Cider has seen a resurgence of popularity in recent years with artisan producers appearing all over the country and around the world, creating ciders of great quality and class.

This week we will be sampling a wide selection of the finest quality ciders from the U.S. France, New Zealand and England, highlighting the diversity of this classic, traditional beverage.

Try all nine of these great Ciders for $5 this Friday June 21^st.

Peckham’s Moutere Perry

Finnriver Pear Cider

Finnriver ‘Dry Hopped’

Argus Cidery ‘Lady Goldsmith’

Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouche Brut de Normandie

Zeffer ‘Slack Ma Girdle’

Oliver’s Traditional Cider

Ross-on-Wye Rum Barrel

Tieton Cider Works ‘Blossom Nectar’

Christian B., Beltramo’s Beer Buyer

Fee Brothers Whiskey Sour Cocktail Mix ($3.99) – This Company began in 1863 (that’s even older than Beltramo’s!) making solid cocktail mixes for bars and restaurants, and the recipe for this mix goes back to the early 1900′s.  A trustworthy mixer.

Mr. & Mrs. T’s Whiskey Sour Mix ($3.99) – The tart and sweet taste of tangerines, limes and oranges.  From Texas, where they take their whiskey cocktails seriously, this is a brand you can depend on.

Garnish with a wedge of orange or a maraschino cherry.

Mike Giles, Beltramo’s Mixers Buyer

This week will be a continuation of our look into the many famed styles available with some fine examples from across Belgium.   Well known names as well as smaller, unique breweries will all be featured in this fantastic tasting.

Try all nine of these great Beers for $5 this Friday June 7^th.

Drie Fonteinen Beersel Lager

Glazen Toren Saison D’erpe-Mere

De Proef Flemish Primitive #3 ‘Surly Bird’

Alvinne Morpheus ‘Undressed’ Oud Bruin

De Ranke Noir de Dottignies

De La Senne ‘Jambe de Bois’

La Rulles Grand 10

Chimay Anniversary Grand Reserve 2012

De Halve Maan Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel

Christian B., Beltramo’s Beer Buyer

2010 Schloss Schonborn Winkel “Hasensprung” Riesling Trocken – Rheingau  -  $27.99

This truly historic Rheingau estate, dating back to 1349 in terms of viticulture, is not only the oldest in Germany, but one of the oldest in the world, covering 27 continuous generations. Invoice documents also reveal that the Schonborns were among the first to purchase and use hand blown glass bottles dating back to 1725, and have maintained a collection to this day of three vintages from the 1700’s. So, needless to say, I think they know a little about how to make an exceptional Riesling, and this one certainly is quite exceptional!  It is the only estate with 38 single vineyard holdings in the best parts of the Rheingau, and this bottling is from the fine Hasensprung vineyard which lies up the hillside from the Rhein riverside village of Winkel. All in all, the estate is one of the largest in Germany, owning over 50 hectares (125 acres), of vineyards throughout the Rheingau. What impressed me most when I first tasted this wine can be summed up in one word, “class.”  Its elegance and sophistication comes through more in subtle nuances of exotic nectarine fruit, slightly creamy texture and impeccable balance. Wines of Spatlese classification work especially well for Trocken style Rieslings as they tend to have a bit more weight and not be so austere when vinified dry. Try this superb Riesling with a variety of seafood, a pork roast and, probably best of all, a sunset.  It’s an incredible wine for just under $30.00!

2011 Dr. Loosen “Red Slate” Riesling – Dry  – Mosel - ($14.99)  The well known Dr. Loosen Estate, dating back over 200 years, is situated at Bernkastel  in the heart of the Mosel river valley.  Their vineyard sources include six major holdings designated “Erste Lage,” or the equivalent of grand cru, in the 1868 Prussian classification of the Mosel.  Fruit not sourced from these designated single vineyards is classified as “Estate.”  In 1988, Ernst  “Ernie” Loosen took the helm and immediately innovated changes to give the finest possible expression of Riesling and terroir, cutting back yields, no chemical fertilizers and a severe selection process. The results have been dramatic and the Dr. Loosen wines are considered by many as some of the finest expressions of Riesling today. This particular bottling, “Red Slate,” comes from steep hillside vineyards near the towns of Erden and Urzig, a short distance from Bernkastel. And yes, the slate really is red due to the iron content, and this is what adds to the intriguing mineral component.  Although certainly a fine wine for a fine dinner, its floral-honeyed aromatics and intense fruit is exuberantly displayed to say the least, and lends itself perfectly for an outdoor picnic. Have it with Asian dishes, sausages, pork and the swimming pool.  A terrific Riesling for the price from a world class producer!

