Mid-Week Grab Bag

Your blogger will be unavailable for the balance of the week, so the vote was for a Grab Bag today. There have been more events announced, and plenty of new products to talk about as well.

Events

Tonight is the Weyerbacher Small Plates & Samplings at the Lawrenceville store. Click here for the details, bit you should call the store at 609-520-0008 to see if any spaces remain.

Thursday, there will be a free tasting of three different spirits items: Pallini Limoncello, Clontarf 1014 Irish Whiskey, and Celtic Honey. Click here for details. The tasting will run from 4-6pm.

We'll have our regular weekend wine tasting in Lawrenceville, 4-6pm Friday and 2-4pm Saturday. Click here for the menu.

Click here to visit our Events page, as the calendar will fill even more as the holiday season gets going. And speaking of holidays, we'll have extended store hours in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. Please click here to see the schedule.

In Woodbridge, tonight is the Wine Dinner that we're hosting at Dominic's Italian Restaurant in Avenel. Click here for the menu and other details. Please call Dominic's at 732-726-3355, or the store at 732-726-0077 to see if any seats remain.

We're having a Halloween-themed wine tasting this weekend. Click here for the Trick-or-Treat-y menu.

While there are already a number of quality events on the calendar, we wanted to highlight the Kane Brewing Small Plates dinner on November 14. This in-store event will feature 5 small plates paired expertly with Kane products. Space is extremely limited. Click here for more information.

Click here for the Woodbridge Events page. Already on the schedule: Dewar's Higher Marques Tasting on November 15 and the Johnnie Walker Blue Label engraving on December 13, among many other programs. Please click here to see the Thanksgiving week hours for Woodbridge.

New Products

Peligroso Silver Tequila: After countless trips chasing swells, surfers Keith Ross and Bruce Beach set out to create a drink that embodied memories made on the dusty roads and beaches of Baja. Made the traditional way in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico Peligroso® is that drink.

Inspired by the pursuit of big breaks and good times south of SoCal, Peligroso® is handcrafted for those who seek a life traveled off the beaten path. For those who make their own rules. Those who push to live every moment to the fullest. For those hell bent on fully experiencing the ride. For those born to rattle the cage.

Smooth with a bite, this versatile 100% Blue Weber Agave tequila is a bottle that demands a permanent spot on the shelf. A rich blend of agave flavor and enticing heat, Peligroso® Silver has a full body highlighted with subtle hints of spice, white pepper and lemongrass on the finish.

Only $30.99 in the Bottle Club®.

SAVED Red: SAVED Red Wine is a robust, powerful wine with a big personality and a generous finish. It is big, bold and rich, with pedigree sourcing from California's finest regions.

An eclectic blend of grapes deliver rich color and fullbodied flavors: red currant, black cherry and black olive. Soft tannins balance well with distinct oak flavors - French oak for vanilla and coconut; American oak for caramel, créme brûlée and coffee.

This project is a colaboration between Clay Brock, a second-generation winemaker who excels at crafting Californian varietal wine blends and Scott Campbell, a contemporary artist.

A blend of Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Zinfandel and mixed reds. Only $19.99 in the Bottle Club®.

2010 Boulder Bank Pinot Noir: This is the fifth vintage of the Boulder Bank series of wines. Winemaker Nick Goldschmidt has created this product to showcase one of New Zealand’s preeminent varietals – Pinot Noir.

Having made wine worldwide for many years, Nick has returned to his New Zealand roots to create Boulder Bank. This Pinot Noir comes from a single vineyard on Hawkesbury Road in the Omaka area. As with all of Goldschmidt's vineyard sites, this vineyard faces east and receives soft morning sun, which increases hangtime and ultimately complexity. Planted in 1999, these Dijon clones are cane-pruned to reduce yield and have separate shoots for maximum cluster exposure.

Only $16.98 in the Bottle Club®.

Stoli Goes Ginger

Stoli draws on their 80+ years of vodka-making to bring us Stoli Ginger Beer. The flavors of Stoli Ginger Beer have been specifically designed to blend perfectly with Stoli vodka.

Ginger Beer also happens to be a growing category, as anyone who has enjoyed a Dark & Stormy can attest. Please note that the Stoli Ginger Beer is non-alcoholic.

