" He needs some help with French wines. " Jagir motions to me with his eyes as he walks from the office up front and I walk back and see Jonathan looking at the French wines. I ask him :
" May I help you? "
We get into a quick conversation about the bottle of JO PITHON Loire Valley dry Chenin Blanc that he is holding in his hands. Jonathan is gushing with energy and emotion, and his face is is animated as he exclaims that he is both so happy and surprised to find this wine, that usually, and that for years he has just come to Cleveland Park Wines and Spirits for beer and had no idea that we had the JO PITHON wines for sale here.
I told him that Jo Pithon ( I have great pictures with Jo and his braod smile that covered his whole face and lit up the store each and every time! ) had been in the store many times before with Laurent Givry and that we had sold his wines for years. Jonathan asked me if there were any more bottles of the JO PITHON wines besides the one her was holding?
I said maybe one or two more, that they had not been available for awhile, that Jo had signed some of them on his visits. I scanned the shelves and showed him the half-bottles of the Quartes De Chaume sweet Chenin Blanc ( we have three or four of those ) and I finally spotted one more : we had the 2004 and the 2005, a bottle of each, and Jonathan said he was buying those immediately. He had visited the winery with his father.
His father John took him there. he thinks it may have been in 2007 or so? Anyway, right up to the register when we took this picture we talked excitedly about Jo and his wines and their trip there to the vineyard and that Jonathan was going to give the one signed bottle we found here to his father as a gift to him. Jonathan was so excited.
We had a customer take this pic with Jonathan's phone and Jonathan was nice enough to send it immediately to me. It's great when stories like this occur, and they happen frequently. It's what Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits is all about. Cheers, thanks Jonathan, John et merci Jo. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Jonathan will probably be back for some of the half bottles of the JO PITHON Chaume at around $40 a bottle? Happy Wednesday to you all ... a hot day in Washington D.C. ....
Remembering With Jerry Humphrey's Help The Life Of Bobby Abbo Of Our Once Very Popular Italian Restaurant Roma Here In Cleveland Park That Is Now The Firehook Bakery
Posted on our Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits' Facebook page yesterday, Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014 , enjoy ... Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 4/24/2014
ONE OF THE Cleveland Park neighborhood ' icon ' figures here Santos Rivera told me last night passed away : Bobby the owner of the Firehook Bakery location here as well as a couple of others, Bobby passed away losing his fight with cancer. This is sad news indeed as he has been a welcome fixture here with his parents before him. They owned, ran and managed with love, care and passion the Italian restaurant, Roma. Many of you may not know about this restaurant that used to greet it's customers with the two parents and some large stuffed animals of a leaping tiger and a bear was it? I cannot remember now. It was a respite, a lively and active oasis for customers to go and enjoy a tasty, comfort-Italian-casual-food meal without pretense and attitude.
Many of you have seen the mural that's painted on the wall in the garden out in the back of the Firehood Bakery with the fountain and the old-vines grape arbor, too.
My last glorious memory of Bobby was him last year up over the vine arbor perched rather precariously clipping them! LOVE that, GO BOBBY, thanks for all the great memories. The vines are just starting to grow this year now ... cheers, you will be missed Bobby. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Wednesday morning on a bright, cool, breezy late morning here. TONY
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Jerry Humphreys I called on Bobby & his mother many years ago for a long time up until his moms death and later when he sold. We became close friends over business & later personal. He was a very giving man!!.
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Anthony Quinn Jerry, thanks for sharing all of this as I only knew him through Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits and I did enjoy seeing him from time to time in the store and outside and around Cleveland Park. I started my story sitting in the Firehook Bakery grape ourbor like this : " Sitting here bathed in sunshine's gentle late afternoon spotlight tempered in constant variations of a theme of hot on my left side of my face and cooler on my right side that is shaded and more susceptible to the varying breeze now, lulling me to almost fall asleep as I yawn largely and enjoy the big old grape vine to my right side that's reined here now for many long and fruitful years under the constant supervision of occasionally chirping, constantly busy and vigilant sparrows just by my feet enjoying the many bread or cookie crumbs that the last occupant of this plastic brown table must have left in Bobby's grape-arbored garden/courtyard outside in the back of the ' now ' Firehook Bakery that used to be the Roma Restaurant. ... " TONY
Jerry Humphreys Poor Roberts was a bar between The Roma & The Raw Bar. It was the local "Cheers" of the Cleveland Park neighborhood. It was quite a mix of people every night. From judges to patent atty to telephone repairman, to salespeople. it was dark and was a head of it's time as Bobby had a Satellite installed for sports on the few TV's he had. Keep in mind this was in the 80's & early 90's. I think it all closed in 1997??
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Anthony Quinn Thanks Jerry! TONY
I appreciate all of this info as it tells a story about Cleveland Park and another piece of our history here! TONY
Go To The Racing Biz online site for the rest of this story that Jerry shared with me to read more about Bobby Abbo's life ...
Copied just now from another source that was passed onto me by Jerry Humphreys. Thanks Jerry : ...
by Frank Vespe
Bobby Abbo, owner of Immortal Eyes, became very emotional following his horse's De Francis Dash win. Photo by Vas.
Bobby Abbo, owner of Immortal Eyes, became very emotional following his horse’s De Francis Dash win. Photo by Vas.
Robert “Bobby” Abbo presented a face to the world — di...See More cheers and thanks Jerry, TONY
Let's all drink some Italian wine or Italian spirits and celebrate the life of Bobby Abbo that just passed away that was a real fixture for Cleveland Park for so many years. Cheers Bobby, TONY 4/23/2014
I will finish this as I am able. In the meantime enjoy this as it is. Cheers, thanks Jerry, TONY
Hello Michael! How are you?!? Happy New Year! It's time we get more of your wines @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits and schedule another wine-tasting with you here? Call us at : 202-363-4265 and let's start the year right with some more Virginia Wineworks wines in the store! Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn It's only 19 degrees outside today on Wednesday morning, January 8th, 2014 here in northern Virginia at my house now, 10:01AM... cheers, TONY
I had lots of great conversations today on the coldest day of the year 2014 so far! Daniel came in to the store earlier carrying a beautiful bouquet of vibrant and colorful and loud, festive flowers of all kinds that shouted to be seen-heard! I loved them! Daniel and I spoke for awhile in the sparkling wine-French champagne section as he held a bottle of the inexpensive Sacy French champagne, $30.99. He asked me if that was the only French champagne we had chilled? I said : " No " and proceeded to show him one after another and he remarked that he and his wife drank a lot of champagne and he was pleased to see that we had a number of small-grower French champagnes like our 1er Cru VOIRIN-JUMEL, $43.99 a bottle that he eventually bought after we looked at the AGRIPART 7-Crus, $49.99, another dry Grand Cru rose, and more. Turns out he fessed-up to me just before leaving as he was paying ( I had mentioned that it must be an important celebration? ) and he said that he was making up for the fact that his wife had to put up with his family for two days and that they are trying, much more so than her family! That's nice Daniel. I hope this evening with the flowers and the Champagne VOIRIN-JUMEL 1er Cru have been a grand success. Cheers and Happy New Year to you both. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn, Wednesday AM just now as I finish typing this from yesterday's really COLD day. What will later today hold for us all?!?
