Chat Wine: Tuesday February 12th, 2013 Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits Store Email Written & Sent By Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn To Store Customers : Cheers & Enjoy!

Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits @ 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W.

IT'S A BUSY WEEK, but then, which are not?!? How many of you have your " To Do " lists ready and at hand, whether written on a piece of paper as I do or on a computer or hand-held device? I took a package to mail to the post office yesterday for Valentine's Day and ran into our neighbor that was there, too; and claimed that she was probably one of the very last people that still used the mail to send bill payments?!? How many of you still do that? How many of you still remember the last time that you did that? Time is moving so quickly these days that it's all one big WHIRL and it's hard to focus and keep up. I always find that if I do not check my lists three or four times that I miss something. That one things falls through the cracks and may or may not get done?

COME SEE US today and be proactive about tonight's State Of The Union Address ( what will you all chose to drink while watching ? ), and also about Valentine's Day. I enjoyed reading this morning's Washington Post newspaper and what they had listed to do throughout this week. it's good, check it out. I meant to bring it here and copy some of it but that was not on my " to do " list and so I forgot. See what I mean?

WE HAVE many categories covered for you for the State-Of-The-Union Address tonight from many chilled wines , still and sparkling; reds, whites and roses ; ales, beers, ciders, liquor and liqueurs, sparkling water - you name ut.

FOR VALENTINE'S DAY we have some of Bailey Kasten's FABulous D.C.-made chocolates and caramels from $10 - $15 a box. I enjoyed some recently and can attest to how delicious each and every bite is : to be well-savored. We also have all the same things listed above for you all, some of which I will begin to single-out here for you all now.

ALE, CIDER & BEER From Santos -

1) " Smitten Golden Rye Ale " from BELL'S Brewery, Inc. ( On Special for $10.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles, 6% alcohol by volume, go to : www.bellsbeer.com for more info ) that sounds perfect for Valentine's Day this Thursday. We should all be smitten more often. it's an awfully wonderful feeling that sweeps over- rushes over us!

2) " Lips Of Faith " Series from both BREWERY VIVANT & BEW BELGIUM , Biere De Garde/Beer To Keep ALE Brewed With Orange Peel ( $8.99, 9% alcohol by volume, Fort Collins, Colorado,www.newbelgium.com ) : " Famous in Michigan for their farmhouse ales. our friends at Brewery Vivant introduced us to their biere de garde ale yeast strain. From there, we imagined a slightly tart, intentionally dry beer with hints of Bergamot citrus that pairs perfectly with French cheeses ". Makes perfect sense to me. Cheers. Like the innovation here.

3) Steam Beer Baley Ale From Bavaria DAMPFBIER ( $4.99 1 Pt. .9 Fl. Oz bottle, 5% alcohol by volume, 20.04.13, product of Zwiesel, Germany ) comes in a re-sealable brown bottle like GROLSCH , great taste and value and great graphics, too!

4) Exit W16E Wild Rice Double IPA from FLYING FISH Brewing Co. ( On Special for $14.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles, 8.2% alcohol by volume, Somerdale, New Jersey , www.flyingfish.com ) : " Rice helps this beer ferment dry to better showcase the five different hops we use. We then dry-hop with generous amounts of Chinook and Citra to create a nose that hints at tangerine, mango, papaya and pine ". Sounds delicious!

5) THE Beer With A BRAZILIAN ACCENT : PALMA LOUCA ( $10.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles, go to : www.palmalouca.com ): be proactive and get some NOW before the next World Cup or the next Olympics, it's really good and fresh and lively and filled with the full spectrum of pastel colors like the country itself! Cheers.

6) LOWER De BOOM Barleywine 4-pack cans from ( On Special for $10.99, 11.5% alcohol by volume ) is hot off the presses according to Santos that just handed me a 4-pack as he rolled the others up to the front of the store. From San Fransisco, CA. 94107, www.21st-Amendment.com. Cheers!

LIQUOR & LIQUEUR From RAVI -

1) YOUNG GENEVER from DIEP 9 ( $33.99 a 750ml bottle, 35% alcohol by volume, product of Belgium, go to : www.diep9.com ) : " Handcrafted in small batches at De Moor distillery in Belgium since 1910, Diep 9 Genever combines rye, wheat, malted barley, and nine fragrant botanicals in an authentic copper pot still to deliver an award-winning taste that is truly characteristic of the country from which it hails. "

NOTE : Anthony Rivera just tasted this with you all this past weekend to great success.

