The countdown begins...
3 weeks until Halloween
7 weeks until Thanksgiving
11 weeks until Christmas
Sorry to break it to ya...
Hours of Operation
Monday - Tuesday, 10am to 6pm
Wednesday - Saturday, 10am to 8pm
Calendar 🗓
October 9-10 (Fri-Sat) - Weekend / Second Saturday Special: Lobster Bisque Bread Bowls
October 19 (Monday) - Bites & flights with MollyDooker, 5-7pm. Reservations required. Bar will close early at 4:30 for the event; store will remain open until 6pm. (Full - waitlist only)
November 3 (Tuesday) - Alternative Dinner, 6-8pm. Reservations required.
November 4 (Wednesday) - Bar closed 4:30-close for a private event.
November 6 (Friday) - Fall Art Walk, 5-9pm.
November 14 (Saturday) - Second Saturday, special TBD.
November 19 (Thursday) - Beaujolais Nouveau!
November 26 (Thursday) - Closed for Thanksgiving
December 5 (Saturday) - Champagne Tasting. Reservations required.
December 25 (Friday) - Closed for Christmas.
News 🗞
I don't think we can put it off anymore... I'm officially declaring it Soup Season, which apparently is the most important season of the year, at least according to the girls here. We're kicking it off with a Weekend / Second Saturday special, an old favorite... I think you know where I'm going with this... Lobster Bisque! That's right, just the way you remember it but even better because we're adding extra lobster and serving it in a Bread Bowl. Light, savory, creamy, and in a bowl made a bread. What else could you want? We have more people ask for this than anything else from our old menu, so make sure to get down here to get your fix. Serving Friday and Saturday while supplies last. In other news, I had one of the top 5 wines of my life this week... I'm working to get more of it, so stay tuned...
Wine Feature ⭐️
Please don't quote Sideways at me because Merlot is having a moment right now... Longridge 2022 Merlot from Stellenbosch, South Africa, $34.99 a bottle. We've carried Longridge's Cabernet before, but this is a first for the Merlot. I feel I should share this little blurb about Longridge itself: "At the heart of Longridge is Jasper Raats – winemaker, biodynamic pioneer, and a man whose roots run as deep in the soil as his wines suggest. Since 2011, he’s been proving that Helderberg isn’t just about powerful reds – it’s a place capable of great delicacy, site expression, and purity. Certified organic and biodynamic, Jasper’s approach blends science and faith, precision and intuition – resulting in wines that are thoughtful, honest, and quietly thrilling... some of the most exciting and soulful winemaking coming out of South Africa today." Sold? I am. This bottle is about 97% Merlot with the remainder Cabernet Franc. "This vintage delivered a savory nose and slight cedar characters. Ripe, yet soft tannins complement the aromas of plump, dark, red fruit and ripe strawberries with a hint of dark chocolate, cocoa, green herbs, and wet stones on the nose. Well-integrated vanilla oak and enough backbone to age further in the bottle."
Wine Pick 🥂
A new California Sauvignon Blanc this week, the Textbook 2025 Sauvignon Blanc from Russian River Valley. Now the RRV is mostly known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, so this one is a little bit unique. The valley is situated at the southern end of Sonoma and is cooled by fog and breezes coming in from the Pacific, making it more akin to Marlborough or the Loire Valley than other parts of California, and we all know Sauvignon Blancs thrive in those locations, so that bodes well for this one. "This vibrant Sauvignon Blanc opens with expressive aromatics of white peach, citrus blossom, and crisp green apple, lifted by notes of key lime and subtle tropical tones. On the palate, bright Meyer lemon and grapefruit zest shine alongside a streak of clean minerality, delivering a refreshing, finely textured finish. Balanced and energetic, it captures a beautiful purity of fruit with lively acidity and precision." A small portion of it is also aged in French oak to add depth. That sounds about on par for the Fey family who owns Textbook, who traveled throughout Europe and made it their goal to create wines that unite the power of California fruit with the precision of European winemaking. So here we are with their Sauvignon Blanc, just $19.99.
Oyster Selection 🦪
I know we've had Pink Moons for about two months straight now, and they're just so good, but we're taking the leap this week to... Pink Ladies! Can't stray too far. Pink Ladies from Barnstable, MA on Cape Cod. These are medium in size, probably ranging 2-3 inches, and they are as plump as I've seen an oyster be in a good while. Sweet and creamy and high brine and touch of seaweed on the finish.
