Change is afoot...
- Dan Matheny
- Apr 10
- 6 min read
Tariffs (or no tariffs), new store layout, new staff, new features... there is a lot going on here at the Wine Merchant!
Hours of Operation
Monday - Tuesday, 10am to 6pm
Wednesday - Saturday, 10am to 8pm
Calendar 🗓
April 11 (Friday) - Lenten Special: Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad, 4-7p.
April 12 (Saturday) - Second Saturday Food Special: Ceviche, 10a-8p.
April 18 (Good Friday) - Is this still Lent? I'm not sure. Stay tuned...
May 24 (Saturday) - 12-2p, Rosé in May. Reservations required.
News 🗞
Not sure if you've noticed or not, but there have been/will be a couple of new faces around here. We're happy to have some additional help. Especially with all these events and specials we've had going on, which continue this week with our next Lenten Special on Friday, Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad. It will be a bed of Romaine topped with housemade Caesar dressing, cheesy and herby pangrattato (crispy seasoned and toasted breadcrumbs), and of course, our Fresh Faroe Islands salmon seasoned up and baked to perfection. We'll be serving tomorrow from 4-7pm or while supplies last. And of course Second Saturday snuck up on us once again... but we'll serving another favorite, Ceviche, all day while supplies last. We will whip up a batch with both Oishii Shrimp and Hiramasa (Kingfish), marinated in fresh orange and lime juices with fresh vegetables and served with tortilla chips. We also want to introduct a new feature that we have in the bar... you may have noticed a new wine cooler in there. We toyed with what to do with it but have decided on a test run of using it as a Bar Reserve case, stocked with a selection of wines that you can purchase by the bottle and drink in the bar with no corkage fee. Take some time to peruse list (we're working on it...) and ask a staff member for assistance. You'll find some nice things to try and enjoy.
Wine Feature ⭐️
The feature this week is an exciting new offering that we brought in last week, Jonata 2020 Todos Red Blend. At $56.99, this may not be an everyday bottle, but it certainly would shine for a special occasion. Jonata is owned by Stan Kroenke who also owns Screaming Eagle in Napa Valley. Jonata is his outpost on the Central Coast, specifically Ballard Canyon in the Santa Ynez Valley. There, there are unique sandy soils that make it hard to grow wine, but the vines that do grow are exceptional. Winemaker Matt Dees has a degree in Soil Science, not oenology, so he has a true understanding of the land and the soil and how they build the character of a wine, and he never uses fungicides or herbicides (the wine is certified organic). This bottle is 57% Syrah, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Sirah, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% other. The winemaker describes it with words like boysenberry, cacao nibs, blueberry, clove, bacon, big fruit, bold personality, "a fascinating cascade of flavors, aromas, and most importantly, textures." Reviews say it is a no-brainer purchase and that it punches way above its weight. So to sum up... you should buy this bottle. You can find it in our new Bar Reserve cooler in the bar.
Wine Pick 🥂
After months of searching (half-heartedly, I must admit), we finally found a Pinot Blanc that we like, and it's even under $20. Domaine Christophe Mittnacht 2023 Terres d'Etoiles Pinot Blanc from the land of my people, Alsace, at $17.99. No wine shop is complete without an Alsatian Pinot Blanc. Though technically, I'm not sure we can actually call this a Pinot Blanc as it's more of a blend... 70% Pinot Blanc, 30% Pinot Auxerrois. I bet you're asking, what the heck is that??? It's actually a sibling of Chardonnay, grown almost exclusively in Alsace. The vines for this bottle are 40+ years old, organic and biodynamically farmed, and the grapes are then aged in old French barrels, giving the wine a body and creaminess that would make it a wonderful accompaniment for food... cheeses, fish, creamy pasta, Asian cuisine, etc. The winemaker says, "This is a richer style of Pinot Blanc, yet still fresh and elegant. Mouthwatering acidity enlivens flavors of citrus, apricot and lemon zest, leading to a stony and floral finish." I think what I may like the most about this wine though is that the name translates to "land of stars," and the winemaker... "Christopher Midnight."
Oyster(s) of the Week 🦪
Three this week! Princetown Oysters from Thunder Cove, PEI. These guys are about 3 inches in size with moderately high but smooth salinity and notes of seaweed. Great Whites from Cape Cod, around the same size, "ocean in a shell" with high salinity and a sweet citrusy melon aftertaste. And of course, Summer Loves from Rustico, PEI again. A little smaller, buttery and creamy meat with moderate salinity and a strong mineral note, perfect on the half shell.
Food Feature 🐖
No feature this week, just a reminder to let us know if you need an Easter Ham. We have Fresh Block & Barrel Applewood Smoked Ham at $8.99/lb and Frozen Dearborn Spiral Honey Glazed Ham at $5.99/lb.
