Monday Grab Bag

So much to talk about, and so little time. If you're holiday shopping, some of our gift sets have already sold out. We do, however, still have a great variety of beer, wine and spirits gift sets available. For the best selection, please shop soon!

New Products

Ramsay Pinot Noir. A new vintage at an incredible price. Notes from the winemaking team: "This is now our 27th year of producing Ramsay Pinot Noir. I look back over all those vintages and am pleased to see the constant style, and the yearly improvements. Making this wine has been one of the joys of my winemaking life. It has always been good tasting and good value.  Year after year I have been able to improve on my sources of grapes and on my winemaking technique — and year after year I find myself enjoying the wine more."

"2014 was a nice year to grow Pinot Noir. Summer was mild and rain free. Harvest had no hot spells. The grapes came in just the way I like them….juicy and plump with no raisins and no rot. The result was a lovely juicy and plump wine…full of rich Pinot Noir fruit….brambles and roses."

Yards Chocolate Love Stout. 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, 30 IBU. Limited availability.

Pairings:  Chocolate Love Stout likes long walks on the beach, candlelit dinners, big comfy beds, cabins with fireplaces, scenic overlooks… you get the picture.

Castello Di Gabbiano Toscana Solatio 2012. 89 points from Wine Spectator: "Meaty, offering plum, black cherry and spice flavors, including a hint of black pepper. Balanced, with moderately firm tannins and a tangy finish. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese." A ridiculously low Bottle Club® sale price that we can't post here. New to Lawrenceville.

The Problem With Pappy

It's not just the various Pappy Van Winkle expressions, it's the many different items in the marketplace where the demand to supply ratio seems like 100:1. If you're not a whiskey drinker, maybe it was one of the Goose Island stouts. If not, maybe it was Screaming Eagle (maybe not-we haven't had a bottle to sell in 6 years). The point is that we want to be as fair as possible in making these kinds of products available to our loyal customers and new customers alike.

Sometimes, items are on display, but in a locked case. Sometimes, we can't even put the product out, for any one of a number of reasons, such as producer requirements (common for craft brewers). If our managers maintain a mailing list for specific categories, it's to allow us to communicate directly with you on the availability of products that interest you. If you are interested in purchasing items are known to be limited (like the ones mentioned above), please sign up for the appropriate list.

We'd love to have enough Pappy or Utopias or Screaming Eagle to fully meet the demand. Until that happy day arrives, we will keep refining our processes. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

News You Can Use

Photo: Time Life Pictures/National Archives/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Today is Repeal Day, marking the end of Prohibition. Click here for just one of a zillion stories on the topic, which is near and dear to us. maybe raise a glass tonight to Repeal Day.

Weekend Grab Bag

Our store teams are putting in pretty full schedules this week, so we thought the blogging crew should join in the fun. There are no scheduled events this weekend, as our satff will be busy helping shoppers like you. Meanwhile, here's a quick post for you.

New Products

 Reserve de la Saurine AOC Vin de pays du Gard Red. The wine has a beautiful ruby color with good intensity. The nose displays aromas of fresh red fruits. In mouth, it displays roundness and generous concentration. La Réserve de la Saurine will pair beautifully with any kind of meal. Actually a returning wine, along with the Blanc. 60%Grenache Noir, 40% Carignan.

Dogfish Head Pennsylvania Tuxedo. A spruce-infused pale ale, Pennsylvania Tuxedo pays homage to the flannel-suited hunters and gatherers who dwell deep in the backcountry of north-central PA.

Brewed in collaboration with family-run outdoor clothing company Woolrich, Pennsylvania Tuxedo is a sessionable concoction with a grassy citrus kick complemented by the resinous conifer notes of fresh green spruce tips. We went into the forests of north-central Pennsylvania and Georgetown, Del., to pick these fresh tips ourselves.

A dry yet doughy malt backbone lets the hops and spruce shine while still balancing out the bitterness, making this one an easy sipper. 8.5% ABV, 50 IBU.

Ashbrook Estate Shiraz. Grown entirely on a lyre trellis system so as to eliminate green characters and highlight the attractive fruit flavors of this variety, Ashbrook produces Shiraz wines of a silky, rich texture and medium to full bodied style, enhanced by 24 months in French oak and 18 months of bottle maturation.

The wine is matured in 100% French oak barriques (26% new) for 2 years, then further stored in our underground climate controlled cellar for 18 months before release. The inviting nose bursts with ripe raspberry, redcurrant and cherry plum fruit leather aromas with hints of violet and sweet spice. Fine tannins, a succulent depth of flavor and balanced acidity result in a wine that is extremely easy to drink and a wonderful food wine. An exciting wine to lie down too! 90 points from Wine Advocate.

