I came was doing some research on the DeuS Brut Des Flandres and came across another fascinating brew from Bosteels in Belgium.

The name is Tripel Karmeliet and since its re-introduction to the market in the late 90’s it has one scads of awards including “World’s Best Ale” in 2008 from the World Beer Awards.

What makes this beer unique is that it is a blend of 3 grains: Barley, Wheat and Oats. Each brings different and wonderful elements to the aroma, flavour and texture of this ale.

The next distinguishing feature you will note is that this comes in the very rare 1.5L format. There were only a few cases in BC so I snapped them up.

If you and your friends are looking to do some exploration in the world of beer here is a great one to go with.

Price: $32.99 +deposit

Availability: Liquor Plus Royal Oak 3 bottles, Liquor Plus Douglas 3 bottles. Not available in BC Government Liquor Stores.

Cheers

 

Rod Phillips

Buyer – Liquor Plus

Driftwood Brewery has a new release that will available in all Liquor Plus stores tomorrow Oct. 1, 2009 by 3pm; Sartoria Harvest IPA.

Jason Meyer, Brewmaster, Beer Geek and all round nice guy, has an incredible passion for expressing himself through his beer. After each conversation I have with him I can’t help but feel energized.

Jason’s approach is incredibly simple- he brews beer that he likes, and what he likes is beer that is a true expression of the four players in the band. Like great musicians, the combinations of sounds, harmony and rhythm that can come out 4 quality players is infinite if ignited by a common passion. The story of the Sartori Harvest IPA is a perfect example of this.

You may have noticed a few tweets from Jason a few weeks back. They were pretty simple: “walking lines of fresh hops” “stuffed the car full of Sartori hops; wow the smell is amazing.” But he was talking about the exact hops that he has now brewed into the Harvest IPA.

The Harvest IPA is a unique style of IPA as it can only be brewed upon the harvest of the hops. In many beers the hops are either dry or in pellet form, thus allowing them to be used throughout the year. In a Harvest IPA the hops are still wet and are at their most flavourful and pungent.

What distinguishes this brew further it the fact that the hops come from the Sartori Cedar Ranch hop farm south of Chilliwack. Like a wine, hops, and the resulting beer, will have a flavour that is unique to our region. So for a very short time you can have a beer that is a true expression of the time of the year and our region. Brilliant!!!

Price: $6.49 +deposit $77.88 + deposit case of 12

Availability: One Time Offer

Liquor Plus Douglas 120 bottles, Liquor Plus Royal Oak 120 bottles, Liquor Plus Saanich 84 bottles (not available in BC Government Liquor Stores)

Reservations: If you would like to reserve some bottles please send me a note via twitter at www.twitter.com/Rod_Phillips or via e-mail at askrod@liquorplus.ca. Reservations are only held for 7 days from date of release. In this case all reservations not collected by Thursday Oct. 8, 2009 will be released.

Cheers

Rod Phillips

Buyer – Liquor Plus

New Event/Experience.

A tasting of my Top Picks for Thanksgiving Dinner… plus a few surprises

Date: October 8, 2009

Time: Sparkling Wine reception @6:15pm Tasting from 7-9pm

Where: Event Centre @ Liquor Plus on Douglas http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Capacity: 40 people

Price: $10/head cost + Donations to Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society

Please RSVP via Twitter to Rod_Phillips or email to askrod@liquorplus.ca

Description: First things first – this tasting is intended to be a lot of fun and it will be a casual event with lots of conversation. I will take you through a tasting of my top 5-10 wines for Thanksgiving dinner, and answer whatever questions you have. The reception will start with some lovely sparkling wine and all the wines will be under $25.

One of my firm beliefs is that you don’t need to spend alot of money to get the right wine for such a big dinner.

 

Here are a few of the other events that we working firming up some details.

Highland Park Whisky Tasting with Gerry Tosh Brand Ambassador from Highland Park

Date: Oct. 28, 2009

Time: To be determined

Cost: Donations to the Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society

Seats: 30 + or -

Description: Gerry will take through a tasting of a number of different expressions of Highland Park Single Malt Whiskys.

Remy Martin Cognac & Cointreau Tasting

Date: Nov. 4, 2009

Time: To be determined

Cost: By Donations to (TBD)

Description: Dan Volnay will give us an overview of the Cognac region and take through a tasting of Remy Martins VS, VSOP and XO Cognacs in addition to Cointreau Orange Liqueur.

I don’t know about you, but I found last weeks New Release posting too long so I thought that I would break it up into neat little parts like Wine, Beer & Cider, & Spirits.

What follows are the NEW RELEASE wines for the week of Sept. 21, 2009.