One of the things that distinguishes ginger beer from ginger ale is that the beer tends to have more of a ginger “bite.” But Stoli seems to have found the right balance: Stoli Ginger Beer is somewhere between a beer and an ale — it’s got a little bit of ginger-y fire, but it’s also got a pronounced lemon-limey sweetness (Stoli uses pure cane sugar and real ginger extract in the recipe). Sure enough, that makes it more of a mixing ginger beer than a standalone one, though we wouldn’t object to drinking a Stoli ginger beer on its own on a hot summer’s day. It’s almost like a sparkling lemonade with a boost of ginger flavor.

The Moscow Mule is best served in a traditional copper mug. The recipe can be sized for a single serving or a pitcher.

Here's the recipe:
2 parts Stoli Vodka
1/2 part Lime juice
3 parts Stoli Ginger Beer

See other variations on the Stoli Moscow Mule theme with the social media hashtag #RaiseYourMule.

(Some content courtesy of marketwatch.com)

Looking for something to do?

With so much going on, not to mention Halloween preparations, this seemed like a good time to review our upcoming events and activities.

Lawrenceville

A unique event is the Weyerbacher Small Plates & Samplings, coming up this Wednesday, October 29, at 6:30pm. This is an in-store event, and is a "must" for the craft beer lover. Attendees will enjoy five Small Plates, paired with five different Weyerbacher beers, in four-ounce servings. The cost is only $25.

On Thursday, October 30, we have a special tasting, from 4-6pm. Sample Pallini Limoncello, Celtic  Honey, or Contarf Irish Whiskey. Click here for the details.

We will have our regular wine tastings on Friday (4-6pm) and Saturday (2-4pm).

We have a tasting of Hetta Glögg on Saturday, November 8, from 1-3pm. Nordic for mulled wine, Glögg originated in the early 1600s. Traditionally, spices were added to the poor-tasting wine of the time. As flavors improved, Glögg remained popular in Nordic countries, becoming a traditional beverage associated with Christmas and other social gatherings.

Nordic Glögg is similar to other mulled wines such as German Gluhwein and Chilean Navegado. Glögg is often called Grog, a word that refers to a variety of alcoholic beverages that are similar to Nordic Glögg.

Hetta Glögg is produced in Rhinebeck, NY.

Also on the schedule for November are tastings of St. Francis wines, Acacia wines, and Glenfiddich whisky. To know what's going on, click here for our website's Events page.

Woodbridge

Tonight is the Bruichladdich tasting. Free with your RSVP, we offer two sessions, to see what the new classics from Islay are all about. Please call 732-726-0077.

Wednesday is the Wine Dinner at Dominic's Italian Restaurant in Avenel. Enjoy a great meal with superb wines, and learn a bit about pairings as well. Please click here for more information.

Our weekend wine tastings are themed for the season. Click here for the tasting menu, and stop in Friday, 4-6pm, or Saturday, 1-3pm.

We'll have our own tasting of Hetta Glögg on Friday, November 7, from 6-8pm.

Please join us for the in-store Kane Brewing Small Plates dinner on Friday, November 14, starting at 6:30pm. We'll pair five small plates with five different Kane products. Please click here for more information.

There's always something good going on at Joe Canal's in Woodbridge. Please click here for our Events page.

Friday Grab Bag

Our favorite blog post of the week! We cover a number of different topics in our weekly wrap-up, so let's get to it.

Events

We offered a pretty detailed preview of our upcoming events in yesterday's blog post. Click here to read that post. We'll give you the headlines here.

                                                   Lawrenceville:

Today: wine tasting, 4-6pm. Staff picks.
Saturday: wine tasting, 2-4pm. Lafite Around the World
Wednesday, 10/29: Weyerbacher Small Plates & Samplings, in-store, 6:30pm
Thursday, 10/30: spirits tasting, 4-6pm
Click here for the Events page in Lawrenceville

Woodbridge:
Today: wine tasting, 4-6pm. Staff picks.
Saturday: wine tasting, 1-3pm. Staff picks.
Sunday: Ladies Night Out, 7:30pm-9:30pm. Free admission with advance RSVP; benefits Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
Monday, 10/27: Bruichladdich educational tasting. Two sessions-one at 6:30pm, one at 8pm. RSVP.
Wednesday, 10/29: Wine Dinner at Dominic's Italian Restaurant in Avenel.
Click here for the Events page in Woodbridge

New Products

This category also includes items that may have been out of stock for a while, or are rarities. For example:

Veuve Clicquot La Grand Dame. The color is luminous, sparkling gold with amber highlights.

