Our Wines of the Week and Beer of the Week
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“The fruit for the Le Cigare Volant is grown in several plots in the Central Coast AVA. Its majority of Grenache comes from cold Central Coast climates that provide a long growing season, giving a “spicy, peppery quality” to the grape. These qualities are countered by the plumpness of the Cinsault …”
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“In 1991, Massawippi and Unibroue merged, and they hired a young, Belgian brewmaster as another plan formed — develop a brewery that brewed Belgian style beers, unheard of on this side of the continent. In 1992, what was now Brasserie Unibroue brewed the first commercially available Belgian Witbier style Ale in North America. The rest, of course, is … history …”
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“It’s easy to throw back this Väsen brew and smack your lips to another Richmond hazy IPA. However, there’s a quiet play between the Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, and Citra hops — three hops with different profiles … So, what happens when Väsen gets these three different hops playing in the same sandbox? Well …”
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“Languedoc’s main white grapes are Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Picpoul, Roussanne, Marsanne, Vermentino, and Viognier … not Chardonnay, but it is grown here. In fact, it is one of the most grown white grapes in the region. Whereas cold climate Chardonnay (such as in Burgundy) can be acidic and have a citrus edge, warmer climate Chardonnay is less acidic and sports riper, rounder fruit notes. In this form, this grape in the Languedoc is the grape behind a number of prominent Vin de Pays whites.”
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“Originally under the name ‘Especial Rivera,’ Estrella Galicia Especial came one year after the brewery’s rebranding … Fermenting the beer with their house yeast, Hijos de Rivera Estrella Galicia then lagers this brew for one month to deliver an uno-dos punch of flavor …”
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“The Green City is Other Half’s flagship IPA. Plenty of oats go into the malt bill to make it extra creamy. Brewer Richardson hops it with Citra, Centennial, and Simcoe hops and somehow manages to get the reverse of what you expect …”
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“Domaine de la Bergerie has been a family estate since 1964 when Marie-Scholastique Horeau first purchased it. A winemaker from a winemaking family, Horeau began a legacy that her great-granddaughters, Anne and Marie Guégniard, continue today …”
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"For this beer, Herndon’s Aslin Beer Company doubles down on the number '2.' First … and second of all, it’s a double dry-hopped, double IPA. On top of that ..."
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"Just in time for Halloween, the Vegia Rampana ('Old Witch') casts a welcome and strong spell with just a bit of a chill on it and just a bit of chill in the air. "
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"For this wine, take what you’re used to from New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs and set it aside ..."
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"Releasing this brew just at the beginning of this past summer, Richmond’s Väsen Brewing Company may have taken this beer’s name from the recently released young fantasy novel. However, there’s a Cloud Thief restaurant in Sydney, Australia, so it could be that — you never know. Whatever its eponym, the Cloud Thief is aptly titled as it’s a super hazy wheat IPA ..."
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"CARMIM is the Cooperativa Agrícola de Reguengos de Monsaraz. Created in 1971, they now have 800 members producing wine, brandy, and olive oil, making it Alentejo’s largest winery and one of the largest in the country ..."
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"The Content Modulator is a dark lager brewed with a loaded malt bill — Pilsner Malt, Munich Malt, Caramunich Malt, and Pale Chocolate Malt. If you think the resultant brew will be too rich, fear not ..."
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"In 2006, Vincente’s great-grandchildren, Juan Diez and Santiago Matallana Bulnes stepped forward to bring the family’s old dream alive. They hired a vineyard manager and winemaker who set them on the path to creating a low intervention winery ..."
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"Believe it or not, the Italian-Style Pilsner is a relatively new thing ... In 1996, founder Agostino Arioli set out to make a German style Pilsner. It didn’t come out the way he wanted, but he liked what he finally got ..."
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"Morellino is more commonly known as Sangiovese. However, the Morellino di Scansano differs from north Tuscan Sangiovese in that, here, in Maremma, the grape ripens more fully. A riper grape leads to rounder and more savory Sangiovese … which brings us to this week’s red Wine of the Week."
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"Oh, what the Citra hop hath wrought ... Thank you, Veil, for further justifying our love of the pineapple IPA."
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"Cantina del Morellino di Scansano is a collective of winemakers who banded together in 1972. After a decade of growth, they found themselves at a crossroads — focus on producing more wine (and grow bigger) or focus on increasing their wine’s quality ..."
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