MARCEL DEISS, TELMO RODRIGUEZ, ERRAZURIZ Wines Tasted In Cleveland Park, D.C. W/ Chris Of Monument Selections The 2nd Week Of Oct. 2009

It was a treat to taste this MARCEL DEISS 2003 biodynamic Beblenheim Alsace Pinot Gris ( around $30 a bottle ) with some bottle age on it. You never really know what you are going to get with an older-aged white and though I was hoping for the best I still was not sure what would be awaiting my taste buds?




They were not disappointed. This was an exceptionally well-preserved wine that offered plenty and really no signs at all of any fatigue. Rather it may still be developing more and is quite bright and fresh, lively and showing amazing character for a wine from Alsace that will be a real treat with food as both together will show and highlight more of the other as well as create a very nice dining experience as well.




I left my tasting notes at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits where I work. I just wanted to record now here at home my unvarnished memories of this experience a few days ago in the store.




Chris from Monument Imports brought me this gentleman that I seem to have hit it off with pretty much from the get-go. I liked this a lot : we shared a lot of the same views and both enjoyed the experience while I tasted and photographed and we bounced things off one another.




We have sold the MARCEL DEISS wines here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ( 3423 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Washington D.C. 20008 Tel: 202-363-4265 sales@clevelandparkwine.com www.clevelandparkwine.com ) for many years now. We used to buy them from Bobby Kacher at one point and I guess that is where I discovered them. Thanks Bobby.

This 2003 Beblenheim Pinot Gris is very reasonably priced ( around $30 a bottle ) and we will be tasting it this month in an in-store tasting on the weekend - a week from now to be exact - on Friday I believe. I will add that information tomorrow when I get to the store. We will also taste a couple of the other wines that I tasted along with this MARCEL DEISS.

We were able to try the ERRAZURIZ " Max " reds of Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and also the " Max " Reserve Shiraz. Of the two I found the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon much more interesting than the Reserve Shiraz that was just too smooth and elegant. It was in fact my least favorite wine of this excellent line up of wines because of this.

The other wines that we tasted were a fabulous white blend from SCHIOPETTO from Italy's northeast. Top quality flavorful blend of three white grapes produces this distinct, flavorful white that will hold it's own against many a food flavor. This is some of the best white wine from Friuli and it will be great to sell it instead of just another Pinot Grigio from this region. Let's turn up the volume and the stakes here and really endorse this distinct and welcome taste profile of great minerals, citrus, bright sunshine and cream accents.

I had to mention Pinocchio when I heard the name SCHIOPETTO and we got a number of comments from this one that ran awhile on a nice live energy and process by association and whatever else from this beginning. Smiles erupted all round : the energy flow started quickly and spread here.

There was also an excellent GABO DO XIL that I tasted. I definitely need to consult my notes here as it is already late and I must get to bed now. I liked it : that much I remember , this wine from TELMO RODRIGUEZ ...


I will write more about all of this and probably include another picture or two and include names, vintages, the name of the man pictured here that I hit it off with almost immediately. I've got my work cut out for me. In the meantime enjoy these pictures and the stories that each and everyone of them tells all by themselves. Cheers, TONY