We’ve Got Moxie!

New in the beverage case are some classic sodas!  All of which are now produced with pure cane sugar and natural ingredients.

Moxie was developed by Dr. Augustin Thompson in Maine in 1884.  It was advertised as a “therapeutic nerve tonic elixir” that could cure paralysis and softening of the brain.  Moxie is not too sweet and some could say it is a tad bitter.  We can’t guarantee it will help with your softening brain but we can account for it’s delicious and nostalgic flavor!

Also in the case we now carry:

Bubble Up-The original lemon-lime soda, introduced 10 years before 7-Up.

NuGrape-A grape soda first bottled in Atlanta in 1921.

Nesbitt’s-An orange soda that originated in California, Marilyn Monroe was their poster girl before her rise to stardom!

Mistakes Were Made

How do you get the flagship vintage sparkling wine from a top french estate for less than $20 in December?  Buy it in October. By mistake.

For 2 years now, we’ve been on the trail of the champagne-method sparkling wines from J. Laurens, a domaine named by the Financial Times of London as one of Limoux’s top 3 sparkling wine producers.  In the US, Laurens offers two sparkling wines.  An affordable non-vintage ‘Cremant de Limoux’ brut and a vintage ‘tete de cuvee’, Les Graimenous 2008 from Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc grapes with a touch of Mauzac and Pinot Noir.  The estate’s showcase wine, Les Graimenous received the top rating of three stars and a ‘coup de coeur’ (meaning the tasters fell in love at first sip) from the french Hachette guide yet again this year.

In October we thought we’d be pleased to have the non-vintage brut on our shelves under $20 so we made a reasonable offer, which much to our delight was accepted by the importer.

When the wine arrived, we opened it for the staff and immediately wished we had bought twice as much.  The verdict was unanimous:  notes of toast, apricot and green apple in a full mousse made for a “yummy” wine.  And no one could believe the price.  Turning the bottle around, we realized with a sinking feeling why the wine far exceeded our expectations.  Instead of the entry-level nonvintage, we had been sent the 2008.  Still gripping our champagne glass, we picked up the phone to confess the mistake and disgorge our ill-gotten gains.  Good news, the importer said.  We thought you were buying the top cuvee, not the nonvintage – so we’ll honor the price and you can keep the wine.  In that same spirit of generosity, we’re putting the 2008 on the shelf at the same price the non-vintage was going to be.

We don’t expect to be able to recreate this happy accident (we already asked and got a ‘let’s talk in the New Year’) so get the 2008 Les Graimenous Cremant de Limoux from Domaine J. Laurens $17.50 ($14.88 a bottle for 12 bottles or more) while you can.  The price is 20% off the normal price and lower than you can find the brut non-vintage wine in New York.  To order, call us at (718) 797-9463 or order online.

Spanish Wine Tasting Tonight

Tonight at the wine store from 5-8pm, our resident Spanish wine enthusiast, CJ, leads you through three fantastic reds.  Sample Valderiz Ribera 2008 ($18.75), Barahonda Monastrell 2009 ($14.00) and Ludovicus Terra Alta 2009 ($13.50).

These spanish wines demonstrate the range of wines to come from the varied terrain of Spain.  The Valderiz Ribera 2008 ($18.75) comes from the Ribera del Duero, the northern plateau on the Duero river.  There winemaker Tomas Esteban grafts old vines to turn Tinta del Pais (Tempranillo) into a subtle and more fruit friendly style of Ribera wine that sees 6 months of French oak.

From Southeastern Spain near Jumilla, the arid wine country of Yecla produces medium and full body wines like Barahonda Monastrell 2009 ($14.00) with hints of black pepper and full tannins. This 100% Monastrell wine is deep purple in color and sees no oak adding to its youthful and fresh spirit.

And finally, 45 miles south of Barcelona, the town of Batea in Terra Alta rises 1300 ft above the Mediterranean at the same altitude and temperature as its neighbor, Priorat. The warm climate allows the old vines to fully ripen and produce fruit forward reds with good structure and elegant body. The Ludovicus Terra Alta 2009 ($13.50) is a classic Terra Alta D.O. blend of garnacha, syrah, and cabernet sauvignon with a wonderful share of Tempranillo that contributes succulence to the wine. Aged for 3 months in both American and French oak there is no mistaking the vanilla, dark fruit, and mineral tones with a hint of dark chocolate on the nose.

Gift Baskets

Gourmet goodies nestled in a reusable planter with a seed packet so your gift recipient can enjoy a fresh herb garden after the treats are gone.

Let us create a basket for you based on your budget and preferences or choose your own items (just add $15 for planter, seeds and biodegradable crystal gift wrap).

