All forces in the universe
that are greater than yourself
are diametrically opposed to your intended progress
for reasons you must hope are dire
and worlds beyond your comprehension.
At these times there are no right turns.
All paths appear clear from a distance
and then obscure into circular dead ends.
From that point on all movement is backwards.
It is more productive to simply shut down
taking in rather than acting out on the World.
– JC, 2002
Hey Free Rangers,
You may have noticed that there was no e-mail last week. Sorry about that. It’s been a bit of rough go ‘round these parts lately. I don’t recall the last item that went to plan and removed itself from the greater to-do list without incident. And given the report(s) we’ve been receiving from many of you, and the starkly waning responses to (and orders from) these notes, we can’t even be sure that MailChimp is effectively getting them to your in-box. We are grateful for any human eyes that are actively treading here, and we’ll take it as a candle in the darkness. But generally, no news is bad news. Work per dollar at our little shop is off the charts in brutal favor of the former, and the expansion project is currently like treading water neck deep in loose scalding sand. Really just trying to keep our collective eyes on the horizon line, while second guessing everything, and watching all the best planned intentions dissolve like so many delicate watercolors on the endless surface of the Atlantic. … It’s probably not as dramatic as all that, but sometimes it seems like the road to anywhere involves pounding nails in the floor with my forehead. Ironically it took me about an hour to find a clip of Bogosian’s piece that was actually performed by the man himself. A note to the rest of you, don’t put Eric Bogosian’s name in the title line of your video without “half-assed cover of,” (or at least your own name) preceding it. If you’re a neophyte writer and/or actor, maybe don’t choose a piece by a preternatural master of both disciplines. Eric Bogosian’s albums and one-man shows represent some of the most intricate, uproarious, and disquietingly engaging performance art that has existed in our lifetimes. Unrelated, he sat three seats down from me at Spalding Grey’s final live performance. I interviewed Bogosian once for The Rocket (RIP), back in Seattle, and he told me it was like deep therapy. From my seat, it was one of the most honest and engaging conversations to which I’ve ever been privy, and I was a total stranger to him. Neat guy. I’m glad he’s making TV money these days, but damned I miss his solo stuff. … What were we talking about?
Anyway, this Saturday marks our 10th Anniversary here on Atlantic Ave, and we’d like to take a moment to thank everybody who chooses to trust us with their wine and spirits needs, and deeper appreciation still for those of you joining us here for these notes. Well friends and neighbors, we clearly won’t be in the new space ahead of the milestone as intended (originally for ten days ago). And every month we get pushed back gets increasingly complicated and expensive. So this marks three (four?!) anniversaries in a row with no time, impetus, or wherewithal to properly celebrate, since our 7th was indefinitely postponed by the onset of the pandemic. But please hang with us a bit longer, folks, and hopefully our 11th Anniversary will actually come with some form of revelry and gathering(s), as they did in the Before Times, though from this vantage point it seems a lot to ask.
Who else needs a drink?
Much like me, the selection for this week’s ONLINE ONLY sale is kind of all over the place. The grim meathook reality of the year to date seems to be that the only things to sell in decent quantity are those that we all but giveaway. So, in the name of cashflow, welcome to our first annual (and hopefully last) Free Range Bah Humbug Anniversary Sale! The goal here is to offer something for everyone at the lowest prices in the city, country, and/or planet. So we’re going to start by rolling back the prices on three shop favorites which are officially the lowest on Earth for these delicious wines: The beautifully Burgundian medium bodied dry Brittan Estate Chardonnay 2019 at $23 (retail $39) is the lowest price in the world and one of our most regular indulgences here in the shop. You’ll find the elegant and intriguing natural Foradori Teroldego 2021 at $24 (retail $33) which is the lowest price in the country, though a handful of shops in Italy and Germany apparently have us beat. Please say hi to them for us, should you visit. The elegant dry woodsy Camparo Barolo Boiolo 2016 is only $39 (retail $57) this week. According to Wine-Searcher you’d have to fly to Greece or Italy to find a better price on this palate pleaser.
