WE tasted four of Karin's wines this late afternoon : 1) the " Capricorn-Steinbock " 2007 Saar Valley dry Riesling , 2) the 2007 Ockfener Bockstein Riesling , 3) the 2008 ( a bottle sample. still not released - a sneak-preview ) Ockfener Bockstein Riesling and 4) the 2007 Ockfener Bockstein Kabinett Riesling. I loved them all and could sell them all. The first two are what I will have and sell for the moment in Cleveland Park.
I was surprised with this visit from both Karin and Derek. It was a very pleasant surprise of course. It took me a second to focus and recognize her but within a split second the word " Karin " poured from my mouth " followed quickly by " Dr. Fischer "! I'm glad that this recognition was so immediate. It pleases me enormously to know that I " still have it " - whatever that is. Anyway I gave Karin a big hug and said " hello " to Derek and we were off to taste in the back in my fractured/fantastical/whimsical/artsy way filled with stories, pictures, exclamations and pretty much the kitchen sink of memories and flash-backs and pieces of the puzzle that I want filled in a bit more. Of course all this has to happen around our Cleveland Park customers and the phone orders and the phone calls from both customers and sales people wanting/wishing for me to place orders - or take them .... ahhh, the life of a wine merchant : isn't it grand - isn't it rich?!? ...
But don't let me forget to mention Christina Morris from the Winesellers, Ltd ( Mid-Atlantic Sales Manager ) that works alongside Valerie and Adam ( both of Winesellers, Ltd )and Arielle Monaco ( of the Country Vintners ). This is a formidable team indeed. Christina can be reached at : cmorris@winesellersltd.com and check at : www.winesellersltd.com for more technical information.
It was Christina that brought Karin and Derek to me and to Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ( 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C. 20008 Tel : 202- 363- 4265 , sales@clevelandparkwine.com www.clevelandparkwine.com ). Thanks Christina. I am sure that both Karin and Derek mentioned my name and that pleases and both thrills me as well.
This was an excellent visit and Derek came with many wines. However, I told him almost immediately that all I wanted to try were those wines of Karin's/ She was here at the store, she was our guest, she was the star and I wanted to focus all my attention on her this visit. The only exception is that of the FITZ-RITTER Trocken brut dry sparkling SEKT ( $20.99 ) that I sampled because I was out of it and needed some for the store. It's always a " big hit " with our customers and I ordered some of it along with Karin's wines. They are all now in the store and I will write more about them shortly. I love having Karin's " Capricorn " dry, trocken Riesling and like how it will please many of our customers wanting to drink German wine but wanting it to be dry. This works masterfully on the dryness , the great quality and distinctiveness of taste and flavors as well as a very reasonable price, too.
I am at home and as a result away from some of the notes that I took. Stay-tuned for more really soon.
Except this year Derek and Winesellers, Ltd have always brought us here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits in our nation's capitol a group of German winemakers and owners to try their old and new releases. This has become an annual tradition and I was sorry that it did not happen this year because of a very shaky world economy that has affected all aspects of business on pretty much all levels.
We have had a great time with these tastings and many of our Cleveland Park customers have come to taste these excellent German wines. I hope that we can continue this again next year. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
It was all because of Mike Franklin that this started up and has become a yearly event. Mike has unfortunately passed away at a very young age and we all miss him and that which he added to the wine world. It's ironic that I met him years ago at the wake for Michael Downey and that the possibility of this tasting was brought to my attention by Mike Franklin. There's so much history in this glorious wine business of ours and I love where I can tying the pieces together and connecting the dots.
I had a conversation about all of this with Cindy that used to work for him and was pretty much his right-hand woman then when we had dinner together with my family and Laurent Givry this January, 2009. It sure is a small world!
Today, Friday, October 2nd, 2009 Barbara of DR. THANISCH came by with Christina Morris and we tried her excellent Mosel wines ( a classic dry Mosel as well as her Ockfener Bockstein ). We spoke of these past events as Barbara has always come, too and been a part of our German evenings of great German wines and conversation and tasting. We spoke of Chasity Mosher and how we are saddened that she is so sick. Barbara talked so highly about Chasity's contributions to Winesellers, Ltd : how enthusiastic and prompt and ready to look up information and be of service to answer or solve problems : what a positive energy and enthusiasm she brought with her when talking about these German wines. Chasity, I hope you are okay and I hope that this reaches you in your times of need and those times when it is especially difficult for you and Adam and your newborn. We miss you here at Cleveland Park and also close to us here in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.
Of course I want to talk more about your excellent four-five wines that I sampled Karin. I will add that info tomorrow when back at the store.
As you can see I like to play around with my pictures and angles and like to have many of my " signature " pictures filtered through Reidel stemware as well as partially filled with the wines that are made by those that I photograph : or at least the wines that they are selling and representing to me. I have a grand old time with all of this. I can't believe that I am lucky enough to be paid good money to do all of this so that I can share it all with those lucky enough to be in the store at the same time : as well as with the world at large that links to my chatwine.blogspot.com site by design or by chance.
I tell and share the personal stories of those that bring me their wines. It's a moment in time that I capture and wish to preserve and share with lots of pictures and as many stories as I can remember to relate.
The picture of the young lady in front of our beer cooler ( studying the beer selection intently ) and pulling and bunching her long hair above her head I took pictures of quickly as they spoke to my artistic bent as beautiful and natural and automatic - timeless acts of beauty and femininity for me. This shocked Karin and Derek and they asked incredulously w hat I was doing? They were a bit surprised and shocked. I don't even know the young lady and so I immediately showed her the pictures ( three that I took so quickly ). I hope that if she sees this one that she will be pleased and take it in the spirit in which I took it : as an appreciation for her and what her unconscious gesture meant to me.
But I am side-stepping : sorry. This was and is a story mostly about Dr. Karin Fischer and her excellent wines. She looked especially beautiful to me on this visit and I was thrilled to be tasting her wines. They represent such outstanding quality and value and it feels so good to have them back in Cleveland Park to sell once again.
I will add more of Karin Fischer's wines to our selection in October and November so stay-tuned for them and more info about them. They are excellent food wines as well as holiday wines.
It takes a village of dedicated people that love wine and what they do to bring these excellent wines to us at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits and thus to our many customers. Thanks Karin and Barbara and Derek and Alice, Chasity, Adam, Mike , Valerie and Christina. Without you and your assistance we could not do this : we are a family when we come together in this manner. That's special, that's real, that's life at it's best for me ...
Enjoy these photos, cheers, TONY
1 comment:
Hi Tony,
wowwww... great to read, but makes me thirsty (perhaps this is what you want to happen?). Also great action photos.
Talking of action: 2009 Riesling harvest finished 1 November. Ideal weather, ideal grapes for a great vintage (a "best-ever" since 2001), all we now need is an ideal economy... cheers and zum Wohl
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