Kevin and wineWritten by: Kevin Schulke, Senior Category Manager Beer & Wine Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving for the first time or the twentieth time, or if you are a guest looking for a great wine to bring to your holiday festivities, we have three wines that will please someone in every crowd and pair wonderfully with traditional Thanksgiving foods.  It is no wonder they are among the most popular wines during this holiday. Red wine enthusiasts will love Mark West Pinot Noir.  With aromas of spice, dark fruit and MWsmoky oak it pairs wonderfully with the abundance of herb-infused dishes Thanksgiving offers. The black cherry, cola, strawberry and plum flavors will go great with dark turkey meat, ham and stuffing.  Mark West is the #1 Pinot Noir in America and a great value for the money! If you want to impress your guests with a new-age red wine, Beaujolais Nouveau is for you.  Beaujolais Nouveau is a young red wine made from handpicked Gamay grapes grown in the Beaulolais region of France.  While most red wines improve as they age, Beaujolais’ allure is all about freshness.  Fermentation is so short that the resulting wine exhibits fruity flavors and light tannins.  Under French law, this wine may be released at 12:01 on the third Thursday of November, just weeks after the wine’s grapes have been harvested.  Producers race to deliver this wine to retailers throughout France and the world where it is popularly enjoyed with Thanksgiving dinner.  Beaujolais Nouveau should be consumed within a year of being made and is best served slightly cooled.  We recommend enjoying this wine chilled to bring out the strawberry, raspberry and cherry flavors. CSM_CV_rieslingWhen hosting any event, you should always have a white wine as well as red.  Chateau St. Michelle Riesling is a blend of Riesling from throughout Washington’s Columbia Valley. If you’re looking for a refreshing, flavorful, medium-dry Riesling, this is the one for you!  The wine offers crisp apple aromas and flavors with subtle mineral notes. This “everyday Riesling” is a pleasure to drink and easy to match with your Thanksgiving dinner. The Riesling’s innate flavors of apple and its clarifying acidity give it a significant pairing edge with the likes of sweet potatoes, turkey meat and spice-laden or herb-filled stuffing.  Rieslings are typically sweeter than most white wines so it may be a good idea to have a drier white wine as well, such as a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Cheers! Kevin *Please note Price Chopper only carries wine in Vermont, New Hampshire and the following Massachusetts stores: Pittsfield, Shrewsbury, Lenox. Written by: Kevin Schulke, Senior Category Manager Beer & Wine It’s always sad when you realize that the nights are getting darker earlier and summer is really over!  Before winter gets the best of us, we should really try to enjoy the glorious autumn season to its fullest.  I suggest the following outside activities to truly take advantage of everything the season has to offer: The looming fall season will also bring a number of seasonal beer offers.  Remember, these are limited time offers, often quite unique, and provide the perfect opportunity to try something different!  While I’ll try to tell you about a few seasonal beer products that will be on our shelves this fall, keep in mind that these products are made seasonally, which means they may differ slightly from years past.  They’re limited editions so they may not be in every location and they will certainly not last long! Today there are seasonal beer offerings for every season, but the roots of seasonal beer are traced to October 12, 1810, the marriage of Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Bavaria. There was a special Oktoberfest Beer produced to celebrate their wedding and we are still celebrating now over 200 years later! Samuel Adams Octoberfest– The list must start here as in this country this is the number one fall seasonal beer. It has a deep red amber color, slightly sweet malty aroma, and the flavor is roasted caramel with a slightly hoppy toffee malt. Enjoy it with sausage, roasted chicken or a delicious roast pork, but do enjoy it. Brooklyn Oktoberfest-Brewed with German malt and hops, it is true to the German style with a little “Brooklyn” know-how. It pairs well with roasted foods or great with a burger. Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale– Certainly and singlehandedly responsible for the huge popularity of the pumpkin style beer today. It boasts hints of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It is a crisp and refreshing beer that pairs equally well with food or while socializing with friends. Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale– Orange amber in color, with a pumpkin aroma and crisp clean finish. It is perfect for your Thanksgiving Dinner; the trick is to avoid drinking it before Thanksgiving Day. Saranac Pumpkin Ale– Brewed with real pumpkin and the same spices you’d use to make pumpkin pie. The results are delicious and you might serve this with roast duck, hearty soup, or pumpkin pie. It’s scary good! Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale-This fall seasonal has its roots in Colonial days; where pumpkin was added in place of traditional malts. This version has over 17 pounds of pumpkin in every barrel. The results are a dark amber brew, full bodied and with subtle spice notes. It is perfect with the traditional holiday meals! While my suggestions for fall activities and limited time fall malt beverages will not stop this winter from being extremely cold with potentially record snowfall ,they may provide some pleasant memories to help you make it until spring! Want to win a beer and food pairing dinner at the Gideon Putnam hotel in Saratoga? Our Saratoga summer giveaways are winding down but we have one more exciting contest for our fans, courtesy of Heineken!  Do you like to pair different beers with certain foods?  If so, we have the perfect event for you!  Tell us your favorite beer and food combination for a chance to win four tickets to an evening beer and food pairing dinner at the Gideon Putnam hotel in Saratoga!  One of the talented chefs at Putnam’s restaurant will personally suggest and recommend different beer and food pairings—sure to please anyone’s palate!  The dinner will be held on September 29th and four invitations will be sent to the winner! Comment below as well as on our Facebook page with your ideal beer and food pairing by Tuesday, August 28th at 2:00PM to be entered to win!  Read official rules here.
Written by Kevin Schulke
Category Manager of Beer, Wine and Salty Snacks
 

