|
A Great Idea |
Click Here
|
Online Shoppping
|
|
Shop for Wine
|
|
Frequently quoted wine publications |
Robert Parker
|
|
| |
Say Vino: February 19, 2008
By Don Wils
 We
email Say Vino every Tuesday evening. It contains news
from the wine world, our own opinions, and special offers
for our subscribers. Say Vino is available by email, at
our
website
and is also posted in our store.
|
Repeal! Prohibition is Finally Over!
 Schaefer's
is proud to introduce Lucid Absinthe Superieure.
Lucid is a breakthrough spirit because it is the first true,
grand wormwood-based absinthe available in the United States
since before Prohibition - and it is legal. Lucid is
distilled by world-renowned absinthe distiller T.A. Breaux,
at the historic Combier distillery in Saumur, France, in the
heart of the Loire Valley using the very same apparatus
designed by Gustav Eiffel in the mid-1800's. Unlike the
so-called "Absinthe" products that litter the market, Lucid
is lovingly and faithfully crafted directly from grand
wormwood and select whole herbs, and never from cheaper
assemblages, macerations, extracts or oils.
To really enjoy absinthe in the traditional manner of the
fin de siècle, pour 1.25 - 1.5 oz of Lucid into an
appropriate glass. Place a sugar cube atop a flat,
perforated spoon that rests on the rim of the glass (using
the sugar and spoon are optional). Slowly drip 4-5 oz of
ice-cold water on top of the sugar cube (or directly into
the glass), which slowly dissolves into the Absinthe. The
cold water causes Lucid to louche ("loosh") into an
opalescent cloud as the herbal essences emerge from the
Absinthe and perfume the room. You can enjoy this blast from
the past for only $74.95 for a 750
ml bottle. You can't travel to Paris for that.
(Mui Baltrunas)
|
Bogle Brings The Value
 Like
many family businesses that start small it may take years
and years to build into a thriving, successful company. That
is exactly what happened to the Bogle family that first
started farming in California in the mid-1800's. But it
wasn't until 1968 that father Warren and son Chris first
planted wine grapes in Clarksburg. Today Bogle Vineyards
farms over 1,200 acres in the Delta region along the
Sacramento River. Now, into the sixth generation, the Bogle
family has a nationally acclaimed winery. Since 1992, the
winery has participated in the California Appellation
Program. This lets winemakers source fruit from other
vineyards in the state and blend them with their own estate
grown grapes. In all the Bogle wines you'll notice the true
character of each variety that makes them such a great
value. Quality wines at bargain prices!
|
Taste A Little Piece Of Heaven
 Terry's
Toffee was founded on Terry Opalek's Grandmother McCall's
much-loved English Toffee recipe. Terry learned and
perfected this treasured family secret. Soon, countless
friends and loved ones were requesting more and more toffee.
Terry and his partner Michael Frontier realized that they
were onto something good and began selling the toffee
through gourmet food stores and eventually opened a very
cute sweet shop in Chicago. They have expanded on this
classic sweet to bring you a variety of sensuous and
delicious gourmet toffee flavors. We love their Cran-Orange
Passion with dried New England cranberries and California
orange oil, coated in dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea
salt. This toffee will stimulate your senses, awaken your
spirit and certainly make you smile. Enjoy!
P.S. The Academy Awards is coming up soon - Terry's Toffee
could be a special treat to the Stars for the 4th year in a
row? Stay tuned! The Trump Hotel Chicago has selected
Terry's Toffee as one of their in-room amenities for guests.
Pretty exciting!
|
Burgundian Delights from Dijon!
 For
their Cassis de Dijon, the Briottet firm uses only the
fruit from the Noir de Bourgogne black currant bushes and
the purest alcohol; it captures all the fruit flavors &
aromas. That combination presents itself in the form of a
taste-titillating compilation that is sure to win the
hearts and minds of those who delight in the finer things
of life. This is one of the best tasting cassis available.
This excellent concentrated spirit has an intense black
currant flavor that can be drunk on its own. The aroma of
Briottet Crème de Cassis is striking and
ripe, foreshadowing the rich flavors to come. It fills the
palate with thick, luscious fruit. Whatever has been said
about the Cassis is applicable to the Crème de
Peche produced from the finest peaches of Dijon.
The liqueur is clean and elegant, showing impeccable
balance. Briottet Crème de Cassis is
available at Schaefer's for $28.95 and
the Crème de Peche for $34.95. (Mui
Baltrunas)
|
Third Thursday Wine Class - February 21st
 Only
a handful of spaces remain for this week's Third
Thursday Wine Class, Thursday, February 21st, when
our own Brian Flannery will confront the topic:
Syrah to Shiraz: Petit and Beyond. The goal is to
find great examples of Syrah from around the globe, from the
big producers and the small. He's picked out some terrific
wines to make it well worth your while. Ten wines will be
tasted, and the food department will offer some appropriate
snacks. This is going to be fun. Reservations in advance are
required so call or
e-mail right
now because space is limited.
2/21 THU - 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., $20 for
CAP members (and you will
become a
CAP member).
Contact Schaefer's at 847-677-WINE (9463) or by
email to
sign up.
|
An Introduction to Wine Appreciation - a 2-part Class
If you love wine but aren't secure in your knowledge or love
someone who loves wine yet perhaps doesn't know how to
identify certain characteristics in your favorite wines, we
have a class for you. On March 6 and March 13,
we will host a 2-part class on Wine Appreciation, taught by
former Schaefer's employee, Tom Hyland. For the past nine
years, he has been a freelance wine educator and writer,
traveling to wine regions in many countries around the
world, learning about the local grapes and wines.
We will taste many major wine types, but more importantly,
examine what wine is all about. What is acidity and how does
it affect the structure of a wine? How do tannins change red
wine? How long can you age wines? What don't we know enough
to ask about wine?
Payment in advance is required and class size is limited, so
seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Contact Tom today to sign up!
3/6 & 3/13 - 6:30-7:45, $55 per person for the
2-part class. Contact Tom Hyland at (773) 293-6790 or by
email to
register. Please do not contact Schaefer's directly.
|
Saturday in our Tasting Room 11-5
Join us this Saturday in our tasting room as we celebrate
the start of Spring Training! We will be sampling a range of
beers and wines, and of course snacks, too, that - somehow,
we hope - tie in to our baseball theme. Hope to see you
there!
|
Droplets
 Some droplets
of interesting wine news you may have missed. Just click the
links to read.
|
|
| |
See you next week!
 That's
all for this week. If we may be of any further service,
please stop by our store at 9965 Gross Point Road in Skokie
(for directions,
click here),
visit our website at
http://www.schaefers.com, give us a call
at 847-677-WINE (9463), 800-833-WINE (9463), or click here
to
contact us.
Sincerely,
Your Friends at Schaefer's
|
|
|
