Now Open !!!

It's finally happened! We've moved the Uptown store to a fancy, artisanal, locally grown new location, about four blocks north of current location:

305 Rivanna Plaza Drive, Suite 102
Charlottesville VA 22901

Neither Google Maps nor MapQuest show the address yet.

Use Kegler's address to map the location:

2000 Seminole Trail, Charlottesville VA 22901

The old location is now closed.

The Rivanna Plaza Shopping Center sits directly in front of Kegler's Bowling Alley.

It's the only property between Lowe's and Schewel's. There is a traffic signal in front of Schewel's.

Going south on 29, turn right into the road just after the light.

Going north on 29, turn left at the light, make a U turn, and turn right on the next road which is Rivanna Plaza Drive.

Smuttynose Brewing Company

with Special Guest Glenn Bulloss, Jr. from Smuttynose

Wednesday, May 01

5:30 to 7:00

MSWS Downtown

In 1991, in Portsmouth, NH, partners Peter and Janet Egelston (bro & sis) and Mark Metzger started New Hampshire's first brewpub, the Portsmouth Brewery. In 1993, they were ready to take the next step. Purchasing the assets of a bankrupt brewing company, the trio opened Smuttynose Brewing, Company in 1994. The name comes from Smuttynose Island, the third largest of the Isles of Shoals off the Maine and New Hampshire coast.

Today, ten years later, Smuttynose beers are sold from Maine to Florida and as far west as Wisconsin. (So when your west coast friends visit looking for some brew they can't get, hand them a Smutty.) They boast a solid lineup of year round beers and a collection of tasty seasonals. This Wednesday, we taste samples of both. Get ready for the beers of Smuttynose Brewing Company.

Smuttynose to Be Tasted*

Shoals Pale Ale

Finestkind IPA

Big A IPA

Smuttynose Big Beer Series: Baltic Porter

Smuttynose Big Beer Series: Zinneke Belgian Stout

Plus … a new Beer of the Week!

*Actual lineup subject to the vicissitudes of distributor availability

Friday, April 26

5:00 to 7:30

MSWS Downtown

Pasqua Pinot Grigio 2012 - $11.99

Tasting Price $10.79

(100% Pinot Grigio; Delle Venezie, Italy)

“Running a family owned winery begun in 1925, the Pasqua brothers are a formidable team and are the last winery operating within Verona city in the middle of the Veneto region where this Pinot Grigio comes from. A fresh, fruity wine with lots of crunchy fruit. Crisp, citrusy acidity and a well balanced finish. The ideal apéritif and a real crowd pleaser.”


Domaine De Gournier Chardonnay 2010 - $13.99

On sale for $8.96

(100% Chardonnay; Rhone, France)

“The lovely Domaine de Gournier Chardonnay displays a seductive golden hue that leads to rich and complex flavors. Notes of fresh pear and a hint of butter mingle with scents of vanilla and toasty oak. This medium-bodied chardonnay has a richness that is balanced by a clean, pure finish.”


Terres de Saint-Louis Rose 2012 - $11.99

Tasting Price $10.79

(Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah; Province, France)

“Terres de Saint Louis is produced from vines growing on hillsides overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, with Agri Confiance certification - the mark of a sustainable, responsible approach to agriculture and the environment.Terres de Saint Louis is a dry, sophisticated wine, remarkable in character and agreeable freshness. A beautiful pink robe; delicate, fresh fruit; well balanced; fruity, smooth, and supple, with the aromas of flowers and dried apricot.” - Province Wine USA


Rubus Old Vines Tempranillo 2011 - $12.99

Tasting Price $11.69

(100% Tempranillo; Arlanza, Spain)

“Selected grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. The wine is then aged in American oak casks for 5 months followed by 3 months in the bottle before being released in the market. In the glass this Tempranillo is dark cherry red with violet hues and subtle aromas of forest fruits on a light backdrop of hints of vanilla from wood ageing. It is full of fruity aromas in the mouth, with a smooth, honest passage. Well balanced.” - Kysela


Colline St. Jean Vacqueyras 2010 - $19.99

Tasting price $17.99

(70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre; Vacqueyras, Rhone Valley, France)

