Early Grab Bag

Your blogger will be unavailable tomorrow, so the end-of-week blog post is here a day early. There's a lot to cover, and, as always, we start with

Events in Both Stores

Tim Smith, purveyor of Climax Moonshine, will be in both stores this Saturday, January 31. Judging from the reactions on social media, this is a much-anticipated event. Tim Smith is a moonshiner turned legit, making some outstanding 'shine. Stop in for a tasting and bottle signing.

Tim will be in Lawrenceville from noon-2pm on Saturday. Click here for details. He'll be in Woodbridge from 4-6pm. Click here for the Woodbridge details.

Events in Lawrenceville

We'll have our regular Friday wine tasting tomorrow, from 3-6pm. Looking ahead a little, we'll have a complimentary bottle engraving for any 750ml purchase of The Macallan. Click here for complete details.

Events in Woodbridge

Enjoy our free wine tasting on Friday, from 4-6pm. Click here for the tasting menu.

It's fair to say that Carton Regular Coffee has been our most requested beer recently. We received a small allocation of 4-packs, and they sold out quickly. We were, however, able to get our hands on a 1/6 keg, and we're tapping it at 6pm tomorrow (Friday 1/30). You will be limited to a 64oz purchase. Please click here for complete details.

We hear there's a big football game on Sunday. We know that great beer is an important part of the experience for a lot of people. Stop in at our Woodbridge store between 1-3pm on game day for a tasting of Bolero Snort beer. A craft brewery from here in New Jersey, Bolero Snort just may be the perfect local brew for a game that doesn't include any local team.

Valentine's Day

You know it's coming. We offer some tips on making great beverage choices that will add to the atmosphere that day. Click on the Part you want to read.

Part 1: Sparkling wine/Champagne
Part 2: Dessert/sweet wine
Part 3: Beer

Ripped from the Headlines

Building a better beer with Science! Click here for the story.

A while back, we noted that a quantity of wine was stolen from the French Laundry in Napa. Most was recovered in North Carolina. Click here for the story.

See you Monday!

Deliveries are Back!

Most of our suppliers were on shut-down last week, meaning they were closed. Then we had yesterday's awesome snow, removing another delivery day. We're finally back to a normal schedule, so let's take a look at what's due to arrive at our stores.

Bayten Sauvignon Blanc

When you manage to get your tongue around it, Buitenverwachting (pronounced bay-ten-fur-vachk-ting) is Dutch for “beyond expectation.” Today, however, locals lovingly refer to the farm as Bayten. Nestled at the base of the imposing Constantia Mountain, it’s just a few miles from the azure blue of False Bay. The farm’s history dates back to 1773, but in 1982, the property was extensively renovated and replanted, and now produces some of the Cape’s most classical wines. Beyond expectation, indeed.

This crisp, zesty South African Sauvignon Blanc displays classic aromas and flavors of green fig, gooseberry and lime. Pepper and herbal notes are supported by elegant hints of mineral and chalk. 90 points from Wine Spectator, and #63 of the 2014 Top 100.

Only $13.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Mohua Pinot Noir

We've been carrying their Sauvignon Blanc for some time now. As we've been seeing, New Zealand winemakers made Sauvignon Blanc their own, and then started putting their unique approach to Pinot Noir, again, to great acclaim.

Capturing the essence and excitement of Central Otago in every glass, the hand-picked fruit of this dramatic Pinot Noir embody the character and purity of a major new wine region.

Mohua offers a floral scented, rich and juicy Pinot Noir. Layered with fine tannins, raspberry and blackcurrant, wild strawberry and spice flavors.

Only $15.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Tomasello Ranier Red, 1.5L

From one of New Jersey's leading wineries. Named after our grandmother, the famous Ranier Red is a sweet red wine with the taste of freshly picked grapes. Its intense grape character owes its beautiful fragrance primarily to Native American Concord Grape. With a sweetness level of a dessert wine, it is perfect with walnuts and stilton cheese. Made every year at our winery since its inception, over 78 years, it enjoys a very loyal following that grows everyday! For the sweeter palette, it is the most intense of the Ranier wines.

Available in Lawrenceville only, for $13.99. Coming soon to Woodbridge.

Latest from the Wagner Family

There's nothing like a well-made red wine to take our mind off of the New Jersey winter. Since the snow event was less than the hype, we're able to introduce you to this great new Napa Valley red.

From the Wagner Family of Wines, the 2011 Carne Humana is a red wine blend sourced from six vineyards throughout the upper-Napa Valley sub-appellations of Calistoga, St. Helena, and Rutherford. Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, and Zinfandel are among the grape varieties chosen for this vintage. Whereas most red blends are created from separate lots and combined before bottling, Carne Humana was co-fermented and barrel aged as a single lot for greater depth and integration.

This wine was aged in a combination of new and seasoned French oak barrels for 18 months, and bottled on May 29, 2013.

Tasting Notes: A scarlet purple edge in the glass with a crimson black core confirm the bright freshness and ripe intensity of the wine. Aromas include cool pomace, dried fig, black licorice and cranberry. Supple tannin and mild acidity complement the fleshy fruit character - A broadly extracted wine with mild grip and texture and a full polished finish.

$29.99 in the Bottle Club®.