Well, that tiny bit of snow that all of us in the Northeast experienced this winter is now but a fading memory.  The days are getting longer, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, (hopefully you’re getting this picture) and it’s time to turn our concerns to some of the more important things in life, that is the next Great Barbecue and of course planning the all important adult beverages to go along with it.

The first rule of beverage planning is to go for something a little different. After all, if you want your guests talking about the great barbecue that they went to over the weekend you’ll definitely need to include something more than your typical drink options.

For starters, we’re recommending a blast from the past- Sangria. At one time this was a very popular wine offer, now it’s just the retro beverage offer to start your BBQ event, and strangely enough you’ll find that even non-wine drinkers will enjoy your efforts. Here is a simple recipe that takes almost no time to prepare and has a great balance of alcohol and fruit with an acidic backbone to stand up to any spicy rub or BBQ Sauce and other strong grilled flavors.

Simply Simple Sangria 1 Bottle Red Wine (medium body dry red wine) 1 to 2 cups Brandy – Start with 1 cup and adjust after sampling 1 to 2 cups Price Chopper sugar – Adjust to your taste as you sample 1 lemon 1 lime 1 orange 5 strawberries 1 apple 2 cups Price Chopper club soda

Method: Slice the fruit and place in a large pitcher with all ingredients except for the club soda. Allow to sit for at least 2 hours. If you have the foresight, make it the night before. Just before serving, add club soda and plenty of ice cubes. If it tastes too strong, just add more club soda.

As a time saving alternative, purchase the fresh fruit as noted in the recipe above and pick up a couple bottles of Madria Sangria. It’s inspired by an original Spanish recipe and really quite good.  You’ll still need to pre-chill the wine and don’t skip the fresh fruit. Be certain to have a back-up supply as everyone will love your “starter” beverage and you’re going to need more than you think.

Let’s turn our attention next to a wine to serve with the food. Be bold and try something intensely fruity with deep color and fruit aromas followed by a palate of dark plum, blackberry, and spice; let’s try Brazin Zinfandel. The vines are old, the grapes are small, and the fruit is quite intense. The Lodi Region where Brazin comes from is known for the blistering daytime heat which is always followed by the cooling ocean breeze that floats along the Sacramento River and arrives late every afternoon just in time to cool the grapes before a good night’s sleep. The winemakers efforts speak for themselves and your guests will love it. 

Additional recommendations:

Don Miguel Malbec is full bodied with deep violet color aromas and flavors of blackberry, blueberries, plum, dark cherry and a heavenly hint of mocha.

Alamos Chardonnay enjoy its flavors of ripe apple, apricot, and peaches with a pinch of spice and butterscotch.

We all know it would not be a barbecue season if we did not include the beer. Before we select our special beer make certain your plan calls for a cooler with plenty of ice as your beer is not to be kept in the refrigerator, never ever in the refrigerator.  Our highlighted selection has been around for quite awhile; in 1842 this pilsner marked its debut and is actually the first pilsner beer ever. In spite of its 160 year history it’s unlikely that many of your guests will be familiar with this brew full of malty, buttery flavor, and a crisp, clean finish. The bitter finish is from the hops and it is the perfect contrast to the common sweetness of barbecue sauces, it’s a virtual palate cleansing with each and every sip. Allow me to introduce Pilsner Urquell, its home is in the Czech Republic but you’ll be happy to have it visit your home any day.

Additional recommendations:

Long Trail Double Bag is a dark amber strong ale, also known as “Stickebier” German slang for “secret brew”. It isn’t secret anymore….

Killian’s Red is made with a unique level of bitterness and carbonation from its caramel malts that will tantalize your taste buds while it compliments dishes with traditional barbecue sauces.

We all know what an involved process it is to plan a successful outdoor party; it would be a shame to have your best efforts wasted because you didn’t plan the all important beverage accompaniments!  The secret to a good plan is simple:

Most important note, have numerous outdoor grilling parties this summer and enjoy each and every one, as next winter we’re all going to need bigger shovels.  Cheers, and always remember to celebrate responsibly!