Farewell!

1128 W Armitage  -  www.poisoncup.com  -  773-935-1325 Farewell from John & Erica: ThePoisonCup started as one of those "what if" conversations walking home from Millennium Park after one too many bottles of wine. It was only our third or fourth date, but the idea was just too intriguing. Fueled by Erica's passion for wine and John's desire to impress the girl, a business plan was drafted and ThePoisonCup became our reality. As the song goes, "If love Is a poison cup then drink it up." Drink it up we did and we enjoyed every minute of it. After five and a half wonderful and exciting years, we are moving on to our next life chapter. We truly are going to miss this wonderful neighborhood and all of the friends we have made over the years. But fear not... We are happy to announce that ThePoisonCup was sold to a group who has some very exciting plans for the space. ThePoisonCup's last day will be tomorrow, Saturday, August 30th.  From there the location will be closed for a period of three or so weeks while the transition to Ezra's takes place. Look for the same great wine and beer selection along with the addition of artisan distilled spirits. We could not be happier with the way things have turned out and assure you that Armitage is in good hands. One Last Toast: The last shopping day for ThePoisonCup will be Saturday, August 30th and we promise to have something fun open from 3-5pm. In the meantime: Not sure how the rest of the book reads for us, but TPC rests in the cellar for now. It just might be dusted off in a neighborhood near you down the road so keep an eye out and an ear open. If you have any questions about the transition, please reach out to me directly,john@poisoncup.com. Lastly: In addition to selling the business, we are moving and as such we will be losing the services of our wonderful nanny, Hilshy Utrilla. If you or anyone you know is in need of a Nanny, Hilshy is the best. She has been wonderfully accommodating to our hectic schedules. We could not have asked for a better caretaker for our precious daughter. She can be reached directly by phone or by email. 773-807-3923 or hilshyutrilla@yahoo.com.

Wonderful New Wines Available!

New Pipeworks beers just in too: Bunny and The Bird English IPA and Simcoe Ninja Imperial IPA!

1128 W Armitage  -  www.poisoncup.com  -  773-935-1325   Recent New Arrivals We've been busy tasting wines at ThePoisonCup ('tis a rough life) and have found some new gems for the shelf. Some of these are very limited so stop in soon. Click the images below for more details on each wine.

Atmospheres is a sparkling wine from Muscadet in the Loire Valley of France. It is an organic wine made from a blend of folle blanche and pinot noir. This is our new favorite sparkler with its intense citrus and dense wild yeast notes. $20.00. Though Verdelho is most associated with Portugal, this example comes from the Central Coast of California. Floral and herbal notes intermingle to offer up a most pleasant bouquet. This has been our go to Summer wine. If you like Sauvignon Blanc, you must give it a shot. $15.75. Another wonderful bottling from Chasing Harvest. This is their Central Otago Pinot Noir. Dark cherry is nicely accented with herbs, rose petals, and light earth tones. This is a rich but velvety textured Pinot with a beautiful finish. 200 cases total. $34.00. Scarpetta Brut Rose is made in the charmant method to preserve freshness. This blend of Franconia and Pinot Nero has a burst of berries accompanied with a brightness that make this the perfect start to any meal. Pair this with an assortment of soft cheeses and wow your guests. $24.75. This field blend from Douro, Portugal was an instant must have for us. It has minerality, stone fruits, and a wonderful creamy texture on the palate that is perfectly balanced with a bright acidity. Alas, only 46 cases produced. We received half a case, two of which went straight to our personal collection. $21.00. It took us a while to find a new Syrah, but this is well worth the wait. Richly concentrated dark fruit with spice notes and cedar on the nose. Raspberry, chocolate and pepper intermingle with soft but evident tannin. $22.00.

