Wine Tasting and Holiday Wine Sale December 17 ’11
Xmas Sale Xmas Sale Xmas Sale Xmas Sale
Maybe it’s the weather, or maybe it’s the creeping buildup of inventory, or perhaps the marketing tips we have been getting from many of you over the last few weeks. Or, maybe we just want to give our Faithful a good deal on wines for the holidays. For whatever reason, through the rest of December you can buy a mixed case of wine from our “Under $12” corner for a mere $99! Ohmidog, that’s only $8.25 a bottle! (plus tax, of course). Choose from a selection of over 30 wines. So come in and load up!
Download notes on the sale wines
Four Bottle Deal Four Bottle Deal Four Bottle Deal Four Bottle Deal
For some years now we have offered an 8.6% discount on purchases of four bottles or more, which essentially means we pay the sales tax if you buy more wine. We periodically have signs up about this in the wine shop, and most of the regulars know about it, but still we find people who didn’t know about it and are pleasantly surprised! But I don’t think it has made it to the blog before, so now it’s Official!
Bubbly Bubbly Bubbly Bubbly Bubbly
have stocked up with some great choices for Holiday Bubbles, all of which have been crowd-pleasers at the shop this year. We are very likely to be pouring one or more of these Friday and Saturday, so come on by! They include:
- Domaine Laurens Cremant de Limoux (France) $14
Long before there was “champagne,” there was this, from a little area in the SW corner of France near the Spanish border (we were there in October!), with creamy mousse texture, and notes of baked apple, prune, and yeasty minerality. - Argyle Brut sparkling wine ’07 Oregon WA90pts $23
Not only does this little Oregon winery make great pinot noir, it also has earned a reputation for producing terrific Old World style sparkling wine. This blend of chardonnay and pinot noir displays a bouquet of brioche, pear, apple, and white peach. Crisp, balanced, and lengthy, it’s an outstanding value. - Giro Ribot Cava Spain $14
Delicate bubbles, deep minerality, and intoxicating white flower and mushroom aromas made this one sell out in minutes when we poured it last month. - Foss Marai prosecco Italy $14
Easy-drinking Italian bubbly with bouquet of floral aromas with a predominance of wisteria; supremely soft and round on the palate…never met a prosecco I didn’t like!
FINAL REMINDER! TRUFFLES TRUFFLES TRUFFLES TRUFFLES
For Christmas there will be four flavors of Pat and Janice’s famous truffles, made right here in the fabulous Artisan Wine Gallery “kitchen,” packaged in boxes of four for $5. Flavors will include four old favorites, all made by hand from exquisite French chocolate. Will be available for pickup December 22-23 by appointment, or during regular hours Dec 24. If you have not had these, you have missed one of Life’s Most Pleasurable Experiences!
- Chipotle Chile and Cinnamon: dipped in delectable dark chocolate
- Fleur de Sel Caramel: perhaps the all-time classic favorite, dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt
- Toasted Coconut: white chocolate & coconut milk centers, dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in toasted coconut
- Triple chocolate: milk and white chocolate centers, dipped in dark chocolate
- Please note: Sales by reservation only: Call Pat at 758-2959 to order.
- Yes we can ship for New Year’s!
SPECIAL PRE-HOLIDAY HOURS Week before Christmas
Okay, let’s have a little heart to heart. We know you buy wine from Otherwhere, though of course we can’t imagine why, and like long-time lovers, we have learned not to talk about it. We even had a close friend recently tell us how pleased s/he is to buy wine from the Coop because, you know, it keeps them in business. Through the tears I tried to hint that, well, gee, that’s nice, but really, they are a pretty big business compared to, er…some of us.
We all have reasons why we shop where we shop. And we have reasons for wanting you to buy more of your wine from us and to get others to do the same. (Back of the envelope calculations suggest that about 80% of folks on the Island have never visited our shop, which is kind of a head-scratcher…). And to do that, we don’t want you to have to give up anything. We want you to GAIN something! Which is to say, we would like to engage you in a conversation about how we can be your main source for wine, giving you the wines you like best at the lowest possible prices and the least possible inconvenience.
(Disclaimers: 1: No small business can compete with Costco; if they have wines you like, you should buy them there because Mom and Pop simply cannot compete. 2. If you buy full cases of favorite, readily available wines, The Islander has a minimal markup, and we encourage you to order from Brad for the best deal on those.) But for the rest maybe we could deliver right to your door??!
One possible problem is “duh, you guys are, like, never open!” which is, okay, fair, cuz yes, our hours are pretty limited. But for THIS WEEK as an experiment we will be open EVERY DAY (M-F) from 4:30 – 6:30 just in case you would like to drop in, chat, and enjoy a free glass of something nice. We will also be open for our regular hours on Friday, December 23, and Saturday, December 24 for the usual do-it-yourself Happy Hour (2-6) and last-minute shopping.
Sixth Annual “East Coast” New Year’s Eve Gala Extravaganza 
From 7-9pm on New Year’s Eve! We provide the wine, you bring something delicious to share, and when the ball drops in Times Square we hoist our glasses and toast the Year of the Dragon. You young folks can move on to your next party, and we old timers can get to bed at a decent hour! It’s our chance to thank you for your support this past year, and to look ahead to more fun in aught-twelve. Mark your calendars and start planning your finger food. And please–RSVP if you are coming! (758-2959)
This week’s wine tasting:
The fact is that we spent much of the evening enjoying the Gadjo Gypsies concert at the Church, and I don’t have a clue about what wines we will pour on Saturday. I’m thinking they will involve something bubbly, and several choices from the markdown list. And maybe Something Extra Nice.
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2072 Granger Way