This family owned estate, run by Roland Alazard and his son, Cyril is located in the middle of the Cotes du Rhone, in the village of Vacqueyras, at the foot of Dentelles de Montmirail. A gorgeous Vacqueyras that's a blend of 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre aged 70% in cement tank and 30% in barrique, the 2010 Domaine de la Colline Saint Jean Vacqueyras is highly aromatic showing creamy blackberry, raspberry, lavender, spring flowers, and green peppercorn aromas that soar from the glass. Beautifully complex and nuanced, with a full-bodied, polished texture, impeccable balance, and an overall fresh, yet decadently rich profile, this knockout 2010 should be purchased by the cases, and consumed over the coming decade.

Dogfish Head Big Bottles

Wednesday, April 24

5:30 to 7:00

MSWS Downtown

Starting in 1995 as Delaware's only brewpub, Dogfish Head Brewing Company underwent three brewery expansions and built a bottling operation within three years. Quickly getting bored with the standard beer fare they moved from bigger and/or slightly tweaked styles to unique recipes to downright bizarre brews.

Their year-round line of four-pack and six-pack beers shows some of their off-centered experimentation, but real Dogfish fans know that Dogfish bottles their braver fair in 750 ml of goodness. This Wednesday we go big, and then we go home.

Dogfish Head Big Bottles to Be Tasted*

Music Series: Positive Contact

Ancient Ale Series: Chateau Jiahu

Music Series: Robert Johnson - Hellhound on My Ale

Ancient Ale Series: Ta Henket

Music Series: Bitches Brew

Plus … the Beer of the Week!

*Actual lineup subject to the vicissitudes of distributor availability

Friday, April 19
5:00 to 7:30
MSWS Downtown

Bricco dei Tati Rosé 2012 - $8.99

Wine of the Week on sale for $6.96

(100% Barbera; Veneto, Italy)

The Gaiarins, Emanuele of the Veneto region of Italy and Mary Beth of Washington, D.C., met at university in the US. They married, lived in Italy, returned to the US, had two sons (“tati”) and founded one of our favorite importers, Siema Wines. Made at their new hillside (“bricco”) vineyard, this is a young, fresh, lively, dry rose with a medium dark color, aromas of peaches, cherries and a bit of spice. Delightfully approachable, it has bold fruit, good body and a hard-to-believe price.

Bodegas Borsao Tinto 2011 - $8.99

Wine of the Week on sale for $5.96

(80% Grenache, 15% Tempranillo; Campo di Borja, Spain)

“Another outstanding effort is the 2011 Tinto, a blend of 85% Grenache (called Garnacha in Spain) and 15% Tempranillo that is fermented and aged in stainless steel. Possibly the single greatest dry red wine value in the world, this is an unbelievable wine. And don’t complain that you can’t find any, as there are 15,000 cases available, and any wine retailer worth his weight should be stockpiling this wine next to the cash register. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by classic aromas of kirsch liqueur intermixed with raspberries, loamy soil and flowers. This medium to full-bodied wine possesses remarkable depth, an expansive texture and wonderful freshness as well as purity. On taste alone, this beauty could easily sell for $30-50 a bottle.” - Robert Parker

Terres Dorees Beaujolais Blanc 2011 - $17.99

Tasting Price $16.19

(100% Chardonnay; Beaujolais, France)

“Terres Dorées is the domaine of Beaujolais icon Jean-Paul Brun. He is one of the most revered vignerons in this appellation, making wines of great purity and extraordinary flavour. Even his entry level Beaujolais wines are full of interest. This great-value Chardonnay gets its freshness from natural vinification and no use of oak barrels. The vines thrive on limestone soils in Beaujolais. It is a lively, fresh wine that is drinking beautifully right now. The finish is long and clean and the flavour profile is classic southern Beaujolais. This is a wine of some interest as very little white Beaujolais is produced.” - Living Wines

La Cappuccina Soave 2011 - $9.99

Tasting price $8.99

(100% Garganega; Verona, Italy)

Located in northern Italy’s province of Verona near the town of Soave, La Cappuccina is named for the small, restored 15th century chapel of Capuchin friars. The grape is Garganega. The wine is So-AH-vey. “Real” Soave, not “grocery store” Soave, showing aromas of white flowers, citrus, yellow apples and hazelnuts. Its classic Soave mineral character combined with a vibrant acidity make it the perfect wine to drink in the evening at Harry’s Bar in Venice.