Ripped from the Headlines

Can a beer a day help prevent a stroke or heart disease? Science demands that we test the theory! For the story, click here.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

The Grab Bag Returns

Although we're only here covering for our regular blogger, we thought we'd dust off some of our old favorite titles. This blog post has not theme, but that never stopped us before.

New Products

Rampur Single Malt Whisky. This will be your new favorite whisky from India. Rampur Distillery was the original name for Radico Khaitan, India's fourth largest spirits company. It has been making whisky for more than half a century, and started producing malted barley for its blends in 1990, but only launched its first single malt for export in 2016. This is a creamy and malty whisky with notes of vanilla, apricot and apple. Available in very limited quantities.


Maker's Mark, 200ML. It's the same Maker's Mark Bourbon that you love, but in the "half-pint" size. Limited availability, during the holiday season.




Holiday Gift Sets. Yes, the first of our holiday gift sets have started to arrive. In this initial wave, we have the Crystal Head Vodka gift set. We'll keep you posted as more arrive, but we always recommend shopping early for the best selection.

                           Ripped from the Headlines                    

Workers strike at the Jim Beam Distillery. Click here for the story.


So we didn't have a lot of time to prepare this post, but there's useful information all the same. Stop back tomorrow for the Craft Beer Corner.

Mid-Summer Classic

If baseball's All-Star game can be the Mid-Summer Classic, why can't this blog post claim the same title? It's not like they're the NFL, with their trademark on the term "Super Bowl". Anyway, the point of this blog post is to keep you informed, so let's roll out some information.

Events in Lawrenceville

Astute blog readers will note that we did not do an Events post yesterday. We just had that travel info to share instead.

It's a simple events weekend at our Lawrenceville store. We'll have our standard wine tasting today, from 4-6pm. Tomorrow, we're offering samples of Palm Breeze Sparkling Alcohol Spritz, from 11am-2pm.

Palm Breeze Sparkling Alcohol Spritz is from the Mike's Hard Lemonade team. Ruby Red Citrus contains the taste of fresh-cut citrus and grapefruit with a light carbonation. Pineapple Mandarin Orange is a blend of pineapple and orange, and pairs well with ginger. And don't miss the Palm Breeze Hummer in the parking lot!

Events in Woodbridge

So many people get to leave work early on summer Fridays, we decided to start our wine tasting early as well. Our wine tasting will run from 1-3pm today. Click here for the tasting menu.

Another reason why the wine tasting is early is because we're offering samples of The Botanist Islay Dry Gin, from 4-7pm today.

If you use gin in any cocktail, you owe it to yourself to experience something delicious and different..

For this, "The Botanist" Artisinal Islay Gin, we use nine of the classic gin aromatics - orris root,

cassia bark, coriander seed, etc - and augment these with a heady harvest of 22 local botanicals, hand-picked by our expert foraging team from the windswept hills, peat bogs and Atlantic shores of this Hebridean island of Islay.

Saturday also brings a "twofer" tasting. We start with our regular wine tasting, from 1-3pm. Click here for the tasting menu. Up next, scheduled for 4-6pm, is a tasting of fresh beer from New Jersey's Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing Co.

                                                               New Products

Magic Moments Grain Vodka. How does Magic Moments make it possible for you to embark on such lovely flights of fantasy? By choosing only the finest grain, triple-distilled to create a smooth and crystal liquid that's more than a just a drink...it's a moment of magic in every sip!

Nose : Clean and Fresh with subtle aroma of neutral grain spirit
Palate : Delicate and Neutral taste
Finish : Crispy and short finish

We're now stocking the unflavored Magic Moments vodka, as well as the Apple, Chocolate, Ginger-Lemongrass, and Peach flavors. Each variety is only $9.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Avery Raja. Brazenly bitter. Dashingly dry-hopped. Raja is an audacious addition to our lengthy lineage of intrepid IPAs. Hops for all! All for hops! Double IPA, 8% ABV. Limited availability.

Cocktails On Us

Part of our summer session with NJ.com on Facebook. The link will be available later today on our Facebook page as well. This recipe is courtesy of David Rudd, Store Manager for our Woodbridge location.

Seargeant Pepper
1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz lime juice
1 oz orgeat
1 oz cumin/pepper simple syrup
4 oz Hixson gin
1 pinch cayenne

To make the simple syrup:
1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds, toasted, 5 whole peppercorns and 1/2 cup each sugar and water. Simmer for 15 minutes.  Strain and chill.

Combine ingredients in a shaker with large ice cubes and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a pineapple.

Ripped from the Headlines

Will low or zero alcohol beer reach the predicted 20% of sales in less than 10 years? Click here for the story in Fortune.

A Personal Note

As your blogger for the last three years, I've enjoyed sharing a wide range of information with you. Our company has made some changes, and we're moving back to the Joe Canal's location in Lawrenceville. A new blogger will occupy this space as of Monday, with free rein to make this an even better project. Cheers!

