New Joel Gott Wine in Woodbridge

If you've been shopping at Joe Canal's any time in the last year or two, you'll know how well our wines from Joel Gott have been selling. His 815 Cabernet Sauvignon is a top seller in the under $15 category, and we carry several other varietals, including Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel, at both stores.

We've just added, only at our Woodbridge location, Joel Gott's new Riesling, from the Columbia Valley in Washington State.

This Riesling has aromas of mandarin, key lime, stone fruit and honeysuckle. Bright acidity on the front of the palate is followed by a mouthwatering finish. The wine is dry in style with a small amount of residual sugar balancing the wine’s natural acidity. Pair with Thai or Mexican food. At only $11.49 in the Bottle Club, this is an outstanding value.

For the convenience of our Lawrenceville shoppers, our Customer Service team can have the Joel Gott Riesling transferred from the Woodbridge location.

As an aside, if you're traveling to Napa, save time for a lunch break at Gott's Roadside (formerly Taylor's Refresher). The simple roadside stand in St. Helena is a landmark, and they've added locations in the Oxbow Public Market (also in Napa), San Francisco (Ferry Building Marketplace) and Palo Alto (Town & Country Village). A burger with garlic fries and beer or wine sounds perfect right now.

On occasion, Joe Canal’s staff members are able to go on trips to meet the producers of
the items we sell. Whether we travel to the great wine regions, or any other location, the
trips are educational, great for team-building, and, of course, they’re fun.

Brandon Bartfalvi, Senior Wine Manager at our Lawrenceville store recently visited California wine country on just such a trip. Here's a portion of his report:

DAY 1 – AND SO IT BEGINS (CALIFORNIA HERE WE COME!)

Ahhhhhh, back to California and I can't wait to get there!  The team met up at the airport and I found out that 5AM really exists (I'm not a morning person).  After the team met up we stopped for a quick breakfast and then off to board the plane.  Excitement was in the air and we couldn't wait to get off the plane and make our way to our first stop of the trip:  Coppola Winery in Sonoma.

After a peaceful plane ride we arrived in San Francisco..... almost to wine country!!  We were in and out of the aiport fairly quickly and in our rental car on the way to Coppola (we're warriors; from the plane right to the winery... we can freshen up later hahaha).  We  took a nice, scenic route through the city of San Francisco and its awe inspiring hills (how do you drive up some of these roads???) and then a short time later we were pulling up to the entrance to Coppola.

THE WINERY (FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA WINERY):

I don't know if I would call this a winery or a resort with a winery.  The main building is actually the old Chateau Souverain, purchased by Mr. Coppola and reopened as the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in 2010 (I was there before the grand opening).  The buildings and the interiors were designed by Dean Tavoularis, the set designer on “The Godfather” and it is truly a Hollywood experience in Sonoma. There are  pieces from the sets of each of Mr. Coppola's movies, from the car in “Tucker: A Man and His Dream” to Don Corleone's desk from the “Godfather” films.  

 Beyond the movie scene, Mr. Coppola wanted to create a destination for families.  A place to come and relax and just enjoy life.  RUSTIC restaurant is on-premise and prepares all of Mr. Coppola's favorite dishes that you can enjoy inside or out on the patio. But that's where the fun just begins:  A pool was installed and visitors can rent cabanas (cabines is the correct term) for the day (or half day) or take a short walk and to the bocce courts. The band shell in the background? A re-creation from the wedding scene in "The Godfather". This estate was truly designed as a laid-back resort or escape that caters to those wishing to unwind.

 On top of all these activities there is a large, functioning winery putting out thousands of cases of wine behind the scenes.  The winery is surrounded by vineyards that supply some of the grapes for the wines but the winery also has several contracts for grapes grown elsewhere.  The winery is constantly expanding and experimenting and currently makes over 40 wines, from off-dry Rieslings to small production red blends. 

