Friday September 30, 2021
The Vikes display is BACK!
This Week: The last day of September already - Crazy! The kids are back to school, the nights are getting cooler, football is back and there's pumpkins everywhere. Who doesn't love fall in Minnesota? We're approximately 2 1/2 weeks out from moving into the expanded space! So much more room for wine, spirits & beer - we're excited to be able to offer you an expanded selection.

Thanks to everyone who supported our wine sale! We hope everyone had a chance to stock up and pick a few new wines during the big wine sale. If you missed the chance, don't fret. There'll be another one, you'll just have to wait awhile :)

Nikola, our bartender in residence and birthday boy, revisits a challenged classic - the Rusty Nail! Be sure to stop by and wish him a happy birthday. Of course, check the wine reviews for notes on the latest and greatest things we've found on the shelves here.

We'll be tasting again this Friday from 4pm until 8pm. This week, Joel from the Wine Company will be manning the tasting table with quite a spectacular lineup. As always, don't forget to ask for the Secret Sipper. Wines offered on the tasting table are discounted 10%.

Cheers,
The Team at NL Wine & Spirits
Nikola's Classic of the Week:
The Rusty Nail
The Rusty Nail occupies an odd place in the classic cocktail rolodex. It gained a stodgy reputation in the '60's or '70's from which it hasn't entirely recovered. This is the only classic to call for Drambuie by name - one of the more underrated items on the cordial list and victim to this cocktail's said reputation. We're revisiting this misunderstood cocktail that'll be oh so perfect on a cool fall night.
It's my birthday Friday, and I feel like treating myself to some Scotch. I chatted with Todd, our in-house scotch expert. We decided to make a Rusty Nail variation that uses an unpeated Scotch (Highland) and peated Scotch (Islay). When mixing with Scotches, it is nice to mix the two types to give the cocktail some smoke without it overpowering the cocktail. We decided to use two Scotches from the same distillery so you can have a side-by-side and see how wide the range of flavor can be even though they are coming from the same place. The Rusty Nail is a cocktail that is very similar to an Old Fashioned, but it uses Drambuie for the sweetness instead of a simple syrup.

For the unpeated, we will be using Bruichladdich Classic Laddie. This Scotch has a nice floral nose with hints of oak. On the palate, you get a nice fruitiness with brown sugar and a malty creamy finish. For the Peated, we will be using the Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Heavily Peated 10 yr Scotch. It is no joke when it comes to the peat on this one. On the palate, you get a combination of smoke, oak and honey and a smokey sweetness on the finish.

Our next ingredient is Drambuie. Drambuie is a Scotch whiskey liqueur blended with spices and herbs, but the main flavor is the heather honey. This is a very versatile item to have on your back bar and is great in a number of cocktails to add complexity and depth. It works great with bourbon, rye, aged tequilas, rum and of course Scotch. As I said before, you can use it as a substitute for simple syrup. Be careful though—it is 80 proof.

Let's Make it.

The Rusty Nail
1.5 oz Bruichladdich Classic Laddie
.75 oz Bruichladdich Port Charlotte
.5 oz Drambuie
3 dashes of Angostura Bitters

Add all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice, stir to dilute, strain into cocktail glass over ice and garnish with an orange peel.

That's it. That is what I will be drinking on my birthday. So come in and say hi and buy me some booze!!!!

I'm old.
Your bartender friend,
Nikola Govich
Staff Picks: What to Drink This Week
Things our staff thinks you should drink.

2019 Mary Taylor, Rouge, Valencay, Loire Valley - $19.99
Valencay is located due south of Cheverny in the Loire Valley in France. This wine is a well integrated blend of Gamay, Cot (Malbec), and Pinot Noir. The wine shows dark cherry fruit and spice on the nose. The medium bodied palate has rich cherry pomegranate fruit and minerality. Sometimes you come across a wine that is undeniably delicious and this is that exact one! Try this wine with grilled pork chop or pot roast. 
-Rob

2018 Domaine Vocoret & Fils, 1er cru Vaillon Chablis - $39.99
Domaine Vocoret et Fils is a traditional, family-owned winery in Chablis. It was established in 1870 and has become a fourth-generation family business. Vocoret’s goal is to make wines that show the fresh, crisp minerality of Chablis. This goal is achieved in spades across the board, the wines are textbook examples of the best that Chablis has to offer. Fresh, bright, crisp and delicious, this is Chardonnay for the oaky-chard haters. The enticing nose has notes of fragrant white flowers, ripe lime and cool minerals. The rich, round palate has balanced energy and freshness with real depth. Easy-to-drink yet quite complex, take a dive into the tippy-top of Burgundy.
-Angie

Calcarius, Orange Falanghina, Puglia Italy - $32.99
The Calcarius orange wine, from the calcareous/limestone soils of Puglia, is my new natty-wine obsession. This biodynamically farmed Falanghina spends 5 days 'on the skins' becoming a juicy orange wine that's left unfined/unfiltered. Blissfully aromatic, this Italian treat smells like a bouquet dripping in Tangerine nectar. Best of all, it comes in a full liter - providing you enough to share...warning: you'll wish you had a second bottle! 
-Katrina

2015 Avignonesi, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Tuscany - $27.99
Fully certified organic and biodynamic grapes from the estate vineyards of Avignonesi is the foundation of this classic expression of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Often overlooked by its more famous neighbor, Brunello di Montalcino, a few miles to the southwest, the Vino Nobile of the Tuscan hilltop village of Montepulciano is also based on its own, proprietary, strain of Sangiovese. While other varietaes are allowed to go into the masking of Vino Nobile, this vintage from Avignonesi is all Sangiovese. Here we have a more elegant and refined expression compared to the power and depth of Brunello or the more rustic charms offered by some nearby Chianti, also based primarily on Sangiovese. Led by aromatic herbs, violet, and baking spices, the palate is of delicate juicy red fruit, touched with a dash of tobacco and dried herbs. It is all carried forward by velvety smooth tannins to a long and delicious finish. The outstanding vintage of 2015 was perfect for all the elements of this wine to "pop" in perfect harmony and balance. Stock up! For this beautiful wine is an amazing value from the 2015 vintage will not be around for long.
-Patrick

Stellum Bourbon - $59.99 (750ml)
I hope you had a chance to visit the shop last week and try some of the offerings from Barrell Craft Spirits. If you did, I don’t have to tell you how delicious Stellum bourbon is. A relatively new expression from the makers of Barrell Craft Spirits, Stellum is a marriage of three different bourbon mashbills. This bourbon presents aromas of clove, allspice, and green apple. The first sip gives vanilla and a hint of marshmallow. As the whiskey coats the tongue spice notes of black pepper and baking spice (mainly cinnamon) reveal themselves. The finish continues the spiciness and shows a hint of candied ginger. As one reviewer put it “this bourbon is like a Dutch apple pie in a glass”. Enjoy Stellum neat, on the rocks, or in any whiskey cocktail.
-Todd
VERY IMPORTANT: Furry Friends That Visited This Week
Cheers everyone!
-The Team at North Loop Wine & Spirits