Allen's Retail Liquor Store

It's Spring--Think Pink !

2008-04-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

As I have said before, Spring just makes a wine drinker "Think Pink." 30 Sec Wine Advisor thinks so, too.

"There's something about warmer weather than makes a glass of crisp, dry rosé wine seem just right.

Some wine enthusiasts are wary about rosé because they've been disappointed by mass-market "blush" wines, which tend to be soft, sweet and one-dimensional.

But a true dry rosé is another shade of pink entirely - crisp and fresh and very food-friendly - and well worth getting to know if you haven't already been introduced."

Here and here too, I have previously waxed poetic about the blushes--some of my favorite wines to drink!

In fact, I have been drinking bottle after bottle of Eye of Toad for over a week. And I have enjoyed every one--with everything from liver & onions to mac & beef to chicken fried venison & gravy to a really great salad to a nicely grilled rib eye & French fries. Yes, I truly love my job.

Primitivo or Zinfandel?

2008-04-07T11:44:00.000-07:00

This from the 30Second Wine Adviser--

Is it Zinfandel, or is it Primitivo?

What we have here is a case of grape science catching up with reality, while bureaucracy lags behind.

Zinfandel, long called a "mystery grape" because it seemed to appear from nowhere in California Gold Rush days, hyped by a promoter named Agoston Haraszthy, who claimed that he had brought the rare grape to California from his native Hungary. In fact, Haraszthy certainly exaggerated his role: Zinfandel (sometimes rendered "Zinfindal," "Zierfandler" or "Zeinfindall") was well-known in the Eastern U.S. as a table grape long before Haraszthy set foot in Napa. It had turned up in a horticultural fair in Massachusetts as early as 1834.

Also, based on similarity in the grape and its leaves and the wine it made, Zinfandel for many years was thought to be a sibling of the Southern Italian Primitivo of Puglia.

It was only as recently as 2001 that modern grape sleuths, including Dr. Carole Meredith of the University of California at Davis, used DNA technology to confirm that Zinfandel and Primitivo are the identical grape, albeit different clones; and the same is true of the little-known Crljenik Kasteljanski of Croatia, which is now thought to be the original variety, exported to Italy as Primitivo and to the U.S. as Zinfandel.

Based on this evidence, the European Union moved quickly to permit Italian producers to use either "Primitivo" or "Zinfandel" to label wines made from either grape. The move makes great sense for Italy, as Zinfandel is immensely popular in the U.S. and more likely to sell wine exports than the relatively unfamiliar Primitivo.

U.S. regulators, on the other hand, have been slower to approve legal changes. The name Primitivo is now permitted for U.S. wineries (such as Rabbit Ridge) making wine from the Primitivo clone; but in contrast with European rules, American wineries may not use the names Primitivo and Zinfandel as synonyms. A proposal to allow this has been on the books since 2002 but has not been acted upon, reportedly because of opposition by Zinfandel producers who aren't excited about the possibility of competition.

Meanwhile, because the U.S. has signed off on the European labeling laws, this results in a curious situation in which European wineries may call Primitivo "Zinfandel" in U.S. sales, but American wineries may not.

Frankly, and probably more because of differences in wine-making styles than in fruit or terroir, Primitivo and Zinfandel are not all that similar. There's often a berry-like character in both, but differences typically fall across the usual Old World-New World lines, with most Zins landing on the big fruit, high-alcohol side, while Primitivo tends to lower alcohol and hints of earth, plus a whack of oak if the producer wants to impress the critics.

T.G.I.Friday's shares signature drinks

2008-04-05T20:55:00.001-07:00

T.G.I.Friday's make some terrific cocktails in their restaurants. Then, they also sell a pre-mixed line that we carry at Allen's. Here are some of their signature cocktail recipes, found by Maesz:

T.G.I. Friday's Signature Cocktails

B－52
1 oz Kahlua
1 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
1 oz Amaretto
Pour the Kahlua into a Cocktail glass. Take a
teaspoon, touch the edge of the spoon to the inside
side of the glass right near the surface of the
Kahlua, round back side of the teaspoon up. Gently
pour the Bailey's onto the round backside of the spoon.

B－1B
1 oz Vodka
1 oz Kahlua
1 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
1 oz Amaretto
Fill a shaker half full with ice cubes. Pour all
ingredients into shaker and shake well. Fill a
Highball glass almost full with ice cubes and strain
drink into Highball glass. Garnish with a Maraschino
Cherry.

DREAMSICLE
1 1/2 cups Bailey's Irish Cream
3 1/2 cups Orange Juice
In a lowball glass combine the two and stir.