Love olive oil when it's good! Like Bill Sanders that he makes in California called FIRST FRESH, that we sell here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits in Northwest Washington D.C., 20008 for $19.99 a bottle. Bill was a resident here in Cleveland Park for many years and still returns to visit to say " Hello " to us, " Bonjour " to Florence at Lavandou and " Caio " to Pietro at Sorriso ristorante, too! Happy New Year Bill! See you soon ... Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 1/7/14
Quale è il tuo olio preferito? Una iniziativa del Ministero dell’Agricoltura e di Unaprol per scoprire quale cultivar e quale gusto di extravergine ci è più congeniale. E si vince anche tanto oro verde -->
http://bit.ly/concorso_olio From GAMBERO ROSSO Italian REview 1/7/14
COME IN from the COLD, the WIND she be mighty, she be relentless, she be howling, SO : COME INSIDE, here, to the warmth and comfort and good and great cheer that we offer. Go get some bread at Firehook Bakery and then get some of Bill's FRESH FIRST extra virgin California olive oil made with Spanish olive varietals, it's kosher, too, and then dip the bread into it and feel the instant warmth of the sunshine as it saturates you thoroughly and puts ONE BIG Sunshine-Smile-A-Mile-Long On your faces! Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Tuesday here in our vibrant Cleveland Park neighborhood of Northwest, Washington D.C., 20008 at 10:55AM ... cheers, TONY
Thanks Jason ( of TABLAS CREEK Vineyard, Paso Robles, CA. ) , it's been awhile since you came and tasted here and that was a great tasting we did together. We are happy to pour your wine here today on a really cold with the unforgiving, relentless winds that are GUSTING through our region now and which PUSH ASIDE, too the faint but beautiful sunlight that valiantly is trying to do what it can in these severe weather moments here now! LOVE this picture, it's a " classic ", and Olivier keeps us abreast of you all with all the photos he shares from your page and I have LIKED your page, will you please LIKE ours so that we can all be in better contact and do better business in 2014! Cheers, best to Robert and your family. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 1/4/14
The red from TABLAS CREEK, $24.99 from Paso Robles that's a blend of the Rhone grape varietals gets a HUGE - HUMONGOUS " Shout Out " from me because it is so fresh, so bright, so fruit-driven, and defies gravity as it is perhaps the lightest on my palate, like the tread of a newborn baby's bare feet on my palate. I LOVED that, I enjoyed and noticed that immediately and it made me smile like I rarely smile when I try California wine. I thought suddenly : wow, impressive, can this be?!? Did they, do they, does someone from California get it that you don't have to come at our palates with sledge hammers, and columns of a liquid that is almost like a solid, a SOLID WALL that does not permit us entrance into the flavors inside? I want to be able to get inside the wine I drink, to become a part of it through my palate, no matter what it offers, to feel like I have access into it and am not stopped at it's gates and hit repeatedly over the head as I try and gain a foot-hold, a place, a relationship with it. SO : Bravo TABLAS CREEK for this airy and fruit-driven, balanced dry red that will be great for spring and summer drinking. Michel Dumas and I are thrilled to have it to offer to you. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 1/5/14 Happy New Year 2014! The Patelin 2011 de Tablas is the wine, $24.99! TONY
This Part 2 BUBBLY Big-Theme Wine-Tasting of 21 Sparkling wines and French Champagnes was inspired by The visit of customers Gay and Mark that love bubbly but were unable to attend the Part 1 BUBBLY Big-Theme Wine-Tasting of Wednesday, December 4th, 2013 from 5-8PM @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits. Part 2 was a big success and here are some of the photos featuring Mike Cavanagh and Robert Loggia pouring the SALTON and the OVER THE MOUNTAIN Brazilian and South African wines - both sparkling and still wines, ( 21 sparkling wines, 5 still wines ), and Robert Loggia ( with his Spanish Cava CODORNIU, Andrew Stover with STONE HILL,, Missouri; owner James Henry of the TEAVINE Green Tea, honey and sparkling wine blend, Mark Congdon pouring the NATHALIE FALMET Brut Nature French Champagne and Marcie Weinstein pouring some of THE CHOCK sparkling Aussie Shiraz, the ESTANDON French Provence sparkling rose and so many more! WOW, what a sparkling spectacle this all was! Cheers! ENJOY! Thank you Kevin Gleeson for letting me use your i-phone to take these pictures to " capture " this wonderful, special moment of ours! You are the best Kevin! Cheers, Happy New Year 2014 to everyone! TONY 1/4/14
Part 2 BUBBLY-FRENCH CHAMPAGNE-Sparkling-Wine-Tasting 12/30/13 (12 photos)
This was a trial of sorts to give those good customers of ours like Evie, Gay and Mark and Phoebe a chance to come to our annual BUBBLY tasting that they missed, for whatever reason on Wednesday, December 4th, 2013. This one Grew from a tasting that Michel Dumas and Anthony Quinn ( me ) had set with Mike Cavanagh to taste the stille and sparkling wines of SALTON, Brazil, and OVER THE MOUNTAIN, South Africa on Monday, December 3oth, 2013. I pieced it together as I went along. Marcie Weinstein of Constantine Imports sent and interesting list of sparkling wines and French champagnes from around the world that included Italy, Austria, Australia, Germany, Portugal and owner James Henry here in Cleveland Park of Teavine sparkling green tea and honey stopped by, Andrew Stover of Vino50 Imports and Siema Imports had his usual " fun " STONE HILL , Missouri sparkling white and fruity rose, as well as his SHINDIG Vidal Blanc Finer Lakes, New York State selections as well as dry Italian Piemontese 100% sparkling rose made from the Nebbiolo grape, and BEA sparkling red Italian, too. And Mark Congdon of J.W. Sieg had the Nathalie FALMET Brut Nature French champagne that was so new and exciting and a great RM - recoltant manipulant champagne to taste with you all for the first-time as it is " new " and very limited in availability! FUN! It was a huge success and here are some pictures I quickly took with the use of Kevin Gleeson's i-phone that he loaned me. Thanks Kevin. Cheers and Happy New Year One and ALL! For ONE and for ALL! Equal opportunity, equal access for all! Cheers, TONY 1/5/14
Thanks Mike Cavanagh ( poured the SALTON still and sparkling wines of Brazil, and the OVER THE MOUNTAIN Seven Vineyards' South African Syrah red and dry Chardonnay white ) and James Henry ( owner and founder, in the glasses and white that created the TEAVINE sparkling Green Tea and Honey wine. James grew up here in Cleveland Park. ) for pouring here on this Monday night, December 30th, 2013 @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits from 5-8PM! TONY 1/5/14
Thanks Robert Loggia ( pictured above ) for pouring the CODORNIU Spanish Cavas - three - above! That included the Anna brut in the white bottles and the Classic that we sold in the 187ml bottle size , 3 in a pack for $11.99 a bottle! What fun, what sparkle!
Just saw Heather here and I asked her again to tell me her name? " Heather. " she responded. And I said : " Heather in any weather! " It's what I said after giving her a taste of the SALTON Brut " Intenso " sparkling Brazilian wines from Serra Gaucha, $14.99. To was tasting it with me at the time so the three of us tasted and chatted some. I said to Heather that told me she had been exercising : " You've been giving everything a spark now for the last two hours, now it's our time to return some spark to you." Heather smiled broadly and said : " The women must love you? " Thanks Heather, I appreciate that. Cheers, TONY 1/4/14
Kevin, it was so good to see you just a little while ago! You look great , so dapper, great smile as usual, you don not look as if you have aged at all even though you tell me you've just had an important birthday-milestone! Congrats on that. I'm also glad we were here for you just now with some good wine and beer, liquor, too to enjoy in the New Year! I hear that you are off to dinner tonight to Teddy's restaurant that you tell me is an American Tapas theme? I have not been yet so report back to me and let me know if this second visit of yours is as special as the first? It should be. After all you are off to dinner with both Miss Democrat and Miss Republican, two of my favorite customers here over the years! Here's a Big SHOUT-OUT to the three of you. Thanks for all your business over the years. May this 2014 be great for the three of you. Come by together like the old times and maybe I can get another portrait sketch in of the three of you as I have done in the past? Cheers, TONY 1/4/14
Wow, look at those cheeses Karen, probably purchased that day for the meal? What pictures they each make separately, what tastes they conceal in those wrinkled, thick skins of theirs, LOVE it, what a fun visual treat Karen. Thanks for sharing this , too : how did they taste against the 52-year-old 1962 Chateau Brane-Cantenac Margaux? Did one of the three better suit the 52 years of age of the Margaux dry red Bordeaux? Thanks for sharing this, adds to the complete picture, nice! TONY 1/4/14
Karen, thanks for sharing this photo that you took of the bottle of 1962 Chateau Brane-Cantenac , Margaux, Bordeaux red that you enjoyed recently with your friends at the end of 2013. You said it was perfectly stored in a temperature-controlled cellar and it sure looks that way from the label. This was an opportunity of a lifetime to enjoy a bottle that was 52 years old! I wish I had been with you. What a treat! What did you eat with it? I will have to ask you what the meal was as that is always good to hear as together the food and the wine create a taste that did not exist alone in either of them. Again, thanks for sharing this special treat with us. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 1/4/14
Voila, ce que j'ai ecris et mit sur notre page de Facebook pour nos autres clienteles du magasin Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits, Va la-bas, LIKE nous s'il vous plait! Merci, bonne annee a vous! Et a la prochaine ... Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn3423 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington D.C. 20008, Tel : 202-363-4265,, anthony.quinn@clevelandparkwines.com. Sante! TONY ...
