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Manu Sauvignon Blanc 2018

It’s like when you casually lean over to smell a rose, not expecting anything, and you can actually smell the rose! It transports you to your childhood in your grandmother’s beautiful garden with melon sized roses that you could smell from a yard away.

That is how the Manu Sauvignon Blanc is. You open it and pour, expecting to smell some Sauvignon Blanc, but then you smell it! It has a gorgeous nose that feels like a lungful of fresh air out on an alpine meadow. It is full of bright lime, grapefruit and green apple freshness balanced with tropical notes of guava and gooseberry. It is overlaid by a wonderful herbal grassiness that reminds you of lying on a hillside on a lush lawn watching the clouds drift across the sky. Even if you never actually taste the wine, you could breathe it in all day.

But then if you do taste it, it is tart and tangy, round and smooth and totally refreshing – from the first taste to the last lingering flavors, it is a wine to be tasted with your eyes closed.

Sauvignon Blanc is grown in many regions of the world. While the Loire and Bordeaux are undoubtedly the wellspring of classic Sauvignon Blanc wines, it has found one of its most popular expressions in New Zealand. Close to 95% of all wine exported form New Zealand is Sauvignon Blanc, followed by very excellent Pinot Noir. What is it about this southern clime that makes this wine so special there? There are several factors. One is the ideal climate in the Marlborough region of the southern island. It is a maritime climate with warm, sunny days and cool nights with ocean breezes flowing off the Pacific to cool down the vines. The morning fogs protect the grapes from the worst of the sun’s ray until the sun is overhead and the leaves can protect them – after all, grapes can get sunburned too. It has combination of schist and sandstone mixed with clay (called Greywacke) that allows the roots of of the plant to penetrate deep, drain well and yet retain enough moisture to nourish the vines. And of course, the final factor is the winemaker. Steve Bird is a fabulous producer – dedicated, thoughtful and willing to think “outside the box.”

As our summer transitions into autumn, this wine will allow you to linger in that alpine meadow for a little longer and draw out the best of the season.

September 14, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Beer, Monthly Brewery

Brewery of the Month: Lamplighter Brewing Co.

The vibe that Lamplighter Brewing Co. embraces is a modern, funky environment that allows visitors to experience a unique twist on their basic brewery trip. This eclectic brewery, located in in downtown Cambridge, Massachusetts, focuses in quality, community, and craft. With a saying such as “I Love Lamp,” a reference from the comedy hit, Anchorman, it comes as no surprise that this location meets its goal by being a fun, hip place to be.

The team at Lamplighter is an energetic mix of different backgrounds in education and expertise who all share a strong passion for producing delicious beer. This team makes for a very fun, welcoming environment from the minute you enter the brewery. The space has a very modern, industrial look to it. From the exposed pipes to the classic Boston brick work, this brewery is a neighborhood favorite.

Now for the most important part, the beer. All together, Lamplighter creates 44 different types of brews. Impressive, right? Within these 44 unique choices, they focus on aroma-packed and flavor-driven ales, with an emphasis on New England IPAs, barrel-aged sours, and unique seasonals.

To help narrow down your possible selection, we’re going to provide you the info on the 13 brews that happen to be on tap today!

“Alyosha” Abbey Ale: low ABV, and light body allow hints of fruit and spice to shine, while the addition of wheat and pilsner malts leave each sip soft and approachable.
“Brothers Antitoi” Brettanomyces Fermented Wild Beer: smooth and bright acidity is complemented by subtle underlying funk, layered atop flavors of fresh strawberries, ripe pineapple, and candied peach rings.
“Cuppa” Brittish Ale with Cold Brew: light and fruity hot bloom roast is added at the end of the brewing process to preserve as much coffee flavor as possible. The finished beer is made up of about 10% coffee.
“Ele” Saison: citrus forward flavors, hints of clove and spice, and a dry and peppery finish. Inspired by the character Eleven from “Stranger Things.”
“Finnegan’s Wake” Irish Dry Stout: akin to a smooth and creamy Guinness, with each sip bringing forth waves of bitter chocolate and freshly roasted coffee.
“Gestalt” Altbier: bright copper in color and exceptionally smooth, balancing assertive hop bitterness with warm malt character.
“Group Theory” Wheat Ale with Chamomile and Honey: despite the addition of syrupy raw honey to the brew, Group Theory has a lovely, dry finish as a result of the fermentation of its simple sugars. It takes its name from a central concept of abstract algebra, which pays homage to both the math background of one of their co-founders, and to their brewery name (a small math reference itself).
“Looking Glass” Extra Special Bitter: balanced notes of dark bread, toasted hazelnut, and a robust earthiness. The beer is then lightly hopped with Target and Challenger to accentuate those flavors.
“Luminati” India Pale Ale: each batch of this hoppy beer highlights a different hop addition, presenting ever-changing flavors atop the same bold, brash base beer. (citra, mosaic, bru-1)
“Metric Systems” Gose: this tart German wheat ale is refreshing and light, with notes of orange peel and lemon.
“Rabbit Rabbit” Double India Pale Ale: veritable juice bomb, boasting huge hop flavors of mango, melon, and ripe fruit.
“Space Monster” West Coast Style IPA: fresh departure from smooth and juicy New England-style IPAs, instead boasting a prominent bitterness and slight sweetness. From that base emerges omnipotent and monstrous flavors of sweet cedar, prickly pine, and ripe pineapple.
“Speedwagon” Kolsch: fermented with ale yeast, but then finished in cold temperatures like a lager. The resulting beer exhibits some of the best characteristics of both categories – light and quaffable, with a touch of muted fruitiness and a crisp, clean finish.

