Eric Shatzer, Springhill’s beer connoisseur, is now a proud father. Monday, October 27, Kiersten Lynn Shatzer came into the world.  7 lbs 1oz, 19 3/4 inches, 10 fingers, 10 toes. Best wishes to Eric and his new family!

Bloody Eyeballs

1 3oz pack of red Jello

1 ½ cups boiling water

1 ½ cups vodka

1 ½ cups ice

Add the jello to the boiling water and stir until dissolved.

Add the vodka and the ice and stir until the ice has melted.

Place a grape in each shot glass and pour in the Jello mixture.

Refrigerate until solid.

Yes, something called Razerback Red is coming to Spinghill this Wednesday (September 24, 2008) for or all  you die-hard Razerback fans.

This wine is autherized by the University of Arkansas. We will have a bottle open for tasting on Wednesday at noon. BE HERE OR MISS OUT!!!!!!!! The wine day price will be :$14.60

By Annikken Coughlin

It has been a good month for beer lovers in Arkansas. With the introduction of the Smokestack Series from Boulevard Brewing Co. and the release of many octoberfests, beer lovers have had plenty of new things to try. If you went to Little Rocktoberfest on September 20, you would have also gotten a sneak peak at a few newbies to the Arkansas market:

New Belgium’s Giddy Up!: An appropriate name for a beer that has the equivalent of half a cup of coffee for each 12 oz serving. This copper-colored ale is brewed with lemon peel and infused with espresso. There are aromas of caramel, toffee, and (of course) espresso on the nose. The toasty flavor of the coffee evens out the bitterness of the hops, which makes this a very smooth, drinkable, dark beer. Perfect for the cold months ahead. It will be out soon, but will only be sold in the Folly Packs.

Diamond Bear Porter: This one won’t be bottled until November but will be worth the wait. It is a classic porter with aromas of toasted and chocolate malts. A deep dark pour with a thick creamy head with a slightly hoppy finish.

Diamond Bear Rocktoberfest: Like all octoberfest beers, this one will only be made in limited quantities. The only way to get this beer home is to special order it (by the case only) at Springhill on September 26. On this day the good folks at Diamond Bear will be doing an in-store tasting from 3pm-6pm. Be sure to check it out.

By Jessica Kokinos-Havel

Boulevard’s long awaited Smokestack series is finally now available at Springhill Wine & Spirits.  The series includes four incredible offerings for your enjoyment.  All of these GREAT beers are priced at $8.99 (which is a steal for beers this good) and they are available in a 750ml bottle only. 

Double-Wide India Pale Ale - A very hoppy beer originally designed to survive long oceanic voyages (due to the high hop content) which leads to a very bitter finish.  My personal favorite.

Long Strange Triple - Belgian Tripel beers basically mean 3 times the malt used in beer making, lending to a creamy head, a slightly sweet finish and of course, most important, 3 times the alcohol.  

The Sixth Glass Quadruple Ale - Another Belgian style ale, that is very rich in flavor and high in alcohol content.  Dark and robust in color.

Saison - A very light but very refreshing beer that is best enjoyed during the warm summer months, but can be enjoyed year around.

For those of you that have been in our store recently, you may have noticed the expanded Spanish wine section. We are excited about these new wines that have recently been added to our already large selection. Be sure to read Phillip’s blog to learn more about Spanish wines and their rise in popularity over the last few decades. 

Here are a few notables to check out when you get the chance.

Sierra Cantabria Rioja 2006, $15.89

This wine is made from 100% Tempernillo grapes. It is medium bodied with a deep ruby red color. Its aromas of raspberry, vanilla, and floral notes, go along with a palate of tart cherry, raspberry, and white pepper. It is perfectly balanced with ripe fruit and tannins.

Borsao Garnacha Tempranillo, $9.99

This is stainless a steel-fermented wine made with 75% Garnacha and $25% Tempernillo. It displays plenty of sweet black cherry and raspberry with a hint of black currants on the finish. It is medium bodied with silky tannins.

Casa Castillo Monestrell 2006, $13.99

Monestrell is the primary grape used in wines from the Jumilla region of Spain. Wine Enthusiast says that this wine is “one of the best Jumillas you’re likely to find”. It is medium bodied with aromas and flavors of blueberry, blackberry with beef jerky and vanilla-spice. 

Bodegas Zabrin Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines 2007, $9.99

Smokey cherry, blackberry, and prune aromas accompany the palate of vanilla, dark chocolate, and plum. This wine is medium bodied and works well with food or can be enjoyed alone.

Protocolo 2006, $8.97

Made from 100% Tempranillo grapes, this is a delicious wine and a steal for the price. Notes of fresh cherries and blackberries jump from the glass of this medium bodied red.

Wrongo Dongo Jumilla 2006, $9.69

This is 100% monastrell (also known as mourvedre), gives this wine lots of dark fruit flavors with layers of warm spice. This is a juicy red that offers cherry and plum flavors against a backdrop of game and chocolate notes. 

Laxas Albarino 2007, $16.99

This wine is made from 100% Albarino grapes has a golden straw color. It is a clean, bright wine with citrus and flowery notes on the nose that lead to a palate of apple, apricot and fresh herbs. It has well-balanced acidity that pairs well with seafood.

Piedra Rosado, $16.99

This is a dry rose made from 100% Tinto del Tora grapes. Its stainless steal fermentation keeps this wine crisp, fresh, fruity and perfect for the warm weather. 

Even though Spain has more acres of planted wine grapes than any other country in the world, the Spanish wines available in Arkansas have, until recently been very limited. Why is this? Well, before now, it was generally thought by most local wine suppliers that Spanish wine labels were mysterious and complicated. The grape varietals, as well as the numerous grape growing regions of Spain were unknown and seemed to have unpronounceable names. 

I think we have come up with a way that we can all start understanding and enjoying the world-class wines that are produced in Spain. First, we scoured the market place for the best and most affordable wines and brought in a line priced from $8 to $20. All of these new wines have modern labels that make sense to anyone who wishes to explore the wines of this region. They are all from world renowned wine producing regions of Spain and come with government seals of assurance for content and method of production. 

Be sure to check out Jessica’s blog for reviews and tasting notes on many of these new wines. Come in and try them for yourself, and we promise you will be glad that you did.

Cheers!

Phillip Kokinos

Summer Rain

1 oz Vodka
2 oz Orange Juice
1 oz Malibu Coconut Rum
2 oz Papaya Juice

Is there a better week to try a drink called Summer Rain? This is a beautiful drink that, if poured correctly, sits in the glass in layers. Just poor each ingredient slowly, preferably over the back of a spoon, to achieve the layered look. If your not that patient, go ahead and shake it up. It will taste just as good.

Hi Everybody! I hope you guys are enjoying this nice August weather we are having. How lucky can we be!? We all need to take this opportunity that the weather has given us and fire up the grill! And with a big juicy steak you need a big juicy wine. Let me suggest McMuarry Pinot Noir by MacMurray Ranch

 MacMurray Ranch was purchased by famed actor Fred MacMurray in 1941. Fred raised his family on the ranch and they enjoyed the natural wonders of Sonoma County. Today, the ranch looks much as it did a century ago, surrounded by rail fences and framed by oak and redwood groves. Only now it is home to some of Sonoma County’s finest vineyards. Aside from being beautiful, the Russian River Valley is among the premier growing regions for Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. MacMurray Ranch speaks to the legacy of the land by crafting wines from this appellation with elegance and finesse.