GRAY OUTSIDE, TORRENTIAL RAINS? STOCK UP!

WE HAVE THE STORE STOCKED and we are stoked to get you here and inside where you may escape this afternoon's downpour of rain from the heavily-burdened skies that, too have their own burdens and situations to resolve through a natural course of events. There's a harmony, a sense to it and we just have to be mindful today as we leave our offices with umbrellas at the-ready to shield us from such sudden and torrential-like downpours.

RELAX, ESCAPE inside our warm and bright and welcoming store. I will give you today plenty to read before you leave to interest and catch your attentions so that you will be thinking about what and how much to buy of whatever is recommended here by Michel, Ravi, Santos and me, Tony.

RAVI JUST SHOWED ME a " new " SMIRNOFF " Iced Cake "-flavored vodka ( On Special for $13.99, 750ml bottle, 30% alcohol by volume, triple-distilled, filtered ten times, www.DRINKiQ.com ) that makes me wonder how it tastes with the white icing displayed on the label? Does it need to be enjoyed with a slice of cake to be really appreciated? You all will have to try some and share your impressions with us. Cheers.

KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY -

AS I WALKED OUR AISLES I spotted immediately a bottle of the Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey JOHNNY DRUM , an " Old Fashioned Sour Mash handmade in Kentucky " ( $16.99, 43% alcohol by volume, 86 Proof, Bardstown, Nelson County, KY, ). This is made in small quantities to ensure " the finest quality possible in our family tradition ". Johhny Drum. We need to get Johhny now to come here and taste it with you all. That would be a treat. We will make some calls, you just never know?

LUXARDO Cherry Liqueur -

KAY CAME BY THIS WEEKEND asking if we had any Cherry Sangue Morlacco liqueur from LUXARDO? I asked her to repeat what she was asking for as I had never heard of it or seen it. I asked Ravi and he told us that we did, in fact have some and told us where to look. Kay later told me that she had had a drink with it over at DINO ristorante a few store fronts down from us. I will have to go over and chat with the bartender there and ask him more so that I may share it with you here. On Special for $20.99, 30% alcohol by volume, LUXARDO started in 1821. www.luxardo.it, from Torreglia ( Padova ) Italy. I see on the back a recipe for the LUXARDO SLING : one-quarter Cherry LUXARDO, one-half gin, one-quarter grapefruit juice. Shake well in a shaker, serve in a tumbler filled with ice and top with soda. Cheers.

SWEET TEA FLAVORED VODKA & BOURBON -

Sweet Tea Flavored Vodka & Bourbon Whiskey from JEREMIAH WEED Southern Style ( On Special for $15.99, 35% alcohol by volume,www.jeremiahweed.com ). This should give it a whole " new " dimension with the bourbon whiskey. Any of you tried it yet? Please do respond to this email and share your impressions. We would love to hear from you all.

JUST HEARD ON THE RADIO a WEATHER UPDATE -

... thunder storms and damaging winds turn into a tornado watch ...

ORANGE LIQUEUR From Martinique -

LIQUEUR D'ORANGE( Orange Liqueur, $25.99, 40% alcohol by volume, Domaine de l"Acajou , Le Francois . Martinique. owned by same family that grows and makes this since 1887, www.rhumelement.com ) CLEMENT Creole Shrubb : " A vibrant orange liqueur produced according to a historic Creole recipe dating back several hundred years. Creole Shrubb is a blend of white rum and aged rum infused with bitter orange peels and Creole spices that have been slowly brewed with pure sugarcane syrup in oak casks ".

Barleywine-Style Ale, 2011 -

Barleywine-Style Ale 2011 from SCHLAFLY , the SCHLAFLY RESERVE Ale Aged On Oak ( $13.99 a 1 Pt. 9.4 Fluid Ounce bottle, 10.2% alcohol by volume, brewed and bottled by The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. in Saint Louis, Missouri,www.schlafly.com ) : " This Barleywine-style ale was aged on oak, adding a nutty, roasty-flavor to the sweet bready character of the ale. This 2011 will age well for several years but is ready to drink now. Enjoy it with spicy dishes and grilled meats- especially game-to bring out its best flavors. " Turn the bottle upside down and look at the bottom where the white sticker sez : " Bottled with love on 5 0812 ). I like that.

Imported Brown Ale -

Original Belgian Abbey Ale / Brune-Brown from the ABBAYE DE ABBEY of LEFFE ( On Special for $9.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles, since 1240, 6.5% alcohol by volume, from Belgium ) : " Enjoy this delicious Leffe Brown with its sweet caramel yet bitter taste - puissante et savoureuse / powerful and full of taste ". Drink before 10/22/13. Cheers. How many of you already have tried this? What are your thoughts? Next time you come share some of them with us.