What to Drink for Valentine's Day, Part 3: Beer

One sure sign of the maturity of the Craft Beer industry is the acceptance of these brews as great beverage choices on holidays. We started this project back at Thanksgiving, and we're continuing now with Valentine's Day. Because the snow will stop, eventually. In no particular order, we suggest you consider the following craft beers for Valentine's Day, with a special orientation toward dessert/chocolate pairings.

Weyerbacher Tango

Tango is a big, bold, Belgian-style dark ale brewed with 1,200 pounds of cherries!

Tango pours a beautiful ruby color with a nice fluffy head, offering a very complex aroma of cherries and other dark fruits. The strong 750 ml glass bottle finished with a cork and cage allows the very robust bottle-conditioning responsible for Tango’s effervescence. Dark fruit flavors join the cherries to match up with the strong malt bill with the Belgian yeast adding its 2 cents along the way.

Tango weighs in at 10.6% ABV and was brewed using a base of Pilsner Malt with Honey Malt, Special B, Aromatic Malt and a touch of Chocolate Malt. Apollo hops balance all that sweetness to 35 IBU.

Would pair with any sort of chocolate, fruit flavored and filled chocolate, desserts, and would be a great night cap. It is boozy and sweet, just like your Valentine's Day should be!!

Rogue Chocolate Stout

Ebony in color with a rich creamy head. An earthy flavor of oats and hops that gives way to a rich chocolate truffle finish. Pair with any dessert.

The recipe for Rogue Chocolate Stout was created several years ago for export to Japan. The exported twelve ounce Chocolate Bear Beer bottle label is in Kanji and features a teddy bear with a pink heart on his belly. Chocolate Stout was released for Valentine’s Day in 2001 in a twenty-two ounce bottle for the US market. The label features a Rogue original, Sebbie Buhler.

Weyerbacher Tiny

Tiny is a Belgian inspired Imperial Stout weighing in at 11.8% ABV. You’ll find big chocolate and roasted notes, balanced with the Belgian flavors from the Abbey yeast strain.

This beer is very smooth and lacks the astringency you sometimes find in these Imperial Stouts.

A good accompaniment for roasted and braised beef, caramelized, savory and also sweeter dishes. Tiny also complements chocolate, espresso and coffee flavored desserts.

Yards Love Stout

Brewery notes: "Our brewers have poured their hearts and dark, roasted malts into this rich, well-rounded stout. Luscious notes of coffee and chocolate accent the smooth, creamy mouth feel. We will not apologize for any amorous affairs resulting from the consumption of this beverage."

This is a Dry English Stout, coming in at 5.5% ABV. Significant ingredients are Roasted Barley and Chocolate malts.

Pairings: Love Stout and oysters are a match made in heaven, but this sweetheart also gets along well with rich, sweet treats, soft cheeses and winter stews.

Boulder Beer Shake Chocolate Porter

Our twist on the traditional robust American Porter, Shake Chocolate Porter is dark black in color with rich, sweet aromatics and flavors of dark chocolate, coffee and caramel. This unique brew blends five different grains, including Chocolate Wheat, that along with cacao nibs create a devilishly delicious chocolate finish with a velvety mouthfeel.

5.9% ABV. Currently available only in Lawrenceville.

Yards Chocolate Love Stout

It's Love in a Bottle. Passionately brewed with over 200 pounds of pure, 100% cacao Belgian dark chocolate, this irresistibly smooth stout explodes with the taste and aroma of rich, dark chocolate goodness. This deep black beauty will seduce you with her roasty maltiness and hints of vanilla and caramel.

6.9% ABV, this pairs with long walks on the beach (maybe not this week) candlelit dinners, big comfy beds, cabins with fireplaces, scenic overlooks...you get the picture.

Kasteel Rouge

Not exactly a domestic craft beer, but excellent for Valentine's Day. Kasteel Rouge is a unique blend of Kasteel Donker and a sweet cherry liqueur. This fruity beer makes a great aperitif on a sunny terrace. It’s certainly a beer for lovers of sweet cherries with an overpowering aroma of the fruit. The cherries get the better of the malt in the Kasteel Donker mother beer, although it contributes touches of chocolate and pepper to remind you it’s there. It is surprisingly easily digestible for quite a strong beer (8%ABV).

Currently available only in Woodbridge.


As you can see, the craft beer category offers some exceptional selections to enjoy on Valentine's Day, or any time that dessert is on the agenda. Please consult with our beer team if you need assistance finding these items, or if you're considering something else.

Friday Grab Bag

We're not going to let a little weather get in the way of our enjoying the weekend. We anticipate opening as scheduled tomorrow, and we look forward to serving you as usual.

As we did for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, we're offering recommendations on What to Drink for Valentine's Day. Click here for Part 1 (bubbly), and click here for Part 2 (dessert wine). We'll have more recommendations next week.

Events in Lawrenceville

We're hosting our regular wine tastings this weekend, 4-6pm today and 2-4pm tomorrow. Click here for the menu, which is the same for both days.

On Sunday, we'll be at the WPST Bridal Show at the Princeton Westin at Forrestal Village. If you're planning a wedding, we can help you save money and impress your guests. Click here for more information.

Events in Woodbridge

We're having our regular weekend wine tasting in Woodbridge as well, 4-6pm today, and 1-3pm tomorrow. Click here for the menu, which is the same for both days.

