Happy 1st Anniversary To Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet!

Happy 1 Year Anniversary to the owners of Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet in Melrose! And Best Wishes for many more years to come. 

A year ago, I first met the new owners, Vijay, Andy, Puja, and Brian, and it was with a little trepidation that we discussed their plans for the shop. That's a normal situation with new owners of any business. What is their objective for the business? How will the business change? Will the staff be retained?

Their answers were very positive, and uttered with complete sincerity, so that my trepidations vanished. They wanted the shop to be an artisan wine, beer and spirits store. They certainly didn't want to turn it into a package or convenience store. They also planned on retaining any of the staff who desired to work there. Finally, there would be changes, but they hoped only positive ones, those which would further their primary objective. 

After this past year, I'm pleased to report that they have lived up to everything they told me that first day. All of the new owners are sincere and hardworking, fully open to suggestions from all of the staff. And all of the current staff previously worked for Beacon Hill Wine.  

Victoria Hill is a destination shop, not just a neighborhood shop, a place which attracts people from all of the surrounding communities. In large part, this is accomplished by offering products that aren't available at many other local wine and liquor shops, including the big box shops. The diversity of their selection continues to always expand, and have been greatly welcomed by the customers. 

For example, the wine selections, numbering around 600, include offerings from about 25 different countries, including less commonly available wines from regions including Croatia, Lebanon, Georgia, Armenia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Peru, Brazil, Slovenia, Hungary, Switzerland, and more. Wines from additional countries, such as Mexico, Canada, and England, may be added in the future when good choices can be found.    

To expand their wine selection, new wooden wine shelves, such as the ones pictured above, have been added, allowing the shop to stock even more wines. These two shelving units are devoted to Portuguese and Spanish wines, from Vinho Verde to Port, from Albarino to Txacoli.  

There's also a new shelving unit for Sparkling Wines (from Crémant to House Champagne, Cava to Grower Champagne) and Rosé Wines (from Provence to Txakoli, Italy to California). The shelving unit also has some Ciders, Non-alcoholic Wines, Mocktails and Mixers. 

In addition, about 25%-30% of their wine selection are "Natural Wines," which is used as an overall designation for wines that are Biodynamic, organic, sustainable, or similarly produced, whether certified or not. To more easily locate the Natural wines, you simply have to check the new wine price labels, shown above, and look for an "N" in the right hand corner. More Natural wines continue to be added all the time.  

The store also carries a variety of interesting and delicious Sakes, from Junmai to Honjozo, Ginjo to Daiginjo, Sparkling Sake to Yuzu Infused. And if you need help selecting Sake, just ask me while I'm working and I'll be more than willing to help you.

I continue to conduct Wine Tastings every Thursday evening, from 5-7pm, and every Saturday afternoon, from 1-4pm. The tastings showcase diverse wines, exposing many customers to wines, countries and grapes they have never previously sampled. Customers have been very appreciative of this approach, and open to tasting more unique wines. They have often found new favorite wines, buying wines they wouldn't have purchased on their own, wary of buying a wine they've never experienced or knew little about. There have also been plenty of repeat customers who regularly come to the tastings to experience these new wines. 

On Friday nights, there are also often additional tastings, of Wine, Beer or Spirits. Please come by any of these tastings to expand your palate and taste some delicious and fascinating new wines, beers and spirits.  

Besides the diverse wine selection, the Beer chiller contains an excellent assortment of craft beers and ciders, many from local breweries, as well as some of the usual favorites, from Modelo to Budweiser. Customers have been very complimentary about the beer selection. 

The Spirits selection is diverse as well, including some harder to find selections, from Blanton's Bourbon to Chartreuse. Local spirits can also be found, from producers such as Barr Hill and Short Path.

Another physical change to the store has been new and extra lighting, to make the store brighter and easier for customers to see all of the selections. A new chiller case was also added, which holds wines, single beers, and hard seltzers.   

More changes are in the planning stages as well, such as the addition of more wooden wine racks, and possibly a new wine tasting station. As the holiday season approaches, even more wines will be added, included more higher end wines, which are great gifts for family and friends. 

Many thanks go to Vijay, Andy, Puja, and Brian, for creating an excellent store, for carrying a diverse and interesting selection, and for being open to suggestions. They have worked very hard during this past year, and it has been a real pleasure to work for them. 

If you live in Melrose, check out Victoria Hill and see what your new neighborhood wine, beer & spirits shop has to offer. If you live outside Melrose, please also check out this destination spot as you are likely to find plenty of selections that aren't available at your own neighborhood wine shop. And please come to the tastings and learn more about the wonders of wines, beer and spirits from all over the world! 

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet
538 Main Street, Melrose
(781) 665-3332
Hours of Operation: Monday to Wednesday: 10am-8pm, Thursday to Saturday: 10am-9pm; Sunday: 10am-7pm. 

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet: An Update on the New Shop

Eight months have now passed since Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet in Melrose replaced the former Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet. I worked at Beacon Hill for about 12 years, and have continued to work at the new Victoria Hill. I previously wrote an update about Victoria Hill at its third month anniversary, and now I want to update my thoughts and insights about the new shop. 

First, Victoria Hill is an artisan wine, beer and spirits shop which is intended to be a destination shop, not merely a neighborhood store. Its objective is to attract customers not only from Melrose but also from all of the surrounding communities. This is done by offering products that aren't available at other local wine and liquor shops, including the big box shops. The diversity of their selection continues to always expand, and have been greatly welcomed by the customers. 

To expand their wine selection, new wine shelves, such as the one pictured above, have been added, allowing the shop to stock even more wine selections. As an example, the shelves above contain Portuguese wines, from Vinho Verde to Port, Madeira to Douro still wines. Spanish wines are on similar new wine shelves.  

There's also a new shelving unit for Sparkling Wines (from Crémant to House Champagne, Cava to Grower Champagne) to Rosé Wines (from Provence to Txakoli, Italy to California). Overall, the shop now stocks approximately 600 wines! 