Triple Beer/ Ale ?!? Doesn't Say!!!!

Bete Blanche Tripel from ELYSIAN ( On Special for $11.99 a 6-pack of 12 ounce bottles, 7.4% alcohol by volume, brewed and bottled by Elysian Brewing Company, Inc in Seattle, Washington ,www.elysianbrewing.com ) : " A twist on the French expression " Bette Noire ", Bete Blanche is extremely drinkable, blonde and somewhat treacherous. ALE 7.4% alcohol by volume ". There it is, the one word ALE on the whole bottle, it's an ale!!! Enjoy. Made with German Northern, Brewer and Styrian Goldings, with pale malts and special Belgian candy sugar. Cheers.

Spanish Beer -

1906 Reserva Especial Cervesa from ESTRELLA GALICIA ( On Special for $12.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles, 6.5% alcohol by volume,www.estrellagalicia.es ) : " Culmina una tradicion cervecera uiniciada en el ano 1906 con una cervesa ideal para los que prefieren un sabor y caracter mas acentuado. Su elaboracion se realiza a partir de maltas tostadas y lupulos aromaticos equilibrandose tras unaguarda prolongada hasta alcanzar su especial color , aroma y sabor ". Sounds so good in Spanish. How many of you understand this? If not come on by and Santos will translate it for you. Cheers.

20% OFF 3-Part Still-Wine SALE :

1) BUY any non-sparkling wine over $20 - SAVE 20% OFF the marked sticker price, whether On Special or not.

2) BUY 6 or more bottles of any non-sparkling wine at any price ( whether On Special or not ) and SAVE 15% OFF the marked sticker prices.

3) BUY any 12 bottles ( assorted, or the same, On Special or not, at any price ) and SAVE 20% OFF the marked sticker prices.

THESE 3 parts above include also : sake, port, marsala, madeira : so you may mix things together and get a wider range of whatever you may need.

- You have many choices, many possibilities here.

- Have fun with your selections.

- Let us help you.

- Buy some " known " items and some that are really " new and exciting " to you!
- Have something " new " to share.

- Treat yourselves.

- You may owe someone a special gift that did something that really helped you our and that you really appreciated?!?!

- YOU WANT TO BE PREPARED for today's " Tornado Watch " in case the weather was really bad later today and you are all off on tomorrow, Wednesday!

- You just want to be proactive and prepared for anything - and you like to have some " goodies ".

MICHEL & TONY'S Wine Selections : we have recently tasted some really fine wines -

WHITES :

1) LINE 39 Lake County, California Sauvignon Blanc ( $9.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume , www.line39wines.com ). It's really focused, fresh, not heavy or alcoholic and a delight to sip. Cheers!

2) White Burgundy / Bourgogne Blanc 100% Chardonnay 2011 " Clos De La Perriere " MONOPOLE ( means it all come from one vineyard site and is not blended with many - this is rare in a simply-delicious white Burgundy like this ). It comes from the DOMAINE DE LA CREA ( $19.99, 12.5% alcohol, nice and low ) and drinks beautifully with a really fine bouquet, too. What a lovely treat and at a really lovely price, too. Claude Thibaut of his own Virginia sparkling selected this for Margaux & Company.

3) " Mandala 2010 American White Table Wine ( $24.99. 13.5% alcohol by volume ) is a blend I believe of both California and Arizona grapes, made by STRONGHOLD Vineyards. Made together by Maynard James Keenan and Eric Glomski , www.azstronghold.com. Flavorful, rich, good complexity and a really fine wine to pair with many foods. If you follow music by the group Tool then you need to try some of this. Cheers.

4) Viognier 2011 La Rioja, Argentina of CHANARMUYO Estate Chamas Honnorat Family Wines ( $11.99 a bottle, 13.5% alcohol by volume , www.chanarmuyo.com.ar ) is a fuller, drier, more nut and honey-accented wine that is creamy on the palate with more lovely viscosity. It's a GREAT FOOD wine as it will make you hungry by the fourth or fifth sip. Medium-to-light-bodied, this is a pleasure to drink with your meal. We had it open this weekend and it was well-received by most. Buy some of it along with the dry red Malbec that we sell for $10.99 a bottle. Cheers.

