The Local: Wine & Beer

The Local: Wine & Beer Your Friendly Neighborhood Wine & Beer Shop

“The heat of autumn is different from the heat of summer. One ripens grapes, the other turns  them into w**e.” -- Jane H...
09/03/2026

“The heat of autumn is different from the heat of summer. One ripens grapes, the other turns  them into w**e.” -- Jane Hirshfield

It's my favorite time of the year -- not quite the end of summer, but there’s always a subtle change of pace that happens during this seasonal transition. We have both our swimsuits and sweaters in the car, adapting from the warmth of these glory days to the crisp evening air! Farmers markets and our own gardens provide the rewards of a season of sweat and sunshine. And our tastes in w**e subtly shift as well.

White w**es have the acidity to brighten up all of the tremendous vegetables we enjoy at this time of year but still have enough body to hold up to food and condiments from the grill. Red w**es start making more of an appearance -- w**es with freshness and depth that bring energy to the cooler evening meals.

So celebrate part of your Labor Day Weekend with us this Friday, September 4th at The Local from 4:30-6:30, and Saturday, September 5th at our Outpost inside 5th Quarter 10:30-2:30 where we'll roll out w**es that both salute one amazing summer and embrace autumn!

-- Jack

Bruno Giacometti is the force behind a dazzling array of bottlings of little known Erbaluce, a high acidity white grape variety native to the northern Piedmont. Erbaluce Di Caluso was Piedmonte’s first official white w**e appellation in 1969 and was elevated to DOCG status in 2010. Erbaluce takes its name from Albaluce, a local legend fairy who blessed the town of Caluso with amazing fruit!

The juice is given extended time on the lees and fermented in stainless steel tanks. The w**e is rich, salty, and textural, with notes of lemon curd, green apple, and savory herbs balanced on a razor’s edge of high acidity!

Aligoté is Burgundy’s lesser known white grape accounting for just about 7% of all the vines in Burgundy. The grape was planted in Burgundy in the early 17th century.

The Lequin family have been vignerons in Santenay since 1679. Santenay marks the southern tip of the Côte d’ Or and also shares a border with the Chassagne. The geology resembles that of the iconic Cote de Nuits. This superb intersection of terroir, tradition, and evolution has c

if you didn't have a chance to get a burger (or wrap or fries or SO MANY OTHER AMAZING THINGS) from peaceburger while aa...
09/02/2026

if you didn't have a chance to get a burger (or wrap or fries or SO MANY OTHER AMAZING THINGS) from peaceburger while aaron was set up inside afterthroughts in waitsfield...well, YOU MISSED OUT AND I'M SORRY. and if you did have a chance, then you were probably as DEVASTATED as i was when aaron had to shut down his operation over there.

which brings me to the BEST NEWS EVER which is that aaron's decided to host some peaceburger pop-up dinners this fall AND THE EVEN BETTER NEWS that the very first one is going to be right here in THE TASTING ROOM at the local. like i said, BEST NEWS EVER!

the centerpiece will be the BURGERS (duh) but aaron's built out a whole SUPER FUN five course meal for you all. and to go along with the eats, the local's newest ROCKSTAR, kelsey kelley, is pairing them up with w**es that LITERALLY SCREAM FUN*.

which is basically the theme of this evening -- FUN. we're turning the tasting room into burger joint for an evening, getting a little LOOSE, and, well, we can't wait for 20 of you to come join the (do i dare call it a party? ah, f**k it, yeah, it's a party!) PARTY!

w**e club members, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO (which, in case you don't know what to do, is just reply to this post with the number of tickets you'd like). just 10 tickets available for members and first come, first serve

and then, for everyone else, tickets will release on saturday, 9/5 @ noon.

world tour stop one: five courses, five w**es, an actual PARTY, all for just $75/pp which includes those fun things and even the un-fun things like tax, tip, tariffs, etc.

-- sam

*not literally, but can you imagine the noise?

THREE MONTHS OF FREE W**E CLUB! 50% OFF FIRST MONTH OF W**E CLUB! $50 IN SHOP CREDIT FOR SOME RANDOM NEW IG FOLLOWER!WHA...
08/28/2026

THREE MONTHS OF FREE W**E CLUB! 50% OFF FIRST MONTH OF W**E CLUB! $50 IN SHOP CREDIT FOR SOME RANDOM NEW IG FOLLOWER!