1128 W Armitage  -  www.poisoncup.com  -  773-935-1325 Upcoming Free Tastings in June: Thursday, June 19th, 5-7pm: Wines from the Rhone Valley, Italy, and Napa. Saturday, June 21st, 3-5pm: Languedoc AOC wines. Thursday, June 26th, 5-7pm: Dry Vouvray, Languedoc white, California Rose, Italian red from Piedmont. Saturday, June 28th, 3-5pm: Sparkling Rose and the Tierra Divina Wines from Lodi and Mendoza. New Cheeses from Vermont Creamery: Bijou: Aged Goat Cheese “Crottin”: Made with fresh pasteurized goats’ milk from family farms, Bijou curd coagulates overnight, drains in cheese cloth and is then shaped into little buttons. Dried, and ripened for one week, Bijou evolves with time, gaining a sharpness and complexity after thirty days. Bonne Bouche: Ash-ripened Goat Cheese: Made with fresh pasteurized goats’ milk from family farms, the curd is carefully hand ladled, lightly sprinkled with ash, and aged just long enough to develop a rind. After about ten days, the cheeses are packaged in their individual crates and sent to market where they will continue to age up to eighty days. As a young cheese, the rind has a pleasant yeast flavor and creamy interior becoming softer and more piquant as it ages. Coupole: Aged Goat Cheese: Coupole is made with fresh pasteurized goats’ milk from family farms that has been coagulated and shaped. Coupole’s center has a dense texture and fresh, milk taste. Coupole’s allure is attributable to the intriguing contrast between the strong ripened flavor of the rind and the delicate fresh taste of its interior. The wrinkled coral-like appearance makes for an impressive centerpiece on any cheeseboard or melt on top of a perfectly grilled steak. Cremont: Aged Goat and Cow Milk Cheese: An American original crafted in the bucolic Green Mountains of Vermont that combines the nutty taste from of our crème fraîche, the creamy texture of our Bonne Bouche, and the wrinkled geotrichum rind of our Bijou. A special cocktail of yeast and mold are added to create its unique flavor and to coagulate the milk overnight. The fresh curd is shaped by hand and then aged for two weeks to develop the unique cream colored rind and luxurious, smooth interior. Enjoy slathered on crusty bread with fig jam, or share with friends as part of a cheeseboard.

Join us on Thursday for a Rosé season kickoff tasting!

1128 W Armitage  -  www.poisoncup.com  -  773-935-1325     Rosés are stocked! It's been a tough Spring with unexpected temperature swings and gray clouds but the warm weather is here to stay and rosé season has officially begun at ThePoisonCup. We have a wonderful selection of rosés this year as you can see. Check out the links below for all the fun details and then stop in for a bottle. And don't miss the Third Thursday Tasting this month. We'll be opening up a few of our favorites from the list below. Thursday from 5-7pm.  2013 Scherrer Dry Rosé: Sonoma County: $22.75 2013 Hogwash: California: $16.75 2013 Elk Cove Pinot Noir Rosé: Willamette Valley: $17.75 NV Charles Bove Touraine Rosé: Loire Valley: $19.75 2012 Chateau de St Martin Cuvee Grande Reserve: Provence: $22.75 2012 Castello di Ama Rosato: Tuscany: $18.75 2013 Triennes Rosé: Provence: $16.75   PoisonCup Tasting Series: Rhone Valley Whites! While you may be more familiar with the earthy reds, this tasting is all about the Rhone Valley's EXOTIC and food-friendly white varietals. Join Kate on Thursday, May 22nd at 6pm as she pours viognier, marsanne, roussanne, and grenache blanc from the Rhone Valley as well as a few examples from the new world. Very limited space - sign up online via our blog. $25/person.   Welcome to Armitage! Birch Road Cellar & Social Club:  Birch Road Cellar & Social Club is opening soon across the street!  A members-only club, Birch Road Cellar is for individuals who enjoy the pleasure of communing with friends.  Members can enjoy their own wine from their private locker in the cellar and raise a glass without pretense in BRC's private lounge and tasting room.  Customers of Poison Cup are invited to schedule a tour and join at a reduced introductory rate.  Visit www.birchroadcellar.com and enter your information to get started. Third Thursday Tastings:  The west end of Armitage is the place to be every third Thursday as the local businesses work together to create a host of enticing events. ThePoisonCup has the wine covered! Stop in every Third Thursday from 5-7pm for a free tasting of our newest wines. After the tasting take a bottle of your favorite white wine across the street for the live artist demo at Robin B Gallery. Saturday Afternoon Tastings:  Just a reminder to join us every Saturday from 3-5pm for a tasting of what's new and delicious. Every Saturday. Free.     Private Events & Group Tastings Group Tastings: Perfect for smaller groups, ThePoisonCup’s group tasting is a sensational kickoff to an evening of festivities. Your group will begin with a quick lesson on how to properly taste wines followed by a guided tasting of each of the five featured wines. Info about the winery, aromas, and palpable flavors are presented with each wine. Enjoy the experience of a guided tasting. $25/person for groups of 8 up to 20 people. Generally lasts about an hour. Please inquire for availability to kate@poisoncup.com or john@poisoncup.com.   Private Events: ThePoisonCup is an intimate space for corporate events, birthdays, anniversaries, or bachelorette parties. Have our wine guide start the evening with an instructional wine tasting lesson or have us step out of the way and enjoy a laid back evening with friends. Nosh, mingle or open gifts, we will help you create an event your guests will remember forever. $400 plus wine for a two hour event. $100 per each additional hour.  We can work with you to select the most appropriate wines for your budget. Dedicated wine guide throughout the event.  Self catering of food is welcome or use our preferred caterer: Catering Chocolate. Please inquire for availability to kate@poisoncup.com or john@poisoncup.com. Proprietor's Pick Wine Club: The Proprietor's Pick Wine Club puts members in touch with some of the most unique wines we come across in our continual search for exceptional wines. Each month will include two bottles of wine, links to the technical sheets and our own personal tasting notes, complete with pairing suggestions. $39.75/month. Two bottles per month ($40 retail value minimum). Technical sheets and personal tasting notes included via email. Wines available for pick up at ThePoisonCup first Friday of every month. Pick Up at store or have shipped for $20/flat rate per month. Sign up via our online store!

