Wine

Modesto's The Armada: Gut Check's Hump Day Cocktail Suggestion

Wednesday. Hump Day. Congrats, you've made it halfway through the work week! Unfortunately, you still have two days to go. Dunno about you, but in order to survive the midweek blues, we're going to need a drink. Which brings us to our Wednesday Gut Check feature: "Gut Check's Hump-Day Cocktail Sugg ... More >>

Kerne and Ortmann Kick Glass at Randall's Sommelier Showdown [PHOTOS]

For local oenophiles, the third installment of Randall's Wines & Spirits Sommelier Showdown at Cielo in the Four Seasons promised to be a slugfest. In one corner stood Brandon Kerne, one of the skilled sommeliers at twin eateries Elaia and Olio in Tower Grove. Opposite him was Angela Ortmann, better ... More >>

The Wine Merchant, Ltd. to Host a Champagne Class Monday

Think you know champagne? Do you understand the importance of an assemblage? Or how to make a fine cuvée? On Monday, May 13, The Wine Merchant, Ltd. (20 S. Hanley Road, Clayton; 314-863-6282) is hosting a special champagne class where guests can learn all about the beloved bubbly brew. The class w ... More >>

Farmhaus Hosting Shane Wine Cellars Dinner on May 8

Seats remain for the first wine dinner at Kevin Willmann's acclaimed Farmhaus (3257 Ivanhoe Avenue; 314-647-3800) next Wednesday, May 8. The dinner will pair four courses with wines from Shane Wine Cellars. Shane owner and winemaker Shane Finley will attend the event. In an e-mail to Gut Check, Far ... More >>

March 2013 Issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine Features Four St. Louis Wine Bars

Gut Check loves us some wine. Yesterday was National Wine Day, and let's just say we did the holiday proud. Aside from guzzling glasses of grape, we, on occasion, like to read about wine, too. Imagine our delight, then, upon learning that four St. Louis wine bars are featured in the March 2013 issue ... More >>

The Wine Merchant: A 12-Year-Old Bordeaux You Can Afford?

Gut Check loves good Bordeaux and cheap wine, which meant we were plenty juiced when we opened our e-newsletter from the Wine Merchant, Ltd. (20 S. Hanley Road, Clayton; 314-863-6282) and learned the store was expecting a shipment of 2000 Château du Moulin Rose Côtes de Castillon this week. It's ... More >>

Schnucks Offers 15 Percent Off 6 Bottles of Wine on Wednesdays

Last week Gut Check shared a list of a half-dozen wine values you could find at your neighborhood Schnucks. Why six? Because Schnucks will knock 10 percent off the price if you buy six bottles -- any six bottles -- of wine. See also: - Six Solid Wine Values from the Shelves at Schnucks Well, the g ... More >>

Six Solid Wine Values from the Shelves at Schnucks

A lot of people feel intimidated about shopping for wine at a wine store. Gut Check understands this -- for the uninitiated, darkening the doorway of a retailer that specializes in wine can be as daunting as walking onto a used-car lot: What are they going to try to sell me? How will I know if they' ... More >>

Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau Party

Great Values in St. Louis Wines: The Wine & Cheese Place

Given Gut Check's never-ending quest for obsession with great wine values, we figured it'd be a good idea to check in from time to time with local merchants. They pick a wine they consider to be an excellent values, and we get our drank on and talk about it. The goal is to identify wines that 1) off ... More >>

Missouri's Mount Pleasant Winery Featured in November Issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Mount Pleasant Winery (5634 High Street, Augusta, Missouri; 800-467-9463) based in Augusta, Missouri, recently received some national praise. Wine Enthusiast, the de facto national magazine for wine lovers, has rated ten selections from the winery, which is located less than 50 miles outside St. Lou ... More >>

Ten Best Food Events This Weekend: May 11-13

Friday (May 11): Food Truck Friday @ Tower Grove Park The season's first Food Truck Friday brings the the St. Louis Food Truck Association along with other vendors to Tower Grove Park for plenty of tasty meals on wheels. The list of vendors includes the likes of Seoul Taco, 2 Girls 4 Wheels, Go G ... More >>

