The Christmas season is officially upon us here at the Wine Merchant... as you can see from the Panettone display š¬
Hours of Operation
Monday - Tuesday, 10am to 6pm
Wednesday - Saturday, 10am to 8pm
Bar closing early on Friday & Saturday this week
CalendarĀ šĀ
December 6 (Friday) - Bar closing early at 3pm for a private event; store will remain open normal hours until 8pm.
December 7 (Saturday) - The annual Champagne Tasting, 6-8pm. Reservations required. [SOLD OUT]. Bar closing early at 5pm; store open until 6pm.
NewsĀ š
Well it's December, which means that Christmas will be here in about five minutes, and New Year's about 30 seconds after that. We're working hard now to stock the store with champagnes and all of your favorite wines so that we're ready for all of your holiday needs when the time comes. It's never easy with the entire market competing for the top inventory, and weather and dock strikes disrupting distribution. If you have any special requests or any particular bottles you'd like for us to have on hand, please call and let us know as soon as possible so we can make sure to get it in for you. That stands for Charcuterie and other food items, as well. If you are planning beef for the holidays, we have several Choice Whole Tenderloins in stock, and as we every year, we will be accepting orders for Prime Rib. You have the option of Choice, Prime, or Dry Aged Prime, then Bone-In or Boneless. I just need to know by December 19, so if that's on your menu, let us know the details and we will get you down. And of course as you know, we enjoy hosting your holiday gatherings, be they personal or professional. While there are several on the books, we've still got some dates open, so if you've been thinking about it, let's talk.
Wine Feature āļø
My feature this week is a bottle I didn't think we'd ever see again at this price, the Thorn-Clarke 2019 Shotfire Reserve Shiraz. We had it last year around this time, and I thought it was a one and done bargain, so I was very happy to receive an email that it was back and still $24.99. As many of you know, big Australian reds are what first made me fall in love with wine, and this one would have wooed me big time. "The name Thorn-Clarke represents the union between two families with deep roots in the Barossa Valley and six generations of grape growing. Cheryl Clarkeās (nĆ©e Thorn) family were some of the earliest settlers in the region and have been growing grapes since the 1870s. The Thorn family property āCliftonā is home to one of the oldest Shiraz vineyards in Australia, and perhaps the world, with earliest records for plantings dating back to 1854." So this family has an impressive pedigree and lots of experience with the Shiraz grape. This $25 bottle is actually a blend of the leftover juice from two other Shiraz that they produce, 45% the single estate Ron Thorn Shiraz ($125 a bottle) & 55% the single estate William Randall Shiraz ($75 a bottle). On the palate, this sleek, black-fruited Shiraz is "silky smooth, with the concentration and density of flavor that takes the tannins toward blood, iron and sage. A deep, dark wine with pleasure to spare, this begins to show floral scents of roses, then detailed flavors of plums and strawberries after a day open to air."
Wine PickĀ š„
My pick this week is something I got in specifically for the holidays... I think you will all like it, epecially if you liked the Vouvray last week. It's the Jezebel 2023 White Wine from Willful Wine Co. in Oregon. This wine is a blend of 30% Riesling, 29% Pinot Gris, 27% Pinot Blanc, 13% Gewurztraminer, and 1% Muscat. It's got a little bit of sweetness to it and a whole lot of flavor. It has floral, fruity aromatics and tropical fruit flavors and is just a little off-dry. "This bright Oregon white field blend is mineral in character, mixing musky green citrus and melon with crushed rocks and hints of kitchen herbs. Juicy and energetic, it opens with a pleasant inner sweetness and crisp orchard fruits." It is great by itself as a refreshing aperitif, but also pairs well with seafood and spicy foods. It's simply a bottle that can please a lot of palates, and it does so at $16.99.
Food Feature š¦
We got in some beautiful new lobsters this week! They are two-packs of 4oz tails, so 8 ounces in total, for $25.99. They are gorgeous little lobster tails, perfectly packaged and ready for display or consumption. They, as always, came in frozen, so you can buy them now for your holiday table. Or have them this weekend with a good steak, as they are the perfect size for a surf-and-turf meal at home.
