Surdyk's Price

Saturdays at my house typically go the same way. It’s my Friday, so after work I’m ready to dive headfirst into the weekend. I’ve stopped asking the family what the plan is because I already know the answer is going to be: pizza and movie night! The pizzas and movies typically change from week to week (of course I’ve seen Frozen probably 100 times), but the most recurring ingredient to the night is the wine. I’ve tried most of our Italian wines at some point and like them all, but for some reason I always find myself grabbing the Cultusboni RS Chianti Classico. It’s made from 100% Sangiovese grapes. The wine undergoes fermentation with a short period of skin contact and is aged briefly in wood before bottling. Intense ruby red in color, it has fruity aromas of raspberry and black cherry with floral, earth, and spice notes, too. On the palate, it’s medium bodied with complex red fruit and black pepper flavors. Well balanced acidity gives the wine a clean finish and goes beautifully with the rich, savory, saucy and cheesy components of pizza. I already can’t wait for Saturday night! I’m not sure what we’ll be watching, but I know what I’ll be drinking.

Surdyk's Price

For those of you who visit Surdyk’s with some regularity, Tom Schaeppi needs no introduction. He’s the soft spoken, humble, yet deeply passionate man pouring his MN made single malt whiskies here at Surdyk’s every few weeks. It all started in 2018 with his now highly awarded 88 proof, which has become the first Platinum recipient in any category for spirits produced in MN from the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Tom visited me this summer with a sample from a single barrel that he thought was special, and wanted my opinion. My first impression: Wow. Tom was a little nervous because he didn’t want it to compete with his blended 80 proof that was going to be released further down the line. And because I liked it so much, I made it easy for him and said we’d take the whole barrel and sell it as a standalone. Complex aromas of blackberry, chocolate, baking spice, biscuit, honey, and black pepper fill the nose. The palate is medium to full bodied, balanced with flavors of caramel, vanilla, rich spice, dark fruits and a warm, lingering finish perfect for the rapidly approaching cooler weather. Cheers, Tom. See you soon!