Events in Both Stores

With TV shows like "Moonshiners" and a growing number of products available, you know that the Moonshine category is popular. But, other than going to the backwoods somewhere in the South, how do you know you're getting the real Moonshine experience?

On Saturday, January 31, Tim Smith, creator of Climax Moonshine, will visit our Lawrenceville and Woodbridge stores. Tim Smith is a moonshiner turned legit, and you'll have the opportunity to sample Climax Moonshine and have Tim sign your bottle. He'll be in Lawrenceville (click here for more info) from noon-2pm, and Woodbridge (click here for more info) from 4-6pm.

This is blowing up on our social media, and we look forward to hosting a big crowd for this event.

New Products

Castello di Ama San Lorenzo Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione 2010. 95 points from Wine Spectator, and #6 on their Top 100 of 2014. "Their review: Offers a combination of power and elegance, with a racy feel. Notes of wild cherry, strawberry and rose, with leafy, woodsy flavors, permeate this driving red. The finish is long, but this needs time to shed the tannins. Well-defined from start to finish. Sangiovese, Malvasia Nera and Merlot. Best from 2017 through 2030."

From the winery notes: "Castello di Ama San Lorenzo takes its name from the magnificent wide valley that our18th century villas overlook. Castello di Ama San Lorenzo is made from grapes that come from our best vineyards.

Part of the vineyards were planted between 1974 and 1978, at an average density of 3,000 vines per hectare, while newer plantings at a density of 5,300 vines per hectare, starting in 1996 and continuing to the present date, replace the outdated vineyards.

Castello di Ama San Lorenzo is an extraordinarily elegant, powerful and intense wine. Undoubtedly it represents the perfect picture of the uniqueness of our territory. The varieties, grafted onto rootstock 420, are 80% Sangiovese and 20% Malvasia Nera and Merlot.

A ruby red that is at the same time luminous, lively, and intense. The bouquet is composed of wild red berry fruit. A gorgeous, aromatic marriage of fruit and spice mark an impressive attack, in a wine that is overall refined and stylish.

At this writing, there are about 5 cases available in Lawrenceville only. This will be available in Woodbridge next week. The release price was $52, but it's on sale in the Bottle Club® for only $44.99.

Ripped from the Headlines

There's an unnamed state near New Jersey that is what's called a "Control State". That means wine and spirits must  be purchased from the state, not a small, locally-owned business. There are about a dozen such states in the US, and this is an artifact of the repeal of Prohibition.

They're in the news this week because they've stopped taking special orders, state-wide, due to a backlog and manpower shortages. At Joe Canal's, our staff is always ready to accommodate special requests. Some products simply aren't available in New Jersey, but we're always ready to investigate for you.

Have a great weekend!

What's New?

Glad I asked. Although this is shut-down week for many of our product distributors, a few new items found their way into our stores. We think you'll want to know about these great products.

Carne Humana

Your blogger wasn't too sure about the name, until it was learned that this comes from the Wagner Family of Wines. They're the folks who produce Caymus, Meiomi, Conundrum, and so many other outstanding wines.

Carne Humana is a Proprietary Red Blend from the Napa Valley, featuring Petite Sirah (for structure, chocolate notes and the inky color), Zinfandel (for lively acidity and dark red fruit), Petit Verdot (for firm tannins, plus violet and anise notes), and Syrah (notes of bacon, blackberry and black pepper).

There's blackberry, dark chocolate, black licorice, ripe cherry, hints of black pepper and cured meat on the nose. On the palate, a hint of sweet tobacco, maple, cherry pie filling, black licorice and an enlivened, bright acidity on the entry that is quickly followed by rich, dark fruits, dried cranberry and sweet oak. Lingering finish. It's rich and bold, balanced by acidity and integrated tannin. $29.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Giuseppe Cortese Rabaja Barbaresco 2010

This amazing wine ranked #37 on the 2014 Wine Spectator Top 100, at 94 points, and never got fewer than 92 points from any professional reviewer.

Barbaresco wine, made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes, must undergo a two-year ageing process, of which one at least in barrel. The maximum yield per hectare is not allowed to exceed 80 quintals of grapes, equivalent to 56 hectoliters; minimum natural alcohol content is 12%.

The Wine Spectator review: "Bright, with cherry, strawberry and floral aromas and flavors, this is backed by a firm yet integrated underlying structure. Beautifully poised for development, so hands off for now. Juicy and long, delivering a lingering aftertaste of cherry, spice and mineral. Best from 2015 through 2027."

And the winery tasting notes: "Barbaresco Rabajà is our most important wine and has an intense and ethereal perfume with fresh notes that evolve into scents of spices, tobacco and brushwood notes as it ages. A dry, full and robust flavor with a rich and harmonious structure; garnet red color."

The release price for this wine was $55, but it's on sale in the Bottle Club® for $46.99.

So while it was a light week in quantity, the quality of these wines more than compensates.

What to Drink for Valentine's Day, Part 2

It probably won't surprise you to learn that candy rates as #2 on the list of most popular gifts for Valentine's Day. Number 1 on the list is cards, which some people may not really consider a gift. Flowers (34%) finished well behind candy (47%, statistics from the Retail Advertising and Marketing Assoc), which was a mild upset. But since candy has always been associated with Valentine's Day, we thought we'd give you some wine pairing options for that box of chocolates.

