Well, it's been a minute since we have all had a chance to stand across the counter and chat. We are over the moon excited to invite you back into the store, while taking the proper safety precautions like limiting to 5 people at a time. It's even more exciting that we now have a larger space in the Rust Belt Market. This space is large enough that in good times it could hold more than 5 people. As we find ourselves leaving the house (for some of us the first time in a while) and having social distance hangouts, we want to say hello and let you know what we are excited about with summer coming and some of the delicious foods we have brought in for the season.
As it warms up outside and our socializing goes from around the kitchen table to the back deck and patio, the food changes. While we think you can eat many cheeses year round we understand not everyone is into watching their brie turn to a puddle during a BBQ or a day around the pool. So we brought in a handful of products to help you enjoy your days on the boat, by the pool, in the backyard, or just trying to pretend you’re in any other place than listening to the kids running around.
If you have participated in one of our Zoom Tastings, then you know it’s no secret I have been enjoying being a wine buyer lately... The whole country has been enjoying wine as sales are up nationwide during the pandemic. We have been selling wine for over a year now. We have a smallish selection that like all of our products is curated. We try to find food-friendly wines with a distinct character. We certainly have a bias towards things like: natural wine, organic or biodynamic wines, or traditionally made wines (I love when I ask a winemaker about natural wine and they say, “I make wine like my grandfather made wine” how can you argue with that?). We also like changing our selections fairly often so we can all continue on our wine education journey.
So what are we drinking during summer? We have a few White Wines, Red Wines, and of course we have Rose!
Summer Wine Guide
Rosé’ Wine
Domaine de Fontsainte - Gris de Gris Most of the time this is the only Rose we have. It is so delicious and has a unique softness to it. One of my favorite wine people (Will Meinberg of Kermit Lynch) said it was like drinking a cloud! This year’s vintage is slightly more extracted in flavor giving off a little more acid and a beautiful color. Don’t let the summer go by without trying this beautiful wine.
White Wines
Christina - Gruner Veltliner This is a natural unfiltered Gruner. Christina Netzl has grown up in wine. Her family produced wine and after pursuing her education in the subject she returned to the family business and started to shake things up. Since 2013 she has been working on converting the land to organic farming. She practices whole cluster fermentation and pressing. This gives her Gruner something really special and adds some depth and structure. I think this wine goes so well will flavors of summer from salads to grilled flavors!
Bonny Doon - Piquepoul Another famous natural wine producer. This one from the West Coast of America, Bonny Doon has always helped blaze a path in American wine scene. With this refreshing light wine they are using Piquepoul, a grape that doesn’t get as much play as it should. It is a playfully acidic wine, the name translates to “sting the lip” because of its sharp notes. But the acid is accompanied by a lovely aroma of green and sunshine. This is what I will be sipping by the pool (in my mind)
Red Wines
Paltrinieri - Solco Lambrusco We know not everyone likes white wine or rose. Red wine drinkers do not despair, we have fun warm weather options for you as well. This Lambrusco has just a hint of sweetness making it perfect for bold things like BBQ and heavily grilled meats. With a little bit of bubbles to help keep things light and refreshing. Put this red in the fridge to give it just a hint of chill, pop the cork and enjoy!
Virgil’s Vineyard - Smuggler’s Son Sometimes it takes me a while to really hear what you are all saying when it comes to missing parts of our selection. For any of you who were requesting “Sharp Cheddar” when we first opened, you know it took me almost 6 months to finally bring in the 8 year Hook’s. This was no different. We have known we needed a bolder ‘steak’ wine for a while... When you are looking to celebrate the arrival of summer, or your new grill, it is time to splurge on one of these incredibly small production Red Blends. Virgil’s is made in California by Michigan local Matthew Kipper.
Other Happenings
So now we know what we are drinking but what should we all be eating during this time? Well, we at Mongers’ are hard at work coming up with two Tasting boxes for you to have at home. We will be debuting our Detroit Pizza Box: Full of everything you need to make a delicious Detroit Pizza at home except for the pan. This box features classic Wisconsin Brick cheese and the new Zingerman’s Low Moisture Mozzarella. This Mozzarella is full flavored while low in moisture, ensuring you a delicious pizza without ever giving you soggy crust. We will also be featuring the Grilling Box: featuring some treats from our favorite charcuterie and sausage producers and of course a little bit of Halloumi!
We have also brought in a few new cheeses such as Marisa for a fun Sheep Milk Cheese and some classic favorites such as Comte. In this time where we crave comfort food, few things work better than our old friend Comte, for grilled cheeses, mac and cheese, or just on its own it's like wrapping yourself in a warm butter fat blanket!