Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité!
Hours of Operation
Monday – Saturday
10am to 6pm
Calendar 🗓
July 14 (Friday) - Bastille Day 2023!!! We’ll be serving our best French fare: pissaladière, pommes frites, baguettes and fromage, and jambon-beurre, along with special wines and drinks all day long!
August 5 (Saturday) - It's National Oyster Day, so you know we’ll be celebrating. We’re thinking 3 different oysters, maybe 900??? That just frightens me... 300 for the grill, 300 shooters and 300 just because? If you’re willing to celebrate the day, we’re willing to shuck! And you know when I say 900, I really mean a thousand just because… well, it would be really cool, right? I mean 1,000 oysters in a single day!!! 🤯
September 8 (Friday) - Friday night Anniversary Tasting, 5-7pm. That’s right, Friday night wine tasting! Four wines, four different and delectable bites to enjoy with your wine, and a bar that’s open until 9pm serving some of your old favorites. It’s an anniversary after all (not however a statement on what’s to come).
September 23 (Saturday) - It’s Oktoberfest in Findlay! Come downtown and enjoy the day, and then have dinner with us. We’ll be taking reservations for this year's dinner. There are 32 spots are available for this pork-centric German dinner, so give us a call and make those reservations soon!
Store News 🏬
We’re always doing something down here, and last Saturday (second Saturday) was no exception. We want to thank everyone who stopped by for our BBLT sandwiches last Saturday. You keep coming, and we’ll keep coming up with reasons for you to do so. Hope to see you tomorrow for our holiday celebration!
Wine News🍷
I warned you... we may not have had any new wines last week, but we sure have some new ones to share with you this week. We have a lot to share with you this week, so we hope you get a chance to check a few of these new ones out.
Dan’s Feature ⭐️
My feature this week is from one of my favorite AVAs, Red Mountain, Washington. Gravel Bar 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon at just $18.99 is a wonderful wine to have on hand. Tasting notes describe, "There is a wonderful balance between fruit and herbal flavors in this Cabernet. Black cherry and blackberry on the nose, with dried savory herbs and hints of vanilla. Long, fruit-driven finish with ample round tannins.” We tried this wine a week ago with the regional representative who is an old friend and found it to be a great, price-friendly Cab that’s perfect for all occasions. Having a BBQ? Pick up a few. Or if you’re just looking for a great bottle to sip on tonight and don’t want to feel guilty opening it... well, here’s your bottle. Every once in a while, it’s nice to have that moderately-priced bottle of Cabernet that’s versatile and sure to please, and this is that bottle.
Dan’s Pick 🥂
This week's pick is a closeout French Chablis. Not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m very particular with Chardonnay, and my favorite is Chablis. “Chablis is a Chardonnay-making wine region in the northwest corner of Burgundy, France. Unlike other Chardonnay wines, Chablis rarely uses oak-aging, resulting in a very different style and taste profile. Wines from Chablis are frequently described as having citrus and white flower aromas with dry, lean, light-bodied flavors of citrus, pear, minerality, and salinity. Chablis rarely displays flavors of butter – an indication of oak-aging. One of the most desirable traits in quality Chablis is a long, tingly finish of high acidity, and flint-like minerality. Much of the lean and elegant taste of Chardonnay from Chablis is attributed to the qualities of the soil, climate, and traditions of the region. Knowing the peculiarities of this area (and there are a few) will help you find better Chablis wine.” More often than not, the various Chablis that we’ve carried are usually north of $30 per bottle; this week’s pick, however, is a bit more price-friendly. Domaine Thierry Mothe 2017 Chablis was brought to me as a closeout, and obviously as a 2017, it was putting on some years. Having tried it, I as usual played “let’s make a deal” and got the remainder of the state's inventory for $16.99 a bottle. I’ve always said that Chablis is the wine I like to pour for someone who is an ABC drinker (anything but Chardonnay) because after doing so, many are amazed that they do in fact enjoy a Chardonnay. This crisp, bright, acidic, and mineral-driven wine is still spectacular at its age, and at this price, it’s hard to say no to this bottle. Chardonnay drinker or not, this summer white is something that everyone will enjoy!
Food News 🐟
Fresh North Atlantic Halibut and Frozen Irish Scallops in the shell with the roe attached are just two of the items that came in this week. There’s always something new in the cooler or freezer, and sometimes I have to take a second look because I’ve forgotten what I ordered… Come on down, take a look. There’s always something interesting and delicious!
Food Feature 🥩
North Atlantic Halibut has just arrived, and at $23.99 a pound, it’s what’s for dinner tonight! This North Atlantic fish was a preorder and was actually pretty stunning upon arrival. I’m always amazed at the size of our cut; coming in at 13.5 pounds, the cuts you can expect down here are big and thick. It’s not every week that we have Halibut in, but when I could bring this special cut in at this price, I decided to take advantage of it.
Oyster News 🦪
This week’s oysters will be Caraquet from New Brunswick, described as being “mild, delicate, with an almost crab-meat-like-sweetness, and a marvelous melony finish, the Caraquets are pretty darned tasty!” That’s enough for me to try them out, and I hope you come on down to try them as well.
