BEAUTIFUL DAY/CLEAR BABY BLUE SKIES/TOMORROW IS THE FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF SPRING ,

HAPPY EASTER / PASSOVER / GOOD FRIDAY ...

JANCIS ROBINSON VISITS D.C. TO TALK ABOUT HER JOINT-VENTURE " AMERICAN WINES " BOOK @ BAIRD AUDITORIUM

WE HAVE Andrew Stover of his own company VINO50 SELECTIONS here to taste and to talk about Jancis Robinson, famous British wine-writer known the whole world over by us in the wine business. She will be at the Baird Auditorium on Thursday night, March 21st, 2013 at 7PM talking about her books and the exciting wines of America. The book devoted eight pages to the wines of Virginia I believe?!? That's a good start and you should all google Paul Jameson and read his excellent review of this book in the New York Times. Many good points and comparisons to past efforts to address the ever-expanding and impressive efforts of those making wines here in America that also includes Canada. All good : still room to improve and grow but some excellent references for us all wishing to spread the word about how fine the wines being made here in America are!

I WILL SUGGEST that more be written next time on the individual states here in the U.S. that should include a minimum of four paragraphs and should include a list of at least 5-10 wineries in each state. Let us all make our own decisions whether the wines are good or not : but in the meantime include some for us to look into or visit with corresponding addresses and emails and web page info, too. That would be wonderful. All in one book : so many possibilities to hold in our hands and to look at, think about, reach out to, buy a wine of, visit a vineyard.

THIS MORNING I got a call from someone wishing to send a bottle to Potomac , Maryland by/ from Marlo Thomas. I gave her some numbers to call as she had already tried fifteen places in Maryland and they all told her that they could not deliver. Marlo wants to send a " Thank You " to someone and I hope that her assistant is successful. Wish we could have done it ourselves, but it is not legal to deliver for us into Maryland. Cheers.

I HAVE BEEN HEARING lots about the LITTLE WASHINGTON Winery in Virginia and so went to their Facebook page and left them a message to contact us here and " shared " two of their pictures with you on our Facebook page. I am excited to try their wines. They had " green wine " for Saint Patty's Day and my question to them was : " Was the wine good enough to go and ask for a second glass ? ... and What does it taste like ? ". I have not heard back, but I trust the wine was good and that a second glass was in order as well. Stay-Tuned for more info on this as you know we actively support the Virginia and local wines here.

I AM ALSO MOST-interested in trying the new wines from the " newly-planted vines " by horticulturalist Lucie Morton in Rob's vineyard. Jean Gagliolo is our local rep and I will call him now to remind us. to bring us samples ASAP! All this is food-for-thought and will be interesting to share with Jancis on Thursday evening if given the chance. Cheers. Just got off the phone with Jean and he will check the current status of the BOORDY , Maryland wines.

BEER NEWS From Santos : Something for Spring perhaps :

1) " Swing " from Session Saison from VICTORY , Ale Brewed with Apices ( On Special for $10.99 a 6-pack of 12 ounce bottles,4.5% alcohol by volume, Downingtown, PA. , www.victorybeer.com ) : sound like Spring, let's all get into the swing ... : " It's a lively jazz rhythm , a vigorous sway, a change of view or even a roll in the proverbial hay. Now, it also means the welcome jolt of joy ... ". Try it.

2) " The Shed " Brewery Mountain Ale , a Rugged Brown Ale ( On Special for $10.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles, unfiltered brewed in Stowe, Vermont, since 1995, 7.4% alcohol by volume, ) : " Smooth , malty overtones with a pronounced hop finish ". Looks so warming, the red label alone speaks of comfort and rugged taste to me ...

3) " Pere Jacques " Belgian-style Abbey Ale From GOOSE ISLAND( On Special for $9.99 a 1 Pt. 9.87Fl. Oz bottle, Chicago, Illinois ,www.gooseisland.com , 8.7% alcohol by volume ) is " new and exciting " and a perfect treat for this almost-spring weather of ours today as the sun peaks though the clouds.

4) " Birthday Sun " Sour Brown Ale 20th CROOKED LINE from UNITA Brewing ( $14.99 1 Pt. 9.78 Fl. Oz bottle, 7.4% alcohol by volume. www.unitabrewing.com for more info, Salt Lake City, Utah ) : " Earth, Wind & Beer ... brewed in celebration of Unita's 20th birthday, this American Sour Brown Ale flaunts significantly acidity balanced by flavorful Abbey and Chocolate malts and a modest amount of hops ".

