The bar area will be closed from 1-3pm Saturday for our Rosé event…
However the 3 patio tables will be up for grabs!
Store Calendar
May 22 - Saturday 1pm – 3pm Rosé all day at the end of May. (sold out)
Our hours,
Monday – Saturday
10am to 6pm!
Wine News
A good friend passed away this past Sunday, Jim Clendenen, how good of a friend?…well I knew who he was and am pretty certain he had no idea who I was. He was however a kindred spirit, I was fortunate to meet Jim a handful of times and each and every time he stopped talking to who was in front of him at that moment, looked directly at me and said “Good to see you”. After my first encounter with Jim I was struck with a sense of similarity which prompted my… well…stalking him on Google. Jim and I were born on the same day, he was one year older than myself. While born in Akron, Ohio his formative years were in the Central Valley of California. While Jim attended college in California and I was in Ohio we both studied the same curriculum, and he must have taken some time off because we both graduated in 1976. I became a teacher and Jim soon was to become a winemaker. With his 1983 founding of Au Bon Climat in Santa Barbara he truly found his calling. One described Jim this way, “He was a party animal and rabble-rouser, yet the wines he made, with admirable consistency, were models of long-lived restraint; the exact opposite of exhibitionist”. That might be one of the nicest things one could say about me, Jim always said he wanted to have the Beard of Jesus and the Belly of Santa because hey, who wouldn’t like either of those two. I always expected to see him once again…just like a lot of others in our lives. So both feature and pick go out to you this week. Rest well my friend, you will not be forgotten.
Dan’s Wine Feature
In honor of Jim I’ll be both featuring and picking the wines we carry from Au Bon Climat. My feature will be the 3 Pinot Noirs that we have access to and are in inventory. Once I errantly asked Jim how Robert Parker rated his wines, there in front of 20 or 30 people he responded for all to hear #2*@ Robert Parker. Jim was a character and made his Pinots in true Burgundian style. While there are others, the three that we have in stock are his 2017 Isabelle (named after his daughter), Bien Nacido Santa Maria Valley Santa Barbara Historic Vineyards Collection and his 2018 Santa Barbara County. These wines are priced in the order mentioned for $54.99, $44.99 and $24.99. Wine isn’t like art, these bottles will not appreciate in value. However these are remnants of a hands on Jim Clendenen wine and if you enjoy a Pinot dedicated to remaining true to it’s origin these bottles are for you.
Dan’s Pick
There are currently only 2 white wines of his in distribution, ABC 2019 Pinot-Gris/Pinot Blanc at $19.99 and his 2018 Santa Barbara Chardonnay for $24.99. Both of these, just like his Pinot Noirs are made in adherence to his Burgundy standards. The Pinot Gris-Pinot Blanc has always been one of my favorites crisp and bright with just enough acidity to compliment any thing on the table from an empty glass to salads and seafood. Whereas his Chardonnay drinks beautifully it is not oaky nor buttery, it is though one of the finest domestic expressions of a French Bourguignon Blanc. If you like or would like to try a true to form and varietally correct Chardonnay then this bottles for you.
Food News
It’s all about the Oysters this week! Be it on the half-shell here or taken home and enjoyed they’ll be fantastic! Two different types this week, our old standard favorites Glacier Bay and Pipers Point PEI wild caught. $18.00 for a bakers dozen of either or a combination to take home, or if you want to enjoy them here they can be served to your table for $2.00 an oyster. They don’t get anymore fresh than this!
Food Feature of the Week
Teres Major is my feature and for a couple different reasons, first is that I had two of these this past week and was wowed once again, the second well, much like the bargains I’ve mentioned in the past on wines, this weeks Teres Major order came in as Prime rather than the choice that I had ordered. Had the price gone up since my last order, yes but at $13.99lb these cuts are second only to Beef Tenderloin Filets. Fresh Prime this week only for a terrific cut of meat. How do you cook it? Simple, coarse salt and pepper, a meat thermometer and a hot grill or cast iron. Sear all sides and cook to an internal temperature of no more than 130degrees, let rest and slice this lean, medium rare cut for portion and you’re all set. Would I melt some herbed compound butter over the top of this, sure, chimichurri on the side oh yeah, do you need either of these, no this steak has the tenderness of a tenderloin but the flavor of a ribeye. Stop in and grab one of these, I know, I know, I should have ordered more…
Market Items…
Fresh Cut Prime Strip Steaks - $20.99
Fresh Certified Angus Beef hand cut Choice Ribeyes - $18.99lb
Fresh Whole Angus Beef Tenderloins $11.99lb (Great Deal!!!)
Fresh 20oz CAB Porterhouse Steaks $29.99each
Fresh Wagyu Burgers 2pk - $7.99
Frozen trimmed Choice Hanger Steaks - $12.99each
Fresh Prime Teres Major - $13.99lb
Frozen Angus 24/28oz Tomahawk Ribeyes $34.99 avg.
Rinaldi Italian Sausage (our favorite) 4 links per pound - $6.99
Frozen 4oz Beef Tenderloin Medallions - $24.99 2.5lb bag
Fresh Heritage Kurobuta Berkshire Pork Chops - $12.99 per Chop
Glacier Bay & Pipers Point Oysters $18.00 for a bakers dozen
Fresh - Chilean Sea Bass $28.99lb
Fresh Salmon Bay of Fundy Nova Scotia Fillets -$16.99lb
Fresh North Atlantic Cod - $12.99lb
Frozen 16/20 count Raw Shrimp 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 Rosemary $4.99
New Wines/Cocktails
Four Virtues 2018 Bourbon Barrel Aged Zinfandel Lodi $18.99
Bonny Doon Vineyards 2019 Le Cigare Blanc California $15.99
Yalumba 2018 Bush Vine Grenache Barossa Valley $19.99
Yalumba 2018 Shiraz Barossa Valley $19.99
La Fleur Renaissance 2016 Sauternes Bordeaux, France $22.99
Smith & Hook 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, California $39.99
Terredora Dipaolo 2019 Falanghina, Italy $15.99
Domaine Des Quatre Routes 2019 Muscadet Sevre Et Maine, France $15.99
La Solitude 2018 Cotes Du Rhone, France $15.99
Brecca 2020 Rose’ Spain $12.99
New Beers
Flying Dog SPF 1000 Variety Pack $19.99
Troegs Summer Variety 15 Pack $19.99
Hi-Wire Hazy & Juicy Dbl. IPA 4 pack 16oz Cans $13.99
3 Floyds Pride and Joy 6pk Bottles $12.99
Shorts Slurm Lord 6pk Bottles $12.99
Urban Artifact Kaleidoscope 4 pk cans $11.99
Kegs - 1/6 Barrel
Masthead Superior WIT $93.99
Wiedemann’s Bohemian Pilsner $91.99
Final Thought
Jim’s wines were lost in the market for quite some time and I was elated to see them come back. While as stated earlier I had always hoped for another opportunity to meet him in a market visit, that’s just not going to happen but every time I open one of these fantastic wines I’ll be taking a moment to remember a remarkable individual, wine maker and a friend.
Cheers from all of us here at The Wine Merchant
Please bring a mask when you come visit us at the store.