You bet Karen, an experience of a lifetime, especially considering it was so well-cellared for so many years in Paris, France, not far from where it was made in Margaux, Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, France by CHATEAU BRANE-CANTENAC! WOW, WOW! WOW! Too Bad I was not there! Cheers, thanks for sharing this, TONY 1/3/14
The drive to work today was absolutely beautiful with everything covered in white, the roads clear enough to navigate, even the smaller ones, just have to be careful not to slip like out in our alley way out back here in Cleveland Park. The winds and the many white flakes that it carries in quick, constant and rapid-fire sweeps that melt WET and COLD on contact, even bathed in bright late morning sunshine is intense, refreshing, bristling brrrrrr, run for cover, find refuge, COME INSIDE our store and warm yourselves! You are always welcome here, YES, you are. Cheers, Friday, January 3rd, 2014
Amy came to the store yesterday. She and her husband shop with us, have for years, even though they moved out of the Cleveland Park Northwest, 20008 neighborhood. Thanks for that Amy. Anyway, Amy came by on December 21st, 2013 and remembers that well as she came looking for a gift for her father and remembers tasting the Reserva Rioja from Estebe Salgado of Tradewinds Specialty Imports and liking it very much. I got Estebe to sign two of the bottles for Amy to give as gifts. When she came yesterday she could not remember the name of the Rioja from Spain or Estebe's name but she said that she tasted it and she remembered the date so I went to find our calendar to see who was tasting on 12/21/13 and discovered that it was Estebe! I will include the name soon, it was the Crianza that she bought, not the Reserva. Yesterday Amy also bought the three-pack of the Prosecco 187ml bottles for $11.99. She likes to be able to have a glass when she wants to and not have to open a full bottle. May of our customers feel this way and so it sells really well. Amy came holding a bouquet of beautiful flowers - Astramarias ( spelling? ) , a lovely rich purple outside with a white and orange center - nice. They will brighten any room Amy. Thanks for coming by yesterday. It was great to see you. Happy New Year to you and your family! Cheers, TONY 1/3/14
Hello Norbert, this is the story I just wrote on Facebook about the Montebruna that you sold us when you visited Washington D.C. in 2013 : cheers, Happy New Year to you all at BRAIDA : Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 1/2/14 ...
Mari-K just celebrated her birthday as I did, my daughter, too : and many of you that have been through the store recently. Meri-K needed something, a good red to go with her pasta as her musician son was coming home from Washington State and they would be celebrating the New Year together. I thought about it and said that for the $25 she wanted to spend that the BRAIDA Montebruna Barbera d'Asti 2011, 15.5% alcohol should do the trick in real style , polish and finesse! Hello Henry! WE spoke for awhile and I loved looking at Meri-K's smile and into her eyes that sparkle always! We are friends and I love seeing you Meri-K, you always make me feel good, always, anytime we meet! ... SO : Just now, a half an hour ago Meri-K, you are back as I hear someone beyond the office walls and I go to investigate and you exclaim : " So happy you are here! " Meri-K tells me that the Barbera from BRAIDA was a huge success and that she wants more. At first it's only going to be two bottles that goes to three, as another relative is coming and she wants to share it with him, too and does not want us to be out of it when he comes. Smart thinking Meri-K! So henry loved it, too. I said : " It was for a pasta dish wasn't it? " Meri-K, at the front door and poised to leave , pauses, smiles again and announces : " This would go with Cheerios! " and she was gone. I think I'll enjoy it with a pasta dish, but I get your point Meri-K! Say " Caio " to Henry for me when you see him. Cheers, Happy New Year 2014 to you both. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 1/2/14
Part Two of meeting both Darcy and Chris at the Part Two Bubbly-Sparkling Wine-French Champagne Tasting this Monday Night 5-8PM, December 30th, 2013 ... I convinced them to let me put their 6-pack of cold HARPOON beer up on our front counter while they tasted from the six tasting stations of both bubbly and still,non-sparkling wines. They must have stayed an hour and their beer was warm by that time so Darcy had to go back and get another cold 6-pack of HARPOON! That's okay. Chris and Darcy bought the Ca' Bea Sangue Di Giuda off-dry slightly-sparkling red, $10.99, 2012, 7.5% alcohol that Andrew Stover poured that is a blend of the rare Uva Rara, 45%, the Barbera 30% and the Croatina 25% . You either love it or not, for some it's just too fruity, for others it's just right! They also bought a bottle of the Brazilian Serra Gaucha SALTON Brut " Intenso " that's mostly a blend of Chardonnay with some Riesling, $14.99 a bottle : and the trusty Johnnie Walker Red 750ml, $21.99 a bottle. I will have to ask the price of HARPOON, I cannot remember! ANYWAY, I said to Chris : " You have to take care of Darcy! " I said this to get him to try the sparkling wines so that he would learn and be able to keep up with her when she enjoys them. He did learn , too, and to enjoy them as well. He thanked me with a big smile at the end. You are welcome Chris. I loved Chris' response : " I am nothing without her. " I liked that a lot, a whole lot! Cheers and Happy New Year to you both. Can't wait until we see each other again and catch up on New Year's Eve celebrations. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 1/2/14
We will usher in the Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival with our " new " Cherry Blossom Kir Royale variation at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits in early 2014 with Matt Loftin! TONY ....
