Guess what... I'm back! 🇮🇹

Dan Matheny
Jun 12
6 min read

Updated: Jun 13

Just in time for Huhn in June this weekend...

did you even notice I was gone?

Hours of Operation

Monday - Tuesday, 10am to 6pm

Wednesday - Saturday, 10am to 8pm

Calendar 🗓

June 14 (Saturday) - Second Saturday is Huhn in June, our annual chicken dinner event, served all day 10-8 while supplies last. No reservations required.

June 15 (Sunday) - We're not open on Sundays, obviously, but it's Father's Day... don't forget!

June 20 (Friday) - First day of Summer ☀️

July 4 (Friday) - Closed for Independence Day.

July 14 (Monday) - Bastille Day 🇫🇷

News 🗞

Huhn in June this Saturday! We've been calling it Huhn for years, Huhn being German for chicken, but this year it's Huhn in June at Noon. Starting at 12pm this Saturday, we'll be serving a classic (almost) summer chicken dinner. You'll get a Brined and Grilled Chicken Breast & Wing, Summer Vegetable Orzo Salad, and Jalapeño Cornbread. It is also National Rosé Day, so if you couldn't make our Rosé tasting over Memorial Day, we'll have some special bottles chilled and ready to pour for you this weekend. Hopefully the weather holds out, but if it doesn't, escape the rain on this Second Saturday and pop into the Wine Merchant for a little treat. Sunday is of course Father's Day, so take the opportunity to grab something for Dad while you're here. We're featuring some beautiful Porterhouse Steaks, 22oz for $22. A dollar an ounce is pretty darn good, don't you think? We also have Fresh Ribeyes, Dry Aged Duroc Pork Chops, Short Rib Burgers, Wagyu Hot Dogs, Racks of Ribs, and whatever else you can think of to grill up this weekend. And for those of you who missed out on the Sancerre Rosé last week, we got a new one in this week to make it up to you.

Wine Feature ⭐️

I teased this wine last week, so of course it's our feature this week: Mt. Brave 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon. Grown high on the slopes of Napa Valley's Mt. Veeder, this vineyard is the first spot in Napa Valley to be touched by the sun each day. The vines are above the fog line, so they get full and direct sunlight. Minerals in the gravelly soil are scarce, so the grapes are small, thick-skinned, and concentrated -- all of this means good wine. "Grown on the rocky slopes of Mt. Veeder, the 2019 Cabernet shows notes of black cherry, blueberry, and Asian spice. On the palate, the wine has a profound density of fruit that is structured by fine tannins while the perfectly balanced acidity elongates a long savory finish." Some of you have tried this wine already, and the feedback has been very positive. 97 points from Decanter, 96 points from James Suckling, 94 points from Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate -- an "incredibly satisfying Cabernet that does everything right." I don't believe reviews tell the whole story of a wine, but you can't deny those scores. It is a $124.99 bottle, but just for Father's Day, we'll give you $10 off -- $114.99. If your father is a wine lover, don't pass it up.

Wine Pick 🥂

California for the Feature and California for the Pick, Force & Grace 2022 Carneros Chardonnay. Carneros is the southern-most section of Napa and Sonoma, straddling the two valleys. Chardonnay thrives there in what is known as “Napa’s Burgundy” thanks to the cooling fog and breezes from nearby San Pablo Bay. This bottle is hand-picked at night, gently pressed, and aged in a mix of stainless steel (10-20%) and French oak (80-90%) to create the perfect blend of freshness and richness. "The bright palate draws on flavors of lemon and Fuyu persimmons, with an edge of stony minerality. Oak aging adds complex notes of vanilla, brioche, toasted coconut, and hints of cinnamon, swathed in a wonderfully rich texture and complemented by a fresh, balancing acidity." This bottle retails online for around $30, and we have it for you at $22.99. You know I love a good bargain.

Oyster(s) of the Week 🦪

This week we have more of the North Shore Golds and some Eagle's Nests. North Shore Golds are wild oysters from PEI "with a meaty, juicy texture and a distinct seafoam finish that packs a punch." Eagle's Nests are from Duxbury Bay, Massachussets, just across a tiny strip of land from Cape Cod. Grown in a very particular location, they are known for their buttery, briny flavor. Both have variation in size but average around 3 inches.

Market Items 🛒

*Fresh Hand-Cut Ribeyes - $20.99/lb

*Fresh Faroe Islands Salmon - $18.99/lb (a few pieces of Scottish left at $24.99/lb)

*Fresh Short Rib Burgers, 4pk - $13.99

*Fresh Oysters - $24/dozen

*Fresh Medusa White Anchovies - $12.99

*Fresh Block & Barrel Applewood Smoked Ham - $8.99/lb Sea Wings Canned Crab Claw Meat, 1lb - $26.99

Chicken of the Sea Canned Lump Crab, 1lb - $26.99

Frozen Porterhouse Steaks, 22oz - $21.99ea

Frozen Wagyu Baseball Steaks, 6oz - $10.99

Frozen 6oz Filet Mignon, 2pk - $18.99

Frozen Center Cut Beef Tenderloin Filets, 8oz - $16.99

Frozen Whole Beef Tenderloin, Single or Double - $18.99/lb

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 Greco Italian Sausage, 4pk - $9.99

Frozen Wagyu Hot Dogs, 5pk - $13.99

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 - $31.99/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, 4pk - $9.99

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)

Frozen Tribeca Oven Bread (Rosemary) - $5.99

Frozen Bake House Artisan Multi-Grain Bread - $4.99

Frozen Brioche Hot Dog Buns - $3.99

Frozen Miner's Demi Glace - $9.99

Frozen French Macarons, 12pk - $9.99

New Wine🍷

Domaine Pierre Martin 2024 Sancerre Rosé, France - $24.99

Chateau Nozières 2020 Cahors Malbec, France - $14.99

Pillitteri 2023 Market Collection Dolce Bianco, Canada - $15.99

Uggiano 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva, Italy - $19.99

VignaMadre 2022 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy - $10.99

New Beer & More 🍺

Masthead Estate Grown IPA, 4pk cans - $11.99

Black Sheep Monty Python's Holy Grail British Pale, 4pk cans - $14.99

Findlay Brewing Lemon Shake-Up Sour, 6pk cans - $15.99

Dutch Creek Winery American Mead, 750mL - $19.99

Kegs - 1/6 Barrel 🛢

Masthead IPA - $109.99

New Holland Full Circle Kölsch - $109.99

Heart State Break Hazy IPA - $121.99

Hi-Wire Leisure Time Lager - $109.99

Final Thoughts 💬

If you weren't aware, I spent the last 10 days showing my family around Italy. While traveling with family isn't always simple, it was great to show them around a place that I love so much, and I of course ate and drank abundantly. The quality and freshness just astounds me every time. You better believe I came home with a lot of ideas... including curating a selection of items -- be it food items, leather items, etc. -- that I am having shipped back to Ohio. So in a few weeks, if all goes to plan, we will be having an event for you all to shop these wonderful items straight from Italy. Two to three weeks being a guess... let me tell you, I saw all of the container ships loaded up and just sitting in Italy's largest port, awaiting news on tariffs and if they can move their goods overseas, so finger's crossed things stay friendly...