September in the city by Boss Tweed on Flickr

Bottlerocket Headlines
September 5, 2008

> Fall preview: classes, events, treats
> The best introduction to wine
> Shop without leaving your desk
> Summer love at Bottlerocket

These are the crystalline days of September. When the ocean breezes of New York Harbor tease us with the promise of an eternal summer. When our attention span drifts. When we reconnect with routines and feel energized by the new (school) year.

Swirl. Sip. Repeat.

Bottlerocket has a rich, fall calendar for you, full of opportunities to taste wines, learn things and find fellowship. Classes for beginners and connoisseurs alike. Get to know the major grapes, be smart about organic wines, appreciate Spanish wines. See the complete class schedule here. Check out new wines in the store, such as two from the coveted Peter Michael Winery. More fresh arrivals here.

Look for the return of Bottlerocket's popular, free, fall food and wine events! Our goofy but instructive pre-Halloween Candy, Wine and Spirits tasting happens in late October. We'll hold our annual Thanksgiving Workshop in November, serving samples of the feast with wine pairing suggestions. And there will be another chocolate tasting. Promise!

	Class in session

Don't miss it! A few spots left. The perfect class for people who love wine but want a better understanding of what it all means. Our 4-part introductory class, Explore Wine, starts Tuesday, September 9. You'll taste 25 wines over the course of four Tuesday evenings. Learn the basics once and for all.
All classes here.

The musical is 40 years old

Let the sun shine in. Did you miss the acclaimed Central Park staging of HAIR: The Musical this summer? Come party with HAIR's creator instead. Join us in celebrating the release of a film about HAIR. Taste wine and meet James Rado, co-writer of the legendary Broadway show, along with filmmakers Pola Rapaport and Wolfgang Held. Drop in. Drop Out. At Bottlerocket on Wednesday, 9/17.

Coming very soon! After much hard work and many clicks, Bottlerocket will launch its brand new website this fall. You'll be able to browse and buy wine using Bottlerocket's patent-pending navigation system. From wherever you are. Check your purchase history and read tasting notes about all the wines you love. Stay tuned!

Lovefest with wine

In August we hosted our annual singles event, GET SOME. During the month, several hundred of you strolled in for sips and impromptu socializing. It turns out one of our team met her wonderful boyfriend at GET SOME last year. If you missed it, put it in your calendar for next summer. If you got lucky, send us your stories. We want to hear!

Latest & Greatest

Some new wines. An old favorite back (in very limited quantities). A hobbyist's runaway hit. A South American surprise. And more. Herewith Bottlerocket's picks this week...

Jelu. Pinot Noir 2006.
Argentina > Patagonia >> Neuquen. Red. $15

Patagonian Pinot. Patagonian Pinot. Patagonian Pinot. It's our new mantra. Grown 900 feet above sea level with vineyards irrigated by the melting Andean snow, this gravity-fed winery shares the land with fields of dinosaur bones and a five star resort and spa. And you thought Oregon was cool.

Anne Amie. Pinot Gris 2007.
USA > Oregon >> Willamette Valley >>> Chehalem Mountains. White. $19

Anne Amie rose from the ashes of pioneering Oregon winery Chateau Benoit after being purchased by philanthropist Dr. Robert Pamplin in 1999. Chief Bottlerocker Tom tasted the '07 Pinot Gris at Pinot Camp (yes, we sent him care packages of cookies and comics) and was blown away by the intensity and pinpoint focus of this sustainably farmed stunner.

Ridge. Zinfandel Pagani 2005.
USA > California >> Sonoma County. Red. $39

Ridge has made Zinfandel from the old Pagani vineyard since 1991. The Pagani family however, has worked this land for four generations and the vineyard's long survival is proof of its merit. An average site would have been abandoned during Prohibition or the Depression. Ridge's Pagani Ranch is a "must-have" wine and won't be in the store for long.

On the Rio Bío Bío photo: Rene Robles/Flickr

Porta. Sauvignon Blanc 'Reserva' 2008.
Chile > Bío Bío. White. $12

Southernmost of the Chilean wine regions, Bío Bío (Chile's largest river) has a windblown micro-climate and a growing season that ends abruptly in mid-March with torrential rains. This wild frontier is the perfect region for Porta's mineral laden, super-crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

Pax Wine Cellars. Syrah 'Obsidian' 2006.
USA > California >> Sonoma >>> Knight's Valley. Red. $110

	Crushing Syrah grapes

Pax Mahle was a wine buyer at Dean & Deluca, making experimental wines as a hobby. In 2000 he purchased a ton of Alder Springs Syrah, sourced a few more cool climate, high-altitude Syrahs and started a label. Utilizing indigenous yeasts, low sulpher and a gravity-fed winery, he has quickly created a "must have" cult lineup of single-vineyard Syrahs.

Call for delivery: 212-929-2323

Is there a wine you wish we carried? Let us know and we'll see what we can do.

Classes

Explore Wine: Four Week Introductory Series. $180

Starts Tuesday, September 9 at 6:30 pm

A practical, fun, utilitarian workshop to familiarize you with the major types and styles of wine. Four Tuesday evenings. You will learn how to taste and evaluate wine, grasp the basics, and ultimately what you like personally. Read more...

Explore Wine & Cheese. $75

Monday, September 22, 6:30 to 8 pm

You love cheese. You adore wine. Now learn how to pair them perfectly. Veteran of Murray's Cheese and a wine specialist at Christie's, Amanda Crawford will choose 6 cheeses representing the majors. Read more...

Natural, Organic & Biodynamic Wines. $75

Saturday, Sept. 27, 4-6 pm

Who is Rudolf Steiner and what does he have to do with vineyard management? What is the difference between organic and biodynamic wines? Unearth the many misconceptions about sulfites. Read more...

Explore The Major Grapes. $80

Monday, Oct. 6, 6:30-8 pm

How does a Cabernet from California differ from Bordeaux? Can one taste the difference? Is terroir fact or fiction? Read more...

Explore Syrah. $75

Saturday, Oct. 25, 4-6 pm

Discover the mystery surrounding Syrah's provenance. How did it get to be called Shiraz? Taste this "exotic" grape in its various expressions. Read more...

Happenings

Wednesday, September 17, 6 – 8 pm
"HAIR: Let The Sun Shine In," Film Release party

In 1967, a couple of kids in the East Village wrote a "Love-Rock Tribal Musical." It was joyous and outrageous, causing a lot of prim heads to turn. HAIR was revived this summer in Central Park to much acclaim. Now, a new documentary tells the story of the show's origins. Come meet the filmmakers and other special guests. Get the DVD signed by James Rado, creator of the original musical. Tune in, turn on and celebrate with us. Free. No reservations required.

We Do

•	Delivery – Just give us a call and we'll take care of the rest: 212-929-2323.
•	Special Orders – Give us one day and we'll give you price and availability for a case of almost anything. Send us an email.
•	Gifts selected, wrapped, packaged and shipped. Download pre-packaged gift info here.
•	"Find the Love" – Samplers to expose you to new tastes.
•	"The High End" – We serve collectors, too. Call for info.
•	Private in-store events: customized tastings, food & wine pairing parties. Download Event Services guide here.
•	Tasting events at your home or office.
•	Consultations and Gift Registry for weddings, parties, events.

Forward This

Spread the news that Bottlerocket is open. If you think we provide a good experience for wine lovers, please forward this to your friends, and tell them about our 10% discount on any purchase for all first-time customers who join our customer list. Thank you for your support!

Remember, we're a work in progress. We would value any suggestions you may have to help us create the best wine buying experience on the planet. Send us an email: myidea@bottlerocketwine.com. Thank you!