Decks, Grills and the Jersey Shore

Because we've been gaining readers recently, it's time for the reminder about seasons. Craft beer seasons run ahead of the actual seasons by about 2 months. That's why we featured mostly summer seasonals in yesterday's Craft Beer Corner. We've also noted that our rose wines have been arriving in force; they are best enjoyed in the warm weather. To get the best choice of summer-friendly craft beer and wine, we recommend you shop at Joe Canal's soon!

Today, we'll take a look at some of the newest seasonal products to arrive, as well as some standard items.

Domaine La Colombe Coteaux Varois en Provence Rose 2015. We've carried this wine for a while, as a Provence rose is tough to beat. This is light-colored, with a very expressive nose, fruity on the palate, and possessing great finesse. Goes well with fish and grilled meats. It is also often appreciated as a delightful aperitif. 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Only $9.96 in the Bottle Club®.

Lagunitas Equinox. A creamy, pale oat ale hopped up with a huge charge of Equinox and Simcoe hops for a piney, eucalyptus, cedar, sprucey, forest blast. First brewed in 1995...brewed today in a time of change. 8% ABV, 50 IBU's. Available in 22oz bottles only.

Chateau Fontenil Fronsac 2005. 92 points from Wine Advocate. Their review: "From the home estate of Dany and Michel Rolland, the 2005 Fontenil has an opaque, thick ruby/purple color. Dense plum, black cherry, blackberry and cassis fruit jump from the glass of this full-bodied, terrific Fronsac, which is one of the appellation’s stars of the vintage. Long, rich, young, and capable of lasting another 15-20 years, this is one of the candidates for Wine of the Vintage in Fronsac. This wine actually needs another several years of bottle age."

A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the WA team tasted this wine in 2006, 2008, and 2015. They rated it consistently, going from an initial 90-92 points, to 90+, and finally ending at 92. Also rated 91 points by Wine Spectator. Only $25.99 in the Bottle Club® .

Weyerbacher IPA Project #1. The first IPA release of this series, IPA #1, features a blend of classic hops, Centennial and Cascade, along with new varieties, Calypso and Equinox. This 5.5% ABV IPA has citrus and floral notes that meld into citrus and tropical flavors with an herbal undertone that ties it all together. Very limited availability.

Chateau Grand Mayne St.-Emilion 2010. 92 points from Wine Spectator. Their review: "A dark, lush, enveloping style, with flavors of fig paste, blackberry preserves and hoisin sauce forming an impressive core, while smoldering tobacco and charcoal notes entwine themselves around it. The finish is long and fleshy. Best from 2015 through 2027. 4,500 cases made."

This also rated 94 points from Wine Enthusiast, 92 from James Suckling and 90 from Wine Advocate. $45.99 in the Bottle Club®.

B. Nektar Stupid Man Suit. A limited availability mead.

Appearance - Ruby red, bright & clear with a slightly fizzy, off-white head that lingers on the rim.
Aroma - Sweet & bold, ripe berries complimented by crisp, tart apples.
Experience - Crisp apple and cherry forward. The sides of the tongue garner the tartness of dry apple and unripened berries while a mild sweetness rounds and balances. Medium body with a dry, refreshing finish.

Pair with cheeses like gouda and chevre, pork chops, chicken salad, mushroom risotto and light pasta dishes.

New Brew

Here's a listing of the new brews that we expect to be delivered this week:

Troegs Sunshine Pils

The sun's role dominates the Hop Cycle as vines grow before the human eye and budding hop cones reach maturity beneath the sun's rays. Sunshine Pils combines the refreshing snap of a Euro-style Pilsner with an assertive hop character. Crisp. Hoppy. Pilsner. As a summer beer, it is a fine complement with all types of salads. It also pairs well with shellfish and mild fish filets. 4.5% ABV, 45 IBU's.

Terrapin Beer Co.

A trio of releases from Athens, GA. First up is Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale.

This refreshing summer offering  has all the flavor and aroma of freshly picked peaches (to the tune of 1,000 pounds per 100 barrel batch!) combined with the complexity of a well executed farmhouse ale.  You may remember Maggie’s older sister, Side Project Volume 7, one of Spike’s first first forays into  farmhouse ales. This newest version is just as lovely, should age just as well and has the uniquely GA flavor of fresh summer peaches!

Pair Maggie's with a perfect Georgia farm-fresh lunch; a fried green tomato sandwich with garlic aioli on freshly-baked bread and a spicy arugula salad. 5.3% ABV, 22 IBU's.

We're also expecting a delivery of Terrapin Moonray, Side Project Volume 22. Terrapin's rendition of this traditional Weizenbock style is clearly a hoax, as they added cocoa nibs and orange peel for a greater depth of flavor.  With its big malt presence and hint of banana from the yeast, this beer may just make you howl at the moon. 8.3% ABV, 20 IBU's.

Finally, we're also expecting Terrapin's Hi-5 IPA.

Like a memorable adventure along U.S. Route 101, “Hi-5″ California Style IPA leads you down a road of pure adrenaline and beauty. Capturing the majestic flavor of citrusy hops that roll off your tongue like a white cap on an ocean wave, this scenic wonder will keep you in awe, sip after sip. 5.9% ABV.

The Cider segment has been booming, and we're bringing in a couple of offerings from Farnum Hill. First up is Dooryard 1403.

‘Dooryard’ is an old/new idea, typical of this place. Many cider orchards abroad do big business at the farm, where locals refill their empties with whatever the cider-maker taps that day.

Dooryard 1403: Gently sparkling in bottles, prickly in kegs.  Barely off-dry, its bright fruity aromas and flavors weave around nice tannic astringency.  Peach, dried fruits and cream follow from the nose into the flavor, joined by pineapple, citrus, and woody suggestions.  These all carry into the finish, fading toward dried fruits and black tea.

DY 1403 came together beautifully from assorted crop elements.  Juice from three late-season bittersweet varieties, Dabinett, Chisel Jersey, and Yarlington Mill, set its tannic foundation.  Esopus Spitzenberg’s bright acidity and fruitiness supply most of its sharpness, perfume and high fruit. Dashes of Ashmead’s Kernel and Wickson bring in more intricate aromas and flavors with their keen signature acids.

Farnum Hill Summer Cider is golden and gently sparkling, blended to remind people in the States that good ciders make ideal summer “wines,” something the wider world never forgot. So in this one look for prominent fruit and keen acid, soft-pedaling the tannic, earthy notes common to the other FHC blends. In Summer Cider the fruits are rich, the citrusy notes are strong, with gentle sweetness in the background. It’s a bit like whiskey sours, without the alcoholic whack. Summer Cider’s alcohol by volume is FHC's usual, around 7.5%.  Available beginning in May, while it lasts — more goes out each year and sometimes they miscalculate. (Some people put cases down in their cellar in order to drink Summer all winter.)

Kloster Andechs Brewery

How about an import to round our Monday? Andechser Bollbier Hell is also due in.

A product of traditional multiple mashing, Andechser Vollbier Hell presents a bright straw yellow and clear gleaming look that cannot fail to fascinate.

Its head is firm and fine pored. Its aroma is pure and fresh from the cellar, with soft malty accents imbued with floral hoppiness.

Its light and soft body leaves a pleasant, tangy taste in the mouth. The mild sweetness marries well with the velvety bitterness of the hops. It concludes on a rounded, harmonious note.

Andechser Vollbier Hell is therefore a classical Bavarian Vollbier (11.5% original extract and 4.8% alcohol by volume).

Also due in, without additional notes, are the Breckenridge Summer Sampler and Stone Smoked Porter Chapter 22.