This and That

This: Tonight is the Bourbon Dinner at Vidalia Restaurant in Lawrenceville. There's still time to sign up, but not much. For the details, please call the store at 609-520-0008, or click here. Our Store Manager, Toni Carver, will be your host for this dinner pairing.

That: Dominique Lafon Bourgogne Blanc 2013. The quality of a top village Puligny-Montrachet. Fresh and saline, with succulent lemon notes, a laser like acidity and a long crushed oyster shell finish. Dominique Lafon produced only 400 cases of his 2013 Bourgogne Blanc for the world! $33.99 in the Bottle Club®.

This: 13 Celsius Sauvignon Blanc. Summer screams for a Sauvignon Blanc. especially from New Zealand. This wine offers vibrant aromatics of bright citrus, a crisp edge of minerality and sweet herbs elegantly tease the refined acidity and refreshing finish that define iconic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Only $11.99 in the Bottle Club®.

That: Speaking of summertime, we're bringing back the Dekuyper Pucker Watermelon. Crisp and refreshing, this liqueur is perfect for a unique margarita or a punched up martini. Visit the Dekuyper website for cocktail recipes.

This: Both of our stores will be open from 9am to 8pm on Saturday, July 4, for the Independence Day holiday.

That: Christmas in July for Lawrenceville will be celebrated starting July 5, and going until the end of the month. We will tap a specialty keg every day at the Growler station, at 5pm.

This: Christmas in July for Woodbridge will be celebrated on July 12, with a special after-hours event. Details for the Toy Drive and Tasting will be available shortly.

Start of Summer Grab Bag

Yes, in addition to Father's Day, Sunday also brings us the calendar version of the start of summer. The start of summer seems to be the most personal of any season, doesn't it? Some people say that summer starts on Memorial Day weekend, while others tie it to the end of the school year. We rather like summer, so we'll vote for whatever interpretation gives us the most warm weather.

Store Events

Click here for yesterday's blog post, where we preview this weekend's events at both stores. Bridging the first two categories is the Bourbon Dinner that Store Manager Toni Carver is hosting on Monday, at Vidalia's in Lawrenceville. Click here for more information on this fun and tasty event.

Father's Day Gift Ideas

Click here for some of our favorites. In addition, we carry three expressions of Dad's Hat Rye, a Pennsylvania whiskey. The distillery's name is a tribute to the founder's father, so you get a good story to match the good whiskey.

New Products

2012 Horsepower Vineyards Syrah The Tribe Vineyard. Horsepower Vineyards is about tradition and history—and making history. It’s a connection between a vigneron and his roots. An homage to craft and family. An embrace of the earth that seems at once old-fashioned and new. And at its simplest, it’s a man slowly working the vineyard with his horse, just like generations before him.

The Wine Advocate rating is 95-98 points. "The 2012 Syrah The Tribe Vineyard offers classic peppery spices, flowers, licorice, cured meats, toast and assorted red and black fruit qualities to go with a full-bodied, exceedingly structured feel on the palate. Showing additional fruit and flesh over the 2011, this beautiful Syrah will require short-term cellaring and have upwards of two decades of ultimate longevity."

The release price was $259. Our regular price is $174.99, and our Bottle Club® price is $154.99. This is a new project from the founder of Cayuse.

90+ Cellars. We already carry several of their wines, which really hit the price/quality matrix. We're adding Lot 122 Chardonnay, from Mendocino, CA. Lot 122 is a brilliant yellow gold in color with aromas of green apple and white peach backed by a touch of honey. The wine is round, full-bodied, and fresh with an elegant creamy texture and a tangy finish. Serve it with a crab and avocado salad topped with cilantro and lime, or grilled chicken with a lemon and caper sauce.

Also look for Lot 113 Big Red Blend. Big fat aromas of cassis, blackberry, and plum with traces of vanilla and cedar. Full-bodied and larger than life, you'll have to stretch out your mouth for that first sip. Greet your guests with a smile when you pour them a glass as they walk through the front door. Tell them to get ready for one big adventure.

