Join us tonight, 6-9 pm, for a tasting with our DJ friend Clarke from Rosenthal Wine Merchants, one of our most favorite importers. Rosenthal specializes in wines that really exhibit terroir, the unique places where the grapes are grown. These wines are story-tellers, and you’re transported with every bottle to the fields from which they originated. We’re so excited to share them with you over records from Clarke’s personal collection and cheese from Eastern District!

Commanderie de Peyrassol Rose, Provence 2012

One of our favorites year after year, Peyrassol Rose is just what we want out of a pink wine. A pale-salmon colored blend of Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah from healthy quarter-century old vines, it’s got a pretty red fruit-flower aroma and vibrant stone fruit and chill minerality on the palate. A trip to Provence in a bottle. $19

Domaine La Manarine, Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2011

100% Grenache lends this cheery Southern Cotes du Rhone red some spice and concentration. After almost two years of maturation, the wine is bottled without filtration, so the pure grape-y Grenache fruit shines through. A versatile food wine that pairs well with burgers of both the meat and veggie variety. $15

Lily, our fearless leader, was featured on Daily Worth! 

BRANGELINA WINE!

Chateau Miraval Rose, Provence 2012, $27

Hollywood’s most beautiful couple has made the most beautiful rose!  Somehow balancing superstar status, a big happy family, planning a massive wedding, and public service, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that they also own a working vineyard in Provence… but with the help of the renowned Perrin winemaking family, they’ve released their first vintage of wine! It’s soft, rich with red fruit character, and refreshingly dry on the finish, in the most beautiful package on the shelf.  We snagged a couple cases this year, and when they’re gone, they’re gone…  and trust us, you don’t want to miss out!

“City of Brotherly Love” is right! Found a strikingly familiar friend today in Philly. #dandylion #twinsies #pimmscups (at The Dandelion)

STAFF PICKS!!! Pretty reds and fancy whites.

Dandy loves you!

“Prospect has all the ambition of some of the city’s best restaurants; the only thing lacking is pretense.” (via Silvia Killingsworth: Prospect in Fort Greene Review : The New Yorker)

DANDELION ALUM STEVE COHEN OPENED A BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANT IN FORT GREENE THAT GOT WRITTEN UP IN THE NEW YORKER THIS WEEK!!!!

THURSDAY NIGHT TASTING

It’s been a beautiful week and the weekend promises to follow suit. Kick it off in style tonight at Dandy, 6-9 pm, with a tasting of three spectacular wines with our friend Stetson from Blue Danube! We’re pouring two stellar Hungarian whites and a brilliant red from Austria alongside cheese from Eastern District! Bottoms up!

Szõke Mátyás Szürkebarát Pinot Gris Hungary, 2011

The earliest cuttings of Pinot Gris were brought to Hungary by Cistercian monks sometime around 1375, and it’s still called Szürkebarát, meaning “grey monk”. This wildly affordable, character-rich Pinot Gris more closely resembles it’s Alsatian counterparts than Italian Pinot Grigio. Zippy citrus notes, bracing minerality, and subtle spiciness make this an awesome wine with all sorts of food- fresh ricotta, creamy pasta, spicy curries… and SUMMER TIME! $13

Bodrog Borműhely Loszbor Hungary, 2011

Sustainably grown Hárslevelű and Furmint from the banks of the Bodrog river in Northern Hungary, which is responsible for the unique humidity level of the tiny Borműhely vineyards. The grapes for their dry wines are hand harvested late, and carefully sorted to weed out any grapes that have sweetened from botrytis. They’re gently crushed, then spontaneously fermented in local Szerednye oak barrels. The wine ages for 6 months on the lees before being released for consumption! It’s incredibly aromatic and super soft, with delicately rich tropical fruit and a vibrant acidity that comes out more the longer the wine is in the glass- a beautiful, incomparable white I’m sure we’ll find a million occasions to drink and recommend. $20

Juris St. Laurent, Austria 2009

This sustainable, 100% St. Laurent from Burgenland, Austria is a perfect red for the ever popular roast chicken we’re often asked to pair wine with on Sunday afternoons. An ancient clone of Pinot Noir, St. Laurent grapes generally make medium bodied wines characterised by bright, pretty cherry fruit. Juris is one of the most well-regarded producers in Burgenland, and their St. Laurent is bursting with character. $22

IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A BEAUTIFUL ROSÉ!!!

Grêle Rosé 2012, Vin de Pays de Mediterranée, $18.50

We love a wine with a good story, and we’ve always loved Raimond de Villeneuve of the Chateau de Roquefort Vineyard and the beautiful wines he produces every year.  We couldn’t help but fall for this delicious wine and the sweet way it came into this world. 

On July 1st, 2012, a hailstorm of incredible violence destroyed the totality of Chateau de Roquefort’s 62 acres of vines. It only took 7 minutes for Raimond de Villeneuve to loose 100% of the 2012 harvest. Doubting the extend of the damage, neighbors and fellow growers stopped by and were stricken by what they saw. One of them offered part of his crop, followed by a second, then a third, some giving him a plot of vines, others grapes or must. An idea took root: creating a special cuvée, blending wine from diverse appellations in the Rhône and Provence, labelled under IGP Méditerranée. In a region where few winemakers have hail insurance (“it’s only happened twice in 50 years”, says Raimond), the solidarity of the wine community is an effective insurance against bankrupcy and will beneficiate the members of this communauté vigneronne should they suffer the same fate.

The first cuvée of “Grêle” is vitually a “Who’s Who” of Provence and includes grapes from 35 domaines. These generous estates are : Ch de Beaupré, Ch de Pibarnon, Ch La Coste, Ch de La Noblesse, Ch Les Mesclances, Ch Pradeaux, Ch Revelette, Ch Sainte-Anne, Ch Sulauze, Ch Vignelaure, Domaine de Gayolle, Domaine de la Bastide Blanche, Domaine de la Bégude, Domaine de la Mongestine, Domaine de la Réaltière, Domaine de la Tour du Bon, Domaines Ott, Domaine de Saint-Bacchi, Domaine de Trévallon, Domaines Bunan, Domaine du Bagnol, Domaine du Coulet, Domaine du Sans Regret, Domaine du Trapadis, Domaine Henri Milan, Domaine La Fourmente, Domaine La Suffrene, Domaine Les Béates, Domaine Les Luquettes, Domaine Les Terres Promises, Domaine Pinchinat, Domaine Richeaume, Domaine Sorin, Domaine Saint Louis-Jayne, Domaine Tempier, Mas Juliette.

DON’T FORGET, THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE WEDNESDAY EVENING!

Drink some of the best wines on the market for a great cause!

It’s that kind of day, folks… cases and cases of rosé leaving the shop!  Hooray for sunny days and cool nights!  Call us if you want some… 347-689-4563