Every day we will have a bottle of wine open to sample. It may not be something that will catch the fancy of every person, but it will offer the chance to try wines that normally are not thought of from traditional growing regions, or wines from developing regions of the world.

Every Saturday we will provide an in-store tasting. The tasting will be from 2 to 4 in the afternoon and will feature a given region or type of grape. At least four bottles will be open to taste, along with information and literature on the selections for that day. Come and enjoy with us at no cost to you!

A: Being two different grape types, they possess different qualities and flavors. Merlot is a juicer berry that tends to ripen earlier, with characteristic flavors of red berry fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon tends to be a late ripening grape and exhibits flavors of dark berry fruit.

Q: Why is there no Cabernet Sauvignon growing in Missouri?

A: The biggest problem grapes of the noble variety (like Cabernet) face in Missouri is the weather. Freezing temperatures can be the enemy of the noble grape, causing the roots to go into shock that will easily kill them. Another problem with Missouri is that the soil is so fertile it causes the grapes to become fat and flabby—not good for traditional winemaking.

Q: When a wine says red burgundy, what type of grape is used?

A: The red grape of Burgundy is Pinot Noir. The difference rests then in the soils of the different regions to give the grape different characteristics. Traditionally Pinot Noir from Burgundy is more sensual and earthy than its new world counterparts.