OUR VISIT:
It felt good to get out of the car and stretch my legs and the air was just soooo clean.  Ahhh life is good!  When we walked through the winery gate (on time) our tour guide was there ready to show us, well, the show!  After explaining the history of the winery and the vision of Mr. Coppola we started our tour through the building and grounds of the winery.  We spent time inside the retail space where consumers can taste wines, browse the movie memorabilia (that was pretty cool) and relax at the bar and enjoy the scene.  After making our way through the retail area we were taken behind the scenes to see how the winery works.  We made our way to the production line and watched as the bottles of Claret were loaded into cases by hand... yes, they are packed by hand.   

 We made our way further down the line and saw the labeling machines:

  and then there it was... the magic room!  The room where the chemistry is done, the analysis completed, decisions made, the room where the winemaker was working!  Oh, did I mention that we were visiting during the busiest part of the year: harvest?  Corey Beck, director of winemaking, was hard at work but took some time to greet us and welcome us to the winery.  After meeting Corey, our guide took us through more of the winery and then to complete the tour he took us to a private tasting bar where we sampled any wine that we wanted. 

We tasted through several different selections and our guide told us the story behind each one and walked us through even more selections.  Unfortunately, my favorite wine of the tasting is only available at the winery.  We tasted quite a few different wines and we discussed each one as a team and you may see some of the new selections arriving soon (hint, hint).  Good wines, great conversation, good friends…could it get any better?? Oh yeah, time for dinner!  We made our way downstairs to RUSTIC and our table was ready and waiting for us and we were hungry and excited.   But there was a little stress involved with our dinner: trying to choose what to order.  Our server guided us through our selections and made the experience even better.  The restaurant was laid back, our server was wonderful (and she had a sparkling personality) and the food was excellent.  What a way to start the week!

It was a long day (like I said, that flight was early) but it was a great day and I knew this was going to be a good time.  We left the winery and made our way to the town of Glen Ellen where we were staying at the Jack London Lodge and I couldn't wait to freshen up.  After a little downtime I made my way next door to the Jack London Saloon where Jack London sat and had a drink in his time.  I took a deep breath, ordered my drink and took a long sip of Fat Tire beer (yes, I drink beer too!)  And that's where this part of the story ends (or is it just hidden?).  We raised the bar today, what will happen on Day 2?
  

A Classic Comeback!

Rye whiskeys have enjoyed a return to popularity of late. As a base for classic cocktails, the distinctively crisp taste of rye will make your Manhattan or Sazerac that much better. But, sometimes, a Rye is really best served as a sippin' whiskey. That's the case with Lock, Stock & Barrel, a 13 Year Old Rye Whiskey currently available in Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge.

"Angel's Share" is the term that refers to the amount of whiskey that is lost to evaporation as the spirit ages. American whiskeys generally age for around 4 years, because the angels seem to very much like the product. At 13 years, between the Angel's Share and the additional time in the barrel, Lock, Stock & Barrel provides a rich, lasting flavor that's hard to beat.

You'll find aromas of salted caramel, buttered popcorn and toffee. There are complex notes of sweet vanilla, milk chocolate, roasted coffee and honeyed oak, which are nicely balanced with a subtle spicy undertone, and lead a sweet, elegant finish.

This classic American Rye will be an outstanding addition to the collection of any whisk(e)y lover.

Something Different in the Vodka Section

You might think that vodka is maxed out, with so many variations of so many vodkas. A new arrival to the shelves at Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge shows that the category has more room to grow.

Joe Canal's has a limited supply of Soyombo, a Super Premium vodka from Mongolia.

Soyombo is made from native organic wheat and pure spring water, distilled six times, and filtered for five days over charcoal, quartz, diamonds and silver. It's made in small batches to maintain quality and consistency. The regular price for a 750ml bottle is $27.99, but it's currently in the Bottle Club for only $24.99.

What does a Mongolian vodka taste like? There's an elegant, medium-bodied mouth feel, creaminess that soon opens up with growing creamy anise, accompanied by light-medium sweetness, and a hint of underlying dryness, followed by a hint of luscious citrus with bread notes slowly emerging. Becomes slightly fuller on the palate while retaining elegance. In a word: delicious! And it won a 2012 World Spirits Gold Medal.