Victoria Hill also carries about 125 "Natural Wines," which is used as an overall designation for wines that are Biodynamic, organic, sustainable, or similarly produced, whether certified or not. To more easily locate the Natural wines, you simply have to check the new wine price labels, shown above, and look for an "N" in the right hand corner. More Natural wines will be coming in the near future too.  

The wine selections also now come from about 25 different countries, including less commonly available wines from regions including Croatia, Lebanon, Georgia, Armenia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Uruguay, Slovenia, Switzerland, and more. Wines from additional countries will also be added over the next several months.   

I have continued to conduct Wine Tastings every Thursday evening, from 5-7pm, and every Saturday afternoon, from 1-4pm. The tastings showcase diverse wines, exposing many customers to wines, countries and grapes they have never previously sampled. Customers have been very appreciative of this approach, and open to tasting more unique wines. They have often found new favorite wines, buying wines they wouldn't have purchased on their own, wary of buying a wine they've never experienced or knew little about. There have also been plenty of repeat customers who regularly come to the tastings to experience these new wines. 

The shop also conducts Beer Tastings and Spirit tastings on Friday nights. Please come by any of these tastings to expand your palate and taste some delicious and fascinating new wines, beers and spirits.  

Besides the diverse wine selection, the beer and spirits selection has also grown in numbers and diversity. The main beer chiller above contains many different craft beers, including plenty of local selections. The spirits selection has also expanded, including some harder to find items, from Blanton's Bourbon to Chartreuse.

Much positive progress has been made during their first eight months, and the store has plans for additional changes. They are also open to suggestions and recommendations. If you live in Melrose, check out Victoria Hill and see what your new neighborhood wine, beer & spirits shop has to offer. If you live outside Melrose, please also check out Victoria Hill as you are likely to plenty of selections that aren't available at your own neighborhood wine shop. And please come to the wine tastings and learn more about the wonders of wines from all over the world! 

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet
538 Main Street, Melrose
(781) 665-3332
Hours of Operation: Monday to Wednesday: 10am-8pm, Thursday to Saturday: 10am-9pm; Sunday: 10am-7pm. 

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet: Happy 3 Month Anniversary

Today's the 3 Month Anniversary of the new Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet in Melrose, which replaced the former Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet. I worked at Beacon Hill for about 12 years, and have continued to work at the new Victoria Hill. So, let me share some of my thoughts and insights about the first three months of the new shop. 

First, the new owners, Vijay, Andy, Brian and Puja, are very sincere and hardworking, and intend the shop to be an artisan wine, beer and spirits shop. They are not seeking to turn it into a package store or convenience store. It's intended to be a destination shop, and not merely a neighborhood shop, so that people from all of the surrounding communities will want to shop there too. And the changes they have already initiated have largely moved towards the achievement of that objective. 

Second, the shop is obviously still a work in progress, and more changes will be coming over the next months. During the past three months, there has been much positive progress moving forward, and the new owners have various plans for the future, all continuing to move towards their primary objective. Many customers have been complimentary about the various changes. 

Third, the new owners have been expanding the available selections, both alcohol and gourmet food, on a variety of levels. There are numerous new beer selections, from local brews to beers from places like China and the Philippines. The whiskey selection has expanded, including some harder to find selections, from Blanton's Bourbon to Buffalo Trace. And there have been some additional intriguing new spirits, from Chartreuse to Japanese Vermouth.

Of particular interest to me, the wine selection has become larger and more diverse. The shop now carries over 500 different wines and Sake, from 19 countries, including: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States (California, New York, Oregon and Washington). And more wines are coming, including some from other countries, maybe including places like Armenia, Great Britain, Mexico, Moldova, Turkey and Uruguay. Numerous more natural wines are also on the shelves. 

Fourth, I now conduct Wine Tastings every Thursday evening, from 5-7pm, and every Saturday, from 1-4pm. I try to showcase all of the different wines we now carry, to expose people to the diversity of wine. Customers seem to be very appreciative of this approach, and open to trying more unique wines. We have plenty of repeat customers who regularly come to the tastings to experience new wines. The shop also conducts Beer Tastings on Friday nights. Please come by at any of these times to expand your palate and taste some delicious and fascinating new wines and beers.  

Fifth, some of the physical changes to the store include new lighting, to make the store brighter, and a new chiller case, which holds wines, single beers, and hard seltzers. Additional wine shelves have been added, with more to come, allowing the shop to stock even more of a diversity of wine selections.  

Much positive progress has been made, and it will continue in the future. If you live in Melrose, check out Victoria Hill and see what your new neighborhood wine, beer & spirits shop has to offer. If you live outside Melrose, please also check out Victoria Hill as you are likely to find a number of selections that aren't available at your own neighborhood wine shop. Victoria Hill is intended to be a destination spot, where people from all of the surrounding communities will want to come because of its unique and diverse selection.

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet
538 Main Street, Melrose
(781) 665-3332
Monday to Wednesday: 10am-8pm, Thursday to Saturday: 10am-9pm; Sunday: 10am-7pm. 

Sake Day Celebration: September 28 in Melrose

Raise an ochoko, a small, traditional Sake cup, and celebrate Sake Day ("Nihonshu no Hi"), which occurs on October 1. Sake Day originated back in 1978 by a declaration of the Japan Saké Brewers Association. It's now celebrated worldwide, although local celebrations are sparse.

 

Why was October 1 chosen? Interestingly, the Chinese character for Sake (酒) is very similar to the Chinese zodiac sign for the Rooster (酉), the tenth sign. Thus, the first day of the tenth month, October, became Sake Day. It may also be due in part to the fact that October is generally the start of the Sake brewing season.

This year, I will be presiding over a special Sake Tasting event to celebrate Sake Day. On Saturday, September 28, from 1pm-4pm, come see me at Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet (538 Main St., Melrose). I will be pouring 5 different Sakes, along with some nibbles, and providing interesting information and education about the wonders of Sake. 

Forget about that cheap, hot Sake you might have had at some Asian restaurant! These will be premium, chilled Sakes. Sake is also not just for Sushi. It's very food friendly and you can drink it with any type of food. If you attend the tasting, you will also get a Sake handout that includes a recipe for Garlic Teriyaki Sauce (which uses Sake) and two recipes for Sake cocktails. 

