Friday May 25th
4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
FREE EVENT

Join us this Memorial Day weekend for a Friday evening tasting designed to prepare your tastebuds for the holiday parties. To tip off the evening, we’ll be hosting the fantastic local TORN LABEL BREWING CO. from the Crossroads Arts District who’ll be bringing these great beers for you to taste:

HOUSE BREW – a robust wheat stout brewed with over 50% malted wheat and a touch of oats for a silky smooth mouth-feel. Roasted wheat and chocolate malt give this beer a nice roasty profile that pairs nicely with the earthy tones of Sumatran coffee

MONK & HONEY – Brewed with barley, Belgian yeast, and local honey this beer is simple yet complex. A light floral quality and hint of sweetness remain from the honey nicely complementing the simple grain bill and earthy/spicy Belgian yeast.

ALPHA PALE ALE – Packed full of juicy pacific northwest hops this is the perfect session beer for hopheads.

For the liquors, our wonderful rep from Vintegrity will be bringing these five spirits from LEOPOLD BROS. for you to try:

AMERICAN SMALL-BATCH GIN – Gold Medal Winner at the International World Spirits Competition 2013, they distill each botanical: juniper, coriander, pummelos, orris root, Valencia oranges, and more, separately to bring out only the purest flavors and aromas to be blended together for a softer and brighter spirit. .

MICHIGAN CHERRY WHISKEY – juicing world-renowned Montmorency tart cherries from Michigan, and blending the juice with their whiskey, this spirit then rests in their used bourbon barrels, giving the flavors time to marry and mature while drawing out notes of vanilla, marzipan, and spice from the barrels.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PEACH WHISKEY – macerating famous Colorado Palisade peaches, they blend the juice with their whiskey, then rest it in charred American oak barrels, where notes of vanilla, raisin, and oak are pulled from the barrel itself.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN BLACKBERRY WHISKEY – using the finest blackberries from the Rocky Mountain region, they blend the juice with their whiskey, then rest it in charred American oak barrels, where notes of vanilla, raisin, and oak are pulled from the barrel itself.

FRENCH PRESS-STYLE COFFEE LIQUEUR – pressing a proprietary blend of freshly roasted coffee beans and blending it into a raw spirit, they then add a touch of raw cane sugar to balance the acidity, and bottle the blend while it is still warm to lock in the fragrant coffee aroma.

And for the wines, our top-notch rep from Major Brands will be bringing these for you to sample:

MASI ROSA DEI MASI ROSE – this Italian rose made from Refosco grapes grown in the Venice region is soft and well balanced, offering bright notes of ripened raspberries and wild cherries with a lively and refreshing acidity, and a long, light-fruity finish.

CULT CABERNET SAUVIGNON – earning a score of 90 points from Wine Enthusiast, this structured and balanced Cabernet Sauvignon from three prestigious California wine regions — each lending their own unique characteristics — offers toasty oak that stands out, not unpleasantly, and then the blackberries, black currants and dark chocolate kicks in. Holds its own among far more expensive Napa Cabernet.

ERNIE ELS “BIG EASY” CHENIN BLANC –  this South African  wine offers a tropical palate loaded with richly textured ripe mandarin, melon and lime with hints of wild herbs and Indian spice, adding complexity and good depth. It is medium-bodied and unhindered by oak giving a lively fruit structure and soft and easy finish.

TANGLEY OAKS MERLOT – earning a score of 88 points from Wine Enthusiast, this elegant and lushly textured wine is graced with ripe flavors of dark plums and cherry fruit with undertones of mocha and light tannins that lead to a long, integrated and well-structured, juicy finish.

DASHWOOD SAUVIGNON BLANC – earning a score of 89 points from Wine Spectator, this New Zealand Marlborough is vivaciously bright and crisp, showcasing flavors of gooseberry along with citrus and fresh tropical fruit flavours that linger through the finish.