Grab-Bag Friday

We round out the week with an assortment of items that you should know about, but won't fill a blog post on their own.

Ommegang Game of Thrones Fire and Blood

Each new season of Game of Thrones is partnered with a special, limited release from Ommegang. This season's brew, Fire and Blood, will be available Monday. Call the stores for direct purchase information, which is limited to one bottle per person. Lawrenceville is 609-520-0008, and Woodbridge is 732-726-0077.

Weekend Tasting Schedule

In Lawrenceville, the wine tastings are on the regular schedule of 4-6pm Friday, and 2-4pm Saturday. The specialty tapping tonight is DuClaw Serum Double IPA, at 5pm.

In Woodbridge, tonight we're tasting Dad's Hat Whiskey, from 5-7pm. The specialty tapping, normally at 6pm, is moved to 7pm just for tonight. And we're also tapping DuClaw Serum Double IPA. The Saturday wine tasting will be at the normal time of 1-3pm.

Starting in April, the Lawrenceville specialty tapping will move to Thursdays at 6pm. For both stores, the featured brewery in April is the Clown Shoes Beer Company.

Additional New Products

Although we've already highlighted several new products this week, we want to bring some others to your attention.

Unico Pinot Grigio is now available in both Lawrenceville and Woodbridge. It's a delicious, crisp, fruity white wine. On the palate, it is medium-bodied and perfectly balanced, supple and refreshing. This is a versatile wine that matches well with a great variety of dishes, but is also excellent served on its own as an aperitif. Delicious with seafood linguine or grilled tuna. Only $13.96 in the Bottle Club®.


Both stores have also received very limited quantities of the latest addition to the Robert Biale line, the 2012 Bedrock Vineyard Sonoma Zinfandel.

The Biale family, immigrants from Northern Italy, began growing grapes in Napa in the 1930’s – Zinfandel only. Zinfandel, California’s adopted grape, was widely planted by immigrants throughout the state’s history as a highly flavorful red grape well-suited for its expansive range of arid climates and diverse soils. In the 1940’s Aldo Biale sold bottles of illicit homemade Zinfandel known as “Black Chickens” over his party line phone service.  

Their Bedrock Vineyard has quite a history, as people ranging from General Tecumseh Sherman to William Randolph Hearst to the Parducci family have either owned the property, or made wine there. This vintage is Biale's first at the property.

The wine itself is aromatic, finely textured, and expressive of warm blackberries, cherry pie, stony minerals and baking spices. Its elegant and hedonistic style can be enjoyed now, or cellared for a long future. Only 300 cases were produced, and it's priced at $48.99.

And one for the whisky lovers...

Tullibardine Aged 20 Years

Matured in first fill Bourbon Barrels, this is a wonderful, charming, single malt that delivers vanilla, cocoa, honey, and oatmeal in equal measure, while finishing smooth and dry on the palate. There is a complexity from its age, but there is still that hint of subtle sweetness that Tullibardine has in its malts.  Only about 3 bottles will be available in each store, priced at $136.99 in the Bottle Club®.

And while you're thinking about a single malt, look for the Tullibardine 225 (Sauternes finish) and Tullibardine 500 (Sherry finish), each priced at only $54.99 in the Bottle Club®.

News You Can Use

Every week, we're happy to assist people looking to stock their home bar with quality spirits, beer and wine. But you can't forget the bar tools, if you want to make quality cocktails at home. Click to read what you might be missing.

Waiting for a $100 cocktail? It's in Boston. Click for the article. 

Have a great weekend, everyone.