Welcome to our first and, hopefully, last COVID summer. As much as there is a lot of ‘abnormal’ to this ‘new normal’, the good things that Cape Cod has to offer remain pretty much the same. Good Weather, Good Beaches, somewhat limited shopping and dining.
The good news is Cranberry Liquors is open for business!
Stop by and browse (don’t forget your mask!) or order for curbside pick-up. Either way, we’re ready for you.
And be sure to check out our ever-expanding selection of fine wine, craft beer, cider, bourbon, gin and cigars.
Because, even during this COVID-crazy summer, Cranberry Liquors is and remains: The Spirit of Harwich Port!
Need a last minute gift for the mom’s in your life?
No? Ok, have a good weekend!
No matter which moms you are celebrating Cranberry Liquors wants to give you our best suggestion for this upcoming celebratory day…
Flowers
Not a wine with a “flowery finish.”
Not a rosé with bouquet in the description.
Buy mom flowers!
Yes, that’s correct, Alex. In soil or cut, fresh cut or freshly potted. Everyone loves flowers. Everyone appreciates flowers, especially if you know them well enough to describe them to a florist. It helps to know if they have an allergy to pollen, but even that is an easy detour.
Personally I like living flowers. Whereas other people can’t keep a plant alive to save their lives (also me, hence cacti…). Others still have a cupboard full of unused vases.
I guess our only suggestion would be to reach her sooner than later, because like any good florist, she’s got to plan ahead for your moms!
Exit the Groupon “experience.”
Chuck the tchotchkes.
Halt the Hallmark ! # Haltmark ™
Jump the fence and cut your neighbor’s hydrangeas! Ok… don’t do that.
In all seriousness, to all the wonderful moms out there, who tolerated raising people in such a crazy, crazy life, we toast to you. Happy Mother’s Day.
Thanks for being mom.
XOXO,
Cranberry Liquors
PS: WHY is there so much hype around Mother’s Day, and not Father’s Day? I think people are excited about spring… or maybe it’s because MOMs really are the best. <3
P.P.S. We get it – the 1-800-flowers route is easy. We are locally yo-cal kind of folks (hidey-ho, neighbor!) Also, if you haven’t noticed, the Cape Cod Mall is closing. Support your local businesses, folks!
A while back, I posted a pretty lengthy read detailing the different wines from Spain, a little known powerhouse in the wine industry.
Similarly to Spanish wines, Portuguese wines have historically been overlooked as well. There are the few customers I know who swear by certain inexpensive varietals specific to Portugal.
From Madeira, to Douro, to another unpronounceable-yet-cool grape varietal, Portugal literally has hundreds of “types” of grapes… sometimes even within the same vineyard.
Also, lest we forget, the wine known as port; the fortified wine (read – concentrated, like orange juice before you add the water to the Creamsicle content within the can) was invented because of Portugal’s excellent grapes.
Cranberry Liquors invites you to “Forget what you know about Portuguese wine”
because you are likely missing out on some awesome bottles. Plus, this time of year can be budget -challenging on an island that is 3/4th’s of the way shut until May. (Insert clever Winter Wine Sale marketing here. 20%! All February! Get your wines, here. Drive in, call in… jk)
TLDR: If you want really, really good, “Old World” wine on a scamp budget, I would lead you by the hand to our Portuguese wines.
We’ve got wine that is friendly to both your wallet and your palette.
My reasoning? Similarly to the highly underrated wines from Spain, wines from Portugal are:
1. Dominion controlled ( hence the D.O.C. on certain labels.)
2. Highly undervalued
3. The best and freshest wine on the market, especially if your palette is privy to Old World Wine.
1. Dominion controlled. What does it mean?
Like tequila, or anything that is awesome, certain precautions must be taken to ensure a standard of excellence.
Similarly to tequila, Portuguese wine is classified by region as well as preservation (age) status. Without quality control there is no standard of quality!
2. Highly Undervalued
Most of Spain’s grapes get exported to chi-chi countries like France. In this same way, because Portugal wines are less “cool”, much more emphasis is placed upon the wine quality… as opposed to say, the label around the bottle.
3. Wines hailing from this part of South America are as fresh as Bel-Air’s Prince.
Vino Verde – if you haven’t heard of it, get familiar! I recommend them highly to our white wine drinkers. Vino Verde is the Portuguese equivalent to a French white table wine. Dry (but not too dry) and not sweet.
But onto the red wines! Cranberry Liquor has selected 4 of our best, least expensive wines from Portugal.
Starting at the top of the alphabetical list we’ve got
Colossal, by Casa Santos Lima
At 10.99 a bottle, it is hard to screw this decision up… From Wine Spectator:
“Colossal Red Reserva 2014 is made from a blend of three different grapes: Syrah, Touriga Nacional, and Alicante Bouschet. Alicante is often found as a blending grape in wines from the Rhone Valley in France.
Click the image for more info on this wine!
Touriga Nacional is a typical Portuguese grape, also used in Ports, and Syrah is a modern choice to use as part of a blend in Portugal. In fact you could look at this wine as a Portuguese homage to a Rhone Valley red!”
