September 28th Weekly Selections

Wine of the Week
Pink Slip
This wine is made right here in South Dakota at Prairie Berry Winery in Hill City. A cool blend of White Zinfandel and Catawba. It is a semi-dry blush wine that pairs remarkably well with a wide range of foods!

Beer of the Week
Bud Light Golden Wheat
Introducing Bud Light Golden Wheat, a more flavorful light beer for a refreshing alternative to the everyday. Bud Light Golden Wheat is the first light beer brewed with golden wheat and a hint of citrus, created specifically for smooth drinkability. The result is a surprisingly easy to drink full-flavored beer with 30% fewer calories than traditional wheat beers. At 4.1% alcohol and 118 calories, now there is no reason to sacrifice great flavor for a light beer. This Reminded me of a lighter version of Blue Moon, really easy to drink.

Spirit of the Week
New Amsterdam Gin
An American gin produced in Modesto, California. It is an interesting gin because it does not have the juniper base that most do, but at less than $20 a bottle it is a pleasant change of pace if you're on a budget. New Amsterdam works well in fruity drinks and is a nice bottle to have in stock every once in a while. I don't recommend this for the gin connoisseur, but for those who are fond of vodka, especially infused vodkas, it is a nice spirit. (About.com)

Cocktail of the Week
Quarterback Sack

• 2oz Gin
• 2oz Vodka
• 1oz Triple Sec
• 4oz Bloody Mary Mix
• Splash of Tonic Water

In a mixing glass half filled with ice combine all ingredients except tonic water. Strain into four shot glasses. Top with tonic water. (makes four 1 1/2 oz servings)

Football and Wine?

Autumn is fast approaching and that means football; the roar of the crowd as our team scores lifting a glass of Merlot in celebration. That’s right, football with wine! Okay, it is unusual to mix NFL or even NCAA with wine. But is that wrong? Why should beer drinkers be the only ones to indulge on Monday Nights?
Football foods like spicy hot wings and chili go great with a California Zinfandel or a French Syrah. A German Riesling also goes with hot wings providing a stunning contrast, giving a nice balance. Nachos go well with a sparkling wine and queso dip can be enhanced by Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling. Burgers and hotdogs go well with reds, like Cabs or Shiraz. Hearty sausage and brats go well with a Riesling, Gewurztraminer or a Pinot Grigio. Beaujolais fills the bill succulently for hearty fare like short ribs and steak. Pizza goes with a Zinfandel or Chianti & Rose' is delicious with cold cuts. What a list!
Now I don’t want to forget the beer fans. Boulevard Single Wide IPA & Bud Light Golden Wheat goes well with spicy foods, especially BBQ.

September 21st Weekly Selections

Wine of the Week
Désirée Chocolate Dessert Wine
The blend of wine that combined the most intense and most chocolate characteristics is chosen and mixed with special liquid chocolate syrup (that is put together in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) that will coalesce with the blended wine to enhance the flavors of chocolate, coconut and vanilla in the wine that is already geared for being a great chocolate experience. The fortified wines that make up this blend are Zinfandel, Touriga Nacional and Syrah. Lynn and I tried this wine and we thought it had a wonderful Syrah nose and a thick milk chocolate feel and a lingering dark cherry finish. Very smooth. We give it two thumbs up! Would be perfect for Valentines day or Christmas.

Beer of the Week
Harvest Moon
This beer is brewer from early September through late November. The color is a copper-orange. It is made with the flavors of the vine-ripened pumpkin. Has a full-body and a smooth finish. It goes great with turkey, sweet potatoes and beef.

Spirit of the Week
Red Stag Whiskey
Red Stag by Jim Beam™ is a new innovation from Jim Beam. Through a unique, artisanal infusion process, natural black cherry flavors are slowly and carefully infused into fine, four-year-old Jim Beam Bourbon. The tasting notes are distinctively fruity, without disguising the familiar, rich nose of Jim Beam Bourbon. The corn sweetness and mellow oak taste of Red Stag is accented by a hint of black cherry for smoothness and balance.