Chris Bartha pours sparkling wines for our customers all the way back to 2010! We'll invite him back again and may do this in January to get things started really well! Cheers, thanks Chris, thanks for all your excellent help over the years, we appreciate it all, we really do, cannot do it without the help of professionals like you in our business that also know how to talk to customers, make them feel comfortable and relaxed, and help them with their needs at the time. You're good at that. Cheers, TONY
Met for the first time a couple of days ago Jasmine that is a pastry chef and that is taking some time off now but that worked with the chef at Ripple restaurant and enjoyed that. I loved Jasmine's dark curly hair and her face simply radiated with emotion, energy, brightness and mystery, too. I am an artist after all and I paint pictures with words and I hope to see you again now Jasmine in 2014. Hope the sparkling wines went well? I cannot remember now what you decided to go with and I did not write it down. There were simply too many people in the store at the end of the year as we put to bed 2013 so that we could all wake up fresh and bright and bushy-tailed in 2014! Cheers everyone, TONY 1/2/14
We all miss you three, too and love keeping up through all your photos and comments! What fun, what a great period of your lives, we've shared so many grand moment we have Michael here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits over the years with Nadia and all those that you would invite and encourage to come and get to know us, taste with us, shop with us. That's invaluable and I take this opportunity here on Wednesday, January 1st, 2014 to thank you for that, and to say here : ... " and to many more! " I'm off upstairs now to start grilling our dinner outside on our back deck on my day-off today that I have LOVED and to get ready to enjoy with my daughter and wife some fine LAURENT PERRIER Non-Vintage Brut French champagne that we sell , and sold well, this past holiday season for $43.99. I will report more on that soon. Cheers, the very best to you three! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 1/1/14 this will be bottle #2 we enjoy the three of us, as we started on Christmas Eve I believe with the first? or was it my Birthday Eve we started?!? I does not matter, it was FABulous whenever! TONY
NEWS FLASHES from The Big Apple : 1) sounds like the Villard Gallery restaurant in New York City , I loved the the line from today's Washington Post review : " ( and oui, there was a stain). You have to read the article to get the full gist. AND : TENUTA VALDIPIATTA Vino Nobile Tuscan red, $32.99 our son said was really appreciated/good on Mew Year's Eve. I LOVE that, really I do. That is great news Miriam and Guido and Sarah! Good work. VALDIPIATTA : Alive and Well In The BIG APPLE, as well as in Washington D.C. Puts me now in a " Tenuta Valdipiatta State-Of-Mind "! Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Wednesday, January 1st, 2013 , all is well chez nous en ce moment ....
I take one of our cats outside and hold him as he wants to be outside some but is an indoor cat as so we both share a moment of peace and zen that way as I cannot do anything else but hold my daughter's cat when outside : so peaceful. You Michele are the Brazilian Catwoman that I know. You might have to go into movies and make an appropriate costume and have some fun, too as clearly you love " all-things cats! " 1/2/14 It's nice now outside, snow is coming! TONY
Thanks Matt Loftin, it was great to see you in the store yesterday and to taste the " new " LEOPOLD BROS. Michigan Cherry Whiskey with you that we will be able to sell soon for under $40 a bottle. I predict that with certain customers of ours like Patricia that asked immediately upon tasting it if we had it and what it cost that it will become a staple item for them year-round. What's not to like?!? I still do not have the pictures we took Matt? Have you just sent them? I will add them here soon as I get them. Matt was holding the LEOPOLD BROS. Michigan Cherry Whiskey and I was holding a bottle of the " Intenso " Brut espumante sparkling wine from Serra Gaucha ( that I enjoyed on new Year's Eve with my family and our neighbors. $14.99, ... and I proposed that together we would blend the two and make our our Michigan-Colorado-Serra Gaucha Brazilian Kir-Royale. Matt will come and we will make some in the store for you all to try : fun and festive an BUBBLY CHERRY BRIGHT! Cheers, happy New Year 2014 one and all! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 1/1/14
Matt Loftin our " new " LEOPOLD BROS rep came by with the Michigan Cherry Flavored Whiskey to taste that we will sell here in a few days as it's really pretty decadently delicious and full-flavored, warming and tasty and distinct and pleasing! I had Patricia try it and she said : " 'F " in Loftin , as in fabulous! . I think she liked your looks Matt! Nice complement to you. Then Patricia went on to say : " Need to loosen-up a little bit. Right Tony?! " I think you are right Patricia. Good to see you. Happy New Year Matt and Patricia. Great to see you both here today, Tuesday, New Year's Eve 2003 : and the countdown starts soon! We are still open, closing soon at 9PM, it's just 8:23 PM now ... cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/31/13 ... BY THE WAY, we miss you Lindsay! Happy New Year Lindsay! TONY
Not every story is a success story and it's disappointing to have to say that an old customer of ours , Dave, that many of you know and love, came by last night and was looking at the selection across from the wine-tasting table and I said : Hello Dave! How are you? I haven't seen you lately? " he paused and responded : " The beer I like to drink is two dollars cheaper across the street at Wallgreens. " I did not say anything to that specifically though Michel said something I did not hear. Dave went on to talk positively about his experience at Wallgreens and I listened, trying to glean what I could, to understand and to counter with a possible offer from us? But Dave did not give me the impression that he was looking for us to drop our price by two dollars? He did not seem to care one way or another, he was just stating a fact. He never accused us of being too expensive, he never blamed us or asked us for anything. Having known him for as long as I have I do have to admit that even so his words stung me. I will talk to Santos and Malkit and Jagir about this. Santos knows what beer that Dave likes to drink just as I know what wine Dave enjoys occasionally as we have discussed that wine as , from where he stood and how he saw things, maybe jesting - maybe not - keeping us in business. Dave's pretty matter-of-fact and he sticks to his guns. We will see what we can do Dave. We - I take everything that I hear like this seriously. We are here for you and everyone else in Cleveland Park and want to keep as many of you as possible happy going any business with us that you choose to do. Cheers and Happy New Year 2014 Dave. ... and I will tell Ravi that you say " hello " as chatted about that till a customer wanted to try some of the sparkling wines we had for tasting and I got distracted and you walked towards our selections of beer in the back cooler. Take care, be healthy and prosperous! TONY
A cause de Regis de importations Roanoke en Virginie du Nord on vends vos champagnes excellents, tout la gamme ici a Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits a Washington D.C., 20008 202-363-4265 dans le quartier Cleveland Park ... et on va gouter cette apres-misi avec nos clientele le 1er Cru, $43.99 entre 2-6PM avec Regis Sheithauer! Venez nous joindre! Le suivre c'est bien ce que j'ai poste a notre page de Facebook : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits, va la-bas et LIKE us s'il vous plait ... Bonne Annee a vous 2014! ...TODAY : Saturday, December 28th, 2013 0n this drop-dead gorgeous day here in Cleveland Park Northwest, Washington D.C. 20008, our local and excellent rep for Roanoke Imports, Regis Sheithauer will be here from 2-6PM pouring the TOCCO Extra Dry Veneto, Prosecco D.O.C., $16.99, AS WELL AS the VOIRIN-JUMEL French Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru Brur non-vintage champagne from the champagne region called Cramant. It's a " recoltant-manipulant - grapes grown and harvested and produced into champagne " by the owners themselves so that they have complete control from start-to-finish on what they produce and only Nature and accidents can effect the eventual results of their fine champagne! This one's a beauty, we love it and enjoy having it here for you, quite complex and flavorful and yet quite bright and fresh, lively, and cheerful, too : balanced from start-to-long-finish! Come taste some, BUY SOME for New Year's eve! COME ALSO : on Monday, Dec. 30th, 2013 for our Part-Two BUBBLY Win-Tasting of 25 sparkling & still wines from 5-8PM, no charge, everyone welcome! Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/28/13 ....
Scott Calvert of Manument Selections brought the CENYTH 2009 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot and 7% Malbec by for us to try on my birthday tonight that we shared with our customres here, $65.99 a bottle when we get it, from Sonoma County, 14.5% alcohol by volume, and EVERYONE liked it, there were requests to buy it, and we explained. We will get some for January 2014 to start off the new year really well! it's smooth, flavorful, bright and firm and balanced and with great emphasis on the purity of the fruit, never heavy, very drinkable, best with a meal, and worth the price. It's a good bottle of California " Meritage-Bordeaux-style red that Michel Dumas and Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn - me, can recommend to you all. I'm glad we could share it with some of you. Thanks Scott Calvert, thanks Monument and Andrew and Elyse, and , OF COURSE, thanks Cenyth! You all are the best. Cheers, Happy New Year 2014 to you all! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/27/13 this has been a great addition to my birthday here at work since I am at work! TONY Cleveland Park Wines 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C., 20008, 202-363-4265, anthony.quinn@clevelandparkwines.com.