The Golden Rule in successfully pairing chocolate (or any dessert) is simple: The wine should be sweeter than the dessert. From there, you can get more nuanced; an intense wine pairs best with a rich dessert. Wines with more acidity do well with fruity desserts. Skip the ice cream, however, as frozen desserts tend to dull the palate (although we can suggest a variation of the Root Beer Float, using Prichard's Sweet Lucy Bourbon Cream with root beer and vanilla ice cream, but we digress).

Port wine is a classic dessert wine. It's fortified (higher in alcohol), and, like Champagne comes from Champagne, France, true Port will come from the Douro Valley of Portugal. Port-style wines (sometimes using the term 'port') come from virtually every wine-producing region.

At Joe Canal's, we carry a wide range of Port wine, so you're sure to find something to please your palate and your wallet. You may want to consider the Dow's Vintage Port 2007. Dow’s Vintage Ports are only produced in years of exceptional quality and represent only a very small part of the total company’s production in that year.

Wine Spectator ranked this as #14 in their Top 100 of 2010, scoring it a perfect 100. From the review: "Amazing aromas of lilac, violet, crushed blueberry and mineral that turn to black pepper and spices follow through to a full-bodied, medium-sweet palate, with a long, chewy finish. Evolves to tar and asphalt. Really held back, yet powerful grip slaps you—and makes you happy. This is mind-blowing in texture. The greatest Dow ever made." Available in the Bottle Club® for $148.99. At the time of this writing, we have only two bottles in each store.

If you're looking for a Port that's an excellent introduction to the category, you would do well with Fonseca Bin 27.

Bin 27 shares the heritage and style of the great Fonseca Vintage Ports, as well as much of their depth and character.

However, it is bottled when ready to drink and can be served by the glass directly from the bottle. Blended for consistency of character and quintessentially Fonseca in style, this reserve blend provides reliable and affordable value, priced at $14.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Deep youthful ruby color. Intense rich fruity nose crammed with pure blackberry, cassis, cherry and plum aromas interwoven with notes of spice. 

The palate full bodied and round, with a smooth velvety texture balanced by firm mouth filling tannins. The juicy black fruit flavors linger into the rich luscious finish.

The rich black fruit flavors of Bin 27 are a perfect match for chocolate and berry fruit dishes. A chocolate fondant with strawberries makes a deliciously hedonistic combination with Bin 27, the rich creamy chocolate and luscious ripe strawberries blending seductively with the blackcurrant and cherry fruitiness of the wine. Bin 27 is also excellent served after a meal with bitter chocolate with a high cocoa content or a plate of chocolate brownies or truffles.

One of the interesting Italian wine traditions is the drying of grapes before they're crushed. The Amarone is a classic dinner wine made in this manner, and the Recioto della Valpolicella is the dessert wine counterpart.

The Roberto Mazzi Recioto della Valpolicella "Le Calcarole" is made from the traditional grapes (65% Corvina, 10% Corvinone, 20% Rondinella and 5% Molinara) in the traditional manner (drying via natural methods in boxes and racks in well-ventilated areas with periodic monitoring of the state of health of the grapes and crushing in early or mid-February according to the vintage). The wine is aged in oak for two years, followed by another year in the bottle.

At 15.5% ABV, it's higher than many table wines, but lower than some of the fortified dessert wines. It exhibits an intense ruby red color, with aromas of red berry fruit jam and spices. The taste is round, warm and inviting, with a very persistent finish, having a typical slightly bitter after taste due to the type of soil. Pair with spicy cheese and dessert. Also ideal with dark chocolate (max. 70% cocoa ).  Available for $29.96 in the Bottle Club®.

We have plenty of other dessert wine choices, including Sauternes, Tokaji, Sherry, and Madeira. Any member of our wine team can help you find the right bottle, so just ask!

On the Boulevard

Due to a sizable number of requests, we've just added a number of products from Boulevard Brewing, located in Kansas City. Check with anyone on our Beer team to see what's currently in stock*.

Boulevard Brewing Company has grown to be the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest. Since 1989, the brewery has remained dedicated to the craft of producing fresh, flavorful beers using traditional ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques.

Today's New Product is Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat Beer is a lively, refreshing ale with a natural citrusy flavor and distinctive cloudy appearance. This easy drinking American-style wheat beer has become their most popular offering.

It's a  slightly cloudy, light-bodied, straw colored beer with a sweet, bready malt flavor, low hop bitterness and a hint of citrus. Serve in a Wheat Beer glass.

Pair with breads, Manchego or Mozzarella cheese, pizza, salads, seafood or sushi.

*Stock varies by store. As of this writing, 80 Acre, Pop Up IPA, Single Wide IPA and Tank 7 are available in bottles. 80 Acre and Tank 7 are currently available at the Growler station in Woodbridge.

What to Drink for Valentine's Day, Part 1

The most romantic of holidays is coming soon. This will be the first of a several part series that will explore some of what our staff considers the best choices for you to enjoy Valentine's Day with that someone special. We'll start, as so many great celebrations do, with the bubbly.

