Grab Bag, Good Friday Edition

It's the Good Friday Grab Bag. Both stores are open normal hours today.

Easter Sunday Store Hours

Both our Lawrenceville and Woodbridge locations will be open from 10am to 4pm on Easter Sunday.

Tastings and Tappings

Neither store has a scheduled wine tasting this weekend. The regular schedule will resume next weekend.

Tonight, at 6pm, the Woodbridge store will tap Clown Shoes Clementine White Ale.

Events

Lawrenceville will host Ladies' Night Out on Sunday, April 27, 7:30pm - 9:30pm. The details are here, and you can RSVP via email to Store Manager Toni Carver.

At Woodbridge, it's the Ladies' Night Wine Tasting & Art Show, also on Sunday, April 27, 7:30pm - 9:30pm. Details are here, and you can RSVP via email to Wine Manager Debbie Miller Nelson.

Please note that both events are after regular store hours, and you'll be able to shop throughout the stores.

The Father's Day bottle engraving will arrive on Sunday, June 8, from 2-5 in Lawrenceville, and 4-7 in Woodbridge. Eligible for engraving are purchases of Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, Jack Daniel's Sinatra Select, Woodford Reserve, Woodford Reserve Double Oak, and Herradura Tequila.

Joe Canal's Fest will be held in Woodbridge on June 15, and in Lawrenceville on June 22. Details will be released soon.

New Products

Hacienda Lopez de Haro Rioja Reserva 2005 is now in stock. With an impressive 92 point rating from Wine Advocate,  Hacienda Lopez de Haro is a great choice for any day, because it's an outstanding wine that carries a Bottle Club® price of only $11.96. 

Hacienda López de Haro Reserva is a round, gentle and complex wine, made with Tempranillo and Graciano varieties, and with a classic aging of 20 months in French and American oak barrels. A medium depth wine featuring an attractive ruby red color, which denotes a long aging in barrel and bottle. Hacienda Lopez de Haro Rioja Reserva presents a complex aroma, highlighting red fruit, perfectly combined with spicy notes and a slight char, which is provided by its long aging in French and American oak barrels. Fruity sensations and the complex character provided by its good aging dominate on the palate, with vanilla and spicy notes given by the French and American oak. 

Grey Goose Le Melon is the latest addition to the flavored vodka category. It has a strong bouquet of freshly cut melon, subtle notes of melon rind, and hints of banana and pears. It's very bright on the palate, with strong overtones of juicy melon leading into lighter notes of white citrus and almond. This might be your next summer vodka. Only $29.99 in the Bottle Club®.

We already carry a number of Captain Morgan products, with the Captain's Spiced Rum being a strong category leader. We've just added Captain Morgan White Rum to both Lawrenceville and Woodbridge. 

The pristine waters of the Caribbean inspired the creation of Captain Morgan White Rum. A white rum that is five times distilled and made with fine cane molasses, Captain Morgan White Rum is as smooth as the Captain himself. The 1.75L size is on sale in the Bottle Club® for only $25.94.

If you're a connoisseur of fine whiskey, then the next new product is for you.

We now have an extremely limited supply of Crown Royal XR (Extra Rare).  Taste the rarest in the Crown Royal Extra Rare Whisky Series, handcrafted with a unique blend that includes the final batch of whiskies from the renowned LaSalle distillery (that distillery operated from 1924 to 1993). Located on the island of Montreal, the LaSalle distillery produced whiskies with a unique richness, attributed to the fine water surrounding the island. The resulting whiskies were full-bodied and exceptionally smooth. This 750ML bottle is priced at $159.99.

Ripped From The Headlines

For brewers and distillers, it's common practice to provide leftover grain to farmers as cattle feed. The FDA is proposing changes. Read about it here.

The Wall Street Journal - Europe discusses Barolo as a great wine that is still reasonably priced. Read the article here, then seek out a Barolo from our wine team.

From the Joe Canal's family to yours, our best wishes for a Happy Easter.

Thursday Grab Bag

We're a day early this week, but there's so much going on at Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge that we didn't think you'd mind.

Lawrenceville Tastings and Tappings

Tonight, at 6pm, we're tapping Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet Black IPA for our weekly specialty Growler.

Friday, from 4-6pm, we're having a tasting of Lost Distillery whisky. The Lost Distillery Company is an independent boutique Scotch Whisky company. They are obsessive about the craft and uncompromising when it comes to whisky quality. Their mission is to create present day expressions of legendary whiskies that belonged to the craft of whisky distilling almost a century ago.

This is illustrated in their icon – the Triskele (above), an ancient Celtic symbol depicting reincarnation. Their interpretation of the Triskele incorporates the core components of the whisky making process – the barrel, the water and the barley.