Gary M., Beltramo’s Wine Consultant

From Maragaritas to Bloody Marys to Mojitos, Whiskey Sours and beyond.  So please come have a look.  There are so many to choose from.  I’m going to be writing up a different mix variety in each of my blogs in the weeks to come.  Since Margarita Season has arrived, let me start there. Whether on ice or slushed, there are plenty to choose from:

Dr. Swami & Bone Daddy’s Top Shelf Margarita Mix ($9.99) – This is the #1 Seller at Beltramo’s.  This Marg Mix is locally made in Saratoga with unfiltered citrus pulp from lemons and limes. It also contains non-alcoholic Triple Sec, giving the mix a natural sweetness.

Tommy’s Margarita Mix ($9.99) - Tommy’s Marg is a 100% fresh mix which requires refrigeration before and after being opened.  Tommy’s is locally made in San Francisco.  Made with fresh limes and organic agave nectar which gives a sweetness to the mix.

Lefty O’Doul’s Margarita Mix ($5.99) – Lefty’s is also a San Francisco favorite.  What makes this one special is that key lime is added to the mix. Also local oranges are added, making Lefty’s especially delicious! Also, Lefty O’Doul’s makes a Zero Calorie Marg Mix ($5.99) with no sugar but still with refreshing flavors.

Stirring’s Simple Margarita ($7.49) – Stirrings is made on the east coast on Nantucket Island and is equally as popular on the west coast. Made with lime juice, cane sugar and non-alcoholic Triple Sec.  Tasty!

Tilted Palm Margarita ($7.99) – This margarita mix comes from Nashville, TN and there, they consider it the best margarita mix ever made!  Minimally produced, with limited availability.  Tastes like it’s made from scratch.

Skinnygirl Margarita ($14.99) – This was made famous by a popular reality TV star and serves as a good low calorie option. Sweetened with agave nectar and pre-equipped with Tequila.  Ready to drink!

Jose Cuervo Margarita Mixes – This well known brand comes in three flavors at Beltramo’s.  The standard favorite is the Cuervo Original Margarita Mix ($5.99) with lemon-lime flavor, but we also stock Strawberry Lime ($5.49).  Also Cuervo Light Margarita ($15.99) is low in calories and already mixed with Tequila.

La Paz Margarita Mix ($5.99) – This standard has been a California mainstay for 50 years.  Made in Southern California, good for folks on the go!

Daily’s Margarita ($4.99) – Another standard but trustworthy mix for the backyard party.

Don’t forget the salt…

Mike Giles, Beltramo’s Mixers & Bitters Buyer

Granted, with all of Champagne’s charm and versatility, there is a mysterious quality to Champagne that can elude, or even outright alienate some.  In this guide we will discuss the differences in styles of Champagne, the terminology of the label, and what makes Champagne unique from other sparkling wines around the world.

Vintage

The vintage of a wine is typically the year in which the bottle was produced.  For most wines, a vintage is placed on the bottle regardless of whether the year was fair or poor.  With Champagne, each Champagne house takes great pride in the wine they produce, and may choose not to declare a year as a vintage if they feel that the year was not worthy enough to be sold under their name.  By doing this, there is a guarantee of quality for a Champagne that is vintage dated: it means the producer felt strongly enough about the wine produced that year to sell under their name.  Some Champagne houses can be very meticulous about the quality of a vintage, such as Salon, a producer who has produced only 37 vintages since their first production in the 20^th century!  Salon is a brand that is built to last in the cellar. The Salon Blanc de Blancs ‘Le Mesnil’ 1999 ($279.99) is a perfect example of a great vintage Champagne.  Even at fourteen years of age, it is still in its infancy.  Offering precise minerality, a creamy texture, and superb balance of acidity and structure, ‘Le Mesnil’ can still spend decades to come in the cellar.

So what does a producer do during the off years?  They produce non vintage Champagne, simply labeled as NV on the label.  NV Champagne are created by taking wine from an undeclared vintage and blending it with wine from past vintages and undeclared vintages, in order to create a consistent product that represents purely the style of the producer.  NVs should not be looked down upon since they can yield some of the best deals to be found.  For example, during those many years were Salon does not produce a vintage, they source their fruit out to Delamotte, a sister producer.  Delamotte Blanc de Blanc NV ($49.99) is a blend of Salon’s unused grapes, expressing the quality of the Grand Cru terroir that Salon sources at a fraction of the cost.  Pure, mineral driven, and precise, Delamotte Blanc de Blanc NV is even cellar worthy in its own right, and can age well up to a decade.

