Zipp's Liquors has changed itself from being a kind of seedy near-campus keg place to the place to go if you want to try out interesting expensive wines and liquors. And it's largely due to Mike, the incredibly cool and very knowledgable wine guy. How cool is he? Here is a wine review he wrote in this week's newsletter:
Wine: Pascal Cotat ChavignolVinatge: 2006
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Country: France
Region: Loire - Sancerre
Regular Price: $42.99
Sale Price: $39.49
Bottles on Hand: 6
Limit One Per Person
"The wine is like drinking strawberry sweetened weasels that have had their claws removed and replaced by straight razors. No foolin...that is exactly what it takes like. Bright bursting sweetness but not sugary sweet...more like fruity kinda sweet, lots of strawberry overtones and biting, cutting and searing acidity that makes me feel like I have just eaten 10 bags of Sour Patch Kids (which I did once when I was 11 at a Saturday matinee...couldn't taste anything for at least a day afterwards). This wine is awesome."
This post made me so happy. Not only do I love Sancerre, but I always thought I was the only person who got inordinately excited about particular liquor stores. In NYC, I always went to Sherry-Lehman, the greatest wine store on earth with the best selection and most knowledgeable service. The ones where I live now... *sob*! I went in a couple of months ago to ask for Beaujolais Nouveau, and the guy behind the counter was like, "Is that a wine or a spirit?" *facepalm*
My friends have found a liquor store in a suburban strip mall that they assumed was just an all-Budweiser soccer-mom place. But when they went in, they discovered it's run by an Indian couple who can answer any question about any kind of drink you can think of and who are always experimenting with getting weird things in the store. They took me in to show me the place and asked the husband if he had absinthe in stock yet. He answered, "Yes, and for you? Regular customer? I sell to you for $10 off." I love places like that.
Alcohol is like food: there are times when you're having people over to watch a hockey game or offering your male friends free beer if they'll paint your garage, and cheap stuff is just fine. But most of the time I want to sit back and drink something slowly and enjoy it. That's when I want to go hug all the staff at my local store for being awesome.
This place I used to go to (I'm really just in denial that I am now forced to live in Cambridge, MA---blech), The Brandy Library, has scotch tastings like that. It's great. It's so exciting you've done one of those, too! No one really does Scotch tastings. It's fascinating!
Ugh, now you've made me thirsty, in addition to jealous. I've been woefully sober in the past few days. I need to rectify this situation. Maybe a few drinks will help break my writer's block on Mohinder/Elle.
Heck, I've made myself thirsty now! Even worse: they've got a 20% off case sale going on right now. I'm not having writer's block, but...hmmm, Jericho is on tonight. Surely that's a good excuse to stop and pick up something... ;0)
lol! XD
I'd like to try that strawberry weasel death wine, though. :) I think I'll pass that review along to Uncle Al and ask if he's had it.