Holyoke celebrated and an Irish beer map 3 affordable, delicious cabernet sauvignon wines from Chile

MANY REVERED wine regions throughout the world make great red wines with cabernet sauvignon grapes — from France’s Bordeaux region to California’s Napa Valley.

Unfortunately, some of the “cabs” from those two regions cost a small fortune.

TWO INTERESTING items popped up on my beer radar over the past few weeks so I thought I’d share them today.

First up is a collaboration between Springfield’s White Lion Brewing, the city of Holyoke, Holyoke Craft Beer, Explore Holyoke, and regional design firm TSM in creating a beer release and commemorative label to celebrate the history of the city during its sesquicentennial.

The beer, named Holyoke 150, is an American lager that was released during the annual St. Patrick’s Road Race last week. The brew will be available at special events and local accounts throughout 2023.

“We have been keeping an eye on Holyoke for quite some time; it has great leadership, passionate stakeholders, and an incredible history,” said Ray Berry, president of White Lion. “It is positioned to make a major impact in the region as a true destination on so many levels. We are a community committed brewery that is excited to play a part in the city’s festivities and showcase its pride.”

Aaron Vega, director of the city’s Planning & Economic Development Office, also weighed in.

“We’re excited to be partnering with White Lion and to see this partnership with our own Paper City Beer,” Vega said. “As co-chair of the 150th Committee, being able to bring Ray’s passion and excitement for beer and community to Holyoke as part of our 150th celebration is a true honor.”

I’m always happy to see collaborations, especially across various local communities. And having another local lager hitting the market just as the warmer weather arrives is certainly a welcome development. I can’t wait to try it.

I didn’t see this next item until after last week’s deadline, otherwise I would have added it to my St. Patrick’s Day column. But since plenty of readers head to Ireland for vacation, I’d figure it would be of interest. Wilderness Ireland is part of the Wilderness Group in the U.K., specializing in adventure travel (hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing and more) across Ireland, Scotland, and England. Now, Wilderness Ireland is helping people find that perfect pint of beer with a new, interactive craft beer tool.

Working together with craft breweries across the entire Emerald Isle — from the capital city of Dublin to the rugged coastlines of the Wild Atlantic

Way — the team has indexed the flavor profiles of more than 100 beers.

Using a few key pieces of information — indicating color preference, body, alcohol content, bitterness and hop preferences, sweet or sour, fruity or not, or somewhere in between — this tool helps tipplers discover which Irish craft beer best matches their tastes. It also provides information about the beer, the brewery that makes it, and where in Ireland folks can find a favorite brew.

My only quibble with the tool is that it seems to only give you the top three choices for your preferences, but it’s still cool to use. I’m guessing they’ll be adding more beers and breweries as they go along. To try the tool, go online to wildernessireland. com/inspire/c/irish-craftbeer Sláinte!

Fortunately, you don’t have to break the bank to buy great cabernet sauvignons. Nowadays, you can find many delicious, affordable ones from many other parts of the world – from Australia and South Africa to New Zealand and Argentina.

Another source for outstanding cabernet sauvignon wines is Chile.

This week, you can learn more about Chilean cabernet sauvignons, along with a brief history of winemaking in Chile, its main wine regions and other popular wine grapes in this South American country. You can also find tasting

Ken Ross Wine Press

notes for three Chilean cabernet sauvignons that cost less than $24, including one great one that costs just $9 a bottle. Hope you enjoy.

History

Chile’s winemaking history dates back to the 1500s, when Spanish missionaries brought grapevines primarily to produce wine for religious purposes, according to Wines of Chile. Winemaking expanded significantly in the 1800s and again in

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