2) PASSION FRUIT GENEVER from DIEP 9 ( $29.99 a 750ml bottle, 20% alcohol by volume, shake well, product of Belgium,www.diep9.com ) : " Grain neutral spirits infused with 100% natural passion fruit juice and natural flavors ". It sure did taste great this past Friday night when Anthony Rivera tasted it here : smooth, supple, easy and flavorful and smooth on the lips, tongue and palate - a real treat.

3) OLD GRAIN GENEVER From DIEP 9 ( $49.99 a 750ml bottle, 35% alcohol by volume, product of Belgium, go to :www.diep9.com, ) : " Oude Graanjenever double distilled in a traditional copper pot still from rye, wheat, and malted barley at STOKERU DE MOOR since 1910 ".

4) Asian Pear Eau De Vie from SUBARASHII KUDAMONO in Pennsylvania ( $49.99 a 375ml bottle, 40% alcohol by volume ,www.winesofsubarashii.com, also : www.wonderfulfruit.com ) is amazingly smooth and elegant and with less bite and so easy to sip at the end of a meal. It's a great way to start to enjoy the category of eau de vie which means : water of life ... Holly tasted it here this past Friday evening and it was very well received. SPECIAL for Valentine's Day when you get home after a great dinner here in the neighborhood! Cheers.

5) Single Barrel Sour Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey from ELMER T. LEE ( $32.99 a 750ml bottle, 45% alcohol by volume, Frankfort, Kentucky, ) : " Elmer T. Lee, with fifty years experience has produced some of the finest bourbons ever bottled. This is his own private selection ".

6) Wild Tea from ABSOLUT ( On Special for $20.99 a 750ml bottle, 40% alcohol by volume, kosher, www.alsolut.com ) : " Just add lemon-lime soda ... tea & elderflower flavored vodka ". Cheers.

I INTERRUPT THIS EMAIL to report that Eun Yang of NBC4 ( along with producer Jason Gittlen ) are out filming the next " Foodies " broadcast on the Cleveland Park neighborhood that will be run this coming Monday or the next? Keep checking. It will be good. I will not reveal now the restaurants being covered. I did hear Eun Yang talking about Lavandou and I thought it was about Fat Tuesday/ Mardi Gras as that is today? But " no ", it's about our fine restaurants in general. I informed Jason that Lavandou had been here for twenty years now. If you want to learn more stop by and ask me.

FUNNY, I returned to continue writing the store email and a customer walked in asking for Bill Sander's California 3-Spanish-type olive olive oil? He's a regular and said that Bill was his neighbor and he wanted to buy some. I rushed over to Lavandou where Bill is storing an extra case or two for such emergencies. Great idea Bill, I now have the FIRST FRESH 500ml bottle of your Extra Virgin OLIVE OIL for $18.99 for our customer! Perfect for Mardi Gras as well as for Valentine's Day when you tire of chocolates and want a salad or some garlic and olive-oil on toasted French toast?!? It's here! Come on by ...

BY THE WAY JASON, when will you do a segment on the great local D.C. retail stores of ales. beers, ciders, liquors. liqueurs, and wines?!? There are enough of us to make an interesting story for you all. After all, we do help so many customers with their parties and other important functions. What do you think?!?

WINE By MICHEL & TONY - For Valentine's Day :

OFF-DRY To SWEET :

1) Asian Pear Wine from SUBARASHII KUDAMONO ( $17.99, 12% alcohol by volume , www.wonderfulfruit.com ) is an off-dry wine made in Pennsylvania that Holly described this past weekend as like a Riesling. It's so easy to enjoy, so pleasing and bright and vibrant and perfect for this week with Fat Tuesday and Valentine's Day. Try some.

2) Asian Pear Dessert Wine by SUBARASHII KUDAMONO ( $31.99, 20% alcohol by volume, using Asian pears grown in Pennsylvania, produced and bottled in Baroda. MI ) : it's so smooth and velvety and silky and pure and natural and easy to sip all on it's own. It would go with so many things and yet it's delicious all by itself. This is another way to bring closure to a wonderful Valentine's Day! Cheers.

3) Asian Pear Sake from MOONSTONE ( $15.99 a 750ml bottle, 12% alcohol by volume, from SAKE ONE, Forrest Grove, Oregon, USA , www.sakeone.com ) : " Perfectly balanced The heavenly fragrance of ripe yellow pears dances delicately with the melon and apple notes of fresh craft sake. ... infused with Asian Pear essence ... ". Nice, refreshing, warming, too.