Find something you’d like to try? No surprise there! Lamplighter Brewing Co. has something for everyone! Make sure to stop into Mystic Wine Shoppe to pick up one of their brews on the go. If you need another excuse to try them, they hold trivia nights every Tuesday from 8pm – 10pm. Check their website for more upcoming events! With all the options they have to offer, the fun, funky environment, and the amazing location, make Lamplighter your next brewery must-see and the next pack you pick up from us!

September 6, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Holidays

Father’s Day Gift Guide

Not sure what to get the special Dad in your life for Father’s Day? From fine wines to high-end Whiskey to everything in-between we’ve got you covered at Mystic Wine Shoppe. Check out our gift guide below –

Collections:

Johnnie Walker Collection Pack

Bourbon Whiskey:

Jim Beam Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

Rhetoric Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Willet Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Scotch:

The Macallan Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskey

Irish Whiskey:

Writers Tears & Yellow Spot Irish Whiskey

Tequila:

Milagro Silver and DonJulio Tequila

Sombra Mezcal

Sombra Mezcal

Rum:

Mount Gay Origin Series

Rye Whiskey:

WhistlePig – The Boss Hog

Fine Wines:

We carry an array of fine wines… stop in to learn more about all we offer.

Gift Baskets:

Hit the easy button and grab one of our pre-made baskets –

Our Team wishes all the Dad’s out there a very happy Father’s Day!

Mystic Wine Shoppe

June 7, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Weekly Wine Pick, Wine

Bello Rosato!

Summer is the time of the year that I come alive. Having grown up in India, on a beach in Goa no less, I am still accustomed to sunny days and warm ocean breezes. Right now, I feel like a bear emerging from hibernation, as the crocuses finally pop up and the forsythia celebrate the changing season with bright yellow sprays of color.

And speaking of celebrating, what better way to cheer on the warmth, the long, lazy days and heat of the sun on your bare skin than to chill down a beautiful bottle of rosé and throw the windows open for the fresh air. That is exactly what I have been doing with a dry, refreshing bottle of Castello di Bossi Rosato. Just saying the name of the wine makes me happy.

The Castello di Bossi Rosato, made from 70% Sangiovese grapes and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, uses the maceration method to gain some color from the red grapes. That means that it spends approximately 3 hours in contact with the red skins of the grape before the juice is pressed off and fermented separately. There are two other methods for making rosé wines. One is just to blend in some red wine to add color. This is generally not allowed in most wines that want to be labeled as quality wines. The second is to use a technique called “Saignée”, which means to bleed off. In this method, some of the wine in a red wine fermentation is bled off after a short period of time to be fermented separately as rosé, which leaves less juice and more skins in the main vat to concentrate the flavors of the red wine. This technique is used in places like Bandol in Southern France where the grapes may not have ripened enough or in places like Napa Valley, where vintners want to make richer, more extracted wines.

This Rosato is a dry, dusty, wonderfully aromatic wine full of bright cherries and cranberries and hints of fresh, wild herbs. On the mouth, it has a bright acidity on the open with a fruity, yeasty lingering finish. One of the secrets to enjoying a good wine is to appreciate what comes before and after as much as the actual taste. You should smell it, swirl it, smell again. As the volatile compounds are released, they tease you with elusive scents that change from second to second. When you finally taste it, you are invariably surprised because the nose did not reveal all of its treasures. And then, for a really good wine, you can just enjoy the lingering aromas after you have swallowed it. Sometimes that is even the best part of the whole experience. This wine gives you a similar experience. Each part of the tasting gives you a different impression and a different experience. And you realize after each sip that the process was so enjoyable that you want to experience the whole thing again.

