​Rose has come a long way from being “the pink wine that looks like White Zinfandel”. It’s a fantastic wine that can be enjoyed year-round, not just between the months of April-September. Waiting for the temperature to get above 60 degrees (especially here in Wisconsin) takes away valuable time for trying all the fantastic Rose out there.
 
Available as still, sparkling, light pink, dark pink and all shades in between! It has become one of the fastest growing markets in the wine industry, with movie stars and musicians all wanting to get in on creating their own brand. A wonderful wine to enjoy all by itself, it also pairs well with cheese, pasta dishes, fish, and *gasp* even STEAK too!
 
The most well-known (and probably most popular) Rose at the moment is the Provence style (our Millet will be coming in soon)! It’s a light salmon/pinky color and is crisp and dry. If that is your preferred style another fantastic option from Italy (made with the Sangiovese grape) is our Renaissance Rose! Vino Verde from Portugal has a slight effervescence to it that goes great with appetizers or by itself on the porch.
 
Hopefully this has encouraged you to get out there and join the “Rose All Day” club, or at least try it for a day!

- Leah Johnson, Wine Manager and expert...

Vino owner opening new bar in former Lakerz space

That commitment remains true to this day as Borkowski plans on opening his new bar The Etcetera next door to Vino Etc. in the soon-to-be former Lakerz Pub and Eatery, 118 E. Wisconsin Ave.

Lakerz owner Lynn Reed called it a career in February and is selling the space to Borkowski, with the two expected to close on March 19, Borkowski said.

Borkowski and his business partner Jason Schultz plan on transforming the space into a family-friendly bar and grill.

“I’m repetitive when I say this, but when I bought Vino I said I’m bringing the etcetera. Now I am,” Borkowski said. “The bar’s going to be different. The Etcetera is going to be beer, food and spirits. We’ll have it all.”
​
To Borkowski, “etcetera” means endless, innovative, ever-changing and different, he said.

“I can be focused on what our main thing is, then we can innovate and create and evolve and that’s why the etcetera is important,” he said.

Borkowski said the number one question he has been asked around town is if he will be tearing down the wall between Lakerz and Vino Etc. The answer is simple.

“Absolutely not,” Borkowski said. “Vino Etc. and The Etcetera are two separate pieces even though we marry each other quite nicely.”

Do you love dogs as much as we do? Is your furry friend your companion in just about everything you do? If so, we have a concept for you.

Sundays at Vino are the one specified day of the week for those of you who want to come by, but don’t want to come alone. Maybe you’re just sick of people, we get it. Or, possibly it’s a whole gaggle of gals and their pups? We offer an environment where anyone and everyone will feel comfortable. What's better for your mental health than a bunch of puppies and a few tasty cocktails? We can’t seem to think of anything. Especially when our drink deals are just too good to beat.

On Sundays we offer $20 Bottomless Mimosas, $7 Bloody Marys, a treat or 3 for your pup, and on occasion doggie raffles as well.

During these crazy times, we've come to realize the value of companionship. When our social lives were brought to a screeching stop many people turned to adopting pets, outdoor activities, etc. It's a good thing we're surrounded by so many lakes. My favorite hobby is a lake lap followed by a cocktail or two. Let’s get those endorphins flowing. A little bit of outdoor exercise, fresh air, doggie smiles, and some good old socialization. In the summer we make sure our back deck with a view of Fowler Lake is ready for hang-outs, and that all of our windows are open to catch the breeze.

Is your dog not-so-cool? (We understand.) Stop by for an uncracked case of beer or corked bottle of wine To-Go. Yes, we can.

Feel free to call ahead to speed up the process.

We appreciate you and your doggies support, see you Sunday for Sip&Pup!

​By Salina Judkins

During our last bourbon tasting at Vino Etc., I was a number of really good questions.  One attendee queried, "What does straight whiskey/bourbon mean?  What is a straight whiskey?"

My initial response was, "Well, like many aspects of whiskey and bourbon, the answer is a bit vague...in reality, it doesn't mean anything more than what we today call bourbon."

Well, I was wrong.  

Unlike what defines bourbon as a bourbon, an act of congress, in 2016 the United States Government passed a law defining all sorts of specifications around whiskey. 

