Vineyard worker overlooking rolling countryside and rural vineyards

Friday, October 16, 2026 5-7P

Wines and Beers of the Week

Fall Grand Tasting Pregaming with Jace from VineFarmer and Guinevere at the barrel.

What we're sipping on this week...

Wines of the Week, October 16, 2026

Contrada Contro Marche Bianco - 750ml, 2025

A multi-plot field blend of Trebbiano, Verdicchio, Macerato and Malvasia, from a number of elderly farmers as a way to bolster and preserve local winemaking. Raised in concrete and in neutral barrels of 228, 400 and 500 liters. Roughly a fifth of the fruit saw a short maceration in 2025, which was logistics rather than style (he couldn't press everything in a single day). Complex, saline and incredibly gastronomic in nature.

Valfaccenda Roero Bianco - 750ml, 2024

The fruit comes from the sandy hills of Roero, mainly from two vineyards near Madonna di Loreto village, in the Faccenda Valley: Loreto and Mompellini. All the fruit is hand-harvested and destemmed. While Arneis is sometimes known for being rotund and a bit lush on the palate, Valfaccenda's version is fuller-weight but with great salinity, zest, and energy -- an updated, excellent example of this appellation and variety that hasn't gotten the care and attention it deserves.

Vaira Aurelj Dolcetto d'Alba - 750ml, 2025

Vaira Aurelj was founded in Vergne, in the Langhe region, by brothers Francesco and Giacomo Vaira, who wanted to continue their family's passion for the vineyard and honor their father Aurelio, hence the name Aurelj in the local dialect. The Dolcetto grapes come from vineyards with calcareous-clay soils and are harvested by hand. On the nose, fresh red fruits, violets, and a light spiciness. On the palate, it's soft and rounded, with a pleasant freshness and fine tannins.

Cascina Val del Prete / Nebbiolo d'Alba - 750ml, 2024

Bursting from the glass with intensity, this wine shows notes of violet, dark cherry, and scents of pepper and eucalyptus. On the palate, this shows flavors of dried cherries, rose petal, strawberries, tobacco, resinous herbs, and truffle. Very approachable but very classical, this is the kind of Nebbiolo that'll have you regularly coming back for more.

Ciavolich Divus Montepulciano d'Abruzzo - 750ml, 2021

The Ciavolich Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Divus is rich in the glass. Lavender tones and nuances of fresh split elevate its dark core of dried black cherry. Silky and pliant, this washes across the palate with depths of mineal-laced red and black fruits as a primary concentration adds a chewy sensation toward the close.

Beers of the Week, October 16, 2026

Cold Pizza Pilsner / Black Hog, 4-Pack

A New World spin on the classic European style, Black Hog Brewing has crafted this dry hopped Italian style pilsner. An Italian pilsner sits between German and Czech pilsners in terms of hoppy bitterness on the finish, and Cold Pizza bumps up the gentle bread and pine aromas by dry hopping. This beer is perfect with left overs, on it’s own, or with fresh pasta! The Craft Beer Geek sez: This delicious beer quickly became one of our top sellers when we first brought it into the store. If you're looking for an easy-going beer that has great flavor, and a smooth finish with a hint of hoppy bite, this is the perfect beer for you.

Gigantic Dad Pants / Cushnoc Brewing, 4-Pack

Cushnoc Brewing's flagship IPA, Gigantic Dad Pants is for all the dads and faux pas of the world. Pungent whirlpool hops and assertive dry hopping lend smooth, low bitterness along with dank, over ripe citrus aromas. Huge volumes of oats and wheat round out a soft mouthfeel to make this a very approachable IPA. The Craft Beer Geek sez: “Born on the Kennebec”, and Augusta’s first brewery, Cushnoc has a cult following north of the border, and you’ll join them with their flagship IPA known as Gigantic Dad Pants. A juicy, dank, and pungent IPA of the highest quality, become one of us.

Fest Pack / 6-Pack

Spider Gates / Timberyard Brewing, 4-Pack

The Craft Beer Geek sez: You don’t find a lot of brown ales from domestic breweries, but this is one of the best. Brewed with fresh ground spices and locally grown sugar pumpkins, the pumpkins and spices blend beautifully with a long, warming finish.

Gigantic Dad Pants / Cushnoc Brewing, Single

Cushnoc Brewing's flagship IPA, Gigantic Dad Pants is for all the dads and faux pas of the world. Pungent whirlpool hops and assertive dry hopping lend smooth, low bitterness along with dank, over ripe citrus aromas. Huge volumes of oats and wheat round out a soft mouthfeel to make this a very approachable IPA. The Craft Beer Geek sez: “Born on the Kennebec”, and Augusta’s first brewery, Cushnoc has a cult following north of the border, and you’ll join them with their flagship IPA known as Gigantic Dad Pants. A juicy, dank, and pungent IPA of the highest quality, become one of us.