40% Off Madison & Rayne Gift Certificates!

1128 W Armitage  -  www.poisoncup.com  -  773-935-1325     PoisonCup Tasting Series: Rhone Valley Whites! While you may be more familiar with the earthy reds, this tasting is all about the Rhone Valley's EXOTIC and food-friendly white varietals. Join Kate on Thursday, May 22nd at 6pm as she pours viognier, marsanne, roussanne, and grenache blanc from the Rhone Valley as well as a few examples from the new world. Very limited space - sign up online via our blog. $25/person.   Third Thursday Tastings:  The west end of Armitage is the place to be every third Thursday as the local businesses work together to create a host of enticing events. ThePoisonCup has the wine covered! Stop in every Third Thursday from 5-7pm for a free tasting of our newest wines. After the tasting take a bottle of your favorite white wine across the street for the live artist demo at Robin B Gallery. Saturday Afternoon Tastings:  Just a reminder to join us every Saturday from 3-5pm for a tasting of what's new and delicious. Every Saturday. Free.   Special Deal from Madison & Rayne:  Our friends, Melanie and Josh, from Madison & Rayne are offering a discount on gift cards through Mother's Day... 40% off through May 11th!  Click the link here and give that most special lady access to Chef Josh's ever changing menu... delivered right to her door.   Private Events & Group Tastings Group Tastings: Perfect for smaller groups, ThePoisonCup’s group tasting is a sensational kickoff to an evening of festivities. Your group will begin with a quick lesson on how to properly taste wines followed by a guided tasting of each of the five featured wines. Info about the winery, aromas, and palpable flavors are presented with each wine. Enjoy the experience of a guided tasting. $25/person for groups of 8 up to 20 people. Generally lasts about an hour. Please inquire for availability to kate@poisoncup.com or john@poisoncup.com.   Private Events: ThePoisonCup is an intimate space for corporate events, birthdays, anniversaries, or bachelorette parties. Have our wine guide start the evening with an instructional wine tasting lesson or have us step out of the way and enjoy a laid back evening with friends. Nosh, mingle or open gifts, we will help you create an event your guests will remember forever. $400 plus wine for a two hour event. $100 per each additional hour.  We can work with you to select the most appropriate wines for your budget. Dedicated wine guide throughout the event.  Self catering of food is welcome or use our preferred caterer: Catering Chocolate. Please inquire for availability to kate@poisoncup.com or john@poisoncup.com. Proprietor's Pick Wine Club: The Proprietor's Pick Wine Club puts members in touch with some of the most unique wines we come across in our continual search for exceptional wines. Each month will include two bottles of wine, links to the technical sheets and our own personal tasting notes, complete with pairing suggestions. $39.75/month. Two bottles per month ($40 retail value minimum). Technical sheets and personal tasting notes included via email. Wines available for pick up at ThePoisonCup first Friday of every month. Pick Up at store or have shipped for $20/flat rate per month. Sign up via our online store!

April Newsletter

Thank you for visiting our blog where we always post our latest newsletter! Please use the tabs above to sign up for an event, join the wine club, or explore our sale offerings.

Join us this Thursday for our first Beer tasting of the season: Thursday 5-7 pm!

