Finally, Mercy is proud to announce that we have secure a bit of magic right out of Southern Rhone.
Four months ago, my two friends (owners of Domaine Le Colombier and St Francois Xavier wineries) came to visit me and wanted to know if there was opportunity to bring their wine to Texas. I tasted their wines, when I visited France earlier this year, and knew then that I definitely wanted it at Mercy.
I interceded and presented their wine to 5 different distributors in one day, starting at 9 am and finishing at 11 pm. It was a really long day but well worth the effort. As the day wore on, by showing the wines to different wine distributors, I could tell that there was a buzz created amongst them. It took 2 weeks to find out which of those distributors would be able to move forward and stock it for distribution. After that first step, it took an additional 3 months to get label approval and other legislative paperwork. Suffice it to say, if you are a big fan of Southern Rhone wines; you have got to experience them.
The three wines currently available are :
Domaine Colombier Cote du Ventoux 2009
A subtle scent of licorice, leather and violets meet the nose in a quite pleasant presentation. The mix of 50% Grenache 50% Syrah blend tilts towards the Grenache (I doubt it’s actually 50/50.) Nice bargain for the price at $10 glass ~ $30 bottle
Domaine Colombier Vacqueras Vielles Vigne 2009
The 2009 Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes (80% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre aged in cement) exhibits copious aromas of roasted herbs de Provence, meat juices, mushrooms, blueberries, blackberries. Priced at only $45 a bottle.
Domaine St Francois Xavier Cuvee Fruite Gigondas 2009
Let's put it this way ... it is the favorite wine of the president of L’Oreal ! It is a little Chateauneuf Du Papes. Bottle priced at $75.
Vincent Havard
Operating Partner
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
We have been very fortunate and we thank you
We have been very fortunate to have won several awards over the past several years and most recently through participation in the Readers Choice Awards with the North Dallas Corridor Magazine. After a nomination process and lengthy voting period by those readers, Mercy was selected by the magazine readers as The Best Place to Sip Wine and The Best Place for a First Date.
This has been an incredible year for us winning several national awards and while we are certainly proud of the industry recognizing what we do, the most pride comes from the Readers Choice Awards. The Readers Choice Awards are voted on by our customers and it shows they like what we are doing and that we have become one of their favorite places to frequent when they go out.
While Vincent and his team do an outstanding job at selecting incredible wine at a great value; Mercy is really about the “whole experience”. It starts when you walk in the door and receive a greeting by our hostess until the time you leave and she says, “thank you and come and see us again”. Your server is a tour guide through our wine list and the varied flavor profiles of the wines. These two awards are a direct reflection of your feedback on that “Total Wine Experience”.
Thank you for your continue support of Mercy Wine Bar and we look forward to seeing you soon. By the way, don't forget, Mercy has live music every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday!!! (YES, Sunday night!!!)
Glen Agritelley
Owner
This has been an incredible year for us winning several national awards and while we are certainly proud of the industry recognizing what we do, the most pride comes from the Readers Choice Awards. The Readers Choice Awards are voted on by our customers and it shows they like what we are doing and that we have become one of their favorite places to frequent when they go out.
While Vincent and his team do an outstanding job at selecting incredible wine at a great value; Mercy is really about the “whole experience”. It starts when you walk in the door and receive a greeting by our hostess until the time you leave and she says, “thank you and come and see us again”. Your server is a tour guide through our wine list and the varied flavor profiles of the wines. These two awards are a direct reflection of your feedback on that “Total Wine Experience”.
Thank you for your continue support of Mercy Wine Bar and we look forward to seeing you soon. By the way, don't forget, Mercy has live music every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday!!! (YES, Sunday night!!!)
Glen Agritelley
Owner
Monday, July 25, 2011
I can't believe I ....
There was a very famous TV commercial that debuted (almost 40 years ago) for an effervescent over the counter product to make you feel better from overeating. The commercial stated : "I can't believe I ate the whole thing". Now, I did not come close to eating it all, but I sure wanted to. (And yes, I know ....I am dating myself as I remembered this commercial).
