We have new wines from GREECE.

A delicious blend of the Greek grape Agiorgitiko, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Domaine Costa Lazaridi

Amethystos

ROUGE

DRAMA, GREECE

In 1979, Costa Lazaridis established Xiropotamos on the slopes of mount Falakro, the first modern linear vineyard in Drama. Amethystos Rouge is the wine estate’s blend of the Greek grape Agiorgitiko with Cabernet and Merlot.

“A mix of indigenous and Bordeaux varietals, this dry red wine pours a rich, almost purple color in the glass and leads with black cherry aromas.  Notes of wood and tobacco hint at the 12 months the Cabernet Sauvignon,  Merlot and Agiorgitiko blend spends in barrel, 25% of which are made  of new French oak. It has a structured tannic finish.”:                                            - Wine Enthusiast [2020]

And more wines  from these wineries:

Skouras

Zacharias

Nerantzi

Tselepos

Thymiopoulos

Gai'a

Nasiakos

Mercouri

Gerovassilou

Kir-Yanni

Lyrarakis

Douloufakis

Driopi

Costa Larzaridi

Ktima Brintziki

 

 

 

 

 

Thinking about Wine? 

Think THE CLOWN!

It’s the great store with the funny little name on Route One in York! Whether you’re after a knock-your-socks-off bottle for a holiday gift, a special occasion, or a friendly glass to sip with friends by fireplace warmth; you’ll find old favorites, new surprises, and a world of possibility at THE CLOWN. The thoughtful, attentive staff will guide you through the most impressive wine selection north of Boston, with hard-to-find vintages and sought after wines, as well as a great selection of wines for under $12. 

 


 

Make your winter evenings a little sweeter with a Dessert Wine.

We've brought in an exciting new selection of dessert wines including Sauternes, Banyuls, and Eiswein from France, Vin Santo, Passito, Brachetto and Recioto from Italy, Muscat from Australia, Mavrodaphne of Patras from Greece, a Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa and this stunning Tokai from Hungary. 

Royal Tokaji 

Late Harvest, Hungary

“Gorgeous dessert wine with notes of luscious apricot and fresh orange peel. Long and luxurious.”

92pts Wine Enthusiast

Royal Tokaji was founded in 1990 by well-known author Hugh Johnsonand a small group of investors, including Ben Howkins, who were inspired to restore and preserve Hungary's precious wine legacy. Royal Tokaji's ensuing success can largely be contributed to itsunique combination of first and second growth vineyards, includingone of Hungary's two great first growths: Mézes Mály. The winery’s Aszú wines are crafted using traditional gönci casks and aged in the winery's 13th-century underground cellars.

Made from Furmint, Hrslevel, Muscat, other native varietals, the dessert wine ages in barrel for five to six months. Pale gold in color, it has delicate citrus and spicy aromas. Light and refreshing on the palate with hints of white peach and honey, it has an excellent acid balance, a smooth, silky texture and a clean, long, crisp finish.

“This amber-colored late-harvest wine from Tokaj has aromas of honeycomb and white flowers, especially jasmine and freesia. In the mouth, it has nice fruit sweetness and flavors of clover honey, ripe  apricot and yellow peach.” – Wine Enthusiast

“Gorgeous dessert wine with notes of luscious apricot and fresh orange peel. Long and luxurious. Pair with Humbolt Fog cheese, Foie Gras, peach cobbler.”

$22.99


Vermouth!

An extensive & exciting selection of Vermouth, Aperitifs & Vino Amaro

and so much more!

See our newly expanded section of Vermouth, Aperitifs, Vino Amaros as will as artisanal bitters by Vena's Fizz House, Luxardo Maraschino cherries, cocktail shakers, bar accesories, and drinkware.

  

Featuring Luxardo Maraschino Cherries from Italy, Artisan Bitters by Venas's Fizz House.

 


 

Thank you.

We are grateful for the support you, our customers, gave us during the pandemic, and are happy that so many of you continue to stay healthy and visit us for your wine and gift needs. We thank you for your continued patronage, for the referrals you have sent our way.

Thank you!

 


 

Email and phone orders are always welcome.
To those of you who are happy and comfortable with our current email and phone order program with pickup in the entryway, we encourage you to continue to utilize this service.

 

 

THE CLOWN has a fun assortment of wine accessories, from wine gift bags and canvas wine totes to bottle stoppers including VacuVin and Viski, DropStops, and glassware --  including decanters, as well as Riedel and Spiegelau stemware. 

Wine Bottle Openers by Franmara

Corkscrews, bottle openers, "wine keys" -- we have them in many styles and colors. Whether you keep losing yours or want to add one to a wine gift, we have a fun assortment to choose from. We also have a collection of vintage corkscrews - true antiques!

DeAlcoholized wines, yes we have them!