There is plenty of effervescence. The fine, light bead swirls up slowly and gracefully. The first nose reveals a definite mineral base, with noble fruit (white peaches, bergamot) and remarkable intensity.

On agitating, the bouquet becomes gourmand and voluptuous with hints of brioche, nougat, vanilla, frangipane and jasmine.

We have an extremely limited supply of La Grand Dame in this beautiful wooden gift box.

Neely Pinot Noir. "The Pinot Noir grape varietal inspires unique interest among wine enthusiasts worldwide. The challenge and potential of cultivating Pinot Noir in our unique Spring Ridge micro-climate, at the northernmost edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation, was exciting, and in 1997 we planted our first 3 acre Pinot block, Hidden."

Neely Pinot Noir typically scores 90 or more points from the Wine Advocate. Look for the Hidden Block, Picnic Block, and Upper Picnic Blocks.

Also look for:
Hibiki Whisky, 17 year old and 21 year old. Limited availability.
Classic Malts: Specialty packages of Oban, Lagavulin, Dalwhinnie, Cragganmore, and Clynelish.

Ripped from the Headlines

Old school moonshiners continue to distill their unique products in the hills. Click here to read about modern-day bootleggers.

What a modern moonshiner uses. From the article.

Have a great weekend!

Our Events & Activities

At Joe Canal's, there's always something good going on. Sometimes, as we outlined in yesterday's post, we're getting deliveries of great new and/or seasonal products. Sometimes, we have killer drink or meal recipes, courtesy of our industry partners. And then there are the Special Events we're involved in, which is the topic of today's post.

Lawrenceville

This weekend, Lawrenceville has wine tastings on Friday and Saturday. The Friday tasting is 4-6pm, and features Staff Selections. Click here for that tasting menu. Saturday's tasting is 2-4pm, but will feature "Lafite Around the World".

From the Domaines Barons de Rothschild, Lafite wines are produced in several countries, and offer tremendous value. Click here to see the tasting menu.

A unique event next week is the Weyerbacher Small Plates & Samplings, coming up on Wednesday, October 29, at 6:30pm. This is an in-store event, and is a "must" for the craft beer lover. Attendees will enjoy five Small Plates, paired with five different Weyerbacher beers, in four-ounce servings. The cost is only $25.

Here's the beer and pairing menu:
-AutumnFest, paired with soft pretzels and beer cheese.
-Althea, paired with assorted cheese, figs and crostini.
-Imperial Pumpkin, paired with Curried Butternut Squash soup with roasted pumpkin seeds.
-Last Chance IPA, paired with BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders.
-Tiny, paired with chocolates, brownies, cheesecake and coffee.

For more information, please click here. To RSVP, please call the store at 609-520-0008.

To stay current, please click here and bookmark our Events page.

Woodbridge

It's Ladies Night Out this Sunday, October 26, starting at 7:30pm. There's food, fun, wine tasting, and so much more, all to benefit the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Admission is FREE with your advance RSVP. To see the full agenda, please click here.

Of course, Woodbridge will have the regular wine tastings on Friday (4-6pm) and Saturday (1-3pm). Click here for the tasting menu.

We'll also have a special Bruichladdich tasting class on Monday, October 27. There will be two sessions, and they're both free. Please click here for information; the link in the image won't work.

Two days after that, we're sponsoring a Wine Dinner at Dominic's Italian Restaurant in Avenel. Four courses, four wines, forty dollars. Please click here for information.

That just covers the rest of October! We have more great things planned in November (Kane Brewing Beer Dinner, for example) and beyond. To stay current, please click here and bookmark our Events page.

Delivering the Goods

Our buyers present us with two sure signs of the season, as a part of this week's scheduled deliveries.

Pennsylvania Dutch Pumpkin Cream Liqueur

Made with real dairy cream and delicious pumpkin flavor! Perfect holiday drink! Available in the 1.75L size.

Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Nog

Blended whiskey, rum and brandy blended with fresh dairy cream make this a holiday favorite. Just add a little cinnamon and ground nutmeg to create a wonderful holiday cocktail! Available in 750ML and 1.75L sizes.

Dolin Vermouth

Made to the same base of recipes since 1821, Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry has long been the benchmark for fine Vermouth. Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry is made of fine wines and botanicals found in the Alpine meadows above Chambéry. Together they impart a fresh and elegant nose, with a subtle and complex palate. Ideal as an aperitif or in cocktails.

