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WITH WEATHER LIKE THIS We All Have To Be Really Smart About taking
advantage of any time that you possibly can and either be outside or at
least ready when you can chill. It's all about keeping a healthy balance
on things and seeing the larger picture as often as possible. We can
help you when you can sneak a few minutes here and there or even those
longer stretches of time when possible. You know that feeling when you
come to the end of your two days' off and begin to feel really
comfortable , relaxed and at ease?!? It pretty much happens to me each
weekend and I get that knot in my stomach and sometimes I swallow
quickly, too as I have a real gut reaction to the realization that I
will soon be back at work.
TUESDAY : June 6th, 2017 : Amazing I am definitely enthralled,
amazed, pleased, smiling from ear-to-ear and pleased as punch! Oh yeah,
my drive to work today was a grand pleasure, one of those moments that
you feel like pinching yourself to be sure it is all really true!
THE FIRST PARAGRAPH I wrote and sent back on June 5th, 2012 : and it reads like today, pretty great.
UPSETTING NEWS : Santos Rivera was working on a ldder at his home
on Sunday, working on a window, and he fell, hurt himself, was at the
hospital, back home now, in pain, hurting. Santos we are all thinking of
you and sending our best wishes, our care, our concern, our love and
positive thoughts toward you for a speedy- fast recovery! Get better
friend!
BREAKING NEWS : We have Mathew here our local rep for RNDC
Distributore setting up our @RobertMondaviWoodbridge display selling
two bottles of the Woodbridge 750ml bottles for $9.99 : what a deal!
This is good as everyone knows Woodbridge, and this is great pricing
indeed, come and get two bottles, check them both out, and then try two
more till you have tried them all. We can thank @NationalRepublicDistributingCompany
as well as @ConstellationBrands and @JikiDeanAdedeji - it takes team
work, it takes us all working together, and that is what I just told
Jiki that I am meeting here today on this glorious Tuesday for the very
first time!
I ALSO Included the bottle of @Manischevitz #blackberry in my hand
as they represent that as well, as well as the @SvedkaVodka from
#Sweeden, @Ruffino, @ClosDuBois @Simi and @Corona #beer just to mention a
very few. Cheers!
WE HAVE THE WORLD on our tongues and palates this week as we get
ready to celebrate Father's Day on Sunday, June 18th, 2017! This week
alone we have many ways that you may come and taste here and get bottles
signed as gifts for your fathers, personalized, where you meet the
owners-winemakers and talk with them and hear their stories and dreams
that they are putting out for all of us to enjoy.
TOMORROW : Wednesday, June 7th, 2017 we have two great tastings
with two fine ' new ' importers here, owners of their small ,
carefully-chosen, hand-picked by them personally ( their futures are
tied up completely in these selections - they sink or swim with them,
live or die ) : and so they are completely invested in their projects.
You will see, feel and taste this excitement and be swept into the
wonder and flavors - distinct, pure, true and unique flavors in these
wines from both France and from Moldova with Frederick and also with
Serghei!
TWO-Wine-TASTINGS-In-ONE : 5-8PM - Join Us
GET Bottled Signed as gifts for Father's Day -
TABLE ONE : Moldovan Wines -
- Serghei Gulceac of his and wife Stacy's OLD TOWNE CELLARS
brings us tomorrow three fine wines of Moldova that I tasted recently
with Serghei. I was really impressed, the quality of these wines is
really high, distinct, flavorful, balanced, a treat to sell here now.
1) A dry white blend of Traminer 85% and Sauvignon Blanc 15%
, with 13% alcohol by volume, Sec Alb Roada 2015 from INDIVIDO,
$14.49, great body, mouth-feel, taste to cut through some more flavorful
meals, a realy treat that is bright, distinct, all it's own! From PGI
ValUl Lui Trajan : a tongue-twister!
2) A dry red blend of 55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon,
$15.49, 14.5% alcohol by volume, : I was really super-impressed with
this, loved it, absolute : focus, flesh, fruit, firmness, svelt and
supple, bright and charming - a clear winner!
