses, and some ash-coated cheeses too. Stop by the Cheese Shop for a perfect pairing with your Rueda of choice, and get your promo pricing on it until April 15th! Visit Ribera y Rueda’s Recipes & Pairings page for even more culinary ideas.

Ribera y Rueda: Spanish Wine Deep-Dives

WINE & CHEESE PROMO

In an effort to get more incredible Spanish wine in your life, we’re running a special wine + cheese promo from April 1-15!

Buy a featured wine from Ribera del Duero or Rueda in the liquor store, bring it to the Cheese Shop to have a cheese paired to it, and receive $3 off your cheese purchase.

Plus, you’ll get a chance to enter to win a trip to Spain for the ultimate wine tour!

What comes to mind when someone mentions Spain? Flamenco dancers, bull fights, Salvador Dali, paella and siestas are all acceptable answers. But what about Spanish wine?

But Spain is so much more intricate than that, so we’re highlighting two regions over the next two weeks to showcase how uniquely characterful Spanish wines can be. This week we’re starting with Ribera del Duero, which produces the most prized bottles of Tempranillo in the world.

Ribera del Duero

If you’ve ever wandered around our Spanish wine section, you’ll know that a vast majority of it is red. And if you were to pick up any random bottle of Spanish red wine, the chances are good that it’ll contain at least some amount of Tempranillo—Spain’s premier red grape. It’s called by a variety of names depending on which region you’re in, but in Ribera del Duero it’s known locally as Tinto Fino.

Tempranillo, like any other wine based on the climate, soils, winemaking traditions, etc, comes in a variety of styles. It can be fresh and juicy, silky and spiced, or dark and brooding. Ribera del Duero is known for its hot climate, low rainfall and high elevation vineyards, all of which add up to dark, full-bodied, intensely flavored wines.

Check out the wines below for three different takes on Ribera Tempranillo:

Ribera del Duero is a small region, and it follows that most of the wine production here is also on a pretty small (and ridiculously high-quality) level: 75% of the grapes are harvested by hand, and many come from old vineyards that simply don’t allow for machine work. Ribera del Duero is also known for its stately castillos, dominating the landscape and adding to the majesty of the region. They’re also pretty serious about their tapas and lamb dishes, so check out the recipes below for your next Spain-inspired dinner:

Try it with:

Ribera wines also are a great match for aged Manchego, creamy blue cheeses, and clothbound cheddars—and don’t forget to include some Jamon Serrano and chorizo on your board too when you visit the Cheese Shop for your promo-priced cheese pairing. Visit Ribera y Rueda’s Recipes & Pairings page for even more ideas!

Check back next week for a dive into one of Spain’s best-kept secrets: the wines of Rueda.

Stocking Your Bar: New Mixing-Priced Spirits

By Sam

I’m always thrilled to talk about spirits that represent a bang for your buck. After all, most of the hard liquor produced in the world is destined for the bottom-shelf of a liquor store or the well of a bar. Getting a bottle of whiskey down to dive-bar prices requires either a massively efficient distilling operation and/or bargain-basement-priced raw material. Sadly, in either case, the quest for a cheap(er) bottle of booze can lead to subpar quality.

But! Sometimes distillers really make magic happen, crafting a bottle (or bottles) that manages to hit the sweet spot of high-quality booze at a reasonable price. Those bottles are the prize jewels of bartenders everywhere, who rely on them to create craft cocktails that are not horribly overpriced. Bottles like these have a place on the home bar too: they’re perfect for the Daiquiris, Manhattans, and whiskey-sodas that make up so many simple, at-home happy hours; ready to be deployed when you don’t really need to splurge, you just need a good drink.

Here are a couple great-value bottles that have recently landed in our spirits section.

Etesia Spirits

Produced by Don Ciccio & Figli, a Washington, D.C.-based operation known for their riffs on classic Italian liqueurs, this line of affordably priced whiskey, gin, and vodka is going to be my new go-to when making cocktails for a crowd. The rye whiskey and vodka are particularly good, both showing fabulous value for their category. The whiskey has clear spicy, rye character (albeit on the sweeter, softer side of things) and would certainly stand up well in a Manhattan. The vodka is maybe even more impressive, a wheat-based, neutral style that has surprisingly clean, smooth character for being in the sub-$20 range.