FROZEN MUDSLIDE
2 oz Vodka
2 oz Kahlua
2 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
6 oz Vanilla Ice Cream
Blend alcohol with ice cream. Serve in frosted glass.

FROZEN KAHLUA MUDSLIDE
3/4 oz Vodka
1/5 oz Kahlua
1/5 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
1 oz Vanilla Ice Cream
1/4 cup Crushed Ice
Pour all ingredients into a Blender. Blend well at
High speed. Pour drink into a Collins glass and
garnish with a Maraschino Cherry.

MUDSLIDE
1 1/2 Ounces Vodka
1/5 Ounce Kahlua
1/5 Ounce Bailey's Irish Cream
Fill with Cola
Build in a highball glass over ice.

MUDSLIDE (MUD BOY RECIPE)
5 Ounces Kahlua
5 Ounces Bailey's Irish Cream
5 Ounces Absolut Vodka
2 Ounces Chocolate Syrup
Pour ingredients into a blender filled with ice.
Blend on high until smooth.

ORANGE CREAM
6 oz Orange Juice
2 tsp Grenadine
1 scoop Vanilla Ice Cream
1/4 cup Crushed Ice
Pour all ingredients into a Blender. Blend well at
High speed. Pour drink into a Collins glass and
garnish with a Pineapple Slice and a Maraschino Cherry.

Any Time Is a Good Time to Start Drinking Wine to Help the Heart, Study Suggests

2008-03-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

Extracted from Wine Spectator On-line March 2008 by Jacob Gaffney

People in their mid-40s to mid-60s who decide to take up moderate drinking, even after a lifetime of abstention, are likely to have healthier hearts when compared to lifelong nondrinkers, according to a study in the March issue of the American Journal of Medicine. In addition, those who chose wine as their primary alcoholic beverage were less likely to experience cardiovascular troubles such as heart attack or coronary heart disease than beer or spirits drinkers.

According to the text of the study, previous research has shown a beneficial effect on heart function from moderate alcohol consumption, defined as one drink a day for women and two for men.

King's team found that those who began drinking moderately during the study were 38 percent less likely to have an observable heart-related health issue than those who reported lifetime non-drinking. Those who took up heavier drinking, by comparison, were 42 percent more likely to have cardiovascular troubles than abstainers.

When the scientists separated the results according to beverage preference, they found that for the 133 subjects who reported drinking primarily wine, their risk of suffering a cardiovascular event was 68 percent less than that of nondrinkers. Beer and spirits drinkers benefited as well, but showed only a 29 percent lower risk of experiencing a heart problem. King said that the additional observed cardiovascular benefit for those who begin drinking wine in middle age was "consistent with recent studies showing a slight advantage to wine drinkers."

So, you want a wine for Easter?

2008-03-18T06:56:00.000-07:00

Try a nice rosé.

In the past rosé wines have gotten a bad rap as most people have only been exposed to inferior or sickly sweet rosé. But, a well-crafted, dry rosé can be a wine of beauty: crisp, complex, refreshing, with sprightly fruit, and often with charming spicy notes and good acid that is admirable. They pair well with poultry, fish, pork or ham, spicy Latin or Asian dishes, even lamb or venison.

Any of these would make an excellent choice:

Luna di Luna Pink Merlot
MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES Rioja Rosado
Little Penguin White Shiraz
Stone Hill Blush
Toad Hollow Eye of Toad (one of my personal favorites!)
Beringer White Merlot
Beringer White Zinfandel
Livingston Cellars Red Rosé
Livingston Cellars White Zinfandel

Smoking Loon 2005 California Merlot

2008-03-17T11:14:00.000-07:00

Rusty ruby color with slightly orange edges. Slightly herbal on the nose, but what is there is nicely fruited. Soft and smooth in the mouth, very true to type, with an interesting medium-length finish. Easy to drink. And it has a fun "whoop, whoop" stamped, synthetic cork. (Get it? "loon"? "whoop"?)

from the Don Sebastiani & Sons winery:

This Merlot is dark garnet in color and has aromas of fresh basil, blueberries, and Bing cherries. With good richness without being too heavy on the palate, the flavors of fresh cherry pie, sweet plum, and soft cinnamon spiked cranberry dressing finishing with notes of rich, vanilla French oak and delicate cherry and strawberry flavors.

This wine is packed with flavor yet still has a delicate body. This is a versatile wine that can be served with bruschetta over toasted French bread or cherry preserves over Brie served with water crackers as an appetizer. You could serve this wine with salmon over wild rice with toasted almonds, grilled chicken on top of a spinach salad with walnuts and dried cranberries, or thyme roasted pork chops over mashers.

