This Week at Swirl Wine Bar & Market

photo by nola defender

Happenings 

Shopping on Ponce Just Got Better!
Everyone coming in to the store is just buzzing about our new next door neighbor, Maple Street Books.  Holding their official opening this past weekend with a reading and book signing by Catherine Campanella, author of New Orleans City Parks, they have turned a vacant residential condo into a beautifully inviting book shop.  Their friendly staff and great vibe are a wonderful addition to our neighborhood and we couldn't have dreamt of a better use for that space.
We ran a little special with them last weekend that rewarded you with discounts for shopping at both of our stores, and I'm already thinking about different wine, cheese and book combinations, so keep an out for more deals! 

5 Great Gift Ideas Featuring Local Merchants 

Speaking of shopping, if you are looking to keep it local, Ponce de Leon Street has a lot to offer! Here are a few gift ideas featuring your Faubourg St. John Merchants:

1.  Cafe Degas' Cookbook celebrates the 25 year old restaurant's food and history and contains one of my favorite dishes, their French Onion Soup.  Let us pick out a nice bottle of French wine and package them together for a great gift!  Buy the book at the restaurant and stop then stop at Swirl and have a glass of wine while we find the perfect bottle!

2.  Lux Salon has a great selection of gifts and products as well as excellent services.  Many patrons come to Swirl for cheese plates and wine to take to the salon while receiving services.  Ask at either shop about our "Spoil Yourself"  gift certificates from both places that are a win, win, win!

3.  Swirl's "Local Gifts with Heart and Soul" take shopping local to a new level! Bottles of wine made by passionate New Orleanians, accompanied by holiday ornaments handcrafted by local artists with contributions to area non-profits, these unique packages perfect for those looking to do something meaningful with their holiday gift giving.  And we have lots of other great handmade gifts by local artists, many accessories for the wine drinker in your life as well and beautiful gold carriers and boxes for you wine selections.  Click here for more photos and info on the packages,  Heart and Soul

4.  Maple Street Books has lots to offer in terms of books by local authors.  Pick up the New Orleans City Park book and combine it with one of our Getaway insulated wine bags complete with corkscrew and a favorite bottle to inspire a picnic in our local jewel of a park!

5.  FSJ Merchants - Give a "Day on Ponce de Leon" with certificates from your favorite merchants!  If you include us and at least 2 other merchants, we'll give you an organza gift bag to put your gift certificates in for festive packaging!

Facebook Specials
Swirl Facebook Fans should keep an eye out for limited run specials we'll be posting on our page.  Our FBE (Facebook Exclusive) post that will run this week will feature a free glass of wine at the bar with the purchase of a cheese plate.  The first 10 fans who say "I want one" on our page the day of the special will receive the FBE the day of the post.  So keep an eye out for my post sometime this week with our first special.  If you have a facebook account you can become a fan here:  Swirl Facebook Page

This Week on Swirl and Savor
Global Mexican Cuisine at Canal Street Bistro "...we've been twice before for breakfast and lunch, but this was our first go at dinner since Chef Guillermo Peters began serving on weekend nights.  Both of our previous experiences were excellent; great, fresh, creative food at good prices in a pretty comfy spot on Canal Street not far from our house..." Click here for the post, Canal Street Bistro 

Friday Free For All!  December 16, 6-8pm
Josh Prados will join us tonight with 4 great wines from his portfolio.  Check out our Facebook page on Friday to see what we'll be serving!

Antonio's Italy
We had so much fun on our tour of Tuscany, we've booked another....May 26-June 2, 2012.  Only 1 more suite is available so if you are considering this trip it's time to book! Copies of our itinerary and pricing can be viewed here:  Antonio's Italy

Upcoming EventsHoliday Yappy Hour at Fetch!  Tuesday, December 13, 6-8pm
More details soon, but I heard rumors about Santa pictures with your pooch!

Wednesday December 14 - Sorry No Flites Tonight!
We'll be prepping for a private after hours party, but the store is open until 8pm!

Friday Free For All!  December 16, 6-8pm
Josh Prados will join us tonight with 4 great wines from his portfolio...Check out our Facebook page on Friday to see what we'll be serving!