Hope you see you on September 28. Kanpai!

A New Wine Shop in Melrose: Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet

There's a new wine shop in Melrose.....

About 15 years ago, Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet, owned and operated by Rebecca & Gene Beraldi, was established in Melrose, and I worked there for 12 of those years. In mid-August, the Beraldis sold the store, which is now known as Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet. I have remained as an employee at the new store. 

The new owners, Vijay, Andy, Brian and Puja, are very sincere people and they intend the shop to be an artisan wine, beer and spirits shop. They are not seeking to turn it into a package store or convenience store. They have been expanding the available selections on a variety of levels. Obviously, with the new ownership, there have been changes at the wine shop, but they have largely been positive, and the owners have been very open to suggestions about such changes. 

For example, one of the minor changes is that Rosé wines are now stocked in the chiller, which I believe is an excellent idea. This has been met with positive feedback from many customers. Another change is that numerous different beers, especially IPAs, are now stocked in the chillers, although many old favorites are still stocked, and that new beer selection has also been met with raves from the beer customers. 

A variety of new wine selections have also been added, with many more coming in the next few months, including wines from Portugal, Georgia, Greece, Lebanon, Moldova, Croatia, and more. Customers will have many intriguing choices in what wines to purchase. I've had some input in the new wines and Sakes that have been brought in, such as the Ramos Pinto Ports, including their amazing 20 Year Old Tawny. Another example is that I also suggested wines from Lebanon, from the famed Chateau Musar (pictured above). Come see me at the store and I'll show you all of the new wines.

Chartreuse, the acclaimed liqueur made by Carthusian monks, is also now available at the shop. As devotees of this spirit know, there has been a shortage of Charteuse for several years, and it has been difficult to find in local shops. So, if you're interested in this French herbal liqueur, you now know where you can find a bottle. Although it might sell out soon, so take action if you want to purchase a bottle. 

We're conducting Wine Tastings every Saturday, from 1-4pm, sampling new wines, as well as every Thursday night, starting at 5pm. Soon, we will also be conducting Beer Tastings on Friday nights, and additional special tasting events might occur on other nights. Please come by at any of these times to expand your palate and taste some delicious and fascinating new wines!

We will be holding a special Sake Tasting event on Saturday, September 28, in honor of International Sake Day on October 1. We shall have several Sakes to sample, accompanied by some nibbles, and everyone who attends the event will receive a special handout with information about Sake, including a food recipe and a couple cocktail recipes. More information about this Sake event will be posted soon. 

If you live in Melrose, check out Victoria Hill and see what your new neighborhood wine, beer & spirits shop has to offer. If you live outside Melrose, please also check out Victoria Hill as you are likely to find a number of selections that aren't available at your neighborhood wine shop. Victoria Hill is intended to be a destination spot, where people from all of the surrounding communities will want to come because of its unique and diverse selection.

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet

538 Main Street, Melrose

(781) 665-3332

Monday to Wednesday: 10am-8pm, Thursday to Saturday: 10am-9pm; Sunday: 10am-7pm.

The Bangkok Brings Tasty Thai & Vietnamese To Melrose

Good things something come in small packages.

The Bankgok is a small, new Thai/Vietnamese restaurant on West Wyoming Avenue, near the railroad tracks, in Melrose, that opened around mid-March. There are about five small tables, for two people, in the restaurant and they have room to put up another couple tables if they get busy. They also do take-out and delivery, though delivery may be limited to the evening hours. I've dined there on multiple occasions, mostly during lunch time, and including getting take-out one evening.

Their website has little information about the restaurant beyond the necessary basics, though you will find their full menu online. Some research indicates that corporate officers are also connected to Pho & Rice in Somerville and Thana Thai Kitchen in Arlington. In the near future, I will try to speak with the owners for more background on the restaurant but for now, I'll primarily deal with their food and service.

The Menu is extensive, with plenty of Thai and Vietnamese options, and is very reasonably priced, with no dish costing more than $15. The Menu categories include: Appetizers ($5-$7), Salads ($7-$8), Soup ($4), Vietnamese Pho & Thai Noodle Soup ($9-$12), Stir Fried Noodle ($10-$14), Fried Rice ($10-$14) Bun-Vermicelli ($9-$11), Rice Plates ($10), Sautéed ($11-$14), Curry Dishes ($11-$14), Bangkok Specials & Seafood Entrees ($11-$15), and Sides ($1-$3.50).

They don't have a liquor license but their drinks menu includes items like Bubble Tea, Smoothies (though it appears they are not available yet), Thai Iced Tea, Lychee Juice, Vietnamese Iced Coffee, Coconut Juice, and more. It is nice that they usually bring a large bottle of water to your table, though you drink it out of a paper cup.

They have about thirteen Appetizers and I've tried several of them. The Roti Curry Sauce ($7) is a  Fried Scallion Pancake served with a Green Curry Sauce. The pancakes are fresh, light and flaky, and not greasy. They make an excellent vehicle for dipping into the sauce, with its tasty flavor combination of coconut, lemongrass and mild spicy heat.

The Moo Pbring ($6.50) are grilled skewers of lemongrass marinated pork, accompanied by a smoked chili and tamarind sauce. These were excellent, with lots of tender, moist and flavorful pork and the sauce added some sweet & spicy elements. Forget those dry beef teriyaki skewers you get at other Asian spots. These easily put them to shame.

The Gyoza ($5), which you can have steamed or pan-fried, come as either Pork & Chicken or Vegetarian, and are served with ginger soy sauce. I opted for the pan-fried Pork & Chicken and they were tasty, filled with plenty of meat, and fried just enough to add some crispness to the gyoza skin.

The Sai Grog Issaan ($6) states it is "Sausages fermented Pork and Glutinous rice" but appears to be sliced sausage with lettuce, cucumbers and peanuts. The sausage was tender and spiced well and the veggies were fresh.

As for the Soups, I tried the Soup Hoanh Thanh ($4), which are pork and shrimp dumplings gently boiled in clear chicken broth with lettuce, onion, scallion and cilantro. You receive four plump and meaty dumplings and the broth is clean and mild. This would be especially good on a chilly day.

