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Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Perennial soft opening....


Perennial Artisan Ales set to open today!

According to STLHops.com



It doesn’t seem like it’s been a month since the open house of St. Louis Craft Beer Week, but that was the last time the general public visited Perennial Artisan Ales. Well, it’s time for you to visit once again.

Beginning this Thursday, September 8th at 4PM, Perennial Artisan Ales will open its doors for a soft opening.

Why a “soft” opening? Well, their doors will be open for everyone, but they want to stress that there is still work to be done in the tasting room. But, beer is ready to flow and all of the bureaucracy has been figured out, so they’re opening their doors now.

Two beers will be available on Thursday for purchase, the Hommel Bier and the Southside Blonde. They’ll also have a few samples of the soon to be released Mexican Chocolate Stout available as well. If you can wait to until this weekend to visit (or, have an awesome weekend and visit multiple times!), they’ll also have the Strawberry Rhubarb Wit available by the end of the week.

For the grand opening on Thursday, Perennial has invited the Entree Mobile food truck out to whip up some awesome food to eat along with some awesome beer. One last thing to note about this grand opening, it will be CASH ONLY to start, this is still a soft grand opening after all.


info from stlhops.com

check out the tour I took last month

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Beringer does it again with their 2009 Chardonnay Reserve


The 2008 is sold out, but the stunning 2009 is here already!!!

online now also


All the press agrees, this is an amazing wine...

2009 Beringer Chardonnay Private Reserve...$29.99
"The 2009 Chardonnay Private Reserve, which comes primarily from Napa’s Gamble Ranch site, is a bigger, richer, more nutty-styled Chardonnay revealing tropical fruit, butter, brioche and hazelnut characteristics. They backed off the oak in this cuvee, which results in more fruit, interest and personality."
Rated 93/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate


"A very classy wine that combines rich, layered, complex fruit with a sense of delicacy and finesse. Full-bodied, but not heavy, offering detailed fig, melon, apple and spice. What's most impressive is the texture and length, with the flavors continuing to develop. Drink now through 2015. 12,500 cases made. –JL"
Rated 93/100 The Wine Spectator

"(14.9% alcohol; 95% from Gamble Ranch fruit; aged in 76% new oak for nine months): Bright, pale, green-tinged yellow. Precise aromas of stone fruits and wild herbs lifted by floral and rocky naunces. Broad, rich and nicely dry, with a hint of leesy complexity to the stone fruit flavors. Captivating minerality gives finesse to this attractive, plump wine. 91 points"
Rated 91/100 Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar



Great ripe and rich Cabernet



In stock at all four locations!!

2008 Paso Creek Cabernet Sauvignon....$11.99

Lowest price on Wine-Searcher
Compare to $20.99 - Le Du Wines in NY


"Paso Creek’s bold, juicy, full-bodied and densely flavored wines provide a glimpse into the heartland of America through the stubborn patience of the winemaking and vineyard teams, who wrest the true expression of Paso out of this uniquely challenging environment.

Located off the Central Coast, between Santa Barbara and San Francisco, the Paso Robles appellation is noted for the most dramatic temperature swings of any California appellation. This climate variation causes the vines to produce small clusters and tiny berries resulting in high quality, deeply concentrated wines. Small-lot winemaking and patient barrel aging complete the winemaking picture and enhance the robust and bold character that is Paso Creek Cabernet Sauvignon." - winery

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Closed Labor Day


Have a great holiday!

We will be closed at all four our stores for the Labor Day Holiday.
Have a great day!
We will re-open on Tuesday at 9am

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Exciting Odell Beer


Odell just got a very cool label approved -- ingredients from the 10 states that they distribute.   Our own Missouri supplied the oak barrels!!!


You would have to assume we will see this one here in Missouri!!   I cannot wait!