Finally Friday

We hope you're ready for the weekend. With great events and low sale prices, we're ready as well.

In-Store Events

Click here for a list of what's on our agenda for this weekend, and that includes an early start. Please note that this is the final weekend that the Sailor Jerry Harley Davidson will be on display in our Woodbridge store. There is, of course, still plenty of time to enter the drawing for the motorcycle give-away. Inquire at Customer Service. No purchase necessary to enter the drawing.

We don't have the exact time yet, but NJ.com will be back at our Woodbridge store today to record another "Cocktail of the Week" video segment. As soon as we have the stream available, we'll post it to our Facebook pages and link it here. Our Cocktail of the Week, courtesy of Woodbridge Store Manager David Rudd, is the Monkey Mule.

Ingredients
2 oz. Monkey Rum with Toasted Coconut
4-6 oz. Gosling's Ginger Beer
Fresh Lime

Directions
Fill a copper mug with ice and build cocktail. Pour in the Monkey Rum and top with the ginger beer. Squeeze a slice of fresh lime on top and serve. That's simple and refreshing!

New Products

River Horse Hippotizing IPA. Our American IPA is a cross between the West Coast and New England styles. It’s brewed with a pale malt profile to allow the hops to shine through, then dry hopped with over two pounds per barrel worth of Mosaic. This is a great amped up IPA for hop lovers. 7.5% ABV.

Poggio Siresa Amarone. An elegant wine with enticing aromas of black cherry, ripe plum and hints of mocha. The palate is full-bodied and concentrated with refined ripe dark fruit flavors balanced with spice and velvety tannins, which ends in a long finish. Enjoy with rich meats, game dishes or pasts with meat sauce. From the Veneto region. Only $49.97 in the Bottle Club®.

                                                   Ripped from the Headlines

Pitman, NJ had been a "dry" town for over 100 years. Not anymore. Click here for the story.

Single Malt Scotch On Pace For All-Time High. With all its top brands in growth mode, the single malt Scotch whisky category looks poised to mark a major milestone this year and cross 1.5 million cases in U.S. volume for the first time. Overall, the single malt segment climbed 7% in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank, capping a run in which it has grown by about 50% since 2010, and nearly tripled since 2000.

A look at the top single malt players in the U.S. shows a rising tide lifting all boats. Each of the top six single malt brands in the market (The Glenlivet, The Macallan, Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, The Balvenie and Laphroaig) displayed solid progress in 2015, combining for an average growth rate of nearly 10%. Among the standout performers were Glenfiddich and Laphroaig, which posted gains of 16% and 14% respectively.

Data courtesy of Shanken News Daily.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Friday

Making it to the weekend is always a good thing. If you're in a celebratory mood (Father's Day is Sunday, after all), we have just what you need.

In Store Events

Click here for the rundown of events at both Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge this weekend. Hint: tastings and Father's Day gift ideas are on the agenda.

Woodbridge Three-for-One

We needed a better title for this segment, but we'll go with what we have. There are multiple levels here, all interconnected.

For Cinco de Mayo, our friends at NJ.com visited our store for a live video stream. Store Manager and resident mixologist David Rudd spoke with NJ.com about Tequila and more. If you missed that, click here for the archived video. Things went so well with that video that NJ.com will be back, every Friday, all summer long.

Today, David will offer the Sailor Jerry Spiced Mojito as the Cocktail of the Week. That also ties in the final few days of the Sailor Jerry branded Harley-Davidson display in our store. The HD will be at the Woodbridge store only until the end of June. While you're in the store, find out about how to enter the drawing, as we'll help Sailor Jerry give away that motorcycle at the end of the summer. No purchase is necessary to enter the drawing.

Here's how to make the Sailor Jerry Spiced Mojito:
3 parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
1 part sugar syrup
4 lime wedges
5-8 mint leaves
Small slice of fresh ginger
Dash of aromatic bitters

Muddle ginger with lime wedges, mint and sugar syrup in a highball glass.  Fill with crushed ice and add other ingredients. Churn and top with more ice.  Garnish with a mint sprig.

Today's video stream with NJ.com will be posted to the Woodbridge store's Facebook page as soon as it's available.

UPDATE: Click here for the NJ.com video.

New Products

Terlato Vineyards Pinot Grigio Friuli 2015. When your blogger worked in the Lawrenceville store, shoppers were frequently looking for something new and tasty in a Pinot Grigio. We think we have the next big Pinot Grigio in stock now.

The Friuli Colli Orientali region in Northeastern Italy is ideal for creating this elegant terroir driven wine with more flavor and a crisp finish. The Terlato Vineyards Pinot Grigio is 100% Estate grown, farmed in small blocks, each with different soil compositions and expositions, with low yields and handcrafted winemaking.