The Pho Gar ($9) is a Chicken Noodle soup with shredded chicken, rice noodle, onion, cilantro, and scallion with aromatic chicken broth, accompanied by some bean sprouts, herbs and lime. The broth is intense with flavor and there is plenty of chicken within the soup. The noodles had a nice chewiness to them.

The Mi Hoanh Thanh ($10) consists of pork and shrimp dumplings, yellow noodles, sliced pork, scallions and cilantro in a chicken broth. This is a hearty dish, with several slices of tender pork and plump dumplings. The noodles are thinner than the ones in the Pho but still had a nice texture and chew to them. There was plenty of flavor in the broth making this a very compelling dish.

The Rice Plates ($10) come with Traditional Vietnamese Grilled meat (chicken, pork or beef) accompanied by steamed Jasmine Rice, fresh tomato, cucumber, sliced lettuce and their Fresh Homemade Sauce (Nuoc Cham). You can also add a Fried Egg ($2). Above is the dish with the grilled chicken and egg. Another excellent dish with plenty of tender, flavorful chicken, enhanced by the egg, and the veggies were fresh and crisp. There was plenty of rice below all of the toppings. A good value for only $10.

I enjoyed a few other dishes, but which I don't have photos. The Grapao Gai Sub ($11) is stir fried minced chicken with fresh chili and basil. A spicy dish, it was very good layered over some rice. The Com Chien Fried Rice ($10) is Vietnamese fried rice with a combination of shrimp, chicken, Chinese sausage and mixed vegetables in Vietnamese chef's special sauce. Lots of flavor in this rice dish as well as plenty of meat. It tasted very fresh. The Chicken Pad Thai ($10) consists of stir-fried noodle with egg, bean sprout, turnip, and scallion in a Thai tamarind sauce topped with ground peanut. A nice choice as well.

The restaurant has a special, second menu which you probably won't receive unless you are Thai. It's only written in Thai and they don't have an English translation though your server will explain it to you if you ask. You can see there are sixteen options, priced $7-$12.

Fortunately, Pai Chourattana on Facebook generously provided me a translation of their menu which will help you navigate this special menu.

Off this special menu, I tried Nheam Kra Dook Moo, sour pork ribs (#6 on the menu), which were accompanied by some cucumber slices and lettuce. You need to gnaw the meat off these small pieces of ribs, which have a mildly sour flavor to them. These would make for a nice bar snack.

Also off the special menu, at #16, is the Garlic Pork Over Rice, which also comes with a few cucumber slices.  It's a simple dish, pieces of slightly fatty pork with crisp pieces over garlic over white rice. But it is hearty and tasty, perfect for a rainy day.

The Garlic Pork dish also comes with a small bowl of soup, a slightly soup broth.

I'll be sure to try more items off this special menu as there are plenty of other dishes that interest me.

Service is very good, personable and attentive. Overall, I've been very pleased with the quality and taste of the food from The Bangkok. It is fresh, with clean flavors, and there is enough diversity for all preferences. I've already been recommending it to my friends and I'll also continue regularly dining there. It is a welcome addition to the Melrose area.

Big Flower Rosé: A Unique South African Wine

The National Flower of South Africa is the King Protea, also known as the Grand Protea, which is the largest flower of the genus Protea, Though it comes in many different colors, it is often said that the pink-colored flower is the most beautiful. The pink King Protea is also the inspiration for an intriguing new Rosé wine.

Protea Heights Farm is located in the Devon Valley, close to the center of Stellenbosch, and in the late 1940s it was the first farm to cultivate protea flowers. Currently, the owner, Ginny Povall, cultivates 53 acres, with 24 devoted to protea. Their flowers bloom all year round and they export many to Europe. Besides growing flowers, they planted vineyards in 2009 and 2010, and now have about 13 acres of grapes, organically grown, including Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvingon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and a little Pinot Noir. The 2014 vintage was their first of any size.

As Botanica Wines, they produce Chenin Blanc from a 50+ year old vineyard high in the mountains of Clanwilliam and as Big Flower Wines, they are currently producing a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Rosé. Only 200 cases of their 2014 Rosé were produced and only 6 cases were imported into Massachusetts. Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose acquired one of those cases and I bought a couple bottles there. And FYI, there are still some bottles available there for sale ($19.99).

The Big Flower Rosé intrigued me as it is a blend of 2/3 Petit Verdor and 1/3 barrel fermented Chenin Blanc. It is rare to find Rosé made from Petit Verdot and it is one of my favorite grapes. Not much about how the wine is made is readily available online though It has an alcohol content of about 13.6%. The wine possesses a nice salmon color and on the nose presents bright red fruit aromas as well as some floral notes .On the palate, it is crisp and dry, with subtle strawberry and raspberry flavors, along with notes of minerality and stone fruit. It has some richness, an interesting complexity and a lengthy,pleasing finish.

I was impressed with this Rosé, which goes beyond a simple quaffing wine. It is very food friendly and great for the summer, though I would also enjoy this year round. With its limited availability, few of you will get to experience its joys, but I recommend that you become one of those few.

2013: Favorite Wine Related Items

What were some of my favorite wine related items of the past year?

Let me continue the lists of my best recommendations and favorites of 2013. I have already posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, Top Ten Wines Over $15 and Top Wines Over $50 lists. This post will now concentrate on some of my Favorite Wine Related Items, which are not specific wine recommendations. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of compelling and memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.

This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. For more wine related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.

Favorite Discount Wine Stores: Consumers always want bargains, excellent value wines which won't stretch their wallets. You can buy the cheap, mass-produced commercial wines which can be found in almost any wine store or instead, you can seek out excellent, value wines which put to shame those cheap wines. Certain discount wine stores provide not only excellent prices but also an interesting selection and good service. I want to highlight three such stores which do an especially good job, places where I go to seek bargains: Bin Ends in Braintree & Needham, Wine Connextion in North Andover, and Rapid Liquors in Stoneham. These stores have remained consistent over time, offering diverse and interesting bargain wines and you won't go wrong checking either of them out.

