Working for the weekend....

Plans for the weekend?
Whether you're staying home, or visiting friends - we've got everything you need.

Friday evening, 5-8pm join us as we taste out the following:
Cline Viogner, E Guigal Cote Du Rhone Rose, and two red wines that are to be determined. (I will update this page once they are finalized, so check back!)

Back by popular demand in the beer cooler: Clown Shoes Brown Angel & Clementine.

We've also increased our Greek inventory to 4 white wines, and 2 reds. Tomorrow's post will include the varietals because I am at home, and don't recall them off the top of my head.

Ford Farm Five Layer is available in the cheese case after what feels a far too long hiatus; there are few things that can irritate a retailer more than the words "back order".

We've also added a rather novelty and fun chocolate: Chocolate "Buffalo" Wings. They're peanut butter stuffed chocolates shaped in to chicken wings, complete with whipped marshmellow for Bleu Cheese. They're sinfully delicious.

And that's my mid-week wrap up.
Did you take advantage of our Wednesday Pasta Night?
If not....maybe next week,

Sake...it's not what you think!

Interested in learning more about Sake? Did you know that you can pair Sake with many foods - especially cheese? It's not the hot Sake you remember -- Sake comes in many finishes from dry, to sweet, to sparkling -- to all of the above!

Join us for a Sake class, taught by the well known and Sake afficianado Richard Auffrey - otherwise known as the Passionate Foodie.

Class is limited to 12 people, and sign up is required.
$20.00/pp for a 2 hour concentrated class that not only opens your world to the lovely Sake -- but pairs her with a variety of delicious cheese from our artisan case. It's guaranteed to be a delicious and educational night for all.

Thursdsay, June 10th
8-10 p.m.

Email to sign up - or come by the Melrose store!

Don't forget Mom....

This Saturday, from 2-5 join us for a Mother's Day Sampler as we taste out the following:

Bell Cabernet
Hyatt Riesling (Washinton State)
Hyatt Merlot (Washington State)
Trentadue Chocolate Port

We've got all sorts of new food items this week!
Pam's Black Bean Salsa -- a delicious and fresh black bean salsa; DennyMike's Rub Blends in Pixie Dust & Cow Bell Hell; and Cormier's Saute Sauces in Garlic & Jalapeno, Garlic & Ginger, and Orange Burst. Best of all -- they're all LOCAL products! Pam's Black Bean is based out of Marblehead, DennyMike is from York Maine, and Cormier's Saute Sauces are created out of neighboring Stoneham.

As always, I try very hard to have unique and delicious food items that are local because buying local means buying fresh. And -- it also helps surge our local economy -- and every little bit helps!

We also have a new cheese for the case -- Landaff cheese which is brought to us by Jasper Hill Farms in VT. It's a deliciously tangy and nutty cheese, but incredibly creamy and mild. Think along the lines of a Land o'Lakes White Cheese with a tang to it. It's amazing for a cheese plate - and I'd say fabulous for a fun twist on grilled cheese. Ask us for a sample - we'd love to have you try it!

New in the beer cooler is a local beer from Canton: Blue Hills IPA & Imperial Red. Good, good stuff.

Don't forget to check out our blackboard for staff favorite selections and upcoming tastings!
Hope to see you soon!

What's happening over the next few days...

Okay, so there's a lot going on so my wine recommendations have fallen to the wayside temporarily.

Sunday, we're having a fundraiser for Dana Farber Cancer Institute. In conjunction with Melrose Boot Camp, we're sponsoring a shopping day where 10% of our sales from the Melrose store from Sunday will be donated to DFCI via Joy Fay - who is running the Marathon and raising money for this fantastic facility. Unfortunately, in this day and age there is virtually no one that isn't affected by Cancer in some way and in some capacity -- so this is a great way to help contribute to the fight against the disease. So come by on Sunday and know that your contribution will help!

Monday, we will be part of the special that Chronicle is running on wine! So you dont' want to miss out on that...

We've got lots of tastings coming up in the next week for the holidays. I'll post more on that Tuesday.

In the meantime, here's a snapshot of our freezer and cheese case (at least how it looked as of this morning!) -- just in case you'd like to pop in at some point and indulge. Remember, we carry Dom's Sausages, Steak Tips & Ribs!

Change of seasons.....

So yesterday and today was the transformation from Harvest to Winter at Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet. That means new merchandise...new decor -- and new foods.

Coming Friday: the long awaited bread!!

Baguettes, Focaccias, Multigrain baguettes and more...

New cheeses this week too (assuming they aren't backordered...... ).

Our wine selection, which is always evolving -- will be adding some new Zinfandels tomorrow, as well as 3-4 new Sake selections this week, which is an area I'm excited to be expanding upon.

Come on down and check it out!

We are still restocking our beer from Thanksgiving -- so while the cooler is scarce at the moment -- it will be better come tomorrow afternoon.

Beaujolais update, Tasting info - and more!