Cocktail of the Week
Touchdown

• 4oz Bourbon


• 8oz lemonade


• 8oz iced tea (unsweetened)

Combine bourbon with iced tea in a mixing glass filled with ice. Strain equal parts in to a hurricane glasses filled with ice. Top with lemonade. (makes two 12oz servings)

Best Beer for Wine Lovers

Best Beers for Wine Lovers (June Issue Of Food & Wine Magazine)
Wine drinkers can find much to love in many styles of beer. Here, four top sommeliers share their suggestions. By Ray Isle

Thomas Carter Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, NY
If you like Sauvignon Blanc
Try a crisp wheat beer, such as Schneider & Sohn Edel-Weiss from Germany

Jeff Benjamin Vetri, Philadelphia
If you like Chardonnay
Try a floral farmhouse ale, such as Birrificio Italiano Fleurette from Italy

Juliette Pope Gramercy Tavern, NYC
If you like Pinot Noir
Try a fruity lambic, such as Cantillon Kriek from Belgium

Lisa Rongren The Herbfarm, Woodinville, WA
If you like Syrah
Try a smoky porter, such as Stone Smoked Porter from California

Oktoberfest beer has arrived!

Whether you spell it Oktoberfest or Octoberfest there's one thing that's for sure, there's going to be some great beer. Oktoberfest Marzens offer something special, there's just no other lager out there that tastes quite like a good Marzen. Their rich complex malt flavors combined with extreme drinkability offer something special that no other seasonal beer does. This is a beer designed specifically for a celebration. We have a great selection of Oktoberfest beers, check these out:

• Schell Octoberfest
• Samuel Adams Octoberfest
• Beck’s Oktoberfest
• Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale
• Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest
• Summit Oktoberfest
• New Belgium (Fat Tire) Hoptober
• Red Hook Late Harvest Ale
• Goose Island Harvest Ale
• Widmer Okto

September 14th Weekly Selections

Beer of the Week
Okto

The full body and malty flavor make Widmer Oktoberfest an ideal beverage for the Fall season. As the style dictates the hopping is delicate enough to allow the malty character to dominate, yet still provides a floral aroma and finish.goes well with grilled bratwurst, Burgers & other Hearty Fall Fare.

Spirit of the Week
Sailor Jerry Spiced Navy Rum

Notes: Considerably higher proof than Captain Morgan or Admiral Nelson (both are 70 proof or 35%), sourced from the Virgin Islands Appearance: Clear, gold colored, no sediment whatsoever. On swirling, it leaves a thin, but tenacious clear coat on the inside of the glass, then develops some droplets on the edge line.First Impression: Cherry, tobacco, vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, caramel. A lot going on here and fighting for attention. Caramel and cherry start to push to the fore after a bit. Taste: Dark fruits and spices. Heavy bodied with lots of cherry and caramel followed by other spices. Drinks: Stands up to almost every other ingredient you throw at it in a umbrella drink. More assertive than most spiced rums, in a ponderous way. Cigars: White Owl.
Final Thoughts: Frankly, I am not a flavored rum fan. I don't see the point. That being said, this is much better than a number of the other flavored rums out there I have had in the past. Also you are getting a higher proof for the same or less money than the ubiquitous Captain Morgan so we give it extra value points. Review by Chris Carlsson.

Wine of the Week
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2008

#40 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2008! Pale straw with touches of green. Delightful hints of tropical fruits are accented by aromas of citrus and the traditional New Zealand herbaceous notes. Ripe stone fruit, citrus and tropical flavors mingle with the soothing herbaceous notes. Nice acidity with a touch of sweet passion fruit add to the full, crisp finish. "Fragrant and complex, with a refreshing burst of lime, guava, grapefruit and grass flavors. Wet stone, passion fruit and oyster shell accents add interest, with bright acidity highlighting the vivid finish. Another outstanding Sauvignon from a perennial success. Drink now." 91 Points Wine Spectator

Cocktail of the Week (Over the next few weeks we will be posting Football themed cocktails)
First and Ten

