All the holiday beer, all the champagne, all the wine, all the meats, all the cheese... we've got it all, I bought it all 💸💸💸
Hours of Operation
Monday - Tuesday, 10am to 6pm
Wednesday - Saturday, 10am to 8pm
Calendar 🗓
November 1 (Friday) - Fall Art Walk, which means extended hours and a Friday Night Wine Tasting!
November 5 (Tuesday) - The annual Alternative Dinner, 6-8pm. I know it’s election day… the last thing anyone should want to do this night is sit at home and watch the election returns, so make some plans and have a wonderful alternative to spending the night in front of the TV. This is without doubt our favorite and most creative event of the year, so give us a call. Reservations required. (we still have a few spots left!)
November 21 (Thursday) - Beaujolais Nouveau! French fare and flights, all day long.
November 28 (Thursday) - CLOSED for Thanksgiving.
December 7 (Saturday) - The annual Champagne Tasting, 6-8pm. Reservations required. [SOLD OUT]
News 🗞
I have been buying any and everything for the store over the past couple of weeks, and even if I haven't been saving any money, hopefully you have with the bargains I've been finding. I've been on a bit of streak, so I've kept up the hunt in search of good deals on delicious bottles of wine. This week, it's a gift box of wines from the Prisoner Wine Company. The set includes The Prisoner Red Blend, the Prisoner Cabernet Sauvignon, Saldo Red Blend, Saldo Zinfandel, and No. 39007 Paso Robles Red Blend. If you haven't heard of that last one... you're not alone. I actually think it might be exclusive to this gift box. The price of this set is $169.99, which is $25 less than the combined price of those first four wines, so you understand it really is a fantastic deal. You'll see as well that there are quite a few new Italian wines in the rack. Well, we had a vendor stop in last week with about 8-10 of his wines, and... I bought all of them except one. I couldn't help myself; they were too good. Again, drunken sailor. So check out that list and see if there is anything you want to try out.
Wine Feature ⭐️
I mentioned last week that we got our year's shipment of B. Leighton Gratitude, so of course that is my feature this week. Brennan Leighton is one of my favorite winemakers. He just this year left House of Smith after 12 years to start his own wine company, so this just might be the last Gratitude to be released under House of Smith. This wine is just good; it's got 93-94 points across the board. The grapes come from the Olsen Brothers Vineyard in Washington's Yakima Valley right on the border with Red Mountain, which Brennan helped to plant many years ago with the sole purpose of showcasing the quality of the fruit from that region. As always, it is a big GSM red blend, but the 2020 vintage is more of an MGS... 70% Mouvèdre/Monastrell, 25% Grenache, and 5% Syrah. From Brennan himself, "The 2020 vintage might be the best vintage that we have ever had in Washington state history... and Gratitude is an absolute representation of this incredibly beautiful vintage and wine. Marionberry, dried blueberry, blood orange and white lilac intrigue-and-collide with the senses, demanding further evaluation of this beauty, elegance and complexity. Forest floor, honeysuckle, fresh sourdough bread, nutmeg, and more to discover!" We are selling this at $49.99 and are down to just about two cases.
Wine Pick 🥂
The pick this week is the 2019 Pinot Noir from Esser Vineyards on California's Central Coast. The grapes are grown sustainably in Monterey County, where vines receive a cooling effect from the Pacific, giving the wine acidity and finesse. "Esser Vineyards Pinot Noir has bright aromas of bing cherries with subtle notes of cola, tobacco and oak. It is delicate and velvety in the mouth, with crisp flavors of strawberry, cherry, vanilla and clove, followed by a smooth finish... An approachable and versatile Pinot Noir that will be a hit at the dinner table." This $19.99 bottle is medium-bodied and delicate, more than drinkable on its own but can also pair with almost anything. If you've been looking for a new Pinot to try, look no further.
Food Feature 🧀
We had a customer request some specific cheeses, and of course I bought enough to share with the rest of you. I have Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog for $27.99/lb and Le Fattorie Fiandino Lou Bergier Pichin for $22.99/lb. Humboldt Fog, crafted in California's Humboldt County, is an award-winning soft-ripened goat cheese. It is creamy, citrusy, and floral, with a distinctive herbacious note from a layer a vegetable ash running through the center of the wheel. It's an unforgettable cheese, and apparently conceived in a dream by the owner of Cypress Grove. Next, Lou Bergier Pichin is a semi-soft cow's milk cheese from Northern Italy. It's made with raw Alpine milk from some very pampered cows (seriously, they play them music). Lou Bergier actually means "small mountain shepherd" in the Occitan dialect. They utilize an ancient Spanish/Portuguese technique of using dried thistle flowers instead of animal rennet to coagulate the cheese, making it a truly vegetarian cheese, as well as being naturally lactose-free. It is milky with a grass and mushroom notes, a truly unique offering for your cheese board.