Domaine La Guintrandy Saint-Léger Vin de Pays Comté de Grignan 2010 - $9.99

Tasting price $8.99

(50% Syrah, 50% Grenache; Rhone, France)

“This is old school Cotes du Rhone style wine: rustic, earthy, dusty fruit, dry with lingering tannins. Some of you may cheer; others may turn a deaf ear. That’s ok. Drink what you like. But if the above description brings back fond memories of drinking inexpensive wines in France, or anywhere for that matter, you will want to jump on this train! Olivier Cuilleras and his family farm these vines and produce these grapes bio-dynamically. The wine is made traditionally and is aged in tank, not oak. They also have been reducing sulfur levels year after year. All of this adds up to a food friendly medium bodied red that will be a perfect match for spring grilling.” - Sudbury Wine and Spirits

Domaine des Grimaudes “Les Grimaudes” 2009 - $14.99

Tasting price $13.49

(40% Carignan, 40% Grenache, 20% Cinsault; Costieres de Nimes, France)

“In 1999, the purchase of the Perrieres Estate in Manduel represented the start of a new adventure for the Kreydenweiss family. They were particularly interested in the oldest variety, Carignan, but also by Syrah and Grenache. The cellar was even built using ecological materials. Biodynamic principles have been applied to the entire vineyard, and the vines are severely pruned to control the yields. Les Grimaudes is made by Emmanuelle Kreydenweiss. In her words, ‘I wanted this to be fruity, full-bodied, and easy to drink. The lack of aggressive tannins gives it a smooth and velvety palate.’” - Anglia Wine Merchants

Mas de La Dame La Gourmande 2009 - $16.99

Tasting price $15.30

(50% Syrah, 50% Grenache; Les Baux De Provence, France)

“Mentioned in the predictions of Nostradamus, painted by Van Gogh, and referred to by Simone de Beauvoir ( famed 20th century French author-philosopher) Mas de la Dame has been producing wines and olive oil now for four generations. Caroline Missoffe and Anne Poniatowski now manage the estate, which covers 740 acres of which 140 acres planted with vineyards and 70 acres planted to olive groves.

Laying at the feet of the legendary village of Les Baux de Provence on the southern flanks of the sheltering Alpilles mountain ridge, the vines benefit from a unique terroir and a quite specific microclimate. The vineyards in this part of the Alpilles grow on a very well drained soil formed from eroded argilo-calcareous soil.The persistent mistral promotes healthy vines and an exchange of aromas. To help preserve this exceptional environment, they practice organic agriculture. The soil is worked mechanically while herbicides and pesticides are forbidden.”

Lagunitas Brewing Company

Wednesday, April 17

5:30 to 7:00

MSWS Downtown

Lagunitas doesn't try to be fancy; Lagunitas doesn't try to be esoteric; Lagunitas doesn't try to be cutting edge. Lagunitas just makes damn good beer.

Starting in West Marin, California in 1993 (and moving to Petaluma – north of San Francisco), Lagunitas Brewing Co. has gone from a tiny brewery shipping its IPA to Northern California to one of the fastest growing craft breweries in the nation. They've built a loyal following by making solid, tasty beers with a sense of fun and an unabated love of the full-flavored brew. It's a recipe that has made them a favorite in some 30+ states, including ours. This week, we enjoy beers from Lagunitas Brewing Company.

Lagunitas Beers to Be Tasted*

K*CENSORED*k Rich Copper Ale

Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale

Wilco Tango Foxtrot

IPA

Maximus

Plus … a New Beer of the Week!

