All posts by Jason | Kraken

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Raptor Ridge | Pinot Gris | Willamette Valley | Oregon

Raptor Ridge | 2015 Pinot Gris | Willamette Valley | Oregon | $16.99

One of the highlights of working in the beverage industry is not just being able to share enjoyable libation with customers, but to also meet the people behind the label.

Raptor Ridge winery has a wonderful trifecta of great wine, marvelous people, and good causes they support.

We are proud to carry their refreshing, well balanced Pinot Gris.  Not too rich or light, it’s just right and will appeal to a wide swath of white wine drinkers.  Think not as light as Pinot Grigio, not as heavy or oaky as Chardonnay, and not as acidic as most Sauvignon Blanc.  At $16.99, this wine pairs perfectly with grilled swordfish, lemon chicken, light pasta dishes, and fish taco’s.

Next time you’re in looking for a white wine you probably haven’t had, give Raptor Ridge a try and delight not just your 5 senses… but your sense of supporting a responsible winery doing good things for the community and environment.

 

2015 Pinot Gris | Willamette Valley

Editor’s Choice | 92 Points Wine Enthusiast

A pretty light gold hue, this wine shines brightly from the first sniff to the last sip.  It’s clean and dense, with notes of bee pollen and lemon oil, flavors of apple and pear, and a touch of vanilla cookie.  – Paul Gregutt

From raptorridgewinery.com: 

Raptor Ridge Winery

We founded Raptor Ridge in 1995 to share in the joy of wine-growing, a calling that brings us purpose through a close connection with the land, our community and the industry. Named for our location on a ridge in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, Raptor Ridge is a haven for our native raptors and winery guests. We treat our guests to a revitalizing experience complete with vine side tastings, chef inspired pairings, and yoga retreats in a tranquil setting with a view of four mountaintops. We specialize in hand-grown single vineyard Pinot Noir sourced from a rich tapestry of select Willamette Valley sites plus our own estate, Tuscowallame. We create intriguing wines by blending intuition honed over 20 vintages with the methodical approach of maintaining hundreds of separate lots. The result is an array of vineyard-specific barrels, providing diversity and nuance to the final cellar-crafted cuvées.

– Scott & Annie Shull

2015 Raptor Ridge Pinot Gris

 The 2015 Raptor Ridge Pinot Gris was fermented and matured in stainless steel. We strive to maintain a balance of fruit and acidity, while presenting the luscious texture and aromas that the fruit offers. The 2015 vintage includes fruit from Hawk’s View, Dion and Olenik Vineyards (Chehalem Mountains AVA), Bellevue Cross (McMinnville AVA,) and Rudolfo Vineyard, in Wren, Oregon.

 

A portion of the proceeds from every bottle sold supports iSalud!, a non-profit healthcare program for vineyard workers and their families.

¡Salud! was created by a group of Oregon winery owners and Tuality Healthcare physicians to address the hurdles faced by vineyard workers who cannot meet their basic healthcare needs. Their knowledge of basic health education is poor, and they are overwhelmed by the maze of complex and confusing resources available in the medical system. ¡Salud!’s mission is to fill this gap.

Read more: saludauction.org

All Posts, Wine

30 Days of Rosé | #19 | Bellula | Syrah-Grenache Rosé Wine | Pays d’Oc IGP

30 Days of Rosé | #19 | Bellula | Syrah-Grenache Rosé Wine | Pays d’Oc IGP

Our 30 Days of posting about Rosé continues!  We are delighted to feature Bellula Syrah-Grenache Rosé from the Pays d’Oc (France).

Behind the dragonfly wing label resides a, easy drinking, crowd friendly, vin for $8.99

Responsibly made, JP Bourgeois works with small  and medium family estates to bring you delicious wine at everyday prices.

From jp-bourgeois.com:

Bellalua is the pinnacle of all the Languedoc has to share: Passion, Know-how, and Joy for Life.  This blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache boasts a magnificent pale color and aromas of violets, citrus, and peach tree flowers.  The aromatic essence of Syrah ideally mingles with the sweet fruity Grenache, which combine to create a subtle wine that will transport you to the South of France.  Enjoy it by itself or with all light fare dishes.