WHAT A FRIDAY, YOU GUYS! JOIN TODAY! LINK IN BIO! YOU'RE ALL THE BEST. THANKS SO MUCH!

SORRY FOR YELLING!

-- SAM

“In the USA, w**e is a lifestyle; in Italy it is history.” -- some guyTalking about w**es from Italy and w**es from the ...
08/26/2026

“In the USA, w**e is a lifestyle; in Italy it is history.” -- some guy

Talking about w**es from Italy and w**es from the ol' US of A is really a tale of two worlds. Italy’s w**emaking has deep cultural roots for as long as records have been kept, and w**e has been an integral part of Italian life, aligned with their food, culture, and landscape. Meanwhile, over here, we're very new to the game and, in many ways, the offspring of Italian and Old World w**e cultures, given the huge influence of the European immigration in the mid 1800’s.

In Italy, the craft of w**emaking has been passed down through generations and the concept of terroir is paramount to the process. The w**e speaks for itself, relying on the natural expression of the land, its climate, and the minimal intervention of the w**emaker. Nuance, complexity, and a deep abiding respect for tradition above all else.

In the beginning of the USA's w**emaking journey, there was a tendency to embrace the pillars of American culture -- bigger, bolder, & faster. Think jammy, full bodied, and immediately satisfying. It was less about tradition and more about entrepreneurship and American taste preferences.

Over here, we're starting to realize that we can aspire to the centuries-old w**emaking traditions and still advocate our own w**e identity. Italy has always done it and has passed the baton on to us and a host of other w**e regions throughout the world.

So join us at The Local this Friday, August 28th from 4:30-6:30 and at The Outpost inside 5th Quarter in Waitsfield on Saturday, August 28th from 10:30-2:30 where we’ll celebrate and compare interpretations of iconic and obscure grapes crafted in Italy & the USA. And in this competition, we're all winners!

-- Jack

For decades, rosé has been one of warm weather’s most popular libations. Each year, as the summer season slowly morphs i...
08/20/2026

For decades, rosé has been one of warm weather’s most popular libations. Each year, as the summer season slowly morphs into fall, there’s a tendency to hang up those pink bottle cravings for w**es with a bit more heft.

W**e marketers over the years have been fairly successful in pounding the U.S. consumer with the notion that rosé is solely a warm weather w**e, while w**e drinkers in Europe have always appreciated rosé's year round appeal.

Rosé isn’t bound by the seasons -- rosé is a state of mind!

There are the crisp and delicate summer quaffers that we love sipping by the river or lake, but the popularity of rosé has inspired w**emakers to ratchet up their creations and develop rich, complex, and structured styles to accommodate any and all seasons and cuisines.

Southeast France, particularly Provence, is the gold standard for rosé. The region has been doing it forever with styles that are both effortless and elegant.

Don’t get me wrong -- I’m in no hurry for summer to wind down, but there are plenty of different style of rosé to enjoy for every season!

So join us at The Local this Friday, August 21st from 4:30-6:30 and at our Outpost inside 5th Quarter in Waitsfield on Saturday, August 22nd from 10:30-2:30 where we’ll sample some truly amazing French rosé -- w**es with a cozy richness and quaffability that bridge summer warmth and autumn charm -- and beyond!

Rosé all year has a better ring to it than rosé all day!

-- Jack

In The Beginning...W**emaking in the Middle East dates back 7000 years to biblical times. Between 2700BC & 300BC, the Ph...
08/13/2026

In The Beginning...

W**emaking in the Middle East dates back 7000 years to biblical times. Between 2700BC & 300BC, the Phoenicians spread their w**es & viticultural traditions throughout the Mediterranean.

In the city of Baalbek -– the viticultural center of Lebanon in the Bekaa Valley, an astonishing second-century temple to Bacchus -- the Roman god of w**e -– holds a dramatic mirror to w**e’s cultural significance in this part of the world.