I just asked Uri how he was? He said " I'm alright. " and almost sighed, no energy to his voice. I probed, : " Just alright?!? " And Uri said : " I could have used another day or two off. I smiled and burst out : " That's just what Michel and I have been talking about Uri! You make my day. Thanks for sharing that with us. " I pat Uri on the back, smile again , and tell him that it makes us feel good that we are not alone. The " brotherhood- sisterhood " of those that had to work the day after Christmas, it's hard, feeling a bit sorry for ourselves I think we are, but that's okay. Cheers to everyone that had to go back to work the day after Christmas, you have our sympathies. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Happy Thursday, it's almost over for those working and almost time to go home and relax and enjoy the true spirit of the holidays... TONY
Abel just brought his daughter Ellie that's tall and beautiful for her two-year's -of-age now, she's wearing Elmo gloves today! Anyway Abel's wife and he like the MONTELLIANA Sparkling Prosecco and the sweeter Moscato, too : BOTH sell for $11.99. he saw me, holding both bottles in his hands, smiled and thanked me for the recommendation of last week. Michel said to me : " How old do you think she is? " I looked a minute, studied her face and said Ellie was two-and-a-half? Abel smiled, said I was right. I like that. She sure is cute! Thanks for stopping by Abel and Ellie,... and Abel bring your wife to our bubbly-champagne-sparkling wine tasting this Monday night, the 30th 2013 from 5-8PM, no charge, we'd love to see you come - we can thank you in this was as you sip, enjoy and learn, too! Cheers, Happy holidays everyone, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/26/13
It's almost Christmas! Got home to enjoy a lovely meal with my family and opened a bottle of the BODEGAS CARRAU : S " SUST Brut Nature 2009 Vintage sparkling wine from Uruguay that is produced with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes , in homage to Juan Carrau that must have started the winery back in 1930? It's really full and round and lush on the first taste, creamy and bright and fills the palate nicely and with little bite at all - very, VERY pleasing. It gets a bit more intense as it fills out more - develops more, and a bit more focused as well. Really nice to sip, very pleasing all by itself. It went great with the herbed- spiced oyster crackers that my wife baked as we sat and chatted and relaxed before the meal. Our Michael Downey rep, Brennan Downey the son brought me as a gift this bottle : my eyes lit up when he said it was a sparkling wine from Uruguay : " I know what you like Tony " Brennan said. he was right, too. I asked him : " Can we buy it, do you have some in stock? " " Yes, we just received some. " Brennan answered. Merry Christmas Brennan, Peggy, Shannon, Guilaume, Bill and all the rest that work today at Michael Downey Selections. merry Christmas Michael! Thinking of you all now as I get ready for bed as Christmas is always a special time as it is also the birthday of someone really special in our family and we will be celebrating that, too : with family friends and family - a very special time. This was a great start. The bottle of SUST had a label on it : TONY Happy Holidays ... Downey Selections ... Cheers, sante, merry, merry Christmas and happy holidays all! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn I will buy some of this BODEGAS CARRAU ... I like it, fun and " new " and exciting ... TONY Feliz Navidad todos, gracias e hast luego amigos ... TONY
Too bad so many of ....
It was great to have Estebe come and pour the ALEXANDRO Spanish sherries : the TWO " Top-Of-The-Line " : 1) Palo Cortado made from the Palomino grape and the 2) Pedro Ximenez made with the Pedro Ximenez grape variety that's like liquid pecan pie for me : the Palo Cortado is like smooth, elegant liquid nuts and subtle honey and so silky and three-dimensional - like a thick satin sheet spread over one's tongue, whereas the Pedro Ximenez is like a satin thick luxurious and saturated sheet that penetrates deep into the fibers and the molecules on one's plate so that the two become one and you can no longer separate one from the other : TWO amazing experiences Estebe. Look at the joy in this man's face and you start to understand some of what I type here! Feliz Navidad a todos! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Gracias Estebe a ustedes, your wife and new child, too! TONY 12/23/13
... your pictures Estebe are in restaurants and not in fine wine establishments! That pains me some. TONY 12/23/13 ....
The lady speaking to Estebe is also in the wine business, but over in Europe and knows many of the owners and winemakers of the wines we have, she told me so, she gets so excited when she recognizes one and starts to tell me about how, when and where she met them and what the circumstances were! She smiles and comes alive and it's so much fun to witness and be a part of : the two continents, the two hemispheres coming together like this - the sharing between us of our experiences, nice. I like it, just as it should be. We learn from one another and grow ... cheers, TONY
It's all about family and community and trying to work together. We have worked with Melanie and Aunt Rosa going back many years : I cannot remember, was it 2006 or 2007 that we started to promote MACCHO PISCO? I think so : I have photos from back then I believe. We did some holiday tastings and I have pictures of that, too. I will find and post them as they are priceless, really wonderful memories of times that we worked to teach our customers about what Peruvian Pisco is and how it is different from brandy and Armagnac and Cognac. We have spoken about the grapes, the ones that give and add more flavor and character. We have also shown how great the taste can be of the Pisco in making a really fine Pisco Sour. I remember years ago having Melanie or Aunt Rosa give me my first to try that they made in our office with their blender. Wow, it amazed and so pleased me so completely, I was hooked, line and sinker - hooked! I believe it was Aunt Rosa that offered me my first Pisco and then Melanie that handed me my second. I accepted it readily, Just like In Cassablanca : it was the start of a beautiful relationship that continues to grow. Cheers, happy New Year 2014, happy holidays everyone : GO PERU! Our good friend Kim and her group of ladies went recently and climbed four four days and nights stopping to sleep and drink and eat : beer and Pisco I believe, and good food, too! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/22/13
This was a great moment with lunch before at PULPO and then Estebe Salgado with his Spanish Tradewinds Specialty products and then here with Jacqui our local rep for DISTILLERY LANE CIDERWORKS in Jefferson, Maryland ... we all liked the " Jefferson " hard cider and I bought one to bring home as a gift, too! Cheers. Thanks Ron Miller and Jacqui : this was a great event even thought it was a bit quiet as it was so warm in the seventies outside and not as many people shopping inside until later on! Cheers, thanks and happy holidays all! TONY Saturday, December 21st, 2013 @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits
My son and his friend that is visiting from the Big Apple had lunch with me at PULPO restaurant and loved it : they kept talking about it, how Alex the fine young waiter kept bringing us one appetizer after another, one delectable " food bite " after the other , and that meant different textures in what we bit down onto, different levels of dry-to-sweetness assailed our nostrils, what colors, what levels of herbs and spices, ... it was a visual, sensory and taste experience that just kept us happy and teased - pleased - and thoroughly entertained. Alex kept asking us if we liked what we were eating? We said we did. He kept asking us what our favorites were so that he could bring us more of the same. My son's friend said : " No, we like the variety and being surprised, we're never bored this way ", and so earlier today they kept talking about how things just kept coming, and how much they enjoyed the experience. I enjoyed it, too. For me it was just a little more than a half-an-hour but that was enough for me. Dave Hansen the general manager of course came to greet us and make us feel thoroughly welcome, different people brought us food and drink, I loved my orange juice - and Alex our waiter took really great care of us. Thanks Alex, thanks Dave, and THANKS to you all at PULPO for making our dining experience so memorable and fulfilling. Cheers, happy holidays all, keep on enjoying this unseasonably delightful and warm weather that's here now in the seventies just three-four days before Christmas! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn
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| Pulpo mentioned you in a comment. |
| Pulpo wrote: "Many thanks for the kind words Anthony Quinn....we're honored that you thought to bring your son and his friend to us, and very Happy Holidays to you as well!" |
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Michael the photographer that is a friend of Sharron that cam in search of a present for her friend Michael that's the same photographer came by earlier and said : " Tony my friend Sharron gave me the bottle you helped her pick and I love it! : Gotta love that, more on that soon. Time to enjoy time with my family now that just returned from shopping for groceries. Cheers, happy great weather : the Zoo light lights were amazing as I drove past : a constant pilgrimage of people to ;;;
| and fro, little boys and girls with swords that lit up with beautiful deep blue sky BRIGHT lights that flashed constantly on their parent shoulders, slow traffic, a sight worth seeing : magnificent on this beautifully unseasonably warm day and night and EVERYONE OUT ... cheers, TONY 12/21/13 Saturday night at 9:38PM ... |
Always a great visit when you come as Regis you always bring such great wines for Michel Dumas and me to sample such as these that we are both holding in our hands here. It's great to try them in the store. So often after you are done tasting them you return and leave them with us and then we take them home and enjoy them with our meals and see how they complement or not what we are eating, and that's invaluable. Thanks for being so generous with us, it really does make a great big difference. It's also nice for us to have such great wines to share with our two families. Thanks to you from all of us, and Happy Holidays, merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family! TONY 12/21/13
It was such a great surprise to see Melanie Asher and her Aunt Rosa that came by earlier and poked their heads into our office at the same time and surprised and overwhelmed me with joy that just erupted up and out of me as I quickly rose from my seat to embrace them both and welcome them to the store! Wow, what a treat, what a pleasure! They cam bearing a beautiful cake of some kind all beautifully packaged and adorned in holidays shiny colors and paper that reflected all the light around it. Thanks - gracias Melanie e Aunt Rosa, muchas gracias lindas senoritas! It's so good - it was so good to see you and spend some time with you, to have you taste with Estebe earlier his Spanish wines, cavas and sherries, too. We love your LA DIABLADA and MACCHU PISCO piscos that we sell, and I am glad to have given you an order to send to us this Monday as I could see we were getting low and need to have plenty to sell through the holidays. I also hope that we can set up a last tasting with you both of the year to ring in the " New Year " in a great way? What days are you both free? let us know and we will MAKE SOME NOISE for your excellent Peruvian piscos! And MAKE EVEN MORE NOISE for the Pisco Sours that the two of you make and share with all our customers, those are a frothy wonderland of cream and confection and your special pisco and the lemon juice and that accented splash of Angostura of Bitters from Trinidad that makes us all rise up and bubble up and over with joy just like I did earlier when I saw you both! Feliz Navidad los dos lindas chicas! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn e hasta luego ... TONY 12/21/13
Pictured above , from left to right are : Santos Rivera, Aunt Rosa, Anthony Quinn and Melanie Asher on Saturday, December 21st, 2013 @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits in the late afternoon, just before the glorious Zoo Lights came on that I passed by as I drove home. I was blown away by the lights! So many wonderful bright colors, climbing up the tall naked bare trees in all their stark glory in the dark and in so many stunningly intense and beautiful colors that contrasted and set the stage of the walkway so nicely ... TONY
Here's a picture from the first Peru Fashion Night, held last night at the Grand Hyatt Washington hotel. Macchu Pisco was proud to have participated in this terrific event. Central in the picture are Peruvian Ambassador Harold Forsyth and Cultural Attache Flor Diaz.
Elaine that knows Antoine that lives in the same apartment building here that enjoyed some pretty special high-end French wines together with him recently called asking if we had any Petit Cassagne French Costieres de Nimes wine from the Robert Kacher selection portfolio. I said : " No but to come by and that I would have some great Kacher selections for her chose from for her Asian meal she was attending or preparing. I showed her the CAZE " Le Canon Du Marechal BIO dry red French blend of Syrah and Merlot, $12.99, a bottle, and the Herve Gantier " La Reserve " 2011 dry red blend from the DOMAINE Du SAINTE-EUGENIE, $16.99, ... and we chatted, had a great visit, and I think Elaine you will be happy and that I will see you again soon. Cheers, say : : Bonjour " for me to Antoine : Happy & Merry Christmas and New Year et Joyeux Noel et Bonne Annee a vous deux! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/21/13 Saturday and it's been unseasonably warm all day! LOVE it, bad for business, great for the heart and soul!! Enjoy!! TONY
Part ONE of a Part TWO conversation with Carmelia. Cheers, TONY 12/20/13
I met Carmelia two days ago as she came shopping for two bottles of Chardonnay and asked me if we had KENDALL JACKSON? I said " No ". but that I had an assortment of other California chardonnays depending on her needs? I said, too that we had carried the KENDALL JACKSON Chardonnay but were out and that we had not had many requests for it. She probed a bit deeper about this and I said that we wer trying to keep many of the smaller vineyards alive in California and not the biggest or most successful as KENDALL JACKSON. I said : " We're a small store, we support small wineries. ". She smiled her gentle smile where her eyes beam brightly - boy, there's a light inside you Carmelia, and I love it! Oh, before I go on I have to say that as we approached our American chardonnay section Carmelia told me that she was not the average customer that perhaps did not know their wines well. She continued with that she was a bartender for the Marriott Hotel and she was implying that she knew her stuff and that not just anything would fly with her. I LOVED that, too. I loved her subtle fire ; a force to be reckoned with! So I showed her the SILVERADO 2010 Carneros Chardonnay, $19.99, 14.2% alcohol and told her the story of how it was Walt Disney's widow that owned it. I was implying that there was not a money problem and that there was more than enough for SILVERADO Vineyards to do their job well. Carmelia also wanted to know if we had any Napa Valley Chardonnays? It is nice now that I think of the connection of SILVERADO Vineyards and the " new " Disney movie about Mr. Banks and Mary Poppins with Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson in it that is just out! I will post this and continue my conversation with Carmelia in the Second Part that will follow next. Cheersm Happy Holidays to you Carmelia, what a pleasure it has been to help you! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn December 18th, 2013, Wednesday afternoon.
