New York- here comes La Gramière!- Thanks to Thirst Wine Merchants!

We packed up 28 cases of 2006 La Gramière and sent it off last week.  As usual, there were a few hiccups in our plans...

Remember when I posted the photos of us labeling and putting capsules on the bottles?  Well, that was all great, we were able to get out first shipment off to K&U in Germany, and since then we've even shipped a second order.  We were being so clever getting over half of our bottles ready for shipment.  Only I forgot that to ship to the US we have a different back label, a back label that hadn't been approved by the government organization formerly known as the BATF (they have a new name now and I can never remember it!) Hmm, so that means that we don't have any bottles labeled and ready to go to the US... The labels aren't that big of a deal, since you can, although it's not preferable, stick them on by hand.  But the capsules can't be cinched onto the bottles without a special machine.... Ugh.  Luckily our friends at Rouge Garance have a portable capsule crimper that they are willing to lend us from time to time.   So I borrowed that and we set out to label and capsule 300+ bottles for our NY shipment.  Ah, did I forget to mention that Matt's sister Melanie and her family just happened to be visiting from Seattle??  Lucky us, lucky them!  They got roped into helping as most of our family members are, each time they visit!  So, in the first round Mel's son Avery had the job of placing the capsules on the bottles, I used the crimping machine, and her husband Scott stacked up the newly capsuled bottles.  In the second round, Mel, Matt, Scott and Avery labeled the bottles and then packed them up into the boxes.  With all of us working on it, the whole process went pretty quickly...poor Mel, we didn't even give her the chance to get dressed!!

Now the pallet is en route to the Winebow warehouses in Ho-Ho-Kus NJ.  This order is largely thanks to the great people at Thirst Wine Merchants, an amazing neighborhood wine shop in Brooklyn.  This is my kind of wine shop, check out the owner Michael Yarmark's description of the store design:

Knowing that we were going to be spending an awful amount of the next period of our lives in the store, we wanted to make it comfortable, unique, personal, contemporary. The rather small wedge-shaped space was a challenge. We worked with Brooklyn-based designer-fabricators, known as 4-pli, who did a great job using eco-friendly materials, such as paperstone, bio-fiber wheat, and sustainably harvested birch, to build the display racks, cash counter, tables, glass rack, sliding door, sink area.

Amazing!  Michael and Emilia sound like exactly the kind of people that we would like to hang out with, the same eco-minded people that we are, or are striving to be.  Two summers ago, when we were just starting out and so were they, Michael and Emilia were on a trip in the region and we tried to meet up.  Somehow we kept missing each other, so we are hoping to get the chance to show them around the next time they come.  Since then they have been loyal fans of the blog and have been trying to get some La Gramière for some time now.  So, I'm sure it's largely thanks to them that the 2006 is now on its way to NY & NJ.  If you live in the NYC area and are looking to taste La Gramière, you should give Thirst Wine Merchants a call and have them save you a bottle or two!

Thirst Wine Merchants
187  DeKalb Ave @ Carlton
Brooklyn - In Historic Fort Greene - one block from Fort Greene Park
718-596-7643
Hours: Sunday - Thursday 12-9
Friday 12-10
Saturday 10-10 (Farmer's Market - what a fun way to spend a Saturday!)

 

Comments

[Dawn]

Yay! Amy, finally I get to try La Gramiere! I am very excited and will be calling the store to save a few bottles for me. As always, I love reading the blog, thanks for keeping me updated on all of your activities... especially when it includes this shipment to NY! Miss you- Dawn

[Craig Camp]

That wonderful organization is now called the TTB (Tobacco and Tax Bureau. They got rid of the firearms and alcohol in the name, but we're still stuck with the cigarettes.

[Michael]

Hi Amy! Thanks for the shout out. We've been getting many inquiries as a result of it. Emilia and I can't wait finally to have your wine in our store.