Well, I can't say I would argue with the serving suggestions. It all sounds like it would mate really well.

Now, if someone will only show up and make me some bruschetta and French bread!

Bota Box 2005 Merlot

2008-03-11T17:19:00.000-07:00

personal tasting notes: Delightful nose! Rich with dark berries and black plums. Oh, yum, yum. The taste yields a slightly lean, but still very fruity, wine; quite toasty with some distinct oak notes. I found the finish just a tiny bit less than totally smooth, but very interesting. A nice, tasty, economical wine.

from the Winery: This lovely 2005 Merlot has a soft nose of plum and dark berry fruits with oak and spice nuances. On the palate the wine remains true to our style with fruit forward flavors of cherry with a hint of vanilla and toasty notes. The finish is smooth and well-balanced making this Merlot supple and easy to drink. Try our Merlot with roast pork or hearty meat and pasta dishes.

And for the ecologically minded amongst us--

Bota Box is printed on recycled paper containing 95% post-consumer fiber
The box is 100% recyclable
Print directly on Kraft paper which doesn't need to be bleached like white paper
The paper layers are bonded together with cornstarch instead of glue
All inks and coatings are soy based instead of petroleum based.

.........

AND an extra note--later in the week, I mixed this Merlot (about 35%) with some Black Box Shiraz (65%). Really quite good; very satisfying in all respects. The shiraz smoothes out the finish on the Merlot and the Merlot bumps up the fruit of the shiraz. A wonderful combination.

Wine Bags mean you can take it with you

2008-01-22T13:15:00.000-08:00

Carry-on liquid restrictions have put a damper on the favorite method for bringing home a bottle of wine from travels. Putting wine in your checked luggage is just asking for trouble, unless you can pack it well and make it leak proof.

BottleWise wine bags are the new best way to pack bottles, safe enough to check through. It holds each bottle in a padded and leak proof pouch, and snaps two bottles together. Then stuff it in your checked bag. The separate cover makes it presentable as a messenger-style bag on its own, for gadding about town with wine in tow. When it's not in use, it can fold flat so it doesn't take up too much precious packing space.

Wine X Magazine did a review with some good details, but the site was down as of this moment. Suffice to say they tested it by throwing it out a second story window, and it survived nicely, thank you.

Super Bowl Sangrias

2008-01-21T12:20:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl parties are another great venue to mix up a fresh batch of Sangria. Sangria is a lively, wine-based party drink that has a reputation for fruit and fun! It is easy to make, easy to drink and a welcome addition to basic beer and brats at any shindig.

Best Party Sangria Recipe

This Sangria recipe is perfect for big parties - always a favorite, you may consider doubling the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
1 Lemon cut into wedges
1 Orange cut into wedges
1 Lime cut into wedges
2 Tbsp sugar
Splash of orange juice
2 Shots of gin (or rum)
1 Cup of sliced strawberries or raspberries (may use thawed or frozen)
1 Small can of diced pineapples (with juice)
4 Cups ginger ale

PREPARATION:

Pour wine in the pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon, orange and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and pineapple then add sugar, orange juice and gin/rum.

Chill overnight. Add ginger ale, berries and ice just before serving. If you'd like to serve right away, use chilled red wine and serve over lots of ice.

Remember that the best Sangrias are chilled around 24 hours in the frig. - allowing the flavors to really marinate into each other.

Champagne 101

2007-12-28T08:03:00.000-08:00

Champagnes from Dry to Sweet

Brut: dry, less than 1.5% sugar
Extra Sec: extra dry, 1.2 to 2% sugar
Sec: medium sweet, 1.7 to 3.5% sugar
Demi-Sec: sweet, 3.3 to 5% sugar (Served as a dessert champagne)
Doux: very sweet, over 5% sugar (Served as a dessert champagne)

Other Wines with Bubbles

Sparkling wines made by the same process can't be called Champagne unless they're made in their namesake French region.

Chardonnay and pinot noir grapes are the main varieties used to make Champagne, and they're grown all over the world; many regions produce fine sparkling wines that are somewhat less expensive and more widely available than French Champagne.

Italian Prosecco and Asti, Spanish Cava and German Sekt are all delicious varieties of sparkling wine.

Lindemans South Africa Merlot 2005

2007-12-13T17:49:00.001-08:00

This wine shows a bright cherry red color and has nice "legs" after a good swirl in the glass. The nose offers blueberries and soft leather with a little vanilla hiding in the background. Taste gives plum, raspberries and some dark chocolate notes riding on the characteristic merlot softness and round mouth feel. Very good to drink. Tasty.