Oyster Selection 🦪🌙
It's a moon theme this week, with the return of the house favorite, Pink Moons, and Honeymoons. Pink Moons from PEI are medium in size, salty, creamy, perfectly balanced. Eat them with a glass of sparkling rosé. Honeymoons from Cape Cod are a little bigger, a little sweeter, and little more subtle. Try them with a glass of Pinot Gris/Grigio.
Market Items 🛒
*Fresh Boneless Skin-On Michigan Family Farms Chicken Breast, 3pk - $15.99
*Fresh Veal Chop - $32.99/lb
*Fresh Prime Teres Major - $21.99/lb
*Fresh Picanha (Coulotte) - $18.99/lb
*Fresh North Atlantic Salmon - $18.99/lb
*Fresh Hand-Cut Ribeyes - $18.99/lb
*Fresh Short Rib Burgers, 4pk - $17.99
*Fresh Oysters - $24/dozen
*Fresh Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog Cheese - $27.99/lb
*Fresh Le Fattorie Fiandino Lou Bergier Pichin Cheese - $22.99/lb
Chicken of the Sea Lump Crab, 1lb - $26.99
Frozen Michigan Family Farms Whole Chicken - $22.99
Frozen 6oz Center Cut Filet Mignon, 2pk - $18.99 Frozen Dry-Aged Prime Strip Steak - $25.99/lb
Frozen Whole Beef Tenderlion, 6-7lb - $76.99ea
Frozen Chuck Prime Burgers, 5pk - $14.99
Frozen Choice Whole Tenderloin - $25.99/lb
Frozen Cooked Osso Bucco Demi-Glace Pork Shanks, 1.5lb - $14.99
Frozen Center Cut Beef Tenderloin Filets, 8oz - $16.99
Frozen Sakura Bone-In French 10-Bone Pork Racks - $8.99/lb
Frozen Duroc Dry Aged Bone-In Pork Chops, 14oz - $16.99
Frozen Duroc Bone-In Pork Chop, Single - $6.99
Frozen Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin - $12.99
Frozen Pre-Cooked St. Louis Ribs - $29.99
Frozen Catelli Ground Veal, 2lb - $11.99
Frozen Lamb Rack, 2lbs - $49.99
Frozen Black Pepper Bacon - $14.99
Frozen Wagyu Dogs, 5pk - $13.99
Frozen Rinaldi Italian Sausage, 5pk - $8.99
Frozen Ahi Saku Block Tuna AAA Sushi Grade, avg. 16oz - $19.99
Frozen U-13/15 Raw Jumbo Shrimp Deveined (2lb package) - $39.99
Frozen U-10 Scallops - $29.99/lb
Frozen Lobster Tails, 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, 2pk - $4.99
Fresh/Frozen Shrimp & Roasted Garlic Ravioli - $10.99 (serving for 2)
Fresh/Frozen Drake’s Pasta Ravioli (Veal or Butternut Squash) - $12.99/lb (serving for 2)
Tribeca Oven Bread (Sourdough) - $5.50
Brioche Hamburger Buns - $3.99
Brioche Hot Dog Buns - $3.99
French Macarons, 12pk - $8.99
New Wine🍷
Far Niente 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - $119.99
Poggio Antico 2019 Brunello di Montalcino, Italy - $122.99
Arnado Rivera 2017 Ravera Barolo, Italy - $83.99
Arnaldo Rivera 2018 Undicocomuni Barolo, Italy - $55.99
Castello di Bossi 2020 Chianti Classico, Italy - $19.99
Capraia 2021 Chianti Classico, Italy - $29.99
Tunella 2023 Pinot Grigio - $26.99
Tunella 2023 Sauvignon Blanc - $26.99
Tunella 2022 Pinot Nero - $26.99 Brassfield Estate 2019 Pinot Noir, California - $18.99
Schlink Haus Dornfelder, Germany - $13.99
Cosentino 2022 The Franc Cabernet Franc, California - $16.99 (back in stock!)
François Villard 2021 L'appel des Sereines Syrah, France - $16.99 (back in stock!)
New Beer & More 🍺
Dogfish Head Affogato World Wide Stout, 4pk bottles - $35.99
Abita Fluffer Nutter, 6pk bottles - $13.99
Findlay Brewing Co. Ohio Weather Cinnamon Vanilla Porter, 6pk cans - $14.99
Findlay Brewing Co. Carrot Cake Spiced Brown, 6pk cans - $13.99
Findlay Brewing Co. El Guapo Mexican Amber, 6pk cans - $13.99
Kegs - 1/6 Barrel 🛢
Toplling Goliath Pseudo Sue Pale Ale - $175.99
Sonder Story Teller Lager - $109.99
Homestead Tenpenny Amber - $109.99
Final Thoughts 💬
I saw something earlier that said only 10 Saturdays until Christmas... can that possibly be true? I'm not ready! That's not enough time! If that spurs you into action and you realize you have a party to plan or gifts to buy, give us a call. It seems that things book up and sell out faster every year, and I'm sure this year will be no exception. In the meantime... 70 and sunny this weekend, so come enjoy the season while it's upon us.
Cheers from all of us here at the Wine Merchant!
📞 419-424-0391
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