Sam's Wines In Trouble; Start Drinking

By Margaret Lyons in News on Dec 7, 2004 8:06PM

Ooh no! Sam's Wines, our favorite purveyor of deviljuice, has been hit with a "lengthy list of citations, including allegations of extorting kickbacks from alcohol distributors and operating an illegal warehouse." Oh, man, we bet they need a drink. If not them, us. Bottoms up!

The Illinois Liquor Control Commission (aka the Fun Police) has made a bundle of allegations against the liquor retail giant, including (image instead of bullets little wine glasses):
• "operating an unlicensed off-site warehouse
• selling to other retail stores
• using its size to demand exclusive prices from distributors
• failing to pay distributors within the required time frame"
• setting up Skyline Marketing Co. to "extort" money from distributors

So yeah, can you believe an alcohol business based in Illinois is facing corruption charges? Another festivus miracle. (Rachelle on her trip to Sam's.)

All this talk about drinking is making us excited for holiday drinks. Chicagoist (well, this Chicagoist) hates eggnog because it breaks our essential don't-barf code of never mixing liquor and dairy. That's how throw-up tastes in hell. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy other holiday spirits like…(again, imagination bullet points)

• Mulled wine. Yeah, hot wine with sugar in it? Form and orderly queue!
• Spiced cider. Totally delicious, no need to make jokes.
• Hot Toddy. Need a way to cram more whiskey into your afternoon? Throw back a toddy.

Chicagoist tends to avoid hot alcohol because it just seems to go against everything we believe. If you're looking to make a yummy crowd-pleasing drink at your holiday party, or any party really, make a Pink Tornado. (This drink goes by many names, and while Chicagoist didn't invent it, we have indeed perfected it.) Vanilla vodka, ginger ale, splash of grenadine or juice from the cherry jar, and a cherry. Goes best at a party, and tastes even better if someone makes it for you. Especially Margaret--she makes a killer PT.