Serve this wine well chilled – in an ice bucket – with a plate of caprese salad and prosciutto, a light pasta with fresh vegetables and herbs, grilled chicken sausages and sage-scented butternut squash soup (like we did!) or a creamy mushroom risotto…you will be in heaven.

Thanks for reading, Seema

May 10, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Wine

Not Your Grandma’s Sherry

We have all read the novels where a British matriarch insists on the family dressing formally for dinner and beginning the evening with a round of sherry. Before I ever tried sherry, I always pictured it as a very sophisticated tipple that only the most refined people can enjoy. Then, in my youth, I was introduced to cream sherry, a sweet syrupy concoction that seemed likely to induce a headache when followed by wine at dinner.

It has only been in recent years that (here in the US), the entire range of sherry, from bone dry to sweet, has emerged from the dusty drawing rooms of the china tea set crowd to shine as an aperitif, but also as a wine that can be paired with food and mixed into cocktails. It is a very versatile wine that while making one feel quite sophisticated and international, can still be enjoyed just for itself.

There are several types of sherry one can choose. The lightest and driest style is “Fino” from Jerez or sometimes, Xerez in Spain. On the open, it has a nutty flavor – is it almonds? pecans? and perhaps a bit of salty creaminess? Then one gets a better sense of how it is made – in humid cellars with a mild mushroom note. Then as one continues to contemplate what this is doing to your palate – you get an amazing, yeasty breadlike flavor all over that makes you want to take that next sip and experience it all over again.

Sherry is quintessentially a winemaker’s wine. It is made from the Palomino Fino grape in the town of Jerez de la Frontera in Spain. The British, reluctant to pronounce “jerez” simply called it Sherry. The Palomino grape can withstand drought well – a boon in the arid land of southern Spain – and “produces a reliable crop of slightly low acid, low sugar grapes whose wine may oxidize easily – in short, perfect raw material for sherry.” (JancisRobinson.com) Because it oxidizes so easily, fino sherry is produced in humid, hot cellars that are an ideal breeding ground for a type of mold called “flor.” The flor creates a crust over the wine that imparts a wonderful, cheesy flavor while also protecting it from oxygen by creating a largely impermeable barrier over the liquid (if this barrier of flor is intentionally broken to create a more oxidized style, it is called “oloroso;” if it is unintentionally broken and then further aged, it is called “amontillado”).

One of the coolest aspects of making sherry is the way it is aged and blended. The youngest wines are used to top up the newest barrels of what is known as the solera. It is system by which the wines can be “fractionally blended,” meaning that some wine is new, some is old and these are blended in parts over the course of several years to create a wine of great consistency and relatively high average age. The closest analogy is an escalator. The young wine goes into the barrels on the top level, but only makes up about 50% of that barrel. After a year or two, 50% of this wine is moved to the next level for further aging while 50% of the second level wine is moved to the third level and so on. Usually, there are about 5 to 8 levels on the escalator and each level has a higher and higher average age. Some part of the wine in the last level will still be the very original wine you started with – whether that is 30 years or 50 years old. It is like an extended family tree, with all the character and ructions of each vintage smoothed out to create a unique flavor profile.

Unfortunately, it is wine to be drunk in small quantities or blended into cocktails (see below for two fabulous recipes!). We have enjoyed sherry as an aperitif with marcona almonds, fried calamari and avocado & shrimp salad. But anything salty like olives, any seafood such as oysters, clams, mushrooms caps stuffed with crabmeat or mussels in white wine sauce and most anything fried, like corn fritters would pair beautifully with Fino.

Sherry Cocktail Recipes To Try:

The Sherry App:
1 1/2 ounces Aperol
3/4 ounce fino Sherry
1 ounce fresh grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/4 ounce honey simple syrup

Directions: Combine in shaker with ice, shake and strain

The Rye Witch:
1 1/2 cups Kentucky rye whiskey
3 tablespoons Strega (herbal liqueur)
3 tablespoons Fino Sherry
2 tablespoons simple syrup
12 dashes orange bitters
12 orange twists

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large pitcher. Add ice; stir for 15-20 seconds. Strain the mixture into 6 chilled coupe glasses.
Pinch an orange twist over each drink, then rub around rims of glasses to release oils from peel; discard peel.
Garnish each with a fresh twist.

March 15, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Wine

Winter Wines We Love

Let’s face it, we have three more long months of cold weather. Yes, it’s cold out but there is plenty to celebrate this winter! To start with, the Patriot’s could be in the Superbowl (fingers crossed), secondly, the Winter Olympics start in February and lastly, cold weather equals more snuggle time with your loved ones. Yup… our (wine) glass is definitely half-full and we hope yours is too!

