WineInk: A November tradition

It’s late November, and here in Aspen, which means there are a couple of things locals can count on: The start of ski season for one and the annual Thanksgiving wine sale at Carl’s Wine Cellar for another. If you are a regular reader of this newspaper and/or the other daily, you likely have seen the full-page ads listing this year’s offerings from the little shop on Main Street across from Matsuhisa.

“It’s another great year here at Carl’s with some fantastic wines for the holiday,” said Maurice Eaton, who has been a part of the Carl’s sale since his first year at the shop in 1998.

“We may have a few more Old World wines on the list this year,” he noted. “That maybe helps us differentiate a little bit from some of the big box stores and markets that sell wine.”

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To borrow a phrase from CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz, the Carl’s sale is “a tradition unlike any other.” While there may not be a green jacket for the winner at the Carl’s wine sale, there is plenty of green to save on red and white wines. This marks the 58th edition of the annual wine sale, which is an only-in-Aspen tradition.

The genesis of Carl’s Wine Cellar goes back to the mid-1960s when the late Carl Bergman and his wife Katie purchased the old Matthews Drug store on Main and Monarch, renamed the building, added a second floor, and expanded the operation with a cosmetics counter. They also turned the west side of the building, which had formerly housed a soda fountain when it was Matthews, into a wine shop. In 1966, the wine shop, christened Carl’s Wine Cellar, started the annual Thanksgiving sale.

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Today, the tradition of a Thanksgiving sale thrives under the tutelage of a staff of local wine pros. Both Eaton and Kyle Kroupa, who began working at Carl’s in 2000, are fixtures in the local wine scene and familiar faces to a generation of Aspen wine geeks. They are joined by the former, much loved Aspen High School principal Charlie Anastas, who has matriculated to fine wines, Francis Stuckens, and the “weekend specialist” James Maxwell, who also represents wines through his company Maxwell Wines. It’s quite a team.

“We have a great relationship with our distributors,” Eaton explained about the key to putting the sale wines together. “Each year we connect and find out what wines they have left that are worthy of the sale.” Some may be overstocks, some are limited selections, but all are special wines. “I personally taste over 800 wines for the sale, and we have between 120 and 130 wines make the list each year.”

This year, when asked to make some recommendations of wines on the sale, Eaton began with a wine from Bordeaux, a La Commanderie 2017 Pomerol.

“It’s a Right Bank blend dominated by merlot, with a little cab franc, and is a great deal at $25.29.”

He also noted a wine produced in a small appellation in the Piedmonte region of Italy, the Amista Nizza Riserva 2019. 100% barbera from 60-year-old vines, this a fully formed wine is priced to sell at $50.49, down from the original price of $144.95 per bottle.

On the other side of things is a bargain-priced interesting value wine selling for just $11.98 a bottle. Personally, I’ve never tasted a wine from North Macedonia, but the Carl’s team has a Macedon, a pinot noir from the nation. Extra points if you can name North Macedonia’s neighbors.

These wines are only available as long as they are available. The spoils go to those who get there early. So, with a week to go before Thanksgiving, when the sale ends, the time to strike is now.

Of course, Carl’s is not the only great wine shop to buy wines for the holidays in our Valley.

Locals have their favorites, and each of our area shops has their own character. Some people like the variety of fine wines and services found at the Grog Shop over by City Market. Others praise the convenience of Local Spirits in the Local’s Corner and Aspen Wine and Spirits near Clark’s Market, while the curated selections at Aspen’s of Grape and Grain appeal to connoisseurs.

Over in Snowmass, the longtime favorite Sundance Liquor and Gifts in the Snowmass Center has been selling great wine since 1979. The Daly Bottle Shop on the Snowmass Mall features a small, but well-considered selection of wines as well. And in Basalt, Gonzo has moved Jimbo’s to an ancillary location that allows consumers to find some surprises and old favorites.

Regardless of where you shop or what wines you buy, make your Thanksgiving a tradition unlike any other.