CATENA ALTA MALBEC 2006 (Limited Availability)

Here is a wine that I look forward to every year. This is a wine that is available to our market in ever smaller amounts. It usually sells out within 3 weeks of its arrival as we usually only get 6 bottles per store.

My guess is that this year it will sell even faster as the proprietor was just given the honour of being Decanter Magazine’s 2009 Man of the Year http://www.decanter.com/news/289524.html. I am, of course, talking about Nicolas Catena and his Catena  Alta Malbec 2006.

The 2006 Catena Alta Malbec was blessed with a great vintage in the Uco Valley near Mendoza Argentina. The Uco is nestled right up against the Andes and is often subject to late spring frosts that can damage, even kill, the vines. Spring 2006 had warmer than normal temperatures and a relatively dry, long growing season which, in Catena’s opinion, will make it one of the best vintages in the last 15.

Decant and let this wine breathe for at least 45 minutes and you will be well rewarded. Aromas of fresh crushed wild berries dance in the air with the scent of delicate violets, lavender and even cinnamon.

The palate is full and graceful. Ripe rich fruit flavours work in concert with layers of fresh cut herbs, earth and dark chocolate. The finish is long and languid and caresses you. Overall this is indeed a world class wine.

Pairing: Have this with a slow roasted leg of lamb that is seasoned with fresh rosemary and sage.

Price: $69.99/bottle + deposit $419.94/case of 6 +deposit.

Availability: Liquor Plus Royal Oak 6 bottles, Liquor Plus Douglas, 6 bottles

Cellaring: 5-7 years in a cool dark room. Lie down and turn every 6 months as this wine is unfiltered.

Reviews: Wine Advocate 93/100 Points. Wine Spectator 93/100 Points

Reserve: To reserve bottles please drop me a line at askrod@liquorplus.ca

 

EMINA PRESTIGIO 2003 RIBERA DE DUERO (Limited Availability)

It is amazing what years of being in the shadow of Rioja will do for the winemakers of the Ribera de Duero. For decades Rioja has been the toast of Spanish wines around the world. I suppose there are two responses to this. One is to be philosophical and continue as always, and the second is to get all the winemakers together and develop a cohesive plan to throw off the yolk of Rioja.

Part of the challenge is that both regions use Tempranillo as the main grape in all red wines that carry the regional name. The other part of the challenge is economies of scale. Exports make a huge difference to economies of scale and Rioja had traditionally garnered 90% of all Spanish DOC wines.

One of the character elements of most European winemakers is their approach to time. Time is not measured in years but in generations. This was very apparent during my visit in January of this year. Out of the two weeks I was in Spain I spent the most time in the Ribera de Duero. It gave me plenty of time to ask winemakers lots of questions. One of which was about the plan to establish themselves on the world stage. Every time I asked the question I received the same answer; our quality standards and the accountability for those standards, will pay off this year and each year to come. That is a lot of confidence.

Enter stage left the 2003 Emina Prestigio. This wine comes from very low yield vineyards that average 70 years old. It has been aged for 18 months in small french oak casks and 4 years in bottle. Please decant and let this wine breathe for at least 45 minutes as so much has been encased within glass it needs time to blossom.

The aromas are of deep, rich black and red berries enhanced by hints of eucalyptus, mint, and leather. The flavours are deep and full of soul. Long full bodied flavours of ripe plums, wild berries, savoury spices, rosemary, hints of vanilla and baking spices. The finish is long, curvaceous, and warming.

Pairing: All the experts suggest that is a perfect pairing with various meat based tapas, but I had this with wine marinated pork tenderloin and it was fantastic.

Price: $42.99/bottle

Availability: Very Limited Liquor Plus Royal Oak 12 bottles, Liquor Plus Douglas 12 bottles, Liquor Plus Saanich 6 bottles. Not Available in BC Government Liquor Stores.

Cellaring: 4-6 years in cool dark room.

Reserve: To reserve bottles please drop me a line at askrod@liquorplus.ca

 

FINDERS AND SEEKERS 2006 OLD VINE RESERVE SHIRAZ

I don’t know if you saw it, but there was a great article in the Vancouver Sun on Saturday and Times-Colonist on Sunday about wines offered for sale as Canadian wines whereas the wine itself is imported and re-bottled here. I couldn’t have agreed more with the author that if the wine is from somewhere other than Canada, it should be labelled as such.

Finders and Seekers is a negociant brand from Australia. A negociant wine is a wine that is sourced and blended by wine experts yet they do not own the vineyards or winery. This is a very common practice, in fact most of the wines from France come to us via negociants. For Finders and Seekers they have pursued old vine (60-120 year) blocks in Australia’s most renowned regions; in this case the Barossa Valley.

