Snow Day Grab Bag

Normally, your blogger doesn't care for snow and winter, but today wasn't much more than an inconvenience. And since the spring beers are in the stores and the rosé wines are arriving, the nice weather is clearly at hand.

St. Patrick's Day is often viewed as a dividing line between winter and spring. While we certainly love some Jameson's on St. Patrick's, Irish whiskey is a large, and growing, category. Click here to see our recent discussion of Irish whiskey.

We're still on track to begin selling New Belgium's Fat Tire on March 14. We'll share additional details as soon as we're able.

In Store Events

There are as many as 20 different events already on the schedule at each of our stores. That's just too much to summarize in today's post, so we dedicated all of yesterday's post to highlighting the upcoming events. Click here for the details.

New Products

The Bruery White Oak. White Oak is a hardy, blended wheatwine-style ale, grafting elements reminiscent of caramel, vanilla, coconut and warm oak with the creamy complexity of wheat. Crisp effervescence spirals around sweet bourbon barrel-aged layers, expanding into a refreshingly robust ale. Pair with seared foie gras with caramelized apples, French toast, pineapple upside down cake. 12.5% ABV, 20 IBU's.

Purity Vodka. A limited quantity of the 1 liter size is available at each store. Purity Vodka was specifically requested by a number of different people in our recent customer survey.  Purity Vodka is the result of a long lasting quest to redefine ultra-premium vodka, bringing character to a spirit which by tradition is more one of image and style rather than substance.

Daring to stand out from the crowded cluster of neutral, mainstream vodkas, Purity Vodka has not been made to please everyone. It is full-bodied, complex and loaded with character yet, smooth and sophisticated.

Purity Vodka comes to life in a unique vodka still made of copper and gold at 13th Century Ellinge Castle in the south of Sweden. Purity Vodka is made exclusively from natural ingredients including the very finest organic winter wheat and malted barley and is certified organic in Europe and the US.

14 Hands Winery Kentucky Derby® Red Blend. For those who prefer might wine to a Mint Julep on Derby Day. "Our goal when crafting this unique wine was to capture the fun yet sophisticated essence of the Kentucky Derby," said 14 Hands winemaker

Keith Kenison. "What makes this red blend so unique are the layers and structure you’ll discover with each sip, from dark fruit flavors to light touches of white pepper. We are always striving to make a style of wine that everyone can enjoy, and we think the Kentucky Derby Red Blend is perfect for those who want to take a taste of the Derby home with them."

The 14 Hands Kentucky Derby Red Blend offers a harmonious combination of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah to provide a flavorful wine experience that showcases juicy Washington fruit character. Aromas of dark berries and plums introduce this rich blend, followed by subtle hints of chocolate and white pepper. Flavors of dark berries and cocoa, supported by plush tannins, give way to a lengthy persistent finish. Available for a limited time.

Cinnabon Cream Liqueur. That unmistakable, unrelenting smell of cinnamon rolls made by the famous Cinnabon bakers now transforms into an adult beverage: Cream Liqueur.

Sip it straight up, on the rocks or add it to your coffee, milkshake or cocktails. You can’t go wrong with throwing a little ice and Cinnabon cream liqueur into a blender for the perfect drink!

                                    Ripped from the Headlines

Burgundy shortage? According to Decanter, we should worry. Click here for the story.

We'll stay with France for this week's final story: Tour de France Irks French Vintners with Chilean Wine Sponsor. Furious winemakers in France’s Aude region have threatened to block the route of the Tour de France at strategic points as it passes through the area in July, in a rather belated response to a sponsorship deal with Chilean wine group Cono Sur. The Chilean cuvée Bicicleta was uncorked for the first time for the Tour in Britain in 2014, then in Holland and Belgium in 2015. The sponsorship deal with Tour de France organizer Amaury Sport Organisation is slated to continue through 2017. The Aude vignerons only recently learned of the deal, and have erupted in anger.

"We feel humiliated," said Frédéric Rouanet, president of the 4,000-member Aude Syndicate and a winegrower himself in Pépieux. The Aude growers contend that the Tour de France represents French culture and the organizers should have chosen a French wine, despite that it could only be marketed during the stages in Andorra, Spain and Switzerland. France’s strict Evin Law forbids advertising wine in association with sporting events like the Tour de France while on French territory, so at least the Aude producers will not have to bear the humiliation of having Chilean Bicicleta peddled in their own backyard. The Tour de France passes through the Aude's Carcassonne and nearby Montpellier during Stage 11. (from Wine Spectator)

Have a great weekend!