Festive Holiday Flite, December 21, 6-8pm
Join us  for a flite of  3 great wines while you finish up your holiday shopping!  You can check out our Facebook page on Wednesday to see what we'll be serving!  Flites are 2 oz pours of 3 really nice wines and are $12-$15.  Cheese plates and charcuterie plates will also be available.  No reservations needed, just pull up a seat at the bar and pick up your boarding pass!

Friday Free For All!  December 23, 6-8pm
We'll be pouring some great holiday selections tonight featuring 4 great wines...Check out our Facebook page on Friday to see what we'll be serving!

Saturday December 24, Closing at 3pm

Sunday, December 25 and Monday, December 26, Closed

Wednesday Nite Flites, December 28, 6-8pm
You guessed it, we'll be pouring flites of our favorite bubblies to bring in the New Year!  You can check out our Facebook page on Wednesday to see what we'll be serving!  Flites are 2 oz pours of 3 really nice wines and are $12-$15.  Cheese plates and charcuterie plates will also be available.  No reservations needed, just pull up a seat at the bar and pick up your boarding pass!

Friday Free For All, December 30th, 6-8pm
Join Greg Knaps from Lirette Selections with 4 wines from one of our favorite all around California producers, Lioco.  This is going to be a great lineup!  Something tells me we might throw in a bubbly for fun too...Check out our Facebook page on Friday to see what we'll be serving!

Saturday December 31, Closing at 3pm

Sunday, January 1 and Monday, January 2, Closed

Tuesday January 3, resume normal hours

Hope to See You Soon!
Beth, Kerry, Michelle, Matt, Michael and Sangi

Swirl Wine Bar & Market
3143 Ponce de Leon Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
504.304.0635

This Week at Swirl Wine Bar & Market

Happenings 

Our Annual Bubbles Tasting Just Got Better...
Although I really enjoy each and every event we put on in the shop, there is something very special and festive about our annual Beautiful Bubbles tasting.  Lover of all things bubbly, Fine Wine Specialist Linda Smith of Republic National, joins us each year to celebrate the holiday season with a tasting of international wines.  We sip bubblies from California, France and Italy (of course!), getting more and more giddy with each glass of effervescent bliss.  It is truly a special event, and this year we've made it even better by adding one of our other most favorite things in the world, cheese!

Who better to invite to present the cheeses than our friends over at St. James?  Casey Foote will be joining us as we pair 5 cheeses from across the globe with our favorite bubblies. This is a perfect time to find that special bottle and delicious cheese to serve for the holidays, pick up a unique gift for the bubbly lover in your life or just enjoy a festive evening out.

The event is Thursday, November 17 from 6:30 to 8pm.  This is a seated tasting and limited to 20 people and we do have spots available, but they are going fast!  Call us at 504.304.0635 for a reservation, prepayment is required to hold your spot! $25 

Upcoming Events

Wednesday Nite Flites, November 16, 6-8pm 

This week we'll be popping some exciting bottles from little know regions in Europe and hopefully wake up your palates with new sensations! Spain, Italy and France will be represented with wines from Montefalco, Bierzo and Saint Bris.  Check out our Facebook page on Wednesday to see what we'll be serving!  We don't take reservations for the flites, it is a first come, first serve basis, so just pull up a seat at the bar and pick up your boarding pass! The flite is $12-$15, cheese plates ($12) and charcuterie plates ($10) will be available as well.

Annual Beautiful Bubbles with Linda Smith plus St. James Cheese, November 17, 6:30 to 8pm
5 delicious bubblies from around the world paired with our favorite cheeses.  Casey Foote from St. James will present the cheeses and Linda Smith from Republic will present the bubbles. Limited to 20 people, $25, reservations required, call 304.0635.  This event is at Swirl.

Friday Free for All, November 18, 6-8pm
David Sobiesk joins us tonight with some great selections from Spain! No reservations required!  Check out our Facebook page on Friday to see what we'll be serving!

Wednesday Night Flites, Festive Holiday Wines, November 23th, 6-8pm
Wines are TBA, but I'm secretly hoping for an Amarone...I'll keep you posted!