Wines from old vines have added nuances that you just don’t find in young vines. Much like people, older vines gain extra character; they may not produce a lot, but everything they do produce is of substance. This Shiraz embodies many of these qualities.

Sourced from 60 to 120 year old vines in the heart of the Barossa, and aged in French oak barrels, this wine is full bodied and full flavoured. There is no holding back. Loaded with deep aromas of black plums, black cherry, blueberry, baking spices, white pepper, and chocolate. The palate is full and thick. If you let it sit on your tongue you sense continuous unfolding of layers. The finish is long and sensual and leaves you begging for another sip.

If I tasted this in a blind tasting, I would have guessed it to be around $25-$30/bottle as it rivals some of the better Peter Lehmann offerings from the same region. Given this I agreed to buy 300 cases this year assuming that we could get the right price. Much to my delight they agreed. For my money this wine out performs the others at the same price and even some in the $20’s.

Pairing: This wine begs for a big robust meal like roast lamb, beef brisket, or even Lasagna.

Price: $18.99/bottle or $227.88 case of 12

Availability: On Going Liquor Plus Royal Oak 120 bottles, Liquor Plus Douglas 120 bottles, Liquor Plus Saanich 60 bottles. Not available in BC Government Liquor Stores.

 

FINDERS AND SEEKERS 2006 SINGLE BIN HUNTER VALLEY CHARDONNAY

I know that it is not cool to like Chardonnay, but I know that I am not cool and I don’t think that it is cool, by any stretch, to disregard a great wine because it is not cool. For this reason you will see a wide range of Chardonnay on our shelves.

Almost every wine growing region in the world grows it; although I am not sure about Greece or Romania. Winemakers and viticulturists love working with it because the vine is hardy, disease resistant, and can grow in hot as well as very cool regions. Chardonnay has a huge range of flavour expressions; some are really tangy and citrusy, while others will be tropical and fruity.

I have a particular penchant for well balanced Chardonnay. By this I mean that the flavours work together and are not one dimensional. True every so often I love a big butter-stick Chardonnay that has been barrel fermented and undergone malo-lactic fermentation, but more often than not I choose a wine that is in balance.

That is what best describes the 2006 Finders and Seekers Hunter Valley Chardonnay – balance. Ripe citrusy fruit, good clean crisp acidity, and soft warming spices great the nose and palate. One of the interesting things about the Hunter Valley is that some the best wines are older wines. I this wine is perfect right now, but I will hang onto a a few bottles and taste them over the years. I suspect that they will be get better with some age.

Pairing: Lobster bisque, grilled prawns, local chicken breast with a citrus salsa, or a simple baguette, a beach and a round of triple cream brie.

Price: $18.99/bottle or $227.88/case of 12

Availability: On going. Current: Liquor Plus Royal Oak = 120 bottles, Liquor Plus Douglas = 120 bottles, Liquor Plus Saanich = 60 bottles. Not available in BC Government Liquor Stores.

 

NINE BELOW 2008 SHIRAZ & NINE BELOW 2008 CHARDONNAY

There have been countless studies on the health benefits of moderate wine consumption. If you live in Denmark drinking 5 glasses of wine a day is moderate and healthy, whereas most other regions consider 1-2 glasses a day, depending on your weight, to be moderate and healthy. Resveratrol is the component  in red wines (lesser amounts in white) that is said to promote health.

Having said all that there has been a ton of debate about the Insulin Response and Calorie content of wines that has fueled the counter argument. Both of these are a function of amount of alcohol and glucose that is found in a wine. Most dry wines will have 12.5% alcohol and 2.5 – 3 grams of sugar per litre. Some wineries have attempted low alcohol wines but they either had no body to them or were quite watery and insipid. That is until Dr. Bruce Kambouris took at run at it.

Dr. Kambouris devised a way to reduce the alcohol content, lessen the calories, and reduce the insulin response without giving up body or flavour. Simply put he has replaced the glucose with fructose and brought down the amount of alcohol to 8.5%.

I met Dr. Kambouris at a trade tasting in Vancouver in February of this year and I was applauding his chemical achievement, but was very sceptical about how the wine would taste. Any winemaker will tell you that the more often you touch a wine during the winemaking process the greater chance of ruining that wine.

At the table there were samples of other leading brand wines and those of Nine Below. I tasted them blind and I would not have been able to tell you which of the wines was reduced in alcohol and sugar. I was looking for a wine with little body and a ’synthetic’ flavour; alas none had those characteristics.

He reset the tasting so that I could simply rank the wines in order of preference. I was amazed when I had chosen as my #2 of 5 red the Nine Below Shiraz and tied for #2 in whites was the Nine Below Chardonnay.

Conclusion: If you are looking to be more conscious of your health, or are looking to reduce the alcohol but don’t want to give up flavour give these a shot. They are not big full blockbusters but they really do the job.

