I’mmmmm Back!!!
There’s a lot to look forward to this fall, and the first is the start of the 2022 Oktoberfest this Saturday!
We’ll be celebrating the start of Oktoberfest next Saturday because this Saturday, of course, we’re celebrating my return from Italy 🇮🇹
Hours of Operation
Monday – Saturday
10am to 6pm
Calendar 🗓
Sep. 17 - Mortadella all day long! Sandwiches dressed with Tartufata (truffle and porcini) sauce just in from Italy will adorn both sandwiches and pizzas. I guess we’ll toss in a little vegetable to keep it healthy. Pair that with a Limoncello Granita and hey, ya gotta little “la dolce vita” right here! See you Saturday!
Sep. 24 - Oktoberfest Dinner (SOLD OUT) — Party on Main St. all day and dine here that evening. We are all booked up and look forward to seeing a lot of you there.
Nov. 8 - Our traditional 2022 Alternative Dinner! This is the one that will sell out fast, so call soon. Why is it called the Alternative dinner? Simple. We’d rather be cooking and serving you than watching election night news.
Store News 🏬
There’s not a great deal of store news this week, we feel pretty good that the racks and coolers are all full. We’re excited for the next two events coming our way with Mortadella this Saturday and Oktoberfest next week. October looks pretty empty of events, but considering the private events on the calendar, we’ll still be plenty busy. November is the beginning of a very busy time for the store when you consider the Alternative Dinner, Beaujolais Nouveau, and Thanksgiving, and don’t even get me started on December. We’ll save that for another time.
Wine News 🍾
Having just returned this week, I was surprised that I got the opportunity to meet with two regional sales reps that filled me with hope for the upcoming holiday season. Sure, both happen to have great Champagnes in their portfolios, but it was everything else they carried that gave me hope for the availability of fine wines for this season. Be they big reds from California or Washington, fantastic Pinots from Oregon, or exceptional wines from France and Italy, these two gentlemen assured me of a regular flow of some of the best wines on the market. These types of reps are the ones we like to hear from and establish a relationship with. It always makes it a bit easier when you know a guy or gal that is always there to give you a hand.
Dan’s Feature ⭐️
Hall 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet is this week’s feature. Their 2018 Cabernet packs in some serious plum compote and cassis flavors, liberally wrapped in dark licorice and with a swath of sweet toast and tobacco on the broad finish. Nice mineral underpinning keeps it honest. Yeah, you’re right, not my words, but I’m tired and James Molesworth's words are much more eloquent than mine. Having visited Hall a few years back, I have to admit I drank the Kool-aid... they have fantastic wines. We’ve always been lucky to carry “Walt,” their Pinot Noir, but have found it difficult to get in much else. So while I don’t have much, I am happy to say that we have a handful of these bottles, and at $39.99, it’s a price that’s hard to beat.
Dan’s Pick 🥂
Antigal Uno 2020 Sauvignon Blanc from Mendoza, Argentina is this week's pick. When you can buy a James Suckling 90 point wine for $12.99, you buy it, and that’s exactly what we did. Antigal Uno Malbec has been a mainstay at the store for many years, and while its counterpart has been here for a while, I have never addressed its acclaim. The winery says it this way: ”From cool areas high in the foothill of the Andes, clusters of handpicked Sauvignon Blanc grapes were quickly chilled, assiduously sorted, and crafted with the gentleness that Antigal's gravity-fed technology allows. Uno Sauvignon Blanc is a bright tasting wine that offers a fresh nose with herbal notes such as cut grass and mint and tropical fruit like passionfruit, grapefruit, and pineapple”. This price when compared to the broader market makes it a steal, so while you’re picking up wine, make sure and throw in a few of these.
Food News 📰
It’s “Steak Night” or, better put, Steak Weekend here at the Wine Merchant! We’ve got some of the best cuts for you and your grill this weekend. This is the weather I’ve been waiting for... warm days and cool nights make it perfect for firing up a hot grill. As I found this past week, there’s nothing you can’t cook on a grill, and we just happen to have plenty of suggestions. Make certain to stop by and pick up something great for this weekend's table. We’re here to cut you something special!
Food Feature 📣
You asked for it, and we brought it back in: fresh Icelandic Cod. I was happy to see this cut on every menu I saw in Italy. Cod, capers, olive oil, tomato sauce, and topped with a sprig of basil. So simple, so healthy, and so, so tasty. There’s no fish this fresh in Findlay, and at $18.99 a pound, it's an elegant, easy, and delicious dinner. Pan-seared, baked, or even grilled (see what I said earlier), this versatile fresh fish is here for you today!
