Making a list and checking it twice… Santa’s not the only one doing that this year. As you plan your holiday festivities, you no doubt have a budget in mind and are crunching the numbers. You want to provide a nice spread for your guests but you have to live with yourself-and your bank account-when the party’s over. Read the rest of this entry »

Mark your calendars, set your alarms or just watch the clock. On November 19th, the third Thursday of November, this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau is released to the world.

This festive once-a-year party wine is made for anyone and everyone. Light and cherry-berry fruity, but not sweet, this is no serious swirling and sniffing wine – it’s all about gulping and swigging and washing down your holiday foods. Just take a hint from the cheerful label, exclusively designed for our fun-loving customers. Read the rest of this entry »

Traveling for the holidays can be appealing, but let’s be honest…not all of us can afford a trip to Europe, South America or even northern California. You can take a journey by bottle instead of by plane with our “top notch wines at easy-to-swallow prices.”

Your vinous passport to so many wonderful places minus the flight delays and inclement weather and – get this – all for under $15 a bottle. Now THAT is a deal that can’t be beat! Read the rest of this entry »

Did you know October is Fair Trade Month? We’re celebrating with Fairhills Bus Stop Red and Bus Stop White. Both of these wines are products of one of the world’s largest Fair Trade projects, a joint venture between exporter, Origin Wine, Mendoza Vineyards in Argentina and Du Toitskloof Winery in South Africa. Over 1,400 farm employees and their families benefit from this unique social development project.

The Fairhills Bus Stop Red is full-bodied with aromas of berry fruit and chocolate and hints of plum on the lingering palate. It goes great with fall and winter dishes like hearty soups and stews, grilled meats like pork loin and lamb chops or pastas in red sauce. You don’t have to take our word for it’s great taste – The Beverage Institute’s World Wine Championships awarded it the Gold Medal. And what makes this wine taste even better? Proceeds are dedicated to purchasing a school bus for the children of the over 800 farm employees and communities of San Martin, Lavalle and Medrano in Mendoza, Argentina.

If you’re in the mood for something a little on the lighter side, try the Fairhills Bus Stop White. It has a creamy acidity on the palate with flavors of apricot and melon and aromas of lemon grass on the nose with a hint of spice. You can enjoy it with shellfish, grilled trout and vegetables, poached salmon or chicken dishes. This one brought home the Silver Medal in the World Wine Championships. Plus it will be so much more enjoyable knowing that proceeds from this wine are dedicated to purchasing a small bus to transport tourists from the city to the communities.

So raise a glass to Fair Trade this month and know that you have impacted the lives of over 1400 farm employees and their families. Salud! Cheers!

It’s October and that means it’s pumpkin ale time in the beer world. Check your local store to discover which of these delightful brews are available in your neck of the woods.

Wolaver’s Certified Organic Will Stevens’ Pumpkin Ale

This adventure began back in 1997 when Wolaver’s embarked on the mission to brew their beer in a sustainable way. It was one of the first certified organic breweries in the nation and simply put, its mission is to brew great beer and to support organic agriculture. Will Stevens’ Pumpkin Ale is brewed with organic pumpkins grown by Will Stevens and his wife Judy at their farm in Shoreham, Vermont – less than 10 miles from the brewery. With every sip of this amber ale characterized by a hint of pumpkin and baking spices, you will be supporting Wolaver’s local agricultural ecosystem – beer that will warm your body and soul!

• Produced at a brewery working to minimize environmental impact, supporting organic agriculture.
• Well balanced amber ale with a hint of pumpkin and spices.
• Pairs well with cheesecake or other desserts.

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale

The adventure began in the historic seaport city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1994. Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale is a tribute to the craft and heritage of America’s brewers. It is brewed with the addition of real pumpkin to the mash, along with traditional spices. With aromas of cinnamon and hops and a full-bodied, roasted malt flavor and hints of pumpkin, this is a true American original that pairs exceptionally well with many autumn dishes such as squash casseroles, hearty stews, as well as your Thanksgiving feast.

• The nose is full of spice, mostly cinnamon, with hints of the Liberty hops lending itself to a full flavor with a nice bitterness yet balanced with the roasted malts.
• The taste lingers into a nice dry spicy, hoppy finish that stays with you without being overbearing.
• A unique blend of spicing and hop goodness backed with just enough malt sweetness to bring it all into balance.

Buffalo Bill’s Brewery Pumpkin Ale

The adventure started in 1983 in Hayward, California, when Bill Owens started one of the first brewpubs in America. Owens began adding unique ingredients to his beers after learning that George Washington was a home brewer who used pumpkin. Today, the Seasonal Pumpkin Ale carries on that tradition – brewed with real pumpkin, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg and has been referred to as “Pumpkin Pie in a Bottle.”

• America’s Original Pumpkin Ale handcrafted for 25 years.
• At the brewery they serve “Pumpkin Roca.” Rim a wine glass with lime dip in finally chopped spiced roasted pumpkin seeds, fill with Pumpkin Ale, and enjoy!!
• Golden amber to orange in color with a rich head. It has aromas of pumpkin pie with distant pumpkin spice flavor and malt character.
• Pumpkin Ale is wonderful with all fall foods like roasted turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberries and nuts. It is perfectly paired with the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

The adventure began in 1995 in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Dogfish Head Brewery was borne out of the idea that beer can be food-friendly and worthy of ageing like wine, and it continues to maintain its commitment to quality and to developing “off-centered ales for off-centered people.’” The seasonal Punkin Ale is a lush, smooth, and full-bodied brown ale brewed with pumpkin, organic brown sugar, and all-natural spices including allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It was originally named after a local “off-centered” event – the annual World Championship Punkin’ Chunkin’ that takes place the weekend after Halloween in which teams compete to build machines that hurl pumpkins through the air.

