| Welcome to The Urban Grape Newsletter!
Thank you for subscribing to The Ubran Grape Newsletter! These montly email blasts will arrive in your inbox at the beginning of each month and will outline our upcoming events, tell you a little bit about the buzz the store is generating, inspire you with an easy dinner idea and wine pairing, and fill you in on some hard to find bottles of wine that are available at The Urban Grape.
If you have given us your email address but do not wish to receive the newsletter, no worries! It is easy to unsubscribe below. If you have a friend or two who would like to learn about the store, please do forward the newsletter on to them.
Thank you to all our new customers who have made our first three weeks of business a resounding success! We look forward to seeing you in the store again soon.
TJ and Hadley Douglas |
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The Urban Grape will feature FREE wine tastings every Thursday and Friday from 5-7 pm and every Saturday from 1-3 pm. The time for these events will not change unless specifically noted. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on the wines we will be pouring, as well as any additional events we may add to this calendar.
Below you will find details for a few of our July wine tastings:
Thursday, July 1 and Friday, July 9: Join the ever charming Ryan Sansosti from Ruby Wines as he pours seasonal wine selections such as Commanderie de Peyrassol Rose and Picnic by Two Paddocks Pinot Noir.
Friday, July 2nd - Prepare to kiss on both cheeks as you taste with Mario Rufo of MS Walker before he journeys home to Italy for his summer sojourn.
Thursday, July 8th and Thursday, July 22nd - Shirlee Stein of United Liquors leads us through summer's hottest days, laughing all the way.
Friday, July 10 - The rumors are true. We are hosting a Champagne (and Sparkling Wine and Prosecco) grand tasting, followed by a viewing of Eclipse at the neighboring movie theatre. Call or email the store for details! **This tasting will run from 1 to 3:30 to accomodate all of our guests.
Thursday, July 15 - Amanda Maynard from The Wine-ing Woman is our host for a national Pinot Noir Tweet Up. Which region will be crowned the Pinot Noir Champion? Don't forget your smart phones! **This tasting will run from 8-10 pm.
Friday, July 16 and Saturday, July 24 - A smaller portfolio doesn't mean there are fewer gems. Mark Goldberger from Harborside will prove it to you by tasting you on his unique wines.
Thursday, July 22 - Join Michelle Collins of The Economical Eater as she and TJ teach us that wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good. Taste four wines under $15 and two "splurge" wines under $25. **This tasting will run from 6-8 pm.
Friday, July 23 - Stock up with for your August vacations as Antonella Cordella tastes you on perfect holiday wines. |
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The Boy, K Vintners - $55
If you've read our blog or talked to us in the store, you've probably noticed that we are pretty big fans of K Vintners. Maybe it's because their wine maker, Charles Smith, reminds Hadley of the Sammy Hagar Van Halen days. Maybe it's because thier wines are always a little unexpected (I mean, check out that label!). Probably it is all of the above, reinforcing TJ's idea that a bottle of wine is many things - the wine inside the bottle, the bottle/label itself, the story behind the making of that wine, and the story you make while drinking the wine.
Whatever it is, The Boy by K Vintners is good. Really good. And very hard to find. There were only 318 cases of the 2008 made, and only 16 of those cases were sent to Massachusetts. In February 2010, Wine Spectator annointed The Boy one of its "Hot Wines." Hot Wines are high-scoring, low-production wines that are difficult to find, but worth seeking out. Look no further, we've got FOUR of Massachusetts' 16 cases at The Urban Grape!
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Lemon Grilled Shrimp & Greek Salad
Our friend Meghan Malloy at TravelEatLove created this beautiful recipe for The Urban Grape. TJ suggests pairing it with the 2008 Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo from Campania, a flavorful white wine with "delicate scents of ripe pears, apricots and mint with harmonious acidity and mineral structure." It is available at The Urban Grape for $21. 3 cups butter lettuce 1/2 cup chopped red onion 1 medium cucumber, sliced 1 cup grape tomatoes 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 2 tsp olive oil and 3 tsp olive oil, divided 1 tsp oregano Coarsely ground pepper to taste Juice of 1 lemon 12 cleaned shrimp Toss shrimp in lemon juice and 3 tsp of olive oil, set aside. To make the dressing, combine vinegar, 2 tsp of of olive oil, oregano and black pepper in a container with a tight seal. Shake vigorously until blended. Layer the lettuce, onion, cucumbers, tomatoes, and feta on a large serving platter and set aside. Remove shrimp from marinade, and place them in a single layer on a hot grill. After 2-3 minutes, flip the shrimp and grill on the other side. Once they are completely pink, remove from grill. Top the salad with shrimp, and drizzle the dressing over the top. Pour yourself a glass of the Greco di Tufo and enjoy!
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The Buzz
In the three weeks since we've opened we have received a tremendous amount of support from the media, especially the local wine bloggers. Here are just a few of the things they have said about The Urban Grape. We will share more in the coming months! "This new kid on the block is a small revolution...because the owners questioned the rules of wine retail and created something that will outlive convention." Julia Timakovich, The Boston Wine Examiner "The Urban Grape, a hip new shop that recently opened in Chestnut Hill...is what every wine shop should be - and more." Catherine Stanton Schiff, Cocktails for Everyone "TJ's passion for wine is immediately apparent, as is his expertise in speaking with people on the subject." Robert Dwyer, Wellesley Wine Press "I've long been a fan of Enomatic [tasting machines] as it give customers an easy way to taste a variety of wines at any time...The Urban Grape gets kudos for [its] Enomatics." Richard Auffrey, The Passionate Foodie |
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