Spirit by Destille - Liquor Store? Hell no, much more than that!

When you’ve seen one liquor store, you’ve seen ‘em all, right?  Hahahaha…. I laugh loudly in your face!  How about a liquor store that feels more like a combination of cooking store, with flavored oils and vinegars?  What about a liquor store where you can sit and sip and feel like you’ve just dropped in on neighbors, only more relaxed?  Christmas gifts?  Right here.  Ditto ornaments and accent pieces for your living room.  Candles. Soaps.  Come on in and browse, man!  What the hell are you waiting for?

Huge jugs of libations line the walls.  Not just whiskey, but rum, and flavored liquors.  As soon as you say, “I’d like to taste some…” there’s a small glass in your hand and you're offered a seat.

Walter and Ursula know just how to make you feel at home, with smiles, pats on the back, and friendliness that begs you to sit and chat and discuss…and sip your way to lasting pleasure.

By the way, Walter has five first names strung together.  After you’ve had a few more swigs, get him to give you the entire string, which sounds like the whole front row in a classroom.

Honestly, I can’t remember how many times I’ve been to Spirit by Destille, in Homburg, Saar.  I walk by and can’t help myself.  Walter offers a drink.  Ursula gives me a smile that melts me.  Even when my wife and I and friends are in a hurry, we’re never in a hurry here.

Sometimes I just meander and read the labels on whiskies from around the world.  Bourbons, too.  Irish, too.  The selection amazes.  Got questions?  Ask Walter.  He knows his whiskeys.

Walter seated among his many whiskeys.

We’ve come here for an evening of whiskey tasting.  We’ve come here to buy luxurious fruited vinegars I use in salad dressings.  We’ve come here to sample and encourage my wife’s addiction to coconut-spiked rum and egg cream liquor.

Events here are something to plan your evening around.  Not only whiskey tastings, but also evenings of music.  Soon Spirit by Destille will try for a whiskey tasting Guinness world record.  Think I’m kidding?  Want to get in on it??? Go to the web site and read about what’s going to happen in Neunkirchen.

www.spirit-homburg.de

info@spirit-homburg.de

Wine Tasting at Weinhaus Homburg

There are more wine tastings (Weinprobe, from the German probieren, to sample) in Germany than chips in a Vegas casino.  Drive along the Mosel River and you can stop every five meters to try the juice from another vineyard.  All of them good. After the first Weinprobe, call a taxi.

But, it's the time of year when wine tasting along the rivers is gone with the drifting autumn leaves.  The vines are bare, standing in naked rows on the hillsides.  Store shutters are closed and locked.  Time for wine lovers to shift gears as the cold rain drips and winds begin to whip the nearly frigid air.

Thankfully, in Germany, you don’t have succumb to the weather and push aside the joys of wine exploration.  And, in at least one recent case (pun intended), the tasting got even better.

Homburg (Saar) is a sparkling town and one of the stars in this tiny heaven is Weinhaus. I go there often, for a coffee, or more often a wine, some bruschetta, and conversation with Sebastian, a young man with a nose for wine and spirits.  To say it plainly, he’s offered my wife and me many suggestions and never steered us wrong.  My wine cellar is filled with his recommendations.  Although first among equals, Sebastian is not the only star of the show.  A gorgeous blond waitress, Celine, will also fill your glass with wonderful vintages and offer helpful suggestions.

Celine puts on the final touches

Sebastian chats with the sommelier

Best of all, Weinhaus is more than a Weinstube and restaurant; it also sports an ongoing repertoire of wine tastings, whiskey tastings and such feasts as the popular paella night.  I offer only one caveat; if you see something you like, sign up NOW.  We signed on for the November wine tasting in August and two weeks later it was full.

First a sauvignon blanc from Paul Cluver, South Africa

On this particular night, the wine selections featured the best of tiny vineyards in South Africa, Chile, Argentina, and the U.S.  So far, pretty standard, yes?  Well, I emphasize the selections came from tiny vineyards and each was paired with tasting-sized portions of delectables from the Weinhaus kitchen.

A knowledgeable sommelier led us wine by wine, and painted descriptions with a tiny brush that took us not only to the wines themselves, but also the development and attitudes of each vintner.   

A robust red from Chile

When he first began, one South American vintner, so proud of his first harvest, invited friends over to sample.  One friend (?) summed it up:  This is piss!  Which led to the wine maker having a chat with himself (Damn it! I can make good wine!) and led to his latest, award-winning offering, which we sampled and savored and relished.  If at first you don’t succeed…

Pinotage rosé.  Pinotage is a cross between pinot noir and cinsaut, known as hermitage in South Africa, hence the name.

The small, elegant setting in upstairs Weinhaus.

The South African selection came from a vintner dedicated not only to creating delicious wines, but to embracing the inclusion of all races in his business.  And, he was doing this well before the fundamental change in the power structure.

It’s one of the many reasons wine-tasting at Weinhaus appeals to me.  You learn not only about the few ounces of wine in your glass, but food parings, geography, weather, world politics, and so many other things you had never considered.  Just a few more reasons you’ll want to raise a glass or two at Weinhaus.

Don’t forget to say Hi to Sebastian and Celine!  And don’t forget to sign up early!

Address: Sankt-Michael-Straße 2, 66424 Homburg, Germany
Phone:+49 6841 9800645

Pastrami 

Tender beef on a bed of red cabbage, with a side of pasta

Goose, Chicken, and duck paté

Shrimp wrapped in potato shavings and fried crisply.