Favorite Wine Stores: This is a list of eight wine stores which consistently impress me with their selection and service. Each shop is worthy of your patronage and wine lovers should make the effort to visit these places if you have not done so yet.
Lower Falls Wine Company in Newton Lower Falls
Winestone in Chestnut Hill
The Reserve Bin in Foxboro
Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose (where I also work part-time)
Vintages: Adventures in Wine in Belmont
Wine-Sense in Andover
Wine Bottega in Boston's North End
Central Bottle Wine & Provisions in Cambridge

Favorite Wine Magazine: For the fifth year in a row, Decanter, a British wine magazine, continues to impress me with its extensive coverage, including many less common wine regions, often ignored or marginalized in other wine publications. Plus it has an amusing wine cartoon in every issue. This is a magazine that consistently delivers fascinating articles and I always look forward to each issue. If you are not reading it, you should be.

Favorite Wine Book: Postmodern Winemaking: Rethinking the Modern Science of an Ancient Craft by Clark Smith is a fascinating, challenging and controversial wine book. It is a book for wine geeks, who want to better understand the complexities of wine making, as well as to rethink some conventional wisdom. You may not agree with everything Clark has to say, but hopefully it will make you ponder about these matters. Some of the science gets very technical, but that isn't a significant obstacle to enjoying this book.

Runner-Up Favorite Wine Book: Winemakers of the Willamette Valley: Pioneering Vintners from Oregon's Wine Country by Vivian Perry & John Vincent especially hit an accord with me this year as I visited Oregon once again. The book provides background stories on many of the important pioneers of the Oregon wine industry, giving you an excellent overview of  the vinous wonders of that region. If you want to learn more about Oregon wine, this is a good introduction to the region.

Favorite Wine Dinner: Compelling wines, superb food, and great people all combined to create an exceptional Alsatian wine dinner at Craigie on Main. Two wines from this dinner made my Favorite Wine lists and the Slow-Roasted Pheasant Breast & Confit Leg was one of my favorite dishes of the year. Craigie on Main has long been one of my favorite restaurants, and Chef Maws didn't disappoint in this dinner. And the fine wines of Alsace were a real treat, showing their diversity, complexity and value. 

Runner-Up Favorite Wine Dinner: Sherry is such a food friendly wine, as well as delicious and intriguing, yet so few restaurants choose to showcase it at a wine dinner. Chef Deborah Hansen of Taberna de Haro is a passionate Sherry advocate and the Gonzalez Byass Sherry dinner highlighted the versatility of sherry. With amazing sherries, great tapas, and excellent conversation, this was a fantastic experience. Kudos to both Chef Hansen and Gonzalez Byass.

Fascinating Wine Dinner Conversation: At a different Alsatian wine dinner, I met with Pascal Schiele, the Export Director of Gustave Lorentz, and we enjoyed oysters, seafood, Cremant d'Alsace, Pinot Gris, and more. Our conversation was intriguing as well, ranging from Charlie Sheen to the color of Pascal's blood. It made for a fun and tasty evening, and one I won't forget.

Favorite Wine Lunch: At the Meritage restaurant, I attended an excellent lunch & tasting of Portuguese wines, and some of those wines ended up on my Favorite wine lists this year. There is such great value to be found in Portugal, as well as some compelling high end wines. From cod to pork belly, the food was delicious and paired well with the wines. The wines of Portugal deserve far greater attention, and I am glad to be a passionate advocate for them.

Favorite Educational Wine Tasting: Chef Hansen of Taberna de Haro also hosted a special tasting and lunch with Bodegas Beronia, a Spanish Rioja producer. We did some fascinating comparative tastings, comparing different oak treatments, which was enlightening. This showcased the variations of Rioja, and we even had the privilege to taste their first wine, a 1973 Gran Reserva. A couple of the wines from this tasting also made my Favorite Wine lists.

Favorite Twitter Wine Tasting: At a Twitter wine tasting, people from all over the world drink the same wines and then discuss them on Twitter. I have been participating in these tastings for years, and they can be lots of fun. This year, I've done two Franciacorta Twitter tastings and they rocked! You can read more about Franciacorta  in these two posts: Fun With Franciacorta and Franciacorta: Bubbly That Needs To Be On Your Wine Radar. They were generally excellent wines and I learned much more about this compelling wine type. Franciacorta is not really that well known with most consumers but it deserves much more attention.

Most Unique Wine Tasting: At Thirst Boston, I attended several seminars and one of the most compelling was a Vermouth seminar and tasting. Vermouth is actually a wine, albeit fortified and aromatized, and many people don't realize that fact. I tasted Vermouth from three U.S. producers (from New York, Oregon and California) and was intrigued by the different styles and tastes I discovered. Though maybe only 10 or so U.S. producers make Vermouth, that number is going to increase and now is the time to get interested in this growing trend.

Favorite Interview with Wine Personality: Adrian Bridge the CEO of the Fladgate Partnership, stated "Port is the oil of good conversation" and that was certainly true when I met him for dinner and we tasted several Ports. Adrian is passionate, hard working and an excellent conversationalist. We talked about much more than wine, though the wine discussions were fascinating too. He was very down to earth, and the conversation and wine flowed freely.

Favorite Private Wine Tasting: My friend Adam, of Wine Zag, hosts a monthly blind tasting event which is always fun and interesting. A group of 15-18 people are assembled, and we taste through about twelve wines, usually with some type of theme. From Champagne to Southern Italian reds, the themes range wide and the wines themselves range in price and style. The attendees include wine newcomers and more knowledgeable tasters, but there is a lack of pretension and the casual atmosphere is one of fun and discovery.

Favorite Wine Trip, Domestic: I returned to Oregon this year, though I spent time in Southern Oregon on this trip. Southern Oregon doesn't get the press of the Willamette Valley, but is worthy of attention. I found plenty of excellent wines there, especially beyond the usual Pinot Noir. From Tempranillo to Blaufrankisch, Southern Oregon is experimenting with many different grapes, and Tempranillo is really working well. Plus, I got to spend a couple days in Portland, which is a food, wine and Sake mecca, including discovering killer cinnamon rolls. The small group of people with me on the trip also helped make it a memorable experience.