By the way these are the first wines that I have come across that have nutritional labelling on the back.

For more details go to http://www.ninebelow.com.au/

Price: $15.99/bottle $191.88/case of 12

Availability: On going. Not Available in BC Government Liquor Stores

Right on the heals of the Hudson Light, Gentleman Jim, & Crazy 8’s, Phillips Brewing is releasing another limited release perfectly timed for blackberry harvest.

This past weekend was the Cowichan Wine Festival. One of the things that makes this festival so unique is all the expressions of blackberry wines. Some are made dry, some fortified like a port, and some fermented leaving some residual sugar for a dessert wine. These wines are quite unique on the world stage.

This week (Wednesday Sept. 23, 2009) sees the release of Matt Phillips’ celebration of our luscious blackberry bounty. Fresh, local blackberry puree is blended with a classic wheat beer in a way that Matt can do.

Every year this item sells out within days so get it quick. In fact if you would like to reserve some bottles drop me a line via e-mail, askrod@liquorplus.ca, please note the number of bottles and which Liquor Store is best for you to pick up from.

Price: $5.29/bottle + deposit or $63.48/case + deposit

Format: 650ml Bottle, cases of 12

Availability: Liquor Plus Douglas 180 bottles (15 cases), Liquor Plus Royal Oak 180 bottles (15 cases), Liquor Plus Saanich 120 bottles (10 cases). Not Available in Government Liquor Stores

I am not sure if you remember, but back in January I had the good fortune of travelling to Spain. About half way through the trip we entered the town of Zamora, the urban capital of the province of Zamora and the wine region known as Toro.

Zamora is an ancient city perched at the top of a hill overlooking the Duero river as it flows across the central plains of Spain. From the Castle (Castillo) you look down on a bridge that was built by the Romans early in the 2^nd century AD and is still in use today. This is the backdrop for one of the most amazing meals that I had on the entire trip.

We enjoyed seafood, fresh vegetables, a selection of Jamon (pronounced Ha-mon), olives, chicken and beef. It was a big meal, but what made it so amazing was that every course was served with red wine – Tinta de Toro.

The Tinta de Toro grape, also known as Tempranillo, when close to harvest, is black with thick, chewy skins. Wines from other grapes with this character (Tanat, Malbec, Petite Verdot), can produce huge tannic wines that need years to soften or tame. Tinta de Toro can also be really tannic and aggressive. For this reason the Spanish have long practised strict aging processes. These are stated on the label and include Gran Reserva, Reserva and Crianza.

The reason that we were able to enjoy Tinta de Toro with so many different foods was because of the aging. Older Gran Reserva wines are required to have 60 months of aging (min. 18 months in oak casks no larger than 300L), can be very delicate, earthy and spicy, with bright acidity that will go beautifully with seafood like a Pinot Noir does. Reserva must be aged a minimum of 36 months with no less than 12 months barrel agng. Reservas are brilliant with poultry and soft cheeses.

The youngest and most common of these is Crianza. A Crianza must be aged for 24 months with no less than 6 months barrel aging. These are wonderful with Jamon, roasted or stewed meats and strong cheese.

I speak of all this because a number of the wines that I loved, and have since ordered, will be hitting the shelves in the coming months. The first is the Vina Bajoz (Bah-hose) 2003 Crianza.

This is a wine that needs 45 minutes to breathe and will open up with all sorts of wonderful lavender, rosemary and violet notes entwined with ripe fruit flavours of currants, black wild berries and cherry. This wine has a wonderfully curvaceous body and a long velvety finish that still makes my mouth water.

There  are only 42 cases available and once it is gone there will be no more so jump on it now.

If you want to be in the loop with all our new releases, industry news, and special deals, go to our website and subscribe. You will receive automatic RSS feeds of my blog to your e-mail – www.liquorplus.ca/blog/

Cheers

Rod

This weekend I noticed the leaves starting to change on the maples, a gentle mist hovering above low lying areas, and a nip in the early morning air. This combined with the steady stream of reps must mean that fall is a upon us and that Thanksgiving is right around the corner.
Over the next few weeks you will no doubt see a number of new items hitting our shelves and this week is no exception.
The new releases this week include 5 wines, 6 spirits, and 1 beer. Here is a little story about each starting with the wines.

WINE

RED BELLY BLACK 2006 SHIRAZRegion: Australia (Riverland, Wrattonbully, Padthaway and McLaren Vale)

Grapes: 100% Shiraz

Alcohol By Volume: 14%

Winery: Angoves Pty.

