TJ probably tasted over 1500 wines and spirits this year. In the months leading up to opening The Urban Grape, he had to try almost everything so that he could give it the right weight placement on the wall. I call him the Wine Rain Man because he can recall almost every wine he’s tried – the taste, the weight, the story behind it. Some people remember sports stats, TJ remembers wine’s starting line up instead.

Here are his picks for his favorite bottles (wine and otherwise) of 2010:

Grand Mayan Tequila

TJ is really more of a brown spirits kind of a guy, but this exclusive aged tequila hits on all cylinders for him. We’ve sold an incredible amount of this tequila since it was profiled in Stuff. In TJ’s mind it’s definitely worth the hype.

george “hansen” pinot noir

Of all of the george wine, the “hansen” is TJ’s favorite. After our visit from george this fall, we have many signed bottles of this in our cellar. This also wins for TJ’s favorite Pinot Noir of the year.

360 Eco-Friendly “Double Chocolate” Vodka

We haven’t had flavored vodka in years. Years like since we had kids and stopped hitting the bar scene. TJ in particular never liked how synthetic the flavored vodkas tasted. This 360 vodka is different. First, it’s all eco-friendly with recycled packaging, a reusable bottle program and energy efficient practices. The philosophy carries over into the taste as well. This chocolate vodka actually tastes like chocolate and makes the most delicious martinis. But TJ prefers to just sip it cold.

2006 Bruno Rocca “Rabaja” Barbaresco

This is actually TJ’s all-time favorite wine and we were lucky enough to find a stash of it through one of our suppliers. Because it’s sold out everywhere else, it’s selling fast…but not before TJ brought a six-pack home for himself!

2008 Travessia Vidal Blanc

TJ’s not the type of guy to bring in a wine because of a trend or out of a sense of obligation. So even though the local wine scene is gaining in popularity, he wanted to wait until he found the best of the best. One sip of Travessia’s wines at the Wine Riot and he knew he had found it. All of Travessia’s wines are amazing, but the Vidal Blanc is his favorite. And our customers’ favorite too. We can’t keep this bottle in stock!

2008 Von Buhl “Pechstein” GG Riesling

This is Germany’s 1er Cru Riesling. It’s the best Riesling TJ’s ever tried and I’m sensing a growing obsession here. It’s not in our cellar yet, but I’m sure it will be soon.

Goose Island “Bourbon County” Brand Stout

The makers of Obama’s favorite beer are also the maker’s of TJ’s favorite beer. Take a stout and age it in bourbon barrels? Sold, sold, sold.

2007 Cade “Estate” Cabernet Sauvignon

I’m surprised that TJ didn’t pick the Dunn Cab as his favorite too. When I asked him why the Cade was his favorite Cab of the year he just looked starry eyed. Sometimes there are no words for a wine. It simply strikes you just right. So of all the Cabs he’s tasted this year, this is the winner. I haven’t had it yet, but you know it must be good!

2009 La Spinetta Vermentino

I knew he would pick a La Spinetta for his list; after all, it is one of his favorite producers. But I was surprised it was a white. TJ knew he loved all of La Spinetta’s reds, but the Vermentino was a revelation to him. It’s big, rich and “fleshy” without any oak, which makes it a crowd pleaser. Chardonnay lovers love it, while Chardonnay haters love it too. A perfect white.

2009 Alois Lageder Pinot Bianco

TJ loves a good story. This biodynamic wine maker plays Mozart to his fermenting grapes so that they can relax and turn into excellent tasting wine. TJ’s hooked on the story, and hooked on the taste.

Here you have it! Our favorite bottles of 2010. The best thing about owning a wine store is that we get to do it all over again in 2011. Happy New Year everyone!

TJ and I have decided to join in on the Year End fun and list our favorite wines of this year. Today you can see mine, tomorrow I’ll list TJ’s.

White Wine - Durnberg Pinot Blanc and Chapoutier Belleruche Blanc

By Friday afternoons I, like most people, am completely fried. I’ve made the conscious decision to spend the majority of my time with our kids, so that means I am squeezing in all the blogging, marketing, PR and events for the store whenever I can – naps, at night, weekends, etc. It’s a time honored female juggling act and my reward comes during Friday play dates. When 3:30 rolls around I’m not shy about opening up one of these easy drinking bottles. While I’ve had better bottles of white this year, these always hit the spot. They’re my go-to’s.

