So. American Wines; More than Just Values

After a recent visit to several wineries in Chile and Argentina I was left with several indelible impressions. In both countries, there is a long and rich history of grape growing and winemaking relative to "New World" viticulture. Many wineries were started in the late 1800's to early 1900's and continue to thrive in todays market. Both Chile and Argentina have recently embraced modern winemaking and farming techniques as well as new exciting varietals that will complement each countries diverse and exceptional gastronomy. Pairing the wines with regional cuisine is at the forefront of all the winemakers and vineyard managers we spoke with. It was also refreshing to hear how passionately almost everyone involved in the wine business, from export managers, marketers, vineyard managers and winemakers are looking for ways to protect and preserve the environment. From environmentally freindly packaging to organic farming methods to buying carbon credits many wineries are at the forefront of "green business" practices. While the flavor profiles of the wines from Chile and Argentina are quite different; with the diversity of varietals and prices there is truly something for every wine drinker.
Please come in to The West Vail Liquor Mart and let our knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff help you experience our expanded and ever evolving South American wine portfolio.

A Sailor's Drink

An original South American sailor's drink! You may be thinking rum, but I'm talking pisco. Pisco is a spirit distilled from partially fermented grapes. It's origin is disputed but can come from Chile and Peru.
Peru claims that historically they were the first to produce the spirit. When in the port town of Pisco, Viceroyalty of Spain, the wine makers selected their grapes, much of the leftovers were sold and then distilled into a high alcohol liquor. It started to attract a following of sailors who favored the rich flavors and its ability to "affect" them. With the growth of trade from Peru, its popularity rivaled that of wine. Many barrels of Pisco were consumed in other colonies and even San Francisco during the Gold Rush years. People could purchase it at relatively low prices and it was always around. Peru has continued to produce pisco, but its demand fell off when rum became readily available.
Chile is the other major producer of pisco. Early Chilean pisco was produced in a town named La Greda. The town's name was changed to Pisco Elqui in 1936 to reinforce Chile's right to the name of the spirit.
Some major differences between Peruvian and Chilean pisco are the grapes used and the aging process. Peru mostly uses a grape named Quebranta. It is a black grape imported from Spain to make wine but over time adapted into grape which could grow easier and more plentiful in Peru's climate. Chile mostly uses the Muscat grape and Muscat derived varietals. In Peru the distilled product must be aged a minimum of three months in a vessel which does not change the makeup of the spirit, like glass or stainless steel. Chilean pisco is aged in Oak casks, imparting the flavors of the wood into the liquor. The finished products are very different. Chilean pisco has a yellow color depending on the length of aging, whereas pisco from Peru is clear and colorless.
Many different styles of pisco are also produced. Peru has pure pisco, made from only one type of grape, mainly Quebranta and should be drunk by itself. Its aromatic style is made from Muscat grapes and again uses only one variety. Mosto Verde is made from the partially fermented must of the grape and has a strong flavor and fruity aroma. This type is mostly found in high income areas. The fourth type from Peru is called Acholado and is made from a blend of several grape varieties.
Chilean pisco also has classifications. The spirit must be distilled from only the Muscat, Torontel and Pedro Jiminez grapes. The quantities of each is not of concern, just the type of grapes. There are also four types, depending on alcohol content. It starts with Regular, the lowest content, gets higher with Special and Reserve, and finishes with the highest abv%, called Great.
The world famous pisco sour can be made from any of these types, from either country. Its ingerdients are as follows

Pisco Sour:
3 part Pisco
1 part lemon juice
1 part simple syrup
1 white of an egg

Shake the ingredients together rigorously, then strain into a glass. When the frothy egg white has formed a nice head add a few dashes of aromatic bitters.

DR

West Vail Liquor offers Capel pisco for $18.99 and Barsol Pisco (Acholado or Quebranta) for $26.99.