Aroma: Bright aromas of white peach, pear and spring flowers.

Taste: Complex and layered with ripe peach, apricot, and pear, a mouthfilling texture and crisp mineral finish.

At only $19.99 in the Bottle Club®, it's an exceptional value.

Stone Go To IPA. The hop-heavy IPA for the everyday. Since Day One, we've been abundantly forthright and fully transparent about our lust for hops. It's led us to craft many an IPA, most of them imperial—some intense for their time and all timeless in their intensity. For Stone Go To IPA, we embrace our hop obsession in a new way, funneling an abundance of lupulin-borne bitterness into a session IPA that delivers all the fruity, piney character of a much bigger IPA. To accomplish this, we employ hop bursting, a technique wherein an irrational amount of hops is added during the final phase of the brewing process to bring out extreme flavors and aromas while also imparting a burst of desirably pleasant bitterness. The result is an alpha-acid-rich beer that fans can enjoy more of without missing out on the assertive hop character you, like us, crave. So, sit back and go two with your new everyday go-to IPA and bask along with us in the glory of the almighty hop. 4.8% ABV, 65 IBU, 96 RateBeer.

In 16 oz, 6-pack cans and 12 oz, 6-pack bottles.

Ripped From The Headlines

Many of us have seen, or at least heard of, a champagne bottle being opened with a saber. How about opening a bottle with a golf chip shot? Click here for the video (on YouTube). We'll note that the trick shot artist seems to have used a bottle of California Champagne. He must have broken a few before finally succeeding.

Happy Father's Day, and enjoy the weekend!

Made it to the Weekend

In our world, the week went by pretty quickly. Maybe our rum tasting yesterday helped a bit (more on that below). We just hope things slow down over the weekend. Speaking of the weekend...

In Store Events

Yesterday's blog post detailed all of this weekend's events at Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge. Click here for that post. Did you know there's a Harley parked inside our Woodbridge store? That's discussed in yesterday's blog post as well.

New Products

Monkey Rum. The office staff got a break from the routine yesterday, as we all got to sample the two new rums. The Coconut, pictured here, smelled like summer, as the toasted coconut aromas were prominent. The Spiced Rum features molasses and exotic baking spice notes.

Monkey Rum is distilled 100% from Caribbean Molasses. Angostura, Trinidad, our source of rum, distills using column stills that allows the blender to draw off a lighter, clean, rum base that we then age for up to three years. Both rums are barrel aged in ex-Jack Daniels American Oak barrels, up to 12 months for the Coconut, and 2-3 years for the Spiced.

Our Toasted Coconut rum features a natural toasted coconut flavor, with smoked hickory notes blending well with the fresh coconut flavors. Our Spiced Rum features cinnamon, blended with vanilla and buttery caramelized flavors. There is a hint of the same toasted coconut flavor on the spiced which adds a superior finish and smoothness. Only $24.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Luigi Einaudi Barolo Terlo Vigna Costa Grimaldi 2010. 94 points from James Suckling, Vinous Media and Wine Enthusiast. James Suckling: "A wine with dried berry and orange peel character. Full body, chewy tannins and a fresh finish. This is very tannic for the vintage but intense and muscular. Old style in many ways but wonderful in every sense of the word. Try it in 2017."

93 points from Wine Advocate: "The 2010 Barolo Terlo Vigna Costa Grimaldi shows a tight and austere personality with defined aromas of bold cherry, blackberry, leather, cola and licorice. This single-vineyard selection sees 18 months in barrique with an additional 30 months in botte grande. That oak imprinting is definitely present but woven within the greater texture of the wine. Pretty nuances of wild cherry appear on the close adding a sense of freshness and brightness."

92 points from Wine Spectator. "Shows power and muscle in a svelte profile. Rose, cherry, licorice, tobacco and black tea notes combine with vibrant acidity and dusty tannins. Well-balanced,

presenting hints of leather and underbrush on the finish. Best from 2018 through 2035. 725 cases made." $64.99 in the Bottle Club®. Limited availability.

Greenhouse Sauvignon Blanc. The light and tropical flavors of a Sauvignon Blanc are as much a part of summer as any other wine. Greenhouse is pale straw in color with green highlights. Citrus fruits jump out of the glass, with aromas of lime, grapefruit and tropical fruit mingling with a hint of freshly cut grass. The palate is crisp, with mouthwatering acidity and flavors of lemon, lime, grapefruit and pineapple. Pair with shellfish, white fish or salad. From the Central Valley of Chile. Only $6.97 in the Bottle Club®.

Demented Brewing Wrath. This is a Russian Imperial Stout, from a new brewery in Middlesex, NJ. Currently available only at our Lawrenceville store.