Ripped from the Headlines

Innovation in Bordeaux? Why they may approve additional varietals in the classic blends. Click here for the story.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

All-in-One Calendar

Because so many people will travel to one store or the other for our special events, it's been pretty useful for us to list all of our upcoming events in this one place. That, plus the fact that the store calendars are filled in quite nicely.

Events in Lawrenceville

We start the weekend on Friday, 5-7pm, with a special tasting of Haig Club Single Grain Scotch Whisky. This is a new Single Grain Scotch whisky, developed in partnership with Diageo and global sporting icon David Beckham and British entrepreneur Simon Fuller.

The House of Haig is built on nearly 400 years of distilling heritage and the House of Haig can trace its whisky producing roots back to the seventeenth century.

Haig Club™ is made at Cameronbridge distillery in Scotland. The whisky has been crafted using a unique process that combines grain whisky from three cask types. This creates a fresh, clean style that showcases butterscotch and toffee for an ultra-smooth taste.

Haig Club™ is hugely versatile and delicious served neat or in a cocktail. The whisky's subtle taste pairs very well with food, especially seafood.

On Saturday, enjoy our regular wine tasting, from 2-4pm. In the same time slot, we're offering complimentary Gift Tag Wax Sealing on Dewar's Higher Marques. Click here for more information on that perfect last-minute gift idea.

We're extending the weekend to Monday, June 22, with our Bourbon Dinner at Vidalia Restaurant in Lawrenceville. Hosted by Toni Carver, our Store Manager, you'll enjoy a delicious dinner paired perfectly with an assortment of bourbons. And since it's the day after Father's Day, a ticket (or two) to this dinner would be an amazing present for the bourbon-loving dad in your life. Click here for details.

Looking ahead, July will include tastings from Cooperstown Distillery and Flying Fish Brewing Co., as well as a mixology event, featuring Crop Vodka. In addition, look for Christmas in July, which will be all about Growler station specials. More details will be available shortly.

Events in Woodbridge

We start the weekend early in Woodbridge, with tonight's free tasting from Flying Fish, 5-7pm. Established in 1996, Flying Fish is New Jersey's largest craft brewer.

Tomorrow is a tasting double-header. We offer our Friday wine tasting a little earlier than usual, from 3-5pm. Click here for the tasting menu.

The second half of our Friday agenda is a tasting of Guinness Blonde, from 5:30-8pm. Guinness Blonde is an American Lager.

On Saturday, we'll have overlapping events. Our wine tasting will be held at the regular time, from 1-3pm, with the same tasting menu as Friday. From 2-4pm, we're offering the Gift Tag Wax Sealing on Dewar's Higher Marques.

In addition to our wine tastings, July brings a number of other special events. Look for a Senor Sangria tasting on July 2, and a tasting from Cooperstown Distillery on July 11. We're having an after-hours event on July 12, our Christmas in July Toy Drive & Tasting. Details will be available shortly for that fun evening.

And there's more. We'll host tastings of Troeg's and Shiner Beers later in July. We'll close out July with a Weyerbacher Small Plates Dinner on July 31. Four courses will be expertly paired with five beers. Additional details will be coming soon.

We hope to see you this weekend!

Wine+ Wednesday

Today's headline covers everyone who prefers an alliteration, while also noting that we've been accepting deliveries of more than just wine. Let's take a look at some of the most recent arrivals at Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge.

Domaines Ott Clos Mireille Blanc de Blancs Côtes de Provence. While producing some of the best rosé wines anywhere, Domaines Ott isn't just a one-trick winery.

The Clos Mireille Blanc de Blancs is 70% Semillon and 30% Vermentino, grown in an area where the microclimate and sea spray provide favorable conditions for the production of exceptional wines.

This wine is a pale yellow color, having crystal highlights with hints of bronze. Fruity white peach, citrus and tropical fruit nose. Fresh, lively bite with white fruit aromas, full-bodied and generous in the mouth; garrigue flower and citrus zest notes. A fresh, elegant finish, leaving an impression of refined sophistication.