Banfi Rosa Regale

We start in Italy, where "Amore" is a way of life. Banfi is one of the great Italian wine producers, offering reds, whites, and sparkling wines across every palate and price point. We think Rosa Regale is a perfect way to start your romantic Valentine's evening. Even the color of this sparkling wine is part of the appeal.

Rosa Regale is a soft, red sparkling wine, made from the Brachetto grape, all grown in the single "La Rosa" vineyard. This extremely aromatic, complex and historical grape variety grows only in the area of Acqui Terme, in Southern Piedmont (Northwestern Italy). The cold maceration of the grapes, followed by a soft pressing, allows the extraction of the typical intense aromas from the skins and gives to the wine its characteristic light ruby red color. Very pleasantly sweet and extremely elegant.

It's intense and aromatic on the nose, with hints of Bulgarian rose. On the palate, it's soft and elegant with berry flavors and a touch of almond and nutmeg.

Rosa Regale is an ideal aperitif, but also pairs beautifully with fresh strawberries, fruit salads, pastries and chocolate. It's available in the Bottle Club® for only $17.99.

Aubry Brut Champagne

Of course, the French also are experts in matters of the heart. And Champagne is still the reference point for any sparkling wine, so we recommend the Aubry Brut NV Champagne.

Our staff, Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate all agree about the quality and value of Aubry. Our staff: "A brilliant 'value' among Champagne!  Citrus and mineral notes take the lead with green apple and pear flavors in the background. A slight ginger note takes hold on the finish.  A dry, clean style that has a very attractive green apple juiciness that keeps you coming back for more. This puts some of the big house Champagnes to shame!"

Aubry rated 92 points from Wine Advocate. " This contains just one-quarter each Chardonnay and Pinot; 45% Meunier; and a mixture of Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau (a.k.a. Pinot Gris). Nearly half of it is reserve wine, and more than half of that from a solera going back to 1998. If that sounds like a recipe for delivering complexity, you’re right and won’t be disappointed! Bittersweet perfume suggestive of gentian and iris mingles with intimations of fresh lime and sea breeze that in turn manifest themselves on a seductively silken palate in both juicy, vivacious exuberance and mouthwatering saliva-inducement. A scallop-like sweetly saline and mineral amalgam takes hold in a vibrant finish that leaves me caught between the urge to linger and the urge to take the next sip. This exceptional value by appellation standards is almost sure to prove worth following for several years."

And then there was the 90 point review from Wine Spectator: "There's a nice graininess to the texture, making this lively and defining its bread dough, apple and grapefruit flavors. Turns crisp, but stays balanced, with a dry, mouthwatering finish."

Only $35.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Keep returning to this blog, as we will have more posts on this topic in the next week or two.

Friday Grab Bag

As we wrap up our week, it's time for the Friday Feature, the Grab Bag. Let's jump right in.

Events in Lawrenceville

We have our regular wine tastings this weekend. The hours today are 4-6pm, and it's 2-4pm tomorrow. Click here for the tasting menu (same for both days).

Planning a wedding? Joe Canal's can help you impress your guests AND save money at the same time. Find out how when you visit us at the WPST Bridal Show on Sunday, January 25 at the Westin Princeton Forrestal Village. Click here for more information.

Events at Both Stores

Please join us on Saturday, January 31 for a Bottle Signing and tasting, featuring Tim Smith and his Climax Moonshine. Noon-2pm in Lawrenceville, and 4-6pm in Woodbridge.

A moonshiner from Climax, VA, Tim Smith doesn’t like being told what he can or can’t do. So when people said he’d never go legit, he did it anyway. Despite his general disregard for authority, Tim’s become quite an authority himself. He knows what good, pure and strong should taste like. He may be legit, but make no mistake – Tim Smith and his Climax Moonshine are the real deal.

At any given moment you will find Tim’s dog Camo by his side. She has been Tim’s sidekick and ever present companion since his days in the backwoods of Virginia where she stood watch while he perfected his recipe for his world famous moonshine. As a reward for her loyalty you will see her face on every bottle of Tim Smith’s Climax Moonshine.

The Original Recipe Moonshine is distilled from corn, rye and barley malt. Clean and natural tasting with a subtle sweetness and bold defiance.

Events in Woodbridge

We have our regular wine tasting this weekend. Today's hours are 4-6pm, and it runs from 1-3pm tomorrow.

Ripped from the Headlines

We get orange juice from concentrate, so why not beer? What? Click here to get the explanation from Popular Mechanics.

Since both stores conducted inventory this week, our deliveries were pretty light. Next week, many of our wholesalers will be on shut-down, so deliveries again will be light.

Have a great weekend!

Website Update

When we recently updated our website, we added a slew of new features and functions, in order to make the experience better for you. Because we've had a number of questions recently, we thought we'd offer a quick tutorial on our website.

Actually, it's websites, as each store has its own dedicated site. The information is nearly identical, but there will be differences based on products, displays, and so on. For a working example, here's the Home Page for our Lawrenceville store.

In the upper left hand side of the page, you see the Joe Canal's logo. That's a direct link back to the Home Page from anywhere in the site. In the upper right hand side, you see "My Account" and "Logout" (or 'Login', depending.) At My Account, you can sign up for a Bottle Club® account, Log In and maintain your account settings, such as a password. "Logout" is useful when you're on a shared computer.

You must be logged in to be able to see our Bottle Club® prices on our extensive inventory.

