Hey Free Rangers,
Below you’ll find the second installment of our Sean Thackrey Library offer featuring Fifi Rosé 2014, Sirius Petite Sirah 2005, and Aquila Sangiovese 2000. If you’d like to read the full story about Sean, his magical wine, and how these particular bottles came to be in our hands, you can find that in the Blog on our website, where these e-mails remain available for reading (though the deals have sadly expired): https://freerangebrooklyn.com/the-last-of-the-big-time-spenders/
Also, the Elijah Craig Single Barrel deals are still live for one more week, if you missed it! And as always, if you’re out of town, please feel free to take advantage of the sale price(s) while available, and we’ll hold your purchases here as long as you need. You can find that hidden sale page here: Elijah Craig Single Barrel deals!
But before we get to that, I wanted to make a necessary addendum to my last post. For brevity’s sake, I said that there are 3 primary fellas here at the Range, myself included, which by number of floor hours is factually accurate, but I failed to give (over)due credit to the rest of the team, without whom I could not do any of this. Many of you frequently ask after Marcie, who was our manager for a number of years here in the shop, and my longtime voice of reason. She still handles the books, the taxes, and a bunch of other functions that I am not smart enough to steer. Since becoming a mom, she still does all those things but from off-site and is only on the sales floor these days to visit every couple of weeks. And we enjoy the help of 3 part-timers: 1) Jessica, who was an invaluable asset during a very tumultuous period here, and still helps us out on weekends, but also spends more time at the Cat Café (if anyone is looking to adopt). 2) Wesley, who came to us with significant bartending experience, is currently our in-house cocktail guru, and her novel The Bartender’s Cure (which is humblingly good) releases next month on Flatiron Books. 3) Nina, our youngest and most recent team member who grew up in this neighborhood. Her folks are long time friends of the shop, and she was the first underage (non-drinking) visitor to become of age, and take us up on the free 21st birthday tasting that we’ve (pre-)offered to so many. Also, her doggie-brother is my spirit animal, Fred, the Fredlington Terrier, though I’m told that those two didn’t always get along. You know how sibs can be.
And now: Rayner’s Cherries:
The first time we ever heard his voice, Rayner called telling us he wanted to buy all of his wedding wine from us. This was during the height of the pandemic when we hadn’t had a good party/wedding order in more than a year, and given that wedding orders are generally 2-12 cases, we were fairly elated to hear this, and wanted to help in the most fulsome way. He wanted to talk through much of it right then. He couldn’t go to the website to first get an idea of what we offer- nor could he give us a credit card over the phone- as he was driving. We humored him and talked through many of our options, and he said he’d come by soon to make the final decisions. We didn’t hear from him for a few days, by which time his fiancé came in (after making a brief call), and had the same exact conversation with us, again sounding like they planned to buy not an insignificant quantity of bottles, and was being fairly high maintenance about it. After spending another 20 minutes answering the same questions, she left, saying that one of them would be back soon to make the final decisions. Of course, we couldn’t possibly be so lucky. Many days passed, maybe weeks, and as the date approached, I genuinely don’t remember which of the dynamic duo entered first, but we again had the same full conversation, as if the previous had never occurred. Then the other partner arrived… no, it was definitely the fiancé, as I recall her killing time after we again had roughly the same conversation of wines to pair with their wedding day meal. And then Rayner entered, and she asked us (in words I can’t recall clearly enough to quote faithfully) to tell him what we had just told her. So we did. After which, they hemmed and hawed and painfully slowly settled on 6 bottles from the $35 and under shelf, by which time we felt completely deceived about their intentions. At this point, though brutally disappointed with the amount of effort we were tricked into putting in for a fairly regular day type of sale, I was still trying to be a good host, right up until they had an uncomfortable fight in front of the counter. It was fairly awkward for us, though they seemed fine with it, as narcissists aren’t capable of the empathy which would be required for them to have seen the grotesque scene from any vantage point but their own. The animated verbal brawl was over whether or not to buy a sixth bottle, and I’d have to check the sales history to say on which side they finally came down. … If I could make this shit up, I’d be a better writer. No surprise that a couple of long time regulars here at the shop, upon reading that last story about these two sweethearts, tell us that they live a couple of doors down and that Mr. & Mrs. Rayner (last name withheld by the grace of Derek and Connor), like to do such neighborly things as hang outdoor lights high enough to illuminate many yards besides their own, and leave loud music playing for everybody else to hear often when they are not outside themselves. Wasn’t surprised to hear these things, but still makes one feel for all of their neighbors, on an otherwise enviably idillic street, here in scenic Boerum Hill. At this point, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to learn that there never was a wedding planned.
Anywhoo, on a more positive note, here’s that next batch of Sean Thackrey wine(s) up for sale. Again, these were brought to us via temperature controlled truck from the professional wine storage facility that had guarded them faithfully for many years.
Fifi Rosé 2014 – Mature rosé? Yes, that’s a thing. While growing darker with age, it was already light Point Noir (red) color at release. Medium bodied, dry, broad and savory, cranberry, stone fruit, dried herbs. As can be said about so many of Sean’s wines, I have never tasted a rosé like this, though there are some similar tones in Maggie Harrison’s profound (in palate and cost) rosé, once called Erratica and then named Angelicall.
Aquila 2000 – This single vineyard 100% Sangiovese from Eaglepoint Ranch in Mendocino, CA is a fully mature red that is showing its age in brickish color and light yellowing at its edges, with just a touch of clouding. Quintessential Thackrey mint notes over dry red berry fruit, and deeply woodsy herbal tones. Likely on the back end of its peak drinking window, but for the moment, it’s all still there. For drinking sooner than later.
Sirius 2005 – This 100% Petite Sirah from aforementioned Eaglepoint Ranch is into its peak drinking window, but far from the end of its life. This is deep, dark, blood of the Earth Petite Sirah is showing brambly berry fruity, subtle underlying earth tones, and signature mint; cavernous, but with great balance. Drink now with an hour or more of air, or cellar for another decade (+?) for further integration and deeper secondary and tertiary flavor development.
(!) Click here for the hidden sale page (!)
sale: retail:
Fifi Rosé 2014 $37 $49
* limit 2 per person
Sirius 2005 $79 $99
* limit 2 per person
Aquila 2000 $109 $149
* limit 3 per person
*** Online exclusive! ***
*** This week only! ***
Cheers,
Jack
Proprietor
Free Range Wine & Spirits
P.S. Free Range E-mail Archive