Market Items 🍤
*Fresh Hand Cut to Order Demkota Strip Steaks - $18.99/lb
*Fresh Prime Demokota Hand Cut Ribeyes - $18.99/lb
*Fresh Dry Aged Prime Creekstone Farms 12oz Ribeyes - $36.99
*Fresh Dry Aged Prime Creekstone Farms 12oz Strips - $39.99
*Fresh Wagyu Burgers 4pk - $17.99
*Fresh Double Cut Pork Chops - $12.99 per chop
Frozen Prime Whole Beef Tenderloins - $23.99/lb
Frozen Center Cut 8oz Filets - $16.99
Frozen Pre-cooked frozen BBQ Ribs - approx. 3lb racks $29.99
Frozen 8oz Pork Ribeyes - $8.99
Frozen Bacon Wrapped 5oz Pork Filets - $5.99 per filet
Frozen Merguez Lamb and Beef Sausage 4-pack - $9.99
Frozen Rinaldi Italian Sausage 4 per pound - $6.99
Frozen Beef Brisket Sausages 5 per pound - $15.99
Frozen Nueske Cheddar and Bacon Sausages 5 per pound - $9.99
*Fresh Fortune Oysters Nova Scotia - $24 a dozen
*Fresh Loch Duart Scottish Salmon - $18.99/lb
*Fresh Icelandic Cod - $18.99/lb
Frozen Bakkafrost Salmon Burgers Chipotle Lime 2pk - $10.99
Frozen Bakkafrost Salmon Burgers Spinach and Feta 2pk - $10.99
Buddy’s Detroit Style Pizzas Original Pepperoni or Cheese - $17.99
Au Gratin potatoes 4-pack - $9.99
Frozen Chilean Sea Bass 6oz - $16.99
Frozen Ahi Saku Block Tuna AAA Sushi Grade avg. 14oz - $29.99
Frozen Lobster Tails - $12.99 each
Frozen U-16/20 Raw Shrimp deveined (1lb package) - $19.99/lb
Frozen U-10 Scallops - $29.99/lb
Frozen Fontinini Fully Cooked Meatballs - 6 2oz balls for $8.99
Fresh/Frozen Bacchini Paparedelle from Italy - $9.99/lb (serving for 2)
Fresh/Frozen Bacchini Strozzapreti from Italy - $9.99/lb (serving for 2)
1932’s Arrabbiata Pasta Sauce - $7.99
1932’s Pomodorina with Fresh Basil Pasta Sauce - $7.99
1932’s Pomodorina with Barolo Pasta Sauce - $7.99
Fusco Mezzi Rigatoni Dried Pasta from Italy - $6.99
Maurizio Spaghetti Chitarra Dried Pasta from Italy - $5.99
Fusco Casarecce Dried Pasta from Italy - $5.99
Drakes Jumbo Ravioli with Veal 1lb - $12.99
Drakes Jumbo Butternut Squash Ravioli 1lb - $12.99
Tribeca Bakery (Asiago, Sourdough, Rosemary) Bread - $5.50
New Wines 🍷
Para Maria de las Tecolotes Red Blend 2021 - $23.99
Porrera Black Slate Priorat 2019 - $24.99
St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc 2021 - $29.99
Boffa Na Mira Rosso 2019 - $29.99
Hall Napa Valley Cabernet 2018 - $39.99
India Ink Red Blend 2019 (back in stock) - $19.99
Scarpetta Barbera del Monferrato 2021 (back in stock) - $17.99
Alchymia Primitivo 2019 (back in stock) - $24.99
Heimerscheimer Rotenfels Dornfelder 2021 (back in stock) - $17.99
New Beers 🍺
Jackie O’s Heat Seeker Hazy DIPA 12oz cans 4pk - $12.99
O’Fallon Knotty Pretzel Beer 16oz cans 4pk - $10.99
Maine Beer Co. Peeper Pale Ale 12oz bottle - $7.99
Kegs - 1/6 Barrel 🛢
Duck Rabbit Milk Stout - $109.99
Fat Head’s Groovy Juice IPA - $134.99
North High Lager - $109.99
Jackie O’s Mystic Mama - $151.99
Jackie O’s Firefly - $121.99
North Coast Scrimshaw - $134.99
Final Thoughts 💬
Many times I’ve been asked, “What was your favorite part of vacation?” My answer is always the same: “coming home.” Did I have a great time? Absolutely, positively! Every day was different, always something new making each day exciting. But there’s also something very special about knowing what you’re coming back to, just knowing that everything will be fine, and that is why I like coming home. Being able to be gone and knowing that everything will be not just fine but better when you come back makes coming home the best part of vacation.
Cheers from all of us here at The Wine Merchant!
📞 419-424-0391