The combination of a delivery from Nicole’s Pizza and an early bed time mean my feet are up on the couch by 7:00 sharp.

Bubbly – Laurent Perrier Rose

I’ve had my favorites all year (Billecart Salmon Rose, Ruinart Rose and H. Goutorbe Rose) but this one snuck in to win the prize just a few weeks ago. I love the shape of the bottle and the bubbly inside is perfect in every way. Just the right amount of bubbles, the perfect amount of flavor, and balanced acidity and sweetness. Delightful.

Red – Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Sean Thackery Pleiades and Margerum M5

We drink so much good red wine, and for that I am thankful. But I can’t categorize it or remember it like TJ (the wine Rain Man) can. These three bottles all made me beg for more. Not only that, I think about them all the time and wish they were always in my glass. The Dunn I split with my father one night and the Margerum and Pleiades I drank with our friends Becky and Michelle during two different dinner parties. Maybe it was the company, maybe it was the wine, probably it was the combination. All I know is these are the three bottles that made me really excited about wine this year.

So what were your favorite bottles this year? And it doesn’t have to be just wine!

First, a confession. I have not sat down at my desk since December 23rd. Second, another confession. My desk was so buried under wrapping paper, receipts, trash, photo paper and a thousand other things that I couldn’t have even gotten to my computer. Third, a last confession. I’ve had no desire to sit at my computer this week. This has been the week that Social Media forgot.

Things I have accomplished this week:

• Packing TJ off to the store with a smile and a go get ‘em attitude whilst I consider whether or not to shower at all;
• Sledding;
• Five competitive games of Hungry Hungry Hippo in which I lost every time to an even more competitive four year old;
• Flipping through four cookbooks to plan for New Year’s Eve dinner; shopping for New Year’s Eve dinner; forgetting to buy two key ingredients – potatoes and the tenderloin;
• Eight episodes of Mad Men, Season Two;
• The successful assemblage of one Bakugan Dragonoid Colossus;
• Countless cuddle sessions with a snuggly almost two year old while I still can; and
• Last but not least, Noah and I hatched four (and counting) Triops – a three-eyed prehistoric shrimp – in a fish tank painstakingly kept at 78 degrees.

But alas, New Year’s Eve beckons – the crowning evening on what can only be described as a magical month at The Urban Grape. My patient husband (who trudged to the store in the middle of a blizzard while the kids and I had a pajama day) has just called to ask that I make a few recommendations to you for your New Year’s Eve festivities. And here they are, at all price ranges and for all palettes…

NV Riondo “Spago Nero” Prosecco from Italy – $14

More frizzante than bubbly, this is a lovely prosecco with hints of pear and citrus and nice bright acidity. There’s a little sweetness here as well that appeals to many palettes. If you’re having a party and want to make your guests happy without breaking the bank, this is your NYE bubbly. Plus, the bottle is great looking. It’s uniqueness will say to your guests that you took the time to pick out a cool wine for them to celebrate with.

2007 Naveran Cava from Penedes, Spain – $16

Cava can be a polarizing. Some people love it, others don’t care for it. Made from Xarello, Macabeo and Parellada grapes, this Cava is less chalky than most and has a nice weight and depth. It’s clean, fruity and dry. If you love Cava, this is a great bottle at an even better price, and it won’t leave your non-Cava drinking friends out in the cold.

NV Ferrari Rose from Trento, Italy – $40

We’ve talked about this sparkling wine many times on our blog. It was our wedding bubbly and the first rose I ever had. I had a half bottle again the other night and was amazed, as I always am, at how well this wine pairs with food. Love it, will always love it, and know you will love it too. And you can’t beat the price.

NV Louis Roederer “Carte Blanche” Extra-Dry Champagne from Reims, France – $50

Described as having flavors of caramel apple, vanilla frosting and a hint of toasted croissant, you may at first shy away from this Champagne. Don’t. Although it’s sweet, it is not cloyingly so. It maintains a beautiful balance that makes it a perfect accompaniment to desserts. Or, sweeter Champagne may just be your thing. If so, this is your bottle.

