The Local: Wine & Beer

04/17/2025

Jack is in Ireland. I’m heading to Florida. Derek’s going to Austria. But don’t worry -- FREE TASTING FRIDAYS aren’t going anywhere! Robert Boehme, of Vermont Wine Merchants, will be leading our tasting this Friday, 4/18 from 4:30 to 6:30pm. And if anyone can step into Jack’s shoes, it’s this guy! Rob is one of our favorite people to taste with & we’ve picked out a line up of old & new favorites to share with all of you!

So mosey on in this Friday evening, join the crowd, grab a glass, and try some wine! Plus, as always, bread from Red Hen and now meats & cheese from 5th Quarter Butcher & Provisions!

-Sam

04/17/2025

I know I’ve been talking about this upcoming event in The Tasting Room for a while now, but I still can’t believe this is really happening -- on May 16th, we’ll have two of the winemakers from here ALL THE WAY FROM JAPAN to co-host a five course dinner paired with their wines.

And because this is such a special honor for me to be able to host these guys, I wanted to make sure the food pairings would meet the moment so I called in a favor with my buddy Josh Turka from . Look, I love every chef we’ve ever hosted back in The Tasting Room, but we’re constantly hearing people raving about the meals Josh has whipped up back there.

Tickets for this event will go on sale this coming Saturday, 4/19 @ noon but TEN TICKETS are available now exclusively for Wine Club members. You can join The Wine Club or The Demi Wine Club today for early access to this event. Link in bio (as the kids say)!

So save the date & set an alarm for noon on Saturday because I think these tickets will go quickly!

$150/pp which includes FIVE courses, SIX wines, tax, service, belly laughs, etc.

-Sam

04/17/2025

"I wish I could buy more wine, but I can't hold any more bottles!" says you all the time.

And, look, I get it. We've been hearing this for two and a half years now. So I decided to spend my entire R&D budget this year on solving this problem once and for all. I bought Derek a six pack, gave him a sharpie and a pad of paper, and viola -- We call it THE SHOPPING BASKET!

It's so simple: You carry the basket & you put things in the basket! I mean, come on! How did no one think of this before?

These are available exclusively at The Local starting today! Mosey on in and give this exciting new technological innovation a shot!

-Sam

04/10/2025

It's that time of year again where all your favorite places in the state start begging you to nominate them for the Seven Daisies. And I wish I could just ignore these because they remind me too much of high school superlatives that we all knew the most kids were going to win regardless of whether or not they truly had "The Best Hair".

But, you know what, it truly means a lot to me that my little shop has not only been nominated every year since we opened, but we've also been a finalist each year. And I'd truly appreciate you taking your time to nominate us again this year for the two categories the shop falls under: Best Wine Shop & Best Craft Beer Selection (both under Drink). The links are in the bio.

Thanks a lot!

-Sam

04/10/2025

Wine is art in a bottle, but art on a wine label is often the first point of contact between you & the wine. That appealing label has only a few seconds to catch your eye & reel you in as you peruse the wine shelves!

Who hasn’t been swayed by the persuasive power of an intriguing wine label that feeds our curiosity & entices us to explore the story behind the wine? Despite the colorful graphics, catchy phrases, or well crafted tasting notes on the label -- the wine ultimately has to speak for itself.

We’ve chosen a bouquet of invigorating wines with floral labels to coax out Vermont spring -- where the mud season, maple syrup season, lingering cold, snow, gradual thaw, & delayed blooming all collide in one wonderful & crazy kind of beauty! Join us this Friday, April 11th from 4:30 – 6:30PM, when you take time to smell the flowers & taste spring in a bottle while celebrating Vermont’s truly unique & sometimes reluctant transformation!

-Jack

04/03/2025

Make sure you swing by the shop this SATURDAY anytime between 11am-3pm so you have a chance to meet Tariq from & ! He’s coming down from Ontario, Canada to pour FREE SAMPLES of three of his ciders & one of his wines!

Every time we bring in his ciders or wines, they sell out immediately, so we jumped at the chance to host the cider/winemaker himself when we had the opportunity. Plus this gives us (and all of you) a chance to show some love to our Canadian friends up north of the border.

Don’t miss this opportunity to try some truly unique beverages & have a chance to meet the man behind these beautiful bottles!

-Sam

04/03/2025

04/03/2025

We don’t know who first came across some overripe & rotten grapes, ate them, & discovered that world changing side effect of fermentation -- alcohol! Since that primordial happy accident, humans have reflected on their love affair with the noble grape since the dawn of history. The world of wine was born in what is now the Eastern European countries & Middle Eastern countries of Turkey, Armenia, Lebanon, Georgia, Israel, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, & Croatia.