"There are TEN states that make up what we call our "distribution footprint".  Each sate made a unique contribution to FOOTPRINT.  This artful ale is our tribute to these states in which our beer is available.  The result is a crafty collective of regional flavors:

Colorado - Hops & Barley
Arizona - Prickly Pear
Idaho - Barley & Hops
Kansas - Wheat
Minnesota - Wild Rice
Missouri - Oak Barrels
Nebraska - Corn
New Mexico - Green Chilis
South Dakota - Barley & Honey
Wyoming - Wheat

It still surprises me that Odell is only in 10 states, I think it has been here so long that we take it for granted how lucky we are!!!!!


Friday, September 2, 2011

Le Cirque - amazing new wines to MO


We are proud to introduce to Missouri -- the wines of Le Cirque....







2010 Le Cirque Grenache Gris....$15.99
The Le Cirque 2010 Grenache Gris - which I tasted just after its winter bottling - smells alluringly of iris and honeysuckle atop ripe melons and pineapple. Luscious and infectiously juicy, it saturates the palate with watermelon, Persian melon, and pineapple, mingled with walnut oil, peat, crushed stone, and saliva-liberating salinity, all of which collaborate on an exuberant finish, delivering an amazing value that will certainly continue to satisfy for at least a couple of years.
Rated 90/100 The Wine Advocate


2010 Le Cirque "Le Cirque Red"....$15.99
The freshly-bottled 2010 Le Cirque red - which I refer to as "Le Cirque" since it is otherwise a vin de pays with no name; although I could refer to "50% Carignan, 25% Mourvedre, 25% Syrah" as they appear prominently on the wrap-around label, and despite my having reason to believe there's some Grenache here, too - reached me just as this report was going to press. "I'm surprised that this has evolved enough to be bottled already," remarked Kravitz. "I thought it would be September before I blended it." I'd be able to drink quite a bit of this by September! Here are the virtues of the 2010 vintage on tasty display: impeccably ripe but vivacious fruit (above all red raspberry and cassis) accompanied by enticingly salty minerality; pungent, resinous impingement of rosemary and black pepper; and a slight, but by no means unattractive, reductive suggestion of smoked meats. I'm willing to assume that the alcohol level is 14.5% as labeled, but given the levity and infectious juiciness of a finish free from heat or roughness, I would have found it easier to believe this harbored 13.5%. My suspicion is that this superb value will be best drunk over the next couple of years, but there's really no telling, given no track record.
Rated 90/100 The Wine Advocate


2010 Le Cirque Rose.....$12.99
From Grenache (around 10% of it Gris) and Syrah, the Le Cirque 2010 Rose is distinctively suggestive of tart cherry, prickly pear, and pineapple; is lush yet bright, possessed of invigorating tactile impingement suggesting citrus zest, red fruit skins, pineapple core; and crystalline minerality; and introduces a rich element of nut oils as well as a foundation of wet stone in its vibrant, refreshing finish. Quite distinct from any other pink wine you will have tasted, this outstanding value should be worth pursuing over the next 6-9 months. (And it's not a rose to confine to warm-weather consumption.)
Rated 89/100 The Wine Advocate


Thursday, September 1, 2011

Taste Ramey Claret 2007 at our Ballwin location.


Taste the amazing Ramey 2007 Claret this Saturday at our Ballwin location...

We have very little left of this great wine, come try it at our 
Ballwin location on Saturday Sept 3, from 12-4pm.   More info call Kevin at 636.227.9001


75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 3% Merlot, 15% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot



2007 Ramey Claret...$37.99

Bordeaux-like in its subtlety and restraint, yet rich, flavorful, full-bodied and expansive, with a mix of cedar, currant, cigar box, tar and mineral. Firm and focused, its elegance and refinement are impressive. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2018. 4,500 cases made. –JL
Rated 93/100 The Wine Spectator

Spoonbill New Zealand


St. Louis resident Dave Eatwell produces some great New Zealand wine....


