Learn about and enjoy a different not-so-common wine, cheese, and beer every Sunday at incredibly low prices. School was never this delicious. Limit one each per guest at the Sunday School price, and please, no returns: if you try it, you buy it (and we think you’ll like it!)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2019

WINE  Retsina, Tetramythos Estate, ’NV 
Peloponnese, Greece

Greece is a treasure trove for wine lovers. This ancient land is home to over 300 unique grape varietals. Today we are showcasing one of the oldest styles of Greek wine called “Retsina.” The name of this unusual wine sounds suspiciously like “resin” for a reason: it was traditionally preserved with pine resin. The distinctive taste is famously divisive, but today’s modern throwback is easy to love. It’s a spontaneously fermented white of two local, organic Greek grapes from the Peloponnese wine region—Roditis and Savatiano—and vinified in amphora by a young sustainable winery started in 1999 by two brothers. This is a “what’s old is new” twist on an ancient winemaking style made with only free-run juice and infused with about one kilo per ton of pine resin (which is low for Retsina) from the woodlands surrounding the vineyards. Salty with notes of citrus blossom, white flowers, lemon and lime. It begs for olives and fresh cheeses. This Sunday, savor a true taste of ancient Greece!

$10 glass  ·  $5½ glass

CHEESE  Shelburne Cheddar 2 Year
Shelburne, VT · Cow - R

If you’re dreaming of a summer escape, imagine a road trip to Shelburne Farms, a nonprofit estate from the 1800s that is now a working dairy devoted to sustainable agriculture. This cheddar is made on site, using milk from the farm’s herd of beautiful Brown Swiss cows that graze along Lake Champlain. Of the many cheddars made in Vermont, this is one of the best. Bright and fruity, it’s got a sharp pop and a clean, milky finish – the mark of a well-made cheddar. Pair it with a hoppy beer or a zippy white for a summer vacation of the mind. And if you find yourself in northern Vermont, swing by Shelburne Farms where you can picnic in the grass and visit the education barn to learn all about cheddar making.

$8  ·  $4

BEER  Conshohocken Puddlers Row ESB
Conshohocken, PA  · 5.4%

If you can never remember what an ESB is, think Exceptionally Smooth and Balanced, or perhaps Easy Sippin’ Beer, and you’ll pretty much be on the right track. It actually means Extra Special Bitter, a style created by Fuller’s of London in 1971 as a bigger sibling to Special Bitter or Best Bitter. British Pale Ale on draft or cask is often referred to as a Bitter in the UK because at its inception, it was simply bitterer than the other brews around. This manifestation of a "bitter" beer is NOTHING like modern IPAs. In fact, if you don't like bitter IPAs, then you might love ESB> The Fuller’s recipe remains a secret, but the brewers at Conshohocken Brewing Company have done a mighty fine job of creating their own version. This amber-colored beer had a foundation of toasty, grainy malt accented by a slight fruitiness and a hint of caramel. The hops shine through with a mild aroma and provide a refreshing dryness on the finish. But as the hops are British, they are rather reserved. We are pleased that Conshohocken has continued to brew this underappreciated beer style since the brewery opened five years ago, and that it's actually featured at The Met's many bars. Now that's extra special.  

$7½ / 16 oz   ·  $4 / 16 oz