The Story: The Angove’s family has been making wine and brandy in Australia for over 150 years and is still 100% family owned and operated. I had the great pleasure of spending a few days with John Angove and his daughter Victoria a few years back. True salt of the earth people whose life’s pursuit is not premised on earnings or the accumulation of ‘things’. Rather they believe that financial wealth comes from the development and care of healthy relationships. Relationships not only with people, but also with the environment.

Water rights and practices along the Murray River is on of the most significant issues facing all the communities that source from the Murray. This has lead many a winery to pack up, but the Angove’s and decided to work hand  in hand with local communities to develop sustainable strategies so that all can share the water.

The Red Belly Black Shiraz is inky black with purple and garnet hues. The aromas are deep and filled with ripe black plums, red currant and a touch of licorice. The palate is soft, silky and rich with full flavour. The finish is velvety and features luxurious flavours of berry, vanilla and nutmeg.

I bought this wine as it one of the best values on the market even though it is $20/bottle.

Food Pairing: The winemaker suggests long marinated Kangaroo. Given we don’t get a lot of Kangaroo on the grocery shelf I would suggest a big thick steak with a Greek rub. Other choices would be a lamb roast with rosemary and roasted garlic.

Serving: let breathe for 15 minutes before serving.

Price: $19.99 +deposit

Availability: One Time Buy, Not Available in Government Stores.

  

 

 

Region: Spain (Toro- Central Spain)

Grapes: 100% Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo)

Alcohol By Volume: 13.5%

Winery: Bodega Vina Bajoz

The Story: In January 2009 I had the good fortune of going to Spain and tasting my way around the country. One of my favourite stops was in the City of Zamora which is in the heart of the wine region of Toro. Not only was the City steeped in history (see photo of Roman built bridge that is still in use today) but it is home to some of Spain’s best wines. The region is not as famous as Rioja, or a cult favourite of collectors like Ribero del Duero or Priorat, but it does produce some amazing wines using the same grape (Tempranillo) as those areas but a far better prices.

Consider for a moment that the Bajoz 2003 Crianza was made 6 years ago. Since fermentation it has spent a minimum of 12 months resting in oak barrels and another 60 months blossoming in bottle, yet it is only $20. Wines such as this from Rioja would start at $40, and if from Priorat they would be $60.

This wines features aromas that are dark and rich in layers. The scent of wild berries, cherry and sage drift slowly upwards as if heavier than air. To get a great sense of the palate let the wine linger on your tongue and you will find that like a rose, it opens up to incredible beauty. Wonderful flavours of ripe berries, plums, currants, lavender, violets and a touch of earth glide across the palate. If you are not a lover of oak you will rejoice in the fact that the effect of the oak aging was to tame the brutish nature of Tempranillo without interfering with the flavour.

Like many aged wines the finish is long, velvety with hints of spice.

I bought all 42 cases that were available as this will be a wine to buy by the case as there won’t be anymore from Bajoz of the 2003 vintage.

Food Pairing: I can think of a number of cheeses like Manchengo or Gouda that would work with this, but I am salavating thinking of a rainy evening tht features a hearty stew and big glass of this wine.

Serving: Let breathe or decant for 45 minutes before serving.

Price: $21.99 +deposit

Availability: Liquor Plus Douglas 216 bottles (18 cases) Liquor Plus Royal Oak 168 bottles (14 cases) Liquor Plus Saanich 120 bottles (10 cases)

 One Time Buy, Not Available in Government Stores.

Cellaring: 2-3 years but pretty close to peak right now.

 

FATTORIA MONTELLORI 2006 CHIANTI

Region: Italy (Chianti – Tuscany)

Grapes: 100% Sangiovese Grosso

Alcohol By Volume: 13.5%

Winery: Fattoria Montellori

The Story: For Bordeaux 2005 was the vintage of a century and 2006 was really good but overshadowed by 2005. In Chianti it was the opposite. 2005 was pretty good but 2006 was excellent. Even the Wine Spectator rated the vintage as 93 points or Outstanding. This created a bidding war for the top names and thus drove prices way up. That is unless you are the family that runs Fattoria Montelloriwho have always believed in providing the best possible quality for a fair price. So when the wine gods shine down on Chianti they don’t see an opportunity to increase profits, rather they see it as a gift for lovers of what Chianti can provide.

The 2006 Montellori Chianti is classic in its aromas of dried and ripe red cherry, with undertones of almonds and earth. The palate is awash in wonderful acidity and body, while the finish is graceful and long. When giving a seminar on Chianti, this is what I would present as a wine that represents the region of Chianti in terms of aroma, body, flavour and value.

I bought all every case I could (30) so get it while you can as there is no more 2006 hanging around.

Food Pairing: Perfect Veal, meat sauce pastas, or with a plate of olives, cheeses (including Parmesano, Gouda, and Mild Cheddar) baguette, prosciutto, salami and olive oil.