Tasting notes: Dolin Vermouths are notably lighter, drier and less pungent than their larger commercial counterparts. The particular mixture of plants found near Chambéry give a fresh, restrained and elegant nose, with a subtle, complex bittersweet palate. Even the Blanc and Rouge retain great balance, with the sugar never cloying, and just enough bitterness to whet the appetite. Each can be enjoyed as aperitif on ice, with a twist of citrus, or in a broad array of traditional cocktails.

We're carrying the Dry, Rouge and Blanc, all priced at $11.99

Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir Finish

This is the latest in product innovation from Woodford Reserve, and marks the ninth release in the series. The Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir Finish was produced by taking a batch of mature Woodford Reserve and finishing the spirit in Pinot Noir barrels freshly emptied and shipped from California’s famed Sonoma-Cutrer Winery.

Tasting notes:
Appearance: Rich, deep garnet
Nose: Bursting with rich red fruit and berry character overlaying a complex sprinkling of spice (cinnamon, clove), oak and dark caramel.
Taste: Warm and fruit forward with notes of cherry, raspberry, blackberry followed by a crisp spiciness and subtle oak sweetness.
Finish: Long and warm with lingering fruit and earthy oak character.
90.4 proof.

Available in limited quantities for $93.99 in the Bottle Club®.

In addition, these two highly allocated items will arrive within the next day or two:
-Parker's Heritage Collection,8th Edition
-Balvenie 25 Year Old
And not allocated, but available only for a limited time, as in for the holidays, until they're gone from stock, Crystal Head Vodka Gift Sets.

From Casablanca

That's the Casablanca Valley in Chile. No, we don't carry any products from that other Casablanca. The Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay is our pick of the week, and here's why.

Chile is a land of soaring Andes mountains, a mild Mediterranean climate, and fine wines. From the premium wine producing regions of Chile come the best grapes, and it is here that Viña Errázuriz has been producing the highest quality Chilean wines for more than 130 years.

Don Maximiano Errázuriz founded Viña Errázuriz in 1870 in the Valle de Aconcagua, 100 kms north of the capital city, Santiago. Recognizing that this valley, with its cool, rainy winters, hot, dry summers and moist Pacific Ocean breezes, was ideal for growing grapes, Don Maximiano sent for the finest clones from France and with tenacity and perseverance transformed this barren land into a world-class vineyard.

Today, the tradition of quality lives on with Don Maximiano’s descendant, Eduardo Chadwick. Eduardo is the fifth generation of his family to be involved in the wine business.

Over the last five years, Errazuriz’ Chardonnay Wild Ferment has become recognized as perhaps the top Chardonnay from South America.  Errazuriz ferments its best lots of Chardonnay using natural yeasts. Natural fermentation starts slower than inoculated fermentation because the yeasts must grow to sufficient numbers to transform sugars into alcohol. During this period the yeasts produce by-products which add distinctive flavors and complexity to the wine. Some lots start the fermentation and eventually finish, others ferment slowly and do not finish off the sugars completely, leaving more mouth feel. These natural fermentations take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks to complete while the inoculated lots take less than a week.

This 2013 vintage was a big hit with the wine industry's professional reviewers:

"This a phenomenal white with sliced apple, papaya, and chalk with hints of slate. Turns to limes. Full body, with bright acidity and a racy acidity that goes on for minutes with the fruit. Dry austerity at the end gives it incredible character. This was fermented and aged in second and third year oak. Ten months. A triumph. A reductive structured style. Screw cap. Drink now." - 95 Points James Suckling.

"The 2013 Chardonnay Wild Ferment Aconcagua Costa, from vineyards planted in 2004-2005 on schist soils on the coastal part of the Aconcagua valley, 10-12 kilometers from the sea, is fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak barriques (and aged there for 10 months, 0% new). Fifteen percent of the wine went through malolactic fermentation, because it was a cold year and they wanted to give it more volume, with no battonage and only 13% alcohol. The nose is very clean, with well-integrated wood, orange peel, crisp aromas of citric fruits, high acidity, great freshness and minerality. The wine is light to medium-bodied, sharp and delineated, in a Chablis way. Drink 2014-2018."  - 90 Points Wine Advocate.

This great Chardonnay is available at Joe Canal's for only $22.99.

