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Author: Adam West IT DEPT

Open That Bottle Night

Since the year 2000 “Open That Bottle Night” has been celebrated on the last Saturday of February each year – occurring on the 24th of February in 2024. While meant to encourage people to open and share a special bottle of wine, we here at the NLC are also including some of our favourite spirits as well. Grab a few friends on the 24th, make some delicious food and pop that bottle you’ve been waiting to try!

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Valentine’s Day Picks

In this edition of Expert Picks we share our recommendations for two upcoming annual events – Valentine’s Day on the 14th of February, and “International Syrah Day” (aka ”World Syrah Day”) on the 16th. If you plan on giving your better half some chocolate this Valentine’s, then we suggest you pair that up with the ultimate chocolate pairing – Banfi Rosa Regale (see below). After years of trying to find a suitable pairing for chocolate this product has consistently come to the forefront. Serve it alongside a high cocoa chocolate (70%+) and the combination will taste like a cherry blossom! Since Syrah and Shiraz are the exact same grape variety, our team has selected one or the other in honour of this relatively new (began in 2016) celebration. Pair this variety with braised beef short ribs for a perfect pairing! Happy heart day!

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Limited Time Products

Expert Picks

With competition around the world for new and exciting alcoholic beverages being at an all-time high the NLC is often only able to secure small allotments of such inventory. You will often find these products listed on our shelves and website as Limited Time. Another exciting way to shop at your local NLC corporate store is to look for “Just Arrived” products. In today’s Expert Picks piece, we focus on a selection of Limited Time products. If you have any questions, then drop by any of the branches below and seek out one of our very knowledgeable Product Knowledge Consultants.

Senior Product Knowledge Consultant

Laura Hurley

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE CONSULTANT – KELSEY DRIVE

William Barnes

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE CONSULTANT – Stavanger Drive

Alison French

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE CONSULTANT – MERRYMEETING ROAD

Lindsay Anthony

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE CONSULTANT – Pearlgate

John Ryan

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE CONSULTANT – Howley Estates
Choose an occasion/topic for PKC product recommendations:

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Trio of Red Wines

Autumn is the start of red wine season, and November does not disappoint. In today’s Expert Picks piece we focus on two international themed red wine days, with a nod to a third. In honour of International Merlot Day (November 7th every year), International Tempranillo Day (2nd Thursday in November) and the yearly release of Beaujolais Nouveau (3rd Thursday in November) our highly trained product knowledge team are offering some of their current favourite Merlot, Tempranillo and Gamay recommendations below. We hope that you enjoy!

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Trick or Treat 👻 PKC Halloween Picks!

Halloween falls on a Tuesday this year. After Christmas, Halloween is the second highest grossing commercial holiday of the year. If you have any money left over after decking your house out in all its ghoulish glory and stocking the house with mini chocolate bars, then you may like to try a spirit, wine or beer from some of our Product Knowledge Consultants’ recommendations below. If you do not see your favourites on our list then pop into any of our corporate stores and chat with one of our dedicated team members. Our staff are very well versed in the products that we sell, and have a real knack for helping our customers find their desired tipple. Happy Halloween!

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Thanksgiving Picks by Laura Hurley

Expert Picks

Autumn is now upon us, you can feel the chill in the air that we know oh so well and that beautiful fall foliage is right around the corner. Autumn is not just about pumpkin spice and sweater weather, it is about a whole lot more! It is a time to be thankful for the people that surround us each day and appreciate some of the smaller things life has to offer. Most importantly, it iss a time to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family and friends while enjoying good food, and of course our favourite Thanksgiving beverages.

Whether you are looking to make a fall inspired cocktail, pair your favourite Thanksgiving dish with the perfect wine or enjoy a cold refreshing beverage, check out the list below for some of Laura’s favourites!

Senior Product Knowledge Consultant
Choose an occasion/topic for PKC product recommendations:

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Rosés for everyday!

This year, in an attempt to demonstrate that rosés are not just for summer sipping, we are rolling out our Product Knowledge Consultant’s expert pink wine picks for late summer and early fall. Rosés, both still and sparkling, fall into three of the NLC wine style categories: Aromatic & Sweet, Light & Fruity and Medium & Fruity. Our team has suggested selections from these three categories below. In addition to being excellent aperitifs, many rosés also make great partners when served alongside fish, vegetable and light pasta dishes. Sommelier secret: Pink wines with pink foods (i.e. salmon, shrimp, prawns and lobster) offer more than just a visually appealing pairing; they also are great complimentary flavour profiles. Finally, serve “Aromatic & Sweet” rosés with a traditional wine killer – spicy foods. Bon appetite!

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At Home Mixology

If you are anything like me, you are intimidated by mixology. Seated at the bar, gazing in silent awe as your favourite libation is skillfully built before your eyes, admiring how easy it looks, but understanding it takes years of practice to master. It is a spectacle for sure and a feast for the senses. While it is enjoyable to have an expert prepare your beverage, it can also be fun to create your own concoctions in the comfort of your own home

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Let’s Talk Tequila!

Thanks to a ton of recent local interest, the NLC has upped its Tequila game! In addition to new and exciting Blancos, Reposados and Anejos, we have two Cristalinos and another Mezcal soon to be hitting our shelves. Cristalinos (aka Añejo Claros), are aged Tequilas, unique in that they have been filtered to remove any colour that had been added during the barrel aging process. Cristilinos are great “introductory” tequilas as they are smooth and sweet, while not being too spicy or strong.

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