Saturday, from 2-4pm, will be our regular weekly wine tasting. We just made an incredible purchase on Beringer Napa Chardonnay, one of the wines on the menu. Leading up to Easter, this is a value you need to sample. A Napa appellation Chardonnay for under $10? Yes. The full menu is here.

Woodbridge Tastings and Tappings

Woodbridge will host its regular wine tastings on both Friday (4-6pm) and Saturday (1-3pm). With Passover starting Monday night, you'll have the opportunity to taste two different wines that are Kosher for Passover. The full menu is here.

Immediately after the wine tasting wraps up on Friday, head over to the Growler station for the specialty tapping of Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet Black IPA.

Please note that there are no wine tastings scheduled at either store on April 18th or 19th.

Upcoming Events

In Lawrenceville: Ladies' Night Out will be after hours on Sunday, April 27. Details will be posted on our web site shortly. The Joe Canal's Fest will be Sunday, June 22. Again, details will be posted shortly.

In Woodbridge, the Ladies' Night Wine Tasting and Art Show will also be after hours on Sunday, April 27.  See our web site for details. The Joe Canal's Fest will be Sunday, June 15. Details will be posted shortly. 

Ripped From The Headlines

Thankfully, no one brought any crazy lawsuits to our attention this week. Instead, we'll direct your attention to a story from Fox News about five lesser-known grape varieties. At Joe Canal's, we stock several brands of each varietal highlighted in the article: Chenin Blanc, Gamay, Mourvedre (also called Monastrell), Tempranillo and Barbera. Read the article here, and ask to see some of those wines when you're in the store next. There are some great wines at very affordable prices among those varietals.

New Stuff

The following products have either just arrived, or will within the next couple of days:

Dashwood Pinot Noir. You've enjoyed New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir is the next varietal that they'll conquer. Dashwood wines bring the luscious, clean fruit characters of the Wairau Valley into harmony with the flinty, or mineral, characters of the Awatere (resulting from the comparatively cooler but drier temperatures and slightly less fertile soils).

Hacienda Lopez de Haro Rioja Crianza 2008. This wine will be in Lawrenceville within a couple of days, but might not reach Woodbridge at the same time. This is one you definitely should look for. Rioja is hot now anyway, but this wine scored 91 points from Wine Advocate, but will sell for only $9.96 in the Bottle Club®.

From the review: “The 2008 Hacienda Lopez de Haro Crianza is a blend of 93% Tempranillo and 7% Garnacha aged for 18 months in French and American oak. It has a mellow bouquet of dried herbs, terracotta tiles and dusky black fruit that is very well-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin: tart red berried fruit, laced with tobacco and dried herbs on the dry, crisp finish. This is a superb classical Rioja Crianza.” 

Odds & Ends

Passover starts at sundown on Monday. We offer some helpful advice here.

Both stores will have limited hours on Easter Sunday, April 20. Operating hours will be 9am to 4pm.

Grab Bag Friday

True to our newest blogging tradition, we have quite an assortment for you today.

Ladies Night in Woodbridge

For our Woodbridge shoppers, mark your calendars for a fun, after-hours event on Sunday, April 27. We're hosting the Ladies Night Wine Tasting and Art Show. You'll have the opportunity to taste over 30 different wines, sample Di Bruno Bros. cheese, enjoy light appetizers, and shop through exhibits from local artists. Please review the graphic, and contact Debbie Miller Nelson, dnelson@joecanals.net or 732-726-0077 x310, for more information or to RSVP. All proceeds will go to Angel PAWS, a 100% volunteer animal rescue organization based in Colonia, NJ.

Ladies Night Out in Lawrenceville

Wine tasting at last year's Ladies Night Out

For our Lawrenceville shoppers, Ladies Night Out returns, also on Sunday, April 27. The after-hours program is being finalized right now, but will include wine tasting, light appetizers, and shopping opportunities. Please call the store for more information, 609-520-0008, and keep watching our Facebook page and Twitter feed for updates.

Ripped from the Headlines

We have an assortment of legal issues impacting our industry:

Tennessee has particular and specific laws that govern what can be called a Tennessee whiskey. We details some of those issues in an earlier post. Recently, Diageo sued the state of Tennessee over the part of the law that sets requirements on where the whiskey can age. Read the story here.

There seems to be a lot going on with brewers and trademarks.

Left Hand Brewery is involved in a trademark dispute. Read the story here.

Schlafly Beer is also involved in a trademark dispute. Read about it here.

Weekend Plans

We're on our regular wine tasting schedule this weekend. Friday hours for both stores are 4-6pm. Saturday hours in Woodbridge are 1-3pm, and it's 2-4pm in Lawrenceville. The tasting menu for both stores is here.