A Dram a Day

As a category, Scotch whisky can be a little challenging to a novice. Distillery names can be difficult to pronounce, and the right inflection for the region of Islay (eye-la) can also be elusive. The styles of Scotch are intriguing, but where to start? What's light and sweet? What's heavy and peaty? How can I tell the difference? Joe Canal's is here to help.

On Monday, October 27, in conjunction with Bruichladdich (brook-laddie), we're offering two FREE, hour-long tasting sessions, exploring five different drams.

Bruichladdich believes that Islay whisky should have an authenticity derived from where it is distilled and where it is matured...from the philosophies of those who distill it.

At this intimate, private event you will learn about what sets Bruichladdich apart and why terroir matters while tasting authentic Islay whisky in five distinct styles. If you have a passion for single malts and enjoy fine spirit that captures rich history and tradition in every bottle, then come experience Bruichladdich with a small, inspired group of fellow Scotch enthusiasts.

There will be two sessions, each limited to 25 people, each running 60 minutes. One is at 6:30pm, the other at 8pm.

Participants will sample:
-The Botanist gin ("Welcome" drink, either neat or gin & tonic)
-Bruichladdich Black Art
-Bruichladdich:
--Scottish Barley
--Islay Barley
--Port Charlotte
--Octomore

Light hors d'oeuvres will also be available.

Click here to RSVP, or call the store at 732-726-0077.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bruichladdich-tasting-event-at-joe-canals-tickets-13539179049

Your Weekly Grab Bag

It's Friday, and that means it's time for our weekly round-up of events, news and new products that we call the Grab Bag. Since it's also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which leads to two very busy months in the stores, this will be a pretty full report.

Events

Lawrenceville kicks off its weekend with the regular weekly wine tastings, 4-6pm today and 2-4pm tomorrow. Click here to see the tasting menu. At 5pm today, we also have the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp tapping, featuring Yonder Bock Tropical Maibock and Torpedo Pilsner. Click here to read more about the Beer Camp tappings, which are 5pm every Friday in October.

The big event of the weekend, of course, in Ladies Night Out, happening after hours on Sunday, October 19. Admission is free, with your advance RSVP. Click here to see the full agenda for Ladies Night Out in Lawrenceville. Ladies Night Out will benefit the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

Wine tasting at a previous Ladies Night Out

Looking ahead just about 10 days, we're hosting an in-store Beer Dinner on October 29, featuring Weyerbacher. We'll have the complete details available early next week.

Woodbridge doesn't have Ladies Night Out until October 26, but it's still a very busy weekend. Today's wine tasting is 4-6pm, and it's a Staff Picks menu. Click here for that menu. At 6pm, we also have the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp tapping, featuring Yonder Bock Tropical Maibock. Click here to read about the Beer Camp tappings at Woodbridge.

Saturday's wine tasting will feature selections from Barton & Guestier. With almost three centuries of experience in the wine business, Barton & Guestier is the 1st French brand name, with a range that represents  the wonderful diversity of French wines from the main winegrowing regions: Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Rhône Valley, Languedoc, Gascony and Corsica. The tasting will run at our regular time, 1-3pm.

Later in the day, we're offering a tasting of Deep Eddy Vodka. That runs from 5-7pm.

As we noted, Ladies Night Out in Woodbridge is October 26. Admission is free, with your advance RSVP, and the evening will benefit Susan G. Komen. Click here for the full schedule of Ladies Night Out.

The crew at Dominic's

There are a couple of other events worth noting at Woodbridge. On October 29, we're hosting a wine dinner at Dominic's Italian Restaurant in Avenel. You'll enjoy four great courses perfectly paired with four different wines. Click here for information.

On November 14, we're hosting an in-store beer dinner with Kane Brewing. Details will be posted shortly.

New Products

Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay. Over the last five years, Errazuriz’ Chardonnay Wild Ferment has become recognized as perhaps the top Chardonnay from South America. James Suckling scored this vintage at 95 points, writing, "This a phenomenal white with sliced apple, papaya, and chalk with hints of slate. Turns to limes. Full body, with bright acidity and a racy acidity that goes on for minutes with the fruit. Dry austerity at the end gives it incredible character. This was fermented and aged in second and third year oak. Ten months. A triumph. A reductive structured style. Screw cap. Drink now."

                                      Ripped from the Headlines

Click here for an update on the Napa Valley earthquake.

The science is settled: Beer is delicious. Click here to discover the actual science that went into that breakthrough.

