The Wine Barrel - About Us

You'll find more than 250 unique wines and a variety of "extreme brewed" lagers & ales which proprietors Chris and Elise have personally selected to help make your wine-buying experience pleasant and rewarding. We feature wines from "boutique" or low production wineries. We also carry some delicious gourmet cheeses and specialty foods, and a variety of wine accessories. In addition to our wide selection of wines you'll also find a great selection of craft brewed ales and lagers.

Free wine tastings are held Friday evenings from 5-7 pm and Saturday afternoons from 2-5 pm.
COVER STORY - Patriot Ledger "Get Out" Thursday, January 18, 2007 - Seduction in a glass: Wine lovers have many close-to-home options to indulge their passion
By ELENI HIMARAS, The Patriot Ledger

While people may enjoy flirting with different creative mixed drinks or flavorful microbrews, they simply don’t fall in love with them like they do with wine.

And you don’t have to go to Napa Valley or Tuscany to find passion-fueled wine culture - the South Shore is full of exciting opportunities for wine lovers of every level.

Jim Pircio of East Bridgewater is the wine manager for Blanchard’s Liquor Stores and works at the Marshfield location, where he is in charge of the 1,000 to 1,500 varieties the store carries.

‘‘I was a beer person but I always enjoyed wine, and when I got into this business 20 some odd years ago, it was a liquor business and it gradually became a wine business, and I just gravitated toward that side,’’ he said. ‘‘It just seems more energetic.’’

With the huge variety of wine the store carries, he said his mission is to look for the best wine for the best price. The store also hosts three wine tastings a year to introduce customers to different flavors.

When asked why he thought people could become so involved with a beverage, he said, ‘‘It has to be the taste... it can be enjoyed in so many different facets of life - just celebration or with a meal, just hanging out - it fits every social occasion.’’

Between the vines

Chris Gagnon and Elise Muller, both of Plymouth, fell under the charm of wine to the point that they left their 25-year careers to open a wine boutique, The Wine Barrel, in their hometown.

‘‘We had a passion for wine for a long while,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s more like a dream that we just tried and went out and did.’’

While they don’t have the selection of Blanchard’s, they stay focused on smaller wineries with a constantly rotating stock room. Most wine they carry was produced in batches of less than 300 cases, and he said 90 percent of their stock is between $10 and $20 a bottle.

‘‘For me, it’s the different varieties, the different flavors - there’s so many different things out there to try,’’ Gagnon said.

The boutique offers wine tastings every Saturday, and starting Jan. 22 they will offer a four-part, weekly wine class every Monday.

While Gagnon and Muller left their jobs completely for wine, two of the three co-owners of the Vine Bar, just down the street, keep their passion for wine simply a lover on the side.

Patricia Borgeson, a teacher in Carver, co-owns the bar entirely dedicated to wine with her sister Patricia Gill of Plympton and their close friend Lisa Conroy of Plymouth.

‘‘We used to sit around and drink wine and say, ‘Oh we wish there was a place that was just like this.’ It went on for years and years,’’ Borgeson said.

Although their constantly changing menu and relaxed atmosphere with frequent live music seems to guarantee the bar will be a success, Borgeson says that wine will always be her hobby, while teaching stays her vocation.

Boston Wine Festival

The South Shore is also conveniently located right next to the longest running food and wine-pairing festival in the country. The Boston Wine Festival runs every year from January to April with several events along the way.

One of the most exciting this year will be on March 20 hosted by winemaker Michael Silacci. Guests will have the rare opportunity to have a dinner date with three decades of one wine made at Opus One, an elite, popular Napa Valley winery.

The festival is being held at the Boston Harbor Hotel at Rowes Wharf, and in honor of the event, the hotel spa is adding some aromatic treats to its menu of services. They will be offering a chardonnay massage and chardonnay body wrap for the entirety of the festival.

You can also get the treatment year-round by planning a relaxing day for you and your favorite wine at Utopia Place in Pembroke. The five-in-one relaxation and pampering center features a wine body wrap in its spa and a variety of tasty wines in its bistro - that can be enjoyed before, after, or during treatments.

‘‘It’s exfoliating, a powerful antioxidant and hydrating at the same,’’ said spa manager Cheryl Hornstra of their wine body wrap. The grape powder exfoliates, the natural antioxidants reduce sun spots and other skin imperfections, and the Champagne oil hydrates skin.

And if being wrapped in delicious-smelling wine isn’t enough, the bistro offers a variety of house wines and popular imports that can be enjoyed with a tasty meal or during treatment.

‘‘Having the bistro and also a full liquor license and a cappuccino bar definitely adds to the entire purpose of pampering yourself and relaxation,’’ said Bistro executive chef Stacey O’Brien. ‘‘A good glass of red wine is a healthy thing.’’

Making waves

If just one day alone with your beloved libation isn’t enough, one local cruise line offers a five-day sailing trip dedicated to wine.

While not offered year-round, or even every year, they are worth the wait. Typically held in September, these sailing trips leave from Newport, R.I., and stop through all of New England’s famous islands. They combine local wineries with delicious imports.

‘‘There’s more and more people drinking wine than there ever used to be - we’re trying to combine adventure of a sailing trip along with some wine tasting,’’ said Bob Spagnolo, charter director of Atlantic Star Lines and Classic Cruises of Newport.’’

Wine club

If alone time with wine isn’t your thing and you’d rather be meeting fellow wine enthusiasts, check out the Monday Night Wine Club at Ashmont Grill in Dorchester. It starts at 6 p.m. and typically costs $25 for wine and snacks. Some nights the menu is expanded to a full dinner for $45.

How sweet it is

While wine with food may be good-, wine in food can be even better. One Quincy chocolate store found a way to make your favorite wine even more decadent. At Pure Chocolate in Quincy, you can buy an assortment of wine-flavored truffles.

‘‘When you first bite into it you just taste good chocolate; halfway into it, toward the end, you definitely get the taste of whatever wine it is,’’ said store co-owner Christina Bartkus.

If their assortment isn’t enough, they can special order chocolates from a New Jersey chocolatier flavored with your favorite wine.

‘‘The ganache is what is actually infused with the wine,’’ said Bartkus. ‘‘If you were to do a custom wine you would definitely have that essence of whatever wine you choose.’’

So whether you want to drink it, buy it, learn about it, sample it, wrap yourself in it, travel with it or even eat it, your love affair with wine can grow and flourish close to home.

Where to go

-Blanchard’s - 700 Plain St. (Route 139), Marshfield, 781-834-9068, blanchardsliquor.com

-The Wine Barrel - 10 Main St. Extension, Plymouth, 508-830-9511, the-wine-barrel.com

-The Vine, European Style Wine Bar - 18 Main St. Extension, Plymouth, 508-830-1942, thevineplymouth.com

-Boston Harbor Hotel -70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, 617-439-7000, bhh.com.

-18th annual Boston Wine Festival - 617-330-9355, bostonwinefestival.net. Runs through April.

-Spa at Rowes Wharf - 617-439-3914. Chardonnay massage: $120; Chardonnay Body Wrap: $140

-Utopia Place - 270 Washington St., Pembroke, 781-826-3363, personalbestltd.com; Wine Wrap: $80

-Wine Cruise - 800-395-1343, cruisearabella.com

-Ashmont Grill - 555 Talbot Ave., Dorchester, 617-825-4300, ashmontgrill.com

-Pure Chocolate - 102 Franklin St., Quincy, 617-328-6248

Eleni Himaras may be reached at ehimaras@ledger.com .