1970 was the first celebration of Earth Day and believe it or not I remember 51 years ago today where I was and who I was with, how about you….
Store Calendar
May 1 - Saturday 412 Day or Opening Day
May 22 - Saturday 1pm – 3pm Rosé all day at the end of May only 20 spots!
Our hours,
Monday – Saturday
10am to 6pm!
Wine News
Delayed shipments, dock issues, cartage problems from both coasts all equate to one thing…there are some vacant spots in the racks. It appears that as the world begins to pick up pace following the past 13+ months, other areas of the economy are struggling to keep up. We waited 13 months to reopen the bar it’s reasonable that we can wait a few more days or weeks for items to return to the racks. We apologize if we’re currently out of a particular favorite but you know we’ll have a suggestion down here to tide you over.
Dan’s Wine Feature
K Vintners release is now in the store and while we didn’t bring in cases we do have some great new vintage bottles to share with you. We’ve always been a fan of Charles Smith the vintner and Brandon Leighton his head wine maker and while we carry some of the lesser priced brands of these wines, we always get excited on either of their new releases. The four new releases that we’ve brought in are as follows, King Coal 2017 Cabernet & Syrah this 80% Cabernet comes in at $104.99, The Hidden Northridge Vineyard 2017 Syrah is $79.99, Cattle King 2016 Upland Vineyard Syrah at $74.99 and last but certainly not least, The Beautiful 2017 Syrah from their Powerline Vineyard for $64.99. These are all excellent representatives of their varietals and we, like many others, concur that these wines may be some of the best to come off the Wahluke Slope, or for that matter, the Columbia Valley. There’s not a bottle among them that is less than a mid 90s rating, these wines can be consumed tonight or cellared for your enjoyment later, either way if you’re a fan of elegant Syrah then we have you covered.
Dan’s Pick
Clos Pegase Estate 2015 Mikuso’s Vineyard Pinot Noir is my pick for this week for a minimum of two reasons, first and foremost it’s an excellent Pinot and secondly we have it in at $21.99, which is somewhere between $15 and $20 dollars off per bottle. When we see a great value, we buy in. This week we brought in three cases to share with you and I’ve already reached out to a few Pinot drinkers, so I’m sure this will go fast. Winemakers notes describe this 90+ as follows, “A muscular Pinot Noir, with it robust tannins and dark brooding fruit on the palate. As the aromas evolve in the glass, revealing whiffs of red cherry, rhubarb and slight licorice. The tannins drive the finish as the flavors develop into earthy forest floor, alongside blackcurrant and briar. James Suckling has this to say about this wine, “A richer Pinot with strawberry, cedar, leather and orange-peel character. Full body, round tannins and a tangy finish” and what do we have to say…Buy it soon before it’s all gone, this bottle is a true bargain that’s needs to be purchased in multiples!
Food News
Well the verdict is in, the Onglet or Hanger Steak is the winner! This lesser expensive cut of Prime Beef is the ticket for a quick sear on the grill. Last week I took one home for a trial run and found that with a little olive oil, coarse salt, fresh ground pepper and a screamin hot grill you’ll have dinner ready in no longer than 5 minutes. This cut is smaller than a pork tenderloin both in diameter and length and has all the rich meaty and beefy flavor one could want. Is there a bit of a chew? Sure, but I’m not going to compare this with tenderloin because it’s not. It’s just a great cut of beef for anyone who appreciates a very tasty steak that needs next to no attention!
Food Feature of the Week
Although we have plenty of beef and pork this week I have to recommend the Sablefish. This fish has become one of our favorites and I’ll only bring it in when there’s an attractive price. If this isn’t the best of what a whitefish brings to the table I don’t know what is. Meaty but yet delicate and flaky, this silky fresh fillet is sometimes referred to as black cod and believe me it’s not a piece of fish destined for a fish and chips dinner. Able to absorb any and all flavors you would like to apply, we prefer it here with a little brown butter and lemon. This is the fish for that someone that thinks they don’t like fish. We’re cutting it today so stop in and we’ll share some of this fresh catch with you…
Market Items…
Fresh Black Angus Prime Strip Steaks - $18.99lb
Fresh Certified Angus Beef hand cut Choice Ribeyes - $18.99lb
Dry Aged Prime Wagyu 32oz Bone in Ribeye - Market Price
Fresh 28oz Prime Porterhouse Steaks - $45.99 avg.
Fresh Wagyu Burgers 2pk - $7.99
Hanger Steaks - $12.99lb
Rinaldi Italian Sausage (our favorite) 4 links per pound - $6.99
Brazilian Sausage - $6.99
Frozen 4oz Beef Tenderloin Medallions - $24.99 2.5lb bag
Fresh & Frozen Butchers Preferred Center Cut 8oz Filets - $13.99
Fresh Heritage Kurobuta Berkshire Pork Chops - $12.99 per Chop
Acadian Pearl Oysters $18.00 for a bakers dozen
Fresh Sablefish - $21.99lb
Fresh Salmon Bay of Fundy Nova Scotia Fillets -$16.99lb
Frozen 1pound bags Lobster Claws - $15.99
Frozen 16/20 count Raw Shrimp peeled deveined 1lb - $15.99
Barramundi Asian Sea Bass Frozen 7-9oz fillet - $8.99 each
Saku Block Ahi Tuna AAA Sushi grade - $14.99 per block
U-10 Scallops frozen – $18.99lb
Tribeca Bakery Sourdough $4.99
New Wines/Cocktails
Leitz 2019 Eins Zwei Dry Riesling $19.99
de la Saurine 2020 Reserve Rosé $10.99
Bond Estate 2017 “St Eden” $854.99
Clos Pegase 2015 Estate Pinot Noir Mitsuko’s Vineyard $21.99
HB 2020 Chevalier Rosé, France $12.99
New Beers
Bells Incessant Double IPA 6pk btl $17.99
Flying Dog Kulture King Hazy Double 6pk btl $16.99
Ottakringer Citrus Radler 16.9oz 4pk cans $9.99
Fat Heads Benjamin Danklin 4pk 16oz can $10.99
Prairie Blueberry Boyfriend 4pk 12oz cans $10.99
Prairie Cherry Bomb 12oz single btl $8.99
Shorts Psychedelic Cat Grass 6pk can $10.99
Urban Artifact Gyroscope 4pk can $11.99
Kegs - 1/6 Barrel
North Coast Scrimshaw $109.99
Revolution Hazy Hero IPA $124.99
Final Thought
Moving from first to tenth this week means we’re moving in a better direction, which also means we’re preparing to share with you our new direction next Saturday. I’m not saying the patio will be out yet, hell it might snow again…But, we will be ready to welcome you back in to the bar. Seating will obviously be less than there was before and of course we will remain at a 10am to 6pm schedule. We’ve chosen some new wines to share with you and some appetizers that we think you may enjoy. Looking forward to seeing next Saturday! On a special note we’re saying farewell to Taylor this week after being here over the past couple of years she and Brian will be returning to Cincinnati, a goal they’ve had since they left college. We wish her well and give them both our best and hope that this new chapter bodes well for both, thanks Taylor you will be missed…
Cheers from all of us here at The Wine Merchant
Please bring a mask when you come visit us at the store.