3) A dry red blend of 70% Feteasca Neagra and 30% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 13% alcohol by volume: et cetera SERENDIPITY 2013, meatier,
more grip, girth, mouth-feel, more guts that is strong at first and then
softens and relents just a bit as it rounds-out and shows more pleasing
fullness, richness and appeal! Really nice, $19.99, thrilled to see so
much of this indigenous grape to Moldova here of the Feteasca Neagra!
TABLE TWO : W/ Frederick Corriher - French Wines -
1) ' Le Rose ' made with 100% Cinsault from France's
Corbieres region in the Southwest, $14.49 from the DOMAINE Du GRAND
PLANAL, $14.49 a bottle, 2016, made by Stephan Roger the vigneron-
eleveur, lovely, flavorful, tasty, not heavy, a breath of refreshing air
now as things get warmer, stickier and more of a challenge - a treat.
MY wife and daughter and I loved it with our dinner this weekend.
2) Dry French rose IGP Cotes Catalanes 2016, from the DOMAINE
Des SCHISTES, $14.49 , an Illico dry rose, made by father and son with
more richness, fullness, rip-ripe-redolent-ness, nice. We also enjoyed
this with our pork filets that I grilled on Sunday night, a treat as
well - perfect for this weather right now. Frederick can tell you more!
3) Champagne LELARGE-PUGEOT ( a RM = Recoltant Manipulant :
the highest control on everything except the weather, ) , a Premier Cru
also which means a much higher selection of some of the finer grapes
grown in the champagne region if France, $41.99, a Brut- dry Tradition,
this has got it asll : taste, class, appeal, fine bubble, pizzaz,
appeal, price, everything, a real treat that tomorrow when we give 20%
off the sticker here the price becomes $33.59 - great GREAT VALUE!!!!
4) 2015 Ventoux from France's southern Rhone region of
Ventoux, an Appelation Ventoux Controlee, from the DOMAINE DURIEU, On
Special for $14.99, we all liked this, balanced, flavorful, honest and
correct and when chilled 30-40 minutes this is a real treat with
anything you grill or serve as hors douevres, crudites, apetizers,
tapas, you name it! A blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah, with 15%
alcohol by volume,
5) IGP Cotes Catalanes dry French red Rhone grapes blend, a
bit softer, a bit milder, brighter as I recall. I tasted these two reds
perhaps three-four weeks ago outside on our deck with neighbors and
family and we enjoyed both thoroughly. One of these two was more
fruit-forward, one was earthier, more pith and spit, tar and leather ,
spice and tobacco. It is On Special for $14.49 a bottle, a treat with a
meal as well, some tasty cheeses three-four-days-old?!? Yes, oui, si ,
vraiment bien.
FRIDAY, June 9th, 2017, 5-8PM, Sotiris Bafitis will be hear
tasting fine Greek wines once again, those that we could not fit into
the last great tasting we did of them! I just saw Sotiris and we
discussed pouring the following :
1) Kokkinos Naaoussa 2011 dry red, ... ( maybe the ARGATIA dry red Naoussa Naoyea ), ...
2) Moschofilero FTERI 2014 from the TROUPIS Winery ...
3) 2013 Malagouzia from ANTONOPOULOS Vineyards in Patras, 4) DIO
FILI 2016 dry rose, too ... maybe more? We have to work out the details!
SOTIRIS is selling me four cases of one of the whites that I can
sell for $13.99 or less On Special, that will be great, as it will hold
it's own to many food flavors, a treat! I believe it is the FTERI 2014?
That will be great, we need some really great quality white for Saturday
as it will be in the high eighties, and Sunday it is supposed to be
92degrees outside : ouch!!!
IF IT ALL WORKS , once again we will have Alexander Tsapos and Vivi
come and take more photos and make another video or two ( the last
batch from May 19th, 2017 with Brian here were a huge success! They are
posted on our Facebook page, check them out. ) SO : If you like to be
part of this come and be seen and heard possibly all on our Cleveland
Park spirits feauturing the Greek wines of Oenos Wine - yes, some of the
greatest, best, wonderful expressions in liquid form to complement many
foods anytime, but certainly now in this heat!