Blanc de What?

The term on the front of both Salon and Delamotte, “Blanc de Blanc,” directly refers to the soul grape varietal used in the Champagne.  There are three grapes allowed by French law to be used in making Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.

“Blanc de Blanc” literally translates to “White of Whites” and dictates that the Champagne will be comprised of 100% Chardonnay. Chardonnay adds delicacy, finesse, and freshness, and can create very pure and floral Blanc de Blancs .

“Blanc de Noir,” or “White of Blacks,” is made from 100% Pinot Noir, which lends richness and depth.  The most underrated of the Champagne grapes, Pinot Meunier, is often used for general blending. It adds a hardy character that forms the backbone for blended Champagne, such as Krug Grande Cuvee NV ($159.99), a Champagne that is equally rich and assertive, and further distinctive for using oak casks for primary fermentation, which asserts the masculine qualities of Krug.

Although Pinot Meunier is mostly known as a blending grape, there are producers who create excellent Champagnes from 100% Pinot Meunier.  One such producer, Egly-Ouriet, creates a rich, creamy Meunier based Champagne “Les Vignes de Vrigny” Premier Cru NV ($69.99).

The Grand Premier

At this point you may be asking yourself what the difference is between a Grand Cru producer, such as Krug, and a Premier Cru production, such as Les Vignes de Vrigny. In Champagne, the quality of a vineyard site is directly related to the terroir of the region around the town in which the vineyard is based;the best of which is declared as Grand Cru.  A village declared as a Grand Cru typically has optimum soil and climate, with the most sought after soil being a mixture of limestone and eroded seashell sediments, which produce the best Chardonnay.  Many premier cru vineyards tend be populated with more clay marl soils, which serve heartier grapes like Pinot Noir, and especially Pinot Meunier, optimally.  The difference between Grand Cru and Premier cru is crucial, however it does not guarantee and absence of quality for Premier Crus, which can produce excellent Pinot based Champagnes at expensive prices, or a shameless amount of price gouging for Grand Crus, with many hidden gems with outstanding price to quality ratios.  One such Champagne, Guy Charlemagne ‘Le Mesnil sur Oger’ Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru, Brut Reserve NV ($39.99) represents outstanding quality for a very reasonable price.

From Dry To Sweet

Are you still following along?  That was a lot of information, but there is STILL more to learn about interpreting Champagne.  The style of Champagne is created by the second fermentation that takes place in the bottle and creates the signature carbon bubbles that make you feel all warm and fuzzy.  However, during this second fermentation, sedimentation occurs at the bottom of the bottle.  By rotating the bottles over time in a process called ritaling, and popping off the closure of the bottle, causing the condensed CO2 in the bottle to shoot out all of the sediments that have accumulated in the neck of the bottle in a process called disgourgment. At this point, the overall style of the Champagne is decided, as a mixture of yeast, sugar, and wine, is then put in the bottle to make up the loss of wine from disgourgement. Depending on the sugar to wine ratio, this will decide the final style of the Champagne in terms of sweetness.

The levels from dry to sweet are as follows:

Extra Brut: Extra Dry

Brut: Dry

Sec: Sweet

Demi-Sec: Dessert Sweet.

Champagnes can still be made in even sweeter styles than Demi-Sec, though they are very rare and expensive.  A great introductory into dessert sweet Champagnes, Veuve Cliquot Demi-Sec NV ($49.99), is a delicately sweet wine, with flavors of orchard fruits and cream.

Rarer Champagnes Less Traveled

With more than 80 different Champagnes represented here at Beltramo’s, the choices can be infinite.  But by understanding the language of Champagne, you can now better understand what the style and value of the bottle in your hand will be.  Of course you can also always ask one of your personal Wine Consultants here at Beltramo’s.

Jimmy L., Beltramo’s Wine Consultant

Our line-up this week will give a glimpse into these famed styles with some fine examples from across Belgium, the well known names and the smaller, unique breweries will all feature in this fantastic tasting.

Try all nine of these great Beers for $5 this Friday May 24^th.

St. Bernardus Wit

De Ranke Guldenberg Abbey Ale

Dubuisson Cuvee Des Trolls

Hanssens Oude Gueuze

Monk’s Café Flemish Sour

Duchess De Bourgogne Red Ale

Fantome Chocolat Saison

Dubuisson Scaldis Tripel

Monks Stout Dupont

Christian B., Beltramo’s Beer Buyer

Luli is a unique partnership between Sara Floyd, a Master Sommelier, and the iconic Pisoni Family. Their wines are made with exceptional fruit grown in the Monterey County on the California Central Coast and from several top vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands.  Although these regions are not nearly as prestigious as Napa or Sonoma, they do produce wines that are well balanced, with bright fruit flavors, modest use of oak, and crisp acidity. With bottle prices ranging from $11.99-$18.99, these wines are a tremendous value. Hurry and reserve your bottles, the Pinot Noir did quickly sell out.

