Having the privilege of finally bringing wine and beer into The Mercantile was a huge day for us. We are so thrilled to at last add this final piece to the puzzle. We are starting small at The Mercantile, but look forward to steadily growing our wine program with unique, affordable wines from off the beaten path. For the summer, we have chosen two wines from the Jon-David Headrick portfolio out of the Loire Valley. We call them our “Summer Sophisticates” and I personally can’t wait to sit at home on my deck with a slightly chilled bottle of Jean Francois-Merieau’s “bois jacou” gamay and some Port Salud cheese from Spain. Our summer white selection is an unoaked 2007 chardonnay from Domaine de la Fruitiere. It’s richer on the pallete than you expect it to be and it’s balanced acidity knocked my socks off! I’ll definitely be finding some shellfish and oysters for this summer wine. We are introducing these wines to our guests in an educational tasting this coming Saturday, June 6 at noon. Please join us.
Wine has been one of the most basic things in life for centuries. For me, the most thrilling thing about wine is the mythology that often comes behind it. My favorite thing to say around the shop is “food is storytelling and wine is mythology.” It’s unusual to find a great wine without a good story behind it. For many winemakers, wine is about being a true expression or representation of the land from which it grows. I love this notion. When I pick up a bottle and I think about the soil from which it grew, the culture that has consumed it for ages, the climate it survived or thrived in and the hands that pampered and plucked those grapes, I figure I’m holding 750 milliliters of life and diversity in my hands. Now that is art!
Despite my philosophical ramblings about wine, it’s important to us in the shop to make an effort to take away any of the uppity or elitist notions that is often associated with wine drinking and wine buying. If someone comes into the shop and can’t find any bottles they recognize on the shelf, that doesn’t mean they are encountering anything elitist or rare. It also doesn’t mean someone is clueless. It simply means they’re encountering wines that may not be heavily produced or widely marketed. We search expressly for humble, yet special selections that have a focus on farming and land and may be a bit unusual to the mainstream market place. We find gratification in the thrill of the hunt!
The way I see it, wine drinkers and lovers span the gamut. I love talking about acidity and trying to pinpoint flavors. I fully intend to one day be able to make sense of all those minute appellations in France. Sometimes though I just want to kick back with an uncomplicated glass of something yummy and not think about it. For those kinds of days, I’ve picked out some summer house wines from Morandé’s Pinero line out of Chile. Folks can stop by and grab a bottle of zesty sauvignon blanc, a nice light pinot noir or a creamy chardonnay. We’re on a journey with wine at The Mercantile and I invite you to join us anytime in any part of that journey. It’s gonna be fun and it’s gonna be an adventure. See you in the shop!
Wine has been one of the most basic things in life for centuries. For me, the most thrilling thing about wine is the mythology that often comes behind it. My favorite thing to say around the shop is “food is storytelling and wine is mythology.” It’s unusual to find a great wine without a good story behind it. For many winemakers, wine is about being a true expression or representation of the land from which it grows. I love this notion. When I pick up a bottle and I think about the soil from which it grew, the culture that has consumed it for ages, the climate it survived or thrived in and the hands that pampered and plucked those grapes, I figure I’m holding 750 milliliters of life and diversity in my hands. Now that is art!
Despite my philosophical ramblings about wine, it’s important to us in the shop to make an effort to take away any of the uppity or elitist notions that is often associated with wine drinking and wine buying. If someone comes into the shop and can’t find any bottles they recognize on the shelf, that doesn’t mean they are encountering anything elitist or rare. It also doesn’t mean someone is clueless. It simply means they’re encountering wines that may not be heavily produced or widely marketed. We search expressly for humble, yet special selections that have a focus on farming and land and may be a bit unusual to the mainstream market place. We find gratification in the thrill of the hunt!
The way I see it, wine drinkers and lovers span the gamut. I love talking about acidity and trying to pinpoint flavors. I fully intend to one day be able to make sense of all those minute appellations in France. Sometimes though I just want to kick back with an uncomplicated glass of something yummy and not think about it. For those kinds of days, I’ve picked out some summer house wines from Morandé’s Pinero line out of Chile. Folks can stop by and grab a bottle of zesty sauvignon blanc, a nice light pinot noir or a creamy chardonnay. We’re on a journey with wine at The Mercantile and I invite you to join us anytime in any part of that journey. It’s gonna be fun and it’s gonna be an adventure. See you in the shop!
-Janea Boyles
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1 comment:
Ok, this is my very first attempt at blogging, but my favorite place, The Mercantile, inspired this maiden voyage into the 21st century. I am so happy that this gem opened in my neighborhood. Any time I want some wholesome "takeout" I just call and order a meal that is healthy and DELICIOUS. Since I have made The Mercantile a constant part of my meal routine I have lost 5 pounds. I shared this with Janea and Chef Samantha because I thought maybe they were giving me the "low fat" version of everything :) but I was happily surprised to find out that they treat everyone with such loving care. Thank you so much ladies for feeding my body and soul, it's wonderful to have such a thoughtful menu of delicious healthy meals to choose from with NO GUILT.
On another note, my husband and I love the new menu. The worst thing about the old format was the feeling that we missed something great if we picked one meal over the other on any given evening. Now, we are able to pick a meal an evening and never miss out on the tasty goodness. Brunch all day on the weekends was a stroke of genius. It satisfies my need for comfort food and breakfast all day and there are options like soups salads and sandwiches that satisfy my husband's need for "regular" food after breakfast.
If I successfully post this, I will comment about the wines later. I have tried two bottles, one white and one red, and each was simply delicious and ridiculously affordable. But I digress...
Faithful Mercantiler and Neighbor,
Toinette
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