SATURDAY, June 10th, 2017( 2-6PM ) : We have owner, winemaker
Giovanna coming of her own Italian winery PERLA DEL GARDA to taste her
three grand magnums of bubbly ( that is two bottles of 750ml in each
magnum, ...
1) a dry Chardonnay , $59.99 , 2008 - the most like a doughy-yeasty
French champagne, - amazing value and aged and perfect now ...
3) a dry Lugana / Trebbiano di Lugana 100%, and a dry milder
blend, more floral and lilting of 50% Trebbiano di Lugana, and 50%
Chardonnay, On Special for $46.99 a bottle, ....
AND non-sparkling wines, too in 750ml bottles :
THREE Whites -
1) Perla Lugana DOC, On Special for $18.99 : the best Giovanna has
made recetly coming form the FABulous 2015 vintage, a real treat!
Perfect for this warmer weather, easy-bright-delightful-sipping in a
beautiful unique bottle shape - just like the magnums - they all look
special and will make great Father's Day gifts! This Lugana100%
Trebbiano di Lugana is done in stainless steel and sees no contact with
oak-wood at all so it is bristling, flowering, flowing, lovely.
2) Madre Perla 2010 has more age and was left in contact with the
lees- the sediment-the grape must and so is richer, more complex, more
layers of flavor, and will work really well with certain dishes that
Giovanna will tell you all about. It is On Special for $25.99 now and
this is the end of it, so, if you like it get some!Made from 100%
Trebbiano di Lugana.
3) Madonna della Scoperta , On Special for $25.99, a Lugana
Superiore, 2010, made again from 100% Trebbiano di Lugana sees even more
skin contact with the grapes, may see some oak age? I cannot remember?
It is the most complex, rich, multi-layered of the three, and again is
another great food wine.
IT WILL BE GREAT for you all to try all three with Giovanna and get her observations on all three. What fun.
ONE FABulous Red -
1) Terre Lunari Benaco Bresciando IGT dry red blend of 73% Merlot,
20% Cabernet and 7% Cabernet Franc, 100% Italiano, ... good flesh, good
fruit-forward brightness, a real treat! Medium-bodied, and a delight to
sip before a meal as well with it.
OTHER Great Wine Deals :
1) Merlot 2006 Bennet Valley, from TAYLOR PEAK, On Special for
$129.99 , and we loved this, we really did. We had Johline Barnhardt
here from TANGLED TREE South Africa, and she knew the wine, had spent
time out in California, she loved it, too. Mature, complex, layerd,
fruit-delicious, round, supple, filling and pleasing and amazing comfort
and layered textures that pretty much blew Chris, Johline and me away
that Saturday night when we tried it.
WELL : we immediately ordered it all from Jade and are thrilled to
have it. Come buy an get some tomorrow when we take 20% off that $19.99 a
bottle and it gets down to $16 a bottle! Amazing for that price, and
very limited qualtities, so come by asap.
2) Syrah 2013 Tepesquet Vineyard from CAMBRIA Estate Vineyards
winery, On Special for $14.99, a treaure, too , and even fewer bottles
available. just over a case so come by and get this as soon as you can :
ASAYC! It is certified sustainable, and it is a pet project of owners
Julia and Katie. Cheers.
3) Bricco S. Bernardo Dogliani Piemonte dry red from BRICCO
Del CUCO, DOCG, 2007, a single vineyard, from San Bernardo south-east
facing slope, made from 40 year-old vines, aged for 18 months in oak
casks, macerated on the skins before for 10 days, with 14% alcohol by
vlume, this is an aged, tasty, complex, dirty-clean multi-layered, hard
and gritty, grippy, pithy, lots of dried grape's tears from their toil
to be seen , heard, tasted, on our palate's scene, no screen, no
shading, just the unvarnished true flavor and taste, the pride of this
vineyard for a measly $12.99, come get this, too!