So, as I sit here sipping on Pinotage -- eating fabulous Kalmatta olives and 2 yr. aged cheddar -- I'm also snacking on the most delicious bread. I have to confess, this is the bread I'll be bringing into the store after Thanksgiving -- and I do not think it will disappoint. Baguette, Multigrain, Focaccia and this particular loaf that is chewy, but soft, and seasoned so that it's delicious plain or dipped in EVOO that has been seasoned to your liking. I'm beyond excited about this.....

Tomorrow evening, please join us for a Chandon tasting! Rose, Brut and my personal favorite - Blanc de Noir -- are on the agenda and I guarantee it will not disappoint. Sparklers are perfect for Thanksgiving, and if you've never tried Chandon -- I highly recommend that you give it a taste. Dare I quote the 70's cereal commercial and say that it's "magically delicious".... ?

Speaking of tasting good -- this year's vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau, in my opinion - is a thumbs up. For a young beaujolais it's got decent body, and there's nothing sour or bitter about it which is great. Previous vintages have dissapointed, so I was happy to taste it being rather balanced and just the right amount of sweet.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner -- we've got everything from the wine for your glass, to the appetizers for you table, to the cheese for your dessert plate -- to the gifts you're bringing to your host's house.

Let us put something something special in your glass....on your plate.....into your home this holiday season.

Cheers!

Cheese, glorious cheese....

So incase anyone hasn't heard yet - our cheese case opened this week.
Right now, we're proudly offering the following cheese available freshly cut - and cut to order:

Humboldt Fog, Brenta, Parmiagianno Reggiano, Huntsman (double gloucester layered w/ stilton), Stilton w/ Cranberry, Cotswald with Chive, Vintage Aged Gouda, Manchego (6. mos). -- and many more.

I'm always looking for suggestions on fun cheese to add and rotate in - so feel free to let me know some of your favorites!

Truffled cheese is on my list -- for the record!

Almost the end of the summer...!

So it's been quite some time since I've posted here -- it's amazing how quickly time goes by without realizing.

The store in Melrose is coming along nicely; it was a little scary the last few weeks because it felt like it was never going to come together, but now..... it does. I can't wait to get in there and sharing all the fabulous wine and of course - my passion for food and cheese with the rest of the world.

Today I met with my primary cheese distributor and all I can say is "oh. my."

For wine recommendations, I can tell you to try something different and fun for what might be our last burst of warm weather this summer: Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc.

If you love champagne (or sparkling wine) and Sauvignon Blanc - then how could you not love the two mixed together? Sort of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup of the wine world? Okay, maybe I wouldn't go quite that far, because I'd say the effervesence takes away a bit of the herbaceousness that a typical SB would have -- but on a hot summer night, it's definitely decadence in a glass.

It's official....

As many of you know - we have been actively pursuing the opportunity to open a second location for some time now. To find the right location takes time and patience. We'd been close a time or two, but we believe timing is everything -- and the location we'd always hoped would become available, finally has.


We are officially in the competition for a wine & beer license in the previously dry community of Melrose.


We will be going before the board on May 12th, to discuss our business concept and hopefully have the community be as excited about having us be a part of their neighborhood - as much as we're excited to be hopefully joining them. Downtown Melrose is very similar to Beacon Hill in many aspects, as it's a beautiful walking neighborhood - mixed with residential homes and lovely small businesses.

This particular location will be larger than our Beacon Hill store -- and will also be offering cheeses, gourmet appetizers, menu planning and a variety of other services that our Boston customers will be able to capitalize on as well. We're hoping to not only embrace the community of Melrose - but also be able to offer our existing customers items and services that we aren't able to do now, that fully encapsulate all entertaining needs.

These are exciting times.....stay tuned!

More cheese, please!

I don't know about you - but I love cheese.
Love, love, LOVE cheese.
As a matter of fact, next to peanut butter -- cheese is an addiction of mine.

That is partly the reason why when we open a second location -- we will have cheese incorporated as a staple. It will not only feed my obsession -- but it complements wine so perfectly.

We all have our favorites -- just as with wine; but also like wine, the more we sample the more we enjoy - the longer our list of "favorites" becomes. My "favorite" cheese is the Parrano Rubosto; a Dutch cheese that is a cousin to Gouda, but who tastes like an outstanding Parmigiano Reggiano.

White wines hardly ever clash with cheese, whether they are mild or strong - soft or firm. Dry whites pair well with soft textured cheeses, espedially those with mild flavors such as Brie. Whites with a crisp acidity go well with acidic goat cheeses. For an experiment, try pairing a softer Chardonnay from Sonoma with cheeses such as a triple cream Brie, Brunet, Valencay or Hoch Ybrig.

Red wines tend to match best with firm mellow cheeses. Although hard cow's milk cheeses do well with red wines as well. Try sampling a typical California style Cabernet Sauvignon with a variety of cheese such as a Dry Jack, Marisa, Manchego -- or my favorite, the Parrano.

Next time...what to pair with Ports and Sweet Wine.