Graceland Cabernet Sauvignon
$49.99
Graceland is a family run boutique winery, specialising in red wine. Susan, the driving force behind the winery, takes on the roles of marketer, winemaker and viticulturist whilst Paul attends to the farm. The Graceland wine making philosophy starts in the vineyard where no insecticides are used and minimal spraying. Special attention is paid to pruning, canopy cover and limiting production in line with producing top quality grapes. The most important decision each year is when to pick and this is done in small batches according to the microclimate which determines when each row becomes optimally ripe. As to winemaking, they are very natural in our approach. Only grapes and nitrogen. Our sulphur dioxide levels are considerably lower than average.The grapes are de-stemmed into open fermenters. The skins are hand plunged 4 times per day. After 8 days the wine is pressed; pressed wine and free run are combined. It is then racked to oak barrels where malolactic fermentation takes place. The above techniques are geared towards low intervention with the use of oxidative rackings as a key feature. The oxidation causes unstable colour, tannin and flavour to polymerize and “drop out of the wine”. It also eliminates off odours. The resulting wines only have stable constituents left which means the wines will age well, probably 7 - 10 years. In summary, these wines are big and flavoursome with good tannin structures.
Glen Grant 15 Year
$96.99
Well, this is a clever addition to the range, isn't it? Fifteen years old and 50%. Wow. Colour us happy. If the team at Glen Grant realizes that higher abv in whisky like this has an appeal (mostly for textural reasons), why keep the rest of the range at 43%? Apparently, there are people out there that prefer their whisky at lower strengths. We've never met one, but I guess they're out there. Does that count as cryptozoology?
Anyway, let's celebrate the good! Great distillery, good expression, nice age statement, and a robust strength that suits the profile. Well done.
50% abv
Hoyne Dark Matter American Brown Ale
$5.29
From the Producer~
Dark Matter is the only beer we make where we don’t say on the bottle what style it is. This is for a very good reason. Even we don’t know! It is more easily described by what it isn’t. It is not as roasted as a stout, nor is it as sweet or high in alcohol as a porter. And don’t even mention brown ale in the same breath. Like the Northern Lights, it is seductively elusive, bringing the mystery of the universe into your glass.
Abv 5.3%
Ferrand Curacao
$44.99
Ferrand's Cry Curacao is made with a base of Brandy and Cognac blended with bitter orange peels and spices.
From The Producer
"Classic cocktails demand classic liqueurs and no liqueur is more classical than the Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaçao. Crafted in consultation with cocktail historian David Wondrich and based on a 19th century recipe, it is a traditional French “triple sec” – thee separate distillations of spices and the “sec” or bitter, peels of Curacao oranges blended with brandy and Ferrand Cognac. The result is a rich, complex and balanced liqueur that will bring new sophistication to your Punches, Slings, Fizzes and, of course Cocktails. It is also delicious straight up or on ice."
Field House Blue Black Dark Sour Can
$5.79
Weighing in at a barely noticeable 10% ABV, this sour from Field House utilizes Blackberries and Blueberries.
Lind & Lime Gin
$61.99
Lind & Lime distillery in Edinburgh, Scottland Created this true London Dry gin to give a flavourful and sensory telling of Scottish history.
It's crisp and refreshing thanks to the addition of Lime peel and a touch of pink peppercorn. As an example to the rest of the distilling world, it's made with 100% organic ingredients, using 100% green energy, in completely plastic-free packaging. 44% ABV.
From The Producer
"With juniper at its core, we use fresh lime peel and a hint of pink peppercorns to create a classic benchmark expression that is balanced, dry and intensely refreshing.
Lind & Lime Gin is forged from the talent, heritage and industry of Edinburgh and its historic distilling district of Leith. In everything that we produce, our watchword is ‘balance’."
Le Clos des Cazaux Cotes du Rhone Red
$30.99
The Le Clos des Cazaux estate has been a family property focused on viticulture for five generations since Gabriel Archimbaud, an ancestor, was one of the first to produce wines from Vacqueyras in 1947. It is now owned and operated by brothers Jean-Michel and Frédéric Vache. They farm 35 hectares, 20 in Vacqueyras and another 15 in Gigondas. They own mostly low-yielding hillside vineyards, fashioning high-quality white wines, rosés, and red blends. Their Gigondas vineyards are situated in the heart of the Dentelles de Montmirail massif range that has been in the family since the 1950s. This very special terroir benefits from the solar power of the southern slope, balanced by the cool nights at higher altitudes, mostly on clay soils. The reds are blended primarily from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. however, they include lesser-known grapes such as Aubun, Counoise, Cinsault, Muscardin and Carignan. The white wines mainly employ old-vine Clairette, complemented by Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, and a little Viognier. We just received five new wines from Cazaux.
Ratio Johnson Vineyard Chardonnay
$61.59
Based at the Carlton Winemakers Studio in Carlton, Oregon, Ratio Wines is the personal project of winemaker Anthony King. Ratio makes Willamette Valley Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and distinctive Northwest white wines.This wine has a Chablis-like charm and has aged gracefully into a really lovely, elegant white wine. The 2015 Johnson Vineyard Chardonnay comes from the certified-organic Johnson Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Eric Lemelson owns the vineyard, having purchased it from the Johnson family, who famously farm grass seed across the Willamette Valley. I’ve worked with Johnson Vineyard for years and have come to believe in its potential as a great Chardonnay site.
Bulliat Morgon
$36.99
Noël Bulliat and his son Loïc run this family estate that covers 27 ha in 8 different crus in the heart of the Beaujolais region. It began in 1978 when Noël bought 4 ha of Beaujolais Villages straight after graduating from viticultural school. The grapes are hand-picked and fermented with the whole clusters intact. Morgon is arguably the most important of the Beaujolais crus (there are 10 in total) and - along with Moulin-A-Vent- the most powerful in terms of concentration of fruit. The grapes undergo a cold maceration to preserve aromatic profile before being moved to cement tanks for semi-carbonic maceration, lasting 10 to 12 days using indigenous yeasts. They are certified organic and offer bright, expressive notes of red berries, minerality, subtle spice and lively acidity to tie it all together. Try it with duck or roast chicken.