4) Merlot 2011 from CANTINEBuosco in Caorle dal 1972, from the
Veneto, made with 100% Merlot grapes, I loved this wine, too. It is my
style of wine, all the strengths and flaws visible, everything shoiwing,
no facelifts, tummytucks, nothing, the pure honest expression of
terroir and these grapes and their struggle to grow and expand and be
turned into wine later. I love this, love the price even more, only
$12.99. Great food wine, not for casual sipping, an old traditional
classic tasste that will blossom under the accompaniment and tutelage of
good solid food combinations. Cheers, Limited quantities with this one
as well. Do not delay.
5) Pinot Noir Delle Venezia 2015, from CESARI, $9.99 a bottle,
just plain enjoyable for this heat and maybe soon more humidity. Chill
40 minutes and let it rip!
THANKS For everything, I must post this now, sorry I did not have
more time to write : lots going on and wil Santos out of the store even
more to do. Cheers. Thanks and send your good wishes-feel-better-vibes
out to Santos for a speedy recovery from his fall this past Sunday.
Come see us this week and get started with some Father's Day gifts,
signed bottles, pics, stories, memories, shared moments and all, great
sense of community.
I HEARD that the Beer Hop was a success this past Saturday!
ALSO SAW & HEARD that our first Farmer's Market this past Saturday was a big success.
JOIN US AGAIN this Saturday here from 8:30AM-12:30PM for the Second
Farmer's Market here. YES yes si si Oui oui YES! TONY 6/6/2017
WHAT FOLLOWS BELOW is an old store email that I wrote and posted on
June 5th, 2012 - five years ago. Read and enjoy it if you have time,
and if interested in anything check for current prices and vintages and
availability? Cheers, TONY
WE HAVE MORE AND MORE to make you all aware of as the world of
liquid choices expands and becomes almost too much to absorb even if you
chip away at it daily!?! It's a real challenge and we face it just as
you do when our various sales people come to show yet another " new "
vodka, gin, single malt, white whiskey, rye whiskey, etcetera. Think
about it : SKINNY GIRL alone has three " new " flavored vodkas that we
have just added here and this past weekend being an artist myself I was
admiring the slick packaging and marketing of these many new SKINNY GIRL
products. It's a good thing we have them, too as we all seem to be
riding the wave a very popular SKINNY GIRL surge in popularity. The
Margarita that they started with is still really popular and we still
have many requests for it. The recent " crisis " with SKINNY GIRL is
their Pina Colada " Ready-To-Drink " that Ravi tells me the company is
still out of. That's really bad news, especially on the weekends when we
have many people coming in search of it, specially considering the
wonderful and refreshing weather that we have had. We will keep you up
to date on this most recent situation.
AND I HAVE ONLY JUST COVERED some of the liquors : just think about
the explosion of " new " and various beers that are becoming available
to us here in Washington D.C. and our surrounding neighborhoods. I will
start, however with some of Ravi Sharma's various liqueurs and liquors
as I spend so much time on wine here in these emails that I have been
writing now for ten or more years. FUNNY, there was a time when the
emails were almost all about wine. Remember those days when the liquor
business was almost dead? It was not so very long ago. Everyone was
scared that when the older generation died off that the liquor business
would die with them?! That was a real reality check- a scary wake-up
call that many were dreading.
MARKETING SAVED THE DAY in many ways. Marketing and an expansion ,
relabeling, and a broadening of almost all brands that already existed
as well as those that were being created and conceived in many offices
and boardrooms around the world. How can a " new " brand be brought to
the market and advertised and promoted? What bottle shape, what label,
what size, what demographics would be targeted?!? So many questions to
consider, so many " new " possibilities to tap into the modern psyche
and thirst for something " new " to share with others. So many want to
discover something original and new and bring it to the attention of
their friends. To do this in our age of immediacy and everything being
available and posted, blogged, tweeted and twittered in nano seconds now
the ability to introduce things before someone else did it before you
somewhere in the world depended and depends still on more things being
created by the old and the established as well as by the " new this week
" people.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE great liquors from Ravi that I will mention now.
1) BRANCA MENTA Fratelli Branca Distillerie, The Mint Liqueur (
$30.99, 30% alcohol by volume, 750ml bottle, Casa Fondata Nel 1845,
Milano, Italy ) from FERNET BRANCA has always stood in the shadows. I
don't think as many of you know about it as you do of the FERNET BRANCA.