2000 Laurent-Perrier Brut from Tour-Sur-Mame, France – $66

Laurent Perrier only bottles a vintage Champagne when they have had an exceptional growing season, so you know that the juice in this bottle is considered the best they have to offer. It’s a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with the Pinot dominating in the front and the Chardonnay in the finish. You’re left with a bright, lemony taste that is a perfect accompaniment to lighter meats. Planning a shellfish appetizer or pork roast? This is your bottle. Great quality for the price as well.

NV Krug “Grand Cuvee” Champagne from Reims, France – $230

Planning on hitting one knee tonight? Spending tonight at home with a loved one who loves bubbles? Toasting an amazing year with a few dear friends? See us for this bottle!

Whatever your plans, whatever your bottle…have fun! We hope that 2010 was as a great a year for you as it was for us.

Happy New Year!

We know a lot of you are last minute shoppers (let’s face it, we are too). That’s why we’ve saved our very best gift idea for today.

Urban Grape Gift Idea #21

Winemaker Dinner at The Capital Grille featuring Augustin Hunneus – $125 per ticket

Quintessa. Faust. Illumination. Ritual.

For serious wine drinkers and collectors, these are serious names.

On January 27, 2011, The Capital Grille and The Urban Grape are thrilled to present the first in our 2011 Wine Maker Dinner Series, featuring winemaker Augustin Hunneus. The evening will consist of a cocktail hour to welcome our guests, followed by a four course meal paired with wines from the Hunneus’ family vineyards, including Quintessa, Faust, Illumination and Ritual. The Capital Grille’s chef Hugues Boucher will create a special menu of unique creations that pair perfectly with the featured wines.

In the world of winemaking, the Hunneus family is one of the most well-respected. As owner and consulting winemaker, Augustin works closely with some of the most famous winemakers in the world to create special and unique bottles from his impeccably managed vineyards. It is Augustin who has truly put Quintessa and the family’s other labels on the map. Charming, funny and accessible, an evening with Augustin is a rare treat.

We have a lot of people on our Christmas list that are hard to shop for, so we always try to give them the gift of time, like an evening out to spend a few hours together. This is one of those special evenings that would be the perfect gift for anyone on your Christmas list.

To reserve your tickets please call Liz at The Capital Grill Chestnut Hill, 617.928.1400. There are only 24 seats for this dinner, so act quickly!

The kids spent the morning playing in the snow and are now making a gingerbread house. The Christmas Carols are on a full rotation. We’ve seen the Rockettes, visited with Santa, strolled through the Enchanted Village, and hung our stockings by the chimney with great care. Noah is bursting at the seams with excitement and trying extra hard to stay off the naughty list. Jason walks around saying “HoHoHo.” Still to do? Wrap the presents, make the food, pick the wine, find a good place to carol on Christmas Eve (any suggestions?).

At the store, a different scene. It’s pure, all out energy. The Christmas crunch is on, and people are looking for the perfect gift. We had one woman who got a Zipcar to come out and buy Hudson Bourbon for her husband, only to be turned back by the snow and traffic last night. She’ll try again on Wednesday. We’ve had all of our most loyal customers come in to pick the perfect bottle. And we’ve seen endless numbers of new faces – people still discovering the store for the first time. It’s festive, it’s happy, it’s fun.

Since our opening day, the store has often seemed like one big party. We’re going to keep that tradition rolling this week with a festive tasting each night from 5-8. Great red and white wines, affordable but special Champagnes, and Cognacs will be available to taste – the schedule is posted here. Our spirits section is getting a good work out too with people looking for a special bottle. If you’re in, make sure to ask TJ to walk you through the unique Bourbons he’s been amassing this fall.

Also special? A new tequila we got in the late fall that was just written up in Stuff Magazine.

Urban Grape Gift Idea #20

Grand Mayan Tequila – $100

This tequila is amazing. Lusty, caramel-y, and smooth, it is the perfect sipping tequila. And you’re reading that article right. If you want a bottle you have to come to UG or fly to Texas. No matter where you live in the state, we’re closer! The bottle itself is also gorgeous, the type of bottle you display with pride on your counter even after the tequila itself is gone. A truly one of a kind gift!

Skeletons fighting, hearts plunged through with a sword, and a ghoulish skull may sound more like Halloween, but to me, these three wines are perfect for Christmas.

