Today's Tasting!

If you're reading this, you probably missed out on our tasting this weekend. The wines today are FAB-ulous, but to give you some insider info, here's what they are, and some brief tasting notes. It'll be like you were there!:

Lindauer Non-Vintage Brut
This New Zealand sparkling wine, normally $17 is a steal from us--until the price goes back up--for $12. It's dry, pointed and full of character. It's so pleasing and easy to drink--it has touches of limes, grapefruit and roses so it's going to be compelling to many, and that's as it should be!

Château Noël St.-Laurent 2002 Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc
People came in asking for the rare wine we were talking about, and this is it. 100 cases of it were made (for the world to share). It's a blend of Rhône Valley white varietals, and it's quite seductive. It has a perfumed nose reminiscent of orange flowers and lime shortbread. The flavors--really unique--are equally attention getting: hints of fig, citrus, shortbread, and a lightly nutty finish. Exceptional wine, beats the crap out of the Conundrum and it's cheaper ($20)!

An 2000 Negra
Spanish wine--that's where the bargains are. Even at $35, this is some kind of wine! The wine is deep and intense, but it has qualities that one usually finds in fabulously expensive Bordeaux. An equivalent wine from that storied region might sell for $250. Coffee cream chocolate, violets, asphalt, and black raspberry chip combine as the principals in the beautiful, please-God-let-me-keep-smelling-this-wine aromatics. The flavors start with a cherry, raspberry canvas colored by black tea, tobacco, spice box, bavarian cream, and lavender--particularly on the finish, which is the Energizer bunny of finishes: you won't want to talk after swallowing for fear of losing the haunting quality of those flavors too soon! All this from a wine from Majorca (Mallorca)!!! That little island in the Mediterranean that the French and Spanish battled over for so long? Yes, and clearly there's more in Majorca than just summer homes for the British upper class! Incidentally, the bottle we tasted from was opened on 10/13, and it was still outstanding on 10/16, further evidence that it's going to be a loooooong-lived wine!

Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Ridge 2003 Shiraz Barossa Valley
Like a super sludgy Shiraz smoothie! The depth and velvety-ness are extraordinary. Like most Aussie wine, it's not nuanced, but who cares? It was meant for immediate enjoyment (or within 5 years), and let me tell you what kind of enjoying you can do with this! While I'm sure many can think of interesting things to do with this wine and ice cream, it would be a shame to sully it with anything other than your saliva! It shows tarry black plum and currant fruit with bittersweet chocolate on the back end, with a host of spices and herbs unfolding throughout the finish. This is a limited production wine, though we should have some for a few weeks. Don't miss out!!

MBM

Chocolate Bock is Back!

We just received our allotment of Chocolate Bock, the super rich super smooth seasonal temptation from Sam Adams! This stuff disappeared in hours last year when Enquirer beer writer Ed Westemeyer called it a great gift for Sweetest Day! There's only a few hours of Sweetest Day left but don't let that stop you from getting this special ale. Smooth, rich and dark, with an intensely robust flavor and creamy flavor enhanced with a special blend of Scharffen Berger chocolate. It comes in a 750ml bottle with a distinctive embossed pewter label, and makes a great gift for any occasion, especially to yourself for making it through another week! Just $13.99 a bottle while supplies last - don't wait! CTW

Draft Beer Lineup!

Unless you're really fast, you'll have missed the last few ounces of Stone Russian Imperial Stout by the time you read this! Our first 100 point beer (RateBeer.com) on draft lasted longer than I thought, mostly because I didn't allow pints and growlers! Spread the love around, you know. When it blows on the next glass or two, here's what we'll have on tap for the next few weeks!

1) Reissdorf Kolsch ( Germany)
2) Smithwick's Ale (Ireland)
3) LaChouffe (Belgium)
4) Old Speckled Hen (England)
5) Saison Dupont (Belgium)
6) Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold (Cleveland)
7) Barrelhouse Oktoberfest (Cincinnati's own)
8) Stone IPA (San Diego) - the return of the standard!
9) Unibroue Ephemere Apple (Quebec)
10) Great Lakes Nosferatu (Cleveland) - Burning River on steroids!

Come on in for a pint or three!

Top 25 Available at the Dilly!

With the addition of AleSmith, we knew we had some of the best beers in the world in stock, but we didn't realize how far we had come until we took a look at RateBeer.com's list of the Top 100 Brewers in the World! Compiled and released every six months, the most recent list came out in June. Of the Top 25, nine are not available to us in the state of Ohio, mostly for distribution reasons. For example, number 19 New Belgium Brewing, makers of the popular Fat Tire, only send beer as far as St. Louis and are at least several years away from being able to expand their territory. So what are the Top 25? Here we go:

1) AleSmith, San Diego - in stock!
2) Three Floyds, Munster, IN - in stock!
3) Stone Brewing, San Diego - in stock!
4) Kalamazoo Brewing (Bell's), Kalamazoo, MI - in stock!
5) Victory Brewing, Downington, PA - in stock!

Note how the top five in the world are USA breweries! This list ebbs and flows as breweries release new beers. In some older lists foreign breweries dominated. It speaks volumes about the gain in quality by domestic brewers!

6) Fullers, London England - in stock!
7) Westvleteren, Belgium - available every once in a while, in stock when we can!
8) Southampton Publick House - Long Island brewpub, not available in Ohio
9) Rogue Ales, Newport OR - in stock!
10) Pizza Port, Solana Beach, CA - brewpub, not available in Ohio - but I've been there!
11) New Glarus Brewing, WI - not available in Ohio
12) De Dolle Brewers, Belgium - in stock!
13) Dogfish Head, Milton Park, DE - in stock!
14) Unibroue, Quebec, CA - in stock!
15) Old Dominion Brewing, Ashburn, VA - in stock!

Keep in mind that we don't carry all beers from all brewers in stock at all times!
Rounding out the Top 25:

16) Bear Republic Brewing; Healdsburg, CA - not available in Ohio
17) Full Sail Brewing; Hood River, OR - not available in Ohio
18) Brasserie Cantillon; Belgium - in stock!
19) New Belgium; Ft. Collins, CO - not available in Ohio
20) Great Lakes Brewing; Cleveland - in stock!
21) Ayinger; Germany - in stock!
22) Samuel Smiths; England - in stock!
23) Fish Brewing Co; Olympia, WA - not available in Ohio
24) Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. - in stock!
25) Smuttynose Brewing; Portsmouth, NH - was in stock but no longer available!

In addition, we have 13 of the second 25, and overall fully half of the Top 100 Breweries in the World are represented at the Dilly Deli! And you know we have a great tap selection, as we have poured beers from No's. 3, 4, 12, 13, 14, 20 and 24 from the list above!

It's also telling that none of the big three American brewers are anywhere close to this list. And what is Anheuser Busch countering with? A souped up 'energy' version of Budweiser laced with guarano (sp?), ginseng and caffeine! Sounds yummy!

OK, we're done patting ourselves on the back now! - CTW