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Sip Local: The Importance of Supporting your Neighborhood Wine Shop
In an era dominated by online marketplaces and big-box retailers, the charm and significance of local businesses often get overshadowed. Assuredly, we can resonate with the convenience of shopping in your jammies from your couch. Even so, there's something uniquely satisfying about stepping into your local wine shop. Beyond the mere act of purchasing a bottle, shopping at a neighborhood wine store offers unique advantages that extend far beyond the immediate transaction. Supporting your local wine shop is not just a choice; it's an investment in your community and a celebration of the artistry and passion that goes into every bottle.
1. Unique Selections and Expert Guidance
Local wine shops, like The Thief, pride themselves on curating a distinctive selection of wines that reflect the tastes and preferences of their community. Unlike larger retailers, small wine shops tend to focus on quality over quantity, showcasing hidden gems and boutique wines that might not be easily found elsewhere. When you walk into your local wine shop, you're not just browsing shelves; you're embarking on a journey of exploration guided by the knowledgeable staff.
The expertise of local wine shop owners and staff is invaluable. They can offer personalized recommendations based on your taste preferences, budget, and the occasion. Whether you're a seasoned oenophile or a casual wine enthusiast, the chance to engage in a conversation with someone who is genuinely passionate about their craft can enhance your wine-buying experience, leading to discoveries you might have otherwise missed.
2. Community Connection and Local Economy Boost
One of the most tangible benefits of shopping locally is the direct impact on your community. When you choose to buy from a neighborhood wine shop, you're supporting local entrepreneurs who have invested time, energy, and resources to establish and maintain their business. The money spent at these establishments circulates within the community, helping to create a cycle of economic growth.
Local wine shops are often intertwined with the fabric of the community. They sponsor events, collaborate with local artists, and participate in neighborhood initiatives. By contributing to these establishments, you're fostering a sense of community and ensuring that your dollars go towards supporting local causes, whether it's a charity event, a youth sports team, or the improvement of public spaces.
3. Personalized Customer Service
In a local wine shop, you're not just another face in the crowd. The personalized customer service experience is a hallmark of these establishments. Staff take the time to get to know their customers, remembering their preferences and helping them discover new wines tailored to their tastes.
Unlike the impersonal nature of online shopping, local wine shops provide a welcoming environment where you can seek advice, ask questions, and engage in conversations about the world of wine. This level of personal attention is a rarity in today's retail landscape, making the local wine shop a haven for those who appreciate a human touch in their shopping experience.
4. Discovering Hidden Gems
While large retailers may carry popular and widely recognized wine brands, local wine shops often take pride in seeking out under-the-radar producers that you won't find on the shelves of supermarkets or mega liquor stores. These hidden gems could be artisanal wines produced by local vineyards or international selections that haven't yet gained widespread fame.
Exploring the aisles of a local wine shop is like embarking on a treasure hunt, where each bottle has a story waiting to be discovered. By choosing to shop locally, you open yourself up to a world of diverse flavors and styles that may not be part of mainstream consciousness but are certainly worth exploring.
5. Environmental Impact
Choosing to shop local can also contribute to a smaller environmental footprint. Local businesses often source their products regionally, reducing the carbon footprint associated with transportation. Often, local wine shops prioritize sustainable and eco-friendly practices, offering a selection of wines from producers who adhere to environmentally conscious methods of viticulture and winemaking.
When you support local businesses that prioritize sustainability, you're indirectly contributing to the overall health of the planet. This environmentally friendly approach is a compelling reason to opt for the neighborhood wine shop over larger, more ecologically taxing alternatives.
6. Tasting Events and Education
Local wine shops are more than just retail spaces; they're hubs of wine education and appreciation. Many shops host regular tasting events, where customers can sample new arrivals, learn about different varietals, and gain insights into the art of wine pairing. These events foster a sense of community among wine enthusiasts and provide an opportunity to expand one's palate in a social setting. The Thief hosts weekly Thursday tasting events, featuring a wide array of wines from around the world. Each week, our customers get a unique opportunity to broaden their global wine lens.
The educational aspect of local wine shops extends beyond events. Staff are eager and happy to share their knowledge, offering guidance on everything from wine regions and production methods to food pairings and aging potential. This commitment to education enhances the overall customer experience and deepens the connection between patrons and their local wine shop.
Conclusion
In a world where convenience often takes precedence, the act of consciously choosing to shop at your local wine store becomes a powerful statement. It's a statement in support of community, a celebration of diversity, and a recognition of the passion that goes into each bottle. While online shopping may offer efficiency, it can’t replicate the personal touch, the sense of discovery, and the community connection that local wine shops provide. So, the next time you're in the market for a bottle of wine, consider taking a detour to your neighborhood wine shop (ahem, The Thief!) – you might just find more than a bottle; you'll discover an enriching experience that goes beyond the contents of the glass. Cheers to supporting local and sipping with a purpose!