Wrath, our big bold Russian Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels peaks at 11% ABV. Expect rich roasted flavors to shine through the alcohol and bourbon to sweep across your palate. Pair this beer with a nice meal or share it with a friend, but be warned of its Wrath!

Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father's Day is next Sunday, and we have plenty of gift ideas for you. For information on personally engraved bottles and other unique gifts, click the link to yesterday's blog post, which is near the top of this page.

There are a number of other special gift items, like this Father's Day edition of Knob Creek Bourbon. If you're pressed for time while shopping, just ask any store associate for assistance.

Have a great weekend!

Savor the Summer

Your blogger is kind of old-school in his view of the summer. It lasts from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day, no matter what the calendar says. Since that means this is a summer weekend, we hope you'll get out of the house and and enjoy New Jersey.

At the top of our list, of course, is a stop at Joe Canal's. We have an assortment of tastings and events at our stores this weekend, so we've given you plenty of reasons to include Joe Canal's on your errand list. Click here for a listing of this weekend's events.

New Products

Fegley's Blueberry Belch. An American style fruit beer. Each 15 barrel batch of Blueberry Belch is made using 360 pounds of 100% real fruit. This unfiltered fruit ale is not-too-sweet, and oh so refreshing! A fantastic summer beer perfect for sipping on the porch. Great fruit aroma, with a blueberry flavor that follows throughout, combined with a satisfying breadiness. And its satisfying carbonation brings back the great flavor again...and again...

Beautiful copper pink color. Rich spicy aromas of blueberry-raspberry cobbler a la mode and wafers with a crisp, lively fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body and a zesty green apple, toasted baguette, and mossy river stone accented finish. A refreshing, light, clean quaffer.

Serve in a Pint Glass. Pairs with burgers and fries, wings, hot dogs, cole slaw, bbq, poultry and salads. Earthy cheeses like camembert and fontina, and goes extremely well at a brunch with pancakes, bacon, and eggs. 4.2% ABV, 10 IBU.

Brinley Gold Shipwreck Vanilla Rum. Blended with natural Madagascar vanilla. Sweet, creamy, natural vanilla taste.

Brimstone Hill's cannons protected the beautiful island of St. Kitts and her valuable sugarcane for hundreds of years. Many a ship met her demise off of the Caribbean coastline, including a British troopship during the Battle of Frigate Bay in 1782. Brinley Gold Shipwreck Rum is blended to match the old rums "spiked" with exotic spices and flavors that drifted ashore from distant lands. Handcrafted on the beautiful yet treacherous island of St. Kitts, our mission is simple - to make the best tasting flavored rum in the world.

In addition to Vanilla, we carry the Coffee and Coconut rums, plus the Coconut Cream. And here's a taste of summer for you: Vanilla Creamsicle

2 parts Brinley Gold Shipwreck Vanilla Rum
3 parts fresh orange juice
Top with a splash of milk or cream

SeaGlass Pinot Grigio. SeaGlass Pinot Grigio beautifully showcases Santa Barbara’s unique coastal terroir. Pretty aromas of lemongrass, grapefruit and honeysuckle lead to lush flavors of ripe pear, apple and hints of tangerine. Clean and crisp with traces of minerality on the palate, this wine has mouthwatering acidity and a light, tart finish making it especially food-friendly. SeaGlass Pinot Grigio is a natural with all kinds of seafood and lightly spicy Asian fare.

Ripped from the Headlines

A new organization is trying to develop standards for the Cider industry. Click here for the story.

Looking for a wine theme park? Visit La Cité du Vin. In France. Click here.

Have a great weekend!

The Warm Weather Grab Bag

We hope the weather is going to finally stay warm. We want to sit outside and enjoy our summer beer. For now, we'll sit at our desk and get you up to date with Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge.

General Information

Kevin Saunders

Wine Manager Kevin Saunders has transferred from Lawrenceville to Woodbridge. Kevin is professional and knowledgeable, and we know you'll enjoy working with him in Woodbridge every bit as much as he'll be missed in Lawrenceville.

The Jewish holiday of Passover starts tonight. For information about Passover wine and vodka (distilled from potatoes), please click here.

Our Woodbridge location is one of only four stores in New Jersey that will have a brand-new Harley-Davidson motorcycle on display in June. That bike will be raffled off at the end of the summer, and we will accept raffle entries at both stores. We'll post more information as it becomes available.

Store Events

We detailed our upcoming events in yesterday's blog post. Click here for that information. We especially want to direct your attention to the Art Show and Wine Tasting in Woodbridge on May 1. That special after hours event will benefit David's Touch. Click here for more information.