$38.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Yellow Tail Sangria Blanco. Summer in New Jersey always means having a white sangria nearby. The Sangria Blanco has tropical fruit flavors of pineapples. Ripe peaches give the wine a sweet, rounded mouth feel. Fresh limes ensure a crisp, refreshing finish.

In 750ML and 1.5L bottles, in Woodbridge only.


Captain Morgan Grapefruit Rum. A ripe, juicy and ruby red grapefruit profile balanced with background notes of molasses and tropical fruit. Slightly tart with natural flavors that yield a refreshingly crisp finish. A summer's sunset in a bottle.

The Bottle Club® prices are $19.99 for the 750ML, and $25.99 for the 1.75L.

Feudo di Santa Tresa Frappato Sicilia IGT. Added by customer requests, Frappato is a native Sicilian varietal that has a thin skin and large berries. It contributes fresh fruit character to the Cerasuolo di Vittoria blend and is a lively, fruit-forward wine when vinified on its own.

Often a revelation to wine drinkers, Frappato is elegant and refreshing – surprisingly more delicate than many of the muscular reds of Sicily, yet full of character. Santa Tresa Frappato could be termed a “modern classic” – a modern interpretation of an antique style of wine – with all the character of the Frappato grape variety, made in a really modern, approachable way. In Vittoria, it is often enjoyed slightly chilled, with grilled fish.

The bouquet is fresh and lively, reminiscent of wild strawberries and delicate sweet spices. The palate is smooth and long, with hints of spice. The acidity races through the wine, lifting the fruit and releasing a whole variety of fruit flavors in the mouth.

Grilled or barbecued poultry and tomato-based pasta dishes go very well with Frappato, and it complements certain fish dishes brilliantly. One favorite is Pistachio covered tuna – there are lots of different ways to serve tuna in Sicily and this is one of the best!

Currently available only in Lawrenceville, but coming soon to Woodbridge. Priced at $11.99.

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye combines the distinctive flavor of Canadian rye grain with the unmistakable smoothness of Crown Royal for a truly exceptional Canadian whisky.

On the nose: Baking spices, cereal, light wood spices. The palate: Gentle oak note, rich butterscotch, spiced vanilla, develops into soft peppery notes. The finish: Smooth and creamy.

$31.99 in the Bottle Club®.

A Beautiful Wine

A beautiful Pinot Noir may not be your everyday red, but it's definitely there for weekends and special occasions. Pair it with anything from a salad to salmon to ham, chicken, turkey and beef, it's as versatile a wine as you could want. And over the last decade or so, some truly amazing Pinot Noir's have come from Oregon. That's why today's focus is on Evening Land.

The Evening Land has long been a symbol of the dream quest to find the mythical Greek garden where the golden fruits of immortality grew – tethered to the setting sun on the western rim of the known world – just beyond the reach of mortals.

Inspired by the myth, we began our own journey to find the "perfect vinegarden" along the coastal world in which we could grow exceptional Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir and Chardonnay grapes.

Evening Land Vineyards was born in 2005 with the purchase of Occidental Vineyard on California's Sonoma Coast.  We later traveled north to acquire Seven Springs Vineyard in Oregon's Eola-Amity Hills. Finally, we crossed an ocean to begin producing wine in Burgundy.

Situated in the southeastern Eola-Amity Hills, our Seven Springs Vineyard is dry-farmed using biodynamic practices.  The Pacific Ocean breeze, volcanic soil, eastern exposure, and high elevation contribute to the natural preservation of the grapes' acidity and enrich the wines with elegant flavors and minerality.

Sixty-five acres were initially planted in the early 1980’s.  Today, Seven Springs Vineyard is a 70 acre vineyard.  The vineyard's soil consists of iron-rich, volcanic rock with a thin layer of top soil - less than 36 inches  right along the volcanic flow line.

The 2012 Pinot Noir, Eola Amity Hills rated 93 points from Wine Spectator. "Silky, expressive and minerally, this medium-weight red layers its blackberry, black cherry, tar and river stone flavors and aromatics on an open frame, lingering easily on the polished finish. Drink now through 2022."