*Actual lineup subject to the vicissitudes of distributor availability

Friday, April 12
5:00 to 7:30
MSWS Downtown

Willm Blanc De Blanc Brut NV - $11.99

On sale for $9.96

(100% Pinot Blanc; Alsace, France)

“With crisp apple and green pear flavors this is an attractive apéritif-style wine that could age for a few months in bottle. There is a touch of caramel toastiness that adds complexity to this invigorating wine.” - Wine Enthusiast

Hatzidakis Santorini 2011 - $19.99

Tasting price $17.99

(Assyrtiko 100%; Santorini, Greece)

“Soft yellow in colour with golden shades and delicate aromas of citrus, white flowers and minerality. This wine is full and aromatic on the palate with an intensive mineral character.

There is a long aftertaste with a certain freshness coming from the crunching acidity of the wine, which is typical of the vineyards of Santorini. This is an amazingly versatile wine, matching seafood, oily fish e.g. salmon and shellfish, yellow cheese, chicken, pork and a variety of dishes, even tomato and asparagus.” - The winery

Domaine Corne-Loup Tavel Rosé 2011 - $14.99

On sale for $8.96

(65% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, Mourvèdre, Clairette, Carignan; Tavel, France)

“Elegant, refreshing, food-friendly and versatile, this very well made Tavel offers mouth-watering aromas of strawberry and berry pie. Dry and lively, it is an ideal wine for barbecues as it makes a wonderful sipper that’s also capable of matching with a wide variety of summer foods, including grilled chicken, seafood and summer salads.”

Domaine Lafage Bastide Miraflors Rouge 2011 - $15.99

Tasting price $14.39

(70% Syrah, 30% Grenache; Côtes Catalanes, France)

“There are 3,000 cases of the naked, virginal, unoaked 2011 Bastide Miraflors Vieilles Vignes made from Syrah and Grenache aged in concrete. The difficult economic situation in the Languedoc-Roussillon corridor is being exploited to the maximum by importer Eric Solomon. The fact that wines such as this can be purchased is unbelievable. Largely an artisanal wine, it is brilliantly pure with a stunning nose of spring flowers, blackberries, cassis and earth. It is almost incomprehensible that something of this quality, complexity and richness can be purchased for [this price]. The 3,000 cases should be gobbled up as quickly as they hit retailers’ shelves.” - Robert Parker

Fontenay L’Authentique 2009 - $13.99

Tasting price $12.59

(100% Gamay; Côte Roannaise, France)

“Well developed aromatics dominated by cherry and blackcurrant with hint of leather and damp soil. The tannins are soft with the rustic but elegant style typical of the Gamay Noir grape. Made without adding sugar (no chaptalisation) as is still the case with all our wines. Contrary to almost all Gamay wine makers, we see the naturally lower alcohol content of a Gamay wine as an advantage and see no point in artificially increasing it by adding sugar during the fermentation process. This wine is not in the fruity, quaffing style but is designed to improve after a couple of years cellaring. In accordance  with our policy of naturally made wine we use no additives which are otherwise commonly used such as Arabic gum, metatartaric acid, ascorbic acid etc. We only use a minimum of sulfites.” - The winery

Birichino Wines: Special Thursday Tasting

Thursday 4/11/13, 5-7 pm

w/ Katy Jones of Williams Corner Wines

Birichino is the creation of two disciples of Randall Grahm's whimsical & revolutionary Bonny Doon Winery of Santa Cruz, CA. After tasting their Malvasia, we turned to the back label and thought "This sounds like Randall!" Then we thought, “This tastes like Randall.” Stellar wines that are distinctive, and different.

Malvasia Bianca $17.99

Vin Gris (Rose) $17.99

Grenache Old Vines $24.99

Pinot Noir Saint Georges $24.99

(Extra special pricing offered at the tasting)

Birichino is a new collaboration between Alex Krause, the current Export Director and Cellar Rat of Bonny Doon Vineyards, and John Locke, former winemaker and literary stylist at Bonny Doon. The project came about when Bonny Doon turned its focus toward production of Biodynamic wines. The very successful (and delicious) Ca del Solo Malvasia was not grown under Biodynamic conditions and was faced with the possibility of orphanage. However, Alex and John decided to adopt the vineyard and continue production of the dry Malvasia, albeit under the new name of Birichino. As they say, “You can’t be too rich, too beautiful, or too birichino. For the Italians it connotes mischievous, impish, or nymphean- a mark of vitality and embrace of La Dolce Vita.“