1128 W Armitage  -  www.poisoncup.com  -  773-935-1325 First Thursday Beer Tastings:  We are popping the tops of our newest and favorite beers on the first Thursday of every month. Whether celebrating the end of March, the coming of April or the almost end to your work week, there is no better way than with free beer at ThePoisonCup. Thursday, April 3rd, 5-7pm. Wine Tasting Classes:  Get an in depth look at some of our favorite wines as we take your palate on an educational tour of our favorite regions, styles and varietals. Taste 8 wines in each of these focused tastings and enjoy cheese and charcuterie service to complement. Check the schedule and themes below and sign up online. Very limited space. Sign up soon as these will sell out. $25/person. Thurs, April 10th, 7pm: Pinot Noir: From Champagne to California and back to Burgundy... Pinot Noir is a tough varietal for a winemaker to master. We'll talk about why that is the case, the history of the grape and taste a number of exceptional examples.  Thurs, April 24th, 7pm: Rosés: With the arrival of warmer weather, Rosé season is in full force and our selection shows it. Learn about the different methods and motivations a winemaker might have for making this wonderful complement to Spring and taste our favorite examples of each.  Third Thursday Tastings:  The west end of Armitage is the place to be every third Thursday as the local businesses work together to create a host of enticing events. ThePoisonCup has the wine covered! Stop in every Third Thursday from 4-6pm for a free tasting of our newest wines. After the tasting take a bottle of your favorite white wine across the street for the live artist demo at Robin B Gallery. Saturday Afternoon Tastings:  Just a reminder to join us every Saturday from 3-5pm for a tasting of what's new and delicious. Every Saturday. Free. Private Events & Group Tastings Group Tastings: Perfect for smaller groups, ThePoisonCup’s group tasting is a sensational kickoff to an evening of festivities. Your group will begin with a quick lesson on how to properly taste wines followed by a guided tasting of each of the five featured wines. Info about the winery, aromas, and palpable flavors are presented with each wine. Enjoy the experience of a guided tasting. $25/person for groups of 8 up to 20 people. Generally lasts about an hour. Please inquire for availability to kate@poisoncup.com or john@poisoncup.com. Private Events: ThePoisonCup is an intimate space for corporate events, birthdays, anniversaries, or bachelorette parties. Have our wine guide start the evening with an instructional wine tasting lesson or have us step out of the way and enjoy a laid back evening with friends. Nosh, mingle or open gifts, we will help you create an event your guests will remember forever. $400 plus wine for a two hour event. $100 per each additional hour.  We can work with you to select the most appropriate wines for your budget. Dedicated wine guide throughout the event.  Self catering of food is welcome or use our preferred caterer: Catering Chocolate. Please inquire for availability to kate@poisoncup.com or john@poisoncup.com. Proprietor's Pick Wine Club: The Proprietor's Pick Wine Club puts members in touch with some of the most unique wines we come across in our continual search for exceptional wines. Each month will include two bottles of wine, links to the technical sheets and our own personal tasting notes, complete with pairing suggestions. Read about this month's wines below. $39.75/month. Two bottles per month ($40 retail value minimum). Technical sheets and personal tasting notes included via email. Wines available for pick up at ThePoisonCup first Friday of every month. Pick Up at store or have shipped for $20/flat rate per month. Sign up via our online store!

2009 Et Fille Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, Oregon $27.75 Et Fille is French for And Daughter... a reference to the father and daughter team behind this winery in the Willamette Valley that specializes in single vineyard Pinot Noir. Howard Mozeico and Jessica Mozeico-Blair each contribute their own unique skills, mindset and distinct palate to the hands-on operations of the winery. With this bottle being a blend of each of their vineyards and the blending process being done "entirely and exclusively" by the father and daughter pair, it is the perfect expression of what makes Et Fille so special. This medium bodied pinot has great balance with blackberry and boysenberry fruit and slight earthy tobacco background note. Check out the details on the winery here. 2009 River's Edge Gewurztraminer Umpqua Valley, Oregon $16.75 River's Edge winery is located in Oregon's newest federally recognized AVA, or American Viticultural Area: Elkton, Oregon. We recently had the privilege of tasting all of their wines with owner and winemaker, Mike Landt. All of their wines were well received but it was the Gewurztraminer that really stood out. Gewurztraminer is an extremely versatile varietal in terms of the different styles a winemaker can go for. Whether produced as a dry wine or on the sweeter side, Gewurztraminer usually has a most intense floral nose with notes of lychee, apricot and baking spices. Though this particular Gewurztraminer is on the fuller bodied side, there is still plenty of acidity to balance out the off-dry profile making this a wonderful complement to your favorite spicy Thai dish. Check out notes from the winemaker here.

ThePoisonCup

Thank you for visiting our blog where we always post our latest newsletter! Please use the tabs above to sign up for an event, join the wine club, or explore our sale offerings.

Stop by every Saturday from 3-5pm for our free weekly wine tasting.