Have a great weekend!

Ladies Night Out, Lawrenceville and Woodbridge

The team at Joe Canal's gives back to the community in many different ways. One of the most important causes we're involved with annually is the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. As a part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, both stores are hosting a Ladies Night Out, to raise funds for this important cause.

In Lawrenceville, Ladies Night Out will be this Sunday, October 19, from 7:30-9:30pm. Because this is an after-hours event, we do need an RSVP. Your advance RSVP, however, does get you free admission.

We have about a dozen different vendors participating in Ladies Night Out, for your shopping enjoyment. Your can test and purchase skin care items, handbags, fashion jewelry, accessories, candles, and so much more. Di Bruno Bros. will be on hand with samples of their delicious cheese. And, of course, there will be plenty of wines to taste.

To help you appreciate what you're sampling, Wine Manager Kevin Saunders will host a wine tasting class (free, with advance RSVP) during the event.

Please click here to visit our website and see all of the details.

In Woodbridge, Ladies Night Out will be next Sunday, October 26, also from 7:30-9:30pm. Here as well, your advance RSVP gets you free admission to the event.

Woodbridge will also have about a dozen vendors participating, including the Man Made Barber Shop. If you'd like to bring your man along, he can get a hot towel shave or haircut for a $5 donation to Susan G. Komen.

As a part of Ladies Night Out, you're invited to participate in the "Undead Gorgeous" Halloween costume contest. Dress up in your best Halloween costumes to compete for a $50 gift card to Vito Mazza Salon. Please note that masks, face paint, or anything else that covers your face cannot be included in your costume.

We will also have a number of door prize drawings, and attendees will receive a goodie bag upon leaving. Please click here to visit the Woodbridge website to get full details on Ladies Night Out.

We hope to see you there!

Buyer Tested, Staff Approved

On a Wine Wednesday, it seems appropriate that we review some of the latest additions to our inventory. And, as we're at the cusp of the busiest time of the year, it's worth noting that some items will have very limited availability.

Mullan Road Cellars Red

This is one of those limited-availability items-a Washington wine from a California superstar. Mullan Road Cellars is a journey into Washington winemaking led by Dennis Cakebread of Cakebread Cellars. Drawn by the high quality of wines and the camaraderie of the Walla Walla wine community, Dennis and winemaker Aryn Morell worked with the famed Seven Hills Vineyard on the southern edge of the Walla Walla Valley appellation as well as vineyards in the soon-to-be-recognized Royal Slope appellation to craft this powerful yet elegant Bordeaux-style Red Blend.

Vibrant notes of blackberry, black currant, plum skin and dark baking spices. Concentrated and polished, with a touch of dried herbs, tea leaves and a dried berry potpourri. The fruits are ripe though poised with fresh squeezed berries, licorice, toast and raspberry intermingling with an intriguing hint of smoke and resin. The palate is polished and beautifully textured, with finely integrated tannins. An elegant and age worthy blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Pairs well with any red meat on the grill, pork tenderloin, heavy cheeses and grilled vegetables. Only $49.99 in the Bottle Club®.

La Serena Brunello di Montalcino Gemini 2004

Rated an impressive 95 points from Wine Spectator. Their review: "Dark red in color, showing impressive aromas of dried dark fruits, with slightly toasty oak and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with a wonderful core of ripe, beautiful fruit and racy, polished tannins. Very long and beautiful. A new wine for this producer. Drink now. 545 cases made."

$63.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Renwood Clarion Red Blend

Situated in the picturesque Amador County of northern California, Renwood Winery is surrounded by the rolling hills and rushing streams of California's gold country. Renwood was established in 1993 and is one of the most respected wine producers in the Sierra Foothills, specializing in Zinfandel.

The 2011 Clarion is Renwood's flagship red blend. Composed of Zinfandel and Syrah it is deep dark red in color and is loaded with aromas of dried cranberries, pie crust and candied cloves. Fresh and succulent
upon entry, this wine is ultra soft and rich across the palate. Concentrated flavors of raspberries and chocolate covered cherries course their way from front to back.

50% Zinfandel, 35% Syrah, 10% Petite Sirah, 5% Barbera. Only $14.49 in the Bottle Club®.

Another Gil Family Cousin

Many of our favorite Spanish wines come from the Gil Family Estates. If you've enjoyed Juan Gil, El Nido, Clio, Can Blau, Atteca, among so many others, then you're already familiar with the Gil Family Estates.