UPDATE : News Flash : Just met winemaker Michele le D'Aronix that came with 4 excellent dry red Bordeaux wines from the right bank of Merlot, that are mostly Merlot blends, with one being made without any wood aging ( the

1) Chateau Le Ringue , Bordeaux 2011, $16.99, fruit-forward, lovely color and balance and soft mouth-feel ;

2) Chateau Beausejour Montagne Saint-Emilion " Pentimento " made by Michele and using only barrels already one year old, a bit richer, more extraction and mouth-grip that I liked as I got accustomed to it's distinct personality of balance and flesh and finesse ;

3) Chateau La Croix Lartigue Cotes Du Castillon " L'Expression 2010, bolder, needing more time and some food to help take a bit of the edge and heartier mouth-grip - also really well-balanced and fruit-forward ), and ;

4) Chateau La Bienfaisance Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, 2010 made by one of the few female winemakers in Bordeaux, according to Michele. I liked the charm and the expression of elegance and silky brightness to this wine.

Here we have 4 people involved in the making of these wines and I liked the balance and the definition here, and that none of the wines ever lost sight of the fruit in the grapes with which they started which was principally Merlot. Bravo.

Michele told me that she Rachel Martin of the BOXWOOD WINERY, Middleburg, VA. each year in Bordeaux, France as they have the same French self-taught enologist that she described I believe as like the " Yoda " of wine-making. I like that. I like that a lot.

Everything that Michele said spoke to me in volumes and since she is from New York I hope to get her here to taste these wines soon and explain their hands-on, respect the land from which the wines come, make the best expressions that they can and not be tied-up in too much tradition that can inhibit them from achieving their goals.

To my palate they have succeeded in their mission and it will be great to sell them. Lucinda Williams may bring them by tomorrow for Michel Dumas to try. I hope so. These wines and their makers reflect very much the philosophy of our store here.
COME check out the BOXWOOD ESTATE 2009 " Topiary " Saint-Emilion style red Bordeaux, $29.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume,www.boxwoodwinery.com, Middleburg, Virginia ) that represents what Michele and the three others are doing there and that Rachel is doing here.

Bravo to all of these fine efforts! It will be great to have Rachel taste them here again soon. Maybe we can get her and Michele to do an in-store wine-tasting here soon together? That would be great. We hope to have some of Michele's wines here by April.

I kept some of Michele's own Pentimento 2009 in my glass : love the deep bright purple-garnet color, the nose pulls me from my seated position and into the glass, and the taste on my lips, mouth and tongue makes me glad I just enjoyed my pork chop for lunch and makes me think that I would have been better served by the l'onglet cut of red beef that I love to order from our very own Lavandou restaurant at the end of the block : l'onglet et frites avec le sauce magique brune ... vers le paradis, vraiment.

LIQUOR / LIQUEURS From Ravinder :

TWO RUMS :

1) Cuban Formula Rum Cask No. 21 : VIZCAYA VXOP ( $42.99 , 40% alcohol by volume , from the Dominican Republic, ) looks beautiful : like a fine bottle of French Cognac, a great deep reflective and brilliant amber color that just draws the eye to it over and over again and makes you want to hold the bottle, to cradle it in one hand and with the other turn the golden cork top around to release some of this Dominican Republic rum magic into a glass or two or even three or four. How many will be joining us for this splendid treat?!? Better hurry, but be gone before we know it.

2) The Original KOLOA Kauai , Hawaiian Kaua'I White Rum ( $36.99, 40% alcohol by volume, www.koloarum.com ) , distilled and blended on the garden island of Kaua'i. Come try some : live largely for awhile. Cheers.

TWO BOURBONS :

1) LEXINGTON Finest Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey ( $28.99, 43% alcohol by volume, Three Springs Bottling Company, Bowling Green, Kentucky ) : Ravi just got this in stock this morning along with the VISCAYA Rum and was pleased as punch to announce both to me. All good news Ravi. Exciting times, exciting " new " products for us to taste, sell and promote. Cheers.

2) Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey from FOUR ROSES ( $42.99, 50% alcohol by volume, Barrel # 69-3T ,www.fourroses.us ) : made my Jim Rutledge, Master Distiller : " Four Roses uses two grain recipes and 5 exclusive yeast strains to distill 10 uniquely different Bourbon recipes. ... smooth and mellow distinctive fruity aromas with delicate notes of honey and maple syrup, as well as spicy hints of cinnamon and nutmeg ... ". Quality through and through.