The grey rectangle with the magnifying glass is our Search box. If you're looking to see whether we have a certain item in stock you can search here. The Search box will perform a level of auto-fill, so bad spelling shouldn't be easy.

Next text down reads Wines, Spirits, through to Stores. The Wines, Spirits and Beer pull-down tabs allow you to search our inventory by category. You can, for example, search by country, varietal, by bottle size, etc. Growlers are listed under the Beer tab, and they're updated regularly. We often create temporary categories. Right now, we have a WS Top 100 of 2014 selector under Wines on the Woodbridge site. That will be removed when we sell out of that category.

Events is a button, not a pull-down. This takes you to the website's Events page. There, we keep a chronological list of wine tastings and other special events. Blog is a link that takes you to our BottleBlog, where you are currently.

The Customer Service pull-down is something of a catch-all category. During the holiday season, we had our holiday hours added in. Employment applications are under that pull-down tab, our Contact page is as well, among about a dozen subjects in total.

You should easily see the word "Growlers" in the picture with the three beer glasses. These are also direct links to the captioned subject. We will also make changes to the rotating pictures throughout the year.

You'll see several subjects linked in the left hand side gutter. That's the section topped in red. Direct link to our weekly coupons, sale ad and upcoming events, including a list of the next several events. And, at the top of that section, you can sign up for our twice-a-week Bottle Club® emails.

In the center section, we offer Featured Wines and Featured Spirits. These are sometimes taken from the Bottle Club® emails, and sometimes additional special offers will appear there.

We'll finish up today's tutorial with a quick review of the bottom of the Home Page.

To the left is an Information column, with links to the following pages: View Mobile Site

•     Contact Us
•     Privacy Policy
•     Return Policy
•     Terms & Conditions

Next is the Account section, similar to what's at the top of the page. Next is our store address, phone number, store hours and social media links. Finally, you have a map of our immediate area, which links to Google Maps.

Please take a few minutes to check out our entire website. It's a powerful tool that will make your experience better.

Turn Cold Days and Nights into Hot Times

Since winter seems like it'll be around for a while (and we're not even asking the groundhog for another few weeks), we might as well settle in with some excellent cocktails.

Irish Coffee

4 oz strong, hot coffee
1 oz Jameson Irish whiskey
2 tsp brown sugar
1 oz whipped cream

Place the sugar in a mug or Irish Coffee glass and stir until dissolved. Add the Jameson and stir. Float the whipped cream and enjoy.

Hot Toddy

Old school. A classic cocktail.

1.5 oz Bacardi Silver rum
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 lemon
1 cup of hot water
1 tea bag

Heat the water to make the tea. Coat the bottom of a mug with honey. Add the Bacardi, plus the juice of the lemon. Pour the hot tea into the glass and stir. If desired, garnish with a lemon wheel.

Hot Buttered Rum

Another classic cocktail.

1 small slice of softened butter
1 tsp brown sugar
dash vanilla extract
2 oz Myers Dark Rum
Hot water
Spice to taste, using ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and/or allspice

Put the butter, brown sugar and spices at the bottom of a mug and muddle or mix well. Add the rum, then hot water to the top, and then stir. You can garnish with a cinnamon stick.

From a Mountain Top in Tennessee

If you've seen any statistics from our industry, you'll know that the Cream Liqueur category has been on fire lately. Rum Chata sales grew by more than 10% last year, and Bailey's Irish Cream, the category leader, is testing new flavors to keep improving its market share. What we haven't seen at Joe Canal's is one of this Blogger's favorites, Bourbon Cream. Until now.

We're now carrying two liqueurs from Prichard's Distillery, located in Kelso, Tennessee.

Prichard’s Distillery uses select Ultra Premium Cream from Wisconsin to blend in with their Award Winning Sweet Lucy Bourbon. The results are a truly delicious and creamy product that can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks. This product is hand crafted at the distillery in small batches for a smooth flavor.

We're also now carrying Prichard’s Sweet Lucy Bourbon Liqueur. These great new products are available for the Joe Canal's Discounted Price of $21.99 each.    

It's a Slow News Day

We'll start out today with an important reminder about store hours for today and tomorrow. We're conducting inventory at our Lawrenceville store today, and at Woodbridge tomorrow. That means we will close early, because inventory is a time-consuming process.

Today, Monday, January 12, our Lawrenceville store will close at 4pm. We will open tomorrow as scheduled.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 13, our Woodbridge store will close at 4pm. We will open the following day as scheduled.

Random Notes

1. We're about a month out from Valentine's Day. We'll help you make the right impression for that most romantic of days. In the next week or so, we'll post a Valentine's Day beverage guide.

2. We're approaching "shut-down week" for many of our wholesale distributors. If you're considering a special-order item, please know that we can't place any orders during that week.

3. If you're getting married, we hope to see you at the WPST Bridal Fair on Sunday, January 25, at the Westin in Princeton Forrestal Village. Joe Canal's can help you plan for the right amount of wine, beer and spirits for your big day, and, if you're able to bring your own, we'll help you save lots of money as well.

4. Both stores will be open regular hours on the Martin Luther King Day holiday, January 19.

5. Monday, January 26 is Australia Day, which is their national holiday that marks the first arrival of British ships. We have some amazing wines from Australia that you should enjoy to share in the celebration. Ask any store team member for assistance.