Archeologists have found that Georgia is the oldest wine producing region going back to 6000BC. The Quevri Method, using buried clay vessels for fermenting & storing wine, are some of the earliest examples of viticulture. Today a new generation of winemakers from these resurgent regions are returning to these ancient methods (& applying new wine making methods as well), honoring its indigenous varietals, & finally getting the recognition & appreciation they deserve.

These countries haven’t been as well known for their wine in a modern context, but today these countries are producing wines that are certainly capturing the imagination of the wine world. Join us this Friday, April 4th from 4:30-6:30PM, when history & deliciousness come together & we sample & share the hidden potential of these legendary viticultural regions!

-Jack

03/27/2025

Welp, I had a whole post all ready to go about a couple new, exceptional (and LIMITED) rosés that recently arrived, but then I woke up this morning to a couple inches of snow so...pivot! Newly arrived hearty reds!

For those of you who missed out on the Fleurie 'Cuvee Tardive' from Clos de la Roilette, I have literally the next best thing. It's the Fleurie from Clos de la Roilette! The main difference besides this one having a slightly paler yellow label that is missing the "Cuvee Tardive" text is that it comes from younger vines in the vineyard (40 years old versus 80 years old). Which means -- good news alert -- means this is a wine ready to drink now!

Additionally, we have one bottle left of the 2016 Barbaresco Elisa from Ada Nada & we already have the 2020 vintage in the shop too. The difference? Welp, one was bottled in 2016 & the other was bottled in...no, sorry, smart ass answer there...the real answer is that 2016 was a PHENOMENAL year for Piedmont while 2020 was just a very good year. Also one is four years older than the other.

And I'm rounding this off with a decadently juicey Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the very esteemed Bruniers & the return of my personal favorite Bandol from Domaine Tempier.

Oh, and ask us about those rosés. They are here & they are delicious & they won't be around for long.

-Sam

03/27/2025

Wines in a can? Yes, wines in a can. Again for those in the back -- WINES IN A CAN! And not just any wines. Remember when we were extremely lucky to receive 2 bottles of the Charme from Jean-Pierre Robinot? Somehow someone convinced him to put some of his dangerously drinkable Chenin Blanc into that beautiful blue can up above. And the other cans are all from equally sought after producers too!

That white can? The one that they decided didn't deserve a super fun label? It's a Chablis. A CHABLIS in a can for 8 dollars & it drinks exactly like a Chablis should! I'm losing my dang mind over here.

The orange wine has some wonderful aromatics & when you are done smelling it, you can drink it too. Who knew?

The red we're keeping in the fridge because it was lonely without its friends, but I actually think it tastes better as it gets up closer to room temp. But you do you. And then come back and tell me if I was right (hint: I am).

-Sam

03/27/2025

Vermont spring can evoke bulbs blooming & warming temperatures but more often than not we watch spring arrive through a window while we’re sheltered in place! I suggest that one antidote to our longest transition season be exploring a new crop of unique & still undiscovered white wines that are capable of bringing out all the freshness & vibrancy of spring! There’s nothing wrong with the Big 3 – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, & Pinot Grigio – but if you’re an equal opportunity wine drinker it’s fun to drink obscure wine to expand your palate & wine appreciation of these under the radar but overachieving wines!

Grape varietals that were once perceived as “strange” & “weird” are now considered “exotic & thirst quenching”!! Spring & summer are right around the corner (honest!), so stop by this Friday, March 28th from 4:30-6:30PM, & sample some sunshine in a bottle from both iconic & far flung wine regions. Who thought obscure could be so refreshing!

-Jack

03/20/2025

And as much as I get excited about the cult classics, I think I get even more excited finding a new addition to our $15 & under table. Which is why I was psyched when we found out we would be able to feature this French Pinot Noir from the Savoie region.

This is everything I personally love about Pinot -- a bit brooding & conjuring up images of pine forests, foraging for mushrooms, and medieval feasts. Plus it is farmed organically, which is nice.

Unfortunately, great deals like this are usually because there is a limited quantity. And that is the case here as there are only 24 bottles available. Reserve yours online, stop by the shop, or just DM me.

$14/blt
ONLY 2 CASES AVAILABLE

-Sam

03/20/2025

Thanks so much for shopping with us here at The Local! It means so much to me that you all trust me and my team to stock our shelves with the best wines at the best prices & it drives us all to work so hard to line up amazing events for you all in The Tasting Room.

And to that end, today I’m very pleased to announce that tickets are available Saturday at noon for our next event on Thursday, May 1st -- It’s a five course meal w/ wine pairings hosted by Maria Helm Sinskey of & Chef Stefano Coppola of &

While we’re still working on finalizing both the wines & the menu, I hope you’ll all continue with that trusting attitude and trust me when I say this one is going to be very, very fun.

The team here at The Local (and by “team” I mean Derek, Hayley, Jack & me), met with Maria & Robert Sinskey last fall and immediately knew we had to have them back to hang out for an evening with you all in The Tasting Room. Maria is a natural storyteller and hostess and just the right amount of that leftover 60s hippy spirit (or mischief depending on your POV). So I knew we needed the right chef to complement their wines & her style -- enter Stefano.