In 1857, French Jesuit monks & other religious figures planted vines cementing a pervasive w**e culture throughout the region. Their ability to adapt, expand, and endure through centuries of instability and uncertainty—while continuing to craft exceptional w**e against all odds—stands as a true testament to the dedication and perseverance of the people.

Join us this Friday, August 14, from 4:30-6:30pm at The Local & Saturday, August 15th, from 10:30-2pm the Outpost inside 5th Quarter in Waitsfield, where we’ll taste w**es from where it all began, made from growers & w**emakers rediscovering indigenous grapes & reinterpreting international varietals & helping their industry shape a more distinctive identity to their w**es & create a larger global footprint for the world to enjoy!

-- Jack

on monday, august 24th, we're bringing back chef stefano coppola for the sister event to our recent backyard bbq. that d...
08/12/2026

on monday, august 24th, we're bringing back chef stefano coppola for the sister event to our recent backyard bbq. that dinner was amazing -- family style, eating with your hands encouraged, and the best b**r pairings from our friends at foam -- but this one, this is the real deal here.

it's a bbq fancy feast -- think small plates, certainly silverware, and w**e pairings (though wet naps are available if you make a mess because apparently you can only order them by the 1000 and i really wanted them for our backyard bbq event so i have like 950 now).

GET BACK TO THE EVENT, SAM...

sorry -- w**e pairings selected by and presented by jessica gualano! she is the director of national sales for bowler w**es and if that sounds like a big deal, it's because it is. and we're so lucky to have her coming up to vermont -- she's literally flying in for one night only like a real rock star.

and the w**es! all from the canary islands. and all EXCLUSIVELY available for this dinner and this dinner only. everyone has their favorite w**e regions that they like to talk about (everyone does, right? that's not just me?), but the canary islands have to be one of the most unique growing areas in the world. these islands were covered with lava from volcanic eruption after volcanic eruption then some poor saps had to DIG THROUGH the dried lava to get down to the soil layer to plant vines. then they had to build stone walls around the vines because there was no other vegetation to protect them from the winds.

so, yeah, crazy unique growing conditions for some crazy unique w**es which just happen to pair perfectly with some crazy elevated bbq. FIVE COURSES & SIX (YES SIX) W**ES all for just $125/pp which includes absolutely everything.

tickets are available now for w**e club members (so join today!) and then for everyone else on saturday, 8/15 @ noon.

-- Sam

In Christopher Nolan’s amazing rendering of Homer’s classic The Odyssey, w**e takes a major role alongside its stellar c...
08/05/2026

In Christopher Nolan’s amazing rendering of Homer’s classic The Odyssey, w**e takes a major role alongside its stellar cast. Homer’s epic references w**e 176 times! Even the oceans, both an obstacle and vehicle for Odysseus to return home, are described as the “w**e dark seas.”

Mediterranean communities have long claimed The Odyssey as their own, citing their cities, villages, mountains, and islands as settings and homes to all of the colorful characters. The line between history and mythology certainly begins to blur!

The same applies to w**es produced around the Mediterranean in Homer’s day and the w**es crafted today. In ancient times, Mediterranean w**e was probably fortified, sweet and syrupy, perhaps slightly oxidized and infused with honey and herbs to give the w**e longevity and an ability to withstand exposure and heat. Certainly not the w**es that we have come to appreciate from this storied region today, but descendants of their ancient methods and traditions.

Odysseus fills a large skin with w**e that he might need to “deal with some savage,” -- the Cyclops! Circa the Sorceress blends a secret potion of w**e, milk, grains, and herbs to transform Odysseus’ men into pigs! Libations of ambrosia are quaffed regularly to toast and appease the gods! There are so many references throughout this legendary story to support w**e’s role as the plot’s lubricant, but most importantly, that w**e ultimately epitomizes a memory of home.

So join us this Friday, August 7th from 4:30-6:30 at The Local and Saturday, August 8th from 10:30-2:30 at the our Outpost inside 5th Quarter Butcher + Provisions in Waitsfield where we’ll embark on a journey from Greece to Sicily and Campania, Italy and explore the ancient history and current w**e culture of The Odyssey’s setting!

-- Jack

Cava Spiliadis is a w**e cooperative established in 2007 recruiting farmers and w**emakers with a mutual passion for sustainable viticulture to create w**es that represent a sense of place.