Anyway, as they write on their back label : " Excellence knows no
oceans, no frontiers " we think you should all try some. Google it and
see what fun cocktails they suggest for you all. Add a splash of it in
one of your favorite cocktails where you think mint might add that
something special? Yeah, rub your brains together and invent yourselves
the " next new cocktail " using the BRANCA MENTA as an integral
ingredient. Cheers and good luck and share what you achieve with us
soon.
2) Elderflower made by CHASE ( $23.99, 750ml bottle, 20% alcohol by volume,, www.chasedistillery.co.uk
from the Chase distillery Ltd, Rosemaund Farm, Hereford, HR1 3PG ) : "
Achieved by using our own award winning, luxurious Chase potato vodka
freshly infused with pressed Elderflowers of Herefordshire, to create
this delicate and fresh liqueur ". The price is great : what a great
value! You should all check this out. This CHASE & Elderflower may
become the next rage and " must-have " liqueur available. get some while
you still can.
3) " La Diablada " PISCO ( $39.99, 40% alcohol by volume, product
of Peru, MACCHU PISCO, Calle La Huaca 118 Pueblo Libre ) is made for our
friend Melanie Trindade-Asher and her sister. We have sold it here for
years and many times Melanie came by herself or with her Aunt Rosa to
make us her diving Pisco Sours. Once her sister came and joined her here
and that also was a treat for all of us. They have for you to try :
ANDEAN ROUSER recipe : Mix 2 cups of the La Diablada Pisco with 1 cup
of sugar, 1 cup of fresh lime juice and a shot of eggwhite. Add 10 ice
cubes and blend. This will serve 8 drinks. Add a drop of Angostura
bitter on the top. Hopefully Melanie will return soon to taste the two
MACCHU Piscos that she sells, this being the highest quality of the two.
We carry both here and both are available usually on a regular basis
here.
4) Gold Bermuda rum of GOSLING'S ( $19.99, 750ml bottle, 40% alcohol by volume, est, in 1806,go to : www.goslingsgold.com,
Hamilton, Bermuda ) has a really nice golden color and will add
something for those of you wanting to support GOSLING'S but not use
their dark rum as you are enjoying something else than a " Dark &
Stormy ". We are pleased to have it here to add to the dark rum that is
already so popular with many of you.
5) VYA Vermouth Aperitif ( comes in both Sweet and Extra Dry, in
375ml bottles as well as 750ml bottles - we have both, the 375ml bottles
are both $14.99 a bottle,, 17% alcohol by volume, made by Andrew Quady
in Madera, California Go to www.vya.com 800-733-8068
for more info ). Andrew writes of the Extra Dry : " Imagine a forest
after the rain. This is the idea behind Vya extra dry ... "
Andrew writes of the Sweet : " Imagine a warm tingling sensation
and a spicy aroma. This is the idea behind Vya sweet vermouth ". You
will have to come and read the rest of the back labels to see where
Andrew is going with both of these. I have met Andrew, he has been here.
These are both really superb and lovely to sip all by themselves as
well as to add to many cocktails and drinks. Cheers.
BEER From SANTOS RIVERA : So Many Wonderful Choices :
1) Damn INEDIT from ESTRELLA ( $10.99 , product of Spain,
Barcelona, 750ml bottle ) is a malt beer brewed with spices. Love the
packaging and the bottle and the producer. Fun for this beautiful
weather.
2) Mogul Madness Ale by ROGUE ( On Special for $5.99 a 1 Pt. 6
Fl. Oz, 650ml bottle, from Newport, Oregon 97365 ) is " a lively
seasonal ale, assertively hopped, dark in color and festive in taste ".
No chemicals, preservatives or additives. Another fabulous ROGUE beer/
ale to enjoy! Cheers.
3) Whole-Cone Imperial IPA " Hoptimum " 2012 from SIERRA
NEVADA ( On Special for $10.99 a 4-pack , Chico, California, 12 Fl Oz
bottle, 10.4% alcohol by volume ) is : " the ultimate whole-cone
imperial IPA experience ". Anyone care to add to this? It would be great
to hear your thoughts. The hops that make up the head in the
illustration reminds me of a artichoke and I wonder if there are any of
those flavors in this IPA? Any possibility of that?