Nov 24, 2023 at 2:32 PM
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The Thief's Annual Guide for Surviving the Holidays
Fall is in the air. For those of us who choose to participate, this might mean that you're waiting in a significantly longer line at Starbucks to get your totally-not-a-pumpkin-spice latte from a barista who's looking a little more tired than usual. Maybe it means you've decided to break out your winter coats a little too early, only to realize that the sun is still providing ample warmth outside but you've already committed to your outfit choice.
Whatever your personal Fall rituals may be, there is one thing that most of us can all agree on as a universal truth for the changing of the seasons: The Holidays are around the corner, and that usually means having to spend time with the in-laws (or out-laws) or other extended family members that you wish were a little more than just "twice-removed".
Unfortunately for both of us, dear reader, I gave up on pursuing my degree in Psychology, so I can't help you very much with how to navigate your Aunt Helen as she slowly slips into madness, nor am I qualified to give advice on how to traverse a dysfunctional and freshly-adult relationship with that weird cousin that your parents have insisted you take under your wing since you were both children. I can, however, help prescribe you medication in the form of delicious fermented beverages that may help with the sting of social obligations.
So, after much collaboration and deliberation about holiday libations, I've put together a list of recommendations that I hope fill you with elation. I'm taking a bit of creative liberty to name this blog "The Thief's Annual Guide for Surviving the Holidays'', or TAGSH for short, which kind of sounds like me trying to say "thanks'' after a few too many beverages. By the end of this guide, I hope you'll be saying Tagsh too. Here's to a happy Tagshgiving, everyone.
Beaujolais
I don't think I'd still be happily employed at The Thief if I didn't recommend Beaujolais somewhere on this list, so I'm knocking it out immediately. Some people would call Beaujolais the "Poor Man's Burgundy". As a poor man, I resent that statement. I prefer to call it "my favorite way to get drunk on a Sunday". It turns out Beaujolais is also pretty enjoyable on Thursdays, and is especially enjoyable when that Thursday happens to fall on the 4th week of November. How convenient!
In a nutshell, when I say "Beaujolais", I am referring to a region in France just west of Paris and Lyon, and just South of Burgundy. The grape primarily grown here is Gamay, which is what you should be drinking if you've purchased a bottle of Beaujolais. If it's not, congratulations - you found a truly unique and nerdy bottle of wine, but that's not what we're talking about in this blog post. Maybe we can discuss that in the future, if my managers are silly enough to let me continue writing these blogs.
Getting back into our crash course in Beaujolais, there are a few different crus (or appellations) located in the region, with each cru having stylistic differences that set their wines apart from the others. These crus make the most serious style of Beaujolais, with distinctive character and a beautiful freshness that's appealing for even the most war-torn palate. For the sake of keeping my word count on the lower side, the two appellations I'm choosing to focus on for this field guide are Fleurie and Chiroubles.
Fleurie
Some would consider wines from Fleurie to be "feminine", in the sense that they are floral and delicate. As a man that smells floral and can be delicate at times, I resent this statement. Nevertheless, the descriptors are true. Compared to other crus in Beaujolais, wines from Fleurie tend to be a little more subdued, soft on the palate, and fairly fragrant.
This is a classic pairing for Thanksgiving dinner for a few reasons, chiefly because the flavors that are perceived in Fleurie wines are a natural pairing with classic Thanksgiving dishes.
I'm a big fan of Anne Sophie Dubois as a producer of Fleurie. Not only are some of her wine labels hilariously adorable, but she's a pretty damn good winemaker as well. Her most readily-available and approachable cuvee is "Les Cocottes", in which she opts for whole cluster fermentation as opposed to her usual 100% destemmed style. Expect just a bit more herbal and earthy notes than your typical Fleurie, which should help make your Uncle's obviously overcooked turkey go down a little easier.
Chiroubles
Another cru where the wines pair excellently with Thanksgiving faire is Chiroubles. Similar to Fleurie, wines from Chiroubles are very expressive aromatically. The chief difference is that Chiroubles is the highest elevation for all the crus, and the resulting wine is generally the lightest bodied and "freshest" style of Beaujolais. If Fleurie is for dinner, I'd suggest Chiroubles for appetizers. Fortunately for both of us, getting intoxicated via wine is socially acceptable so long as there's some sort of cheese and meat tray in front of you, so you'll be nice and socially lubricated well before the turkey even makes a showing.
As far as producers go, I'd recommend Daniel Bouland. Most noteworthy for his work in Morgon (another cru I won't dive into in this blog post), you can expect his wines to be just slightly more complex than your average Chiroubles. Much like the bottle I selected from Anne Sophie Dubois, Bouland opts for whole cluster fermentation, which will add much more structure and depth to the wine while preserving the juicy lushness one would expect from the region. My hope with this pick is that should your dear aunt Debrah nag you for a glass of wine, you'll be able to pour her something she might actually be able to taste after chain-smoking a pack of Marlboro Blacks in the back patio. You're not so sneaky, Debrah.
Beer
It's entirely likely that one member of your family insists that wine is for sissies and refuses to drink anything made out of grapes (their loss). Maybe it's because the Coors you've kept in the refrigerator in the garage is well past its recommended drinking date after stocking the fridge last year. Or maybe Debrah really enjoyed that Beaujolais you brought with you and now you've run out of wine before dinner. Never fear, I have a recommendation for those of you that wish to enjoy something a little more grain-ular.