Two indigenous grapes -- Malagousia and Assyrtiko -- are blended with SauvignonBlanc to create a zesty and aromatic mountain blend sourced from vineyards located in the foothills of Mount Pangeon in the Makedonia

This week's FREE W**E TASTINGS at The Local in Middlesex on Friday and at 5th Quarter in Waitsfield on Saturday are goin...
07/30/2026

This week's FREE W**E TASTINGS at The Local in Middlesex on Friday and at 5th Quarter in Waitsfield on Saturday are going to be a blast. I know this because there isn't just one theme BUT TWO WHOLE THEMES!
That's double themes, you guys, which I'm honestly not even sure IS LEGAL IN VERMONT, but we're doing it.

THEME ONE: CALIFORNIA W**ES (plus a bottle of sparkling from Italy because I had a bunch in stock and it's delicious). DOUBLE ROSÉ, SAUV BLANC, plus a ZIN that people are already buying by the case because it's FREAKIN' PHENOMENAL.

Wait, how have people already tried the ZIN and returned for more? Great transition to THEME TWO: W**E CLUB W**ES! We've been open for just about four years now, running W**E CLUB for at least three years, but I've somehow never done a W**E CLUB theme'd tasting. WELL THAT NONSENSE ENDS TOMORROW!

Those four CA w**es are also our four W**E CLUB w**es, so if you're a FOUR BOTTLE member, this is what you've already picked up for JULY or you're welcome to come pick up whenever.

If you're a TWO BOTTLE MEMBER, this is an amazing tasting for you because, ONLY DURING THE TASTING, you can add the remaining two bottles for yourself for just $50. That's a $58 dollar value for just $50, which is a huge percentage of savings if you want to get mathy about it.

And, if you're W**E CLUB CURIOUS, this is a great opportunity to join and go home with a big savings and some great w**es. Or join the ADVENTURE CLUB, get yourself $60 in store credit (Middlesex only), and save that way. END OF W**E CLUB TALK (sorry).

So come taste some great w**es for FREE, dream of Californication, remember that space may be the final frontier, but it's made in a Hollywood basement, then enjoy your weekend. And Jack wrote all the w**e descriptions which are beautiful and 99% less chaotic than what you just read. Thanks, Jack!

-- Sam

Giovanni Corvezzo established his w**ery near Trevino in the heart of the Veneto region in 1955. Dedicated to a sustainable and organic approach to viticulture, the Corvezzo W**ery became the first private producer of organic Prosecco and Pinot Grigio in Italy. Three generations later, the family continues to focus on Prosecco and P

The 113th edition of the Tour de France is in its final week, winding on a challenging path through some of the country’...
07/23/2026

The 113th edition of the Tour de France is in its final week, winding on a challenging path through some of the country’s 101 departments. “La Grande Boucle En Vins” is the French nickname for the Tour meaning “the big loop in w**es!”

One of the greatest sporting events in the world takes place almost in its entirety in the world’s greatest w**e country so we want you to hop into our w**e tasting peloton! No pedal power required! Each year, a new course route offers an opportunity to explore the gastronomic pleasures and w**es that each of the participating regions offer.

Back in the 1950’s and 60’s riders would enter a town on the route and proceed to go into shops, cafes, and pubs and literally take w**e, b**r, Ch*****ne, and brandy from the shelves to fortify themselves to lessen their pain from the grueling event. The riders also felt that it was a safer drinking option than the suspect water wells along the course. We love all of that colorful history of the tour but we won’t be reenacting that chapter! (ed. note: speak for yourself, Jack!)

It’s only fitting that the most compelling stages of the Tour de France -- two different ascents up the 21 hairpin turn summit of the Alpe d’ Huez occur this Friday and Saturday! So join us this Friday, July 24th from 4:30-6:30 at The Local in Middlesex, and Saturday, July 25th at 5th Quarter in Waitsfield from 10:30-2:30 where we will celebrate this great event and France’s iconic gift of w**e to the world!

-- Jack

Address

The Local: Wine & Beer, 961 US Route 2
Middlesex, VT
05602

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6:15pm
Thursday 10am - 7pm
Friday 10am - 8pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 6pm

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