Serving: Let breathe or decant for 30 minutes before serving.

Price: $16.99 +deposit

Availability: Liquor Plus Douglas 120 bottles (10 cases) Liquor Plus Royal Oak 120 bottles (10 cases) Liquor Plus Saanich 120 bottles (10 cases)

 One Time Buy, Not Available in Government Stores.

Cellaring: 2-3 years but pretty close to peak right now.

 

MUSE WINERY 2008 VIOGNIER

Region: B.C. (Vancouver Island)

Grapes: 100% Viognier

Alcohol By Volume: 12.0%

Winery: Muse Winery

The Story: Janet & Peter Ellmanare a couple heavily influenced by the hippie generation in San Francisco California, and after years of hard work and hard play they were in a position to decide where the next chapter in their lives would take place. Lucky for us they chose here.

A few years back Mike Betz put the Chalet Estate winery up for sale. If you haven’t been there you should go. It is a beautiful, serene little parcel of heaven in North Saanich. Mike took every step to insure that his grapes were treated with extreme care. The proof is that year after year his wines would sell out in the local Victoria market.

This is the tradition that Janet and Peter inherited and have taken great pains to continue; to the point where Mike is still consulting on the final wine product.

A couple of months ago the Muse Winery received a Gold Medal at the All Canadian Wine Championships. Great praise indeed. I called Peter and ordered a number of cases for our stores and his words at the time were “if you like that you’ll love the Viognier.”

The wine is full of aromas of sweet orange and honeysuckle blossoms, fresh peach, apricot and lime zest. The palate is deliciously exotic and full. There is a lot of body but the wonderful acidity keeps that in check.

Food Pairing: Serve just chilled and not too cold with cold wild salmon, fresh greens follow fresh lemon tarts and you will be in heaven.

Serving: Serve chilled (2 to 4C). If condensation is on the bottle after removing it from the fridge it is likely too cold.

Price: $25.99 +deposit

Availability: Consistent - Vintage change next Spring. Not Available in Government Stores.

 

MUSE 2007 SYRAH

Region: B.C. (Vancouver Island)

Grapes: 100% Syrah

Alcohol By Volume: 13.5%

Winery: Muse Winery

The Story: In the description about Viognier you got the description about the winery so I will keep my comments limited to that of the Syrah.

As most of you know it is pretty much impossible to ripen Syrah  on Vancouver Island. So to offer full bodied reds most Vancouver Island Wineries source grapes from the Okanagan.

The trick is to find a grower that will meet your viticultural needs. Mike Betz, years ago, had secured some of the best Syrah available in the valley from some of the oldest Syrah vines in the valley.

The result is a Syrah that has rich and textured aromas that featured smoked meats, black fruits and tones of violets and lavender. the palate is full of opulent fruit, spice and is hugely textured. The finish is juicy and soft which make it very approachable on its own or with food.

Food Pairing:  This would be a great pairing for roasted beef or Saltspring Lamb. This would also be great with a deep dish classic steak & kidney pie.

Serving: Let breathe or decant 30 minutes before serving.

Price: $25.99 +deposit

Availability: Consistent - Vintage change next Spring. Not Available in Government

Coming Soon….

Lyngrove Chenin Blanc (Western Cape, South Africa) $14.99

Nine Below Shiraz (South Eastern Australia) Low Glycemic Index, Low Alcohol, Low Calorie without loosing the body. $15.99

Nine Below Chardonnay (South Eastern Australia) $15.99

Folonari Bardolino (Veneto, Italy) $17.99 Exclusive.

Benton Lane 2007 Estate Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, Oregon) $39.99

Emino Prestigo Ribero del Duero (Spain) $42.99 – very limited quantities

 

BEER

PADDOCK WOOD CZECH MATE

Region: Saskatchewan

Category: Craft Brewing

Type:Pilsner

Story:The Paddock Wood Brewery in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan started out as a way to satisfy a hobby. Steve Cavan, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan, began making mail-order brewing kits. They became so popular he soon found demand to create brewed products. Within a few years Steve found himself as the President and CEO of a craft brewer that was gaining global recognition for quality brewing.

Although Paddock Wood has a number of offerings, one in particular captured my taste; Czech Mate. I love the refreshing, hoppy quality of euro-lagers and ales but had not found a Canadian expression until now.

Czech Mate uses very soft water with rich barley malts that greet the palate. The hops come through in the mid-palate, while the finish is refreshing and clean. If you like Czechvar, Budvar, or Krusovice Czech Pilsners give Czech Mate a try and let me know your thoughts.

Serving: 4 to 6C Chilled but not cold. If a beer is too cold the quality and profile of the malt is hidden.