6. Mark your calendars for Saturday, January 31. Tim Smith, the man behind Climax Moonshine, will visit both stores for a tasting and bottle signing. He'll be in Lawrenceville from noon to 2pm, and then he'll be in Woodbridge from 4-6pm.

7. Be ready to stock up for the Super Bowl Big Game, which will be on Sunday, February 1.

Your Friday Grab Bag

Thank you for checking in here at our blog. Our goal is to make sure you have the best possible information about our store, our products and our industry. If you have any concerns, please use the feedback form to let us know. Meanwhile, here's what you should know:

Early Store Closings

We're doing inventory next week, and it's a time-consuming process. Our Lawrenceville store will close at 4pm on Monday, January 12. College football fans will note that the championship game is that evening, so please plan accordingly. Our Woodbridge store will close at 4pm on Tuesday, January 13.

Events in Lawrenceville

We're fully back on our weekend wine tasting schedule. Today's tasting is 4-6pm; click here for the tasting menu. Saturday, the tasting is 2-4pm. Click here for the tasting menu.

Look for us at the WPST Bridal Show on Sunday, January 25th, at the Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village. If your wedding or special event will take place at a venue that allows you to bring in your own wine, spirits or beer, our experienced team can help you with your planning. We've helped with hundreds of weddings and other events, so we know that we can provide you with outstanding service that matches our exceptional prices.

Click here for the WPST site and registration information.

Tim Smith's Climax Moonshine (Both Stores)

Just to be clear, Climax is the town in Virginia where Tim Smith started. Tim is a true bootlegger turned legit. Tim will be in New Jersey for a bottle signing and tasting, at our Lawrenceville store on Saturday, January 31, from noon -2pm, and at our Woodbridge store that same day, from 4-6pm.

Tim Smith's Original Recipe Moonshine is distilled from corn, rye and barley malt. Clean and natural tasting with a subtle sweetness and bold defiance.

Events in Woodbridge

Our weekend wine tasting will run from 4-6pm today, and 1-3pm tomorrow. We've just added a tasting from New Jersey's Bolero Snort Brewery on Saturday, February 1, from 1-3pm.

New Products

Maxwell Creek Napa Reserve Chardonnay is a stunning Reserve Chardonnay from a well known winery in Napa's Rutherford District. This wine is quite consistent vintage after vintage and made in a fruit forward style. In the Bottle Club® for only $14.96. In stock now in Lawrenceville (it's on the wine tasting menu for today and tomorrow), and it's coming soon to Woodbridge.

Ripped from the Headlines

A massive fire in Australia is already impacting wineries there. Click here for the story.

We've recently discussed wine theft here in the US. How about France? This is from Wine Spectator:  Before dawn on Dec. 8, Jean-Francois Garon, owner of Domaine Garon in the French village of Ampuis, walked outside and quickly realized someone had broken through his entrance gates. When he reached the cellars, he saw the doors had been forced. A team of burglars had quietly broken in and loaded 150 cases of Côte-Rôtie, worth upwards of $100,000, into trucks and escaped. “The gendarmes took fingerprints and are investigating,” Kevin Garon told Unfiltered. Curiously, rather than entering the modern cellar, a more obvious target, the thieves headed directly to an old cellar used for preparing shipments. “They didn't end up there by accident. They knew where to go and that the wine was ready,” said Kevin. “For us it was an exception to have so much wine ready for shipment stored over the weekend. Normally we do that midweek.” Four wines were taken: Les Rochins AOC Côte-Rôtie, Les Triotes AOC Côte-Rôtie, La Sybarine Côte-Rôtie and a Vin de France. “It was our 2012 vintage. We started pruning for that wine in 2011, and we were only now starting to earn something for our work,” said Kevin. “When you only produce 30,000 bottles a year, it really hurts to lose 1,800.” The Garon family has been making wine in the village of Ampuis since the 15th century. “The furthest back we’ve found a vigneron in the family was 1475,” he said. This is the first major theft in family memory, but a neighboring estate has not been so lucky. “One estate was burgled three years in a row," Kevin said. "[The thieves] always act quickly, and they’re well-organized.”

Have a great weekend!

The Jersey Cocktail?

Yes, the Jersey Cocktail is a thing. Between the football playoffs, TV awards show and just being locked in the house due to the weather, this is a great time to experiment with cocktails. David Rudd, Floor Manager at Woodbridge and resident Mixologist, gives us a few ideas.

The Jersey Cocktail

William T. Boothby’s 1891 book, Cocktail Boothby’s American Bar-Tender, suggests this cocktail as a bitters, sugar and cider drink that is flavored with Applejack™ – the apple brand-based spirit that was hugely popular in the mid-Atlantic during the Colonial period.  In 1780 Laird & Co. started distilling this signature spirit in Scobeyville, NJ, where they still produce today.  Build this in a double old fashioned glass filled with cracked ice: 1 oz Applejack™, ¼ oz simple syrup, 2 dashes Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters and Doc’s Hard Cider™ and garnish with a lemon twist.

