The Local: Wine & Beer

The Local: Wine & Beer Your Friendly Neighborhood Wine & Beer Shop

Alice Bouvot (.alice.bouvot) , the winemaker behind the L’Octavin label, grows her grapes on just under 13 acres of biod...
02/06/2025

Alice Bouvot (.alice.bouvot) , the winemaker behind the L’Octavin label, grows her grapes on just under 13 acres of biodynamically certified farmland in the Jura region of France. These are natural wines in the strictest sense of the word -- no additives, spontaneous fermentation, & indigenous yeasts.

What do I hear when I hear those phrases along with the biodynamic farming? I hear that Alice truly cares about doing everything she possibly can to have wines that are the purest expression of what her little plot of land in the Jura is capable of producing.

And that’s what other people are hearing too because these are also some extremely limited and sought after wines. Less than a case of each made it into Vermont this year, so I’ve secured all I could for our little shop here in Middlesex.

Plus the artwork is killer. And a bit cheeky. Literally.

These are all first come, first serve, so go ahead and reserve yours now online or just message me.

-Sam

The islands of Sicily and Sardinia are renowned for their viticultural heritage and eclectic indigenous grape varieties....
02/06/2025

The islands of Sicily and Sardinia are renowned for their viticultural heritage and eclectic indigenous grape varieties. Both islands offer wines that are as diverse as their stunning terrains and fascinating history. Sicily is known for its powerful and aromatic Nero d’ Avola and bold but surprisingly fresh Catarratto and Carricante. The volcanic soils of Mount Etna contribute to a totally unique minerality and complexity in these wines. Sardinia offers its flagship Vermentino-a crisp and aromatic white wine that captures the essence of the Mediterranean climate. Cannonau, the Sardinian name for Grenache, is the island’s other premier varietal, producing full bodied reds that have been attributed to longer life spans given their high levels of antioxidants and artery scrubbing flavonoids, according to Blue Zone studies of cultures throughout the world that have a high percentage of centenarians!

Mosey on in this Friday, February 7th from 4:30-6:30, to taste wines from two of the world’s best locations for growing grapes and the hottest (literally & figuratively!) new frontier in winemaking. Tradition locks arms with innovation, perfect climate, and terroir to create wines that are truly special!

- Jack

3,000 cases of wine. That’s everything that Jean-Pierre Robinot () releases each year. Not 3,000 cases of each cuvee, ju...
02/06/2025

3,000 cases of wine. That’s everything that Jean-Pierre Robinot () releases each year. Not 3,000 cases of each cuvee, just 3,000 cases total annually. It’s a crazy small number from a crazy good & crazy sought after producer.

Why so limited? Welp, Robinot doesn’t operate on anyone’s schedule but his own. He decides exactly how long each wine will age & when they are ready to be released to the rest of the world. But these three cuvees were deemed ready & I couldn’t be more proud to have them available in the shop for you all!

The Le Charme du Loir: a stunner of a Chenin Blanc -- just two bottles came into Vermont this year. And they both sold the first day we had them in the shop.

The other two, we had fewer than 6 bottles available with no more coming in until this time next year. Now there is just one bottle left of each: The 100% Pineau, my new favorite light red varietal, & another Chenin Blanc stunner.

-Sam

This Saturday at noon, we'll be releasing tickets for our Thursday, March 13th dinner w/ wine pairings hosted by Hannah ...
01/29/2025

This Saturday at noon, we'll be releasing tickets for our Thursday, March 13th dinner w/ wine pairings hosted by Hannah Long of & from . We're still finalizing wines, but check out the menu from Hannah below and get ready to act quickly if you'd like a seat for this feast!

1st Course: Smoked Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings with Avocado Lime Crema
*
2nd Course: Cilantro Lime Yogurt topped with a Salad of Smoked Chili, Mango, Pickled Onion and Radish
*
3rd Course: Smoked Tomato and Shrimp Soup
*
4th Course: Smoked Brisket, Chimichurri, Crusty Dinner Roll, Jicama Citrus Slaw, Smoked Cauliflower Mash
*
Dessert: Mango Passionfruit Custard Tart with Green Cardamom and Almond Crust

The Local is kicking off a series periodically featuring our customers and some of their favorite wines that they’ve dis...
01/29/2025

The Local is kicking off a series periodically featuring our customers and some of their favorite wines that they’ve discovered and enjoyed from the shop. It is only fitting that we launch our customer series with Jeff Koonz! Jeff has selected an incredibly balanced, reasonably priced array of his favorite wines that have different regional appeal, varietal diversity (you’ll be trying 10 different grapes overall!), a palate spectrum where there’s something for everyone, and above all, wines that are incredibly approachable and fun -- like Jeff!

