This was quite the tasting of 33 Washington State wines on March 10th, 2010 a Wednesday evening from 5:30-8:30 PM 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 ) where I have now managed the wine department for almost ten years now. It's close to time to celebrate this event, too.
Above we have Chris Hatfield from Monument Selections tasting four or five high-end Washington State wines from LONG SHADOW that retailed for $44-$60 or so a bottle. Even at these high prices we had to order some more after the tasting as we sold out of at least one of them. This is really the point of the whole Big Theme wine-tasting as we want to expose people to a wide range a tastes and flavors and all price points, too.
As you will see from these pictures the tasting was very well attended. We had six tables with seven people pouring : five men and two women- all very capable and knowledgeable. It was both very fun and educational.
At table Number One we had Chris Lanning of Republic National pouring ten wines with the assistance of a young lady that joined him at the last minute. Together they poured : 1) STEELE " Shooting Star " Blue Frank ? Blaufrankish / Lemberger 2007 dr red ( $14.49 ) , 2) SNOQUALMIE " Nearly Naked " Chardonnay 2007 ( $13.49 ), 3) SNOQUALMIE Syrah 2006 ( $11.99 ) , 4) CHATEAU ST. MICHELE Merlot " Canoe Ridge " 2006 ( $27.99 ), 5) CH. ST. MICHELE Merlot " Indian Wells " 2005 ($19.99 ), 6) SNOQUALMIE Syrah Reserve 2004 ($27.99), 7) NORTH STAR " Stella Maris " 2004 ($34.99), 8) COL SOLARE red table wine 2005 ( $89.99 ), 9) CH. ST. MICHELE " Cold Creek " Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ( $36.49) and 10) CH. ST. MICHELE Harvest Select Riesling 2009 ($10.99). He's pictured here in the picture below in the light blue shirt pouring.
The picture below has the young lady pouring next to Chris Lanning. Behind this young lady you see Linda Schmidt's face as she is TABLE Number Two and she is pouring the COLUMBIA CREST " Vineyard 10 Red House Blend ( Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Sangiovese, $9,99 ) and the Vineyard 10 White House Blend of Chardonnay at $9.99 a bottle.
Jon Haskins the key account manager for COLUMBIA CREST poured the three Grand Estate wines : 1) Grand Estate Chardonnay 2008 ( $13.49), 2) Grand Estate Merlot 2006 ($13.49) and 3) the Grand Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($13.49).
I love the JED STEELE " Shooting Star " 2007 Blue Frank/Blaufrankish/Lemberger ( $14.49) that we have sold now for many years at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits. It has also become a favorite of many of our customers here as it is so easy to enjoy almost anytime with or without food. It's got the blue label that looks like an old Belgian or French franc bill of currency now long replaced by the euro.
It's now the morning of Friday, April 30th, 2010 and I am feeling much more refreshed. I'd like to comment here on the KIONA 2005 ( $19.99 ) Lemberger/Blaufrankish wine and note the differences between it and the SHOOTING STAR. I find it more elegant and lighter, more finesse, more polish : much more subtle flavorings that are very nice when you need or want to drink this style. It would be quite nice for example with a veal dish, a nice pork tenderloin, some less-heavily seasoned pasta dishes, perhaps with angle hair pasta? I liked it very much and am thrilled to have it as well as the SHOOTING STAR. They both have sold well.
Half way back in the store to the left Sal Furfari ( of Bacchus Imports ) was pouring at Table Number Four The HEDGES wines : five of them : 1) CMS HEDGES 2008 dry white blend of Chardonnay/ Marsanne and Sauvignon Blanc ($16.49), 2) INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS Chardonnay 2008 ($11.99), 3) INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS Merlot 2007 ($11.99), 4) HEDGES 3-Vineyards " Red Mountain " 2006 ( $29.49) and the 5) CMS HEDGES 2008 dry red table blend of Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot and Syrah ($16.49).
I am thrilled to have the INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS wines in the store because at $12 a bottle each they provide some excellent wine and values that makes me think of Europe when I drink them. The white Chardonnay 2008 makes me think of France and the dry Merlot 2007 makes me think of a really nice Italian country wine say from Tuscany along it's coast? Because they both have that lovely dusty-dry quality and are both medium-to-light-bodied I would enjoy them best myself in the context of some food served along with them. It could be a totally casual gathering outside with some appetizers or a meal sitting down at a table inside or out. Great values both and dry and good accompaniment to food and conversation and getting to that zone of being satisfied and content.
As I said, this was quite the tasting : 32 wines from the state of Washington were poured and this included very popular and well-known wines with large productions as well as small production wineries with unknown grapes like the Blaufrankish and the popular Syrah red grape of the moment. WE also had dry and sweet Rieslings and the Marsanne white Rhone grape here in a blend. We did not offer everything as there is so much wonderful wine to offer from Washington State these days. However, we did give a taste of some of the exciting wines that are available to us here today in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area and that were all available at deep discounts this evening of Wednesday, March 10th ( 5:30-8:30 PM ) 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 ).
Here in the picture above we have Christopher Short of Lanterna Imports ( Table Number 5 ) gesturing with his hands as he pours seven wines : 1) ELISEO SILVA 2006 Syrah ($16.49), 2) KIONA Dry Riesling 2008 ($18.99), 3) KIONA Lemberger Blaufrankish 2005 ($19.99 ), 4) DUCK POND Red Blend 2007 ($15.49), 5) DI STEFANO " Sogno " Red Blend 2005 ($24.49), 6) DI STEFANO Syrah 2005 ($24.49 ), and the 7) CAMARADERIE Syrah 2005 ($28.99). He spoke a lot with his hands as he described both the wines and the areas in Washington State from where they came. He wanted people to both appreciate and understand these wines of his as his company specializes in them.
Here's a good picture of Chris Short above as he brings to life the details of his seven Washington State wines sold through Lanterna Imports. I liked his selections very much and intend to write about them here really soon.
The DI STEFANO Syrah 2005 ( $24.49 ) was a big hit for me and I immediately recommended it to Richard ( one of our good customers in search of really good Washington State Syrah ) and he loved it and has since bought six or more bottles ( just a couple of them this week ) and so I will have to call you Chris Short and order some more for May which is just around the corner!
However, in the desire to get these pictures posted tonight, Thursday April 29th, 2010 ( 11:41 PM ) before going to bed soon I will have to add my comments tomorrow morning when I awaken fresh and ready to tackle the world once again!
So, stay-tuned till tomorrow and enjoy these pictures in the meantime tonight if you are still up and reading this blog of mine. Cheers, TONY
I loved the dry, smooth red blend : bright and forward and really nicely balanced Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Sangiovese of the $9.99 a bottle COLUMBIA CREST Vineyard 10 house blend. I love these grapes together here as it is rare to find this blend and I must say that it works extremely well here with a brand that everyone knows so well. Bravo!
Di STEFANO wines were a big hit for the very high quality that both the two reds ( the " Sogno " 2005 red blend, $24.49 , : and the DI STEFANO 2005 Syrah, $24.49 represent. We sold some of both and I am sure that Chris when you come by the store soon that I will need to replenish my stock of these wines.
The DUCK POND red dry blend 2007 ( $15.49 ) is new to us and the ELISEO SILVA wines are what got Mike Martin and me on the bandwagon with these Washington State wines in the first place several months ago. Though I like the ELISEO SILVA dry white Sauvignon Blanc I love the three reds that we carry of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah ( all at $16.49 a bottle ). They have breed, finesse, elegance, refinemanet, balance and pure fruit flavors that have never been lost or overshadowed by wine-making. Bravo, bravo, bravo!
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