A&B Liquor Store - What's New?

Sometimes a full bottle of vino is just too much wine… not in my family, but perhaps in yours. For such cases as this, I give you Fat Bastard Shiraz in a single serving size of 250ml ($4.95). They class this red wine as one that is rich and dense, and pairs well with red meat, lamb, spicy foods and full-bodied cheeses. Whether you are looking for a single serving of wine or something fun for a Christmas stocking, this lil Fat Bastard is for you!

You may have been told that pairing wine with a Thanksgiving meal can be a real chore. I’m here to tell you that scrubbing your toilet is a chore – picking out wine is more like a delightful walk in the park on a sunny afternoon!
Since Thanksgiving dinner is full of different foods and flavours, it’s best to keep your wine light, fruity and even slightly sweet. Although we do carry some great wines that are dry, oaky, tannic and over 16% alcohol by volume, Thanksgiving dinner is not the time to uncork these wines (see us next week about Tait’s The Ball Buster, Barossa Valley Australia, 16.2% alc./vol., $23.95).
If you’re a red wine drinker, look for a Pinot Noir. White wine drinkers would do well with a nice Riesling or Gewurztraminer. Rosés are also a great pairing for a Thanksgiving feast. Here is a sampling of some of the lovely wines that A&B Liquor Store has on hand for Thanksgiving 2010:
- Mission Hill Five Vineyards Pinot Noir 2008 - Canada ($19.95)
- Erben Pinot Noir 2007 – Germany ($12.95)
- Oyster Bay Pinot Noir 2008 – New Zealand ($20.45)
- Dirty Laundry Madam’s Vines Gewurztraminer 2009 – Canada ($24.95)
- Dr. L Riesling – Germany ($14.95)
- Hardy’s Stamp of Australia Riesling Gewurztraminer 2009 – Australia ($10.95)
- La Vieille Ferme Rosé 2009 – France ($11.95)
- Virgara Wines Rosé 2007 – Australia ($14.95)
- Fuzion Rosé 2010 – Argentina ($9.55)
Happy Thanksgiving!

We've had Dan Akroyd's Crystal Head Vodka for awhile now (in the 750ml and 1.75L sizes) but this gift set is NEW! It's a boxed set of Crystal Head Vodka 750ml and 2 skull-shaped shot glasses ($55.95). Unlike some gift pack shot glasses, these are definitely keepers, with "Crystal Head Vodka" subtly stamped on the bottom of the glass. (Just took one out of the box and everyone was impressed with the weight and design of these bad-boys!)

"This isn’t your average spiced rum but a spiced rum on cinnamon steroids." -Chip Dykstra, The Rum Howler Blog

Lamb's Black Sheep ($23.95) is the newest addition to our spiced rum collection. Hard to resist it after reading The Rum Howler's review:

"Do you remember those tiny heart shaped red candies with the strong cinnamon smell? You do, okay that is exactly what I smell here. Combined with the dark rum aromas this is very enticing.

This is yummy. An explosion of cinnamon toast and molasses. Somehow it works instead of going awry. Mixed with coke this is even better."

Milagro Select Barrel Reserve Reposado tequila ($72.95) has arrived at A&B. The tequila is aged 10 months in new French single oak barrels, which is supposed to bring out flavours of vanilla and white pepper. The hand-blown crystal bottle is stunning and a must-see.

We happen to have bottle number 013 in store. Lucky number 13 anyone?

Just in today is Humulus Ludicrous Strong Beer ($4.25) from Half Pints Brewing Company of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The name stems from the Latin name for hops - Humulus Lupulus - and the label reads, "our most ridiculously hoppy beer". If you like light beers, this probably isn't for you!

Humulus Ludicrous was listed in "World’s Best Beers" by Ben McFarland, and "1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die" by Adrian Tierney-Jones. Might want to add it to your Bucket List.

