March Madness--Keg and Cork

Yes, March Madness directly relates to basketball, but in my life, the month of March is just plain crazy!  Luckily, this craziness often lets me blend together a basketball schedule and wine fun!  When in Casper a few weeks ago, getting bleacher butt from the basketball madness, I took time out to relax while enjoying some wine.  My first stop was my favorite wine establishment in Casper, Vintage.  I have reviewed them before and just love the ambiance, food, and wine.  However, I also decided to visit the newest wine and beer establishment in Casper, Keg and Cork.

See my previous blog post about Vintage here:
http://thesweetsommelier.blogspot.com/2012/11/worth-wait.html

When I stopped the second weekend in March, Keg and Cork had only been open for a few weeks.  The owners of this new business also own another of Casper’s popular watering holes, Galloway’s Irish Pub on the other side of town.  I had heard about both spots, and I stopped in for a quick lunch on a Saturday afternoon, thinking the bar would be fairly quiet and slow.  As I walked in the door, I was surprised to see the door sign say no one under 21 could even enter.  In Wyoming, children are allowed to go in establishments that sell liquor as long as the children are with parents and it is before a certain time in the evening.  Keg and Cork wants to keep up a certain vibe, so no children at all are allowed.  It is an interesting philosophy, and I can see how it would be attractive to many customers.  When I opened the door I saw how wrong I was in believing Keg and Cork might be slow because it was a Saturday.  The bar was packed with people eating, drinking, and watching sports. 

I sat at the bar and was quickly offered a food menu and asked for a wine menu.  The food menu read basic pub fare.  I ordered the chef’s salad and was not disappointed as the meal came out in a bowl the size of a trough for a barnyard animal.  The wine list was adequate.  Many of the choices were identical to Vintage, and though this bar specializes in both beer and wine (and is on the other side of town from Vintage), I would have liked to see some different vino options.  (Not sure if this was coincidence or the work of the same distributor through the state working for both establishments.  I could help remedy this problem quite easily! Wink, wink.) 

Though I would have loved to see more “cork” in Keg and Cork, “keg” does come first in its title, and avid beer drinkers will not be disappointed.  There are 28 microbrews available, plus the old standby options. There are also 9 beers from the state of Wyoming, which I really appreciated.  I originally thought that Keg and Cork was brewing its own beer and am just so surprised that no place in Casper--Wyoming’s second largest town at over 55,000 people--does this on a large scale.  (I’m told the Wonder Bar in downtown Casper has the ability, but doesn’t brew.)  Microbrewing is such a huge (and fun) culture right now, I would love to see Keg and Cork, or anyone, take this on for Casper consumers. 

The service was very friendly and quite brisk for the busyness of the bar.  I sat and visited with my neighbor at the bar whose burger looked and smelled delicious.  I was also able to meet and give my card to the manager (again…I could remedy the wine list issue…wink, wink), ending my overall experience at Keg and Cork in a very pleasant way.  I would love to revisit Keg and Cork this summer when my life is filled with much less madness—I’ve heard the outdoor seating area there can hold up to 150 people, and I’m a real sucker for a glass of wine on an outdoor patio!  Good luck on your new endeavor, Keg and Cork.  You helped my March Madness with a glass of wine and a good meal.  I will be back when I can have some summer stillness. 

Worth the Wait--Vintage Wine Bar

Last winter, I stopped at Poplar Wine and Spirits in Casper, Wyoming, and was so impressed with the liquor store.  I loved how the staff organized their wines, and their selections were incredibly impressive for the state of Wyoming.  (You can see the original blog post by scrolling down.)  On this visit, I also got a peek into the adjoining wine bar, Vintage.  I was intrigued by the warm atmosphere and lured in even more by a glance at the wine menu.  It took me nine months, but I finally went back to Casper and was able to stop at Vintage.  It.  Was. Worth. The. Wait!