Invite the Crown Royal Family for the holidays

2007-12-06T16:29:00.000-08:00

Crown Royal is proud to announce the latest members of the family. You know the original Crown Royal, the everyday luxury, and you probably know the Crown Royal Special Reserve in the gold box. But have you met the two new Royal family members?

Crown Royal Cask 16 is the very newest edition, in striking black tubes and black bags. A selection of Crown Royal's finest whiskeys, aged in cognac casks. This gives it a terrific fruity overtone with a nose of vanilla, spice and fruit.

Crown Royal XR Extra Rare is a limited release, in a sumptuous red box and lovely red inner bag. Crown Royal is bottling the last of the rare whiskeys from the old Waterloo Distillery, that has burned down, blended with the finest of the current stock. No more Waterloo whiskeys can be distilled, and once they are gone, there will be no more. We receive very limited shipments of Crown Royal XR. If you want to own one of these historic bottlings, don't wait too long!

Wine Tasting Evenings

2007-11-26T10:03:00.000-08:00

The NorthWest Technology Center is once again sponsoring wine tasting evenings.

Beginning 28 January 2008 with a selection of robust red wines, then 4 February 2008 we will taste several of the blushes and, finally, on 11 February 2008 the freshest of whites will be showcased. If you have specific wines you would like to try, email this website.

Meetings will start at 6:30pm in The Runnymede in downtown Alva. You must be 21 years of age to participate and bring proof of age each meeting.

So, enroll at the Technology Center (580-327-0344), mark your calendars and prepare for the most fun you will ever have with homework !

Xplorador Chardonnay 2005

2007-11-25T14:50:00.000-08:00

Concha y Toro produces this very nice chardonnay from the Central Valley of Chile.

It is very yellow in appearance with aroma of green apples and pineapple. The taste is round in the mouth but still crisp and pleasant. Since this wine is aged in stainless steel vats, there is no hint of oak so the fruit is bright and forward with a whisper of vanilla near the finish.

I am normally not a white wine drinker, but this one could turn me into a "switch drinker!"

What wine do I serve with Thanksgiving dinner?

2007-11-10T09:21:00.001-08:00

"What wine do I serve with turkey?"

Here are some simple guidelines:
1. Serve just one white wine, or one red and one white wine.
Keep it simple. This helps guests not accidentally mix two different wines.

2. Serve wines that go with almost any food.
Your dinner will have a huge range of flavors, from spicy, to rich, to everything in between. So you want flexible wines with some fruit.

3. Serve great, affordable wines.
Most of your family are not wine experts. Help them enjoy the wine by picking simple, easy to drink wines. If you are a big wine fan, save your $50 a bottle favorite to relax after the holidays.

Recommendations:

From our stock, we have several choices, all under $15.

White wines:

Rosemount Traminer Riesling - long our favorite recommendation
Columbia Crest Sauvignon Blanc
Columbia Crest Gewurztraminer
Bolla Pinot Grigio

Red wines:

George DeBouf Beaujolais Villages
Camelot Pinot Noir
Xplorador Malbec

Enjoy!

Spirited gift choices

2007-11-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

You have lots to choose from, if you'd like to give a liquor gift set this year. When you come in, be sure to look around on the very top of the shelves for all nifty gift packs.

Everything from shot glasses, to poker chips, to a lovely wooden chest.

the Wishing Tree Shiraz 2005

2007-10-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

Lovely garnet color; dark stone fruit aromas; bright, fresh, tart red cherry flavors, some sharp pepper in the middle and a minerally finish with a little "pucker" after. "85" rating

Sweet and scary treats for BIG girls and boys

2007-10-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween, and we're celebrating with some sweet and scary items!

Scary

Vampyre Vodka - this year, it's crystal clear instead of blood red!
Vampire Merlot - a surprisingly good wine! Read Mom's review.
Redrum - what could be more Halloween-y?

Sweet

Bailey's Caramel Irish Cream
Bailey's Mint Chocolate Irish Cream
Tequila Rose Strawberry Cream
Tequila Rose Cocoa Cream
Wild Turkey American Honey Liqueur

Which are you, sweet or scary?

Spanish Wine -- 101

2007-10-02T05:47:00.000-07:00

From Wine Spectator magazine

Tempranillo
Spain's major contribution to red wine, Tempranillo, is indigenous to the country and is rarely grown elsewhere. It is the dominant grape in the red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero, two of Spain's most important wine regions.

In Rioja, Tempranillo is often blended with Garnacha, Mazuelo and a few other minor grapes. When made in a traditional style, Tempranillo can be garnet-hued, with flavors of tea, brown sugar and vanilla. When made in a more modern style, it can display aromas and flavors redolent of plums, tobacco and cassis, along with very dark color and substantial tannins. Whatever the style, Riojas tend to be medium-bodied wines, offering more acidity than tannins.