Clairin Communal

Clairin is the most popular spirit of Haiti, made from raw sugarcane juice that is left to ferment over a long period, then distilled on rustic pot-stills. It is still very much an artisanal product, made village-by-village by individual distillers whose production is mostly sold locally. In some way, you could think of it as the mezcal of the rum world—a highly culturally-specific distilling tradition that is just now becoming popular outside of its area of origin. For the past few year, La Maison & Velier has been importing a selection of single-producer clairins to the U.S. market, and their latest feature is Clairin Communal—a blend made by combining multiple producers. It’s less funky and intense than some of its single-producer cousins, and it’s bottled at slightly lower proof. All in all, it’s a more affordable, mixable version of an incredibly unique spirit, and would be absolute fire in a Daiquiri.

Brandy Saint Louise

I’m always skeptical of a cocktail that calls for Cognac in the recipe. I’m not an English aristocrat; why should I splurge for fancy-brandy in my Sidecar when I’m just going to be drowning it in lemon juice? Of course, cocktail fiends everywhere will disagree with me, claiming that Cognac lends an oh-so-subtle dried fruit and spice character that simply can’t be matched by the swill brandies produced elsewhere. Fine. Whatever! I’ll get myself a bottle of Brandy Saint-Louise, a new product—formulated by and for bartenders—that has bravely sallied forth into this morass to deliver *not quite Cognac* to the masses. What is it? Well, it’s French, it’s made near Cognac, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a difference in the production process between the two. I thought it was lovely, delicate, and stood up just dandy in a Sidecar.

Drapo 50ML Vermouths

I love Vermouth. A lot. I have absolutely no problem getting through a full bottle of the stuff before it spoils. (And it does spoil! Put it in the fridge, now!!) My Achilles’ Heel, however, is dry vermouth. I have no less love for it, but I don’t move through it quite as fast. And, when my hankering for a murderously-cold Martini comes around about once a month, I don’t want to pretend that I’m going to go through even a half-bottle of dry vermouth—I just want the one cocktail. Luckily, Drapo—an Italian vermouth brand—has begun producing adorably-tiny 50ML bottles of their sweet and dry vermouths. They are perfectly delicious, and ideal for satisfying that dry Martini cravin’.

irish whiskey

Cazadores Canned Margaritas - Hailey

Junkyard Grandpa Bill's Pils 4pk Can - Bill

Itxas Harri Canned Rosé - Josh

Fever Tree Light Cucumber Tonic Water - Ryan

Minneapolis Cider Co. Orchard Blend - Melissa

Ghia Non-alcoholic Aperitif - Karina

Bell's Oberon - Aaron

Hi-Neo Chu Hi Yuzu Highball - Tom

Escapada Vinho & Birrificio Tipopils - Stephen

Heineken 0.0% & Superior Lemon Switchel - Tashi

Hamm's - Rob

LOIMER ‘LOIS’ GRÜNER VELTLINER

BIOHOF PRATSCH ROSÉ

ZANTHO ZWEIGELT

Schplïnk! Gruner Veltliner | Austria

Pfeffingen Dry Scheurebe | Pfalz, Germany

2021 G.D. Vajra ‘Rosa Bella’ Rosé | Piedmont, Italy

Hammerling ‘The Wild One’ Cabernet Pfeffer | California

ROUND ONE: WINE

Passover

Easter

ROUND TWO: SPIRITS

Passover

Easter

ROUND THREE: BEER?

Passover

Easter

WINE & CHEESE PROMO

Rueda

Naia Rueda Verdejo

Nisia Old Vines Rueda Verdejo

Pago del Cielo 'Celeste' Rueda Verdejo

WINE & CHEESE PROMO

Ribera del Duero

Protos Tinto Fino

Viña Sastre Crianza

Pingus 'Psi'