• Full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. Pairs well turkey, roasted duck, lamb, stuffing, and dessert dumplings.
• It’s also a great cooking beer – Perfect for beer bread and for soups/stews!

Oktoberfest has been held every year in Munich, Germany for almost 200 years. The first fest was not really a festival, but a celebration of the wedding of Crown Prince Luitpold I and Princess Theressa of Bavaria. They celebrated with beer and wurst (sausages). These days, an astonishing ten million pints of beer and more than 3/4 million sausages are consumed annually at this festival.

Here are some of our fave Beer and Brat pairings: Read the rest of this entry »

You probably have already heard of Foster’s Lager – it is the most popular Australian beer in the world. But you may not know that this beer has deep roots. Back in 1887 when Foster’s was first brewed, most beer was served at room temperature. Brothers William and Ralph Foster figured their fellow Australians would enjoy a cold beer in that warm climate. And they were right! The Fosters even served it with ice so it could be enjoyed at its best.

Foster’s Brewery, 1870

A classic golden Lager, Foster’s is characterized by a full-bodied malty character and is produced with exclusive yeast and with Pride of Ringwood hops, only grown in Bushy Park, Tasmania and Ovens River, Victoria. The original Foster’s arrived in the US in 1972 packaged in metal cans that looked like motor oil cans. And so it was that Americans nicknamed them “Foster’s Oil Cans.” Look for it featured in our stores in September.

Check out the workers who first brewed it:

Carlton (later Foster’s) Brewery Workers, 1870s

Weekends are treasured for having time to kick back, relax and, maybe, test out a new brew. We created our Adventures in Brewing program to help you do just that. Each month, we feature two outstanding brews with unique stories to match their unique flavors. One of our August brews is Pilsner Urquell. Give it a try and let us know what you think. Here’s the story.

This adventure begins in 1995 at the Sandlot Brewery in Denver, Colorado. Originally named Bellyside Belgian Wit, this brew gained its current name when someone said, “Something this good only comes around once in a blue moon!” And a brand was born. Blue Moon Belgian White is refreshing and medium-bodied; a Belgian-style wheat ale that is spiced with fresh coriander and orange peel for a uniquely complex taste. A slice of orange is the perfect complement, bringing out the natural spices and subtle fruit flavor.

Beer Characteristics

• Cloudy white, opaque appearance, true to a Belgian Style White due to being unfiltered
• Moderate sweetness with spicy wheat aromatics and subtle bitterness
• 164 calories and 13 carbs per 12-oz serving

Awards

• One Gold, two Silver medals at the World Beer Championships 1995-7
• 2008 World Beer Cup Champion Brewery

Pairing

• All salads; adding citrus and coriander to a salad is almost always desired
• Mild turkey, chicken and pork dishes
• Wheat Beers are considered by many to be the best all around beer with food

Weekends are treasured for having time to kick back, relax and, maybe, test out a new brew. We created our Adventures in Brewing program to help you do just that. Each month, we feature two outstanding brews with unique stories to match their unique flavors. One of our August brews is Pilsner Urquell. Give it a try and let us know what you think. Here’s the story.

In 1842 in Plzen, a small town in Bohemia, a young Bavarian brewmaster named Josef Groll, using the finest local ingredients and a unique brewing process, created the world’s first clear golden beer. Before this, all beer was dark and cloudy. Today, Pilsner Urquell (literally ‘pilsner from the original source’) still employs a truly unique parallel brewing process. They are so committed to quality and tradition that a sample batch of beer is brewed using the original equipment and process and compared to the beer produced using modern equipment to make sure that they match up perfectly. Pale malt, delicate hops and the finest local Plzen water contribute to its deep golden color and full-bodied classic Pilsner taste of complex maltiness with a honey-nut and toasted grain finish.

Beer Characteristics

• Spicy, floral hop bouquet with a hint of caramel and buttery aroma
• Crisp and clean, slightly skewed to the pleasantly bitter side
• 156 calories and 16 carbs per 12-oz serving
• Renowned Plzen soft water, the aroma of world famous Saaz hops and the parallel brewing process deliver unsurpassed product quality

Awards

• In 2007, the Beverage Testing Institute of America rated Pilsner Urquell 93 out of 100, the highest score ever for a pilsner

Pairing

• Spicy ethnic foods, shellfish or steak, especially peppercorn crusted or spicy marinated Artisanal cheddar, Muenster or Havarti cheese

Summer’s FINALLY here, and we at Whole Foods Market are excited to unveil our Top 10 Summer Wine picks! Our buyers literally search the globe for the snazziest, zippiest, tangiest and tastiest wines they can find, and we stack them on our sales floors, sample them with our shoppers where possible, and, of course, buy them ourselves and drink them all summer long. Summer has some great excuses to drink good tasty wines: cookouts, concerts in the park, visits to the beach, sun going down, sun not going down…you get the drift here.

This summer we have included wines from Austria, Tuscany, California and the Napa Valley, Spain, Chile, Germany and Australia. We’ve included cool white varietals like Gruner Veltliner, Verdejo and a tasty Prosecco. We’re featuring some good grilling reds too, like Aussie Shiraz, Napa Merlot and a spicy Tuscan Chianti. Wines to please everybody. And don’t forget the organically grown Rosé – we have you covered there too. These wines will go with anything you cook. Or don’t cook. We think “porch wine” in the summer.

Stop into our wine shops this summer and snag a few of these good tasting wines at a good value. The Top 10’s are priced to please. The quality and selection is top notch, tasty and easy on the wallet. Ask your local wine specialist for regionally available six-pack and case deeper discounts. Enjoy! Learn more about our Top 10 Summer Wines.