New Products

Château de La Chaize Beaujolais Rosé. The Rosé Château de La Chaize is the youngest sibling of the winery that dates to the 17th century, also made from the Gamay grape: elegant, sophisticated, a huge success to be enjoyed all year-round. The wine is a pale, bright pink. Seductive floral aromas, soft and round on the palate, very fruity and fresh. Very limited availability - our total allocation was a mere 30 bottles between the two stores. Only $15.99 in the Bottle Club®. Look for this in the Burgundy section.

Funk Brewing Double Citrus IPA. A dry imperial India Pale Ale with a crisp malt backbone that exhibits a slight honey character which helps to balance the hop profile of pine, orange and lemongrass. 8% ABV, 80 IBU's. Very limited availability.

Ripped from the Headlines

Today marks the 500th Anniversary of Reinheitsgebot, the German Beer Purity law. It's the world’s oldest food and drink legislation still in force today. Click here for the story.

Prost! Have a great weekend!

Taxing Grab Bag

April 15 is the traditional deadline for filing taxes, but we hear that it's been extended, since it's a weekend. We filed already, so don't take our word for that. But we'd rather talk about all things Joe Canal's, so let's look in this week's grab bag of stuff.

Holiday wine shopping this weekend? Passover starts next Friday. Click here for our guide to Kosher for Passover wines.

In-Store Events

It's a busy weekend in both stores, and we detailed that in yesterday's post. Click here for the details. We do want to highlight the 3rd Annual Art Show & Wine Tasting at our Woodbridge store, after hours on May 1. Click here for details.

New Products

Two Roads Beer Bus Variety Pack. Favorites like Ol'Factory Pils, Honeyspot Road White IPA and Lil Heaven Session IPA will be along for the ride as well as a special guest riding shotgun: A rotating Two Roads seasonal offering.

Massey Dacta Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough. Winemaker Ben Glover has been involved in the Marlborough wine industry since the 1980s, and today makes this wine from the fruit of Kerseley Estate, which was planted by his parents on the site of what was previously their own working dairy farm.

Mouthwatering and juicy, this is typical of Marlborough Sauvignon, with its explosive mix of tropical and citrus fruit on the palate, accompanied by intense nettle and tomato vine aromas. Food pairings? It's a great match for the zesty, spicy flavors of south-east Asia.  Dacta? That's the way the winemakers child said the word "tractor." Only $10.96 in the Bottle Club®.

Hammermill Vodka. Hammermill's Small Batch style vodka is distilled five times for a supremely smooth flavor and clean finish, that can be sipped straight or used with a classic mixer like soda or tonic. Only $12.97 in the Bottle Club®, for the 750ML size. Also available in 1.75L, for only $24.97 in the Bottle Club®.

Café del Mar Rum & Coffee Liqueur. Café Del Mar is a blend of premium rum and coffee liqueur. This liqueur has flavors of roasted coffee beans, molasses, dark chocolate, and a touch of caramel. The taste is smooth coating the whole pallet with flavors, and a long pleasant finish. The 750Ml size is available for $21.99 in the Bottle Club®. The 1.75L size is $25.97 in the Bottle Club®.

Ripped from the Headlines

An amateur shows the pros how to make wine smell even better. Click here for the Wine Spectator story.

Have a great weekend!

The Grab Bag

We're glad that the weekend is here, but we may not like the weather all that much. However, with our weekend events, low sale prices and exceptional customer service, we'll give you plenty of reasons to venture out.

For anyone celebrating the holiday, Passover starts two weeks from today. We have a nice selection of wines that are Kosher for Passover. Click here for more information.

Events in Lawrenceville

We're wine tasting all weekend. Please stop at Customer Service for details. Click here for the tasting menu.

Today, from 4-6pm, we're offering samples of two delicious and new cream liqueurs. These are versatile drinks, good with coffee, ice cream, in cocktails or on their own. Click here for details.

On Saturday and Sunday, from 1-4pm both days, we're offering a Beaujolais wine tasting and seminar, featuring author and broadcaster Robert Cavanaugh. Click here for details. Free.

Our April calendar of events is packed. Click here for more information.

Events in Woodbridge

From 6-8pm today, we're hosting a tasting of Smirnoff Sourced Vodka. Smirnoff Sourced is infused with real fruit juice, bringing authenticity to an often artificially flavored category of the spirits business. Naturally fresh and gluten free, this new brand features three deliciously-sourced flavors: Ruby Red Grapefruit, Pineapple, and Cranberry Apple.

On Saturday, we'll host our regular wine tasting, from 1-3pm. Click here for the tasting menu.

April is filled with an assortment of fun tastings and events. Click here for the full schedule.

Notifications

In Lawrenceville, we're maintaining a whisk(e)y email list. Sign up for advance notifications on new arrivals, interesting products and special sales. We can't guarantee that you'll get any Pappy, but you'll know how we're handling our allocation. Click here and enter your name and contact info to sign up.