How about some old and rare selections at similarly absurd discounts?! 75 Wine Co Cabernet 2015 is a lower cost bottle from one of Napa’s royal families (with some good bottle age), showing deep concentration and subtle Bordelaise undertones one might expect from a cult wine several times the price. We’ve got a few to sell at $25 and I can’t find evidence that this vintage is available anywhere else at all. Hanzell Pinot Noir 2007 is one of the oldest continuous labels in CA whose wines are eminently age worthy, from one of the most lauded vintages of the century. This week only, it’s $65 (retail $89), and you’d be hard pressed to find another bottle at retail anywhere. K Vintners Syrah MCK 2017 is a WA red with a profoundly old word sensibility, yet maintaining that driving force you’d expect from such new world fruit. Currently $34 (retail $42), which is lowest price this side of WA on a highly rated back vintage red.
It’s a crying shame that local upstarts Arcane Distilling shutdown very recently, when a major investor decided it wasn’t the right time. Our friends there were producing some of the most unique whiskey we’ve ever tasted, the fruits of whose beer-based distilling created some of the most effective beer/whiskey crossovers that have yet been bottled on Earth. While it was crushing to see that otherworldly still in pieces on the floor, they let us take all the whiskey we could carry for a song (and my voice isn’t what it used to be). So Arcane Alpha and Arcane Imperial are now available here at $19 per bottle, well over half off our previous $46 shelf price, and well below previous wholesale price. We certainly hope to hear of a re-launch at some point, as their IP and still technology is absolutely fascinating, and they were just scratching the surface of its capabilities.
If we’re being honest, the response to our Old Forester Free Range Barrel Strength Bourbon was fairly soft, considering the quality and scarcity of these barrels, so how’s $94 per bottle?! That’s the lowest price in the country we can find, and many shops that were lucky enough to get one of these barrels are charging $300+ per bottle. While we’re at it, how ‘bout some Buffalo Trace Bourbon for $29 (retail $45) at lowest price in NY?! The super rare and unequivocally beguiling Daftmill Single Malt Whisky Summer 2009 is here as well, at the lowest price in the state (by far!) $222 (retail $259). We’ve also rolled back the price on Suntory Hibiki Harmony to $78 (retail $99) which is also the lowest available price in NY. Want some Willett Rye 4yr at $58, also the lowest price in town? And while we’re at it, here’s another shot at our own Breuckelen Free Range Single Malt Barrel Proof Whiskey Rum Cask at $66 (retail $89) which is delicious, high proof, and unavailable anywhere else on Earth!
Plus one FREE Magical Mystery Bottle with every order over $99!
* one per customer
If you’d prefer a mystery bottle of whiskey to wine, please say so in the notes at checkout and we will do our damnedest to accommodate.
Happy hunting!
(!) Click here for the hidden sale page (!)
sale: retail:
Brittan Estate Chardonnay 2019 $23 $39
Foradori Teroldego 2021 $24 $33
Camparo Barolo Boiolo 2016 $39 $57
75 Wine Co Cabernet 2015 $25 $35
Hanzell Pinot Noir 2007 $65 $89
K Vintners Syrah MCK 2017 $34 $42
Arcane Distilling Alpha Whiskey $19 $46
Arcane Distilling Imperial Whiskey $19 $46
Old Forester FR Barrel Strength $94 $159
Buffalo Trace Bourbon $29 $45
Daftmill Single Malt Summer 2009 $222 $259
Suntory Hibiki Harmony $78 $99
Willett Rye 4yr $58 $89
Breuckelen Free Range Single Malt
Barrel Proof Rum Cask $66 $89
*** Online exclusive! ***
*** This week only! ***
Cheers,
Jack
Proprietor
Free Range Wine & Spirits
P.S. Free Range E-mail Archive