Under the brand name of Orowines, the Gil Family has developed some wines with a different, uninhibited and modern image. These are wines coming from different Spanish vineyards in where the Group has placed its wineries. White and red wines are produced with surprising freshness and elegance prevailing in all phases of their tasting.

We've just added their Orowines Priorat BlueGray to our shelves. BlueGray is a reference to the local Catalan soil type. Slate, known locally as llicorella with its blue-grey color and flat texture, warms quickly in the sun and traps heat. Yielding intense, terroir-specific wines from the rugged mountains, the poor organic soils challenge local varieties like Grenache and Mazuelo to the utmost. The acidity will coat the sides of your mouth, and the tobacco and spice will temper the raspberry jam flavors. Rustic, earthy, spicy, and wildly aromatic, this Priorat is great at the dinner table with a wide variety of food.

BlueGray is 45% Garnacha, 30% Mazuelo, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. It's excellent with a mild chili, upscale burgers, or most Spanish food.

Halloween Mixology

We all know that Halloween is one of the more fun party nights of the year. With October 31st being a Friday, we have a feeling that you're looking for something a little different, and we're always here to help. Try these cocktails recipes that your guests, whether or not they're Undead, will love.

Dark and Stormy Death Punch

The ingredients:

Here's lookin' at you

One 20-ounce can lychees in heavy syrup
1/4 cup thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger
16 brandied cherries
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
12 ounces Gosling's Black Rum
Three 12-ounce cans of Gosling's Ginger Beer
Ice cubes

The process:
1. In a small saucepan, bring the lychee syrup and ginger to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, stuff 16 lychees with brandied cherries. Set each lychee in the cup of a mini muffin pan or in an ice cube tray. Strain the lychee-ginger syrup and pour it over the lychees. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
3. Meanwhile, in a pitcher, stir the sugar into the lime juice until dissolved. Add the rum and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
 4. Unmold the lychee ice cubes into a small punch bowl. Pour in the lime-rum mixture. Add the ginger beer, stir gently and serve in ice-filled glasses.

Hot Spiced Wine

2 bottles light-bodied red wine (try the Pinot Project Pinot Noir)
1 1/4 cups sugar
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
3 black peppercorns, crushed
2 cardamom pods, crushed
One 3-inch cinnamon stick, crushed
1 clove, crushed
1/2 cup Leroux Kirschwasser

In a large saucepan, combine the red wine with the sugar and the orange and lemon zests. Put the spices in a tea ball and add to the saucepan. Bring the wine to a very slow simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, discard the tea ball and stir in the kirsch. Ladle the spiced wine into heatproof glasses and serve at once.you can also use this recipe instead of a more traditional mulled wine.

Devil's Island Daiquiri

1 tablespoon sugar
Dash of Fee Brothers Old Fashion bitters or Angostura bitters
1 lime wedge
2 ounces Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1 1/2 tablespoons honey mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 cup crushed ice

On a plate, mix the sugar with the bitters. Moisten the outer rim of a large chilled coupe with the lime wedge, then coat the rim with the sugar mixture. In a blender, combine the rum, honey mixture, lime juice and crushed ice and blend at high speed until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into the prepared coupe. Since this is basically a cold buttered rum, you could try this instead of eggnog.

Cheers!

Friday Grab Bag for October 10

Welcome to the Friday edition of our blog, where we cover as many subjects as possible in an entertaining and informative fashion. It's a 3-day weekend for some, but both of our stores will be open normal business hours on Monday, 9am-10pm.

It's a very busy month in both stores, so let's get to it.

Events

Lawrenceville will have a regular wine tasting schedule this weekend. Please stop in Friday, 4-6pm, or Saturday, 2-4pm. Click here to see the tasting menu. The same schedule will apply next weekend, although the wines will change.

Next weekend will close with Ladies Night Out, an after-hours event on Sunday, October 19. There will be free admission (with advance RSVP), plenty of wines to taste, food to sample, vendors and more. This event will also benefit the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Click here to learn more about this fun event.

From an earlier Ladies Night Out

Other noteworthy, upcoming events: An in-store Weyerbacher dinner on Wednesday, October 29. A spirits tasting on Thursday, October 30. And, just in time for the gift-giving season, complimentary Johnnie Walker Blue Label bottle engraving on Friday, December 5.

To see the entire Events list for our Lawrenceville store, please click here.