In Woodbridge, we have a similar email list for Craft Beer. You'll learn about our new deliveries and allocated items before anyone else. Click here and enter your name and contact info to sign up

New Products

Narragansett Clam Shack Variety 12-Pack. We know that the many varieties of craft beer are really tempting, and this 12-pack lets you have three different beers to enjoy. What's inside?

Narragansett Lager. This beer is brewed just right for drinking—crisp and refreshing. It’s got more flavor than other premium lagers, yet it’s one of the most drinkable beers in the world.

Narragansett Del's Shandy. The 'Gansett Del's Shandy has just the right balance of malty sweetness and citrus tartness. The Shandy is the ultimate summertime refresher...one sip leads to another. It's the perfect thirst-quenching balance of our gold medal Lager with Del’s lemon concentrate.

Narragansett Summertime Citra Ale. Summertime pours golden, producing a generous white head, and perfect carbonation. The malt flavor is smooth and subtle, balanced out by a crisp hop bitterness. Aromas of mixed fruits are very evident, but mild on the palate. The superior drinkability and lower

alcohol content make this beer perfect for summer sessions.

Woodford Reserve 2016 Kentucky Derby® Bottle. Celebrate Kentucky Derby® 142 in style with the 2016 limited edition bottling of Woodford Reserve bourbon, featuring artwork designed by artist Thomas Allen Pauly. This 1 liter bottle is available in very limited quantities, at $44.99.

The nose is heavy with rich dried fruit, hints of mint and oranges covered with a dusting of cocoa. Faint vanilla and tobacco spice. On the palate, it's rich, chewy, rounded and smooth, with complex citrus, cinnamon and cocoa. Toffee, caramel, chocolate and spice notes abound. The finish is silky smooth, almost creamy at first with a long, warm satisfying tail.

Mas Belles Eaux "Les Coteaux" Coteaux du Languedoc 2009. "Effusively fruity and creamy, with well-defined flavors of red currant, wild plum and boysenberry that are matched with seductive notes of sandalwood. Blood orange and dark chocolate give this an added layer of intensity, with a refined finish. Drink now through 2018." - Wine Spectator, 91 points. Only $14.99 in the Bottle Club®.

As usual, we can only show you a few of the new products that have been delivered to our stores. In particular, we've gotten a number of summer seasonal craft beers, as well as a few new rose wines. Please check with our store team members for new items that you don't see listed here.

Ripped from the Headlines

Click here for the news from Wine Spectator. In one story, French winemakers dumped 5 tanker

trucks filled with wine. Another story notes how the President enjoyed Catena wines during his recent visit to Argentina. Drink like the President and stop in to our Lawrenceville store on April 16 for a tasting of Catena wines.

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No April Foolin' Grab Bag

Your blogger will not be presenting any April Fool's gags or pranks. We give maybe too much attention to the news, and there's enough April Foolin' there for everyone. There's a lot to talk about today, so that's enough preamble.

In-Store Events

There is such a full schedule at both stores that we've been dedicating our Thursday blog posts to detailing the upcoming events. Click here for yesterday's post, which fully covers this weekend and previews other events.

What's New

We're departing slightly from the usual New Products section, but since we make the rules, it's ok.

Actually, the first thing to discuss here isn't a product. Both stores are now posting to Instagram. For Lawrenceville, it's joe_canalslv and it's joe_canalswb for Woodbridge.

Reserve de la Saurine Vin de Pays du Gard Rosé 2015. As you can see from the picture, our receiving area is not a particularly photogenic spot. The point is to show our allotment of the 2015 vintage of this popular Rosé. It's a  fresh, fruit-forward Grenache blend offering flavors of raspberry and spice with a very approachable personality and easy drinkability. At only $7.96 in the Bottle Club®, we recommend a case purchase, to enjoy when this warm weather decides to stay. Just ask for the Saurine Rosé.

Underwood Pinot Noir. Underwood draws from the diverse palette of vineyards and wine growing regions that Oregon offers to create approachable everyday drinking wines. You may have already enjoyed Underwood Pinot Noir, as we've carried it for a while. What's new here is the 375ml size-in a can!

It's hard to keep your pinky up when you’re drinking wine from a 375 ML can. These are the most approachable and ready-to-travel anywhere wines we produce. Whether you’re sitting in a hot tub after a good day of riding or heading where other wines dare not travel, we have you covered without sacrificing the craft taste Union is known for.

Underwood Pinot Noir tasting notes: Cherries, raspberries, and chocolate. This 375ML can is available for only $5.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Falesco Vitiano Bianco 2014. Here is another new vintage of a wine that's particularly popular in the warmer weather. The cold maceration, fermentation and aging in stainless steel tanks maintains intact the characteristics of the two varieties Verdicchio (50%) and Vermentino (50%), creating a perfect balance between the mosaic structure of the first and the intriguing aroma of the second. Vitiano Bianco is a balanced, delightful, and fresh wine with captivating aromas of citrusy lime, ripe Anjou pear, and fragrant herbs. Vitiano Bianco is the perfect accompaniment to pasta with shellfish, summer casseroles, and garden salads. At only $7.98 in the Bottle Club®, it's wine to enjoy all summer long.