REDS -

1) Spanish Tempranillo 2011 from EL CORTIJILLO ( On Special for $5.99, 12.5% alcohol by volume, from Spain's La Mancha region ) is drinking beautifully and we are almost out within days so I have just ordered more for tomorrow's delivery. This wine is worth buying by the case. It's flavorful, got good spice and is best with food and represents a GREAT DEAL today! Medium-to-light-bodied - nice.

2) Blue Frank or BLAUFRANKISH 2008 dry red Austrian red from the Burgenland region ( On Special for $8.99 a bottle, 13% alcohol by volume, from NECKENMARKT ) from the Mittelburgenland area : earthy, peppery, spicy, a bit gritty with good " grip " and mouth-feel - this medium-to-light-bodied dry red should be chilled twenty-five minutes and served with some flavorful foods so that both will shine together. GREAT DEAL, get some while you still can! It will sell quickly at this price once you all try it.

3) Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2010 from Chile's Casablanca Valley by INDOMITA ( $11.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume, ) , this Pinot noir has really good flavors, is balanced and with some really refreshing toasty-berry flavors, accents of spice and so bright, too. Medium-to-light-bodied - really very special for the $12 a bottle.

4) Costieres de Nimes Rhone-Style dry red 2009 ( great vintage! $13.99, 14% alcohol by volume, from CHATEAU DE VALCOMBE,www.chateaudevalcombe.com ) is a medium-bodied, tasty food-friendly spicy dry red blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache. It's got just the right mouth-feel, focus and flesh to make it taste so good immediately. Cheers.

5) " Trellis " from BOXWOOD Vineyard in Middleburg, VA., this 2010 is made from younger vines and a blend of Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot ( $21.99 a bottle, 13.8% alcohol by volume, was mostly sold at the Tasting Room till now ), this is less-expensive and readier to drink than either the BOXWOOD " Topiary " Right Bank Bordeaux-style or the BOXWOOD " Boxwood " Left Bank Bordeaux-style blend.

6) 2008 Alexander Valley , California Cabernet Sauvignon from SIMI Vineyards ( $24.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume,www.simiwinery.com, Geyserville, ) is beautifully-balanced with polish, elegance, subtlety, refinement. It's medium-to-light-bodied and a real treat. You can sip it, so stylish. Michel and I do not have enough time to tell you all the good things we find in this 2008 SIMI. We bought lots, that there should tell you enough to fill a whole chapter in a book!

WEEK'S EVENTS/ TASTINGS :

Wednesday, September 19th, 2012 ( All Day Long ) : Our 3-Part Still/Non-Sparkling Wine-SALE. Go back to read about that above.

Friday, September 21st, 2012 ( 5-8PM ) : We have owner Bruce of GOTHAM Vineyards that produces wines from the Barossa like the 2008 Shiraz, $18.99 ; and like the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, $19.99 from the McLaren Vale : and the Langhorn Creek regions, too. Bruce and Kate his daughter ( both have been here tasting with our customers ) also produce the less-expensive line called the WINE MEN of GOTHAM. WE currently have some of the Chardonnay/ Semillon dry white blend that we sell for $8.99 a bottle. Come taste a selection here this Friday from 5-8PM and get a bottle or more signed as gifts. Cheers.

Saturday, September 22nd, 2012 ( 2-6PM ) : We have Nolan of Mondo Vino Imports here to taste some excellent dry Muscat from France, a dry Chardonnay Italian Milanese white blend and many more. WE are still deciding for the others but already have some good ideas.

JOIN US. NEVER any charge. Everyone always welcome.

I AM SURE I HAVE FORGOTTEN MANY THINGS : sorry! But it's time to post this email. Sorry that our web page is still down. It got hacked as it is on the Go Daddy site and we will have it up and running once again in another week I believe? Stay-tuned for that. In the meantime much of the information can be found on our Facebook at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits site, as well as you can follow us on Twitter. Thanks for everything!

IT'S RAINING NOW here and everyone is coming in wet, some of you got stuck here when it really rained recently. I hear that it's pouring in northern Virginia, too as a neighbor that walks our dog called to fill me in a few minutes ago. Stay dry and safe.

DON'T FORGET TOMORROW, Wednesday our Big 3-Part Still-non-sparkling wine SALE.

ALSO : We deliver so call us at : 202-363-4265 and we will get whatever you want over to you here in our neighborhood. We only deliver in Washington D.C.

LET US KNOW what we may do to better assist you?

NEED HELP PLANNING an event? I just did one a few minutes ago for Gene that said we came recommended as he left with a smile on his face and almost three cases of wine, too!

ARE YOU OPEN TO SOME NEW POSSIBILITIES? Come see us. Cheers, TONY