2012 Luli ‘Central Coast’ Rose  ($11.99):  “…is a blend between Grenache and Pinot Noir. Light Salmon color…displays racy flavors of peach skin, spring flowers, pomegranate, and lemon blossom. The palate is vibrant and crisp with a strong sense of slate and minerality. This wine is very refreshing and finishes with bright acidity to confirm that it will pair with a wine array of foods.” Winemaker: Jeff Pisoni

2012 Luli ‘Central Coast’ Sauvignon Blanc ($13.99):  “…emits a lively mix of passionfruit, gooseberry and light grassy notes. The aromatics are fresh and mouthwatering.” Winemaker: Jeff Pisoni

2011 Luli ‘Santa Lucia Highlands’ Syrah ($15.99):  “Expressive and broad…notes of spiced plums, blackberry, cedar, baking spices and tea leaf…rich with round supple tannins and dense fruit that flow into a long, velvety finish.” Winemaker: Jeff Pisoni

These are all nice picks for the up-coming barbecue season!

Will S., Beltramo’s Assistant Mangager

First is the 2011  ‘Arcosesto’ Orvieto Classico Superiore ($14.99).  Orvieto is an under-appreciated white wine from Italy.  This particular offering hails from Umbria, which lies on the eastern border of Tuscany.  Extremely low yields make for a vibrant wine packed with flavor.  The nose is crisp and clean with hints of honey and minerals.  That minerality carries into the taste which is punctuated with a bright acidity that wakes up the taste buds.  Hints of flowers and citrus are also there.  The wine has a viscous mouthfeel and can be served just below room temperature.  It will go well with fish dishes, but if you’re feeling adventurous try it with pork loin.  You’ll thank me.

Next up is the 2011 Borsao ‘Monte Oton’ Garnacha ($7.99).  This Spanish gem’s vineyards are located on the slopes of the extinct volcano, Moncayo.  The sun-drenched and arid climate makes for an opulent red wine that packs a punch.  This is an extremely fruit-forward red that will evoke the sensation for biting into a handful of fresh berries.  Think of this as Spain’s answer to Pinot Noir.  If you’re in the mood for a tuna panini, tapas, or seafood paella this is the perfect wine for you.

Last up is the 2010 Chateau Jalousie Bordeaux Superieur ($9.99).  Comprised of mostly Merlot, with a little Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon thrown in, this is a powerhouse of a wine that begs for a juicy steak.  On the nose there is a rush of earth that gives way to ripe berries.  All the while there’s the subtle hint of nuttiness that pokes up.  The flavor is awash in minerality with hints of fruit and ash.  I was very surprised to find a Bordeaux for $10 that I liked.  This is a great entry wine to introduce you to the 2010 vintage which is rapidly gaining notoriety as being one of the best in recent memory.

So there you have it:  Three exceptional wines at exceptionally budget-friendly prices.  Being crowd-pleasers, they are perfect for gatherings and big events.  Happy times and happy drinking!  Cheers!

Rob R.,  Beltramo’s Wine Staff

With the increasing demand for heavily hopped beers, new styles and brewing methods have been evolving; the traditional Pale Ales and IPA’s have been modified and supercharged to create double and even triple IPA beers with huge amounts of hops and malts to create a fiercely intense, palate destroying experience!

Our lineup this week encompasses a wide range of hopped beers from around the globe showcasing many different hop strains for a broad spectrum of flavors and aromatic qualities.

So if you need any further examples of the Hop’s dominant status in the beer world, come on down to Beltramo’s this Friday and sample some of the Hoppiest beers the world has to offer.

Try all nine of these great Beers for $5 on Friday, May 10^{th from 4:30-6:30}.

Thornbridge Hall Jaipur IPA

Epic Armageddon IPA

Nogne O ‘Two Captains’ Double IPA

Dogfish Head ‘Rhizing Bines’ IPA (Collaboration with Sierra Nevada)

Heretic ‘Evil Cousin’ Imperial IPA

Firestone ‘Double Jack’ Double IPA

Knee Deep Brewing ‘Hop Shortage’ Triple IPA

Clown Shoes ‘Muffin Top’ Belgian Style Triple IPA

Bear Republic ‘Black Racer’ Black IPA

Christian B., Beltramo’s Beer Buyer