Czech Republic Beer

I recently traveled a little around central Europe and spent most of my time in the Czech Republic. The architecture and history in this Central European crossroad is almost surreal at times. By escaping most of the bombing during the World Wars, the Czech Republic was able to preserve their history, architecture and culture with out having to rebuild. The country itself is kind of split into two regions; Moravia and Bohemia. While their is quite a bit of wine production in Moravia, The Czech Republic is most famous for "Pilsner" Beer hailing from the Bohemian region, and more specifically the town of Plzen; or Pilsner.
Pilsner has kind of become the generic name for any bottom fermented beer. The people of Pilsner wanted to distinguish themselves from other Bottom fermenters, especially Bavarians (Southeastern Germany), so they renamed their beer in 1898 to Pilsner Urquell. Pilsner Urquell is probably the most recognizable brand exported from the Czech Republic now, and simply translates to "Pilsner from the original source." This brewery dates back to 1842 and can attribute its recipe to a brewer named Josef Groll. Its said that Groll acquired a strand of yeast from a runaway monk and the brewery can still trace their unique pilsner strand back to this period. The combination of this unique strand of yeast, Bohemian and Moravian Barley and noble hops from the Saaz region combine to make a truly delightful and refreshing beer.
Because this style of beer has gained so much popularity throughout the world, the original recipes and techniques have been repeatedly imitated, but to much disappointment not duplicated. Big commercial breweries have in my opinion butchered the true pilsner style lager and just used the name for marketing reasons. A perfect example is "Budweiser", which is one of the worlds most famous beers, the "Budweiser" name comes from the city of Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, which has its own original type of beer, also called "Budweiser." The Czech company has the rights to use this name in Europe, but Anheuser-Busch has continually tried to dominate the small Brewery through European Court Systems, and even tried to buy the brewery several times. The Company refuses to associate its name, and rightfully so. No offense, but Budweiser is far from an original pilsner style lager. This is a great example of how bigger corporations have to a certain extent tainted the cultural aspect of manufacturing high quality craft beer through less than authentic imitations and questionable marketing schemes.
Regardless, they are still making this unique and wonderful beer in the Czech Republic. Beer is a huge part of Czech culture and it shows through one of the highest beer consumption rates in the world. Beer is part of everyday life, so why put up with bad quality. Czech beer is made to be slowly savoured and relished, not just drank. Its unique flavor is a gift to us beer drinkers, so branch out and give a true original beer a try. We have Pilsner Urquell, Chechvar(or budvar in Czech), and Zatec all available at the West Vail Liquor Mart.

Enjoy,

Nick WVLM

Looking for something bright and light?

Salads, cold soups (think gazpacho), and of course summer grilling are going to be favorite choices for under the umbrella nibbles this summer. Chances are, things are heating up in your neighborhood, and you may be wondering what to serve with your favorite summer menu items.

Summer is a great time to get out of your "old standbye" rut and branch out into the ubiquitous selection of lighter styled wines available. Just a few moments ago I tasted a delicious New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. This would be a go to wine to to try with any type of raw bar sea foods. They are lively and crisp, and make a great summer white wine for sipping.

Are you standing around that grill waiting to get your chops into that rare burger or steak, but don't feel like a heavy red? This is the perfect time to try a glass of rose. The West Vail Liquor Mart has more than a dozen different rose wines from all over the world. They work great in the summer because they are considerably lighter than a Cabernet or Merlot, but still have lots of structure and will hold up to those red meat bbqs. They also tend to be very value priced. Rarely do you need to spend more than $20.00 to get outstanding quality. You can find many for around $10.00.

Earlier I mentioned gazpacho. I recently made some of this cool tomato based soup for some friends and found that a Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris hit the spot for this course. They are both lively, light and bit on the delicate side. If you want to ad a little zip to this dish ad a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce. As a bonus, Pinot Grigio is a great opener for your summer dinner parties or bbqs and if you want it to it will take you through the evening.

Stay Cool and Cheers!
Tom Mullen
Ps, that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc was Oyster Bay.

Pama Pomegranate Liqueur

There is so much to say about Pama Liqueur ($14.99). It is a super delicious and versatile pomegranate liqueur. Pair it with your favorite cocktail or just jazz up a glass of champagne and your taste buds will come to life. You can even add it to your favorite sake. If you are feeling bored and want some excitement, this is the liqueur for you. Pama is sweet yet tart and invites the creative drinker to take a step out of the box. Pama is a mixture of all natural pomegranate juice, premium vodka and a touch of imported tequila. It is the worlds first true pomegranate liqueur and the possibilities are endless. Try some of the recipies at www.pamaliqueur.com which include some of the following.

Pama Mojito

1oz Pama
1oz Whie Rum
½ oz lime juice
Club soda
2 tbsp raw sugar
6-12 mint leaves
Pomegranate seeds

Pama Margarita

2 ½ oz Pama
1oz Reposado Tequila
½ oz triple sec
Splash of lime juice
Splash of simple syrup


Pama Mimosa

3oz Pama
1oz Champagne or Sparkling wine

Marissa, West Vail Liquor Mart

Cava and Prosecco. They'll keep it cool this summer.