Market Items 🛒
Fresh Faroe Islands Salmon - $18.99/lb
Fresh Hand-Cut Prime Strip - $26.99/lb
Fresh Oysters - $24/dozen
Fresh Red Vodka Caviar, 4oz - $19.99
Hand-Cut Ahi Tuna Steaks - $14.99/lb (call ahead to order)
Sea Wings Canned Crab, 16oz - $25.99
Smoking Goose Guanciale - $12.99/lb
Frozen Center-Cut Beef Tenderloin, 8oz - $18.99
Frozen Wagyu Baseball Sirloins, 8oz - $12.99
Frozen American Wagyu Strip Steaks, 8oz 2pk - $38.99
Frozen Hanger Steaks, 1/2lb - $14.99
Frozen Choice Hanger Steaks, 8oz-2pk - $29.99
Frozen Hand-Cut Prime Ribeyes - $22.99/lb
Frozen Wagyu Stack Burgers, 8pk/2lb - $19.99
Frozen Short Rib Burgers, 4pk - $15.99
Frozen Australian Lamb Racks, ~1.5-1.75 lb - $39.99
Frozen Bone-In Veal Loin Racks - $18.99/lb
Frozen Pounded Veal Leg Cutlets, 1lb (4 per pack) - $18.99
Frozen Ground Veal, 2lb - $21.99
Frozen Smithfield Smoked Spiral Ham, avg. 5-6lb, $10.99/lb
Frozen All-Natural Berkshire Pork Tenderloin, 14oz - $13.99
Frozen Cooked Marinated Pork Shank, 16oz - $9.99
Fresh Frenched Bone-In Pork Chops, 13oz - $12.99
Frozen Duroc Dry Aged Bone-In Pork Chops, 14oz - $16.99
Frozen Boneless Skin-On Chicken Leg & Thigh - $4.99/lb
Frozen Greco Italian Sausage, 4pk - $10.99
Frozen Snake River Farms American Wagyu Gourmet Frankfurter, 5pk - $14.99
Frozen Double L Ranch Hardwood Smoked Burnt End Brisket Dogs, 8pk/2lb - $19.99
Frozen Yellowfin Tuna Saku Block, ~1lb - $17.99
Frozen Jumbo Peeled & Deveined Jumbo Shrimp - $18.99/lb
Frozen U-10 Scallops - $32.99/lb
Frozen Lobster Tails, 4-7oz - $34.99/lb
Frozen Massa Sicilian Style Pizza (Veggie) - $15.99
Frozen Au Gratin Potatoes -$5.99 2pk / $9.99 4pk
Frozen Seasoned Potato Wedges, 1lb - $8.99
Fresh/Frozen Lobster Ravioli - $25.99/lb (serving for 2)
Fresh/Frozen Drake's Butternut Squash Ravioli - $12.99/lb (serving for 2)
Fresh/Frozen Drake's Veal Ravioli - $14.99/lb (serving for 2)
Frozen Baker's Source Roasted Garlic Bâtard Bread - $7.99
Frozen Miner's Demi Glace - $9.99
Frozen French Macarons, 10ct - $10.99
New Wine🍷
Textbook 2025 Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley - $19.99
Albert Bichot 2022 Chassagne-Montrachet, Burgundy - $129.99
Gamet 2020 Bas-Bauchets Brut Nature, Champagne - $104.99
Peyrassol 2025 La Croix Rosé, France - $22.99
New Beer 🍺
1911 Established Apple Cider Donut Hard Cider, 4pk cans - $11.99
Orchard Bloom Dark Core Cherry Hard Cider, 4pk cans - $13.99
3 Floyds x Pig Destroyer Permanent Funeral Imperial IPA, 4pk cans - $16.99
Einstok Winter Ale, 6pk cans - $12.99
Kegs - 1/6 Barrel 🛢
Allagash Haunted House Hoppy Dark Lager - $150.99
Maine Beer Co. Little Whaleboat IPA - $195.99
North High Stick Amber Ale - $109.99
Final Thoughts 💬
Now that Q4 has begun, just putting it out there... let us know as soon as possible if you'd like to have a holiday party or event here with us. The calendar fills up pretty quickly. Everyone needs to celebrate, right? I'll just leave some photos here...
Cheers from all of us here at the Wine Merchant!
📞 419-424-0391
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