"Long time Saint Louis resident Dave Eatwell has been actively involved in the production of his own wines in New Zealand for the past five years.  Dave, a native "Kiwi" owns a 16 acre, prime, hillside vineyard in the heart of Marlborough, Rawiri Vineyard.
As winemaker, vineyard manager, picker, sorter, etc.  when it comes to his wines, Dave is as hands on and as passionate as anyone.
A successful engineer and businessman, with a lifelong enthusiasm for wine, Dave has become a real student of the process.  After receiving his Certificate of Winemaking from UC Davis in California, he promptly began working vintages in New Zealand (6 vintages), as well as Oregon (4), and Burgundy (2)." - importer


We are proud to introduce to the U.S.
Missouri is the only state in the U.S. that you can find Spoonbill...
(he plans on being in California next year)


2010 Spoonbill Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc....$15.99
"A blend of Awatere and Wairau Valley fruit.  Handpicked and bunch sorted.  Fermented in stainless steel tanks.  
It's not often descriptors such as 'texture' and 'mouthfeel' are used to describe a Marlborough Sauvignon Blnac.  This wine, however, has silkiness as well as the Marlborough's typical intensity and vibrancy, displaying lifted aromas of currant, lime zest and passionfruit.  The palate is concentrated and beautifully flowing with lovely texture and lingering juicy finish.  This is immensely approachable but should continue to improve in the bottle." -- importer

Farm Fresh Eggs in stock

FARM Fresh eggs-- back in stock -- laid 8/31/11.
 Non factory produced from right here in Missouri .

Chickens apparently don't like the heat.  They were able to get us a some eggs today.  He just dropped them off -- laid July 27.  I talked to Dry Dock when they delivered and he said they have fans on the chickens trying to keep them cooler.  They are still only getting about 70 dozen per week.






"We grow with nature, not against it" -- Dry Dock
Dry Dock Farm Heritage Breed Farm Fresh Eggs...$4.99 / per dozen
We have been tasting and searching for the right eggs for our store to go along with our artisan Bacon program. We have found them with Dry Dock Farms. Dry Dock Farms has all free range Heritage Breed chickens. Tomorrow we are getting our first batch, it will be an assortment of heritage breeds. Once you try these farm fresh eggs, you will not be able to go back to the "grocery" store mass produced eggs. The flavor is so much fresher and richer. 


What is Heritage Breed? Basically many of these "heritage" breeds of chickens (and other animals) were becoming threatened because the large egg producers were favoring chickens that produced a quantity of eggs and not quality. To quote The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC), "Modern food production now favors the use of a few highly specialized breeds selected for maximum output in a controlled environment. Many traditional livestock breeds have lost popularity and are threatened with extinction. These traditional breeds are an essential part of the American agricultural inheritance."

Some of the Heritage breeds that Dry Dock has includes:
Ameraucana Chickens - "Easter Egg Chicken" -- produces blue and green eggs Barred Plymouth Rock Chickens -- Brown Eggs - pre-World War II - this was the most popular and most likely the eggs being eaten. Rhode Island Red Chicken -- Light to Dark Brown Eggs New Hampshire Chicken (see picture from Wikipedia above) -- Light brown eggs "Dry Dock Farm is 3 acres of rich river bottom land near the village of Silex, Missouri. We purchased our farm in 2005. We are remodeling our turn of the century farm house and barn. We grow Heirloom vegetables, flowers, and herbs. Our Heirloom tomatoes are bursting with that old time “picked from Grandma’s garden flavor”.

We grow our produce and flowers using bio-intensive, no chemicals, no GMO seeds, and we enrich our soil with natural minerals, cover crops, worm castings and compost. We also raise Heritage chickens, turkeys, geese. ducks and assorted other poultry. Our birds are raised on pasture with fresh air and sunshine. They are fed a vegetarian diet, to provide you with the best tasting farm fresh eggs. Dry Dock Farms runs a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) In basic terms, CSA consists of a pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community’s farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Members or shareholders of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer’s salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm throughout the growing season as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land. (USDA definition)

Read more about CSA
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