Tonight's 6pm specialty Growler tapping in Woodbridge is Clown Shoes Galactica IPA. Please note that Lawrenceville has moved their specialty tappings to 6pm on Thursday.

However, Lawrenceville does have a late addition to their Growler tapping schedule. At 5pm tonight, they will tap Ommegang Game of Thrones Take the Black Stout. You might want to queue up for that.

What Else Is New?

We've been asked to bring in more Sicilian red wines, so we've just added the Cantine Colosi Nero D'Avola to both Lawrenceville and Woodbridge. Nero d’Avola is the most important red wine grape in Sicily, and is one of Italy’s most important indigenous varieties. It is named after Avola, a town in the far south of Sicily and its wines are compared to New World Shiraz, with sweet tannins and plum or peppery flavors. “The Black Grape of Avola” seems to have been selected by growers near Avola several hundred years ago. Initially it was confined to the southern tip of Sicily, but more recently has spread throughout the island.

Aged in stainless steel, the nose shows intense fruit with heavy cherry aromas, and it's dry, full-bodied and youthful on the palate. It's perfect with red meats, pasta with tomato sauce and aged cheeses. Only $10.99 in the Bottle Club®.

One of our very popular labels is Josh Cellars, and now the Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are getting some company. We're adding the Josh Cellars Merlot, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc to our shelves.

Josh Cellars Pinot Noir, made in a style reminiscent of Burgundy, offers bright, ripe cherries and deep earthy flavors with spice, subtle oak and delicate texture. The Merlot, created in a Bordeaux-style blend, offers rich plum and black cherry flavors, accented by savory spices and toasted oak, with a soft, supple texture and lingering finish. A wine that is bold and expressive but unassuming, and approachable. Bright aromas of lime and citrus are the core of Josh Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, with layers of white flower nectar, peach, and tropical melon. The palate of the wine is fresh and alive with clean fruit flavors and a perfectly balanced finish. Each new varietal is priced at $14.49.

Clearly, we've saved the best new product for last. We received the most limited of supplies: one bottle per store. At the time of this writing, the bottle remains available only in Woodbridge.

What could be that limited? Grand Marnier Cuvée 1880. Cuvée 1880 celebrates the conception of Grand Marnier, when, in 1880, Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle began blending Cognac with oranges, which were a luxury item at that time. The Grand Marnier Cuvée 1880 is a distinctive blend of aged, premium XO Cognac made exclusively from Grande Champagne, the most esteemed growing area in the Cognac region. With more Cognac in the nose of its taste profile, it is significantly less sweet than the Cuvée du Centenaire, while still incorporating wild tropical orange notes. This is priced at $279.99.

Have a great weekend, everyone! And don't miss our tastings and events.

Weekend Head Start

Since we're at the cusp of the weekend, it's a good time for us to review our Friday-Saturday agenda. That way, when you see the events that you're interested in, the schedule is right here for you. And if your Saturday night includes wine or beer with dinner, you'll be able to stop in and sample. Oh, and don't forget that these tastings are free*!

On Friday, both the Lawrenceville and Woodbridge store will have a wine tasting that runs from 4-6pm. Click here to see the tasting menu for both stores. In Lawrenceville, 3 out of the 4 wines have Bottle Club® prices under $10.00, with the fourth wine priced under $25.00, making them all great choices for any day of the week. One of those sub-$10 wines, the Charles & Charles Red Blend, rated 90 points from Wine Spectator.

In Woodbridge, two of the wines are Bottle Club® priced under $11.00, and another wine is one of the absolute best values in the store (Ridgeline Napa Cabernet Sauvignon).

The action next moves to the Growler station at both stores. At 5pm in Lawrenceville, the final Goose Island specialty tapping of the month will be the Bourbon County Stout. In Woodbridge, the 6pm tapping will be Slumbrew Snow Angel. Both stores will have new featured breweries for March, so keep watching the web site for the important details.

We welcome you back on Saturday, for another round of tastings. Here, Woodbridge goes first, with the wine tasting running from 1-3pm. The tasting menu will be the same on both Friday and Saturday. The scenario, however, is different in Lawrenceville.

The Saturday tasting in Lawrenceville will run from 2-4pm, as usual. The tasting menu, on the other hand, will be completely different, as we welcome 90+ Cellars for a tasting of their wines. 90+ Cellars are known for delivering Saturday night taste for a Tuesday night price. To see the tasting menu, please click here.