4) HJ House Jam from CASABELLA Lambrusco Sweet Red Wine ( $8.99 a 750ml bottle, 7.5% alcohol by volume, www.housejamwine.com, Italy ) : " ... is the Cold Red Wine with Zip ... Deep Purple in color with a Fresg Sweet Fruity Flavor. Always serve cold... " The Party Pleaser ". It's a well-balanced, pleasing red to chill with a bit of spice and some lovely character, too! Cheers, and a GREAT PRICE as well.

DRY Whites -

1) Indigenous Durell Superiore dry Veneto Italian white from SANDRO DE BRUNO , from Monti Lessini DOC ) $22.99 gp to :www.il-pioppo.com ) is amazing, dry, flavorful, mineral and that " something extra and original " that is the durello grape all itself in a dry, mineral, citrus non-sparkling version ( as most of it is used to make sparkling fry Veneto wines.

2) Chardonnay/ Sauvignon Blanc 2010 dry white Vegan-Friendly French white from DOMAINE DU TARIQUET Famille Grassa ( On Special for $11.99, from the Cotes Du Gascogne southwest France region that makes great Bas-Armagnac, that we also sell here on a regular basis. So full and round and lush and smooth and ripe and silky and satiny and easy to drink all by itself. No edges, no worries, just lose your cares and relax and tilt you heads back. close your eyes, coast and glide and ride the may waves- water or air ... NICE. Great for Valentine's Day and for watching tonight's State of the Union speech.

3) SOFIA California Sparkling Wine in 4 Cans With A Straw from Francis Ford Coppola Winery ( $19.99 ) : all the ladies tell me it is so much fun! So men take note : MANY fine ladies like these 4-packs of SOFIA California sparkling wine. For before dinner, so the morning after, the weekend when you relax, on trips, outside in the park on a beautiful day like today? Get a pack and have it on reserve. it's shiny and red with silver and pink accents : everything nice. Cheers.

DRY REDS - 3 From Europe :

1) Grenache " Cuvee Bastien " 2010/great vintage Cotes-Du-Rhone from the DOMAINE DE CHATEAUMAR ( $18.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume, www.bougeoiswines.com . Orange, France ) is a special treat becasue it's made from 100% of the Grenache grape and many of you may not know this grape all by itself as it is so often blended? A treat for a nice occasion like tonight as you watch the State of the Union? Cheers.

2) " Espirito " 2010 ESPIRITO ( $10.99, 13.5% , vinho regional Tejo from Portugal , Alentejo ) is a delightful and refreshing and easier-drinking blend of 50% Touriga Nacional and 50% Castelao grapes from LAGOALVA. Lovely and perfect to enjoy today as it is cold and sunny and bright but not too cold.

3) Bordeaux dry red blend 2010/ great vintage from HEBRARD ( $15.99 a bottle, ) from Alliance Des Saveurs/ LVDH Imports is a flavorful and balanced, tasty with a meal blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Enjoy.

ROSES For VALENTINE'S DAY & More:

STILL / Non-Sparkling -

1) 2011 Long Island Sagaponack, New York dry rose ( $16.99, made from the Merlot grape? go to : www.wolffer.com ) is silky and smooth and wonderfully elegant and fine and easy on one's palate, just enough action and energy and excitement there so that ours can add into the equation and we can all sing in harmony and bliss and contentment. Lovely with or without a meal.

SPARKLING -Dry Roses :

1) Cava Rosat from Spain's BOHIGAS ( On Special for $16.99, regularly $20.99 a bottle, 11.5% alcohol by volume ) is a deep rose color, full of flavor and character and personality and yet smooth and so approachable. too! Wonderful to celebrate this Thursday!

2) Cava Spanish dry rose from CONDE De SUBIRATS ( $13.99, 11.5% alcohol by volume ) was a favorite at our Big-Theme Bubbly/Sparkling/Champagne Wine-Tasting last December 2012! Really easy to drink all by itself. Great rich, deep rose color. Lose yourself in it's flavors.

3) Cremant De Bourgogns dry French Brut Rose from SIMONNET-FEBVRE ( $19.99, methode traditionelle, a Chablis since 1840 , 12% alcohol by volume, www.simonet-febvre.com ) is lighter in it's rose-salmon color and also a bit more silky and refined in it's flavors. too. Beautiful. Get caught up in it's wed of enticing tastes.

4) Estelado Rose dry secco " Santa Digna " of MIGUEL TORRES. Chile, Fair Trade/Comercio Justo ( $21.99, 12% alcohol by volume,www.migueltorreschile.com ) is tasty, zippy, zesty, great presence and peaks and valleys of tastes and flavors and best with food and desserts! A treat from Chile for Valentine's Day!

