Festive Fizz and More for New Years!

One holiday down, another one to go! We are back open normal hours all week to help you stock up on all of your festive fizz needs … American Sparkling, Prosecco, Champagne, or Pet-Nat … we have a bottle of bubbly that will help make your New Year’s Eve special. If you aren’t looking for bubbles, then we have plenty of great bottles of wine, beer, and cider for your celebration, just stop in and we’ll help find the perfect bottle for you.

Some Shop Favs:

Feder Winzerhof Stahl Spark!: It may not be well-known but Germany is the largest market for sparkling wine in the world and are the world’s third largest producers. In 2014, they drank 46 million cases of sparkling wine, which was over four times what Americans drank! The 2014 Spark! is a perlwein, or lightly sparkling wine similar to prosecco in the level of effervescence. This is an interesting blend of 50% Riesling and 50% Scheurebe, which is a Silvaner and Riesling crossing that has just celebrated its hundredth anniversary (bred in 1916 by Dr. Georg Scheu). Terry Theise, says Scheurebe is “Riesling just after it read the Kama Sutra … If Riesling expresses all that is Noble and Good, Scheu offers all that Dirty and Fun.” Delicious, inexpension, and fun … perfect for a large celebration!
Vending Machine Wines Pet-gNat 2016: Vending Machine wines are a small husband and wife company that specializes in special blends of superb juice packaged in artistic and fun packaging at reasonable prices. The company was born in Louisiana, but is based on wines from Napa and the surrounding areas, and it shows. The wines have their own voices. This pet nat is made using methode ancestrale, and is 100% Aleatico from across Napa. Don’t be worried about the sediment in the bottom of the bottle, chill it down, store upright, try not to shake it up too much, and just don’t pour that last half glass. Fruity and fizzy, a great party sparkler for when you are gathered together with your friends!
Ben Haines ‘B Minor’ Blanc de Blancs 2011: From the Grampians in Western Victoria, Australia, most often known for its Shiraz, comes one of a batch of experimental wine makers that are challenging the norms of Australian (and international) wine. Ben Haines grew up surrounded by wine and today, he crafts unique wines from superior vineyards. This Method Traditionale sparkling is a rare find at this price because of the time and effort required to produce quality at this price. A 100% Chardonnay that is undisgorged and was aged for four years on the lees, it packs a punch! As Ben says, “Bursting with fresh apple, lemon and grapefruit amidst complex yeast characters of toasty bread and roasted nuts. A tight, fine palate of great purity balanced by a subtly creamy texture.” A remarkable wine that is a great value, any way you measure it!
Balfour Leslie’s Reserve NV Extra Dry: Named after the owner’s wife, this is also made from the classic Champagne trio, but is mainly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Bright gold with a fine sustained bead, it has notes of brioche and fresh apple followed by refreshing flavors of lime and redcurrant. A great example of English Fizz and one of three from this great producer that we carry at the Shop on a regular basis! Check out more about them here.
Champagne Jeeper Grand Rosé: A winemaking dynasty since the 18th century, the Goutorbe family produces high-quality champagne in the village of Damery, in the heart of the Marne valley. Armand Goutorbe was an intelligence officer for the French Army during the Second World War, when the young winemaker was taken prisoner. He stayed strong and did not divulge any military secrets, eventually helping save American and other allied soldiers from certain death. Armand returned to his native Champagne disabled, but received a Willy’s Jeep from the US Army to enable him to work the vines and give him the chance to get his life and business back on track. He became known as Monsieur Jeeper and renamed his champagne “Jeeper” in 1949, in memory of his story and the desire to stand out from the various other Goutorbes in the region. Based on their Blanc de Blancs (88%) and blended with our own red wine (12% Pinot noir vinified in red), this champagne is rich, subtly persistent, and extremely refined. Dosage: 6g/l