Closed Thanksgiving, Thursday November 24th

Friday Free for All, November 25, 6-8pm
Join us for our regularly scheduled tasting of 4 free wines! No reservations required!  Check out our Facebook page on Friday to see what we'll be serving!

Wednesday Night Flites, Special Guest Antonio Molesini, November 30th, 6-8pm
Wines are TBA, but I'm secretly hoping for an Amarone...I'll keep you posted!

Merci Beaucoup!  2009 Moises "Mes Amis" Pinot Noir Release, December 1, 6:30 to 8pm
Join James Moises and friends as they pour bottles of his newly released Oregon Pinot Noir that has a special New Orleans story.  Click here for more info, Mes Amis

An Evening in Bordeaux with Yvon Mau Imports, Tuesday December 6, 6-8pm
Join Warren Helman for this special tasting of Chateau wines from one of the world’s most famous regions.  Warren spends a lot of time in Bordeaux seeking out surprising bargains on top quality reds and whites and he'll be sharing first hand knowledge about vintages and producers.  $12, reservations are required, call 304.0635. 

Creminelli Salami, Italian Wine & Cheese, December 8th, 6:30-8pm
Join Cristiano Creminelli, a premier producer of artisan cured meats at St. James Cheese for a unique night of pairing wine with cheese and the Creminelli products. This is a don't miss event for all of you hard core carnivores!  Antonio may not be able to attend because of the date change, if so I will present the wines using my best Italian accent :) This event is at St. James, call 899-4737 for pricing and reservations. 

Antonio's Italy

We had so much fun on our tour of Tuscany, we're working on another....May 26-June 2, 2012.  Copies of our itinerary and pricing can be viewed here:  Antonio's Italy

Swirl and Savor
Our wine and food blog...here are a few from the past 2 weeks, but there are lots more at swirlandsavor.
This Week
Merci Beaucoup, 2009 Moises Mes Amis Release!
"It was March of 2003, and local doc James Moises had just one week to turn his newly acquired 10 acres of land into a vineyard.  The eternal optimist, he didn't think twice about trying to handle the back breaking task with just two other guys, but luckily his friends back home thought better.  So they came to Oregon, eight New Orleanians who didn't know a thing about planting a vineyard, but wanted to help their friend accomplish his dream..." Click here for the post, Mes Amis 

 
Antonio's Italy, A Wine and Culinary Vacation in Tuscany

"Join Swirl Wine Bar & Market in May 2012 as Antonio Molesini, Italian Wine Specialist and native of Tuscany, takes us on a very special wine and cultural tour of his homeland.  We’ll be living like locals, spending a week in a historic villa in Cortona and visiting Antonio’s favorite wineries, restaurants, hill towns and wine bars."  Click here for the itinerary and pricing: Antonio's Italy 

Fatma and Fatoush
"I received an email from our friend Fatma the other day letting us know that her new restaurant, Fatoush in the New Orleans Healing Center, was now quietly serving a full menu.  We were in the neighborhood delivering some wine for a wedding Saturday afternoon, so we decided to stop by and check out the progress."  Click here for the post:  Fatma & Fatoush

Sundays are the Best

"I cherish my Sundays, especially in the "winter" here in New Orleans.  It's the only day that neither of us walk into the shop to do anything unless we absolutely have to, or if we need wine...  So tonight is a good night, I've spent the day writing, reading, taking a ride on the very windy lakefront and now Kerry is in the kitchen putting together a fabulous roasted beet salad..." click here for the post: Sundays

Last Week 

When Life Gives you Lemons
"A few years ago Kerry and I decided to take advantage of our subtropical climate and plant a few citrus trees.  Our tiny yard doesn't allow for much so we planted an orange tree in the front yard, a key lime tree in a pot on the front steps and a meyer lemon in the back.  We have about 30 big, beautiful and incredibly juicy lemons that are, of course, all ready to be picked."  Click here for the post:  Lemons 

Savory Pumpkin Ravioli

"I managed to get out of town for a few days this weekend and took a quick trip to visit my family in Pennsylvania.  The cool fall weather and changing leaves have been a refreshing change from the still way to hot temperatures in New Orleans!  I always like to cook something special when I'm here and the abundance of autumn veggies and gourds inspired me to make homemade Pumpkin Ravioli."  Click here for the recipe, Pumpkin Ravioli