Favorite Wine Trip, International: My only international trip, to Quebec, is worthy of mention. The annual Taste Camp event was held over the border, in Quebec, and we explored the wine, beer, and food of our northern neighbor. I found some delicious wines, some which found their way onto my Favorite lists, and I even enjoyed a beer or two. Exploring Montreal was also lots of fun, especially checking out Chinatown (soup dumplings!). For those in the Northeast, Quebec is an easy drive, and highly recommended to check it out.

Favorite Winery Visit: A working cannon, paella for lunch, killer Tempranillo and a pioneer of Oregon wine. All of these elements combined to make a memorable visit to Abacela Vineyards in Southern Oregon. The visit was led by Earl Jones, the owner of Abacela, and he was a gracious host, providing an interesting tour and delectable lunch & wine tasting. It was like a touch of Spain in Oregon, and I could have stayed all afternoon, eating paella and drinking Spanish & Portuguese inspired wines.

Top Local Wine Controversy: This year, two legal controversies concerning wine have taken the spotlight in Massachusetts and I have written about both. The first issue involves shipping wine to Massachusetts from outside wineries and retail stores. A new bill to allow such shipping was brought forward for discussion, though it still remains in limbo, awaiting additional discussion and action. I have written about this issue in previous years and my latest posts include: Shipping Wine To Massachusetts: A Critique Of Andelman's Plan and Rant: MA Wine Shipping Needs Your Immediate Help. The second issue centers on removing the cap on liquor licenses in Boston. A Home Rule petition was submitted on this issue, and it too is still in discussion. Check out my posts: Restaurants & Liquor Licenses: Interesting Numbers, Rant: Andelman, Liquor License , Quotas & Food Trucks and Rant: Eliminating The Liquor License Cap? Maybe Massachusetts wine laws might see some positive changes in 2014.

Kudos to Local Massachusetts Wine: Massachusetts wines continue to improve in quality and I had the opportunity to taste a number of local wines again this year, which I reviewed in Westport Rivers: Local Wines Worthy Of Respect and Wayland Winter Farmers Market. All 50 states make wine, and the overall quality all across the country has been improving. I'm glad to see that Massachusetts is stepping forward too, though the wine industry is still relatively small, with plenty of room for growth.

New Wine Position: This year, I was elected to the Board of Directors of Drink Local Wine and attended their last annual conference, which was held this year in Maryland. Drink Local Wine is a passionate advocate for local wines, especially the promotion of lesser known states and regions all across North America. The Board is composed of a great mix of people and it continues to move forward in supporting local wine, and planning for next year's conference.

My Wine Store Job: In February 2011, I started a new endeavor, a part time job at the Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose so it will be my second anniversary there in a couple months. It continues to be fun and educational, helping customers select wines, providing recommendations and more. I garner an interesting glimpse into the mind of the average wine consumer and my experiences continue to provide fodder for ideas for new articles. Come see me some time at the wine shop and let me provide you some recommendations.

What were some of your favorite wine related items this year?

2012: Favorite Wine Related Items

What were some of my favorite wine related items of the past year?

Let me continue the lists of my best recommendations and favorites of 2012. I have already posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, Top Ten Wines Over $15 and Top Wines Over $50 lists. This post will now concentrate on some of my Favorite Wine Related Items, which are not specific wine recommendations. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of compelling and memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.

This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. For more wine related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.

Favorite Discount Wine Stores: Once again, this past year has been an economic challenge and wine prices have been on everyone's mind. Consumers want bargains, excellent value wines which won't stretch their wallets. You can buy the cheap wines which can be found in almost any wine store or instead, you can seek out excellent, value wines which put to shame those cheap wines. Certain discount wine stores provide not only excellent prices but also an interesting selection and good service. I want to highlight two such stores which do an especially good job, places where I go to seek bargains: Bin Ends in Braintree and Wine Connextion in North Andover. These stores have remained consistent over time, offering diverse and interesting bargain wines and you won't go wrong checking either of them out.

Favorite Suburban Wine & Cheese Store: Though I have visited the Concord Cheese Shop in prior years, I hadn't been there for at least a year or so until visiting it a couple of times this past year. I was reminded once again why it is an excellent destination for wine, cheese and gourmet foods. The wine selection is diverse, prices are good and you will find some wines here that many other stores do not carry. And all of their cheeses, a myriad of dairy pleasures, will please everyone. This is another shop you should patronize.

Favorite Wine Stores: This is a list of nine wine stores which consistently impress me with their selection and service. Each shop is worthy of your patronage and wine lovers should make the effort to visit these places if you have not done so yet.
Lower Falls Wine Company in Newton Lower Falls.
Winestone in Chestnut Hill.
The Reserve Bin in Foxboro.
Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose.
Vintages: Adventures in Wine in Belmont.
Spirited Gourmet in Belmont.
Wine-Sense in Andover.
Wine Bottega in Boston's North End.
Central Bottle Wine & Provisions in Cambridge.

Favorite Wine Magazine: For the fourth year in a row, Decanter, a British wine magazine, continues to impress me with its extensive coverage, including many less common wine regions, often ignored or marginalized in other wine publications. Plus it has an amusing wine cartoon in every issue. This is a magazine that consistently delivers fascinating articles and I always look forward to each issue. If you are not reading it, you should be.

Favorite Wine Book: Last year, my Favorite Wine Book was the first volume of The Drops of God, a Japanese manga, a comic book, about wine. Besides entertaining, the book also educated people about wine, helping to reduce the intimidation factor. In addition, some of the language it uses, especially in describing wine is quite poetic. During the past year, three more volumes have been released and once again I have selected it as my Favorite Wine Book. Check out my reviews of Volume 2, Volume 3 and New World. Every wine lover should read this series. Unfortunately, more volumes may not be published unless the books start generating more sales. Give this book a chance and you won't regret it.

