Inching out…

David Beard May 24, 2020 3 Comments

I stopped by Blue Rock Coffee & Wine, kind of. It recently opened by the Miller Hill Mall, and I am enchanted by the idea of a wine bar. We haven’t had one in Duluth since the Minnesota Wine Exchange closed, unless I suppose you count the Spirit Room over in Superior. A wine bar feels like a place to taste, not to drink, if that distinction makes sense, and I’d love to have one in Duluth.

So I cruised through the drive through, having salivated over the menu, but being full from a full lunch. I ordered a peach iced tea, which tasted like actual tea, instead of a tea mix. That bodes well, as do the photos of the food.

Am I forgetting other places built for tasting wine, instead of drinking? Vikre is built for tasting gin, not for drinking it, if that helps.

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3 Comments

Paul Lundgren

about 5 years ago 

It's a pretty fuzzy distinction -- drinking vs. tasting -- since tasting happens when drinking and drinking happens when tasting, but in the wine realm it's at the very least worth mentioning that Bellisio's and Chester Creek Cafe have wine bars, whether or not the focus is on tasting or on the social atmosphere of the beverage.

And it's worth mentioning that Duluth Tap Exchange has a few wines available, although the primary focus there is beer. The element of tasting is at the forefront, however, with computer screens providing info about each wine and the self-serve tap allowing the customer to pour as much as desired.

Also, Tom at Wine Tyme will sit around a barrel with you and try some kit wines. 

I haven't been out to White Winter Winery in a long time, but I remember folks there being happy to pour samples and talk about the different options.

Helmut Flaag

about 5 years ago 

Yes Dave, the old bitty at White Winery is happy to pour you and herself samples all day long. And Tom will drink you under the table as well if diabetes hasn't had its way with him yet. I don't know if you were aware of this but in about ten days, America will have had twice as many Covid-19 deaths in three months than casualties in ten years of Vietnam. In about three weeks you can tack on Iraq and Afghanistan. And by casualties I mean deaths. After those conflicts smoldered out to their last dying embers, a great many more of those who served killed themselves. Covid-19 will surpass them all. To quote Metallica, "absolute horror."

What this means for us now is a veritable shitload of Americans have died in the past 100 days from this man-made disaster, and now we're winning Corona, because of Captain Chaos. We've got more death and suffering from this disease than any other nation in the world due to our leadership. America has 5 percent of the world's population, yet almost one-third of the global Covid-19 deaths. We should have 5 percent of the global deaths in case any of you struggle with math. Not 33 percent. So I guess ... zero fucks about where I can stuff my lips and fatten my drunk in public. It's more meaningless to me now than it ever was. If I hear one more person telling me where I can stuff my pie hole in public, I may backhand them film-noir style and tell them to get a grip like some raving lunatic. Yah, support local! Great. For now, I ponder stupidity and the infinity of asininity and it's taking up all my spare time. Business is booming.

Paul Lundgren

about 5 years ago 

It might be a bit much to think about COVID-19 each waking hour. But pandemic or no pandemic, people will discuss things you don't give any fucks about, Helmut. 

Did you know that Kathy Heise is selling Pronto Pups in her Faribault driveway instead of the Minnesota State Fair this year? As far as I can tell, she's not even doing it to piss you off. She's doing it because there is a middle ground between ignoring the pandemic to hold a state fair and shutting down commerce completely at the risk of societal upheaval.

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