Every estates’ wines change from one year to another depending on the characteristics of the harvest, quality of wine making, even if is from the same producer and from the same terroir, each year’s batch is unique. Soil, weather, geology, varietals, and the style of wine making used, are all decisive yet variable factors that give each wine a unique character. I travel several times a year and visit every estate and try every wine I purchase. When you choose #besteurowines you choose the best taste and value for traditional small estate French and Spanish wines.
– JP Bourgeois

All Posts, Beer

Buy Lawson’s Sip of Sunshine | Super Session | FRI 05/19 & SAT 05/20

Get inspired this weekend with Lawson’s Finest Liquids!

Lawson’s Double Sunshine, Sip of Sunshine & Super Session #2 Stock Status:

Sip of Sunshine IPA 4pk 16oz Cans – $13.79/4pk

  • Friday 05/19 – 2 packs per person | Sold out, more tomorrow at 10a 🙂 
  • Saturday 05/20 – 1 per person | 10a Release

Super Session 12oz Cans –

$21.99/12pk | $10.99/6pk | In Stock! 🙂

Lawson’s Bottles this week – None 🙂

 

Limits are per person of consumption age,
prices do not include VT tax/deposit.

sdes-Lawsons Final Banner

 

All Posts, Beer

Left Hand Brewing | Drink Light or Dark – You Decide

Summer is here and with it comes a seasonal shift in wine and beer consumption habits.

Whether you explore the light or dark side of beer during the summer, Left Hand is a brewery that has got you covered.

When I hear “I don’t drink stout in the summer”, I ask them if they drink iced coffee.  Most people say they do which gives me the chance to offer them an excuse to drink dark beers.

Left Hand Brewing Nitro Milk Stout is a beer built for year round drinking.  Wonderfully balanced, smooth, and not hot ‘n boozy, this is a beer you can and should drink all year round.

There is no technical ‘summer stout’ style yet, but if there was, Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout would be one of the first beers I would put in that category.

Burgers, BBQ’s, relaxing at night under the stars next to a campfire… they all pair well with Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout.

Read more about nitro beers

If you’re looking for a refreshing beer during the a hot day, Left Hand Travelin’ Light Kolsch is a most excellent choice.

Travelin’ Light cans travel very well – beach, hiking, festivals, and it won’t dry you out like a big and boozy hop bomb.

Crispy, refreshing, Travlin’ Light Kolsch pairs well with light summer fare like fish taco’s, fresh corn salad, and grilled lemon chicken.

Pour hard, drink well! (pour the nitro stout hard, not kolsch)

– Jason

Tech info ripped from lefthandbrewing.com, pics are from the Bevie:

Travelin’ Light -Golden, crisp, dry and refreshing with herbal hops.

  • Collection: Perennial
  • Style: Kolsch-Style Ale
  • Color: Golden
  • Body: light
  • ABV: 4.8%
  • IBU’s: 22
  • Malt: Pale 2-row, Vienna, Acidulated
  • Hops: Willamette, Mount Hood

 

Milk Stout Nitro – Super Smooth With Soft Roastiness And Mocha Flavors.

Taking America Back. Dark & delicious, America’s great milk stout will change your perception about what a stout can be. Pouring hard out of the bottle, Milk Stout Nitro cascades beautifully, building a tight, thick head like hard whipped cream. The aroma is of brown sugar and vanilla cream, with hints of roasted coffee. The pillowy head coats your upper lip and its creaminess entices your palate. Initial roasty, mocha flavors rise up, with slight hop & roast bitterness in the finish. The rest is pure bliss of milk chocolate fullness.

  • Collection: Perennial
  • Style: Sweet Stout
  • Color: Black, 47 SRM
  • Body: full
  • ABV: 6%
  • IBU’s: 25
  • PLATO: 15.5°
  • Malt: Pale 2-row, Crystal, Munich, Roasted Barley, Flaked Oats, Flaked Barley and Chocolate
  • Hops: Magnum and US Goldings
  • Other: Lactose