The Seelbach Cocktail

I stayed at the Seelbach when I went to Louisville this past September, and I remember loving this cocktail. I had to look up the exact recipe, but this is a classic worth committing to memory.  I make it at home whenever I want to feel extra fancy.  In a mixing glass with ice, combine 1 oz of pre-prohibition bourbon (like Old Forrester™), ½ oz Cointreau™, 7 dashes Angostura™ bitters, 7 dashes Peychaud’s™ bitters and stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and top with chilled sparkling wine. Garnish with an orange twist.

The Pegu Club Cocktail

This popular cocktail has traveled the world and, according to Harry Craddock in The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930), it is one of the favorites of the infamous late Pegu Club in Burma.  The beauty here is in its simplicity.  Combine in an iced cocktail shaker 2oz. London Dry Gin (I like Bombay Sapphire™), ¾ oz orange curaçao, ½ oz fresh lime juice, 1 dash Angostura™ bitters, and 1 dash orange bitters and shake until well chilled.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lime twist.

                        Japanese Cocktail

This cocktail is included in the seminal manual by Jerry Thomas, How to Mix Drinks, and is likely the only of the thirteen cocktails written there that is truly a Jerry Thomas original. While there is nothing specifically Japanese about the ingredients, it was created to commemorate a visiting group of Japanese delegates in 1860. From all accounts, everyone enjoyed it. Combine 2 oz of Cognac (I like Remy Martin 1738™), ½ oz of orgeat and 3 dashes of Angostura bitters™ in a mixing glass with ice and stir. Stir until well chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Snowball

Adult snowcone, anyone? Get out your blender or food processor and grind up a bunch of ice. You want it to turn into snow. Use an ice cream scoop and form the pulverized ice into a ball shape and place it into a martini glass or cocktail glass. Meanwhile, in an iced cocktail shaker, combine 1 oz. RumpleMinze™, 1 oz Boulaine white crème de cocoa, and 2 ½ oz half and half and shake until well chilled. Strain the contents over your snowball. For a finishing touch, use a hammer to smash a candy cane inside a plastic sandwich bag to garnish over the top.

New Year, New Products

You might think that January slows our deliveries of new products. Ok, you would be generally right in that observation. Some of our suppliers have a "shut down week" during January, and we also run inventory counts, and that all impacts deliveries. The weather certainly doesn't help.

However, we do have a few great new items due in this week, and we wanted to highlight them for you.

Prichard's Sweet Lucy Cream Liqueur

Prichard’s Distillery uses select Ultra Premium Cream from Wisconsin to blend in with our Award Winning Sweet Lucy Bourbon. The results are a truly delicious and creamy product that can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks. This product is hand crafted at our distillery in small batches for a smooth flavor. If you like an Irish Cream or Rum Cream liqueur, you'll enjoy this as well.

Prichard's Sweet Lucy Bourbon Liqueur

Sweet Lucy’s legacy has been flowing up and down the Mississippi flyway for years, warming the bodies and souls of outdoorsman for generations.  Born in a duck blind and a frequent companion on duck hunts, variations of Sweet Lucy were generally homemade elixirs of peaches, oranges and apricots with lots of sugar and whiskey. Great pride would often be displayed by its maker as the bottle made its rounds for a sip among friends.

Use this instead of Bourbon for your Mint Julep recipes.

Willett Pot Still Reserve, 1.75L

The 750ML size of Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon Whiskey is know for both its exceptional quality and its distinctive bottle, which is shaped like a pot still. As to the whiskey itself, it's very floral on the nose, with wonderful citrus notes; more citrus on the palate with loads of honey & then turning quite herbal on the finish. An incredibly different and inviting array of aromas & flavors when water is added!

Try making a  Bacon-Infused Manhattan.
Ingredients
2 oz. bacon-infused Willett Pot Still Reserve
1/2 oz. Noilly Prat sweet vermouth
Angostura Bitters
Maraschino Cherry

To make the bacon-infused Willett Pot Still Reserve... Take 2 oz. bacon grease and add to 10 oz. of Willett Pot Still Reserve in a mason jar.  Put the lid on and shake good!  Place in the fridge and every half an hour to an hour shake the mason jar for a few seconds.  After five or six hours, place the mason jar in the freezer for an hour.  After the hour has come and gone, spoon off the thick top layer of bacon fat and strain the bourbon into another mason jar.  Fill a cocktail shaker half way with ice cubes, pour in a dash of bitters, 2 oz. bacon-infused Willett Pot Still Reserve and 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth.  Stir and strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry.

While we won't have the rush of new products like we did at the end of the year, we're still bringing quality items. Keep checking this space for updates!

Wine for a Snow Day

We'll admit that this wasn't much of a snow storm, but we like to have an excuse when we have a great bottle of wine that's ready to be enjoyed. That's what we have today, with the Château Pierre de Montignac Medoc 2010. We actually had a delivery of this vintage about 6 months ago, and it sold out quickly. At only $13.99 in the Bottle Club®, with a 90 point rating from Wine Advocate, this shipment will also sell out quickly.

Here's the Wine Advocate review: "The Pierre de Montignac has a nice healthy deep garnet color. The nose is open and generous with plenty of dark plum and blackberry fruit with hints of brine emerging with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with juicy ripe black fruit with cedar and graphite. This has good structure, plenty of fresh acidity and a crisp lively finish. This is the kind of wine that gives the Cru Bourgeois a good name."