Looking for DeAlcoholized wines? We have you covered. Our selections include wines by Ariel, Giesen, Leitz, and Thomson & Scott, including a Sparkling.

Voted #1!

Voted #1 Wine Shop by The Beacon Readers Choice Awards

Join our mailing list:

The Rare Wine Co. Madeiras

"Madeira -- its astonishing bouquet, its glorious richness and balance, and its versatility as an aperitif, dessert wine and food wine."-- The Rare Wine Co.

Rare Wine Co. Historic Series Madeira

"In the 18th and early 19th centuries, Madeira was the United States’ most coveted wine. Every public event—from the signing of the Declaration of Independence to George Washington’s Inauguration—was toasted with a glass of Madeira. For more than 150 years, no other wine rivaled it in the eyes of connoisseurs. It was not until the dawn of the 21st century that America once again embraced this enigmatic wine, helped by The Rare Wine Co.’s creation of its Historic Series. The goal of these remarkable wines was to introduce a new generation of American wine lovers not only to our shared history with Madeira, but to the wine’s magical quality: its astonishing bouquet, its glorious richness and balance, and its versatility as an aperitif, dessert wine and food wine."

The Cities

Each wine is named for a U.S. city where Madeira was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Charleston Sercial and Savannah Verdelho celebrate the South’s love of drier Madeiras, while Boston Bual and New York Malmsey acknowledge the North’s appreciation of sweeter Madeiras. Each bottle bears an early engraving from that city, along with a back label describing the wine and America’s special link to Madeira’s illustrious history.

Charleston Sercial

“Like a salted caramel without its sugar.” Alice Feiring

This is the driest wine in the series and a wine that has been served throughout meals in America for nearly 300 years. Chef Mario Batali won over 1000+ guests at the 2009 New York Wine Experience by boldly pairing Charleston Sercial with a wild boar dish of Wolfgang Puck’s creation.

Savannah Verdelho

 “A mouth-filling personality, with a luscious texture and a salt-sea aroma.” Elin McCoy, Bloomberg

“Savannah Verdelho is simply incredible, its bouquet exuding orange zest and buttery shortbread with hints of ginger, milk chocolate, and almonds. Lightly sweet with zesty acidity to keep it fresh, the palate reveals notes of candied citrus, ginger, and spicy honey. The finish sharpens all of the above into a refreshing and palate-cleansing blend of spiciness and citrus sweetness. ”

Baltimore Rainwater

A Madeira of ethereal body, great finesse, delicate flavors and just a touch of sweetness.

Madeira was once the most prestigious wine in America. And the most prestigious style of Madeira was Rainwater. Rainwater took its name from its pale color and delicate texture and flavor.  Rainwater Madeira reached the pinnacle of prestige in Baltimore. In 1902, that city’s greatest Madeira connoisseur, Douglas H. Thomas, called Rainwater the highest standard. And the absence of Rainwaters in a 1900 New York auction prompted one merchant to speculate that Baltimore connoisseurs thought so highly of them that they bought them all up and none reached New York.

Boston Bual

“A spectacular aroma of dark sugar and orange...” Frank Prial, The New York Times

Sweeter than either Charleston Sercial or Savannah Verdelho, Boston Bual still boasts incredible balance and refreshing acidity. The hallmark of this wine is its otherworldly complexity, featuring cinnamon-clove spiciness with overtones of citrus peel and woodsmoke. There is just enough sweetness to excel as an after-dinner wine, but its long, dry finish also makes it work beautifully with food. Port and Madeira expert Roy Hersh has written that Boston Bual “emulates some of the finest qualities of vintage Madeira ... exhibiting a light amber-tawny color and a nose of dried figs, walnuts, maple syrup, mahogany and a sense of bouillon cube; the mélange of fragrances is complex and compelling. Medium in weight initially, it develops greater heft after a few days open, with a rich and sumptuous mouthfeel.”

New York Malmsey

“The sweetest and richest in the Historic series, the New York Malmsey unfolds slowly in the glass, gradually revealing layers of depth and flavor. Coffee, toffee and date notes emerge, followed by earthy, almost truffley flavors. Powerful and assertive on the long finish.”—Wine Enthusiast;

“New York Malmsey demonstrates why Madeira can be one of the planet's greatest dessert wines. It marries with an astonishing number of desserts, its kaleidoscopic flavors bonding with chocolate, nuts, citrus and dark fruits. But it can also be served during the meal, with foie gras, sweetbreads and almost any dish that has a rich, sweet sauce.” — Josh Raynolds, Robert Parker's Wine Cellar.

“Rich and exotic, the NV New York Malmsey (Rare Wine Company) mingles aromas of gingerbread and cloves with notions of Christmas pudding, molasses and figs. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it's fleshy and muscular, with lively balancing acids and a long, lusty and generously spiced finish. This would work beautifully with rich desserts.” —Wine Advocate

$55.99 each