Ah, Lambrusco! No longer the sappy-sweet swill of college parties, this infinitely food- and wallet-friendly wine from Italy’s Emiliga-Romana region has seen an explosion of new, stylish bottlings in the past couple years. The most recent addition to our shelf at France 44 is “Pomposa”–a traditional, red Lambrusco from the good folks at the Canti di Carpi e Sorbana co-operative. Regular customers will know this winemaking operation, which has a history stretching back over 100 years, from their ever-popular (and sleekly labelled) “Piazza Grande” sparkling rosé. Darker, richer, and altogether more food-oriented, “Pomposa” is an elegant riff on the best parts of Lambrusco, featuring a core of dark berries wrapped in bright, effervescent bubbles and finishing with lip-smacking acidity and just-enough sweetness. The perfect pairing for the Cheese Shop’s Valentine’s board, this heart-colored wine is the perfect finishing touch for a night with your sweetie this week.

Canti di Carpi Pomposa – $13.99

We’re grateful for the support we’ve received throughout our 60 years in business so we’re designating October #PayIt44Ward Month. Each week for four weeks, we’ll highlight a different charitable partner. We hope you’ll join us in learning about and supporting these incredible local organizations!

How It Works:

Every Monday, we’ll send an email highlighting the charitable partner of the week to introduce who they are and what they do. And here’s how YOU can participate:

• Club 44 members can donate their points from each purchase to the weekly non-profit by putting a copy of their receipt in white boxes at each register (and in the Cheese Shop). France 44 will match the total number of points donated, up to $1,000 earned (500 points = $25 donated). And on top of that, the non-profit that gets the highest number of donations (i.e., number of receipts donated) will get an additional $1,000.
• Non-club members can sign up for Club 44 and $10 of their membership fee will go to the non-profit of the week.
• Anyone can make donations of $5, $10, or $25 increments at the register, added to their purchase.

Appetite For Change: October 7-13

Appetite for Change (“AFC”) uses food as a tool for building health, wealth, and social change in North Minneapolis. AFC is a community-led organization that strengthens families, creates economic prosperity, and encourages healthy living. 

Headed by the communities of North Minneapolis and co-founders Princess Titus, Michelle Horovitz and LaTasha Powell, AFC offers a wide range of programs to bring communities together around food. Breaking Bread Café & Catering is a community driven eatery focused on increasing healthy food and community engagement in North Minneapolis. Kindred Kitchen is a social enterprise of AFC, connecting their community of locally-based food businesses to high quality commercial kitchen space and food-focused business technical services. Learn about all of AFC’s programs HERE.

Fruited sours are perfect beers for summer, for the same reason that rosé wine becomes super popular in warmer weather.

A distinguished, quality-focused Orange County craft-brewer navigates the shifting seas of the modern beer world while staying true to its roots.

In which we introduce you to a category of spirits as diverse and multifaceted as the population of this ice-covered state, and as dark and bitter as that community’s collective soul in the grip of a never-ending winter.

Over the past half-decade Japanese whiskies have become quite the phenomenon and now Suntory has debut their newest quest: gin and vodka.

Your 2018 Holiday Gift Guide is here! The experts have weighed in and cast their professional votes, and the list this year is more delicious (and nerdier) than ever.

It’s safe to say that this is one trend we didn’t see coming–or at least not this quickly.

Summer is summiting its peak, thermometers are flirting with triple digits. Despite the heat, the atmosphere is brimming with energy. Beautiful blues adorn the skies over shimmering waters and lush, green landscapes. Every Minnesotan knows why we put up with the inclement, capriciously cold winter months: Summer-summer-summertime! Times like these call for easy-to-make, quenching cocktails for afternoons on the porch, boat, or wherever the heat takes you.

This Beer Cocktails installment brings together beverages that hail from different sides of the world: Mexico and Germany.

The Paloma is an authentic, beloved Mexican cocktail that effortlessly combines sweet, sour, bitter, and salty elements. While its provenance is unproven, its deliciousness is undisputed. Tequila is the captain of this ship, and grapefruit soda its first mate. Fresh grapefruit juice, lime, and simple syrup (or agave syrup) all man the decks. But this ship isn’t navigating that route, let’s find a new course. Enter: the Radler.

The Radler, or Radlermass as it’s traditionally named, is a Bavarian beverage whose origin is attributed to a Munich innkeeper named Franz Kugler. It translates directly to “cyclist’s liter” because of its invention during the cycling boom of the 1920s. Radler = cyclists. Mass = liter. Franz’s establishment was frequented by many bicyclists in this era who desired refreshing, low-alcohol beverages during their journey. He came up with a 50/50 mix of beer and clear lemonade. It turned out to be a roaring success, and the rest is history. Radlers can be made with many different sodas: lemon, grapefruit, and ginger being the most popular. Because we’re making a Paloma, we’re choosing the Grapefruit Radler. Say goodbye to your soda!

Now let’s get to work.

Tools:

• Cocktail Shaker
• Hand Juicer
• Knife/Cutting Board
• Highball Glasses

Ingredients (Per Serving):

• Altos Reposado Tequila (2oz)
• Fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice (2oz)
• Simple syrup (1oz)
• Fresh-squeezed lime juice (half of lime)
• Ice (small handful for shaker, small handful for glass)
• Great Divide Roadie Grapefruit Radler (for top up)

Steps:

1. Cut that grapefruit in half with your favorite knife, juice it with your favorite hand juicer.
2. Strain grapefruit juice into a small measuring cup to separate the solids.
3. Now cut one of those limes in half, squeeze one of those halves into your cocktail shaker.
4. Throw that same half of lime into cocktail shaker like you mean it.
5. Pour 2oz of your fresh grapefruit juice into the shaker.
6. Pour 1oz of simple syrup into your shaker.
7. Pour 2oz of Reposado Tequila into the shaker, maybe a bit more if you’re feeling spicy.
8. Toss a small handful of ice into the shaker.
9. Shake! Shake! Shake! (20-30 sec)
10. Put a handful of ice in your highball glass.
11. Pour that delicious mixture over ice in the highball glass.
12. Top it up with Great Divide’s Roadie Grapefruit Radler.
13. Garnish with a lime wheel.
14. Pat yourself on the back and enjoy your not-so-hard work.
15. Repeat!

New! Rare! Limited! Exclamation point!