I went for supper so that I could experiment with their tapas style menu.  I was not a bit disappointed with the caprese shrimp:  shrimp wrapped in basil, mozzarella, and prosciutto.  I decided to order two different wines.  The first, I asked for our server’s favorite.  Her recommendation was pleasant, a red blend.  However, it was so overshadowed by my next purchase, I don’t even remember the blend’s name.  I next decided to try the Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley’s Stag’s Leap District.  All I can say is it was heaven in a glass!  I sipped and savored every single drop!  Of course I was impressed with the wine; it has an excellent reputation, and the grapes are grown in a well-known area in the most prestigious wine-making region in the U.S.  What I was impressed with was that I could order this particular wine in the middle of Wyoming!  Wyoming has quite antiquated laws regarding wine and liquor; all of these products must be purchased through the Wyoming State Liquor Distributor.  I have seen this wine list.  To say it is limited is an understatement.  Yes, the state has some great wines to choose from, but the choices are fairly narrow.  That Mike and the staff at Vintage knew to pick such a tremendous wine was more than exciting. 

I was once again impressed with my stop in Casper.  Poplar Wine and Spirits and Vintage Wine Bar proved a second time they are worth a look and a visit.  I know I will be there again…I just hope I don’t have to wait nine months to do it! 

New Year's Resolution: Wine and 2012

For my New Year’s wine resolution 2012 (yes, I’m well aware an entire month of 2012 has already sped past but…be patient with me), I am attempting to visit more Wyoming and Black Hills wine businesses in order to promote the growing wine industry in my big, but sparsely populated, state.  In order to do this, I will be putting many miles on my new car, but it’s all worth it in the name of wine!  My caveat (and bias?) is that I am making these stops to promote wine in the name of increasing wine appreciation.  I am telling you right now there will be no secret ambush on any business with a seething review because this “critic” wasn’t happy!  I want to make people more aware of the great companies in our area that are making opportunities to get great wines even easier, often in the middle of nowhere.  Sometimes it’s hard work to get wine to half a million people spread across almost 100,000 square miles, but I am going to help any little bit I can!

To start my New Year, I traveled to the center of big, wonderful Wyoming for my first official Sweet Sommelier stop at Popular Wine and Spirits in Casper.  From the first step inside the store, I liked it!  The large, open floor plan made it so easy to see the wine.  The wine was organized by country, then varietal, then price-point.  This was a unique idea, and I can see where it would make wine buying for certain situations easier.  If I want a $25.00 bottle of California Cabernet, I know right where to start looking.  Poplar Wine and Spirits also gets kudos for having a diverse selection of American wine; many international wines, both Old World and New World; and the first Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) I’ve seen in Wyoming!  TBAs are unique and rare wines that the grapes must ripen on the vines for a very long time to reach a certain level of sugar content; it is a rarity for vineyards and wineries to have these harvests very often.  Of course, I had to buy a bottle.  Because this is a rare wine, it is much pricier than other sweet, dessert wines sold in the half-bottle size, so I’m saving this special treat for Valentine’s Day.   Once I bought this wine and a bottle of twenty-year aged Port, I decided I might as well go for a “six pack” of wine!  (Man, my job is rough sometimes, isn’t it?)

As we were checking out, I introduced myself to the owner, Michael.  He was so gracious and friendly, telling my husband and I about the new building where the store and its connected wine bar, Vintage Wine and Martini Bar, are located.  Michael then took us into the wine bar, which was yet to open for business.  (Don’t judge how early I got to the liquor store, please.)  The ambiance was so warm and inviting in Vintage; it looked to be a wonderful place for people my age (clear throat, mumble, mumble, forty-ish, mumble, mumble) to go and actually visit with others in a non-smoking environment, which is not yet law in Wyoming.  The wine menu rotates fifty wines by the glass throughout the year; it boasts up to fifteen appetizers, made on site, also rotating seasonally.  I was unable to stay until Vintage opened the day I stopped, but I will be going back soon when I can experience the full effect of the wine bar. 

So, great job Michael and staff at Poplar Wine and Spirits!  You are creating a great wine culture in my home state!  Keep up the good work.  And I promise to keep traveling to find wine spots for wine lovers to stop!