Victory Festbier - Seductively smooth, this medium-bodied amber beauty is akin to the great Oktoberfest beers of Munich. All German malts and whole flower European hops make this lager true to style.

Bells Oktoberfest - A coppery amber lager which showcases a full bodied, malty flavor that is balanced by a refreshing bitterness derived from fine noble hops.

Lakefront Pumpkin - You'll discover hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and allspice. Not overly hopped, but with a fine balance of Hallertau hops, this brew is the most agreeable brew to pair with fall foods and holiday dinners and will enhance the flavors of turkey, chicken, ham or any hearty vegetable and complement any meal.

Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale - Anniversary Ale is an American-style IPA featuring Cascade hops, the signature hop used in their Pale Ale. The beer has a pronounced pine and citrus hop aroma balanced by the sweetness of two-row pale and caramel malts. The result is an unusually well-balanced IPA that proves an IPA can be both assertive and elegant.

Don't forget all the local seasonals we've been waiting for! Capital Brewery's Autumnal Fire is back again. This hearty brew is a doppelbock based on an Octoberfest personality. Definitely one to keep you warm! New Glarus has just released Staghorn, their Octoberfest. This beer was absent last year but is one Octoberfest you don't want to miss out on. Lake Louie's Brother Tim's Tripel is smooth and citrusy with a nice balance of sweetness. A must-have for any Belgian lover! Last but not least, Furthermore's Fallen Apple is a gorgeous cream ale brewed with fresh-pressed cider from early harvest apples. This beer is a celebration by itself!

If you didn't already know, we offer an extensive selection of single beers both domestic and also imported from Belgium, Germany, England and many other countries. Remember, you can mix and match a six pack from our singles selection and receive 10% off! This is a great way to try items you may not typically try. Here are a few limited releases from some of our favorite domestic producers.

Lagunitas Kill Ugly Radio - This Ale is released in Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Release of F.Z. and The Mothers "Absolutely Free." Full and round with hints of grapefruit, and lemon lingering around the hops. It finishes clean and crisp. Definitely a must try!

Left Hand Ryebock - Opens with an initial tangy, sweet, dried cherry nose alongside the spicy tingle of the malted rye, and finishes long and savorable. The sweetness of the malt is nicely balanced by the tanginess of the rye. This is one beer to keep in mind for your thanksgiving dinner, as it pairs wonderfully with most of the staples of that holiday feast.

Dogfish Head Jiahu - The brewers at Dogfish Head got this stunning recipe from 9,000 year old preserved pottery jars found in the Neolithic village of Jiahu, in Henan province, Northern China. The recipe is the earliest direct evidence of brewed beverages in ancient China. In keeping with historic evidence, Dogfish brewers used pre-gelatinized rice flakes, Wildflower honey, Muscat grapes, barley malt, hawthorn fruit, and Chrysanthemum flowers.

Ommegang Ommegeddon - Ommegedon is a strong blonde ale with a sharp citrus flavor that--like other Ommegang ales--has a dry finish. Its dryness and funkiness begat the moniker Ommegeddon--named for the mythic time when the forces of light and dark battle for world domination. It's time for you to pick your side.

Dear Steve's Wine Market loyal customer,

In a continued effort to bring you the most outstanding selection of wine, beer, spirits, and gourmet foods, we are delighted to announce the launch of our new gift basket and accessory collections.

We have a number of pre-made selections available for any last minute desire. If it is a more personalized gift that you would like, please come in or call with a budget and allow us to create a gift that will please all your senses. Fill it with any of our amazing global wine selections, specialty craft brews, small batch spirits, and our newly expanded selection of hand cut gourmet cheeses and artisanal foods.

We are looking forward to introducing you to our new gifts and hope to see you soon!

Basket orders, questions, or thoughts can be sent to steveswinemarket@gmail.com
and will be responded to within 24 hours. Any questions, please call Jessica at 233-6193.

For this year's tasting, Steve's has sought out expertly grown and crafted wines from small growers of exceptional quality from around the world. The tasting will take your palate on a journey with great wines that are hard to come by, and great wines that are tremendous values. We invite you to open your mind and passport and sample the over 90 wines hand-selected by Steve's.

This is a tremendous annual event to benefit the Madison Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. Each year Steve's Liquor and More and Steve's Wine Market select high quality, interesting wines from the world and knowledgeable winery professionals are on hand to educate and inform you about them. In addition to wonderful wines, artisan cheese, chocolate and appetizers are served. This fun-filled evening also offers an array of silent auction items to bid on and help further a good cause.

Date: Nov. 03, 2007 (Sat)
Time: 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Cost: $60 per person/$110 for the Wine Tasting and Connoisseur's Room (Tickets available from both Steve's locations or directly from The Arthritis Foundation.)