We have a couple of other wines from Evening Land, and they are also highly-rated, exceptional Pinot Noirs.

The 2012 Pinot Noir, Seven Springs Vineyard, Eola Amity Hills is a deep garnet in color with a ruby edge. The nose is dominated with freshly picked blackberries, toasted almonds, baking spice and hints of citrus. The palate is pleasantly balanced, shows soft tannins and notes of freshly made grenadine. The finish is endless and expresses beautiful minerality, a lingering acidity, and perseverant fruit that all undeniably and characteristically come from the Seven Springs Estate. It rated 96 points from Wine Spectator.

Finally, the 2012 Pinot Noir, La Source, Seven Springs Vineyard, Eola Amity Hills scored 98 points from Wine Spectator. Their review: "Seductive, silky and supple, this red layers its gorgeous currant, plum, blueberry and spice flavors on a lithe frame, coming together harmoniously on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2022." The winemaker notes: "This wine is dark red and garnet in color with light edges. The nose has hints of baking spice, dried violets, warmed raspberries, licorice, cocoa, sweet tobacco, and burnt marshmallow. Narrow on the entry, due to its fine tannins, the wine opens up to a very elegant, well-structured palate with beautiful acidity that leads to a lasting finish." Currently, La Source is only available in Woodbridge.

Evening Land wines are created with energy, purity, transparency and elegance with insistence on true appreciation of site. Whether you're looking for a special Pinot for the weekend or for your cellar, Evening Land offers you great choices.

Mid-Year Gift Giving Time

We're going to offer a gentle reminder that Father's Day is this coming Sunday. Even if you missed our bottle-engraving events this past weekend, we still have great gift choices available.

2013 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most sought-after ultra-premium California wines. We've just received a shipment of the latest vintage, the 2013. Caymus Napa Valley delivers big aromas and flavors that include cocoa, cassis and vanilla. Caymus prides itself on producing wines that are as approachable in youth as well at maturity.

Like all wines of this stature, availability is fairly limited. Priced at only $64.99 in the Bottle Club®. We always sell out of the Caymus, so we recommend getting your bottle, or bottles, as soon as you can.

For those who prefer a Scotch whiskey, we can recommend the Laphroaig 15 year old. Laphroaig 15 year old was first created 30 years ago. Barrels were individually selected for their particularly mellow rounded flavor, then batch bottled at the higher export strength of 43% ABV. The resulting flavor soon became a firm favorite, winning many awards. Its highlight was being chosen for the famous ‘Erskine Charity Bottling’ in 2000, when 270 bottles were drawn from a single 15 year old cask signed by HRH The Prince of Wales for this charity of which he is a patron.

On the nose, there are initial scents of grapefruit and fresh mint. A touch of water releases salted caramel, with signature Islay peat smoke underlying sweet orchard fruit aromas. On the palate, enjoy pink peppercorns, light peat smoke with a soft dryness, before a finish of tobacco and faint sea salt.

If you're inclined toward the Laphroaig 15, please note that we have a coupon posted on our website for an additional saving. Please click here to view the coupon. Only $69.99 in the Bottle Club®, before the coupon savings.

While there's no time for a bottle engraving, a purchase of Dewar's Higher Marques offers you the option of a wax seal gift tag. Click here for more information on this, which will run from 2-4pm on Saturday, at both stores.

Maybe a shared special dinner interests you. On Monday, June 22, we are hosting a Bourbon dinner at Vidalia's in Lawrenceville. Great Bourbons, like Elmer T. Lee, Basil Hayden and more will be paired with some of Vidalia's exceptional dishes. Lawrenceville's Store Manager Toni Carver will be your host for the evening. Please click here for information.

Of course, if you don't want to make a final decision yourself, a Joe Canal's Gift Card is available from any cashier, in any denomination.

At Joe Canal's, we have hundreds of items that will make great gifts. If you're not sure, just ask any store associate for assistance.