Pictured is a basket filled with Brooklyn-made goodies including NuNu hot chocolate mix, Fine & Raw chocolate chunky bonbon, Hot Bread Kitchen poppyseed lavash, McClure’s Bloody Mary Mix, The Good Batch stroopwafels, Anarchy in a Jar strawberry balsamic jam, Rick’s Pick’s Mean Beans, Whimsy & Spice chocolate ginger cookies, a Sweet and Salty brownie from Red Hook’s Baked and Liddabit Sweets chocolate-black truffle caramels that we put together for $90.

Seeds packets contain local, open-pollinated seeds for dill, chive, and basil from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden‘s Centennial seed collection.

To order, call us at (718) 233-2700.

Van delivery in Brooklyn available for an extra charge.

The Holiday Cure

Tasting Table recently featured Underberg bitters (only $2 each) as a cure for holiday overindulgence instructing that “this shockingly bitter, aggressively alcoholic Germanic beverage is meant to be taken in one swig from its handsome miniature bottle, which promises that ‘after a good meal’ it will confer brightness and alertness on the drinker.”

A NY Times article last year also lauds it as a godsend to overstuffed restaurant reviewers, if there are any on your holiday gift list!

Thanksgiving Day Hours

On Thanksgiving, the wine store will be open 11am-3pm and Provisions will be open 8am-3pm.  Both stores are open regular hours the 26th, the day after Thanksgiving.

Have a Happy Holiday!

NY Times ‘Best Value’ Wines for Thanksgiving

Last week we sold out of the Lyeth Meritage 2007 ($16.50), the Sonoma County red that the NY Times named ‘Best Value‘ and the ‘Best of Tasting‘ in their column on Thanksgiving wines this year.  We are happy to report that (as the distributor nicely put it) our “persistence paid off” and another few cases of this “fresh and energetic” wine with “flavors of dark fruit and earth” arrive today, just in time for Thanksgiving.  To reserve yours, call us at (718) 797-9463.

Add a bottle of Oregon’s Foris Rogue Valley Pinot Gris 2008 ($16.50), the ‘Best Value‘ Thanksgiving white the Times called “elegant and juicy with a touch of sweetness” yet “balanced by acidity” to make it “refreshing” and get both bottles for $29.75 (that’s 10% off).  Offer good only until 9 pm on Tuesday, November 23.

Just Say No to Nouveau

Tonight 5-8pm, we’re tasting Beaujolais from the famed 2009 vintage and taking a stand against Beaujolais Nouveau, the gimmicky, non-eco-friendly wine that has destroyed value in one of the great wine regions, the Beaujolais.

The third Thursday in November, official release of Beaujolais Nouveau . . . in France.  Ever stop to wonder how this wine gets here in time to be released in the US the same day?  Heavy glass bottles are packed onto planes and flown here costing money (when you buy a bottle, you’re paying for your wine’s transatlantic flight) and generating unnecessary carbon emissions.  Of course some of it is allowed to go on the boat early now but there are also other reasons to reject beaujolais nouveau other than being green.

Ask any wine merchant worth their salt for an undervalued region and you’re sure to get the answer ‘Beaujolais’.  The public perception of this area as a source of unaged, fresh, fizzy nouveau has all but destroyed Beaujolais’s ability to be taken seriously even though the gamay grape can do wonderous things there.

Still not convinced?  Well smarter folks than us have discussed it here and here.

Vive la resistance!

Turkey Time!

You have until Sunday, November 21 at 9pm to order your thanksgiving bird!  Our turkeys come from small Amish and Mennonite farms in Pennsylvania and are available any size from 8 to 20 lbs.  We can also special order goose, squab, capons or anything else you need to make your Thanksgiving dinner special.

Place your order for a natural ($3.99/lb), organic ($5.49/lb) or heritage turkey ($9.99/lb) in person at our butcher counter, online here or by calling us at (718) 233-2700.  Delivery is available in Brooklyn, or you an pickup your turkey starting Tuesday, November 23 during our regular store hours.

Prepared foods has also made delicious side dishes available for special order including smashed yukon gold potatoes, maple-glazed carrots, sweet potatoes with green onions and caramelized pecans, cornbread stuffing with house made sausage, brussel sprouts with pancetta and currants, house made gravy and more!  For dessert, try pumpkin, apple or pecan pies from Margaret Palca Bakes.

Raise a Glass to Baked!

Tonight, Tuesday Nov. 16 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the wine store at 765 Fulton, we’re pouring some sweet sparkling wine as an aperitif to a book signing by Baked, the Red Hook bakery that supplies us with our wonderful brownies, peanut butter krispy bars, cupcakes and granola!

Stop in and sample our Musva Moscotel sparkling wine and then walk across the street to Greenlight Books where you’ll be able to sample desserts from Baked and hear from the authors Matt and Renato about their new book, Baked Explorations.