Join Jeff & me, this Friday, January 31st, from 4:30-6:30, and taste Jeff’s lineup- they might become some of your favorites too!

-Jack

We're so happy to announce that we've partnered with & place to offer another exciting perk for members of our Wine Cl...
01/29/2025

We're so happy to announce that we've partnered with & place to offer another exciting perk for members of our Wine Club! Starting this week, Wine Club members receive 5% off everything at 5th Quarter & Taste Place!

So in addition to your 2 or 4 bottles a month that you receive at a discounted price, Wine Club members also receive 5% off wine at The Local (and 10% off starting at just 6 bottles), receive early access to an allocation of tickets for events in The Tasting Room, and now receive this amazing discount when shopping for meats, cheeses, chocolates, & more over in Waitsfield.

Membership starts at just $50/month & the link to join is up in our bio. Or just shoot me a message & I'll get you sorted.

-Sam

Ryan Connelly is the new New England Sales Manager for . He’s hosting our dinner with Josh from in The Tasting Room to...
01/23/2025

Ryan Connelly is the new New England Sales Manager for . He’s hosting our dinner with Josh from in The Tasting Room tonight & was gracious enough to stick around for one more Vermont evening so he could also host our free tasting this coming Friday, 1/24 from 4:30-6:30pm*.

Rosenthal Wine Merchant is composed of a close-knit group of people who believe, as do we, both that wine is an agricultural product & that in its best and purest form wine must reflect a specific sense of place.

Ryan will be sharing five bottles that reflect this shared philosophy this coming Friday, and I hope you all can make it in to give these a try. It’s going to be a very special evening in the shop!

*Ryan does need to leave around 6pm, but Jack will continue pouring until 6:30pm.

-Sam

Ryan Connelly is the new New England Sales Manager for . He’s hosting our dinner with Josh from in The Tasting Room to...
01/23/2025

Ryan Connelly is the new New England Sales Manager for . He’s hosting our dinner with Josh from in The Tasting Room tonight & was gracious enough to stick around for one more Vermont evening so he could also host our free tasting this coming Friday, 1/24 from 4:30-6:30pm*.

Rosenthal Wine Merchant is composed of a close-knit group of people who believe, as do we, both that wine is an agricultural product & that in its best and purest form wine must reflect a specific sense of place.

Ryan will be sharing five bottles that reflect this shared philosophy this coming Friday, and I hope you all can make it in to give these a try. It’s going to be a very special evening in the shop!

*Ryan does need to leave around 6pm, but Jack will continue pouring until 6:30pm.

-Sam

At our free tasting this Friday, 1/23 we are pouring two of the six wines from our dinner & wine pairing with & . But ...
01/23/2025

At our free tasting this Friday, 1/23 we are pouring two of the six wines from our dinner & wine pairing with & . But I wanted to make sure that everyone who would like to try the wines from that dinner has a chance to try them. Check out the entire line up above!

Quantities are limited, but we will have a chance to bring in more bottles in early February if there is interest. So if anything is showing up as sold out, just DM me with what you would like & I’ll get you sorted.

Thanks!

-Sam

100% max hygge in the shop this Sunday!Our friend, Nichole, one of the new owners & winemakers is hosting a free tastin...
01/16/2025

100% max hygge in the shop this Sunday!

Our friend, Nichole, one of the new owners & winemakers is hosting a free tasting this coming Sunday! She'll be there from 11am-3pm & joined by our new friend Annemarie from . Annemarie is bringing a cozy selection of winter knits that I hope you'll all love.

Blind tastings offer new perspectives in experiencing wine -- we can learn & appreciate it without knowing price, region...
01/16/2025

Blind tastings offer new perspectives in experiencing wine -- we can learn & appreciate it without knowing price, region, labels, varietals, or any other variables that play into our perception about what we like about wine.

Blind tastings improve our sensory skills, encourage a deeper engagement with the wine, & reveal our biases.

Blind tastings can humble, surprise, and enlighten, but the bottom line is that they should be FUN!

Stop by this Friday, January 17th from 4:30-6:30, leave your seriousness at the door, & enjoy a truly eclectic (clue!) range of mystery wines from five totally different regions (another clue!).

Everyone is their own wine expert and your opinion will always be a correct one! Embrace the challenge -- all the consequences are delicious!

-Jack

It still sort of blows my mind that we’re hosting world renowned winemakers in The Tasting Room here in little ol’ Middl...
01/16/2025

It still sort of blows my mind that we’re hosting world renowned winemakers in The Tasting Room here in little ol’ Middlesex, Vermont. But they keep asking to host so I keep saying yes.