In Ribera del Duero, wines are also divided along traditional and modern styles, and show similarities to Rioja. The more modern-styled Riberas, however, can be quite powerful, offering a density and tannic structure similar to that of Cabernet Sauvignon. Toro is an emerging region that is proving an ability to deliver high quality Tempranillo-based reds, with ripe fruit and impressive power.

Tempranillo is known variously throughout Spain as Cencibel, Tinto del Pais, Tinto Fino, Ull de Llebre and Ojo. It's also grown along the Douro River in Portugal under the monikers Tinta Roriz (used in the making of Port) and Tinta Aragonez.

Garnacha
Drought- and heat-resistant, Grenache yields a fruity, spicy, medium-bodied red wine with supple tannins. While it is widespread in France's Southern Rhône Valley, it is also important in Spain, where it's known as Garnacha Tinta. Grenache is especially noteworthy in Rioja (where it is a secondary grape in wines dominated by Tempranillo) and Priorat (where it often takes the lead in blends that may also contain Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah). Campo de Borja has recently shown an ability to make rich, fruity wines from old-vine Garnacha.

Grenache Blanc, known in Spain as Garnacha Blanca, is in various Spanish whites, including Rioja.

Monastrell
Monastrell is best known as Mourvèdre, used in France’s Southern Rhône Valley, but this red grape is indigenous to Spain, where it flourishes in the sandy soils of the Jumilla district, in the southeastern part of the country near Valencia. Well-made examples show chewy tannins, spicy cherry and berry flavors and a characteristic gamy, meaty or smoky note.

Luna di Luna 2006 Pink Merlot

2007-09-29T16:54:00.001-07:00

Nice clear salmon colored wine; citrusy nose--pink/red grapefruit predominate. Cherry, citrus fruit, pineapple tastes; really nice, clean finish after a short linger to remind one of the wonderful fruit here. Just barely a hint of un-sugared fruit sweetness.

I was eating boiled shrimp dipped in a horseradish/ketchup sauce when I tasted it. This little wine did quite well. Later, I enjoyed it with beef and noodles. So, a very versatile wine here.

Vampire 2005 Merlot

2007-09-28T17:03:00.000-07:00

First of all a blood red cork!

And then a deep, clear ruby color with not a tinge of amber at the edges. (Watch your carpet!)

A nice nose like walking through a berry patch and into a plum orchard both full of ripe, ripe fruit. Great fruit in this wine. And a lot of levels of taste and wonderful long lasting end notes.

The website says they added 8% Cabernet and 8% Zinfandel; really nice additions that give depth and a zing on the end. Surprisingly pleasant to drink.

TRES SUEÑOS Oklahoma Merlot

2007-09-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

A clear, deeply claret-colored wine with a slight nose of fruit. The taste is sharply spicy with a smashing dollop of heat on the end followed by a very mineral, stony finish.

According to their website this is "a full-bodied, red wine packed full of spices and plum flavor. Sure to delight your senses with its unusual finish."

Oktoberfest is here!

2007-09-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

Since 1810, the two weeks before the first Sunday in October have been set aside for beer, sausages, spaetzle, and sauerkraut. Breweries create special beers in the Oktoberfest style.This year's festival runs from September 22 through October 7, and there's no reason to miss it. Find your lederhosen, a good source for bratwurst, a fine lager, and celebrate Oktoberfest.

Sam Adams is available right now.

Nuyaka Oklahoma Merlot

2007-09-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

At last a "true" Oklahoma merlot made from Oklahoma grapes. The Nuyaka Creek website states, "a complex blend of flavors in this bold, red wine, made from our own vineyard grapes."

I found a beautifully clear ruby colored wine with a nose reminiscent of an Oklahoma blackjack stand on a cool, damp Oklahoma morning with wild grape and blackberry scents for fun. A very lean, clean wine with a pleasantly mineral bite and an ever so slight fizziness in the mouth.

New Oklahoma Wines

2007-09-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

A bonanza of new Oklahoma wines have just become available!

Our neighbors at Ringwood, Indian Creek Village Winery, produce a popular Cowboy Blush, and we are happy to be able to stock it now! You can also try the new Merlots from Tres Suenos and Nuyaka Creek Wineries, or the neat Riesling from Windmill Winery in southwestern Oklahoma.

We still carry Tidal School Oklahoma Sunset, Oklahoma Sweet and Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon; Grape Ranch Country Red; and Natura Scissortail Red and Bob White.