Hope to See You Soon!
Beth, Kerry, Michelle, Matt, Michael and Sangi

This Week at Swirl Wine Bar & Market

Happenings Meet Winemaker Matt Wenk, Two Hands Winery While our Friday Free For All tastings of 4 free wines still draw the biggest crowds, our Wednesday Nite Flites give me a good excuse to open up some really special, higher end wines.  Last week it was producer Orin Swift's new wine "Abstract", there was also that beautiful 1997 Manzoni Barolo a few weeks back and this week we are really excited to have winemaker Matt Wenk from Two Hands Wines in Australia pouring a few of his gorgeous new releases including his picture series Cabernet and Shiraz both of which retail for around $30 The press on this winery alone makes this tasting worth checking out.  Wine Spectator's Top 100 for 2010 picked the Two Hands Bella's Garden as their #2 wine and awarded it 94 points.   Two Hands gets consistent 90+ reviews from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, James Halliday's Wine Companion, Wine Spectator and the UK Decanter magazine for the entire lineup of wines and we want to see if they live up to all of the hype!  We haven't picked the third wine yet for the tasting as we're waiting to see the others that are to arrive this week.  Winemaker Matt Wenk will be signing bottles (think great, early holiday gifts...) and talking about the wines.  You can check out a video here with Matt on Winemaking at Two Hands Winery.  We don't take reservations for the flites, it is a first come, first serve basis, so just pull up a seat at the bar and pick up your boarding pass! The flite is $12, cheese plates ($12) and charcuterie plates ($10) will be available as well. *Up next week:  Antonio Molesini with some "super" wines from his native Tuscany! Halloween Festivities in the Neighborhood Faubourg St. John is hopping this weekend with Halloween events!-Friday Free For All Wine Tasting, 6-8pm.  Wear a costume, we'll enter you into a drawing to win a $25 Swirl gift certificate!  Drawing will be at 7:30, must be present to win! Plus closing night of Mitchell Long's show and taste 4 great wines for free!-Voodoo Music Experience in City Park, Friday, Saturday and Sunday -Spooky Saturday at Swirl:  Wear a costume and buy one get one free at the bar on your first drink! -Voodoo on the Bayou:  Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association's annual Halloween bash at the Pitot House on the Bayou.  The event will feature live music by “Los Po-Boy-Citos” (winners of the 2011 Big Easy Award for Best Latin Band), open bar, food from some of New Orleans most beloved restaurants including Café Degas, Santa Fe, Nonna Mia and Angelo Brocato’s. Buy your tickets at Swirl, $40 each! Wednesday Nite Flites, October 26, 6-8pm We are really excited to have winemaker Matt Wenk from Two Hands Wines in Australia pouring a few of his gorgeous new releases including his picture series Cabernet and Shiraz both of which retail for around $30.  We haven't picked the third wine yet for the tasting as we're waiting to see if a few others arrive this week as planned.  Winemaker Matt Wenk will be signing bottles (think great, early holiday gifts...) and talking about the wines.  We don't take reservations for the flites, it is a first come, first serve basis, so just pull up a seat at the bar and pick up your boarding pass! The flite is $12, cheese plates ($12) and charcuterie plates ($10) will be available as well. Friday Free for All, October 28, 6-8pm Wear a costume, we'll enter you into a drawing to win a $25 Swirl gift certificate!  Drawing will be at 7:30, must be present to win! Plus closing night of Mitchell Long's show and taste 4 great wines for free! Spooky Saturday at Swirl October 29, All Day! Wear a costume and buy one get one free at the bar on your first drink! Antonio's Italy We had so much fun on our tour of Tuscany, we're working on another....May 26-June 2, 2012.  I'll be releasing our itinerary in early November! Our trips are an intimate, one of a kind experience where we take 8 people on a wine and food "vacation" in Tuscany with Italian Wine Specialist Antonio Molesini.  Previous trip participants get first pick on those 8 spots, so I'll keep you posted on pricing and availability! Swirl and Savor Our wine and food blog...here are a few from the past 2 weeks, but there are lots more at swirlandsavor. New Posts Savory Pumpkin Ravioli "I managed to get out of town for a few days this weekend and took a quick trip to visit my family in Pennsylvania.  