19 Sep

New Wines – 5 out of 5!

Posted by Cranberry Liquors Around Town, Best_New_Products, Best_New_Wine, Blends, Cranberry_Liquors, Tasting Wine, Wine on trend, Wines for Occasion No Comments

It isn’t very often at all that we taste a new family of wines and decide to bring in all of the wines we taste. Usually, one or two stand out. One or two are, frankly, ‘duds.’

That said, we’ve selected some of our favorites to tell you more about: the Casale del Giglio family of wine.

Not so with the new (to Cranberry Liquors) wines from Casale del Giglio. Located 50 kilometers south of Rome, Casale del Giglio has been making red and white mono-varietal wines for almost 20 years.

So without further ado, Cranberry Liquors is pleased to introduce our favorite, most recent favorite: Casale del Giglio

C.Liquor’s 5 Out of 5

Satrico ($15.99)

A blend of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Sauvignon and 20% Trebbiano Giallo grapes*. This elegant blend reveals a fruity, lightly aromatic yet mineral nose, confirmed on the palate by a pleasing crispness and a lengthy finish. Satrico is a very drinkable white blend. Great with appetizers and fish dishes.

Chardonnay ($15.99)

his white wine is produced exclusively from Chardonnay grapes cultivated in densely planted rows (over 4,000 vines per hectare) and harvested in early September. A low yield per vine ensures that the grapes will be rich in sugar without losing crucial acidity. This wine reveals acacia flowers, peach and banana on the nose. Serve with grilled fish dishes or white meat casseroles. This chardonnay is authentically and varietally on point, which is a lot to say about your tried-and-true chardonnay.

Petit Manseng ($18.99)

A unique if not obscure varietal, the wine is intensely aromatic, fruity and spicy on the nose, fresh, crisp and flinty on the palate. An exquisitely structured wine which bows out on a seductive, fruit-filled finish. Like all good whites, this one pairs well with your favorite fish dinner. If you enjoy the adventure of discovering something new, Petit Manseng is your next stop!

Petit Verdot ($18.99)

Usually a minor player in certain red blends, this 100% Petit Verdot is a deep crimson wine which displays an intense, lingering aroma of red berry fruit, cherry, myrtle and juniper. Elegant and full-bodied, with rich velvety tannins, the wine presents a spicy, white peppery finish. Very good with oven roasted meats. This Petit Verdot = a red blend built for spicing things up.

Mater Matuta ($52.99)

A red blend of Syrah 85% and Petit Verdot 15%. A deep, dense, ruby-red wine which displays outstanding personality both on the nose and on the palate with its aroma of coffee beans, violets, ripe black cherry, coriander, nutmeg and cinnamon. Silky and seductive, but perfectly supported by fine tannins and a pleasing astringency. Mater Matuta Lazio Rosso delivers a long, lush finish. Mater Matuta is a fine wine as a crowning touch to any gourmet dinner.

If you’re in the mood for trying something new, give this wine family a closer look. As they say at del Giglio:

The future of Italian viticulture relies not only on consolidating the image of its traditional wine producing zones but on its ability to produce top quality wines at favorable prices in areas whose potential is still relatively unexplored.

Hopefully this post finds you warm in a wonderful way on this breezy (dare we say chilly?) day.

Stop in and check these out for yourself, quick before they all fly off the shelf!

Until next time,

Cranberry Liquors – The Spirit of Harwich Port

18 Jan

Portugal… the Grape

Posted by Cranberry Liquors Best_New_Wine, Blends, Featured, Tasting Wine, Uncategorized, Wine on trend No Comments

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.

Spirit_of_harwichport_cranberry_liquors_wine_portugal

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.

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.

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…

Cranberry_liquors_harwich_entrance_cliquors

16 Nov

Hours Hors D’oeuvres, Happy hour/ Holiday Hints

Posted by Cranberry Liquors About Us, Around Town, Best_New_Wine, Blends, Event, Featured, Tasting Wine, Wine on trend, Wines for Occasion No Comments

It’s the holiday season…

To quote a CLiquor store owner:
“Holy smokes Batman, it’s less than a week from Thanksgiving!”

A week from today, people across America will be celebrating the most American thing since High School prom night: Thanksgiving …

Fortunately, we’ve got some excellent wine pairing suggestions, as well as other great information regarding the upcoming holiday.

That’s right folks, we are T Minus 6 Days away from school vacations, in-laws and spending frenzies.