Working at the West Vail Liquor Mart, I've noticed that sparkling wines are usually bought by customers for special occasions, like bachelors parties, birthdays, New Years and, of course, the 4th of July.
Served at the right temperature they're so refreshing and crisp, perfumed and I especially love the green apple notes and limes in the dry ones with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Champagne, like Cava and Prosecco, are called "sparkling wines" because of their effervescence, or carbonation which is allowed inside the bottle during the secondary fermentation of making this wines (traditional methode classique), giving that bubbly look in the glass and that sparkling sensation in the mouth. These wines must be aged for 18 to 24 months minimum, before you can see them on the shelves. And most should be consumed within 3 years of their vintage.
Now the difference between Champagne, Cava and Prosecco is their denomination; French, Spainish and Italian respectively.
They also come in different degrees of sweetness, like Champagne:
-Extra Brut (the driest or more acidic)
-Brut
-Extra dry
-Dry (or Seco)
-Semi Dry (Semi-Seco)
-Sweet (Dulce)
Spumante, Italian term for sparkling and Cava or Vino Espumoso in Spain, are usually both made by the Cuve Close, carbonation method. The still wine is pumped into large tanks, yeast and sugar is added, and temperature is controlled to aid the secondary fermentation. This process is much quicker and cheaper than the Champagne method (traditional methode classique), making these a great deal for an economic decision.
I believe that sparkling wines make a great drink for summer and all the year round. I usually bring a bottle of Prosecco or Cava, when I go out camping, doing some relaxation in the hot tub or simply after barbequing with friends and the loved ones. I just love that feeling of bubbles, the citruses and fruitiness. They're always a success.

J.K.'s Scrumpy Hard Cider

How many ways can you say delicious? I know of one way and it has the word Scrumpy in it. J.K.'s Scrumpy Hard Cider ($7.99 for 22oz) is not like any other cider on the market or in the world for that matter. Other ciders can have a bitter and even metallic taste. J.K.'s Scrumpy is an all natural certified organic cider that really tastes like a sweet red apple juice. J.K.'s Scrumpy comes from a family owned farm in Flushing, Michigan. The first batch was bottled back in the 1850's. Not much has changed in the process. No insecticides are used on the farm orchard. In fact, large guinea fowl wander around the farm and eat the bugs, and Berkshire pigs wander the orchard and eat the fallen apples. Some say this is costly and not time efficient, but then again, no cider in the world can compare. Once harvested, the organic apples are pressed and allowed to ferment for up to six months. Then, they painstakingly hand label and fill the bottles which are left for several weeks to bottle condition. Apple juice and yeast, that's all that goes into this amazing cider. You'll find no artificial flavors, colors, sulfites, or any other kind of preservative in J.K.'s Scrumpy Cider. Where can you find something of this quality and tradition anymore? It's not hard. You can find this great product at the West Vail Liquor Mart. Grab one up, or two, or three.....
$7.99

Mulled Cider
-one bottle of J.K.'s Scrumpy Hard Cider
-one cinnamon stick
-small amount of grated nutmeg
-tablespoon of orange or lemon zest(your preference)
Slowly warm the cider and other ingredients in a saucepan. Do not exceed 155 F. Do not boil!!! Enjoy in a mug. Cheers!

Chris Kormanicki
Manager/Beer Buyer

Leopold Brothers Distillery

What can you say about Leopold Brothers Distillery except amazing! When I first heard about these guys and their infused whiskeys I thought, great some more foofy crap aimed at highschool kids. Boy was I wrong! Tom Leopold is the master distiller who handcrafts each and every one of the unique liquors that Leopold Brothers offer. The first one I tried was the blackberry flavored whiskey ($34.99 750ml). I was surprised at the how pronounced the blackberries tasted upfront with the whiskey kicking in pleasantly afterwards. The apple flavored had much the same effect. It was like drinking whiskey flavored apple pie. These whiskeys don't need any kind of mixer except saliva, but one or two ice cubes in a rocks glass isn't a bad idea. They also produce a rocky mountain peach whiskey and a Georgia peach whiskey, unfortunately I have not tried this as of yet, but I will as soon as I get the chance. They didn't stop with just whiskey though. They also distill absinthe(yes the real kind, $71.99 750ml), gin, vodka, dark rum, and a plethora of liquers (cherry, apple, herbal $21.49 375ml). Anyone interested in these awesome Colorado products should check out their website www.leopoldbros.com for the whole rundown of liquors and the story behind them. It's very interesting!

Matt, West Vail Liquor Mart

Great Divide Brewey

Great Divide Brewing in my opinion is one of the best beer maker's in the country right now. They are located very close to the baseball stadium in Denver. Over the last couple of years they have been succesfully experimenting with many different specialty beers. One of these is the newly released 15th Anniversary Wood-Aged Double IPA ($9.49 22oz). I think it's the beer of the year so far. It has a dark color for an IPA, but is still smooth and crisp enough to be enjoyed on a hot summer day. The 10% ABV gives it a nice kick as well. On the lighter end of Great Divide's delicious beers is their Belgica ($9.99 6pk), a Belgian style IPA. Unlike some other breweries that claim "Belgian-style" this beer actually lives up to it's namesake. Belgica has a very floral aroma and a glorious hop taste that will get your tastebuds going. It can be paired with an endless amount of foods including all sorts of backyard barbeque and fishes. I highly reccomend picking up these tasty beverages the next time you're shopping for something new! Check out the Great Divide website www.greatdivide.com or more info about all their beers.