WINES From Michel & Tony :

KOSHER WINES For Passover :

1) TERRA VEGA , Valle Central, Chile comes in Three Reds : 1) Cabernet Sauvignon, 2) Merlot, 3) Carmenere and TWO Whites : 1) Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc : ALL selling for $8.99 a bottle, ALL dry, all good food wines.
2) O'DWYERS Creek 2011 Marlborough, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, $16.99 a bottle, 12.5% alcohol by volume,www.odwyerscreek.co.nz and :www.koshercertification.co.nz. Refreshing, dry, bright.

3) CHATEAU DE BONFILS 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, Entre-Deux-Mers dry white Bordeaux, $11.99, 12.5% alcohol by volume, Mevushal as well as kosher for Passover. Also comes in a red Bordeaux that we carry.

4) CHATEAU BOIS-CARDON 2010 ( great vintage ) dry red Medoc, Bordeaux ($27.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume, ) that is new to us like the red CHATEAU DE BONFILS.

5) SENORIO ALDAZ 1) 2009 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Tempranillo ; and the 2) Tempranillo, BOTH $12.99 a bottle, BOTH from Spain's Navarra region : both dry and excellent food wines, medium-to-light-bodied, BOTH kosher for Passover and Mevushal.

6) Sangiovese Dry Italian Red from CANTINA GABRIELE, $11.99, 2011, 12.5% alcohol by volume, kosher for Passover and Mevushal, easy, medium-to-light-bodied soft dry red. Easy-drinking with or without food.

7) A) Pinot Grigio 2011 from CATINA GABRIELE Dry Italian white On Special for $11.99, ; and the B ) Chardonnay, On Special for $9.99 a bottle. Both Mevushal as well as kosher for Passover.

8) VINO Sweet Lazio Red and VINO Lazio Sweet White, BOTH Italian wines at $9.99, also both Mevushal and kosher for Passover, 6% alcohol by volume.

WE HAVE MANY other kosher fpr Passover wines on our shelves as well : including half bottles ( 375ml ) of the TERRA VEGA Chilean wines, the Cabernet Sauvignon dry red and the dry white Sauvignon Blanc for $5.99 : for convenience or variety. They are in our half-bottle selection. Cheers.

CALL : Michel or Tony for more info or help : 202-363-4265.

UPDATES ON LAST WEEK'S TASTINGS :

OWNER James Henry from Cleveland Park and the inventor of his own TEAVINE sparkling American Green Tea, White Sparkling Wines and Honey Infusion, $13.99 , 6.5% alcohol by volume sold a lot and the general comment was one of liking the TEAVINE and thinking it will be even greater as it warms into spring and summer here! We agree. Come and get some signed bottles for gifts. Cheers, Thanks James for tasting here this past Friday evening. Go to :www.teavinisdivine.com for more info.

FREDERICK CORRIHER of his own ROUTE DES VINS Import of French wines did really well with all his wines, and I think his TROIS Amis Chardonnay 2011 Vin de Pays d'Oc , $11.99, 13% alcohol by volume is a perfect dry white with body, weight and character to enjoy now as the weather teases us and thinks it may soon change to warm?!? Thanks Frederick and Chris Bartha for your tasting here this past Saturday.

ALEX of the BALKAN Estate Wines of Serbia, Macedonia and Croatia tasted a whole series of his wines this past Friday here. He had many people come to taste here with us as well as our regular crowd and it worked really well. I want to mention both the TRIADA ( means my land, my family , my wine 2007 , $21.99, 12.8% alcohol by volume, 100% Prokupa that makes for an excellent medium-bodied dry, spicy, white peppery red : and the " Ines in White " of ROXANICH 2008 Orange-colored white that is unique and unfiltered, unfined, a lovely cloudiness, ... WONDERFUL! $44.99 a bottle, one of the most unique wine experiences ever! Cheers.

WEDNESDAY Still Wine SALE TOMORROW, March 20th, 2013 - our First Official Day of Spring. 3-Part SALE of still, non-sparkling wines. SAVE BIG here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits.

WEEKEND TASTINGS :

Friday, March 22nd, 2013 ( 5-8PM ) : We have Andrew Stover here to taste some excellent wines from Virginia from PARADISE SPRINGS, BOXWOOD and BREAUX Vineyards : two whites , one rose and one red Norton. FUN.

Saturday, March 23rd, 2013 ( 2-6PM ) : We have Eric Platt of SEIFRIED, FORREST New Zealand wines here tasting from Sauvignon Blanc to dry Riesling, to Pinot Noir and perhaps another " goodie " or two? Agnes Seifried was just here so we will toast her , of course. Cheers.

I AM SURE I HAVE FORGOTTEN MANY THINGS but it's time to post this store's weekly email NOW. Sorry if I forgot to mention any of you as you are all important to us. Cheers and thanks for everything. TONY