In 2012, Susana Esteban was the first woman to ever be awarded “Best winemaker of the Year” by Revista de Vinhos, Portugal’s premier wine publication. And now, 13 years later, she has established herself as one of Europe's greatest winemaking talents, making some of the most precise, classically refined, and elegant wines in Europe.

You’ll have the chance to have Susana guide you through tasting a selection of her wines that aren’t normally available in the US, hear her story, and enjoy some wonderful charcuterie boards featuring Vermont’s best cheeses, meats, & treats.





Look what's back in the shop! Three new beers from our friends over in Waterbury ! Brb, going to crack one now...-Sam
01/10/2025

Look what's back in the shop! Three new beers from our friends over in Waterbury ! Brb, going to crack one now...

-Sam

Sam knows how to ring in a new year! He’s pulled out all the stops choosing an eclectic array of his favorite wines that...
01/10/2025

Sam knows how to ring in a new year! He’s pulled out all the stops choosing an eclectic array of his favorite wines that truly reflect what the Local is all about!

Obscure but exciting varietals produced by dedicated producers finding the beauty and uniqueness in the unconventional will be featured on the tasting table this Friday, January 10th from 4:30-6:30.

Delicious and intriguing outliers like Aligote, Trousseau Gris, Grenache Blanc, Pineau d’ Aunis, Dornfelder along with a host of other varietals will take center stage for a tasting that’s not to be missed!

Stop by this Friday and discover that different can be great!

-Jack

We know that some of you are enjoying a dry January, and we're all for it & here to support your goals. Besides the best...
01/10/2025

We know that some of you are enjoying a dry January, and we're all for it & here to support your goals. Besides the best selection of NA beer in the state, we also have a great selection of truly exceptional NA wines. And we're including one at our free tasting this week so you can still mosey on in & join your friends for a glass of wine on Friday!

-Sam

New Year. New Beer! Mosey on in and grab these limited edition cans, bottles, & bombers before they're gone! And for tho...
01/03/2025

New Year. New Beer!

Mosey on in and grab these limited edition cans, bottles, & bombers before they're gone! And for those of you working on dry January, they'll still drink great on February 1st, but they'll sell out before then.

-Sam



It’s becoming a tradition here at the Local as we kick off the new year to roll out some of your favorite wines of the ...
01/03/2025

It’s becoming a tradition here at the Local as we kick off the new year to roll out some of your favorite wines of the past year. In 2024 your choices were as eclectic, fun, & gluggable as ever!

Join us this Friday, January 3rd from 4:30-6:30, and sample -- for the first time or again! -- an array of wines that you embraced in 2024!

We wish all of our friends a very happy, healthy, & hopeful new year. We appreciate your continued support, curiosity, & encouragement. We’ll continue to seek out totally unique wines (along with cider & beer!) from diverse regions that pair up innovative techniques with interesting stories & honor the passionate producers who have a shared vision for sustainable agricultural practices to make the best wines possible!

-Jack

Address

The Local: Wine & Beer, 961 US Route 2
Middlesex, VT
05602

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 7pm
Wednesday 10am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 7pm
Friday 9am - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 9am - 7pm

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On April 4th, we’re celebrating “rosé all day” with our next Wine 101 class. This is a FREE event for members of The Wine Club and a steal at $35 for everyone else. The wine class is led by The Local’s own Sarah Nagle, and she’ll be jumping into thinking spring and summer with an exploration of rosé. Yes, please! Members of The Wine Club can reserve two seats to this free event. So pick a friend and come enjoy this special evening! And everyone else can purchase as many tickets as they like until the event fills up!

“Pour Boys” Jack Garvin and Joerg Klauck are back in the Tasting Room on Tuesday, April 30th. Jack and Joerg are known for hosting creative and engaging wine tastings, so you won’t want to miss this one, when they’ll talk about (and we’ll taste!) why there’s never been a more exciting time than right now to drink the wines of Australia. They’ll touch upon the evolution and innovation of Australian wines, emphasizing on the new growers, varietals, and regions available today.

Join us for our monthly Open Mic Night hosted by Sarah & Derek in The Tasting Room on Thursday, March 28th. Doors open at 5:30pm & performances start at 6pm! ALL levels of experience are welcome, and we encourage you to dig deep to find that songstress, dancer, poet, or performer that resides deep inside of you! There is so much talent in our little neck of the woods and we're happy to give you all a space to share it with others! Register in advance whether you are performing, or spectating, or spectating until you work up the courage to perform as want to be sure to fit as many people in as possible. We will have a menu available featuring wine and beer by the glass as well as some light refreshments. It's going to be a fun evening – join us!

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