I was unaware until now that co-founder Diane Disney Miller had passed away recently. We are so sorry for the Miller's loss as well as the great wine world's loss, too. Our thoughts are with you. Cheers, TONY
Part Two Of selling two bottles to Carmelia of Chardonnay:
Carmelia and I had much conversation back and forth. Besides the SILVERADO Vineyards Chardonnay 2010 from Careneros, $19.99, 14.2% alcohol, I also showed her the MOLNAR FAMILY Vineyard , On Special for $29.99 a bottle, the EDNA VALLEY Chardonnay, $12.99 - telling her it was one of the very first to really make California chardonnays popular, she did not know it. I showed her a couple of others, too; and there was much going back-and-forth and she did ask me which I would pick? After ten minutes or more Carmelia finally decided to take two bottles of the SLIVERADO Vineyards' 2010 Chardonnay, saying she knew where to find me and would be back. ... This was not Carmelia's first visit to Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits. She has shopped with us for years, buying Johhnie Walker Black for many of them as gifts. She told me she was in the banquet department of the Marriot Hotel in Georgetown did she say? She remembers coming thirty-three years ago and walking to work and past the Hilton Hotel on the day that John Hinkley shot President Reagan! That memory has stayed with her all this time. She has an Ethiopian friend that works with her at the Marriot, I think she said the Johhnie Walker was for him? I liked Carmelia. At the register I complemented her on her hat. She liked that, said I was not alone. She told me she was 80 years old. I asked her where she was from as I liked the sound of her voice. I said : " Trinidad? " She looked quizzically at me and asked me why I said Trinidad? I then said : " South Africa? " At that point she was saying : " Now all across an ocean?!? " And she added : " Go back, I;m from an island, up north, closer to Florida. " That's when the bell finally went off and I said : " Jamaica! ". I was right. Sorry Carmelia. We spoke of " The Voice " and the current winner being from Jamaica. She did not know this, did not watch the show. I said that all of Jamaica was proud of Tess-Anne is it? Cheers Carmelia, I loved helping you. You are some woman, love your fire and spirit. Keep coming to see us. I want to hear what you think of the wine of co-founder of SILVERADO Vineyard's - Diane Disney Miller that sadly recently passed away? Come back and share more often. We need people like you, good conversation. Cheers, TONY 12/20/13
Kira and her dog " Blue ", a antique-white colored lab I think came to the store earlier tonight. I asked Kira if she needed any help? She said she needed a bottle of red and a bottle of white for a gift. Then she asked me : " Do you have any La Crema ? " I responded that we did not. She asked me what else I had? So I said : : La Crema sells for around $20 a bottle doesn't it? " She smiled an quickly responded that at Costco she could buy it for around $15. I then quickly responded that it's big companies like Costco that are putting smaller like us out of business and that if people did not support smaller businesses like ours that the whole landscape would be a lot of Costcos and not much else. " She obviously felt the sting of my comment and said : " Well, that's why I am here now. " I could tell she was feeling a bit guilty. That was not my point at all. I appreciated Kira's business and yet I do feel frustrated by the larger businesses not respecting any boundaries anymore. I told her : " We have plenty of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines at around $15 a bottle. I said : " Why don't you buy a bottle of the Clothilde white burgundy made jsut outside of Chablis On Special for $15 a bottle. We also have a $15 bottle of Pinot Noir from Burgundy , the NAUDIN- 2011 On Special for $15 - they are both the original inspiration for wines like La Crema. " She immediately agreed to try them both. We chatted at the register for a few minutes as we waited to check her out. It's the holiday season now and we were busy I am very happy to say. I said I liked Blue's blue collar and then I asked : " We here welcome all dogs and are happy to have Blue here with you. Are you able to take Blue to Costco to shop with you? " Kira smiled and simply said : " No. " I guess we have that going for us, among other things. Happy holidays to you Kira and your family. I can't wait to hear what your reaction to the two french burgundies is?!? Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Thursday night, December 18th, 2013 Thanks for your business Kira, we appreciate it. TONY
It's a perfect night for a Michigan Traverse City Spiced Cherry-Cheery Glog-Style red concoction from Andrew - JOIN US, cheers, TONYAndrew is here now and we are so pleased to have him here with these INSANE " Values "- what a deal, what a treasure trove : Michigan, Calabria and Alto Adige, with a bottle of the Purcellville Cabernet Franc from BREAUX Vineyards on the counter, too! What excitement, what entertainment, what drama and theater and stage presence - everyone acting together for " the Great Good ! " Come be a part of all this excitement! Andrew is going to take another picture that shows all the fun we are having here as this one just shows the labels and nothing more - the Traverse Bay spiced cherry wine is $12.99, and the other two are $10.99 a bottle, the BREAUX Vineyards' Cabernet Franc is $21.99! Cheers, come by, no charge, we only charge you when you buy a bottle! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/18/13
I remember years ago drinking and loving the : no dosage LEGRAS Brut Integral that cost a whopping 53 francs I believe in Paris in the early seventies when I lived there with my family ( my father was a career diplomat with the American Embassy - Foreign Service there at the time, the Consul of Visas, then of Passports, then back again to the Consul of Visas in the Talleyrand building ), and we discovered it at the Caves de la Madeleine owned by Steven Spurrier. ... And on the night before my now wife and I left Paris, France to return to the United States in late August 1980 we drank a bottle of the LEGRAS Brut Integral : what great times and memories, and Nathalie's Brut Nature is in the very same league : extraordinary, challenges the limits! Cheers, sante all, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/18/13 the sun's out on this cold December morning and the skies are a dash milky-baby blue! TONY
Je viens de voir ce matin Nathalie que dans le Washington Post " Food " section que vous-etes le premier sur la liste de Dave McIntyre qui ecrit au sujet des vins, et en cette article de le Washington Post newspapier , Mercredi le 18 Decembre : There's more to champagne than the bubbles " ... que vous-avez recu trois etoiles ( exceptional ) : et Dave a ecrit : " Nathalie Falmet is the epitome of a small grower. She owns just three hectares ( about 7.5 acres ) of vines and produces her wines in a bare-bones warehouse. Her brut nature , from 100 percent pinot noir and made with no dosage of sugar, is electrifying in it focus and intensity. Alcohol by volume : 12 percent. " ... J.W. SIEG Available in the district at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits; on the list at Degrees Bistro. Felicitations pour ca, pour ton grand travail Nathalie! Nous sommes tres contents de vendre ton Brut Nature, $66 la bouteille cez notre magasin Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits a 3423 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington D.C. 20008, Tel : 202-363-4265 , anthony.quinn@clevelandparkwines.com. Viens nous voir la prochaine fois que tu viens a Washington D.C. Notre quartier de Cleveland Park est bien magnifique avec LAVANDOU ou tu peut bien manger et parler avec le proprietaire Florence qui vins de Normandie, ou peut-etre de Bretagne? Bons fetes de 2013! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/18/13
This is the father of Katarina our Swedish neighbor that LOVED the Pacini Old Vines Zinfandel when she had here at home with my family in northern Virginia that she asked me to buy her some bottles ( along with the Shooting Star " Sauvignon Blanc to take back home to Sweden to share with her family Jed! She said that she could not find any STEELE wines available for purchase there in Sweden while she was there? SO : this might be the first STEELE wines enjoyed in Sweden? Could it be A FIRST!?! Nice either way. Cheers. We always have it for sale at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits in Northwest, Washington D.C. 20008 ... cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/16/13
In response to Dave McIntyre's recent post here on Facebook on sparkling wines to enjoy for the holidays...
At our Big-Theme Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits Sparkling Bubbly-Champagne tasting of thirty-five wines we introduced the SALTON Brut and the SALTON Espumante Moscatel ( both $14.99 ) that showed beautifully from Serra Gaucha and were a pretty big hit, sold quite a bit, too : as no one knew these two sparkling wines from Brazil, and with both the Soccer World Cup and the Olympics coming soon there they were quite the conversation and eye-opener Dave. Have you tried them yet? Enjoyed your article. Enjoy most of them and am sorry to say that I often have to defend them as being relevant, insightful and well-written. Cheers, happy holidays 2013, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/16/13, ...
I wrote this just now to Dave
Roberta stopped by a couple of days ago and told me she's off to see her mother in Porto Allegre soon and she bought a bottle of the CASA VALDUGA 2007 Reserva Merlot, $19.99, and a bottle of the SALTON Pinot Noir as well. Can't wait to see what she thinks of both of them? Both are dry with good balance and complexity, and both are better with food than alone. Cheers and enjoy Roberta! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/15/13
THEN THERE WAS NICKIE that came in visiting her friend that lives here with her
this visit as well as the last three weeks ago when Nickie asked me : " Do you
have any of the dry red Schiava Alto Adige Auslese Italian wine from KALTERN? "
Actually what really happened was that Kickie showed me the picture of the label
on her phone and I saw it and said : " No, we are out. " This was, of course not
what Nickie wanted to hear again today.
So I sold her some of the 2012 DAL MASO Del Veneto dry red , $11.99, 13%
alcohol by volume to try, telling her the difference between the tow. Nickie
needed another bottle so we decided on the 2012 MARQUES DE ZENETE Valencia
Spanish Tempranillo, On Special for $8.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume. Then I got
our local rep Andrew on the phone, ordered the wine, put Nickie on the phone to
tell him the story and say : " I want your job " after I told her Andrew had
been in Oregon buying " new " wines to sell. Scroll back up to see the bottle of Kaltern Schiava in the picture with Andrew Stover! Cheers, TONY
BEFORE TOM I WAS HELPING Caroline Baculund ( spelling ? ) that's 93 years , went
first to buy a vacuum-cleaner down the street, passed our store with her friend,
needed two " smooth " reds for $12 approximately to enjoy while she read, said
she enjoyed the combination. I found her two reds. I found out that Caroline was
the librarian at the National Gallery of Art for twenty-five years : all so
impressive! She also has a bottle of the DAL MASO Cabernet Veneto red, $11.99 to
try and see what she thinks? I asked her as she walked away from the store down
the street : " You still read books and not from a Kindle? " That's when she
said : " Of course. " and told me what she did for a living. Impressive!