The cool fall weather and changing leaves have been a refreshing change from the still way to hot temperatures in New Orleans!  I always like to cook something special when I'm here and the abundance of autumn veggies and gourds inspiried me to make homemade Pumpkin Ravioli."  Click here for the recipe, Pumpkin Ravioli Antipasti for Nic's Birthday  "Our friend Nicole celebrated a birthday yesterday and we were lucky enough to be invited to dinner.  Other friends in from Atlanta were doing the cooking, so I offered to bring some appetizers and of course, the wine. We've been eating so much Indian food lately, I was happy to dive back into Italy and do some real traditional bites.  All of these are simple and take little preparation but pack a lot of flavor.  The key, as in all good cooking but especially Italian, is fresh, good quality ingredients."  Click here for my post on Antipasti Finding Diamonds in the Rough "While I do love tasting wine with our wholesalers, importers and winery reps, it is not as romantic as everyone thinks when they come in and see us gathered around the bar or the back table with open wine bottles and half filled glasses, envisioning my day spent doing nothing but sipping wine and lazily sharing stories with others fortunate enough to be in this industry.  It's work;  I stop what I'm doing, dirty lots of glasses that we then have to clean, make small talk with people I'd sometimes rather not and occasionally taste bad or mediocre wine often with silly, kitschy labels that oh so obviously don't belong in our store..."  Click here for my post on Diamonds in the Rough Perfect Picnic Picks in Faubourg St. John "While it's not quite as cool as we'd like it to be yet, we have gotten a little break from the sweltering heat of the summer.  With that ever so slight breath of fall weather comes the perfect time to have a picnic.  And we just happen to live and work in a neighborhood that has great little spots to pull out the blanket, pop open your favorite bottle, add a little cheese and salami and you are set!"  Click here to read my post Perfect Picnic Picks Older PostsThe Savory and Exotic Cuisine of Southern India   "A friend of mine remarked the other day that I must be too busy to cook lately since I've not been posting any recipes.  Ah not true I said, we've just been delving into my other favorite cuisine in the last few weeks, Indian.  I fell in love with Indian cooking when my niece Rika joined our family about 10 years ago. As much as I love Mediterranean style food, the exotic spices of India offer something refreshingly different." You can view the full post here, Southern India.  Vegetable Sambar "We absolutely love this dish and eat it at least twice a week right now.  Delicously healthy and exotically spiced, I could probably eat it every day and not get tired of it...Sambar is type of Indian stew made with vegetables, dahl (legumes) and sambar spice powder.  Making this recipe will require a trip to the International Market in Metairie or any store that specializes in Indian spices and products." Click here for the recipe, Vegetable Sambar The Intriguing, Complex and Delicious Wines of Antonio Caggiano "My first introduction to the wines of Caggiano was in the fabulous "Ristorante Il Ritrovo" in the little hilltop town of Montepertuso overlooking Positano and the Bay of Salerno.  The restaurant was recommended by Chiara, the owner of our villa, as well as the Slow Food Guide to places to eat in Italy.  Chiara's brother Francesco oversees the wine program at the restaurant and during our recent visit, chose the wines for our dinner. All of his selections were fantastic, but the wine that really stood our for me was the 2010 Caggiano Bechar Fiano di Avellino. All I could think of was how I was going to get this wine in the store so that I could enjoy it on a regular basis and of course share it with our customers!" Click here for the full post, Caggiano. Pasta with Fresh Lemon, Cream and Chanterelles I saw a recipe in Lidia Bastianich's cookbook and have just been waiting for the right opportunity to make it.  Hers uses lemon juice and zest with rich heavy cream with a fresh tagliatelle pasta.  But when I was shopping at the Hollygrove Market yesterday I got one of the few remaining bags freshly foraged chanterelles and decided they would be perfect addition to her recipe..." Click here for Chanterelles Hope to See You Soon! Beth, Kerry, Michelle, Matt, Michael and Sangi Swirl Wine Bar & Market 3143 Ponce de Leon Street New Orleans, LA 70119 504.304.0635