Owner Jim Of DEMOCRACY Vineyard in Monticello, Virginia Tastes His New Red Blend & Apple Wine, Too:Jan. Tasting In Cleveland Park, 2010

It was great to have Jim the owner of DEMOCRACY VINEYARD in Monticello, Virginia stop by to taste his two " new " releases made by Michel Schapps that makes his own wines as well as consults with people like Jim and Susan in this case.




I really liked both of these two " new " wines that Jim brought us at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits last week in mid January, 2010. It's now Sunday, January 24th, 2010 here at home in northern Virginia as I type this and will probably post it early tomorrow when I have time to proof and finish the text/stories that I am sure will inevitably begin to spill out of me as I tap madly at this keyboard just inches from my face.




Jim and I spoke about he and Susan returning this July to do another wine-tasting with us. They like the idea and tasting in Cleveland Park. Their name DEMOCRACY sort of lends itself really well to tasting in the nation's capitol in July in celebration of the 4th of July, don't you agree?!?




The picture above is of the apple wine that Jim and Susan are making from apples grown right on their property. I did not know what to expect and somehow got the idea that it was going to be sweeter than it actually was. In fact it was quite dry and has excellent acidity. I can easily see selling some at the store along with the new Syrah-based red. The price is the only problem : at around $15 it will not fly out the door in Cleveland Park but we will still be able to sell some as it is superb and some of our customers will enjoy it themselves or offer it as gifts to friends and family and new acquaintances. I really did like it's freshness and boldness yet it was always focused. I can see enjoying it with some sugar crepes as they make so well in France. I had some great crepes in the Loire valley once after visiting one of the more famous chateaux and having some French apple cider to chase it all down. That's such a classic combination. I should learn how to make some here in northern Virginia.

Jim brought me a new dry red that is Syrah-based and very bright, fresh, lively and very easy to enjoy right away. It doesn't cry out for food and I could see myself enjoying some all by itself before getting really hungry. It's medium-to-light-bodied and nicely balanced with a good finish. It's also got great color as you can see from the photo below.





I've asked Jim to bring some back to taste Chris Barker that now works with me in the wine department so that Chris will not be out of the loop, I think that Chris will like both as much as I do. Jim also has to taste Chris on the two that we already sell : both a dry white blend as well as a dry red blend : made by Michael ( Michel ) Schapps as well.




As you can see I love taking artsy photos. This one below is with the cider in my Reidel wine-tasting glass in front of it's label so that you can see it's rich golden color distorting and bending and molding the label- fragmenting it in some ways to draw out other things : almost as if to be painting with the colorful inks that are not yet dry on the paper label ...




I also love getting stimulating and perhaps intoxicating pictures of the colors of the wines themselves that cannot be seen inside the bottles that hide them and their colorful charms and spells and mesmerizing qualities that can both tease and please and us later ease ...




Look at the way the light from the ceiling above and the Reidel glass and the colorful and distinct shapes on the labels themselves all play against one another. I love it. Gotta love our flag, too rippling on the label as if the wind was doing that ...




I've got the apple wine in the glass below and it sure id a nice filter for the labels below.




If all goes well we will have some of all four of Jim and Susan's DEMOCRACY Vineyard wines at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits in February. That's less than two weeks away. Call Chris or me at : 202-363-4265 and inquire before driving to the store. We will be able to give you a better idea later this week as we will give many orders later in Wednesday through Friday for deliver the first two weeks of February 2010.

Cheers and once again : Happy New Year ! TONY