2011 Brunello di Montalcino. The first wines from this amazing vintage have started to arrive. The Mocali scored 93 points from Wine Spectator, earning this review: "This lively red exhibits cherry, strawberry, eucalyptus, tobacco and mineral flavors. The firm tannins work in tandem with the bright acidity, leaving a long, refreshing finish that echoes the fruit, earth and savory elements. Best from 2018 through 2028. 3,800 cases made."

Le Ragnaie's 2011 Fornace Brunello earned 95 points from James Suckling, and is currently available only in Lawrenceville (coming soon to Woodbridge). Both stores have the 2011 Brunello's from Campogiovanni, Caparzo and the Le Lucere Brunello (92 points, James Suckling) from San Filippo.

There is always a limited supply of any Brunello. Whether you're cellaring or savoring now, get your choice while you can.

Ripped from the Headlines

Robots may take over fermenting. Click here for the Wine Spectator article.

Have a great weekend!

It's The Grab Bag

On this Good Friday, we will maintain regular business hours, but we will only be open 9am-4pm on Easter Sunday. A Happy Easter to all who celebrate.

Click here if you need wine recommendations for your Easter dinner. Our staff has some great suggestions for you.

In Store Events

We covered this topic pretty thoroughly in yesterday's blog post. Click here to review that information.

Ripped from the Headlines

Our regular readers know that this is usually the last part of our Friday blog, as we typically offer news items that are interesting, quirky, or otherwise not-so-serious. As you can probably tell by the changed placement of this section, we're covering an important topic today.

Many people were shocked by the allegations in a lawsuit filed over a year ago, suggesting that certain wine brands included dangerous levels of arsenic. Just this week, after extensive legal arguments, a judge dismissed the case. Click here for the story, from Wine Spectator.

New Products

Manayunk Moneyman. A hopbursted oatmeal IPA. Moneyman IPA has been hopbursted and dry hopped with Citra and Amarillo for maximum aroma intensity. Its tropical flavor flaunts hints of lemon, orange and grapefruit while the oats deliver a velvety mouthfeel. In certain situations, Moneyman IPA is even considered legal tender. 7.3% ABV, 70 IBU's. This is a seasonal item, so availability is limited.

Earlier in the week, we noted that it was rosé season, and we reviewed a couple of our newest deliveries. Here's another:

Bieler Pere et Fils Coteaux D'Aix en Provence Rose Sabine 2015. The classic Provence Rosé profile is what every serious winemaker around the

world attempts to mimic and for good reason. The delicate balance between floral, herbal, red fruit and acid is tricky to hit but sensational when it lines up as it does with this wine. The aromas and flavors are all so finely knit together that it’s almost hard to write a tasting note at times: from the more savory lavender and rosemary to rose petal notes to citrus, wild raspberry, and tart cherry. There’s acidity on the tongue yet a hug of richness. Sleek yet full and inviting aromatics with a touch more red fruit than the 2014 make this my favorite rosé we’ve made in several years. Mid-palate is broad yet light and dynamic, and the color is a pale but vivid pink. A spectacular vintage in the hills surrounding the beautiful and ancient city of Aix en Provence.

The blend is the following: Grenache: 40%, Syrah: 25%, Cabernet Sauvignon: 25%, Cinsault: 7%, Rolle: 3%. Only $10.49 in the Bottle Club®. Limited availability.

Siduri Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2013. Wait, Siduri is a California winery, right? yes, but they've been producing Oregon Pinot Noir since the 1995 vintage.

The 2013 is fruit forward, with bright red cherry and raspberry flavors. The wine is medium bodied, with hints of underbrush and forest floor, and a long, lingering finish. This wine is a fantastic value in a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, and is great for enjoying over the next several years. 90 points, Vinous Media.

Available in Lawrenceville only, for $22.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Juan Gil 100th Anniversary, 2013 vintage. Juan Gil is always one of our best-selling Spanish wines, and they made something really special for their 100th anniversary.

Made with grapes from some very low yielding vineyards, and managed with care for this special occasion to produce a great value wine that conveys the soul of the Gil family.

This elegantly structured wine opens with aromas of black plum and currant, mocha, leather, tobacco and a hint of anise. Dense, layered and velvety tannins on the palate. A fantastic wine, already enjoyable and will offer fine drinking for years to come. 50% Monastrell, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Syrah. Only $17.99 in the Bottle Club®. Limited availability.

Have a great weekend!