Our upcoming tastings and classes were announced this week via newsletter. Visit our website to join our mailing list or reserve your spot for a class or tasting.

What’s that black rooster doing on your bottle of Chianti Classico? It’s the stuff of medieval legend or perhaps an artist’s choice. Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico says the black rooster became a symbol of Chianti when Giorgio Vasari put it in a painting in 1565. A more entertaining and popular story follows. To settle a long conflict over land boundaries in Chianti, Florence and Siena agreed to settle the dispute with a race. Two knights would depart from their cities at dawn, as marked by the rooster's crow, and then ride towards each other. The border would be drawn where they met. Siena chose a well-fed white rooster, while Florence picked a black rooster, which was kept hungry and uncomfortable. Desperate, the black rooster crowed before dawn, giving the Florentine knight a head start. As a result, the two knights met near Fonterutoli, only just outside Siena, creating the border of the original, or classic, Chianti region. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located within what is now the broader Chianti DOCG, all within Tuscany. Chianti Classico represents the heartland of the Chianti region, which has grown wider and wider over time. When displayed on a bottle’s neck or label, the black rooster, or Gallo Nero, signifies that the wine was made not just anywhere in Chianti but within the Chianti Classico region. Chianti Classico grapes typically come from higher elevation vineyards in more prized soil than grapes in the rest of Chianti. Wine from Chianti Classico is widely considered to be the highest quality of all Chianti wines. At least 80% of Chianti Classico DOCG must be Sangiovese, compared to 70% for Chianti DOCG. In your glass you can expect a medium-bodied, tartly-juicy ruby red wine with flavors of cherry and earth. While Chianti DOCG allows for up to 10% being the white grapes Malvasia and Trebbiano, Chianti Classico DOCG requires that only red be used in any blend. White grapes were banned in Chianti Classico in 2006. (Please note: we do not condone keeping chickens hungry or uncomfortable!)

Tickets are available now for the grand finalé dinner of the Mary Taylor Road Show. Wine Paulée Dinner at Audubon Zoo Louisiana Swamp Exhibit Cajun Ballroom MARY TAYLOR & 26 EUROPEAN WINEMAKERS pouring over 50 wines! with dinner by local chefs, Susan Spicer, Allison Birdsall and Jenny Breen MONDAY, APRIL 14TH 4:30 WALK AROUND TASTING 6:00 APERTIF 6:45 DINNER $120 per person Call or visit NOLA Wine Merchant to purchase tickets or buy online at nolawinemerchant.com/mt Tickets are limited and a portion of the proceeds will benefit The Audubon Foundation. This is one you will not want to miss! . . . #marytaylorwines #neworleansevents #wineevents #marytaylorwine #neworleanswine #nolawinetasting #nolawinedinner

Our hours for the next week are a little different. We will be closing early some days and closed all day on Saturday, March 1st and on Fat Tuesday, so stock up early. We look forward to seeing you at the parades! Normal business hours will resume on Wednesday, March 5th. . . . #mardigraswine #mardigrashours #magazinestreetwineshop #uptownparades

Although Carole Decouard will be unable to join us, we have rescheduled the free tasting of French wines from her portfolio with MISA Imports for Thursday, February 13th from 4pm until 6:30pm. Nearly every wine being poured that day is new to the store though we have worked with all of the producers before. 4 red Rhônes, 2 red Burgundies, 1 Beaujolais, 1 Sancerre and 1 white Burgundy. One of the red Burgundies is from Poulleau, the Bourgogne Rouge that was all the rage last summer and into the fall. We will also have an extra wine that night, a red Burgundy under $20(!) that really impressed us. You should make every reasonable effort to be here! The lineup is as follows: Raimbault-Pineau Sancerre 2023 Domaine des Granges Pouilly-Vinzelles 2021 Domaine J. Boulon Beaujolais Supérieur Vieilles Vignes 2023 Henri Latour et Fils Hautes Côtes de Beaune Rouge 2022 Domaine Poulleau Père et Fils Chorey-lès-Beaune 2022 Domaine Palon Vacqueyras 2022 Guillaume Gonnet Rasteau ‘Le Maestro’ 2020 Guillaume Gonnet Gigondas ‘Le Mentor’ 2020 Château de Vaudieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2021 . . . #misaimports #winetastingexperience #nolawineevent #nolawineshop #magazinestreet #neworleanswine #frenchwinetasting

We will re-open on Thursday, January 23 and are looking forward to hearing about your snow days!