Whether you take that to mean the weather or the politics or having your kids home 3 extra days... we made it through the week.

Hours of Operation
Monday - Tuesday, 10am to 6pm
Wednesday - Saturday, 10am to 8pm
Calendar 🗓
January 25 (Saturday) - OYSTER DAY! This is not a national holiday, but it sure is official here. One day, one thousand oysters, all day while supplies last.
February 7 (Friday) - Winter Art Walk! Bar open until 9pm, Wine Tasting in the store from 5-7pm.
February 8 (Saturday) - Second Saturday, details TBD.
February 14 (Friday) - Valentine's Day Dinner, reservations required. [SOLD OUT]
News 🗞
Only one thing matters week, and that is OYSTER DAY this Saturday at the Wine Merchant. That's right, our Second Annual Second Oyster Day... or something like that. As you know, National Oyster Day is in August, but one day a year is simply not enough. Plus, we all need a little something extra to look forward to in January, don't you think? Especially after a week like this. So that said, come and join us on Saturday for 1040 oysters, 4 varieties, and 3 styles. We scoured our oyster options and settled on four that we think you'll really enjoy. First, Ole Virginia Blues from Chesapeake Bay. These will be big and perfect for baking. Second, Shipwrecks from Prince Edward Island, our favorite source for oysters. Third, Great Whites from Cape Cod, which are sweet and salty. And finally, the pièce de résistance, Glacier Points from Alaska. We had a local connoisseur tell us that these are the best oysters there are. I called and ordered them directly from the company in Alaska after hearing that, and we'll have them here to test out their claim this Saturday. As for styles, we'll have half shell (single variety or sampler), Rockefeller, and this Oyster Day's specialty, the Granita. It will be an oyster on the half shell topped with a dollop of a frozen granita made from cucumber, jalapeño, and lime. It's light, refreshing, a tiny bit spicy, and extremely delicious. It's been icy out... may as well run with it. As they say, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Wine Feature ⭐️
The feature of the week is from somewhere new... that's also super old... Kavaklidere 2022 Ancyra Kalecik Karasi from Turkey for $21.99. Looks like a bunch of random letters thrown together, huh? Kavaklidere is the winemaker, Ancyra is the name of the wine (it's actually the ancient name for the capital of Turkey), and Kalecik Karasi is the grape, believe it or not. You might not have ever had a wine from Turkey, but they've been producing wine for millenia. This grape originated in the Ankara region, which was an important trading post for wine in the ancient world, and it was cultivated as far back as the Hittite Empire, which if you know your history is about 1500 BCE. That's an old grape. It was essentially extinct until the 1970s when a Turkish pHD candidate revived it, and now it's one of the most common grapes in Turkey. It's typically a medium-bodied red, Turkey's version of Pinot Noir. In this bottle, you'll find strong aromas of bright cherry, flowers, red fruit, and a smooth, well-balanced finish. It was actually pretty tough to find information about this bottle online because, apparently, Turkish wineries are prohibited by their government from marketing or having a website. So I hope you appreciate all my hard work and come try a piece of history.

Wine Pick 🥂
The pick this weekend is also the glass pour at the bar, so if you'd like to come try a glass before buying a bottle, that's easy to do. It's Angels & Cowboys 2021 Proprietary Red Blend from Sonoma County, CA. This retail $19.99 bottle with 91 points from James Suckling is a big, bold California red blend. It's Zinfandel-based with Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Grenache blended in. With rich berry and spice on the nose, "The palate entry is lush with waves of black cherry, wild berry compote, pomegranate, and maple. On the finish, a hint of birch accents lively plum, raspberry, and hibiscus fruit. Thoughtful layering of the earthy dimensions of Syrah, and the peppery spice of Petite Sirah lend grounding savory elements to the abundant fruit notes of wild cherry and strawberry provided by Zinfandel and Grenache." And if you ask me, a noticeable hit on chocolate on the finish as well. Angels & Cowboys sources from some of the best sub-AVAs in Sonoma (Russian River, Dry Creek, Carneros, etc.), and wines are sustainable and low-impact, so no guilt in buying a few of these.