How about a Soyombo Royal Mongolian, served in a 12 oz Highball glass? Here's the recipe:
2 parts Soyombo Super Premium Mongolian Vodka
1 teaspoon of Cynar OR 3 dashes Angostura bitters
1/2 part Aperol
1/2 part Maraschino cherry liqueur
top with tonic water
Garnish with a lemon wedge
Rub a slice of orange peel on the rim of, and over, the glass
(please note that all of the ingredients, except for the fruit, are available at Joe Canal's)

More drink recipes are available on the Soyombo web site.

Fifty Shades of Grey Wines Now at Joe Canal's

Straight from the New York Times best-seller list to the shelves at Joe Canal's: Fifty Shades of Grey wines. With wine playing such an important role in the story line, it was only natural that wines would become available.

The pricing is as seductive as the books: only $13.99 in the Bottle Club for either the Red Satin or White Silk.

In White Silk, you'll find floral aromatics of lychee, honey and pear, leading to flavors of crisp grapefruit, lush pear, a touch of minerality and a hint of butterscotch. Red Satin has flavors of black cherry, cocoa powder, creamy caramel, vanilla, leather and clove spice.

Fifty Shades of Grey California wines: perfect for your book club, as a gift for this holiday season, or for any time at all, at Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge.

Irish Eyes Smile Because of Irish Whiskey!

One of the fastest growing categories of distilled spirits is Irish whiskey. While one brand dominates the sales totals, Joe Canal's carries many others that will suit your palate. Our featured Irish Whiskey is Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix.

Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix is an expression of the great history of the town and a celebration of the people. In 1785, Tullamore witnessed a devastating hot-air balloon accident. The resulting blaze nearly destroyed the town but immeasurably strengthened her people. Since that day, they placed a phoenix in the town’s coat of arms. Driven by their positive spirit, the town’s renaissance in the ensuing decades saw the establishment of the Tullamore distillery in 1829.

This special limited edition is a triple-distilled blend of all three types of Irish whiskey: golden grain, malt and pure pot still whiskey. It is characterized by its high content pot still whiskey finished in old oloroso sherry casks and comes to you at 55% ABV. Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix is a medium bodied whiskey, with distinctive sherry notes and pleasantly spicy creamy pot still whiskey flavors nicely balanced. Enjoy Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix with a little water, which will open up its aromas. 

So what's the D.E.W.? It's the initials of Daniel E. Williams, a man certainly made of the rare stuff. His earliest days in the distillery were spent shoveling malted barley; his nights spent sleeping in the hayloft. He was the ultimate self-made man, propelling himself quickly through the ranks. In 1887 he became General Manager and ultimately owner of the distillery. Single-handedly, he began to turn a good whiskey great. Some time later, this accomplished, he proudly marked every bottle from the Tullamore Distillery with the initials D.E.W.

Spirits for the Season

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to travel to Kentucky and Tennessee, as part of a company trip. In addition to the great distilleries that we visited (documented in earlier BottleBlog posts), we had some time to explore Nashville.

Fans of the American Pickers TV show may know about their retail location in Nashville. We waited in line for about 15 minutes before we could finally get in the store. The store is located in Marathon Village, a former auto manufacturing facility that's been rehabbed into modern stores and offices.

Prior to the trip, I'd done a little research and found a craft distillery located in that very same building. I'd arranged for a tour of Corsair Artisan Distillery, which we took shortly after leaving the Pickers store. Early in the tour, we got to see their Pre-Prohibition still:

Here, Distillery Ambassador Will Atkinson explained how the still survived Prohibition (it was shipped to Canada), and how it had to be modified (the column had to be bent) to accommodate the historical building where it's currently at work.

Craft whiskey is a hot category, and Corsair is one of the hottest distillers, with a broad range of products beyond whiskey. At Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge, you can find their Gin, Unaged Rye, Triple Smoke Whiskey, and Vanilla Bean Vodka. We were able to sample a number of their products during our visit, including their (pink!) absinthe:

My favorite was the Triple Smoke Whiskey. It does resemble an Islay whisky, with a twist. They use malted barley, but only 1/3 is dried by peat. Another 1/3 is dried with Cherry wood, and the final 1/3 is dried with Beechwood, making this an incredibly complex, uniquely American whiskey. That's me with a bottle of the Triple Smoke, in their barrel room:

At the time of our trip, Corsair's products weren't available in New Jersey. Thankfully, soon after we returned, Corsair signed on with a local distributor, allowing us to share this great discovery with you. Look for the Corsair Artisan Distillery products on our shelves on your next visit.