Runner-Up Favorite Wine Book: The New York Times Book Of Wine offers an excellent selection of over 125 articles, written by about 28 different authors. It is not a collection of boring tasting notes but rather many thoughtful pieces on a great range of wine topics such as Spanish Sherry, the Japanese Koshu grape, serving alcohol to your children, Txakolina, Madeira, and natural winemaking. These are articles that everyone can enjoy, from those new to wine to the knowledgeable wine geeks. These articles will educate and entertain, and may even getting you thinking about wine in different ways.

Favorite Introductory Wine Book: For someone new to wine, Kevin Zraly's Windows On The World Complete Wine Course is an excellent choice. It presents a nice overview of the world of wine without deluging a reader with too much technical information. Though I have some issues with the presentation of certain wine information, it is still one of the best introductory books available. It is a fine starting point for a wine education.

Favorite Wine Dinner, Domestic: Indigenous and uncommon grapes, compelling wines, superb food, and great people all combined to create an exceptional wine dinner. Legal Harborside hosted Alessio Planeta of Planeta Wines, which owns six wine estates on Sicily. From a Sparkling wine made from Carricante to a red made with Nerello Mascele, many of the wines were fascinating and delicious, while the food, such as Ricotta Gnocchi with truffles and the Lobster Soup were amazing. It was fun and informative, tasty and stimulating.

Favorite Wine Dinner, International: This was an easy choice for a meat lover such as I. While in Chianti Classico, I had the honor of dining at the Antica Macelleria Cecchini, the renowned restaurant of Dario Cecchini, the signing butcher of Panzano. Dario is an extraordinary butcher and offers a prix fixe dinner with five courses of beef, some of the best beef you may ever eat. The steak tartare was simply prepared yet was outstanding, showcasing the taste of the quality beef and not hiding it behind lots of other ingredients. Plus, Dario is a true showman and made it an enjoyable experience. I could have dined here every night while I was in Tuscany. If you visit Tuscany, you must dine here at least once.

Favorite Single Winery Tasting: For the second year in a row, the same winery is involved in this category, though the location was different. As I mentioned last year, the wines of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region can be amazing, and Chateau La Nerthe is a stellar producer from this area. Last year, I tasted the wines at a superb lunch at L'Espalier and this year the lunch was held at Bistro du Midi. From the compelling Tavel Rosé to the 2009 Chateau La Nerthe "Clos de Beauvenir" Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, the wines did not disappoint. They paired well with delicious dishes such as the Coral Infused Chitarra Pasta with Maine Lobster. These are wines worth a splurge.

Favorite High-End Wine Tasting: The Vintus Tour presented 26 wineries, from all over the world, showcasing many higher end wines that reflected terroir, many which are also sustainable, organic or biodynamic. This was a stellar collection of wines, presenting many unique wines which impressed me, and it was a pleasure to get to chat with many of the wine makers. As it was a portfolio tasting, closed to the public, it was not overly crowded so you had the opportunity to take your time with the wines and ask the wine makers questions. Several of these wines ended up on my Top Wine lists.

Favorite Private Wine Tasting: My friend Adam, of Wine Zag, hosts a monthly blind tasting event which is always fun and interesting. Recently, he held a fascinating blind tasting of 90+ Cellars wines against a group of wines he handpicked to compete against them. This was an intriguing challenge and the results were enlightening. Plenty of great people attended the tasting and everyone enjoyed themselves. Unpretentious and casual, it was the type of wine tasting which would appeal to wine lovers of any knowledge levels. I look forward to Adam's next blind tasting event in January.

Favorite Wine Trip, International: Though it was also my only international wine trip this year, my visit to the Chianti Classico region was excellent, with great food, wine, scenery, people and more. Compared to other wine trips I have taken, it was certainly one of my favorites. My trip generated a dozen blog posts and several of the wines I tasted ended up on my Top Wine lists this year. Tuscany is so beautiful and the people were extremely nice. The food was often simple yet made from high quality and delicious ingredients. And so many delicious wines, from traditional Chianti Classico to compelling Vin Santo. It is a region I highly recommend.

Favorite Winery Visit: While in Chianti Classico, I was fortunate to get to visit the Isole e Olena winery, owned by Paolo di Marchi, the Philosopher-Peasant of Chianti Classico. I have met Paolo before but this was my first visit to his winery and it lived up to my expectations. You can read my thoughts in a two-part post (Part 1 and Part 2), but in short, the wines were superb, Paolo was fascinating and I learned much about the winery and the Chianti Classico region in general. I could have easily spent the entire day with Paolo, soaking in his knowledge and experience, while enjoying his amazing Cepparello.

Favorite Mega-Wine Event: Due to their size, large wine exhibitions can have their issues, especially due to the great crowds they generate. My favorite this year of these mega-events was the Mohegan Sun Wine Fest. Besides wine, they also present spirits, beer, and cider as well as plenty of food. The aisles between the tables are wide, there are two floors in the Grand Tasting and they seem to accommodate the crowds better than other events. In addition, besides a Grand Tasting, the Wine Fest has other excellent events such as an Elite Cru Tasting and a Celebrity Chef Dine Around. Several wines from this event ended up on my Top Wine lists this year and I look forward to this event next year.

Favorite Local Wine Bloggers: Locally, there is only a small number of blogs dedicated 50% or more to wine, being far outweighed by hundreds of local food blogs, some which occasionally touch on wine. But of that small group, there are a number who deserve praise for their devotion to wine. I see many of these people at local wine events and they have become good friends too. Kudos to Adam of Wine Zag, Robert of The Wellesley Wine Press, Rob of Fringe Wine, Jason of Ancient Fire Beverage, Todd of Vermont Wine Media and Marie of The Life of Vines. Please check out their wine blogs.

Top Wine Controversy: During the past year, I have ranted, usually on Mondays, about a variety of wine issues. But one of the most popular rants addressed the question of why a number of restaurant reviewers ignore wine in their reviews? It befuddles me that a restaurant review, which should comprehensively address the offerings of a restaurant, would ignore an important element such as the alcohol program. In my rant, I used the Boston Globe to illustrate this issue, showing how their main reviewer often ignored or gave short shrift to the wine and alcohol programs of most of the restaurants reviewed during the summer. I never received any response but plenty of others voiced their agreement that reviewers did a disservice by ignoring restaurant beverage programs.