To help you fill that cold winter glass we’re sharing some great winter wines that are not only affordable, they’re delicious. Enjoy!

Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva: A limpid, full ruby red color. The nose is fine, wide, with excellent fruity notes on a sweet and spicy background. A vigorous body with excellent tannins well in balance with the freshness given by the acidulous nerve. Fine, elegant and complex.
- Pairing perfect with roasted red meats rich in spices, game with rich sauces; interesting with aged cheese.
Bogle Phantom: Phantom, Bogle’s mysterious apparition of ripe berry and relentless spice, returns to haunt wine lovers. Full of concentration and intensity, this wine will tease, tantalize and linger long after the last sip is gone. Wild berries and black pepper are framed by the influence of oak aging with baking spices and a hint of toasty vanilla.
Rombauer Zinfandel: This classic California Zinfandel is dark purple-ruby, with a bright crimson hue. On the nose, concentrated aromas of blackberry and raspberry meld with clove and spice. Lush flavors of blackberry, cherry, licorice and vanilla flood the palate, followed by touches of pepper in the background. Plush and round tannins and great length make for a fresh and enticing finish.
The Prisoner: Features enticing aromas of Bing cherry, dark chocolate, clove, and roasted fig. Persistent flavors of ripe raspberry, boysenberry, pomegranate, and vanilla linger harmoniously, for a smooth and luscious finish.
LAB Red Wine: Very aromatic with notes of ripe black and red fruits. In the palate, juicy plums and dark berry fruit flavour with plenty of fresh yet fine tannins that take over at the finish, along with flavours of spice and liquorice.
Dry Creek Vineyard, Olde Vine Zinfandel: During harvest, their Old Vine Zinfandel lots always show a distinct aroma and flavor profile. Once bottled, the perfumed nuances and dried herbal components shine through. At first swirl, bay leaf and white pepper leap from the glass balanced by deep layers of plum and cocoa. The complexity of our Old Vine Zinfandel lies in the spicy notes that are unique to these historic properties. Refined and balanced, the wine integrates seamlessly on the palate offering a broad array of currants, black cherry, raspberry and toasty oak notes.
- Blend: 78% Zinfandel, 19% Petite Sirah, 3% Carignane
Broquel Malbec: Intense purple red color with ruby hues. Aromas of fresh red and black fruits, floral notes, and earthy minerals, with an elegant touch of smoke. Rich and spicy on the palate providing a long and pleasant finish.
- Ideal to serve with grilled red meats, stews, pasta with mushroom sauce and cheeses.
Decoy Merlot: This lovely expression of Sonoma County Merlot offers lush layers of black cherry, cassis, and cranberry, along with notes of cocoa and leather. On the palate, refined tannins underscore the wine’s velvety mouthfeel, while excellent acidity adds poise and length to the vibrant red berry flavors.
- Blend: 92% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petite Sirah
Crios Malbec: Has a beautiful reddish/purple color as most good Malbecs do. The aromas are a mix of freshly crushed black cherries and toasty/smoky oak—just enough to frame the exuberant fruit. On the palate, the flavors of cherries and spice are obvious, and the jammy fruit quality just keeps coming on strong, with hints of spice and sandalwood lurking in the background.

We hope you get a chance to stop into Mystic Wine Shoppe to enjoy these lovely winter wines. Cheers to three more months of winter! Don’t forget to join us for our weekly beer and wine tastings.

~ Your friends at Mystic Wine Shoppe

January 16, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Holidays, Spirits, Wine

Our Holiday Gift Guide

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! But it can also be stressful and leave you not knowing what to give to everyone on your list. To help reduce your stress, we’ve come up with a Holiday Gift Guide that should help you find the perfect gift for everyone.

Scotch & Whiskey:

