Local winemaker Chris Breiner of Virginia's STONE MOUNTAIN Vineyard here ( pictured in the foreground, striped shirt ) tasting a selection of his wines with our local customers at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ( 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C. 2008 Tel (202) 363-4265 sales@clevelandparkwine.com www.clevelandparkwine.com ) on Wednesday, November 12th, 2008.
Chris joined us for our 2008 annual American Wine-Tasting ( featuring five local Maryland & Virginia winemakers/owners : Chris Breiner of STONE MOUNTAIN, VA. ; Brad McCarthy owner/winemaker of BRADFORD WINES, Charlottesville, VA. ; Carol McGarry, owner of SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN, MD. ; DJ ( assistant winemaker at PEARMUND CELLARS, VA. ; and Paul Robert , owner/winemaker of DEEP CREEK CELLARS, MD. ) tasting in Cleveland Park.
It is Chris' second tasting here in our store. The first one he was alone here on Saturday afternoon from 4-8 PM I believe March 17th, 2007. Go to my first blog entry about Chris on Thursday, November 6th, 2008 for a more complete story.
On this recent evening Chris came with our local rep David Enright from Grappoli Imports to taste his dry Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and both reds : one a Petit Verdot and one a Cabernet Franc. I enjoyed all four and they were all well-received by our customers this evening.
Chris has a nicely balanced wine making style. He gives his wines a bit of freedom but also gets them to hold their structure so that their various textures on the palate hit in an overall harmonious fashion so as to overall please and complement other tastes that they interact with. I like this. The reds were really showing well, There was a generous amount of brightly-textured cherry and cranberry flavors that sat perfectly on my palate and made me crave another sip : the Cabernet Franc exhibiting just a bit more floral qualities while the Petit Verdot had a bit more solid structure and spice, yet again very appealing on the tongue after the initial first and second sips as you got settled in nicely for a fine ride with the third, forth and fifth sips. Oh yeah.
Wish I had some now to enjoy while I write this blog! It's Monday my day-off, December 8th, 2008 here at my home in northern Virginia at 5:01 PM and the cold from outside is somehow managing to seep in through the walls here as I type downstairs in our family room. Brrrr. A bit of one of your reds now Chris would really help take away the edge of cold I am feeling now. They would also go really nicely with the Italian sweet sausage links and the grilled chicken thighs from last night that we will enjoy later before settling down to the 2-hour season finale to " Boston Legal " a older lawyers' show that I have very much enjoyed for the pithy political/social issues that they have included.
The Pinot Grigio also did quite well at the tasting. Chris includes just a bit of the unknown grape variety ( comes originally from France's Jurancon and Gascogy areas of the southwest ) Gros Manseng ( there is also another sister grape not to be mistaken with it called Petit ( small ) Manseng ). This inclusion of the Gros ( large ) Manseng gives the Pinot Grigio just a bit more of " other " flavors and structure that keeps your tongue trying to figure it out.
I'm sorry but I cannot include prices or exact vintages just now ( they are all current releases and around twenty dollars or so ) because I am at home and memory fails me just now. Tomorrow at the store I will include them when I get to Cleveland Park.
In the meantime I will post this blog so that you may all enjoy these pictures of Chris and our customers ( as well as some of the other local guest winemakers/owners ). Happy Holiday seasons 2008 to you all. Don't forget to come in two days ( WED. DEC. 10th, 2008 to our Annual Champagne / Bubbly/ Sparkling Wine-Tasting from 5:30-8:30 PM. There is no charge and everyone is welcome. Bring family and friends! We will pour around forty or so bubblies in all price ranges from around the world.
I also have many more pictures to download of Chris pouring his wines tomorrow when I get to the store. But these three so far give you a small idea of the fun we had as Chris and the others poured their wines and signed many as holiday gifts, too.
Come and join us Chris for our bubbly tasting. And thanks Chris for coming to pour your excellent Virginia wines with our customers. You are always welcome anytime that you would like to do so again. Cheers, TONY
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