[This is your (THAW THAT TURKEY) warning.]

In years past, sweet whites, inexpensive reds and those all-year-friendly roses have been hugely successful, to both our customers and our own guest’s delight. We also have that which refuses to die: the beaujolais nouveau.

Wine Suggestions – Thanksgiving 2018

This year, not only do we have suggestions for your holiday meal, but I got Joe the owner to write them! Then, all I had to do was build a post and add some images to this post.

In the time it took to write the post, that post died when our website crashed. Fortunately, Joe’s reviews were sent to me via email.

In a nutshell, what I wrote yesterday made the point that these wine suggestions aren’t picked out of a hat.

We find a great wine
We get a great price on said wine because we buy a lot when we find good wine.
We can then offer same wine to our customers at an equally excellent price.
Because we paid less, and we want you to have great wine, everyone wins.

tl;dr: In all seriousness, the selection a store makes is what makes a store great.

Without further ado, Joe’s Word…

White Wines

Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier Blend ($12.99) What started out as an experiment at Pine Ridge Vineyards has long been recognized as a successful white wine blend enjoyed by many and highly recommended at Cranberry Liquors.

A food-friendly wine, CB+V (their designation, not mine) pairs well with turkey and all the trimmings. It presents ripe fruity flavors which are balanced by a natural acidity thus complementing your meal, not competing with it. At $12.99, the Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier presents a unique and sophisticated alternative to typical white wines served for Thanksgiving Day dinner.

Dr. Loosen Riesling ($11.99) If you’re not feeling in an experimental mood, Dr. L’s Riesling is the go-to white wine for your Thanksgiving.

Long a traditional favorite, the fruity sweetness of Riesling goes with turkey like cranberry sauce does.

If your serving wine to folks who aren’t typical wine-drinkers at mealtime, this is the can’t-fail choice.

If you prefer a drier wine but don’t want to abandon the Riesling motif, Cranberry Liquors also has the Dry Riesling ($13.99) and Red Slate Dry ($15.99) from Dr. Loosen as well.

As mentioned before, rosé has evolved from “all day” to “all year,” and can be an excellent compliment to your bird.

Red Wine Pairings

All winery information listed at the end of this post!

The Crusher Pinot Noir ($10.99) The Crusher (who doesn’t like saying “The Crusher”?) is a California vinted and bottled pinot noir that exhibits all the classic elements of a great pinot at an excellent price: Bright, strawberry rhubarb on the nose and moderate tannins to deliver a nice, long finish. The winemaker’s tasting notes even describe a taste of cranberry in its flavor profile. What better red wine to serve with turkey?

Folie a Deux Zinfandel

($17.99) For the wine drinker that likes a good cabernet with a good steak, the Folie a Deux Zin provides a robust, full-bodied red wine experience for your Thanksgiving. Jammy berry aromas give way to mocha and cedar.

Medium tannins, and a round mouthfeel make this a wine which will stand up to turkey or pork.

Just in case you are doing something a little different this Thanksgiving.

*Cue applause track*

If you can’t take Joe’s word for it, take mine.

If you can’t take my word for it, take LeVar Burton’s.

dont_take_my_word_for_it_reading_rainbow

Reading Rainbow (or best gif ever)

If you trust no one (not even LeVar?!)
We will be tasting the wines listed below tomorrow, Saturday November 17 from 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM. (click here for that information…)

Additionally (rather, before I forget) can I interest you in my all time favorite drink? If none of the above appeals to you, drink what I’ve never heard anyone refuse to!

If you are beyond lost in our aisles (and not dancing like Levar and crew,) please ask for help!

C.Liquors celebrates all sorts of ways this time of year, and nothing it is very difficult to surprise us with your recipe or familial tradition.

Special Hours

Wednesday, November 2018

Thursday: Legally, liquor stores are required to be closed!

Friday: Back to normal, open at 9:00 AM until 10:00 PM.

Regarding the additional seasonal holidays, we will post them as soon as this one is over!

XOXOXO,

C.Liquors

For more information on the wines being tasted tomorrow: See event

Wines

Pine Ridge Chenin Blend

the Doctor Loosen Brothers – US website

The Crusher

Folie a Deux Zin

07 Aug

Back to Cool

Posted by Cranberry Liquors Drinking Beer, Fine Cigars, Seasonal Beer, Summer_wine, Wines for Occasion No Comments

It’s wicked hot out.