Market Items 🛒
*Fresh Demkota High Choice Strip Steaks - $16.99/lb
*Fresh Wagyu Hanger Steaks, 2 Pack/1lb - $29.99
*Fresh Wagyu Burgers 2pk - $8.99
*Fresh Oysters - $24 a dozen
*Fresh Copper River Salmon - $23.99/lb
*Fresh Faroe Islands Salmon - $18.99/lb
*Fresh North Atlantic Halibut - $23.99/lb
*Fresh Sashimi-Grade Ahi Tuna - $18.99/lb
*Fresh Duroc Double Bone-In Pork Chops - $12.99
*Fresh Michigan Family Farms Amish Free Range Chicken Boneless Skin-On Thighs, 2.2lb - $14.99
Frozen CAB Steak Burgers 4pk - $14.99
Frozen Choice Sirloin Cap Strip Steaks, 8oz - $9.99
Frozen Prime Ribeyes, 14oz - $18.99
Frozen Choice Ribeyes, 16oz - $18.99
Frozen Prime Whole Tenderloin - $22.99/lb
Frozen Center Cut 8oz Beef Tenderloin Filets - $16.99
Frozen Lamb Sirloin Roast - $22.99/lb
Frozen Lamb Racks, 2lbs - $49.99
Frozen Spiral Cut Dearborn Hams, approx. 9lb - $27.99
Frozen Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin - $12.99
Frozen Pre-Cooked Frozen BBQ Ribs (approx. 3lb racks) - $23.99
Frozen Italian Sausages, 4 per pound - $8.99
Frozen Nueske Cheddar and Bacon Sausages 5 per pound - $9.99
Frozen Epic Curing Black Pepper Bacon - $14.99
Frozen Chilean Sea Bass, 6oz - $16.99
Frozen Buddy’s Detroit Style Pizzas (Cheese or Pepperoni) - $17.99
Frozen Ahi Saku Block Tuna AAA Sushi Grade, avg. 10oz - $19.99
Frozen Lobster Tails - $14.99
Frozen U-16/20 Raw Shrimp deveined (1lb package) - $19.99/lb
Frozen U-10 Scallops - $29.99/lb
Frozen Whole Petite Potatoes - $8.99
Frozen Oven-Roasted Potato Wedges - $8.99
Fresh/Frozen Bacchini Paparedelle from Italy - $14.99/lb (serving for 2)
Fresh/Frozen Bacchini Strozzapreti from Italy - $14.99/lb (serving for 2)
Fresh/Frozen Bacchini Lobster & Crab Tortelli from Italy - $16.99 1/2 lb
Fresh/Frozen Bacchini Pear & Cheese Fiocchi from Italy - $7.99 1/2 lb
Fresh/Frozen Drake’s Pasta Ravioli (Veal or Butternut Squash) - $12.99/lb (serving for 2)
1932’s Pasta Sauce (Arrabbiata, Pomodorina with Fresh Basil, Pomodorina with Barolo) - $7.99
Fusco Mezzi Rigatoni Dried Pasta from Italy - $6.99
Fusco Casarecce Dried Pasta from Italy - $5.99
Maurizio Spaghetti Chitarra Dried Pasta from Italy - $5.99
Maurizio Trofie Dried Pasta from Italy - $7.99
Tribeca Bakery Bread (Asiago or Rosemary) - $5.50
New Wine🍷
Domaine Thierry Mothe 2017 Chablis, France - $16.99
Gravel Bar 2019 Cabernet, Red Mountain, WA - $18.99
Big Guy 2017 Cabernet, Napa, CA - $13.99
Field Recordings 2022 Freddo, Paso Robles, CA - $20.99
Tenuta Corte Giacobbe 2021 Soave, Italy - $20.99
Cantine Colosi 2021 Grillo, Italy - $16.99
Maison Mirabeau 2022 Forever Summer Rosé, France - $18.99
Liquid Geography 2022 Rosé of Mencía, Spain - $15.99
Tooth + Nail 2021 Red Blend, Paso Robles, CA - $22.99
Tooth + Nail 2020 “The Stand” Red Blend, Paso Robles, CA - $29.99
Brady Vineyards 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, CA - $23.99
Regaleali 2018 Nero d’Avola, Italy - $15.99
Pacific Rim 2021 Dry Riesling, Columbia Valley, WA - $10.99
Banfi 2020 Rosso di Montalcino, Italy - $27.99
New Beer 🍺
Destihl Deadhead Tourbus DDH Hazy IPA, 4pk cans - $14.99
Short's Soft Parade Fruit Ale, 6pk cans - $11.99
Lagunitas Island Beats Tropical IPA, 6pk cans - $10.99
Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher Hop Water (NA), 6pk cans - $7.99
Kegs - 1/6 Barrel 🛢
Juniper Mexican Style Lager - $121.99
Stone IPA - $114.99
Heart State Strings Amber - $113.99
Coronado Cloud Break Hazy IPA - $141.99
Final Thoughts 💬
There’s a very small village in the Jura department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France: Mathenay, population 144 (I said it was small). This village is said to be where all of the Matheneys descended from. I’ve been fortunate to visit and enjoy an afternoon on the patio of the villa that our patriarchs constructed and enjoyed life in back in the good old days of the 15th century. Well, genealogy may point me to this conclusion, but Ancestry DNA may differ just a bit... No matter where my heritage lays, I’ll always consider myself French -- after all, there is a small village in France with my name on it. À bientôt!
Cheers from all of us here at the Wine Merchant!
📞 419-424-0391