As Mercy prepares to debut a new menu offering, the first step is to serve the item and let the managers and staff taste it. As luck would have it, I was one of the first people in line to taste it. After sampling my share, and some additional portions that should have been allocated to three other people; I forced myself to stop.
The new menu item that I am speaking of is ...... Scallop Gratin (Coquille St. Jacques)...and while I will not provide all the details of preparation, it is a really, rich and scrumptious dish comprised of scallops, white wine, mushrooms and butter.
At this stage, we may offer this selection as an Entree and serve it with a side item or offer it on our To Share menu served with toasted flatbread. I personally would be pleased to offer it both ways..... for the times that I wanted to share it with others....and also for the time that I wished to keep it all for myself.
Ask your server the next time you visit Mercy and if I have not eaten all of the Scallop Gratin, you may be able to order some for yourself.
Mike Castagne
Operations Manager
As Mercy prepares to debut a new menu offering, the first step is to serve the item and let the managers and staff taste it. As luck would have it, I was one of the first people in line to taste it. After sampling my share, and some additional portions that should have been allocated to three other people; I forced myself to stop.
The new menu item that I am speaking of is ...... Scallop Gratin (Coquille St. Jacques)...and while I will not provide all the details of preparation, it is a really, rich and scrumptious dish comprised of scallops, white wine, mushrooms and butter.
At this stage, we may offer this selection as an Entree and serve it with a side item or offer it on our To Share menu served with toasted flatbread. I personally would be pleased to offer it both ways..... for the times that I wanted to share it with others....and also for the time that I wished to keep it all for myself.
Ask your server the next time you visit Mercy and if I have not eaten all of the Scallop Gratin, you may be able to order some for yourself.
Mike Castagne
Operations Manager
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Common names producing some exceptional wines
Michael and David ..... common names producing some exceptional wines ! Incognito, Earthquake, Rapture... oh yes ! Now you may know them !
The silky tannins and the showy body start to awaken your senses.
Michael and David's wines have been and are a big influence on the wine list at Mercy. Michael and David Phillips visited Mercy last week from Lodi, California. We were so honored and privileged to host their appearance and to be able introduce, these "down to earth" brothers to our guests at Mercy.
We had prepared for an RSVP event of 20 customers, however when 62 customers showed up ....yes....we were overwhelmed and overjoyed !
Our guests were able to have a special bottle signed by Michael and David (and yes, some of our staff availed themselves of this unique signing opportunity as well).
We are so glad to be able to offer their wines as part of our portfolio and even happier when you order it, share it and most definitely enjoy it !
Next time you come in .... ask us about Michael and David, we will happy to share that experience with you.
Earthquake $18 glass $55 bottle
Rapture $85 bottle
Vincent Havard
Operating Partner
The silky tannins and the showy body start to awaken your senses.
Michael and David's wines have been and are a big influence on the wine list at Mercy. Michael and David Phillips visited Mercy last week from Lodi, California. We were so honored and privileged to host their appearance and to be able introduce, these "down to earth" brothers to our guests at Mercy.
We had prepared for an RSVP event of 20 customers, however when 62 customers showed up ....yes....we were overwhelmed and overjoyed !
Our guests were able to have a special bottle signed by Michael and David (and yes, some of our staff availed themselves of this unique signing opportunity as well).
We are so glad to be able to offer their wines as part of our portfolio and even happier when you order it, share it and most definitely enjoy it !
Next time you come in .... ask us about Michael and David, we will happy to share that experience with you.
Earthquake $18 glass $55 bottle
Rapture $85 bottle
Vincent Havard
Operating Partner
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Center Court and more
Just back from a 2 week jaunt to the UK. A week in Cardiff, Wales and a week in London. I just love the Brits.
My first time in Cardiff and what a beautiful “big-little” city. With a population of 350,000, this is the capital of Wales and the country’s largest tourist city. It has the feel of Austin, Texas to me. Lots going on and a busy city but it still retains that small town feel. People were all incredibly friendly and open. Very much like Texans!