Oyster Selection 🦪
Not three but four varieties for this weekend's festivities. Ole Virginia Blues from Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. These will be mild and meaty with a hint of stone; these will be great for baking. Next, Shipwrecks from East Point, PEI. As far east on PEI as you can go. Around 3 inches with medium brine, a sweet grass note, and a cool minerality on the finish. Then we have Great Whites from Cape Cod, Massachussets. These will be very salty with a sweet finish and a whopping 4 inches. Finally the Glacier Points from the southern coast of Alaska, one of the northernmost oyster farms in the world. These are a little smaller, 2.5-3 inches, but with a potent brine, a crispness, and a vegetal finish. We're excited to have these in the for the first time.
Market Items 🛒
*Fresh Wagyu Hanger Steak, 1/2lb - $18.99
*Fresh North Atlantic Salmon - $18.99/lb
*Fresh Atlantic Cod - $12.99/lb
*Fresh Short Rib Burgers, 4pk - $13.99
*Fresh Oysters - $24/dozen
*Fresh White Anchovies - $8.99
Canned Lump Crab, 1lb - $26.99
Frozen 6oz Filet Mignon, 2pk - $18.99
Frozen Center Cut Beef Tenderloin Filets, 8oz - $16.99
Frozen Chuck Prime Burgers, 5pk - $14.99 Frozen Pre-Cooked St. Louis Ribs - $29.99
Frozen Cooked Demi-Glace Pork Shank, 1.5lb - $14.99 Frozen Cooked Osso Bucco, 16oz - $9.99
Frozen Berkshire Pork Tenderloins, ~1lb - $12.99
Frozen Duroc Dry Aged Bone-In Pork Chops, 14oz - $16.99
Frozen Pounded Veal Cutlet - $18.99/lb
Frozen Weisswurst Veal Sausage - $8.99/lb
Frozen Rinaldi Italian Sausage, 5pk - $8.99
Frozen U-13/15 Raw Jumbo Shrimp Deveined (2lb package) - $39.99
Frozen U-10 Scallops - $29.99/lb
Frozen Lobster Tails (4oz), 2pk - $25.99
Frozen King Crab (6-9s) - $42.99/lb
Frozen Massa Sicilian Style Pizza (Italian Sausage or Roasted Vegetable) - $14.99
Frozen Oven-Roasted Potato Wedges - $8.99
Frozen Au Gratin Potatoes, 2pk - $5.99
Fresh/Frozen Cheese Ravioli, 1lb - $9.99
Fresh/Frozen Spinach & Cheese Ravioli, 1lb - $10.99
Fresh/Frozen Drake’s Pasta Ravioli (Veal or Butternut Squash) - $12.99/lb (serving for 2)
Tribeca Oven Bread (Sourdough) - $5.50
Brioche Hamburger Buns - $3.99
Brioche Hot Dog Buns - $3.99
French Macarons, 12pk - $8.99
Miner's Demi Glace - $9.99
New Wine🍷
Angels & Cowboys 2021 Proprietary Red Blend, Sonoma - $19.99
Secret Squirrel 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley - $24.99
Broadbent Rainwater Medium Dry Madeira, Portugal - $19.99
Broadbent 5 Year Old Reserve Madeira, Portugal - $27.99
New Beer & More 🍺
Brassiere Meteor Blanche, 6pk bottles - $11.99
Brassiere Meteor Pilsner, 6pk bottles - $11.99
Metazoa Nap in the Hammock Cream Ale, 6pk cans - $11.99
3 Floyds Cimmerian Sabertooth Bezerker DIPA, 4pk cans - $18.99
Jackie O's Dark Apparition Imperial Stout, 4pk cans - $12.99
Kegs - 1/6 Barrel 🛢
Wiedemann's Royal Amber Ale - $109.99
Coronado Weekend Vibes IPA - $135.99
Country Boy Shotgun Wedding Brown Ale - $109.99
Northern Row Barrister Kölsch - $109.99
Final Thoughts 💬
A lot was thrown at us this week. The headlines are nonstop, the cold was mind-numbing, and to top it all off, 2 cancelled days of school added onto an already long weekend. I don't know about you, but I could use a break. Too bad I don't get one because Oyster Day almost kills me every time... but you, take the rest you need. Come down here, grab a glass of wine, and let us serve you for an hour or two.
Cheers from all of us here at the Wine Merchant!
📞 419-424-0391
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