Did you want to get anything done today? Oh, sorry, it looks like the weather has usurped any motivation you had.

There is good news!

Cranberry Liquors has the whatyou need to beat the summer heat.

We’re helping Harwich Port get ‘back to cool.’ 😉

/r/dadjokes

Here at Cranberry Liquors, we have

Air Conditioning
A beer cooler filled with beer (and it is a giant walk-in fridge. I’d be lying if I said we didn’t take turns taking shelter inside of it.)
Chilled wine… rose, white and sparkling… and it is right beside the registers! That’s right.. we don’t even make you walk to the back of the grocery store to get the milk.

So if your face is melting off too, don’t even bother with trying to re-apply your make up. Maybe the lawn sprinkler is good enough for your three year old neighbors, but Harwich Port’s favorite liquor store has an idea for all you 21+ years old folks out there:

Get a cold glass of something to beat the heat. Heck, get two! We also sell ice, to keep your beer and wine cold and to throw at unsuspecting ~~seagulls~~ people.

inflatable pool living room beers guy

Pro Tip: Don’t be this guy… (Click the photo for the whole video but fair warning- they definitely say the F word a lot in the video.)

At least he’s drinking bud!

We’re open until 10 PM tonight, however we suggest stopping whatever you’re doing because you’re probably getting frustrated and getting a sunburn. In fact, you’re probably doing it wrong if only because it is SO hot out (I know I was.)

Give yourself permission. Take the rest of this extremely hot day… off.

What are you doing to beat the heat today?

02 May

Toast Post: Recap…

Posted by Cranberry Liquors About Us, Around Town, Event, Featured, Tasting Wine, Toast of Harwich, Whiskey No Comments

The 2018 Toast of Harwich

Vendors, attendees and event coordinators all agreed, amidst the dancing and drinking, that this year’s toast was not to be missed.

If you didn’t go this year, avert your eyes in the case you may never recover. This was, by far, the “best” Toast of Harwich to date.

Highlights from the night included:

Joe from Cranberry Liquors (sorry dad)
The High West Bourbon tasting was a success! Bill, our rep from Horizon, even commented how people were surprised and excited by the whiskey (and the whiskey tasting!)
The food was awesome, with Guy from the Mason Jar doing his famous desserts on a mirror, Red’s making their first appearance with Italian catering, salsa and other soiree food from Buca’s, and the Wequassett even got down with their “snicky-snacks.”
Mark from Trio Wines did his usual best – and new people fell in love with one of our favorite wine reps.
an excellent performance from the Rip it Ups: live music got people on the floor dancing.

Most notably, the online auction was a great fundraiser. Years past, the auction was “silent,” and the bidding took place only at the event. This year, previews of the items, bidding and winning all took place online. This allowed people to partake in a totally different way… and proved to be a profitable endeavor for the Chamber.

Harwich was there in full swing, and Cranberry Liquors is thrilled to have coordinated the spirits for the evening.

Check out some of the pictures Taylor Anne Williams took this year. (She is semi-counter girl at C.Liquors, photographer and artist.)

If the above images don’t want to act nicely on your computer, see the gallery here too.

To everyone who helped make this year’s Toast happen (and happening!), C.Liquors thanks every one of you. We hope to be as lucky in the coming years…

23 Apr

Toast of Harwich: Whiskey Tasting

Posted by Cranberry Liquors Around Town, Featured, Local Spirits, Toast of Harwich, Uncategorized, Whiskey, Whiskey_On_Trend, Whiskey_Tasting, Wine Spritzer No Comments

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 West Whiskey 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.

To Read more about High West Bourbon Whiskeys and their proprietary, contractually undisclosed blends, click here.

Pro-tip: If you have no idea what to buy for bourbon, go for the one with the handwritten batch numbers (see bourbon to the right.)

Finally, if you are wondering where Joe will be this toast, I’ll give you three guesses (and the first two don’t count.)

There are still tickets left if you need to buy them. Click here to be lead to the Chamber of Commerce.

13 Feb

Valentines Day Recommendations

Posted by Cranberry Liquors Around Town, Event, Featured, Tasting Wine, Uncategorized, Wines for Occasion No Comments

Want to know the way to your Valentine’s heart?

Hint: it’s like chocolate, but better.

That’s right – we said it. While Cranberry Liquors absolutely, 100% detests the notion of Hallmark holidays, we know there is an expectation.