1128 W Armitage  -  www.poisoncup.com  -  773-935-1325 River's Edge Winemaker Tasting:  Mike Landt, the owner and winemaker of River's Edge Winery out of Oregon, will be pouring his lineup of wines on Friday, March 7th from 4-7pm.  River’s Edge Winery, founded in 1998, specializes in the production of the highest quality pinot noir wines. Two estate vineyards, Black Oak and Elkton, were planted in 1972 and are among the oldest in the state. The climate in that part of the valley is much cooler from the rest of the Umpqua, and was recently officially recognized with the creation of the Elkton Oregon American Viticultural Area, or AVA. Stop in and taste the Pinot Gris, a Gewurztraminer, and two Pinot Noirs with the winemaker! Friday, March 7th, 4-7pm. Saturday Afternoon Tastings:  Join us every Saturday from 3-5pm for a tasting of our latest acquisitions and favorite old standbys. Every Saturday. Free. PoisonCup Wine Tour Tastings:  Get an in depth look at some of our favorite producers as we take you on a tour of our favorite regions, styles, and varietals. Taste at least six wines in each of these exclusive themed tastings. Enjoy cheese and charcuterie service to complement the wines. Check the schedule and themes below and sign up via our online store. $25/person. Thurs, March 13th, 7pm: France Thurs, March 24th, 7pm: Italy Thurs, April 10th, 7pm: Pinot Noir Thurs, April 24th, 7pm: Rosés Private Events & Group Tastings We have two options for hosting your own event at ThePoisonCup. Group Tastings: Perfect for smaller groups, ThePoisonCup’s group tasting is a sensational kickoff to an evening of festivities. Your group will begin with a quick lesson on how to properly taste wines followed by a guided tasting of each of the five featured wines. Info about the winery, aromas, and palpable flavors are presented with each wine. Enjoy the experience of a guided tasting. $25/person for groups of 8 up to 20 people. Generally lasts about an hour. Please inquire for availability to kate@poisoncup.com or john@poisoncup.com. Private Events: ThePoisonCup is an intimate space for corporate events, birthdays, anniversaries, or bachelorette parties. Have our wine guide start the evening with an instructional wine tasting lesson or have us step out of the way and enjoy a laid back evening with friends. Nosh, mingle or open gifts, we will help you create an event your guests will remember forever. $400 plus wine for a two hour event. $100 per each additional hour.  We can work with you to select the most appropriate wines for your budget. Dedicated wine guide throughout the event.  Self catering of food is welcome or use our preferred caterer: Catering Chocolate. Please inquire for availability to kate@poisoncup.com or john@poisoncup.com. Proprietor's Pick Wine Club: The Proprietor's Pick Wine Club puts members in touch with some of the most unique wines we come across in our continual search for exceptional wines. Each month will include two bottles of wine, links to the technical sheets and our own personal tasting notes, complete with pairing suggestions. Read about this month's wines below. $39.75/month. Two bottles per month ($40 retail value minimum). Technical sheets and personal tasting notes included via email. Wines available for pick up at ThePoisonCup first Friday of every month. Pick Up at store or have shipped for $20/flat rate per month. Sign up via our online store!

2006 Laurel Glen Counterpoint Sonoma Mountain, California $29.75 One of our favorite and most recent trips to wine country included a trek to the top of Sonoma Mountain with the owner of Laurel Glen Winery and a tasting of some of their older vintages right there in the vineyard. I believe it is one of the most scenic spots in all of Sonoma. At that time, Laurel Glen was offering two wines, the Estate Cabernet and the Counterpoint Cabernet. The Estate Cabernet was meant to show off the best fruit from their older vineyards while the Counterpoint is made up of their most fruit forward and juiciest grapes with the softest tannins. The Counterpoint is released with the idea that it can be consumed soon after release though with the 2006, a little age has proven a good thing. It is a little tight upon first uncorking, but if you allow this wine to open up and breathe before really getting into it, you will be rewarded. This Counterpoint still has a beautiful balance to it with plenty of Earth tones and some tart red fruits that come out along with some of the darker boysenberry, currant, and fig notes. Definitely enjoy this beautiful wine on steak night - which for us has been a little too often as of late. Check out the details on the winery here. 2010 Rezabal Txakolina, Spain $17.75 Txakolina is produced in the Basque region of Spain from the Hondarribi-Zuri grape. Described as sunshine in a glass, it is known for its crisp acidity, green apple and tart lemon flavors, and its refreshing effervescence. Rezabal's Txakloina definitely has all of those qualities. This is a wine made for seafood though it can be served as an aperitif, giving those taste buds a little jump start. There are three regions in the Basque country where Txakloina is produced. Rezabal comes from Getaria which is the smallest area and the oldest region to have DO certification. You can read more about the winery here. As mentioned, this wines screams for seafood, especially shellfish. If you happen on the chance to enjoy this with oysters, it would be the perfect pairing. Alternatively, break this out alongside a homemade ceviche and you will wow your guests.