Price: $12.99 + deposit

Availability:Liquor Plus Douglas, Liquor Plus Royal Oak only. Not Available in Government Stores.

 

Coming Soon ……..

Lindemans Kriek 720ml-Belgium $11.99 + deposit

Lindemans Cassis 720ml-  Belgium $11.99 +deposit

Lindemans Framboise 720ml – Belgium $11.99 +deposit

Karmeliet Tripel 1500ml – Belgium $34.99 (very limited quantities)

Deschutes Black Butte Porter 6×355ml – Bend, Oregon $16.99

Brooklyn Pennant Ale ‘55 6×355ml – Brooklyn, New York $14.99

Pyramid Apricot Heffeweizen 6×355ml – Seattle, Wa. $16.99

Pike Brewing XXXXX Extra Stout 650ml – Seattle, Wa. $6.99

Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat 650ml – Eureka, Ca. $6.99

Dogfish Midas Touch Golden Elixir 4×355nl – Delaware $17.99

Dogfish 60 Minute IPA 6×355ml – Delaware $18.99

 

SPIRITS

SCHRAMM VODKA

Region: Pemberton, B.C.

Base: Organic Potato, Glacial Water

Category: Premium Vodka

Story:What do you do if you are from the Pemberton Valley, just north of Whistler, and you grow some of the best potatoes in the world, but want to find a different expression for your growing craft- well make Vodka of course.

Jonathan and Tyler Schramm were faced with this question and in 2002 they decided to invest and build a distillery to make their dream come true. They figured they had some of the best potatoes in the world and access to glacial water, so why not?

Tyler went off to Scotland to do his Masters Thesis in Potato Distilling and upon arrival home, with Masters in hand, he developed the recipe that is now available on our shelves.

Schramm Vodka is 100% organic and 100% Gluten Free. It is distilled 4 times in small batch copper pot stills. Once distilled the Vodka rests on pure charcoal to insure purity and smoothness. As measure of the quality it takes 600kg of potatoes to create 80 750ml bottles.

In taste tests it is easy to see that Schramm could and will compete with brands like Grey Goose and Chopin. However these isn’t much around so get it while you can.

Price: $49.99 + deposit

Availability: All Liquor Plus stores.

CHARTREUSE YELLOW

Region: Dijon, France

Base: 167 different herbs, Glacial water from the Alps. Actual recipe is tightly guarded by 2 Carthusian Monks.

Story: The world was introduced to Yellow Chartreuese in 1838. It is a blend of 130 different herbs found in the region of Dijon France. The actual recipe is closely guarded by only 2 Carthusian Monks, yet the order has been making Chartreuese for over 4 centuries in the same way.

Yellow Chartreuese is slightly lighter than the Green (40% ABV vs 55% ABV) and its colour is 100% natural; nothing is added to the green or the yellow to create the world famous colour.

Makes a number of really interesting cocktails, some of which you can find at Solomon’s in Victoria, B.C. Canada.

Price: $39.99

Availability: All Liquor Plus Stores. Not Available in B.C. Government Stores.

As of Monday Sept. 14, 2009 we will be offering the Skyy Vodka Citrus, Orange, & Berry for $19.99.

Why does this make the ‘News’? Well mostly because of the quality of the supplier and, of course, the price.

Skyy Vodka was started in 1992 in San Francisco and was very unique at the time. They were one of the first, certainly in North America, to quadruple distill and triple their vodkas. Even today there are not many who go to that length.

The Vodka is very smooth, is made from 100% Winter Wheat sourced in the US mid-west, and has very low levels of congeners. These are the molecules in alcohol that give you hangovers. The more the congeners the worse the hangover.

A little while ago they launched a line up of flavours that includes Orange, Citrus, Berry and Vanilla. These make some of the best cocktails.

Anyway, a little while back the local agent approached me on making a deal for us to buy over 100 cases of the flavours. On the surface the deal didn’t look that great as there is something in B.C. called the floor price for all spirits. The floor price was established in the 50’s as a way to deter people from drinking. The theory went that if the price was high fewer people would drink to excess. As we all know this is not true as BC’s consumption rates are no different than any other jurisdiction in North America (exception maybe being Utah), yet we have the highest prices. Don’t kid yourself the floor price is there to increase government revenues and to limit competition for the big boys like Smirnoff and Bacardi.

I digress, the floor price in BC for a 750ml of spirit (over 20% alcohol by volume) is $23. Hence when they offered me a deal to bring the price down from $24.95 to $23, although good, just putting the offering on the same footing as the cheapest vodka in the Government stores (we have Banff Ice $1.01/less than government stores) won’t incur rapid sales of 100+ cases. So they went and talked to a few people in the Finance Dept. of the BCLDB and were able to offer me a price of $19.99, but I had to take the whole works. I did.

