Spec’sology Blog

The rise in Chilean wines may seem new to the wine world, but Chile has been planting grapevines since the 1500’s. The recent surge in Chilean wine exports has finally brought the recognition these vintners deserve; prior to the 1990’s almost all of Chilean wines were consumed by its residents. This slender strip of land produces festive sparklers, crisp and refreshing whites, and bold, world-class reds, plus every style in between. Chile’s topography creates islands of isolation for the vineyards protecting them from the elements. Bordered by the cool Pacific Ocean to the west and the snow-capped Andes to the

Australia is one of the most prolific wine-producing countries in the world and not many people in the U.S. are aware of it. History of Australian Wine The birth of Australian wine making first started when vine cuttings from the Cape of Good Hope were brought to the penal colony of New South Wales in 1788. Although these first vines failed, eventually other settlers managed to successfully cultivate vines for winemaking, and Australian made wine was available for sale domestically by the 1820s. Currently, wine is produced in every state, with more than 60 designated wine regions totaling around 160,000

Martinis are no longer restricted to business lunches and casually cool spies. In fact, it’s as common to see them at brunch as it is at happy hour. From gin or vodka to fruity, sweet, or savory, the martini is a jack of all trades. Join us in celebrating this versatile cocktail during National Martini Month with one of these delicious recipes and let your fancy flag fly! Snickerdoodle Martini The perfect dessert martini! Creamy, sweet, and decadent in all the right ways. Ingredients 2 oz. Ketel One Vodka 1 cup heavy cream 1 oz. Monin Caramel Syrup ¼ cup

Valentine’s Day is here, and Spec’s has you covered with gifts for all! Sure, when you think Spec’s, you think alcohol, and while that’s most certainly true, Spec’s also offers a ton of other items to woo your boo! Since you’re probably in a hurry to find a gift and not looking for the history of Valentine’s Day or other random factoids, we’ll get right to it! Gifts for Her A Bouquet of Rosés Korbel Sweet Rosé House Wine Rosé Castellblanch Rosado Brut Carat Cava Budget Friendly Bubbly for your Beloved Ayala Brut Majeur Chandon California Brut Classic Lucien Albrecht

Chunky or creamy, peanut butter is just dreamy! From the classic PB&J to a smoothie ingredient to just eating it out of the jar, peanut butter has been an American staple for decades. So, on National Peanut Butter Day, we dug deep to find our favorite peanut butter drink recipes. Join us as we expand your peanut buttery horizons with everything from peanut butter cup cocktails to PB twists on tried-and-true classic cocktails. Spiked Peanut Butter Cider Ingredients 1½ oz. peanut butter whiskey 4 oz. hot apple cider Garnish: cinnamon stick Directions Combine ingredients and garnish. Enjoy! Hard Ball Ingredients

When you think of pairing cheese with a drink, wine is usually the first to come to mind. And with good reason; cheese’s high fat content tends to coat the tongue and dampen taste receptors to beverages, but the acidity of a well-paired wine can cut through this creamy barrier and unlock flavors of both itself and the cheese. But wine isn’t the only beverage that does wonders with cheese! Join us on National Cheese Lover’s Day as we explore some interesting cheese pairings that’ll have you falling deeper in love with cheese than you ever thought possible. Sparkling Wine

With the NFL’s expansion of the playoffs for the 2021 postseason, there will now be seven teams from each conference taking the field during the month of January. So, you’ll get even more football than usual and that means you’ll need more ways to keep your mouth entertained (besides yelling at the TV). While beer might be the go-to for gathering around the TV and pairing with snacks, a cocktail can be a great thing to sip on while you spend almost all of January glued to the tube. Whether you’re looking for shots, sippers, or beer cocktails to pair

It’s January so you’ve probably finished reading all the 2020 recaps and are beyond ready to move on and leave those 365 days as far behind as possible! We feel you. So, what’s new for beverages in the year 2021 you ask? Well, settle on down and get ready to have your happy hour future read by the experts. 2021 will see the continued rise of hard seltzers as more and more brands get in on the action with new and unique offerings. Online wine education courses skyrocketed during quarantine leading consumers to begin looking for diversity in their wines,

Every year we offer up dozens and dozens of cocktails for you to try and 2020 was no different. Seeing as how 2020 was the year of stay-at-home cocktails, we decided to showcase the top four most popular drinks of the year. So, grab a glass and enjoy of our year-end cocktail roundup! Mango Sunrise Piña Colada With a tropical twist on an already tropical cocktail, our blissful Mango Sunrise Piña Colada was a summertime standout. It’s like taking a vacation in the middle of a vacation! Ingredients: 2 oz. Koloa Coconut Rum 2 oz. mango juice 2 oz. pineapple

Some of our top gifts to give your friends and loved ones for the holiday season! Homemade Maple Pecan Pie made with Crown Royal It’s everything you love about pie with a subtle kick of everything you love about bourbon. The infusion of Crown Royal Maple Bourbon highlights the seasonal flavors in every slice of sticky sweet perfection! But you’ll want to hurry in and get yours soon as they’re only available for a limited time! Fat Ice Cocktail Spheres Super premium, crystal clear ice. Best for slowly watering down barrel proof and high proof whiskey or cask strength scotch.

A Word From Our Wine Expert… Many major reviewers have been releasing their “Best Of” and “Top” wines of the year lists over the past month. Fun as they may be to obsess over and reference, those lists are obviously subjective. While I have never been disappointed in a wine I’ve bought from one of these lists, there have been plenty of instances where I have vehemently disagreed with the rankings. Below is my own list of noteworthy Riojas. I tasted a lot of Riojas in 2020, but the below bottles left the greatest impressions on me this year: 1.)