While the weather was spotty at best, the food was wonderful. Some really spectacular “old” restaurants. Some hundreds of years old, yes, hundreds of years. Cardiff has always been, till recently, a shipping port for their primary export, coal. These pubs were built for the seamen when they came into port. So much character. Had the pleasure of dining in a very old restaurant called, Custom House, which it literally was over a hundred years ago. Sitting right on the bay, it served as an entry point for goods coming and going to and from the country. A wonderful restaurant with a Spanish flair now. Fresh fish from the local area with simple but spectacular flavor. A great Spanish wine list which was very reasonably priced wines.
On to London and 2 days at Wimbledon center court. What an experience! This is as good as it gets if you are into tennis! There is something reverent about center court that is hard to describe. Of course I had to sample the strawberries and cream. The experience wouldn’t have been complete without that!!! Now there is a tradition.
The entire tournament is steeped in tradition. Something we are pretty unfamiliar with as Americans. London has so much to offer and difficult to take it all in in a few short days. We decided to find little out of the way restaurants and bistros and “nosh”. Loved the little bars on the streets with open patios and windows. Great people watching while enjoying a glass of vino. I found the European wines very affordable and a surprising amount of Chilean and Argentinean wines the same. There were very few American wines and those that I saw were higher priced and not our finest showings!!! So we enjoyed the French, Italian and Spanish wines, sampling many throughout the days travel.
One of the culinary highlights was a little Italian restaurant named Mimo’s in Hampstead Heath in North London. A very quaint little modern Italian place run by Mimo himself. He and his brother own a chain of restaurants all over the globe and this man has “lived large”! His menu was more northern Italy with a beautiful wine list that you can tell was hand selected by Mimo himself. Fresh Italian seabass was light and delicate but fresh and begged for nothing more than a bit of olive oil and lemon. Mimo made it a memorable evening for us despite the downpour half way through our dinner!
It was a wonderful 2 weeks that went by too quickly and wish there was more time! Next time!!! Well of course, I had to sample the fish and chips and drink a pint of lager, or 2!!!! Would not have been a complete trip without it!!!
Thanks
Glen Agritelley
Owner
My first time in Cardiff and what a beautiful “big-little” city. With a population of 350,000, this is the capital of Wales and the country’s largest tourist city. It has the feel of Austin, Texas to me. Lots going on and a busy city but it still retains that small town feel. People were all incredibly friendly and open. Very much like Texans!
While the weather was spotty at best, the food was wonderful. Some really spectacular “old” restaurants. Some hundreds of years old, yes, hundreds of years. Cardiff has always been, till recently, a shipping port for their primary export, coal. These pubs were built for the seamen when they came into port. So much character. Had the pleasure of dining in a very old restaurant called, Custom House, which it literally was over a hundred years ago. Sitting right on the bay, it served as an entry point for goods coming and going to and from the country. A wonderful restaurant with a Spanish flair now. Fresh fish from the local area with simple but spectacular flavor. A great Spanish wine list which was very reasonably priced wines.
On to London and 2 days at Wimbledon center court. What an experience! This is as good as it gets if you are into tennis! There is something reverent about center court that is hard to describe. Of course I had to sample the strawberries and cream. The experience wouldn’t have been complete without that!!! Now there is a tradition.
The entire tournament is steeped in tradition. Something we are pretty unfamiliar with as Americans. London has so much to offer and difficult to take it all in in a few short days. We decided to find little out of the way restaurants and bistros and “nosh”. Loved the little bars on the streets with open patios and windows. Great people watching while enjoying a glass of vino. I found the European wines very affordable and a surprising amount of Chilean and Argentinean wines the same. There were very few American wines and those that I saw were higher priced and not our finest showings!!! So we enjoyed the French, Italian and Spanish wines, sampling many throughout the days travel.
One of the culinary highlights was a little Italian restaurant named Mimo’s in Hampstead Heath in North London. A very quaint little modern Italian place run by Mimo himself. He and his brother own a chain of restaurants all over the globe and this man has “lived large”! His menu was more northern Italy with a beautiful wine list that you can tell was hand selected by Mimo himself. Fresh Italian seabass was light and delicate but fresh and begged for nothing more than a bit of olive oil and lemon. Mimo made it a memorable evening for us despite the downpour half way through our dinner!