Rodenbach Grand Cru
If you've purchased beer from me before, I've probably attempted to peddle off some sort of sour ale to you. Unlike milk, sour beer is actually a desirable and delicious treat that is intentionally made to be acidic and tart.
Most beers that are produced are made in a sanitary environment primarily to make sure that wild yeast and bacteria don't muck up the beer during fermentation. Sour beers flip that concept on its head: at some point during fermentation, usually during the cooling of the wort, bacteria and wild yeast are introduced to the beer, usually by exposing the ferment to an open air environment.
For Flanders style sour ales, the beer is typically fermented with a certain type of bacteria called Lactobacillus, which has an incredibly wide variety of uses and is found in… a wide variety of different places… (fermentation is a wild world, y'all). For the case of our Flanders ales, this bacteria provides a slightly sour character that's similar to lactic acid.
Rodenbach is arguably one of the most famous producers of Flanders ales in the world, and the Grand Cru is one of the very best the producer offers year round. This is what the brewery is known for. The process by which they make it is incredibly text dense, so I won't dive too deep into how it's made here. If you're interested in learning more, however, feel free to read this write-up I found here: (https://www.beervanablog.com/beervana/2021/1/22/making-of-a-classic-rodenbach).
I've included a Flanders ale because it's essentially the closest you can get to wine in a beer form. The final product is a blend of aged beer with fresh beer. Specifically, the Grand Cru is composed of 2/3rds aged beer with the remaining composed of a fresh beer. This beer has just enough complexity to impress even the most pretentious of palates, but is approachable enough to appeal to even the least-snobby of those beer-crushing folk in your family.
Digestif
But Flint, what about after dinner? Assuming that you haven't gotten absolutely plastered while pretending to love your extended family in the first few rounds, I think that dipping into some post dinner treats is absolutely deserved. Sure, you could sneak an Underberg or two in the bathroom, but I think we're all a little past the point of trying to hide who we really are during the holiday seasons. Amaro is your friend here. I think it's the best option as far as digestifs go, but we're gonna have to be a little selective here as far as what we pick because not all amari is created equally. In fact, much like Italian wine, Italian liqueur is incredibly complicated and confusing. The Italians are laughing at our misery, surely.
Averna
Surely you've heard of Aperol before? Maybe an Aperol Spritz? An absolute tidal wave of influencers shoved that down our throats this summer and the last, and it got so bad in our shop that we actually had to limit our frothing-mouthed customers to a measly one-bottle-per-person. If you were one of those people, I'm sorry; however, I feel much better about recommending something in the same category that's equally delicious. I'm talking about Averna here, which is an amaro just like Aperol. Before I talk about Averna, I should probably explain what an amaro is, otherwise things are gonna get real confusing real fast.
Simply put, amaro is an Italian liqueur made out of grape brandy that has been infused with a mix of herbs and spices (sometimes tree bark). The specific ingredients used in each type of amaro is usually a closely-guarded family secret, so I've found that it's usually easier to describe each individual amaro by how it tastes and the feeling it gives me.
So, in the case of Averna, one can expect the typical bittersweet notes of an amaro, but Averna stands out particularly because of its strong orange and licorice flavor profile and strong notes of caramel. The caramel notes help balance the bittersweet in this amaro, ultimately making it one of the most approachable amari on the market today. It can be consumed neat, but I typically enjoy Averna most with a bit of ice for dilution, and a splash of soda water if I have some available.
Honorable Mentions
There are a few wines that didn't make the list, mainly because I wanted to introduce some goodies that you may not find listed on Buzzfeed this year. That being said, there are some classics that I must mention so that I can sleep tonight.
Special Club Champagne
'Tis the season for Special Club champagne. Special Club champagne refers to a small handful of grower producers (champagne houses that grow and process their own fruit) that put out a special bottle of what they would consider to be the best wine from their best vintage. It truly is some of the best-of-the-best when it comes to champagne, and we have a whole lot of it in the shop this year.
My favorites this year: Gaston Chiquet, Moussé Fils, and Duménil.
Lambrusco
Lambrusco is probably the most classic pairing for Thanksgiving dinner. I lack the verbiage to properly explain how hilariously well this wine pairs with such an American tradition given it's coming from Italy, but you'll just have to trust me on this one. If you haven't had Lambrusco in awhile (like 20 years or so) I'm happy to announce that there are a lot of producers that are making much more serious bottles of Lambrusco than what we used to get in the states many moons ago.
I recommend Cleto Chiarli's "Vecchia Modena". This thing is an absolute steal for the price.
Signing Off
Alright, that was a lot. My therapist warns me of oversharing, but I feel like that's exactly what blog posts are for. Assuming you've made it this far, congratulations. It is my great hope that you have found something within this field guide that tickles your fancy, and that you have been instilled with the confidence to bring a suitable libation (or libations) to whatever unfortunate family gathering you've been guilted into attending this year.
Nov 6, 2023 at 8:22 AM
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