Buffalo-Wing-Flavored Soda, Wine Perfume Hit Shelves Despite Nobody Asking For Either

All right, so the end of days might be nigh. Is that an overreaction to learning that a buffalo-wing-flavored soda recently hit the market, as did a line of perfumes scented to smell like wine varieties? OK, perhaps it's a slight overreaction, but come on, when solid food becomes inspiration for lib ... More >>

The Nine Best Wine Bars in St. Louis

Gut Check has been looking back on the Riverfront Times Best of St. Louis 2011, but we're also keeping an eye on the Best of St. Louis 2012 by nominating finalists for our awards this fall. To see hundreds more winners and finalists, suggest your own contenders and download the Riverfront Times Best ... More >>

Q: What do you call a restaurant-winery combo in Chesterfield? A: Tame old tame old.

The Crossing Introduces New Wine Bar

Last year, Jim Fiala transformed the back dining room of his Central West End spot Liluma (236 North Euclid Avenue; 314-361-7771) into Liluma Side Door, a more casual, small plates-focused restaurant-within-a-restaurant. Now, Fiala is introducing something similar at The Crossing (7823 Forsyth Boule ... More >>

Whole Foods Market's Spanish Wine Special and Taste and Tweet Event

Now through May 15 Whole Foods Market (1601 South Brentwood Boulevard; 314-968-7744) is offering a sale on Spanish wines, featuring twelve wines from eleven different regions of Spain. To further hype promote the sale, the Whole Foods location in Brentwood will be hosting a Taste and Tweet Spanish ... More >>

Dear Jessica Simpson: Name Your Baby After These Grape Varieties, Not Zinfandel

Gut Check isn't above browsing the celebrity gossip, but we saw this juicy tidbit via Grub Street rather than our usual supermarket tabloids: Jessica Simpson -- did she sing? we honestly can't remember why she's famous in the first place -- and her fiance considered naming their soon-to-arrive child ... More >>

Wine of the Week: The Velvet Devil Merlot at Copia Urban Winery & Market

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you whether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nos ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Villa des Anges Cabernet Sauvignon from the Wine and Cheese Place

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you whether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nos ... More >>

Gut Check Visits Saint Louis Cellars' Fall Fling

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you whether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nos ... More >>

Writer's Block Petite Sirah 2008, Anthonino's Taverna

Alicia Lohmar​We are hungry. We don't feel like cooking (and there isn't much in the fridge anyway). We don't want to get dressed up, don't want to go far and don't want to spend a fortune. The question before us is not a fanciful one, not, "Where should we go for dinner?" but, "How can we sol ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Parker Station Pinot Noir from Starrs

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you whether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nos ... More >>

Campos de Luz Garnacha 2007 from Grapevine Wines

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you whether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nos ... More >>

Cantele Negroamaro Rosato at the Vino Gallery

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you whether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nos ... More >>

Domaine Lafond Lirac Rouge from the Wine Merchant

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you whether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nos ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Peltier Station Hybrid Petite Sirah 2007 at Robust

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you whether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nos ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Monteviejo Festivo Malbec 2009 at the Scottish Arms

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you whether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nos ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Alias California Cabernet Sauvignon at Kaya's Import Wine & Spirits

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you wether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nose ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Shooting Star Blue Franc at Gustine Market

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you wether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nose ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Domaine Les Aphillanthes Côtes-du-Rhône Rosé at Vino Gallery

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where an expert will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you wether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our nose ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Coastal Vines 2009 California Pinot Noir at Garland Wines

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where the experts will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you wether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our no ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Vega Sindoa El Chaparral Grenache at the Wine Merchant

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where the experts will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you wether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our no ... More >>