Urban Grape Gift Idea # 19

2007 Old Bones, Heart, and Skull Syrahs – $140, $123, and $123

99 points, 98 points and 98 points respectively – is Charles Smith capable of making a bad wine?

Earlier this year, every UG customer who tried Charles’ Royal City Syrah (also 99 points) called it the best Syrah he or she had ever had. We’re sold out of the Royal City, but just in time for Christmas we were able to get our mitts on a handful of each of these three bottles.

This is the kind of gift you give a serious Syrah drinker, or a major Charles Smith fan. Pair it with a bottle of his $13 Charles & Charles Red to show that Charles knows what he’s doing at any price point.

Limited, limited quantity. Call now if you’d like to reserve them – 617.232.4831!

It’s the stocking stuffer edition of The Urban Grape gift guide!

Urban Grape Gift Idea #16

Midas Touch Golden Elixer from Dogfish Head

I was a little confused when Beer Guy Noah started telling me the story behind this beer (by the way, have you spent time with Beer Guy Noah yet? Because he knows a little story like this about every beer we sell…he’s the hoppy version of TJ, I swear!).

Apparently, some archeologists found ancient clay drinking vessels in the tomb of King Midas, believed to date back to the 8th century B.C.  A chemical analysis provided them with a fairly good picture of what the vessels held – a beverage brewed with barley, honey, white muscat grapes and saffron. Dogfish Head brewed up the concoction and its been a best seller ever since. Somewhere between wine and mead, it’s a smooth, sweet, yet dry ale that pleases both Chardonnay and beer drinkers.

Urban Grape Gift Idea #17
A Sampler filled with Beer!

Everyone is loving our Ho-Ho-Ho-Holiday Sampler, but what if you’re buying for a beer drinker instead of a wine lover? No problem! Pick out four bombers and let us package them up for you in the nifty Urban Sampler box or in our reusable nylon four-pack bags. We’ll tie a bow on that puppy and you’re done! Noah is at the store almost every day until Christmas to help you pick out the perfect beer, and you can always call to make an appointment with him too.

Urban Grape Gift Idea #18

The Urban Grape Gift Card

I just got a notification over Twitter that a teacher at a local school received an Urban Grape gift card from one of his students for Christmas! Now that’s our kind of student…

The UG Gift card is a PERFECT stocking stuffer. Although it’s tiny, it can pack a big punch and is sure to make its receiver very happy!

Cough, cough. Cooouuuugggghhhh, cough, cough, cough.

That’s about all  you hear in my house at the moment. Two little kids with Bronchitis plus two late night Urban Grape parties plus the crush of our first retail season equals two parents on the verge of lung failure. But honestly, the double excitement of the Champagne and Oyster party and the Urban Grape Christmas Party the next night has us on such a high that we don’t even care.

I was so busy chatting, sipping and shopping on Monday night that I forgot to take any pictures. Suffice it to say, it was a great time. A store full of Urban Grape customers joined us for a chance to shop the entire Ted Baker collection at 30% off. This is exactly the type of opportunity that we are so happy to bring to our customers. The party was out of the box and value added, much like The Urban Grape. We poured some amazing wine, the DJ was playing fun music and lots of Christmas (and personal!) shopping was getting done. For a great write up, you can read Daisy’s blog write up about the event at Indulge, Inspire, Imbibe.

And now we find ourselves in the true holiday crunch. Ten days until Christmas and one present sitting in your closet? I can relate. Now that our parties are over, let us get refocused on helping you with your holiday shopping by presenting another Urban Grape gift idea.

Urban Grape Gift Idea #??? (I have totally lost count, so let’s make a number up and start over…15!).

A 2007 Calera Pinot Noir Gift Set – Normally $333, marked down to $275 until Christmas

Josh Jensen. That’s really all I should have say, but of course I’ll say more. He’s a storied wine maker with over 30 years of experience under his belt. His Pinot Noir bottlings are often the only Pinot Noirs that the French think rival their own Burgundies. You may or not personally agree with that statement, but it’s still quite something to see the respect that the French have for him.

His Calera Pinot Noirs consistently receive outstanding ratings and all of the five offerings from 2007 were scored in the mid to high 90′s by Parker. The gift set contains one each of the 2007 estate bottlings – Selleck, Jensen, Mills, Mt. Harlan Cuvee and Reed. If you have a Pinot Noir lover in your life, this is just about the nicest gift you can get for him or her.