Rated at 1 point higher than the coveted 90 points, this Colossal Riserva is not to be missed.
Up next is an awesome, little known C. Liquor’s find.
From Left to Right: Paxis, Colossal, LAB and Grilos
Prefer a fruitier wine? I get it, I love my perfume because it smells like blackberries and raspberries. I definitely fall into this category.
As a result, I would steer you to the Paxis red blend. This wine is another 90+ points wine (actually, all four of these wines are.) This vintage (is an awesome flipping vintage) is older and may appreciate a ride in your decanter. Sediment aside, the un-corking of such a vintage is worth the wait.
Click the image for more info on this wine!
Last two? A D.O.C. “Dao” by Grilos (a personal favorite), which is often compared to French Burgundy, except without the French Burgundy price tag.
Also, we have LAB, a highly recommended vintage and varietal with a blend of grapes native to Portugal.
Click the image for more info on this wine!
IMPORTANT STORY-time: Once I had a customer who was determined to buy “French Pinot Noir” and I’d be damned if I let the challenge beat me. It turns out, French Burgundy is another way to say “FRENCH Pinot Noir”.
If you liken yourself to a good pinot noir, a lighter, fruiter red wine that can stand on its own, unaccompanied by an entrée you are probably going to have your mind blown by an Old World red “table wine.”
Why might I suggest this? Considering the facts that:
Old World Wines lack the “stringency” (or bitter/ makes-your-mouth-go-mlah taste) that certain domestic reds have.
This has a lot to do with the aging and barreling process of these wines… without calling any of our domestics out, or, to put it another way…
Maybe your 12 dollar red just got replaced by a more pleasing 12 dollar red “table” wine from our Portuguese underdogs, if only because the varietal of grapes is such a better buy for the money…
And if you’re wondering how I can make such an assumption about that ~ let’s assume you aren’t stuck in your ways (no shade!**) ~ perhaps consider what I said before regarding “dominion controlled” territories and the consequential regulations therein. As lame as it is for the winemakers, these regulations prevents marketing ploys from trumping good quality… at least, for now.
(**my mom may be French, but I see her drinking La Vielle Ferme!)
Maybe the best way to put it is like this:
If it seems too good to be true, it may just be from Portugal…
Some say that in order to have light, you must also have darkness.
In order to have great kindness, for instance, an equally present and ever-daunting evil must also be. ‘Yin’ requires ‘yang’, and this balance is recognized through time. This idea of balance is older than the internet, older than Jesus… it’s as plain as theory gets.
Take, for example, what we know about human “psyche”. We understand that humans are social creatures. The social aspects of technology – in their various forms and applications – have taken a toll on our social nature.
We do take advantage of these platforms. From Facebook to spiritofharwichport.com, new technology is a fabulous way to stay connected to our customers.
You can always reach me (Joe) via text, for example.
We, in turn, reach out with remarkable moments that tend to effect a little towns like ours. Things like C.Liquor’s [secret] Winter Wine Sale.
We are happy to take your questions. Conversely, we love wacky requests and great suggestions (black vodka, for example.)
All of this is facilitated by social media. But at what cost? Hopefully, we haven’t forsaken “personal touch.” In other words, we always look forward to the good conversations we can have at Cranberry Liquors.
Captain Cranberry manning his post at the counter.
Despite all that is new and digital, there is something to be said about the life-changing people you meet face-to-face for that thing we all crave: a little humanity!
Arriving back to the start of the year is strangely, seemingly expected with its wide open calendar. Nature serves as a reminder that like spring counterbalances autumn, even the (sometimes dreadful) winter has a purpose in this equilibrium.
Like the initial blanket of snow, it is as if the New Year plants a winter seed, seeing if it cannot emerge victorious come springtime… bringing with it the bloom of new challenges and, ultimately, accomplishments.
On behalf of all of us at Cranberry Liquors, thank you for 2018. We wish you a wonderful 2019.
PS: When you have flat champagne tomorrow, we have a great way to use it! Cheers!
PPS: We will be open until 8PM tonight, if not later ! Tomorrow Liquor stores are CLOSED.
Rather than getting caught up in the semantics, we’ll jump right to the point…
Christmas is an awesome time of year when you know how to shop for wine and liquor. And beer, can’t forget beer…
So if you’re feeling a little bit like you’re not “The Gift Whisperer” this year, or you’re not going to live up to the hype of years past…
Everyone loves a great time. Shopping for a great time is also an excellent time.
We’re pretty sure that if you don’t know your gift recipient’s drink of choice, ~~you’re fired~~ you don’t have to get them anything after all!
(Actually, that is why God invented gift cards… for the people who truly know what giving is, look to those who give the gift of gift cards.) And if you’re ready to trust your senses, come to our Christmas Wine Tasting! We’ll be doing all sorts of fancy stuff… like pouring wine and drinking it (you have to be 21 to play, however.)
From left to right
Chateau de Sentenay Merseault $63
Tenshan White Blend $19.99
Les Pagodes de Cos Bordeaux $71.99
Burgess Cellars Napa Cabernet Sauvignon $51.99
Tomorrow is December 22… come have an awesome experience at Cranberry Liquors this weekend, starting at 1:00 PM.