Top 3 Pet Peeves of a Wine Bar Bartender

Photo by Nicholas PhillipsNo need to hate on Riesling, friend.​In this series, food and drink professionals dish to Gut Check about their pet peeves anonymously -- but honestly.Gut Check Code Name:  Dr. DecanterPosition: Bartender at a city wine barPet Peeve #1Dr. Decanter: It bothers me when ... More >>

Vino Nadoz Opening at the Boulevard in Richmond Heights This Week

Vino Nadoz was transformed from a Cold Stone Creamery to a sleek 43-seat restaurant by the architects at SPACE.​For the past nine years, Steven and Kathy Becker have been serving up fast-casual meals at Nadoz Euro Bakery & Café -- with the original location at the Coronado Ballroom in midtown ... More >>

Wine of the Week: Paolo Scavino Rosso Vino da Tavola from West End Wines

Gut Check loves us some wine. We want a bottle with bang and a bang for our buck, so every week we will visit a local wine shop, where the experts will recommend a good-value wine priced under $15. We'll drink some and tell you wether we want to continue -- because the only time Gut Check has our no ... More >>

Valentine's Dinner Deal at Robust Wine Bar

​The best Valentine's Day dinner deal we've found so far has to be the prix fixe tasting menu offered at Robust Wine Bar & Cafe. Three courses, each with its own three-ounce wine pairing, for $55 per person. Better still, the Webster Groves wine bar will feature this deal all through Valentin ... More >>

Cheap Pinot Noir -- Not an Oxymoron?

Dave Nelson​Finding good pinot noir for under $30 is a tough task, but there's hope, in the form of a positive trend arising from our nation's recent, ahem, financial difficulties: Top wineries have been releasing value-priced bottlings. When we spot a pinot noir that fits this profile, Gut Ch ... More >>

You know what they say about restaurants: Small plate, small wine list

(Everybody Must Get) Stone Hill Vignoles 2009

Wine gets lost in the passionate "local" food movement. While locavores wax rhapsodically about farmers, cheesemakers, beekeepers and brewers, wine producers close to home are virtually ignored. With "Show Me Wine," Gut Check sets out to determine -- on a bottle by bottle basis -- whether we're miss ... More >>

Summer Lovin' Wine

Great Values in St. Louis Wines: The Vino Gallery

Given Gut Check's never-ending quest for obsession with great wine values, we figured it'd be a good idea to check in from time to time with local merchants. They pick three wines they consider to be excellent values, and Gut Check buys and tries one of them. Price is important, but value is really ... More >>

Missouri Wines Show Them at the Mid-American Wine Competition

www.stonehillwinery.comA prize-winning week for Stone Hill​The 4th annual Mid-American Wine Competition results are in, and Missouri wines had a great showing among the 550 entries from fifteen states. Missouri claimed thirteen Gold and 28 Silver medals -- 32.5%, and 28.5% of the totals, respecti ... More >>

Top 10 Values of the World Goblet 2010

​Now that Gut Check's World Goblet 2010 tourney is in the books -- France won, if you've been asleep in a cave for the past month and a half -- here's a handy shopping list of the wines we consider to be the best values we tasted, along with a link to the pertinent post and an encapsulation of ... More >>

The World Goblet 2010 - Recap and Awards

It's been more than a month since Gut Check got a wild hair up our corkscrew and decided to stage a World Cup, as it were, of value-priced wines. ​We did it because we're cheapskates, and because we drink a lot of wine, and because we blog like a one-legged man at an ass-kicking contest. Well, we ... More >>

The World Goblet Final: France vs. New Zealand

​While scanning the World Cup groups in order to plan our daytime drinking over the next month, Gut Check noticed that most of the great wine-producing nations are represented in the tournament field, including all of those with a reputation for crafting good, value-priced wines. Because Gut C ... More >>

The World Goblet: Semifinal 2 - Australia vs. France

​While scanning the World Cup groups in order to plan our daytime drinking over the next month, Gut Check noticed that most of the great wine-producing nations are represented in the tournament field, including all of those with a reputation for crafting good, value-priced wines. Because Gut C ... More >>