The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations’ Title 27.1(A)(5)(c), current as of April 19th, 2016, governs the “Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits.”

"To be designated as “straight,” whiskies must conform to the aforementioned standards (distilled at less than 160 proof, stored at less than 125 proof, made from grain) and then they must be stored in the appropriate type of oak containers for a period of two or more years. No other whiskies may be designated “straight.” “Straight whisky” also includes mixtures of straight whiskies of the same type, but they must be produced in the same state."

When looking at the entire legal description, it appears that 99% of all whiskey is "straight".  

Cheers!

Everyone in the world knows the brand "Jack Daniels".  Indeed, as whiskey history goes, JD was one of the few survivors of the great movement away from the brown elixir - the 60's through to the 90's.  But that's a story for another time.  

Nathan Green, a freed slave, and head distiller before meeting Jack Daniels, perfected the Lincoln County Process, where whiskey is filtered through sugar maple charcoal prior to aging in charred oak barrels.  Nearest took the young Jack under his wing, showing how to make whiskey and utilize the unique filtering process.

Today's blend carrying the Nearest moniker, is a tribute to the man and the process.  The mash is held under lock and key and although the ancient formula remains a mystery, hand written notes about ingredients have been found so the current dram is as close as can be expected to the original.

Uncle Nearest 1856 is 100 proof and sourced from numerous undisclosed distilleries and aged a minimum of 7 years.

You can indulge Uncle Nearest at Vino Etc. and try the new offering, Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch. Quite good.

Cheers! 

​A fun topic a lot of people like to think about are food and wine pairings. It's great to cook and drink things that go well together. However, often people feel stuck drinking a wine they don't like in order to pair it correctly with food they are making/eating. 

Personally, I love a dry Rose like an Italian rosado like our Pratello or the Stemmari with a steak. One of my favorite wines to have with salmon is not a white wine... it’s actually a Burgundian style Pinot Noir. Burgundian style Pinot Noirs aren't as fruit forward as west coast Pinots and we have a great one in Luc Cholot. 

It’s great to purposely pair food and wines together but ultimately remember to drink the wine you like and enjoy it with the food you like. 

Cheers!

- Leah Johnson, 2021

​

​“In 1812, the USS Constitution met and defeated the British frigate named Guerriere in a twenty-minute battle.  The British were astonished to see their shot seemed to rebound harmlessly off Constitution’s hull – giving her the nickname “Old Ironsides’.

In that same year, Hunter John built the McHenry Distillery in Benton, PA and started making whisky with the family recipe.  Bourbon was on the path to becoming “America’s National Spirit”.

Two uniquely American points in history, seemingly unrelated.  Both built on a uniquely American resource - Quercus Alba, more commonly known as American White Oak.

The USS Constitution incorporated a new and revolutionary design – something the world had never seen.  More importantly, the wood utilized for the hull was the strongest wood in the world – American White Oak.  Imagine choosing trees to match the size and shape of a part needed for a ship.  The harvesting was painstaking.

And as you know, an integral component of bourbon is single-use, charred, Quercus Alba – American White Oak.

Bourbon is an American Spirit. The longest active-duty Naval vessel, the USS Constitution is an American Icon. 

​Both surrounded by White Oak.

​**NOMINATIONS OPEN UNTIL NOVEMBER 11th - Nominate Here: https://www.oconomowoc.org/awards**

When taking 2020 at face value, most would say this been a year of bad news cycles, extreme trials and languishing negativity. However, if you look just beyond the surface, you will see a year of resilience, community, collaboration and innovation! We want to celebrate this part of 2020!

So please mark your calendar to join us for quite possibly the most POSITIVE 30 minutes of 2020 - where we will be "virtually" presenting the 2020 awards for our Large and Small Businesses of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Non-Profit of Year and Woman in Business Leadership Award!

Click "Interested" or "Going" for this event to receive updates and more FUN details as we get closer to the date.

In the meantime, NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN until Nov 11th for YOU to nominate those you feel are most deserving of these awards in our communities. 

March, 2020.  Jeff McCarthy and Becky Miller sit down with Greg Walters, Bourbon and Talent Manager of Vino, Etc… in Oconomowoc. Hear about the unmatched atmosphere and offerings of this local hot spot.