Weekend Grab Bag

Between the events at both stores and the heavier-than-usual delivery schedule, this has been quite a week at Joe Canal's. As you're out and about this weekend, we hope you'll include at least one stop at Lawrenceville or Woodbridge in your agenda. Here's what's going on:

In-Store Events

We dedicated yesterday's blog post to the events at both Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge. Click here for that post. There's a lot going on at the stores, so definitely check that out.

New Products

Stone Enjoy By 7.04.15. Tasting notes, provided by Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele: "We took the opportunity with this beer to use several interesting techniques we’ve learned during our many years of brewing great double IPAs. The result is an intense, dry beer with very little malt sweetness, but with plenty of malt flavor to provide a background to the enormous...or shall I say "ginormous" hop character. Hopping, as might be expected, was over the top. First, the brew was mash-hopped with Ahtanum, one of our favorite hop varieties, after which we kettle-hopped with a very small dose of Super Galena hop extract for bittering. Then, using a technique known in homebrew circles as “hop bursting,” we loaded up very heavily on the flavor hops at the end of the boil and in the whirlpool. Simcoe, Delta, Target and Amarillo were used in the late kettle hop. Simcoe, Amarillo, Calypso and Cascade were used for the whirlpool hop. As you can clearly tell, this beer was super hoppy even before we dry-hopped it, but then we went for it...dry-hopping with primarily Southern Hemisphere hops, including Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin, Motueka and Helga."

Aroma: Intense hoppiness, resin, peaches, and hints of tropical fruit are all evident in the aroma.

Taste: Smooth malt up front, quickly dissipating into a massive onslaught of hops. The dankness and peach notes come through strongly.

Palate: Smooth with hints of alcohol, and a perfect balance of bitterness and dryness on the back end.

Suggested pairings, provided by Stone Craft Beer Ambassador “Dr.” Bill Sysak

Appetizers: Guacamole, kimchi, salt and pepper shrimp (or tofu), sausage-stuffed jalapeños

Main course: Chicken-fried steak, Merguez sausage, gumbo, chile relleno, Thai drunken noodles

Dessert: Carrot cake, peach cobbler, ginger spice cake, pumpkin cheesecake

Cheeses: Parmigiano-Reggiano, extra aged Cheddar, Rogue Creamery Caveman Blue, Mimolette

Cigars: Alec Bradley Trilogy Authentic Corojo, Altadis U.S.A Edición Limitada, Camacho Select

Available in 12oz six-packs or 22oz bombers.

Also new is Stone Saison, available only in Woodbridge.

Domaines Ott. The weather finally feels like summer, and, right on cue, the new vintage of three different Domaines Ott rose wines have arrived.

Their Clos Mireille starts with a powerful, elegant nose that combines white fruits and wild strawberry, alongside citrus zest with light cardamom notes. It has a soft, firm structure in the mouth, balanced by a crispiness with fruity notes and a touch of grapefruit. The smooth, suave finish expresses the complexity of Clos Mireille, as well as its coastal location. 70% Grenache, 20% Cinsault and 10% Syrah.

Their Chateau de Selle is 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 15% Syrah and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The fine nose is evocative of peach and lemon, with cinnamon and vanilla notes. In the mouth there is a combination of the fine terroir, full-bodiedness and fresh fruitiness.

Tasting notes are not currently available for their Les Domaniers.

Crop Vodka. Starting with the purely finest ingredients available, our Crop Harvest Earth Vodkas are USDA certified organic, artisanal vodkas produced from grain grown on America's plains. Crop organic grain is harvested from fertile, healthy soil free of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals, and Crop Vodkas are distilled so efficiently that no carbon treatment or charcoal filtering is required.

Crop Organic Artisanal Vodka has a refreshingly crisp, clean, pure taste. Crop Cucumber Vodka captures the essence of freshly sliced cucumbers. Crop Meyer Lemon Vodka strikes a delicate balance between the sweet and tart flavors of this unique fruit. Talented Bar Chefs are using our unique Crop Vodka to create exciting, innovative new recipes.

Ripped from the Headlines

Snoop Dogg is suing Pabst Brewing over royalties for Colt 45. Click here for the story.

Save this story for the winter. Does red wine help fight the common cold?

Have a great weekend!