Spec’sology Blog

Labor Day Cocktails - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Things

Labor Day Cocktails

Spec’sology Blog, Drink Recipes, Holidays
Send summer off with a delicious bang with these perfect end of summer cocktails!   Blood Orange Champagne Mule Ingredients 1 ½ oz. vodka juice of ½ a medium blood orange juice of ½ a lime 4 mint leaves 2 oz. chilled ginger beer Top off with chilled champagne or prosecco Directions Add all ingredients to a glass and top off with a splash of bubbly. Grilled Watermelon Margarita Ingredients 1 oz. Cointreau 2 oz. tequila 1 oz. fresh lime juice 0.5 oz. grilled watermelon syrup 0.5 oz. fresh gra... Read More
The Key To Chianti - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

The Key To Chianti Wine

Spec’sology Blog, Wine
Chianti, pronounced “kee-on-tee”, is a red wine blend from the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy, made primarily with Sangiovese grapes. You used to see it in a squat bottle wrapped in straw, but nowadays most producers use standard bottles and have left the straw off completely. The History Of Chianti The history of Chianti dates back to at least the 13th century with the earliest incarnations of Chianti as a white wine. Over the years, Chianti has evolved into the red blend you see today. T... Read More
How To Find The Perfect Pinot Noir - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

How To Find The Perfect Pinot Noir

Spec’sology Blog, Wine
Pinot Noir is a black wine grape variety that hails from France. It’s one of France’s oldest grapes, cultivated more than a century ago by the Cistercian monks in Burgundy. Today, collectors prize Pinot Noir for its finesse and age-worthiness. Due to its popularity and difficulty to grow, it’s one of the world’s most expensive wines. Finding the right Pinot Noir for you can be deliciously challenging as Pinot Noir wine taste varies based on climate, soil, and producer style. Cooler clima... Read More
Texas Travel Treats - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Texas Travel Treats

Spec’sology Blog, Seltzers, Spirits, Wine
You don’t have to fly to some exotic location to enjoy a much-needed summer vacation! With a state as big as Texas, there’s plenty to do all within a day of travel! Check out some of our favorite summer spots in Texas and be sure to hit up Spec’s on your way for everything you’ll need to have a great time!   New Braunfels New Braunfels is known for being a city that loves to have fun on its rivers. With two rivers to choose from, and plenty of tubing companies for each, you could spend ... Read More
The History of Rum - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

The History of Rum

Spec’sology Blog, Spirits
The history of rum as we know it today begins in 2010. Before this period, rum was considered a mythical libation due to its draconian production methods. It was reported that in order to make rum, one was required to do so on a ship, in the eye of a hurricane. The rum was then rapidly bottled and sold to the sailors under the prerequisite that they must consume the rum before sailing through the hurricane. Hence the nickname “Suffering Sea Sugar”. Things changed in 2010 with the birth of Ar... Read More
Texas Concerts & Cocktails

Texas Concerts & Cocktails

Spec’sology Blog, Drink Recipes
With Texas opened back up and everyone looking for something to do this summer, we thought it might be nice to put together a list of no-stress good times. We couldn’t think of a better way to get back out there than by enjoying some live music. So, we’ve put together a handful of shows across Texas and even did you the courtesy of pairing them with a pre-concert cocktail to get you in the mood to groove!   Justin Bieber – DFW – Aug 6 The Despacito   Ingredients 1 ½ oz. reposado tequi... Read More
Italian Wines For Any Budget - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Italian Wines For Every Budget

Spec’sology Blog, Wine
Choosing an Italian wine can be a bit overwhelming, but that’s what happens when a country has been making wine for several thousand years. In fact, Italy is the leading wine producing country in the world both in terms of volume and exports. Italian wine is produced in every region of Italy and is home to some of the oldest wine-​producing regions on Earth. But don’t let the sheer number of options keep you from exploring all Italian wines have to offer! With such a large array of Italian... Read More
Cocktails Around The World - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Cocktails Around The World

Spec’sology Blog, Drink Recipes
The 2021 Summer Games, previously known as the 2020 Summer Games, kickoff on July 23rd with the first sporting event starting the following day. New to the games this year are 4 sports making their Olympic debut: surfing, skateboarding, sport climbing, and karate. Rumor has it that breakdancing will make its first appearance at the winter Pairs games. With 205 countries participating, we thought it was a good opportunity to explore some unique cocktails from various countries. So, in the spirit ... Read More
How To Build A Perfect Summer Picic - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

How To Make A Charcuterie Board

Spec’sology Blog, Entertain
After being cooped up for a year it’s time to do some of your favorite couchbound activities outside! And by “favorites couchbound activities” we obviously mean eating and drinking. Read below for a how-to guide to the perfect summer picnic and cut the couch cord for a day of sunshine! Unless you’ve got the means to transport a full-blown meal, most of us are going to shoot for something more approachable (and a little classy) like a charcuterie plate. Thankfully, you can pick up all the... Read More
5 Summer Chardonnays Under $20 - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

5 Summer Chardonnays Under $20

Spec’sology Blog, Wine
Nothing beats a glass of chilled white wine for breaking up a summer’s day! If Chardonnay doesn’t come to mind as your go-to summer white, we’re about to change that. The Chardonnay is one of the six noble grapes, and one of the most popular wines in the world. There are two kinds of Chardonnay, oaked and steel-aged. True to the style of a steel-aged wine, the taste is more minerally with tart fruits like citrus and apple. Unlike rich and heavy oaked Chardonnays, a steel-aged Chardonnay is... Read More
Summer Vodka Cocktails - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Summer Vodka Cocktails

Spec’sology Blog, Drink Recipes
With the Texas summer in full swing, you need lasting refreshment to make a full day of fun in the sun. While nothing beats the delicious flavor combinations you can create with a cocktail, some spirits just aren’t made for summer weather. Rum cocktails can end up too sweet, tequila too strong, and whiskey a bit too warming – but vodka, with its neutral flavor profile, lends itself perfectly to whatever refreshing taste you’re looking to capture. Check out some of our favorite vodka cockta... Read More
Delicious Punch Recipes - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Punch Party Summer

Entertain
Summer parties are things of beauty. Trying to keep up with the cocktail requests can quickly turn into a full-time job leaving you with no time to actually enjoy the party you’re throwing!Enter the punch bowl.A Quick History of PunchThe word punch is loan word from Hindi with the original drink, served in a large bowl with a ladle, named paantsch which means “five” as the drink was made from five ingredients: a spirit, sugar, lemon, water, and spices. It was brought back to England by sai... Read More