So we have Skyy Berry, Citrus, & Orange available for $19.99 until we run out.

We have at the time of writing:

48 Bottles of Skyy Berry (Liquor Plus Royal Oak & Douglas)

600 bottles of Orange (All Liquor Plus Stores)

552 Bottle of Citrus (All Liquor Plus Stores)

So fill your boots as I suspect that this will be gone within 2 weeks.

Enjoy Responsibly

Cheers

Rod Phillips

Buyer – Liquor Plus

We have a ton of things in production and as details get firmed up I will post on this blog.

What I can tell you for sure is….

Stags Hollow Twitter Tasting

Date: Sept. 24, 2009

Time: 5-6pm with Sauvignon Blanc Reception at 4:30pm

Where: Event Centre @ Liquor Plus on Douglas http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Capacity: 40 people

Price: Donations to Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society

Please RSVP via Twitter to Rod_Phillips or email to askrod@liquorplus.ca

Description: This will be the first Twitter based tasting held in Victoria. Dwight Sick, the winemaker at Stags Hollow, will guide through a tasting of the 2006 Stags Hollow Estate Merlot via Tweets. Participants will be from all over B.C.so bring your smartphone or laptop (wireless is available but limited in strength) so that you can tweet you questions to Dwight. We will also have a laptop or two setup. All the tweets will be broadcast on the big screen in the Event Centre.

The evening will start at 4:30 with a reception featuring the 2008 Stags Hollow Sauvignon Blanc (yum!) and we will provide a sneak taste of the 06 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.

I will be on hand as will Alfons Oberlacher who is the wineries local representative.

 

 

Here are a few of the other events that we working firming up some details.

Distillery Live- Live on-line tasting of Laphroaig 10yr, 18yr, 25yr & Maker’s Mark Bourbon

Date: Sept. 25, 2009

Time: 5-7pm with reception at 4:30pm

Cost: $20/head

Seats: 20

Status: To be confirmed

Description: An online guided tasting with John Campbell, Distillery Manager at Laphroaig, broadcast on line from the Maker’s Mark Distillery in Kentucky(where Laphroaig gets their barrels from).

Highland Park Whisky Tasting with Gerry Tosh Brand Ambassador from Highland Park

Date: Oct. 4, 2009

Time: To be determined

Cost: Donations to the Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society

Seats: 30 + or -

Description: Gerry will take through a tasting of a number of different expressions of Highland Park Single Malt Whiskys.

Remy Martin Cognac & Cointreau Tasting

Date: Nov. 4, 2009

Time: To be determined

Cost: By Donations to (TBD)

Description: Dan Volnay will give us an overview of the Cognac region and take through a tasting of Remy Martins VS, VSOP and XO Cognacs in addition to Cointreau Orange Liqueur.

I receive no less than 50 requests from charitable donations each week. Some are on fancy letterhead, some from huge organizations and all worthy of donations and support. Every so often I get one that hits really close to home.

Last year Matthew Williams was your typical 10 year old boy. Played soccer and hockey, has lots of great friends in the neighbourhood and resisted coming in for dinner when he was in the middle of playing with his buddies during the summer.

Matthew is now 11 and life has changed dramatically. Matthew was recently diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and is now getting treatment at Vancouver Children’s Hospital.

A few days back I received an unassuming letter, likely printed off a simple HP printer that goes through ink like nobody’s business, from Matthew’s Godmother Marlene Patton.

Marlene was looking for some items for a silent auction at a dance that she is organizing as a fundraiser for Matthew and his parents. At present his parents Graham and Angie and little brother Christopher are staying at Ronald McDonald House to be with Matthew for the duration of his treatment. By the way, if all goes well, his treatments will go on for 12 months.

Being a parent I can’t imagine getting the news that your child has life threatening Leukemia, and worse I can’t imagine not being through to comfort and console my child as they go through the treatments. That brings me to what Marlene is asking for in her letter.

Graham and Angie are desperate to stay with Matthew but the bills are mounting and we are looking to raise enough money for them to cover their bills for the rest of Matthew’s treatments.

If you would like to help out, when you come into a Liquor Plus store drop your extra change in the collection tins at the tills, or add a dollar or two to your debit or credit card, or better yet, bring a cheque that we can give to Marlene (made out to Matthew Willams Trust). Every little bit helps.

Rest assured this is not a scam as Marlene has been a loyal customer of Liquor Plus for a number of years and the trust account is being held at VanCity Credit Union Branch #69.

If you would like to contact Marlene please drop her an e-mail at mkpatton@telus.net

Thank you for your giving of heart and money.

Cheers

Rod Phillips

Buyer – Liquor Plus