Ladies, gentleman, can we be so bold as to suggest…

a Cranberry Liquors gift card?

It fits right into that card you already bought. ;]

Spirit and Wine Suggestions for Valentine’s Day 2018:

Bailey’s Strawberry Liqueur is limited edition… and it is looking pretty fabulous here.

C.Liquors suggestion: Pour over ice cream. Enjoy a sweet and thoughtful will-you-be-my-valentine-approved gift. Little bottles available!

In general, Valentine’s Day is to sparkling wine and champagne as Corona is to the 4th of July.

Je t’aime is also how you say “I love you” in French. It also translates to excellent prosecco by Villa Jolanda, which means great sparkly for the price.

Cliquor’s regular price is $10.99. Covered in <3’s and people in love, Je t’aime is a hard one to mess up. Maybe it’s not the best choice for a first date?

Want to go big red? It is winter, after all.

This Napa Valley Cabernet isn’t just pretty. It’s pretty awesome.

Raymond Cabernet: 40th Anniversary

Although it says Napa Valley on the label, the 40th anniversary Raymond Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% French oak barreled for 19 months.

Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate give it 93, 92 and 93 points respectively.

Expect to be impressed by this cab. Normally the Raymond goes for $39.99. This Raymond Cab Sauv is compared to bottles twice its price.

It’s also twenty percent off, due to the fact that you are on Cape Cod and it is February.

We battle the elements and the Hallmark moments together! Friends, ~~good looking~~ countrymen, ~~all the single~~ ladies and gentleman….

And seriously, if you don’t know what to get, buy them a damn gift card. C.Liquor gift cards are literal liquor store money.

You are giving them permission to buy liquor. Plus, your Valentine will have two whole weeks to save 20% on our Winter Wine Sale.

Gift cards people…

If you don’t have one in mind, we’ll be your valentine.

We might get a little crazy tomorrow… so stay tuned!

20 Oct

Yellow Tag Promotion

Posted by Cranberry Liquors About Us, Around Town, Craft Beer, Cranberry_Liquors_Promotion, Featured, Tasting Wine No Comments

Cape Cod has some pretty wonderful moments this time of year. While some switch their rose for cabernet, others are hitting the beach like it’s early May.

Whether it’s red, white or pink in your glass, Cranberry Liquors would like to make known another very important color in our store…

See this color? If you can’t, it’s a pretty loud yellow tag emblazoned upon an excellent red wine.

Our “Yellow Tag” wines are an indicator of three things.

1. It’s a great wine

2. It’s an even greater price

3. These wines are in beta mode.

So, what’s the deal? As your local liquor store, C.Liquors listens to our customers, our distributors and our palettes. however we don’t always listen to the groaning shelves in our store. Often times our eyes (and ideas) are bigger than our displays and floor space.

Rather than sell the same boring things, we decided to make room in the most mutually beneficial way possible. We Yellow Tag wines at an unreasonably good price and we get to buy more of the new, cool, trending and otherwise desirable stuff!

So What About Beta Mode?

Perhaps one of the coolest things about our Yellow Tag wines is our ability to see what we intend to restock. For example, if a customer buys the esoteric Australian wine we have tagged this week, and then buys the rest the following day, we may just be special ordering that wine for them.

Similarly, these yellow tags have started many engaging conversations with our loyal customers. Even if it were possible, it isn’t a great idea for us to try every product in our store. Furthermore, we would need the memory capacity of a superhero, not to mention perfect recall to properly account for our vast selection.

In other words, we need your opinions, palettes, suggestions and remarks to keep what you want on our shelves!

To review, these yellow tags are an indicator of:

Great wine
Uncommon wine (it won’t be Kendall Jackson, folks…)
A price so good that my mom doesn’t know about this promotion (sorry Joe…hi mom)!
An invitation to flaunt your knowledge to your favorite CLiquor store clerk.

Keep us in the loop! We hope you are loving this incredible time of year as much as we are.

PS: You’ll find our Yellow Tags on premium spirits and craft beers too! There’s something for everyone at Cranberry Liquors.

Day	Open	Close
Monday	10 AM	8 PM
Tuesday	10 AM	8 PM
Wednesday	10 AM	8 PM
Thursday	10 AM	8 PM
Friday	10 AM	9 PM
Saturday	10 AM	9 PM
Sunday	11 PM	8 PM

Harwichport_wine_and_spirits