Cameron Hughes, American Negociant

Cameron Hughes is an American négociant that makes, imports, and distributes ultra-premium wine. What's a négociant? With roots in old world wine, a négociantis a merchant who takes product to market under his own name.

The company was founded by Cameron Hughes and Jessica Kogan (see photo below) in 2001 for one simple reason – to bring truly exceptional wine to the market at real world prices. This is accomplished by partnering with the finest growers and wineries in the world and delivering consistently high quality wines and the highest degree of service to customers. The result is Cameron Hughes is one the most trusted wine brands in the industry, receiving high praise from wine experts and consumers alike.

Published critical acclaim of Cameron Hughes wine comes from the Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, Wine & Spirits, Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, New York Times, Forbes Magazine, Cellar Tracker and more. In 2012, Cameron Hughes was nominated for “Innovator of the Year” by the Wine Enthusiast.

Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge carry a number of Cameron Hughes wines, under several labels, at very attractive prices. Stop in and grab a bottle today!

New Whiskey For This Cooler Weather

At Joe Canal's in both Lawrenceville and Woodbridge, we're been expanding our selections of whisk(e)ys because of the explosion in well-made craft products. One of the best producers in the Northeast is Tuthilltown Spirits, from New York. Tuthilltown Spirits stays local, getting their grain from within 10 miles of their distillery.

We've recently added their Hudson Single Malt Whiskey to our shelves. made from 100% malted barley, this is a must for every whisk(e)y lover.

Hudson Single Malt Whiskey is made in the classic fashion, with whole ground malted barley and nothing else. Aged in small American Oak casks, this whiskey is a departure from popular single malt Scotches. The new oak lends a deeper woody affect to the spirit. Rich in color and full flavored, Hudson's Single Malt is an American reinterpretation of traditional Scottish and Irish whiskies. Bottled at 92 proof, HUDSON SINGLE MALT opens up nicely with a splash of water, which releases the aromas and softens the spirit on your lips. And as with all of Hudson's whiskey, this spirit improves in your glass as it opens up. Enjoy it slowly.

Delicious New Red Wines at Joe Canal's

In response to the many requests we receive for Organic and Sulfite-Free wines, Joe Canal's is happy to unveil Orleans Hill wines. Find these great new additions in our Lawrenceville and Woodbridge stores.

Jim Lapsley, the original owner and winemaker, founded Orleans Hill Winery in the late 1970’s in Woodland CA. He switched to using only organically grown grapes in the late 1980’s and in 2001 the winery’s lease expired and the brand was purchased by the Nevada County Wine Guild, owned by Tony Norskog, with production moving to a winery in the remote outskirts of Nevada City, CA. The style of production has been maintained with fresh, youthful wines crafted to be easily drinkable and sold nationally in the under $10 price range.

Tony Norskog and Donn Berdhal have been winemakers for more than 25 years and have been partners in the business since 2004.

Donn Berdahl and Tony Norskog

Tony received his degree in enology from the University of California at Davis in 1977, the most prestigious wine making school in the country and has been one of the vanguard winemakers within the organic wine world, helping to create outstanding organic sulfite-free wines at a great value since 1989. The winery, originally named Nevada County Wine Guild, is located in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains in California and the vineyards are all certified organic.

Donn was formerly General Manager and on-site winemaker for a large custom crush facility that handled grapes for well-known wineries and growers alike. His training came the old fashioned way, via apprenticeship. He was very fortunate to be mentored by two long time award-winning winemakers that started, and then consulted, at the custom facility.

This dynamic duo produces all sulfite-free wines including Our Daily Red, a blended red table wine. This is the largest wholly organic sku in the US by volume, and which since its introduction in 1998, has been the most solid and accessible organically made wine on the market. In addition, under the Orleans Hill label, they make (at various times) a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Zinfandel.