Woodbridge will offer a Deep Eddy Vodka tasting today, 4-6pm. Saturday will feature the regular wine tasting, 1-3pm. Click here for the tasting menu. Next weekend will feature a regular Staff Picks wine tasting on Friday, a special tasting of Barton & Guestier wines on Saturday, as well as another tasting of Deep Eddy Vodka.

Ladies Night Out will come to Woodbridge after hours on Sunday, October 26. We'll have the free admission, expanded tastings and food that you expect, but we'll also have one additional special vendor on hand. The Man Made Barber Shop will offer free (with a donation to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure) hot towel shaves and haircuts, so you can bring a male companion with you, if you'd like.

We are hosting a wine dinner on October 29, in conjunction with Dominic's Italian restaurant in Avenel. Click here for details on the event. And click here for a Youtube preview of the dinner.

Don't miss the Hetta Glögg tasting on November 7. Hetta Glögg is produced in upstate NY, and is a modern interpretation of mulled wine. We expect to have Hetta Glöggon the shelves shortly.

We're also hosting an in-store Kane Brewing dinner on November 14. Finally (for now, since we're always adding to the calendar), we're offering complimentary Johnnie Walker Blue Label bottle engraving on December 13.

To see the entire Events list for our Woodbridge store, please click here.

  New Products

Scharffenberger Brut Excellence is made by the traditional methode champenoise process, whereby the wines are individually bottle-fermented before being riddled and disgorged.

The wine is approximately two-thirds Chardonnay and one-third Pinot Noir. The full malolactic style adds a vanilla cream character producing a round and full-bodied wine. After approximately two years on the lees, there are notes of freshly baked bread and pastry that enhances the more fruit forward style of the wine. Finally, after several months on the cork, the wine develops caramel and hazel complexors.

Rated at 90 points by both Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, it's available at only $16.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Brassfield High Serenity Ranch Pinot Noir. Aromatically, the wine offers seductive notes of dark cranberries, cola and raspberries. The mouth-feel is lush, round and silky-smooth. The forward fruit character is further enhanced by toasted chestnut and leather aromas. The interplay of these components balanced by its refreshing acidity make for an incredibly hedonistic Pinot Noir. Perfect food pairings include roasted leg of lamb, wild mushroom risotto or truffled mac and cheese.

Only $15.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Ripped from the Headlines

You thought that last bottle of wine you bought was expensive? Was it $14,121 per bottle? Click here to read about that wine.

Have a great weekend!

Holiday Updates and Deliveries

No, we're not going to mention the December holidays. You have enough reminders, so we'll talk about two upcoming holidays.

Holidays

This coming Monday is Columbus Day, which remains a Federal holiday. Both our Lawrenceville and Woodbridge stores will be open normal hours, 9am-10pm, on Monday.

Halloween is just three short weeks away. If you're stopping in at Joe Canal's while you're in costume, please note that masks, paint, make-up, or any other covering that obscures your face cannot be worn into the store. This is a safety issue, and we appreciate your cooperation.

Deliveries

We've gotten in some really great items lately. Of course, that's not really unusual, but we also have some old favorites returning after an absence.

Orin Swift wines are back. For about two years, they did not have distribution here in New Jersey. In their Locations series, look for:

C-1, from Corsica. This Vermentino is so new to market that you won't find anything on their website about this white wine.

CA-3, a California red. The wine has a beautiful hue of dark purple with a crimson band that lines the top of the glass. Aromas of dried cherry and savory plum meld together in an inviting blend of ripe stone fruit. Soft at first the gentle entry leads to a graceful mid-pallet with generous layers of ripe, candied watermelon and black current. A bright band of acidity wraps around all of these flavors and deftly leads into a finish that drips with fullness and length.

We're also now carrying Orin Swift Abstract 2013, Machete 2012, and Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon 2012.

Cooperstown Distillery uses baseball themes for their products. We're carrying Beanball Bourbon, a 6 year-old barrel aged straight Kentucky Bourbon that’s charcoal filtered and bottled at 100 proof, and Abner Doubleday's Double-Play Vodka. They are available for $39.99 each.

Werewolf wines are another seasonal favorite. We're getting their Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir. Each will be priced at $6.99 in the Bottle Club®.


Grey Goose VX is the unflavored Grey Goose vodka masterfully finished with a hint of precious cognac. Very limited availability, at $70.99 in the Bottle Club®.