December Deal of the Week!

To help you with you holiday wine shopping, each week in December we will feature an incredible deal on a wine, 30% to 50% off of the normal retail price.  And these won't be just any wines, they'll be highly rated by respected producers that you may know from spending time in our shop.

This week we have 2 deals:

2007 Bonny Doon Cigare Blanc - Rhone Ranger producer Randall Grahm is well know in the wine world for both his crazy marketing techniques and winemaking skills, and the Cigar Volant is his rendition of a Cotes du Rhone blanc.  This wine blew us away for its quality, delicious pineapple and tropical fruit topped off with nice minerality and balanced acidity.  An absolute joy to drink, it lists for $19.99 but this week only you can purchase it for *$14.99!!
 

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Nov/Dec 09; 90 Points: 
2007 Bonny Doon Vineyards Le Cigare Blanc Beeswax Vineyard Arroyo Seco ($22; 64% roussanne and 36% grenache blanc; 14.5% alcohol) "Light yellow. Peach, pear and honey aromas, with notes of green almond and dried flowers. Pliant and fleshy, offering fresh orchard and pit fruit flavors and a subtle undercurrent of smoky minerals. A dry, focused wine that will be extremely flexible at the table; the finish leaves mineral and pit fruit notes behind. I like this wine's blend of richness and energy." 

Deal Number 2:

2004 Bodegas Almansenas Adaras - I am a huge fan of Grenache, and Spain produces some of the best.  Gorgeous, deep, dark fruit with a touch of smoke this is a lush wine that retails for $40 and up but you can steal it this week for $24.99.  But I have only 3-6 pack cases, so if you want it call me!  If you love the Alto Moncayo wines, this will really make you happy at this price!

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, #169, $40-$56, 90 Points
The 2004 Adaras is 100% Garnacha Tintorera aged for 18 months in new French oak. It presents an attractive array of mineral, scorched earth, vanilla, black cherry, and black currant aromas. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied wine with spicy, ripe flavors in a racy style.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Sep/Oct 07, 90 Points
($48; 100% garnacha tintorera) Deep ruby. Pungent blackberry and plum on the nose, with smoked meat, graphite and espresso nuances. Chewy dark fruit flavors are firmed by solid tannins that carry through a long but youthfully clenched finish.

*No other discounts apply

The Shotgun Paintings & Double Shotgun Wine Tasting

What do you get when you combine two creative passionate wine geeks with a love of Napa Valley and an absolute devotion to experiencing all that is good about their native city? Vending Machine Winery is the love child of Monica Bourgeois and Neil Gernon, native New Orleanians who bring a local twist to their small production, high quality yet incredibly affordable Napa Valley Wines.  We'll taste Loula's Revenge Chardonnay and the Crooked Mayor Cabernet, but it's the Double Shotgun that will take center stage tonight.  Louisiana born, Chicago based artist Grant Schexnider, creator of the artwork for the labels, will be in the house for this exclusive, one night only showing of "The Shotgun Series", his unique paintings of this New Orleans architectural icon.  Sounds like a great way to end our 2010 tasting series! The event is free and open to the public, Tuesday December 21, 6-8pm.

Vending Machine Winery Double Shotgun:  "Upon entering the front door you notice this room is scented with fresh herb and lavender bouquets. Proceed through the middle room where walls are painted a rich garnet and hung with pictures of pretty girls holding fruit pies.  In the back you reach the kitchen where someone is cooking up a meal of smoked andouille sausage."

December Deal of the Week!

To help you with you holiday wine shopping, each week in December we will feature an incredible deal on a wine, 30% to 50% off of the normal retail price.  And these won't be just any wines, they'll be highly rated by respected producers that you may know from spending time in our shop.  For example, this weeks deal is from Chateau Pesquie in the Southern Rhone.  The Quintessence is the top cuvee from this estate and will sell normally for $22.99.  This week only you can buy this wine for $15.99!  The shipment arrives Tuesday so come on over and check it out!  Here's what Robert Parker has to say about this wine:

Wine Advocate, June 2009, Rating 91pts, Price $21-$25, Drink 2009-2014, Reviewer Robert Parker:
"Pesquie’s top cuvee, the 2006 Quintessence Rouge, is made from the estate’s oldest Syrah (80%) and Grenache (20%) vines, spends 12 months in French oak, and is bottled unfined and unfiltered. This beauty boasts a dense ruby/purple hue along with abundant aromas of blackberries, charcoal, cassis, and forest floor. The sweetness of the tannins, purity, full-bodied mouthfeel, and richness are impressive. It should drink nicely for 4-5 years.  One of the Cotes du Ventoux’s top estates."
This week only $15.99!!  Shipment arrives on Tuesday, December 7th.

Savory Bites: Three Muses

"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone..." 

Chef Dan & Antonio

Remember the days when Chef Dan Esses was filling time with us while he was working on opening his now very popular restaurant Three Muses?   Oh how I miss those Friday nights when that sometimes cranky but always creative Jewish guy would be cooking up his tasty tapas dishes armed with nothing more that a wracked out toaster oven and a skillet. 

But luckily he hasn't gone far, so Kerry and I took a trip to the Marigny last night to visit Dan and see what's new on his very eclectic, incredibly affordable, and deliciously creative menu.  We like to sit at the bar and sip on a cocktail as we peruse the menu.  I'm quite fond of their signature drink, the muse, which is a refreshing gin, St. Germaine, strawberry and cucumber concoction that is dangerously good, while Kerry sipped on a perfectly mixed mohito.

We ordered a few dishes and I have to say that each one was an absolutely delightful blend of flavors and textures and given the chance I would order them all again next time except that I always want to try something new.  Accompanied by the live jazz vocals of Lindsey Zaworski, we feasted on small plates of the Miticana Gratin, Garlic and Sesame Asian Greens, Housemade Bresaola with Arugula and Shaved Parmesan, Lobster Egg Rolls with a Sweet Chile Lime Sauce, Braised Pork Belly with Apple Chutney and Scallion Pancakes and finished with Local Butternut Squash Ravioli in Sage and Brown Butter.  So as you can imagine at this point we are feeling a little over served, but we couldn't pass up the complimentary "Chocolate Heaven"  that Dan sent out.  And I have to admit that it was one of the best chocolate desserts I've had; moist flourless cake with a rich chocolate ganache icing, a sauce of brandied cherries accompanied by a creamy delicious scoop of their housemade candy cane ice cream.  Unbelievably delicious!

I unfortunately didn't have my camera with me, but just trust me that all of the dishes looked as good as they tasted and I can't wait to go back again!!

Three Muses

536 French­men St.
New Orleans, La 70116

(504) 298-TRIO