Oyster Selection š¦Ŗ
We're back to a couple of classic options this week, Pink Moons and Glacier Bays, both from Canada. Pink Moons are from the cold waters of PEI and are smaller but packed with salty, briny flavor. Glacier Bays are from the just-as-cold waters of New Brunswick and are a little bit larger, moderately briny but with a mild fruitiness to them as well.
Market ItemsĀ šĀ
*Fresh Whole Bone-In Rib Roast - $18.99/lb
*Fresh Bone-In Choice Ribeyes - $18.99/lb
*Fresh North Atlantic Salmon - $18.99/lb
*Fresh Short Rib Burgers, 2pk - $8.99
*Fresh Oysters - $24/dozen
*Fresh Anchovies - $8.99
*Fresh Canned Lump Crab, 1lb - $26.99
Frozen Michigan Family Farms Whole Chicken - $22.99
Frozen Picanha (Coulotte) - $18.99/lb
Frozen 8oz Filet Mignon, 2pk - $18.99
Frozen Center Cut Beef Tenderloin Filets, 8oz - $16.99
Frozen Chuck Prime Burgers, 5pk - $14.99
Frozen Choice Whole Tenderloin - $25.99/lb
Frozen Cooked Demi-Glace Pork Shank, 1.5lb - $14.99 Frozen Cooked Osso Bucco, 16oz - $9.99
Frozen Sakura Bone-In French 10-Bone Pork Racks - $8.99/lb
Frozen Duroc Dry Aged Bone-In Pork Chops, 14oz - $16.99
Frozen Pre-Cooked St. Louis Ribs - $29.99
Frozen Rinaldi Italian Sausage, 5pk - $8.99
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 Lobster Tails (6oz), 2pk - $35.99
Frozen Massa Sicilian Style Pizza (Italian Sausage or Roasted Vegetable) - $14.99
Frozen Oven-Roasted Potato Wedges - $8.99
Frozen Au Gratin Potatoes, 4pk - $9.99
Fresh/Frozen Drake's Lobster Ravioli - $32.99 (serving for 2)
Fresh/Frozen Drakeās Pasta Ravioli (Veal or Butternut Squash) - $12.99/lb (serving for 2)
Tribeca Oven Bread (Sourdough or Rosemary) - $5.50
Brioche Hamburger Buns - $3.99
Brioche Hot Dog Buns - $3.99
French Macarons, 12pk - $8.99
New Wineš·
Rombauer Pinot Noir, California - $69.99
Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, California - $49.99
Simpsons NV Chalklands Classic CuvƩe, United Kingdom - $49.99
Pizzolato Organic Sparkling Moscato, Italy - $14.99
Hoya de Cadenas Brut RosƩ Cava, Spain - $9.99
Ca' Montebello Sangue di Giuda, Italy - $16.99 (back in stock!)
New Beer & MoreĀ šŗ
Uncle Arnie's THC-Infused Raspberry Lemonade, 4pk cans - $17.99
Weyerbacher Sunday Morning Stout, 4pk bottles - $22.99
Smithwick's Red Ale, 4pk cans - $8.99
Vander Mill Honeycrisp Artisanal Hard Cider, 6pk cans - $12.99
New Holland Cabin Fever Brown Ale, 6pk cans - $11.99
We got in a surprise extra case of the Goose Island Bourbon County Angel's Envy Stout Gift Box - $39.99 apiece!
Kegs - 1/6 BarrelĀ š¢Ā
Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue Pale Ale - $175.99
Outerbelt Schneepflug Winterbier - $109.99
Final ThoughtsĀ š¬
While winter doesn't formally begin until December 21, it seems as if we've been thrown into the deep end with this cold front. At least we're not wading through 2-3 feet of snow like other parts of the country, so it could be worse. If you need a place to escape to, we're here, we're open, and the heat is working just fine (knock on wood). Hope to see you soon.
Cheers from all of us here at the Wine Merchant!
šĀ 419-424-0391
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