4) " Hyve " Honey Ale USDA Organic from UINTA Brewing Co. ( On
Special for $9.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles , from Salt Lake City,
Utah. go to : uintabrewing.com
for more info, ALSO KOSHER ) contains water, organic barley, malt hops,
yeast and organic honey. It's also new and a real treat for us. Cheers.
WINES From Eric, Michel and Tony :
WHITES :
1) Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from ESSAY, South Africa ( $9.99 , www.essaywines.co.za,
13 % alcohol by volume, Western Cape of South Africa ) is bone-dry,
clean, crisp, steely, tart, tangy and a perfect wine to enjoy with a
goat's cheese, a salad and vinaigrette, and many warm-weather meals.
Tasted to Eric and me ( Tony ) recently by our rep Sal of Bacchus and
Danny Haas of the Vineyard Brands import company. Excellent.
2) Chardonnay Vin de Pays du Val de Loire dry Chardonnay 2010
from the DOMAINE De BERNIER ( $10.99, 12% alcohol by volume,
proprietaire-recoltants of la Regrippierre44330 , www.freres-couillaud.com
) is made from 100% Chardonnay by the Couilaud family that makes great
Muscadet ( Domaine de la Ragotiere ). Serve this " crisp, fruity
Chardonnay with fish or chicken or as an aperitif ". It really
over-delivers for this price. You get a whole lot of really flavorful
and focused wine for only $11 a bottle! Cheers. This also comes from
Danny Haas of the Vineyard Brands portfolio.
REDS :
1) 2010 Barbera Piemonte dry Italian red from the BRICCO DEL TATI ( $8.99, www.briccodeitati.com
) : " From our little vineyard on the edge of the village of Treiso in
Piemonte, we proudly make this delightfully fresh Barbera. We make it
for ourselves, friends, and family. We hope you enjoy it as much as we
do! " Mary Beth and Manu. Michel that works here cannot say enough great
things about it. He loves and believes in it. Cheers.
2) Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 from ESSAY in South Africa ( $9.99, 14% alcohol by volume, www.essaywines.co.za
) is bright. lively , lighter-bodied and a delight to sip with or
without a meal. I really enjoyed it a couple of weekends' ago and would
gladly drink some more anytime. Great to take on a picnic or when you
visit friends enjoying a barbecue or grill outside. Even with the
humidity you can chill this and enjoy it thoroughly. It has a stelvan
closure and so needs no corkscrew.
3) 100% Cabernet Franc from France's Loire Valley in the town
of Chinon, this CHINON 2008 from the DOMAINE GOURON ( On Special for
$16.99, regularly $22.99, 13% alcohol by volume, www.promexwines.com
) is made from 20-35 year-old vines. It has really good color and is
forward and flavorful and really quite refreshing. Chill 30 minutes or
so and enjoy inside or outside with grilled and well-seasoned meals.
This wine will cleanse your palate as well as refresh you as you enjoy
your meal in the heat and the humidity that Washington D.C. has
off-and-on. It's a pure joy and many of you loved it last weekend when
John and Theresa Morrison poured it this past weekend here. Cheers.
4) Barbera dry red from Italy's Piemonte region, called
QUATTRO MANI ( $16.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume, Serralunga D'Alba, www.domaineselect.com
) : " Quattro Mani, or " four hands " , showcases Italian wine-making
and the expression of the character and strength of Italy's indigenous
grape varieties. The winemakers were selected for their skill in
allowing vineyards to speak through the wine... ". We concur : this is
classic, flavorful and balanced Barbera that will marry really well with
a meal. Go to : www.4mani.com
for any further questions. This will make a great addition to any party
for those of you that love Italian dry, and flavorful and that are
always best when paired with food. Cheers.