Market Items 🛒
*Fresh Halibut Cheeks - $23.99/lb (small quantity available)
*Fresh North Atlantic Salmon - $18.99/lb
*Fresh Short Rib Burgers, 4pk - $13.99
*Fresh Oysters - $24/dozen
*Fresh Medusa White Anchovies - $12.99
*Fresh Wagyu Hanger Steak, 8oz - $18.99
*Fresh Block & Barrel Applewood Smoked Ham - $8.99/lb Sea Wings Canned Lump Crab, 1lb - $26.99
Premium CAB Bone-In Ribeyes - $18.99/lb (available starting Friday)
Frozen Wagyu Baseball Steaks, 6oz - $10.99
Frozen 6oz Filet Mignon, 2pk - $18.99
Frozen Center Cut Beef Tenderloin Filets, 8oz - $16.99
Frozen Chuck Prime Burgers, 5pk - $14.99
Frozen Dearborn Spiral Honey Glazed Ham - $5.99/lb
Frozen Pre-Cooked St. Louis Ribs - $29.99
Frozen Skin-Off Pork Belly - $3.99/lb
Frozen Berkshire Pork Tenderloins, ~1lb - $12.99
Frozen Duroc Dry Aged Bone-In Pork Chops, 14oz - $16.99
Frozen Cooked Heritage Pork Osso Bucco, 16oz - $9.99
Frozen Weisswurst Veal Sausage - $8.99/lb
Frozen Rinaldi Italian Sausage, 5pk - $8.99
Frozen Rack of Lamb - $23.99/lb
Frozen Saku Block Sashimi Grade Ahi Tuna, 8-10oz - $14.99
Frozen U-13/15 Raw Jumbo Shrimp Deveined (2lb package) - $39.99
Frozen U-10 Scallops - $29.99/lb
Frozen Lobster Tails (4oz), 2pk - $25.99
Frozen Massa Sicilian Style Pizza (Italian Sausage, Pepperoni, or Roasted Vegetable) - $14.99
Frozen Oven-Roasted Potato Wedges - $8.99
Frozen Au Gratin Potatoes, 2pk - $5.99
Fresh/Frozen Cheese Ravioli, 1lb - $9.99
Fresh/Frozen Spinach & Cheese Ravioli, 1lb - $10.99
Fresh/Frozen Drake’s Pasta Ravioli (Butternut Squash or Veal) - $12.99/lb (serving for 2)
Fresh/Frozen Italian Grantortellone with Porcini Mushrooms - $15.99/lb (serving for 2)
Tribeca Oven Bread (Rosemary) - $5.99
Tribeca Oven Rye Sliced Large Loaf - $14.99 (1 remaining)
Bake House Artisan Multi-Grain Bread - $4.99
Brioche Hot Dog Buns - $3.99
French Macarons, 12pk - $9.99
Miner's Demi Glace - $9.99
Wholesome Farms Salted Butter, 1lb - $4.99
New Wine🍷
Trefethen 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - $67.99
Revelry 2024 Rosé, Columbia Valley - $19.99
Elk Cove 2024 Rosé, Willamette Valley - $19.99
Muga 2024 Rosé, Spain - $17.99
Seméli 2024 Mountain Sun Rosé, Greece - $17.99
Gérard Bertrand 2024 Côte des Roses Rosé, France - $18.99
Sacha Lichine 2024 The Pale Rosé, France - $16.99
Thibaud Boudignon Rosé de Loire, France - $24.99
Domaine de la Ferrandière Grenache Gris Rosé, France - $12.99
Mulderbosch 2023 Chenin Blanc, South Africa - $15.99 (arriving Friday)
Klinker Brick 2021 BrickMason Red Blend, California - $15.99 (arriving Friday)
G3 2021 Red Blend, Columbia Valley - $18.99 (arriving Friday)
Crū 2023 Pinot Noir, California - $17.99 (back in stock)
New Beer & More 🍺
Lagunitas Hazicus Maxiumus Hazy IPA, 6pk cans - $10.99
Three Floyds Cocomungo Barrel Aged Coconut Stout, 4pk bottles - $21.99
Back in stock (for those of you who have been asking):
North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, 4pk bottles - $14.99
Half Acre Vallejo IPA, 4pk cans - $11.99
Glutenberg Gluten-Free Blonde, 4pk cans - $11.99
Kegs - 1/6 Barrel 🛢
Fat Head's Jungle Juice IPA - $134.99
Juniper Early Morning Mexican Lager - $109.99
Tröegs Cyber Sue Pale Ale - $175.99
Wrexham Lager - $109.99
Maplewood Pulaski Pilsner - $141.99
Final Thoughts 💬
Well, I was going to write about the tariffs being in full effect, but that pretty much went right out the window... Regardless, there is still a lot of tariff uncertainty. We'll see what this three-month respite does, but right now, we do know that some of our distributors have fully cancelled their orders, so we will not be getting some of our stock for the time being, at least. And it's not just the EU... it's New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Switzerland, and more, with perhaps South Africa being hit hardest. Orders have been delayed and now cancelled by many importers; other importers have warned us their businesses may not survive. We mentioned last week our reorganization of the store... part of that is to create more space for domestic wines with the expectation of needing to increase those orders in the near future. We're doing our best to keep up and plan ahead, but only time will tell what the assuredly lasting effects of this chaotic time will be on our industry and on your wine racks.
But we still say... cheers from all of us here at the Wine Merchant!
📞 419-424-0391
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