We’ll wrap it up for you and include a certificate with it that explains the different vineyards and styles. You won’t see all five of these bottles together or at this price for long!

Last night was so.much.fun.

And, really, how could it not be with 100 people at The Urban Grape, all there to enjoy unique Champagnes, delicious ports and briny oysters? I’ll admit I was a little nervous before last night. It was the biggest event we’d done at the store and I was worried that people would arrive wet and cranky (deservedly so), and feel cramped in the space. Instead, the store accommodated everyone beautifully, and every single person arrived with a smile and a warm and patient attitude to enjoy the evening. As one woman put it, “Only my respect for your store and my love for Champagne could have gotten me out of my pajamas tonight.” I believe I even saw some digits being exchanged!

There were several stars of the show last night, but the most talked about aspect of the evening was an unassuming bottle of Rose Champagne, the H. Goutorbe Grand Cru. I say unassuming because the bottle does not do the Champagne inside justice. It was a stand out crowd pleaser. In all, however, everyone was thrilled to try six Champagnes of such variety and to learn about the growing regions of Champagne.

And learning about the importance of growing regions was, after all, the whole point of the night. Alicia Towns Franken, the Northeast Director of Events for The Center for Wine Origins, has been charged with helping us understand that Champagne comes from Champagne, France and Port from Portugal. She did so brilliantly last night. It was wonderful to learn how terroir can change the characteristics of the Champagne itself, depending on the region of Champagne in which it is grown. I also loved tasting how three Blanc de Blancs could be manipulated to have such a different taste.

A thousand thank you’s to Jeff of Neptune Oyster who probably shucked 500 oysters last night. He proved again that Neptune Oyster is one of Boston’s best gems. Thanks also to Alicia, who spoke without stop for three hours straight. I’ve known Alicia for a long time as a fellow mom, and it was so fun to be with her in her other element – wine education. And, of course thanks to the Center for Wine Origins for making such a fun party possible!

And now, some pictures!

Alicia’s table, set and ready to go.

TJ’s table, looking equally gorgeous. A huge kudos to our staff, who turned the store over so quickly after we closed to prepare for this event. We have the best staff around!

Pamphlets that explain the importance of the growing regions for Champagne and Port.

Tasting notes!

Full disclosure time: I don’t really like oysters. But even these looked good to me. People raved about them!

Jeff shucking…non-stop for three hours with his best shucker Dora next to him. That’s a lot of shucking…

This is SUCH an Alicia expression. Love it.

TJ popping bottles.

And, at the risk of sounding like The Pioneer Woman when she talks about her husband on her blog…um, how good looking is this guy? He’s in his element and it shows.

Here is another write up about last night’s event from Meghan at Travel, Eat, Love.

We’re gearing up for a big, big weekend. We have two fantastic tastings tonight from 5-8 and tomorrow from 2-5. Sunday is our completely sold out Champagne, Port and Oyster tasting, and Monday is our holiday party at Ted Baker on Newbury Street (there’s still a little room, you can RSVP here). The thing I am most excited about is seeing old and new friends and finally meeting a bunch of people that we talk to on Twitter all the time. It’s going to be such a festive weekend.

The store is looking so gorgeous I just couldn’t stop myself from taking a bunch of photos to share with you. Gift ideas #8-100 in pictorial form!

Let’s start with a little Veuve Cliquot Rose, shall we?

I’ve already asked for this Gosset Celebris to end up under our tree. If you remember, when I first tried this Champagne I told TJ I wanted to live in the bottle. Now is my chance!

Ruinart Rose Champagne, Dom Perignon collector bottles with Andy Warhol labels, Tesseron Cognac, MacCallan 25, and the gorgeous Veuve Cliquot Grande Dame bottles tucked in the back. It gives you reason to believe in Santa again, doesn’t it?

Opus One for the collector on your list.

Our Ho-Ho-Ho-Holiday Samplers looks so cute and festive. This is the perfect hostess gift (or new girl/boyfriend gift!).

I like to call this Gift Basket the Three Wise Men. Could it be more handsome?

An example of a custom gift basket filled with Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon and Dominus.

This gift basket will stay around until New Year’s Eve. How perfect it is for a celebration?

And not to be outdone, the little mini bourbon bottles. These are selling so fast!