If you haven’t had a chance to enjoy what he’s been cooking up at Pearl Street Pizza & Morse Block Deli, stop what you’re doing and plan a trip over to Barre. Actually, no, just buy tickets for this event! Wait, do both, both is the best!

Speaking of, there are a limited number of tickets available ONLY FOR WINE CLUB MEMBERS starting right now! So if you'd like to get early access, just join The Wine Club or The Demi Wine Club today. The remaining tickets go on sale Saturday at noon so don’t delay.

$125/pp

-Sam

03/20/2025

It’s the triumphant return of a wine we haven’t been able to stock since we sold out of the 2022 cuvee back in November of ‘23 -- Welcome back to the shop the Fleurie 'Cuvee Tardive' from Clos de la Roilette! Only a few cases of this vintage came into the state this year, so I took one for myself (sorry, not sorry) & brought in two for the shop.

Why is this release something that people eagerly await every year? Well, first & most importantly, the wine is beautiful & delicious -- deep blackcurrant color with a hint of purple, crème de cassis on the nose, and a rich, full mouth of black cherries, a bit of nut character, and a zesty acidity to finish.

But there is also the story which involves the exact right amount of pettiness. In the 1920s, a section of the Moulin-à-Vent cru was reclassified as a new cru -- Fleurie. The landowner was was so upset about the new name that he started bottling his wines under the name Clos de la Roilette (named after his horse who is featured on the labels), very pointedly didn’t mention Fleurie anywhere, and refused to let his wines be sold anywhere in France -- every bottle went to Switzerland, Germany, & England . Okay, maybe he went a bit overboard on the pettiness...

Fernand Coudert bought the vineyard in the late ‘60’s then his son, Alain, took over making the wines in the early 80’s and he’s still at it today. And while they have added Fleurie to the label, they also kept the drawing of Roilette, and, luckily for us, the wines are now sold in France & the US too.

This is drinking wonderfully now, but is very much age worthy, so if you are interested in more than a few bottles, just DM me and I’ll make sure you get a great deal. As I said, this is something I personally make sure I have in my home whenever possible!

$34/btl
ONLY 4 BOTTLES AVAILABLE (but I may be willing to let go of some of my case because I like you guys)

-Sam

03/13/2025

I was waiting to release these until the Spring, but since we seem to have taken a turn towards warmer weather -- NEW HATS!

The green mesh back hat was the first bit of merch that I produced for the shop. We haven’t released a cap since then because I hadn’t been able to find a style that I liked as much as that mesh back. But when I saw these nicely off-white blanks with no stitch down the front center, well I knew exactly what to do with them.

Actually, that’s not really true. I knew I really liked the blanks & then I asked my lovely wife Sarah what design I should put on them. We mocked up both the grapes & the original shop logo, loved them both equally, and decided to just get both made! I couldn’t be more excited about how these turned out & I hope to see them all over the valley as the weather warms up & we put away those beanies for at least a few months.

For now, I hope you like these new hats as much as I do & let’s focus on the warm weather ahead!

-Sam

03/13/2025

Jack is taking a well deserved week away from hosting our free Friday evening tasting up in the front of the shop. But don't let that discourage you from attending tomorrow evening (3/14) because I've brought in a ringer -- it's Mel Goldman!

Mel is the owner & vineyard manager of Keuka Lake Vineyards, one of the premiere vineyards in the Finger Lakes region of New York. He first planted grapes on his plot back in 1998 & hasn't slowed down since then. He produces exemplary (DRY) Rieslings, Vignoles, & Cabernet Franc that I think you're all going to really enjoy. Plus Mel is just a ton of fun to hang out with & drink some wine. PLUS it's FREE so basically the dictionary definition of a win-win. Or win-wine!

See you tomorrow, Friday, March 14th anytime between 4:30-6:30pm. We'll have some great snacks too from our neighbors at and our friends over at &
-Sam

03/13/2025

I was waiting to release these until the Spring, but since we seem to have taken a turn towards warmer weather -- NEW HATS!

The green mesh back hat was the first bit of merch that I produced for the shop. We haven’t released a cap since then because I hadn’t been able to find a style that I liked as much as that mesh back. But when I saw these nicely off-white blanks with no stitch down the front center, well I knew exactly what to do with them.

Actually, that’s not really true. I knew I really liked the blanks & then I asked my lovely wife Sarah what design I should put on them. We mocked up both the grapes & the original shop logo, loved them both equally, and decided to just get both made! I couldn’t be more excited about how these turned out & I hope to see them all over the valley as the weather warms up & we put away those beanies for at least a few months.

For now, I hope you like these new hats as much as I do & let’s focus on the warm weather ahead!

-Sam