Favorite Wine History Post: History intrigues me and I very much enjoy researching and writing histories about wine, though I often try to reach quite far back into history, to see the true roots of a wine and its region. This year, I wrote a four part series on The Origins of Port, extending back to the Phoenicians and proceeding through the formation of the nation of Portugal. Many other histories of Port begin much later, like during the 17th century but I felt the true origins lay many centuries earlier. I learned much in my researches and hope my readers benefited from it too.

Favorite Local Wine News: In 2011, a new law allowed local wineries to sell their wines at farmers markets and festivals. I saw that as very positive for local wineries and a later study showed its success. In 2011, sales of Massachusetts wines increased by an amazing 66%, primarily due to their ability to sell wine at the markets and festivals. Great news for local businesses during these tough economic times. Let us hope their success continued into 2012.

Kudos For Sherry Love:  I love Spanish Sherry, from Fino to Oloroso, Manzanilla to Palo Cortado. Unfortunately, that places me in a tiny minority as Sherry, especially dry Sherry, is very much a niche beverage in the U.S. But locally, Sherry is gaining more love, especially by two restaurants, Tres Gatos and Taberna de Haro. Tres Gatos, in Jamaica Plain, now hosts Sherry Tuesdays, where you can sample sherries with pinchos. Taberna de Haro has recently expanded their restaurant and now carries 27 different Sherries, and will be adding more too. Both restaurants deserve big kudos for their passion and support of Sherry.

New Wine Job: Last February, I started a new endeavor, a part time job at the Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose. It has been fun and educational, helping customers select wines, providing recommendations and more. It provides an interesting glimpse into the mind of the wine consumer and has also fueled a number of blog posts. Stop by the store some time and let me help you choose some wines. Besides the wine, the store also stocks some delicious gourmet and artisan foods, so you have one stop shopping for a party.

What were some of your favorite wine related items this year?

Celebrate Sake Day On October 1

Raise an ochoko of Sake, say Kanpai and toast the 35th annual Sake Day on October 1.

Sake Day ("Nihonshu no Hi") originated thirty-five years ago, in 1978, by a declaration of the Japan Saké Brewers Association. It is celebrated worldwide, though celebrations in many areas are still too sparse. Grape days, such as Cabernet Day or Chardonnay Day, which have only been around for a couple years, get far more publicity. But then they are often mainly driven by marketers. In addition, there is often very little reason why a Grape Day occurs on a particular date.

In comparison, there are good reasons why Sake Day was selected to be October 1. First, the Chinese character for Saké (酒) is very similar to the Chinese zodiac sign for the Rooster (酉), the tenth sign, and October is the tenth month. Second, October is also traditionally the start of the Sake brewing season, which generally lasts into April.

This year, October 1 comes on a Monday, but feel free to celebrate the weekend before. If you do not attend a local Sake event, why not drink a bottle of two of Sake at home. Or set up your own tasting party with a group of friends. When drinking Sake, the traditional toast is "Kanpai," which is equivalent to “cheers” though it literally translates as "empty or dry cup." Its basic meaning though is a social one, "Let us drain our cups in friendship." Now isn't that a great thought?

If you want more information about Sake, I have over 200 articles on Sake on my blog, including educational articles and reviews. Many of those posts have been collected and listed on Passionate Sake. I also provide lists of other Sake resources for additional reading.

If you are worried about what foods to pair with Sake, check out my post The Science of Sake & Food Pairings. You'll learn that Sake is very food friendly, and there is a Sake to pair well with just about any type of food, from cheese to BBQ, from burgers to pizza.

If you want some advice on which Sake to buy at your local wine store, please email me a picture of the Sake selection at the local shop, or send me a written list of the bottles they carry. I'll then give you suggestions based on what is available to you. Though I can provide plenty of Sake recommendations, they might not be available to you. So sending me a picture or list best allows me to customize the recommendations based on what you can buy.

(Updated as of 9/27): What am I doing for Sake Day? On October 1, from 4pm-7pm, I will be pouring Sake at Thelonious Monkfish in Central Square, Cambridge. This is a restaurant that specializes in Sushi, Japanese & Thai food and their tagline is "Jazz for the Palate because we love to jam on Asian culinary themes." This will be a public event and everyone is welcome to come and taste some excellent Sake, good food, and learn about Sake.

I will be pouring six different Sakes, including: Murai Family Tokubetsu Honjozo, Manabito Kimoto Junmai Ginjo, Yuki No Bosha Junmai Ginjo, Wakatake Junmai Ginjo, Moon Rabbit Sparkling Sake and Momokawa Organic Nigori. Appetizers will be served, including: Handmade Chive Potstickers, Handmade Shrimp Potstickers, Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice, and Yum Fruit Salad. The cost of this event is only $25, which includes tastes of all 6 Sakes plus appetizers. This will be a fun and tasty way to celebrate Sake Day so I hope to see you there.

I am also working at Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose this weekend, on Saturday from 3pm-7pm and Sunday from 12pm-7pm. Come by and let me help you select one of the Sakes we carry, and there might even be a Sake tasting too.

There is another way to celebrate Sake Day which would also make me very happy. You could buy one or more of my Tipsy Sensei stories, which are about a Sake expert in Boston who learns that legendary creatures out of Japanese folklore are real. I have three stories currently available, including: Yurine's Pot, The Ghost of a Ninja, and The Fox & The Katana. All of stories have received very good reviews and if you own a computer, you can read the stories through the free Kindle Apps. You do NOT need an actual Kindle to read this stories.

I am also currently working on Tipsy Sensei #4, titled Demons, Gods & Sake, and it will be a full length novel. Progress is going very well and it is possible that the novel could be published before the end of the year. And there will be more stories in this series to come.

So raise a glass or two (or more) of Sake and celebrate the 35th annual Sake Day! If you have something planned for Sake Day, please tell me in the comments what you will be doing.