We've had this beer in the Dead Frog mixed pack all summer, but it's finally here on its own in a 6-pack ($12.35). Better late than never, right?

Dave, on www.beerinbc.com, had this to say about it:
"A nice crisp golden lager whose aroma smells like Tostitos Lime Tortilla Chips. The taste is much better. The pepper balances out the lime all the while the lager backs them up. It’s a surprisingly good menage-a-trois of flavours that will quench any thirst."

Three new Canadian wines arrived this week. Beppi Crosariol from The Globe and Mail had this to say about one of them:

"And my bargain domestic suggestion of the week is available only in B.C. and Alberta. White Bear Pinot Blanc 2008 from the Okanagan Valley ($12.95, visit www.whitebearwines.com for more information) is a deftly engineered white from Artisan Wine Co., the value-oriented operation associated with Mission Hill proprietor Anthony von Mandl that also makes the fine brands Wild Horse Canyon and Ganton & Larsen. Part of the proceeds from the White Bear brand support ecosystem conservation, but this pinot blanc is worth the money and then some on the basis of taste alone. Plenty of concentration here, with nuances of spiced pear and citrus. Bottled under screw cap, it's a good choice for picnics."

Apothic Red Winemaker's Blend 2008 ($13.95) from California has been flying off our shelves. Robert Parker declared the '07 vintage "one of the greatest bargains I have ever tasted from California."

It also happens to be Doreen's Pick of the Month:
"... A smooth finish with mellow vanilla overtones. Interesting! All my guests really liked it and it also went over really well at a Saturday in-store tasting."

Pretty bottle, too.

This week we added Big House Red and White ($11.95) to our shelves. The name refers to "the big house", aka "prison", and should not be confused with Big White House winery (which came up when I searched Google).

Wine Specator designated the 2008 White a Best Value, gave it 87 points, and had this to say:

"Wonderfully perfumed and fragrant, like a walk through a flower garden. Honeysuckle, melon, green apple, peach and citrus notes are punctuated by the smooth body and vibrant acidity."

We'll be doing an in-store tasting of this wine tomorrow, so stop by and take "a walk through a flower garden."

"By the year 2015, the greatness of Argentinean wines made from the Malbec grape will be understood as a given. This French varietal, which failed so miserably on its home soil in Bordeaux, has reached startling heights of quality in Argentina." Robert Parker Jr.

2015? Well, we're pretty excited about Malbecs in the year 2010. (Is A&B Liquor Store ahead of its time??) We have a great selection of Argentinian wine, including this little number - Renacer Punto Final Malbec 2008 - which just hit our shelves last week. It's $16 in B.C., and we sell it for $13.95! Wine Spectator gave it 88 points and had this to say:

"A forward, juicy style, with blackberry and licorice notes that stay lively on the medium-weight finish. Drink now."

Yes, drink now.

We now carry Fat Ass Blanco tequila ($42.95). You might be tempted to buy this because of the name, but it won a gold medal at the 2010 World Spirits Competition in San Francisco, so you could be surprised by what's inside the bottle. Either way, who doesn't want to ask their friends if they'd like some Fat Ass?

Lots of new stuff this week, including Stoked Vodka with Hemp Extract ($27.95), created by two ladies from Grande Prairie, Alberta. (http://www.liquidchicks.com)
We also have four new Japanese beers sold as single bottles:
- Baird Rising Sun Pale Ale 360ml ($3.95)
- Imperial Smoked Porter 500ml ($7.95)
- Hitachino Nest White Ale 330ml ($3.95)
- Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale 330ml ($3.95)
Stop by to check out other new goodies...

Crowsnest Pass is buzzing and it's only Thursday! Check out the Sole Survivor 2/5/10km Race Friday night in Blairmore (proudly sponsored by A&B) and look for us in the parade Saturday morning.
Of course Saturday night is the big fireworks show that everyone has been waiting for. Prepare to be thunderstruck!

What's New, A&B?