The Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games commence on Friday February 4th. While the NLC does not currently carry products from all the participating nations we do have many of them represented on our shelves. Check out some of our favourites below and stay tuned for us one day offering a Chinese wine or two, as this superpower is now the 6th biggest wine producing country in the world! Enjoy the Games and Go Gushue Go!
Beer fans in Newfoundland and Labrador don’t have to look far these days for a great selection of new and exciting beers. There are currently 21 local breweries in the province with all now have some representation at your local NLC store. The following selection of our Product Knowledge Consultant’s favourites are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to locally brewed suds!
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To indulge or not to indulge – is that the question? For those of us hoping to moderate our alcohol consumption and/or caloric intake, the decisions we make in the liquor store can go a long way. In addition to the popular, “better-for-you” seltzer category there are many other alcohol producers making premium products for those of us seeking more health conscious products. Check out some of our recommendations below or ask one of our knowledgeable staff members in store.
Approximately 50% of all the sparkling wine sold in the world is sold during the last four months of the year! Even more impressive is the fact that roughly 25% of all the bubbles consumed during a calendar year is enjoyed between Christmas day and New Year’s day!! Whether you are into traditional Champagne or prefer Italian gems like Prosecco or sweeter Asti’s we have you covered at NLC Liquor Stores. Don’t forget Canada as Niagara in Ontario and the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia are producing top-notch sparkling wines these days as well! Cheers!!
It’s Christmas week and many of us are looking for that last perfect gift for that special someone. If it is a beer, wine, spirit or RTD you seek then we have you covered here at NLC! Gift cards are always a great idea, but if you’re looking for something a little more personal, check out some of our staff’s most favourite, tried-and-true recommendations below.
Canadians and Scots spell it whisky while Americans and the Irish spell it whiskey. Both are correct and both are represented very well on the shelves of NLC stores across Newfoundland and Labrador! Whisk(e)y is the province’s second biggest Spirits category and every year we bring in a selection of exclusive whiskies to satisfy consumer demand. Check out some of our staff’s favourites or seek out one of the below talented people and have a chat with them about the different types and styles of whisky that we currently offer.
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most planted grape varieties in the world and largely considered the “king of red wines”! From its homeland of Bordeaux this variety has spread throughout the winemaking world, finding great success in warm climate areas like California, Australia and Chile just to name a few. Cabernet Sauvignon’s thick skins provide the wines made from this variety with ample deep colour, tannin, aromas and flavours (think black fruits, especially black currants, black cherries and plums). These powerful wines make the perfect accompaniment to most red meat dishes and go great with hard cheeses that are high in protein like aged cheddars and parmigiana from Italy.
Beaujolais Nouveau is a red (or rose) wine that is known to be light, fresh and fruity! It is a simple wine that the producers hope you will not take too seriously, but rather enjoyably quaff from its release date on the third Thursday in November (this set date is strictly enforced around the world – with exceptions for no one!), right up until almost the following year’s release date. In 2020 the third Thursday in November falls on the 19th!
As a quick introduction let’s have a look at what these two words mean…
Beaujolais [BOE-zjoh-lay] = a wine producing region in France – located just north of the Rhone Valley, but considered a part of Burgundy. *NOTE: This region is famous for its near exclusive use of one grape variety – gamay!
Nouveau = Also known as “vin de primeurs”, Nouveau wines in France are meant to be sold in the same year as the grapes are harvested. These “new”, or “first” wines of the season, go from the vine to the consumer in a few short weeks! This means a very quick maceration period (if even one at all!) + no aging = a very unique product.
What makes these wines so unique? First off they are produced by a method known as “carbonic maceration”. Carbonic maceration is a wine-making technique, also known as “whole berry fermentation”, in which whole bunches of uncrushed grapes are fermented without crushing. It takes place in a sealed tank (no oxygen), in which the grapes break down (this is called intracellular fermentation). This creates alcohol, as well as a number of highly flavoured compounds. Wines made by this method have a deep purple (fuchsia) colour, with both fruity and candied aromas, moderate acidity and low tannin.
When one purchases a Beaujolais Nouveau they can expect that the wine will be 100% gamay, quite light in body and very fruity. Red wines made in this style are great for people who don’t think that they like red wines and can be served slightly chilled (~13 degrees Celsius or 55 Fahrenheit). This style of wine emphasizes the fresh, fruity quality of the wine, without extracting bitter tannins from the grape skins. Key buzz words used to describe these wines include: fresh, fruity, soft, aromatic and easy-drinking, often displaying aromas and flavours of banana, grape, strawberry, raspberry, fig and pear drop.
Possible Food Pairings include: ham, dried sausage, seared tuna and salmon, turkey (including Christmas dinner with all the fixings!) or one of my personal favourites, salads – especially those featuring chicken or bacon, pomegranate seeds, berries like dried cherries or cranberries or goat’s milk cheese. A classic pairing would be alongside a charcuterie board!