Whistle Pig | The Boss Hog IV: This the IVth edition of The Boss Hog, The Black Prince, is a tribute to the great spirits of Europe. This is the first Rye Whiskey ever finished in Armagnac casks, straight from France. The result is extraordinary. A fine balance between American power and French sophistication. There’s nothing else like it. Learn More
The Dalmore | 18 Years Old: Dalmore’s stunning 18-year-old Highland malt is as rich, fruity and spicy as you could ever want from a Dalmore. Kudos to Richard Paterson for creating another veritable chocolate orange of a whisky – a surefire hit, and great for the colder months. It is aged for 14 years in American oak, followed by three years in Matusalem sherry butts, before a final year in sherry butts. Learn More
The Dalmore | Cigar Malt: Dalmore Cigar Malt was discontinued in mid-2009, causing uproar among all right-thinking, cigar-smoking whisky fans. This dram used to sit above the 12, and below the 15 in terms of both the price-point, and the age-profiles of the whisky that went into the blend, but the new version is a little different. Learn more
Johnnie Walker Sampler Set: Includes 4 bottle sampler (200 ML each) of the best of Johnnie Walker. Including Johnnie Walker Black, Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve, Johnnie Walker Platinum and Johnnie Walker Blue.
Johnnie Walker Blue | Small & Large: Their rarest blend. This isn’t a whisky for beginners. It’s challenging and an acquired taste, but like the finest rewards in life is worth it. Blue Label is made from a few exceptional whiskies with powerful flavors. Each bottle is precious.
The Macallan Rare Cask Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskey: Crafted to showcase complexity and depth, Rare Cask is drawn from the broadest spectrum of casks, 16 different types, ever identified by the Master Whisky Maker.

Fines Wines:

Double Back | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley: This wine is a blend of McQueen, Bob Healy and Lefore vineyard fruit, aged 22 months in 73% new French oak. Alluring aromas of macerated cherries, scorched earth, coffee, barrel spice and dark chocolate are followed by supple, focused, concentrated dark-fruit flavors. It brings some tannic heft that will benefit from time in the cellar.
Caymus Special Selection | Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 | Napa Valley: Exhibits a delicious, up-front core of juicy dark berry, blackberry, black licorice and creamy, toasty, vanilla-scented oak. Appropriately tannic and structured, this is made in a style you can drink now or cellar for up to a decade. Drink now through 2026.
Revolver Wine Company | The Stash Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 | Napa Valley: Very limited production – only 50 cases produced of this sought-after wine. Cedarwood, spice box and black currants seduce the nose followed by a pallet of powerful layers of rich fruit and dashes of vanilla. 18 months of 100% French oak aging. ‘The Stash’ will truly enjoy a bit of decanting when served at a young age.
Silver Oak | Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 | Napa Valley: Notes of dill, herb and vanilla bean-scented oak lead to an elegant array of dark berry, herb, cedar, gravelly earth and underbrush flavors. The tannins cling a bit, but this is an enjoyable and approachable youngster, with a track record for aging. Drink now through 2028.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Artemis | Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 | Napa Valley: Opens with inviting aromas of dark cherry and berry fruit, cassis, sweet vanilla and a hint of olive. On the palate, the wine has a smooth entry with a rich mouthfeel and lingering aftertaste of black cherry and dusty cocoa. Blend: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot
Antica Cabernet Sauvignon | Cabernet Sauvignon 2013| Napa Valley: A beautifully elegant, stylish Cabernet Sauvignon from the Antinori outpost in Napa Valley, their 2013 has a dense ruby/purple color, a beautiful, sweet kiss of pure blackcurrant fruit, licorice and forest floor. Full-bodied, but with creamy texture, sweet, beautifully integrated acidity, tannin and alcohol, this is an impressively well-crafted wine that’s drinkable now, but should evolve nicely for another 15-20 years.
Opus One | Red Blend 2014 | Napa Valley: The 2014 Opus One exudes subtle aromas of fragrant florals, fresh garden herbs and forest floor that give way to a concentrated blend of red cherry, blackberry and black currant. Fine-grained tannins offer a velvety texture and complex structure that builds to a long, vibrantly fresh finish with a touch of mocha. Enjoyable now, the wine will delight for years to come.Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 2% Malbec
The Mionetto Prosecco Brut DOC | Varied Sizes: Tasty prosecco with an intense fruity bouquet and a hint of golden apples. It is very dry, fresh, light in body and well-balanced.This wine is perfect alone as an aperitif or as a delightful complement to appetizers such as prosciutto or mild cheeses. Excellent as a base for Bellinis and other sparkling wine cocktails.

All scotches and wines can be found at Mystic Wine Shoppe. Please stop in this holiday season and grab the perfect gift! We also have great gift baskets and charcuterie boards available for purchase, as well. Thank you!!!

December 15, 2017/by Eric Faiola

Monthly Cocktail

December Cocktail of The Month

Tis the season for delicious cocktails! This month’s cocktail is a creamy sweet cocktail that will be sure to be a party favorite. Our team at Mystic Wine Shoppe crafted up a fun cocktail using The Irishman Irish Cream. Check it out below –

Ingredients:

Milk (whole milk will be the tastiest, but any milk will work)
The Irishman Irish Cream – buy it at Mystic Wine Shoppe
Kahlua – buy it at Mystic Wine Shoppe
Chocolate Sauce (optional for flavoring and cup decoration)