It was a wonderful 2 weeks that went by too quickly and wish there was more time! Next time!!! Well of course, I had to sample the fish and chips and drink a pint of lager, or 2!!!! Would not have been a complete trip without it!!!
Thanks
Glen Agritelley
Owner
Monday, June 20, 2011
Their journey up the river
Every May, around the 15th, the first salmon of the season return to the rivers and streams of Alaska with the Copper River being one of the first.
King, Sockeye, and Silver salmon embark on their long journeys up the 'Copper to spawn and lay their eggs. As salmon start their journey up the river and prepare to spawn, their feeding habits diminish. Because the Copper River is so swift, they must store extra fat and oils in order to survive the long trip. This high fat and oil content is why Copper River salmon are recognized as some of the world's best-eating salmon.
There are just a few days left before the Copper River salmon season is over and then it is "wait till next year" before it becomes available again. I had dinner last night at Mercy and ordered it for myself. It was superb ! I usually like my salmon medium rare with no sauce and just some fresh lemon wedges. This particular evening, I paired the salmon with a glass of Cooralook Pinot Noir from Australia and let me tell you, it was fantastic !
This wine is outstanding as it comes from the cooler climate of Victoria, Australia. This Pinot is a little lighter in body with a lot of floral and undertones of red cherry, good minerality and balance ~ from front to back. The light acidity was in perfect harmony with the rich, "one of a kind" salmon. While the Copper River Salmon is available, you should definitely come in and experience it for yourself or take a bottle Cooralook Pinot Noir home with you.
Cooralook Pinot Noir $10 glass ~ $35 bottle.
Vincent Havard
Operating Partner
King, Sockeye, and Silver salmon embark on their long journeys up the 'Copper to spawn and lay their eggs. As salmon start their journey up the river and prepare to spawn, their feeding habits diminish. Because the Copper River is so swift, they must store extra fat and oils in order to survive the long trip. This high fat and oil content is why Copper River salmon are recognized as some of the world's best-eating salmon.
There are just a few days left before the Copper River salmon season is over and then it is "wait till next year" before it becomes available again. I had dinner last night at Mercy and ordered it for myself. It was superb ! I usually like my salmon medium rare with no sauce and just some fresh lemon wedges. This particular evening, I paired the salmon with a glass of Cooralook Pinot Noir from Australia and let me tell you, it was fantastic !
This wine is outstanding as it comes from the cooler climate of Victoria, Australia. This Pinot is a little lighter in body with a lot of floral and undertones of red cherry, good minerality and balance ~ from front to back. The light acidity was in perfect harmony with the rich, "one of a kind" salmon. While the Copper River Salmon is available, you should definitely come in and experience it for yourself or take a bottle Cooralook Pinot Noir home with you.
Cooralook Pinot Noir $10 glass ~ $35 bottle.
Vincent Havard
Operating Partner
Monday, June 6, 2011
On The Go
For two months now, we have been discussing our new retail wine business.
Changes in wine retail laws now permit Mercy to sell bottles of wine "To Go" just as a wine retailer. Mercy has the extra advantage now of offering our guests the ability to take home a bottle of wine that they may have just enjoyed with their meal.
To call attention to this new offering, we will be doing a special business card drawing each month during the summer.
Drop your business card into a special drawing for "our wine of the month" free give away. Be sure that your business card has an e-mail address as we will be contacting winners via e-mail. You only need to enter once to qualify all summer long !
Good luck !
Mike Castagne
Operations Manager
Changes in wine retail laws now permit Mercy to sell bottles of wine "To Go" just as a wine retailer. Mercy has the extra advantage now of offering our guests the ability to take home a bottle of wine that they may have just enjoyed with their meal.
To call attention to this new offering, we will be doing a special business card drawing each month during the summer.
Drop your business card into a special drawing for "our wine of the month" free give away. Be sure that your business card has an e-mail address as we will be contacting winners via e-mail. You only need to enter once to qualify all summer long !
Good luck !
Mike Castagne
Operations Manager
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