Vin Gris California 2012
You can’t be too rich, too beautiful, or too birichino. For the Italians it connotes mischievous, impish, or nymphean- a mark of vitality and embrace of La Dolce Vita...
… As habitués of the Côte d’Azur can attest, The Sweet Life and dry rosé are rarely apart. Like the ideal Provençal rosé [though sans French passport], our vin gris allies the suggestion of citrus, rosehip, orchard fruits and violet pastilles with the enigmatic imprint of garrigues – the wild herbs which aromatize the Provençal countryside. Graced with a lightness of body which allows the buveur to remain a flâneur, our rosé is composed of the classical varieties cinsault, grenache and rolle sourced almost entirely from 100+ year-old vineyards in California.

Our Vin Gris enlivens many a savory dish including grilled fish, roast pork loin and salade niçoise. In short (in shorts) there is almost nothing that does not play well with our bone-dry rosé: bring on the anchovies, artichokes, olive oil, garlic, and more olive oil. With salmon it is sublime; its rosy hues completing a visual circuit with the wine. Szechwan peppercorns, chili-oil, and platters of charcuterie and antipasti get along famously with her. Think pink.

Malvasia Monterey 2011
You can’t be too rich, too beautiful, or too birichino. For the Italians it connotes mischievous, impish, or nymphean- a mark of vitality and embrace of La Dolce Vita...
... [in this case rendered molto secco]. Of Classical Greek origin, Malvasia threaded her way through the forests of Calabria before slipping ashore in California under cover of darkness. Her fragrance of jasmine, lime blossom and elderflower suggest something quite sweet and sybaritic, though as the first sip passes the lips, she is revealed bone dry, crystalline, and clear.

Little Malvasia has learned, through her worldly travels, to flatter a diverse array of cuisine, from tea smoked duck, to a simply sautéed scallop, to pasta al pesto. Other known associates include lemon rosemary chicken, calamari, snow crab, steamed mussels, sheep or goat’s milk cheeses, citrus salads, pan-Asian cuisine [curries, lemongrass, ginger, etc.], braised lamb shank with caramelized onions [really!!], patio furniture.

Grenache Vieilles Vignes Central Coast 2011
You can’t be too rich, too beautiful, or too birichino. For the Italians it connotes mischievous, impish, or nymphean- a mark of vitality and embrace of La Dolce Vita...
...Even at the age of 100, George Besson’s ungrafted vines are positively pulsing with vitality, producing wines evocative of lavender, black pepper, and sappy, Morello cherry fruit. « Sappy » is often and appropriately used to describe old vine Grenache, for the inner core of this wine seems extracted from deep within the earth.

Our Grenache VV is that rara avis that plays well with fish or fowl, and travels with ease from the Country Estate to the tailgate. In its exuberant youth, it can charm the lush hedonist with satisfying broadly appealing fruit, yet surprisingly for a wine as outgoing as this, underneath the primary appeal lies a deeper, darker reserve of stony structure, and backbone that telegraph the potential for longer term aging. Blessed with fine, integrated tannins, a lithe body, and a powerful reserve of fruit, our Grenache can hold its own against the spiciest sauces invented, soothing the heat and providing peppery counterpoint to hot-tempered BBQ preparations and cold smoked chorizo alike. With a year in bottle, the rambunctious red fruits settle down a shade, and while still remaining supple, more evolved notes of kirsch liqueur and a touch of aromatic cedar surface. Savor over a smokin’ hot girll with spring lamb with rosemary, elk [or any other large horned animal], or seared tuna steaks.

Pinot Noir Saint Georges Central Coast 2011
Since the time of Ptolemy and the Persian Empire, mythology is replete with accounts of fire-breathing, gold-hoarding dragons exacting a terrible price from innocent villagers, before meeting their fate at the sharp end of a good knight’s sword.