Starting tomorrow, the days start getting longer! See, your evening just got better didn’t it?
It seems like every time we blog lately, there is a needed update to the Route 28 traffic flow.
Yes, the construction next door is even worse than when we had a skunk tenant.
Worse. Than. The skunk.
Guys, when you could practice the silent treatment at work… let’s just say it’s not good for business.
We might as well wear Jason masks behind the counter, as our patrons are taking a detour home and narrowly avoiding the construction that brought all traffic to a full stop.
Without too many unneeded apologies, Cranberry Liquors is SO HAPPY to be nearing the end of what seems like a business deterrent.
THE GOOD NEWS?!
Besides Halloween coming up?
Or the fact that we have candy at the counter this weekend?!
Or this fancy, brand spankin’ new sidewalk running alongside Cranberry Liquors and Harwich Port Route 28?
Harwich Port will return to normal by November 1st. I hear you on the audible eye-roll – trust me, no one is readier for this to be done sooner than us!
We can’t wait to see everyone who’s been dodging this side of Harwich.
We promise to keep you updated as soon as we know better.
Summertime (at least this year) is arriving in fits and starts on Cape Cod.
Usually by now, folks are racing to the beach to escape the heat and humidity. This year so far, not so much.
Because Cape Cod weather can be so unpredictable, we want to assure you of one thing: Cranberry Liquors is your all-weather liquor store.
Plan your purchase to match the current or forecast weather. Rain or shine, hot or cold, dry or humid, we’ve got you covered.
Cooler Weather
Whether it’s a rainy day or an evening when temps get down to 70 (or lower), Switch it up from typical summertime cocktails to any of the following:
Beer
Stop by and browse our Craft Beer Library. Hundreds of local, regional and far-away made Craft Beers. So many, you may want to take one of those rainy afternoons and browse our selections.
Wine
On a cooler, rainier day, you might be eating your favorite comfort food. We suggest spending as much time as possible in Cranberry Liquors determining how to spend your evening.
Jokes aside, C.Liquor’s prides our extensive wine knowledge and selection.
Either Way, Cranberry Liquors has the perfect red or white to pair.
Or maybe you’re a purist and want a nice scotch or bourbon, neat or on the rocks.
Other: Don’t forget the after-dinner drinks! Nothing crazy, just a little sumpin’-sumpin’ to aid your digestion (hence the name: digestif. See what they did there?)
Tell us what your drinking (on those darker, stormier days) in the comments below!
Just in Case You Thought the Toast of Harwich was for Wine aficionados only, you are mistaken!
This year, the annual Toast of Harwich will be pouring High West Whiskey.
High WestWhiskey is made in a distillery in Utah. This bourbon is excellent.
These three whiskey bourbons are featured tastings at the Toast courtesy of Horizon Beverages:
– The American Prairie Bourbon – High West’s Campfire Whiskey – Rendezvous Rye
The names are not only cheesy and American, they have significance.
For instance, the American Prairie Bourbon™ donates 10% of the proceeds to the Prairie Reservation in Montana!
Nose: Light caramel and sweet vanilla Taste: Rich and earthy on the palate with well balanced flavors of candy corn, honey nougat and sweet corn bread biscuits Finish: Vanilla with a hint of caramel apple
Cranberry Liquors offers High West American Prairie Bourbon $31.99
The Rendezvous Rye is named after a annual “pelt-trade” from the mid-1800’s. From High West’s Website:
Our flagship whiskey commemorates the first recorded whiskey-fest out West. From 1825 to 1840, the “rendezvous” was the annual summer gathering of mountain men to exchange pelts for supplies. Alcohol was not one of the “supplies” at the first rendezvous. This oversight was QUICKLY corrected with a generous supply of whiskey at the second rendezvous in Utah’s Cache Valley.
The Rendezvous Rye, for instance, is hot. As in spicy. Traditionally made with two rye mashes, these whiskey bourbons are not typical. They’re old school.
The Rendezvous Rye is a (top secret) blend of straight rye whiskies.
Cranberry Liquors sells the Rendezvous Double Rye Whisky for $38.99.
The High West Campfire Whiskey is another top secret blend. “A blend of bourbon, rye, and peated scotch whisky, ranging in age from 5-8 years old.” At 46%, or 92 proof, it is possibly the most dangerous and/or flammable.
The Campfire whiskey is also the most expensive at $61.99 (keep this in mind while tasting at the Wequassett Resort.) 😉
Perhaps most excitingly, these bourbon whiskeys are all 91-94 point award winners, from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate to Jim Murray’s or Whiskey Advocate. It’s super impressive to see so many awards from one outstanding company.
As mentioned previously, these three whiskeys will be available at this year’s Toast Of Harwich, this Saturday, April 28th.
Welcome to our first and, hopefully, last COVID summer. As much as there is a lot of ‘abnormal’ to this ‘new normal’, the good things that Cape Cod has to offer remain pretty much the same. Good Weather, Good Beaches, somewhat limited shopping and dining.