Make sure to mark your calendar for our upcoming tastings and events. In addition to our regular Friday/Saturday wine tastings, here's the agenda just for March:

In Lawrenceville:
Friday, March 14, tasting of Punzone Lemoncino and Originale Liqueur
Friday, March 21, tasting of Dad's Hat Whiskey
Thursday, March 27, tasting of Shiner Ruby Redbird & Shiner White Wing

In Woodbridge:
Friday, March 28, tasting of Dad's Hat Whiskey

*As we noted above, these tastings are free; 21 & older, with valid ID, of course.

Big Game Hype Ends, After More Fun!

We can't let the Big Game get here before we empty the prize cabinet, tap more specialty kegs, and taste some wine. Here's a quick summary of the weekend events.

In Lawrenceville, we have our regular free wine tastings tonight, from 4-6pm, and tomorrow, from 2-4pm. Tonight's specialty tapping, at 5pm, is Dogfish Head American Beauty. And tonight's free raffle drawing is for a pair of tickets to the 2014 Philadelphia Eagles home opener. No purchase is necessary to enter the raffle, but you must submit your entry in person.

On Saturday, in addition to the wine tasting, the 5pm specialty tapping is Dogfish Head Worldwide Stout Vintage 2012. The evening comes to a close with a raffle for a Jason Avant autographed Philadelphia Eagles football.

Sunday, while you're taking care of the last-minute details before settling in to watch the game, we'll offer you a few reasons to stop in at Joe Canal's. From 1-3pm, we're giving away hot dogs (while supplies last), and we're also having a visit by two Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders. And we're raffling off one last autographed Philadelphia Eagles football. The store will remain open until 7pm, as susal.

Things are just as busy at our Woodbridge store. The regular wine tastings have a football theme, and will be held from 4-6pm tonight, and 1-3pm tomorrow. There will be TWO specialty tappings at 6pm tonight, Founders Imperial Stout and Sly Fox Pale Ale Firkin. Tonight's free raffle prize is a portable Yuengling grill.

Saturday will include the regular wine tasting, and the 6pm specialty tapping will be
Weyerbacher Insanity Vintage 2012. That ends the Big Game Growler series. Saturday night wraps up with a free raffle drawing for an Antonio Cromartie autographer NY Jets helmet.

There will be food to whet your Big Game appetite on Sunday, as we'll have a food truck featuring sliders (while supplies last) from 1-3pm. But the final free raffle drawing, being held at 5pm, might be the best. We're raffling off a pair of tickets to the New York Giants 2014 home opener. As in Lawrenceville, the Woodbridge store will remain open until 7pm, as usual.

Even though the Big Game will be history, Joe Canal's will still be here, offering amazing values on exceptional products. And as soon as we clean up all of the displays from the Big Game, we'll move on to helping you prepare for Valentine's Day!

Celebrate Australia Day Today at Joe Canal's!

Today is Australia Day, commemorating the first landing in Australia by Captain Arthur Phillip in 1788. We can't think of a better way to celebrate than by visiting Joe Canal's. Let us explain.

Australians celebrate this day much like we celebrate the 4th of July. So while we're not exactly seeing barbecue weather here in New Jersey, we can still enjoy the bounty of Australia. We carry so many wines from Australia that both stores devote an entire section to the choices. Whether you prefer the casual and inexpensive labels like Yellow Tail or Little Penguin, step-up brands like Penfold's or Mollydooker, or fine wine like Glaetzer Amon-Ra, we have an Aussie wine for you.

I don't know whether they still teach this in our schools, but Australia was first used by the British as a penal colony. In that time, crime was so bad that the jails, particularly in London, were filled beyond capacity. The solution was "Punishment by Transportation," because the trip to Australia was lengthy and brutal.

Soon enough, a list of 19 Crimes was put into effect, which you can see here:

 Of course, to pay homage to the not-so-glorious roots of Australia, today we have 19 Crimes wine!

This wine is a red blend, consisting of Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro. Dark red and maroon hues extend from the core of the glass as dark fruits, licorice and spice linger. The Shiraz is the brooding component that brings the core of dark fruits, liquorice and round ripe tannins. The Grenache is focused in the red and blue fruits spectrum and delivers plushness to the final blend. Last but definitely not least the Mataro brings the spice and finer tannins, pulling the structure together and giving the wine drive. The resultant wine is complex and layered in a soft, approachable style. At only $9.49, you can't beat it for your personal celebration of Australia Day.




Of course, since we're still in the pre-Big Game stage, Joe Canal's has raffle drawings in both Lawrenceville and Woodbridge today.  Please visit our website for the full details. Today's drawings are at 5pm, and no purchase is necessary. Lawrenceville will also continue their Big Game specialty tappings at 5pm, bringing Dogfish Head Olde School into the Growler station.

Whether it's Australia Day or the Big Game, our celebration means good things for you. Please stop in to Joe canal's in Lawrenceville or Woodbridge today!