Our point – our crusade – is to produce wines that induce neither the breathing of fire, nor the losing of one’s head or treasure. Our Saint Georges Pinot Noir derives from a site just below the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains. This is a warm, though not infernal spot, moderated by the influence of Monterey Bay, 14 miles to the southwest as the dragon flies. A benevolent climate, poor soils, fastidious farming and shy-yielding vines combine to produce tiny, immaculate, densely flavored clusters. The tale of our winemaking is a bit of a yawner – fermentation via ambient yeast, a dollop of whole clusters, élevage in neutral barrels and bottling without filtration.

It is our fondest hope that this wine might engender good will among men and women, however the return of princes or princesses, charms wholly intact, cannot be guaranteed. We suggest keeping a flagon of Saint Georges readily at hand, should a well-marinated winged beast find the tip of your rôtisseur’s spear.

Blue Mountain Barrel House

Wednesday, April 10

5:30 to 7:00

MSWS Downtown

Blue Mountain Barrel House is tasked with producing “higher-end beers from Blue Mountain that require special processes, special ingredients, and a whole lot of patience.” Along with bottle conditioning and revived processes that allow them to brew two different beers from the same mash, the Barrel House ages half of their beers in spent, charred American White Oak bourbon barrels. So these are creative, artisan brews, and some of them are bourbon-barrel aged.

You know, you just gotta love a place that makes it easy to support local beer. This week, come and try the next level of brews from a hometown favorite.

Blue Mountain Barrel House Beers to Be Tasted*

Über Pils

Weizen

Local Species

Long Winter's Nap

Dark Hollow

Plus … the Beer of the Week!

*Actual lineup subject to the vicissitudes of distributor availability

Friday, April 5
5:00 to 7:30
MSWS Downtown

Chateau Ducasse Bordeaux Blanc 2011 - $18.99

Tasting price $17.09

(55% Semillon, 35% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Muscadelle; Bordeaux, France)

Ducasse is the “second label” of Chateau Graville-Lacoste located in the Graves region of Bordeaux. This is a classic white Bordeaux blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle. Fresh, lemony and lovely, it has, as importer Kermit Lynch says,“a subtle plumpness to it, a touch of honey, and a crackling nervosity. Food wine!”

Domaine De Pouy Côtes de Gascogne 2011 - $9.99

Tasting price $8.99

(60% Ugni Blanc, 40% Colombard; Gascony, France)

Wine Guru Robert Parker calls this "a perennial best buy," and we have sold, and enjoyed, it for over fifteen years. Pouy has been incredibly consistent in both taste and value. The estate is located in Gascogny north of the Pyrenees in the French Southwest, home of Cyrano and Foie Gras. This quaffable blend is perfect for summer with its fresh and vibrant apple, peach, and citrus character.

Kermit Lynch Cotes Du Rhone 2010 - $16.99

Tasting Price $15.29

(50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 5% Carignan; Avignon, France)

The growing success we have enjoyed over the last three vintages is proof enough that the KL Côtes du Rhône fits both the taste profile and quality standards that our customers have come to expect. Since 1929, this winery has been bringing local vignerons together from the outlying areas of Avignon in the Southern Rhône to produce delicious wines that epitomize the region’s complex terroirs. Kermit works closely with winemaker Jean-François Pasturel to develop the blend. Pasturel is thrilled to be able to have the chance to produce a Côtes du Rhône he does not have to filter to death. It is his tête de cuvée, his pride and joy.

Anciano Reserva 2006 “Aged 5 years” - $10.99

Tasting price $9.89

(100% Tempranillo; Valdepeñas, Spain)

“Winemaker Norrel Robertson is the only Master of Wine working in Spain. After extensive tasting and analysis of the best cuvées available in the cellars of Bodegas Navalon, he selects the wine for Anciano. Bodegas Navalon is surrounded by the ancient vineyards of DO Valdepeñas in the rural heart of Spain. It is a family owned bodega, part of a company that was originally founded at the start of the 20th Century by Don Juan Sánchez. Grapes are sourced from small growers across the region to make the classic red wine Anciano, which is aged in oak barrels for for two and a half years, then in bottle for an additional two and a half.” - The importer

Anciano Gran Reserva 2002 “Aged 10  years” - $14.99

Tasting price $13.49

(100% Tempranillo; Valdepeñas, Spain)

Same as the Reserva, but aged for an extra five years in barrel and then five in bottle before release.