• 3oz Gin
• 2oz of Each of the following juices: Orange, Pineapple, Grapefruit, Cranberry, Lemon and Lime.
• Dash of Grenadine
• Splash of club soda
• Float dark rum (gently pour down the back of a spoon so that it sits on top of the drink)

Combine all fruit juices and gin in a large shaker half filled with ice. Strain into two Collins glasses filled with ice. Top with grenadine, soda water and rum. (Makes 2 9oz servings)

15 Rules for Great Wine and Food Pairings

This is a great article from the October issue of Food and Wine Magazine. Wine editor Ray Isle created an astoundingly comprehensive pairing primer for the world’s most important wines. Here, they expand on his guide by offering recipes of the best dishes to follow each simple pairing principle. Click on the link below to check it out.

15 Rules for Great Wine and Food Pairings Food & Wine

Shared via AddThis

September Wine of the Month

Gewurztraminers

The Gewürztraminer grape traces its origin back to the Italian Tyrol, believed to have grown near the village of Tramin or Termino in Northeast Italy, hence the name of traminer. Gewurz is German for “spice”. The vine is difficult to grow as the Gewürztraminer grape clusters ripen extra-ordinarily fast, making it difficult to build up flavor while preserving acid. This low-yielding grape ripens mid-season and does best in cooler climates. Gewürztraminer, often called gavurtz is a high alcohol, high extract, aromatic, white wine. It ranges from a pale to a deep golden color with flavors of lychees, grapefruit, roses, and sweet and bitter spices. It is often low in acidity. It is best drunk young. Gewürztraminer pairs well with a variety of foods like pork, poultry, seafood, fresh fruit, Munster cheese and mild cheddar. It also pairs well with fresh, fatty, wild game, or smoked salmon. Furthermore it is a great white wine to serve with the Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, because it pairs wonderfully with the combination of spices in the foods served such as, turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, dressing, and pumpkin pie.

Present Your Regal Wine Club Card and Receive a 10% Discount on all Gewurztraminer wines. Only available on non advertised wines. For More information about the Wine Club or how to join send an E-mail to hyveewineclub@gmail.com

September 7th Weekly Selections

Wine of the Week
Leaping Horse Chardonnay 2007
This light-bodied Chardonnay is refreshingly simple and easy to drink. Lovely tropical fruit aromas combined with apple and pear flavors make this wine really likable. It’s dry and crisp with the slightest hint of vanilla oak on the finish.

Beer of the Week
Samuel Adams Octoberfest
The first thing you notice when pouring a glass of this seasonal beer is the color. Samuel Adams® Octoberfest has a rich, deep golden amber hue which itself is reflective of the season. Samuel Adams® Octoberfest is a malt lover's dream, masterfully blending together five roasts of barley to create a delicious harmony of sweet flavors including caramel and toffee. The beer is kept from being overly sweet by the elegant bitterness imparted by the German Noble hops. Samuel Adams® Octoberfest provides a wonderful transition from the lighter beers of summer to the winter's heartier brews.

Spirit of the Week
George Dickel Cascade Hollow Whiskey
Nose: Corn and vanilla with a hint of spice. Very young whiskey with some older whiskey married.
Taste: Corn and vanilla with some pepper spice and wood and charcoal smoke. There is a little bite from a young whiskey but I suspect that there is more than half of this whiskey that is 5 or more years of age.
Finish: Surprisingly long and sweet. Some caramel and vanilla with a hint of wood.
Overall: This is not a bad dram of whiskey neat. It was probably designed to mix with coke or some other mixer, but it can be drank neat. I would not recommend it with water or over ice because then it would get thin and weak.

Cocktail of the Week
DICKEL TODDY
1 t fine grain sugar
2 cloves
Slice of lemon
Piece of cinnamon stick
1 1/2 ounces George Dickel Tennessee Whisky No. 12
Combine all in an Old Fashioned glass or mug. Add 1-2 ounces or more boiling water. Stir. Caution, boiling water tends to be very, very hot.