The Connoisseurs Room will offer the opportunity to sample older vintages and rare offerings of highly collectible wines donated by friends of the Arthritis Foundation from their private cellars. The private tasting will be held from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Space is limited to 20 people.

Place: The Madison Club, 5 E. Wilson Street in Madison, Wisconsin 53703

Phone: The Arthritis Foundation 608-221-9800

COMING SOON - Information on newly arrived wines!

Check back soon for new article. Thanks!

Come visit THE CHEESE COURSE for freshly cut artisan cheese and meats. A selection like no other in Madison!

We look forward to offering you fresher products, lower prices and more variety. I aim to offer you the most exciting and compelling specialty foods, seeking out new food suppliers in order to find the best products. Look forward to tasting the youngest, freshest soft-ripened cheeses yet available in Madison; to
comparing Parmesan Reggiano from different terroirs; to sampling the most obscure, local cheeses from around the world. We will be able to offer other treats in the meat and seafood line. We look forward to hearing feedback and comments as this department grows.

In the meantime, check out these new additions to the food department:

Brenda Jensen and her husband are new and local cheesemakers in the Amish country southwest of Madison, producing a sheep cheese they call Driftless based after the geography of the area in which they live where the glaciers of the last Ice Age did not cover. She brought in a sample for me to try the week before the Fourth of July, and I loved it and I bought what she had, only to sell it all over the course of the weekend! The cheese is deeply flavored, yet subtle in its complexity of flavors; I taste hay and clover and a slight earthiness from the creamy, rich sheep's milk. It has a similarity to good ricotta, only much better! Since July the Jensens have added two new flavors, one, basil and olive oil (try this on fresh French baguette slices with slices of ripe homegrown tomatoes and a fruity and acidic Italian red, such as an inexpensive young Barbera), and two, a lavender and honey version, which is terrific in the morning on toasted bagels or hearty whole-grain bread.

One terrific new product from one of my favorite new vendors are Spanish tortas from maker Matiz of Andalusia. These traditional hand-made treats were originally created to take advantage of the large amounts of olive oil produced in the region. These are crisp and decadent with the richness and
tanginess of the olive oil, available in three flavors; sugar, savory, or sugar with almonds. The sugar version is my favorite; it has a slight glaze of sugar with a striking contrast of anise, and is absolutely delicious with steaming black coffee, making my early morning wakeups much more bearable!
Also try these broken in half on a cheese platter or for a quick snack with milk in the middle of the night. There are six tortas in a package, carefully and individually wrapped, that we sell for $5.69 a package.

Speaking of Spanish foods,I've added two new Spanish seafood delicacies. We now carry the most delicious hand-picked tuna in extra-virgin olive oil from maker Mas Portell. There is a LOT more of this luscious tuna than originally seems to be by just looking at the package; I can make three to four meals out of this. Try it on top of non-bitter salad greens with black olives, thin slices of cucumber, and an Italian vinaigrette; then try it broiled on slices of French bread with aged Manchego grated on it; then try it as an appetizer on party toasts with little slivers of red onion and pimientos on top. This is terrifically versatile and delicious.

I also picked up the most beautiful white anchovy filets, packaged in extra-virgin olive oil. We North Americans think of anchovies as these super-salt-concentrated minnows without heads that we don't want on our pizza, yes? Well, these would completely change your mind; they taste more like tasty little white fish, without all that potent salt, and with a creamy, dreamy texture. Break out the dry sherry and olives, slice up the Manchego, and enjoy eating these delicate, yummy fish!

I have added the world-classic Montgomery Cheddar of England to our cheddar department. Montgomery Cheddar is made in large (around 40 pound) cloth-bound wheels. It is robustly flavored and naturally can develop bits of blue that enhance its sharpness and earthiness. Its sharp, penetrating flavors and dry and crumbly texture match beautifully with sweet fruits; and so it is absolutely stunning when added to a dessert cheese course, if you want to end the evening in total bliss! This cheese is one of the few that are big enough to handle those full-bodied tannic Cabernets from the left bank of Bordeaux or from Napa Valley a big red wine.

Last but not least, dark chocolate lovers, beware! If you have not yet sampled the divine single-origin chocolate bars yet from chocolatier Michel Cluizel of Paris, you are missing out. These bars sell at $6.49 for a single 3.5 oz bar (a bit pricey, but still affordable as a little bit of luxury). Tasting the different chocolate bars together is a fun way to recognize the differences in the chocolates made only by the difference in their terroir, that is, the physical differences in nature in which the various chocolates were produced. Why does the Mangaro bar taste so balanced and smooth and wine-like to me when the Tamarina tastes like smoke and dark plums and prunes and tree bark? Comparing these chocolates makes for flavored discussions!

Look forward to more new delicious food products and the grand opening of our specialty foods counter. We look forward to your input as this department expands!