THREE Dry Rose Champagnes :

1) CHARLES ORBAN Brut RM/ Recoltant Manipulant/Harvester-Grower-Owner dry sparkling Champagne rose from Troissy ( On Special for $44.99 a bottle, regularly $50.99 a bottle ), from owner Jean-Remy this is a satiny. silky carpeted treat any way you taste it!!!!

THE BEST that money can buy :

2) GRAND CRU Champagne Since 1874 Rose Authentique from BARNAUT , RM/ Recoltant Manipulant ( $59.99, from Bouzy ) is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes and is the most tasty, adventurous, robust, powerful, tasty dry Champagne to pass over you lips. Great when there is some food involved. BUY fresh strawberries and any other red or dark-colored berries, almonds ... and revel and be seduced by it's character, taste and personality : alpha Champagne!!!!

3) GRAND CRU Fmom Ay , Champagne, from GATINOIS RM/ Recoltant Manipulant ( $62.99 a bottle, 12% alcohol by volume ) : here we have real subtlety, elegance , REFINEMENT and such a lovely shade of salmon-pink and silky, satiny smooth-dry flavors that hover over the tastebuds that it's the PERFECT SPLURGE Champagne for you all to treat yourselves to. Get a bottle and some of Bailey Kasten's D.C. Finely-Made LOCAL chocolates and caramels. What a great splurge and romantic combo. As our good customer Michael said : one-stop shopping. He smiled, he was so happy. We made it easy for him.

MEN : Let Us Make It EASY FOR YOU! Come to your Valentine's Day shopping here.

WEDNESDAY, Our Weekly Wednesday Still/Non_Sparkling Wine SALE 3-Part :

1) BUY ANY bottle of still/non-sparkling wine over $20 and SAVE 20% OFF the marked sticker price.

2) BUY ANY 6-0r-More Still/Non-Sparkling Wines and SAVE 15% OFF the marked sticker prices.

3) BUY ANY 12 or More Bottles of Still Wine and SAVE 20% OFF the marked sticker prices.

Included in the mix are port, sherry, marsala, madeira and sake.

Call us if you cannot come : 202-363-4265.

Get us to deliver to you if you cannot come : 202-363-4265.

WEEK'S TASTING ? EVENTS :

Wednesday, ALL DAY our Still wine SALE mentioned above : every Wednesday.

Thursday, February 14th, 2013 : Michel and Tony are working on getting someone to pour something SPECIAL for us here from 5-7PM. Check-in with us for more info. Cheers.

Friday, February 15th, 2013 : 5-8PM - We have Scott of Monument Imports here to pour some LUPI REALI Trebbiano dry Italian white, ZACA MESA California wines, too like the Syrah 2008 Santa Ynez Valley that we sell for $26.99 a bottle, 14.5% alcohol by volume. It sure is full, rich, round and full and deep on the palate with blanket-upon-blanket of soothing and warming flavors and taste.

SANTOS and RAVI have set up a ALASKA Distillery Handcrafted " Buzz " Honey Vodka and " Smoked Salmon " Flavored Vodka tasting here from 5-8PM. Flavorful, distinct and so much fun. Join us, NEVER any charge. Go to : www.alaskadistillery.com for more info. From Wasilla, Alaska!

Saturday, February 16th, 2013 - 2-6PM : We have Abi of FREE RUN Imports here to pour some stunning " new " California wines for you all! This will be fun, this will be a " first ". JOIN US, NEVER any charge.

UPDATE : We had a great time with local artiste extraordinaire Andre Way here this past Saturday talking about her work and her 30-year retrospective at American University's Kasten Art Center that is still running now. Andrea spoke of her art on paper done with pen and colored pencil and she signed copies of her book that is in color and beautiful ( On Sale here for $20 instead of $25 ) that would make a great gift, even for Valentine's Day for any of you artists out there?!? She left some signed copies here. Come check it out.

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, YOU ALL are the very best! Come see us or call if you cannot come by. 202-363-4265.

CHECK OUT our " New " and " Improved " Web Site : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits. Look at the pictures and the categories and order and have sent anywhere where it is legal to loved ones and family and business associates. We can do this for you now easily. Cheers ...

THANKS AGAIN ... Happy Valentine's Day to one and all, happy Mardi Gras/ Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday ... enjoy the Sate of the Union address tonight ...

AND ENJOY YOUR 3-Day Weekend with President's Day on Monday.

STOCK UP HERE for those 3 Glorious Days ... TONY