5) Malbec 2010 from Argentina's Mendoza region, this Ernesto
Catena Malbec from TAHUAN winery ( $17.99, 13.7% alcohol by volume, www.siestawines.com.ar
) is a really well-balanced, focused dry red Malbec that does not lose
sight of the Malbec fruit from which it started. Bravo : it tastes like
classic wines made in Europe and will make a great wine-food pairing on
many a table whether inside or outside. It will hold it's own against
many a food seasoning, flavor or spice. Ernesto came here perhaps a
couple of years ago with Alfredo Bartholomaus and we were then all
enthralled with his sparkling wines.
6) Nero D'Avola 2009 dry red from Sicily's ( $17.99. 13.5%
alcohol by volume ) : this indigenous dry red made from the Nero D'Avola
grape variety is really flavorful and tasty and pretty amazing. I
remember really liking it and thinking how classic it was in style. It's
another winner for us and the price is very reasonable for all the
taste and character-attitude that you get here.
7) Cote de Nuits Villages 2007 from SHAPS &
ROUCHER-SARRAZIN ( On Special for $19.99, regularly $29.99 ) is subtle
and velvety and so marvelously silky. I love the flavor, there's some
charm and a touch of sunshine absorbed by the grapes and held firmly in
place to be released finally as the bottle opens and the wine touches
your palate. You will taste the spice and the minerals of the land from
which these Pinot Noir grapes were sprung and you will fall in love all
over again.
8) Pinot Noir 2001 from New Zealand's Marlborough region ( On
Special for $19.99, regularly $44.99 , Fromm winery, Godfrey Road,
Blenheim, 14% alcohol by volume, www.frommwineries.com
) is from a great year and all the flavors are fully-developed and this
dry red is showing all it's magnificent colors and flavors now and at
more than half off the original price! What a steal!!
9) Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Grave, Friuli Vigneti
Sant'Helena 2006 dry red from VIGNETI FANTINEL ($22.99, dal 1969, 13%
alcohol by volume, ) is classic, dry, spicy, earthy and balanced,
classic Italian wine country flavors. This is another great Italian food
red. Medium-bodied and really makes a strong statement that is best
balanced against the backdrop of a well-seasoned, marinated meal.
Cheers.
SPARKLING WINES :
1) Sparkling off-dry light red Saperavi, Chinebuli and
Tsitska grapes, this BAGRATIONI from Georgia ( $16.99, 12 % alcohol by
volume, www.bagrationi.ge
, Tbilisi, Georgia ) is so pleasing and fresh and bright and
easy-sipping : an absolute delight with or without a meal. Try some soon
before we sell out!
2) Brachetto d'Acqui 2010 BRICCO RIOGLIO from RINALDI (
$20.99, 6% alcohol by volume ) is marked sweet on the label. This light
red from Italy's Piemonte region is a delight and had little acidity and
little tannin and focuses most of it's attention on the nuances of
slight sparkling fruit flavors that are toasty, roasted and with touches
of spices and warmth, earth and mineral, too : a real slice of Italian
Piemontese life as filtered through these vines and now wine. Fun to
just relax with a glass of Brachetto - an experience everyone needs to
experience.
WEEK'S TASTINGS :
FRIDAY, June 8th, 2012 ( 5-8PM ) : An evening with Jody
Jackman of Winebow Imports. We will select something really exciting to
taste with Jody, perhaps some really exciting Portuguese wines? YES :
just spoke to Jody and we are working on a series of wines from both the
LOIOS and the PASSA DOURO wineries in Portugal which will include both
reds and whites for you all to luxuriate in.
SATURDAY, June 9th, 2012 ( 2-6PM ) : We have Nolan Hale of
Mondo Vino wine selections coming to taste perhaps some new Italian
wines? Perhaps some excellent Chilean wines/ Perhaps some French wines?
We will get our signals aligned tomorrow when Nolan returns from
vacation and so you may always call and ask either Michel or me what we
will be tasting at : 202-363-4265. JOIN US : EVERYONE always welcome and there is never any charge.
I KNOW I HAVE FORGOTTEN MANY THINGS but it is time to proof
and send this email early to you all so that we may give you reason to
pause and reflect and decide that you simply must come and see us ASAP!
That's the idea anyway. Thanks for everything, we appreciate all that
you do for us and your belief and trust in us. It humbles us. Thanks
again and see you really soon. Cheers, TONY
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