AFTER THAT CAROL approached me and said : " The man that knows so much ", thanks
Carol. I appreciate that. We spoke and I helped you Carol and you said you
wanted to buy a lottery ticket so you could buy our store and put the other
store down the street out of business because they never treated you well or
made you feel appreciated, you always felt like they were talking down at you.
Thanks Carol for all the complements - we appreciate them all. And I have not
included the name of the store here even though you have clearly said it more
than once. We are not about talking down or bad about our competition, but we do
like and appreciate complements. Happy holidays to you and your family!
Carol, you did not win the lottery last night! Sorry! We will have to try all over again. Let's stick together, Cheers to you, TONY 12/18/13
I'm AMAZED Tonight @ The 2010 D & N Primitivo Dry Puglian Italian Red From Andrea Fossi For Only $10.99 A Bottle @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits In Northwest, Washington D.C., 20008! WOW, I'm Blown Quite Literally Away Tonight, Sunday, December 15th, 2013 Here In Northern Virginia @ Home!
This has been quite the experience! What can I say? Where do I start?!? I took the just-opened bottle over to my Swedish blond neighbor that likes dry red wine that was making a Swedish vodka version of their mulled wine with herbs and spices and her youngest daughter opens the door and has an orange in her hands that she's already pushed some cloves into for mulling the wine and vodka that has to sit for quite some time before consumption. She was just helping her mother prepare this Swedish concoction.
She had been out earlier as the sun had finally broken through the thick clouds above and the skies were blue and there were very few clouds as I raked the leaves from our lawn and we spoke. Lights had been just restrung on our azaleas out front and they were " ON " and working, with " new : ones having been just strung by my wife. Go to : chatmayflower.blogspot.com for the rest of this, cheers, TPNY 12/15/13
Franceen our customer that we have known for quite some time and that's an organist on the weekends here in Washington D.C. at church has come to like very much the D & N Primitivo that we buy from the Michael Downey portfolio that Michael's son Brennan sells to us and that Andrea Fossi of FOSSI Chianti and FOSSI Vino Nobile. The other day she came by and asked me for some more. I said that we were out and at that moment " a light went ON " in my brain, I smiled and said to Franceen : " Wait a minute " as I rushed to the magnum section to retrieve a bottle from our shelves. I showed it to her, she smiled and said : " Okay . " Franceen took the bottle from me and walked to the check-out counter and all was well. She bought a couple of magnums till the fifths of it came back and all has been fine since. I like that. I just shared the story with Andrea through email. I hope it brings a smile to his face as it does now to mine as I type this on Saturday afternoon after getting some of our outdoor lights on our azaleas lit for the holidays. I also raked : it's been the perfect day for being outside and so I maximized on this opportunity. Cheers,happy holidays Franceen, Andrea, Brennan and extended families... Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/15/13 I just put a leg-of-lamb into the oven and it's from Australia so here's another SHOUT OUT to WEST CAPE HOWE, VINACEOUS, LONGVIEW, PICARDY, HAY SHED HILLS, LOOSE END and GIBSON, HUGH HAMILTON and so many " other " fine Aussie wines like GOTHAM ... TONY @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits, Washington D.C. 20008, Tel : 202-363-4265, anthony.quinn@clevelandparkwines.com in our FABulous Cleveland Park neighborhood selling FABulous Italian wines like those of Andrea Fossi and Alessandro Furlan! Caio Andrea, caio Alessandro, caio Miriam, caio Salvatore ...
Sarah of Sarah and Jacob came by on Friday night looking like a million dollars and wearing her beautiful smile, too as I greeted her warmly having not seen her for awhile. They loved out of the neighborhood to the Mount Pleasant area. They still come back to see us and Santos and I love that. Anyway, Sarah already had a couple of bottles when I saw her and I immediately said : " I have something to show you! You will love this!! " I walked over to the wine-tasting table and reached down to find a bottle of the LAIBACH : Ladybird " dry red Bordeaux classic blend that their son loved because he loves ladybugs and the British call ladybugs " ladybirds!" When I told John Morrison this story yesterday he said : " You can thank the British " for naming the ladybugs : " ladybirds". Sarah smiled when she saw it and said that her son would love seeing it and she immediately bought a bottle as we moved to the register and I introduced her to Jagir and told her that Jagir was the " new " Ravi of the store. I can't wait to say what Sarah says on her return visit after her son sees the bottle. He's way to young to drink any of it but I am hoping that he still responds favorably to the label. Cheers to you all Sarah. Say " hello " to them as well as to your mother and father that also knew Sidney Moore so well of the old Mayflower and Spirits so many wonderful moons ago. This 2011 red blend is drinking quite well and with a bit of food will be really enjoyable now during this holiday season and will not overpower any of the white meats like turkey or goose, and will quite shine with duck and lamb as it is a traditional style, nicely-balanced red that let's the fruit shine ... with duck and lamb as it is a traditional style, nicely-balanced red that let's the fruit of the grapes shine and be center-stage from start-to-finish. Cheers everyone as we say a " final bye-bye " to Nelson Mandela on this Sunday, December 15th, 2013 as his casket is buried and placed in the ground. What an inspiration he is to us all. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn
We greeted and tasted with David ( from South Africa ) and his wife Beth and tried these fine South African wines of TRIZANNE, BEAUMONT, DE MEYE and NICOLAS Van Der Merwe with them and spoke of Nelson Mandela, of Ginger Baker the drummer for the group Cream that now lives in South Africa, of the port-style wines of South Africa, too. David mentioned one that I had never heard of and cannot pronounce and that's too bad. I should have had him write it down for me. They both LOVED the DE MEYE 2011 ( all the reds we tasted yesterday were from the 2011 vintage ) " Trutina ". They are off to South Africa for the holidays and will be back in mid January 2014 to stock up on wines for the new year. At that point I will ask them the name of the vineyard that makes the port-style that David likes so much. Cheers, happy holidays David and Beth, Thanks for stopping by. It was our first visit together and Michel Dumas and I look forward to many more. Bye Nelson, you will be missed. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Sunday, December 15th, 2013 ... listen to Barbra Streisand sing " In Trutina ", so beautiful, so haunting ... I also asked David if he knew the Peter, Paul and Mary song : " The Great Mandela? " He did, but did not think it was written about Nelson Mandela. I agree. What do you all know? Cheers. TONY
Yesterday I met Sharron that bought a bottle of the AN/2 magnum 2009 Mallorcan red at my recommendation, $39.99 , as a gift for her photographer friend Michael. She loved the small pamphlet book that they made and that I showed her, and said she would tell Michael about it, for him to come around and see it, to enjoy his AN/2 dry red marvelously-smooth and elegant wine ... and to chat some with me. Thanks Sharron. Thanks for stopping by, happy holidays to you and to your family! Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/14/13
Stan rushed by the wine-tasting table last night with a bottle of the Claret from Francis Ford COPPOLA winery, and a Spanish red, too - a Rioja in his arms. I asked him if he wanted to taste after I complemented him on his selections. he said : " Sure ", that he liked Spanish wines, that he had spent time there and fell in love with them for their flavor and their values. he also told me that wanted on his next visit to look at our Greek wines. I told him that it was a specialty of the store and we had a good collection. As we tasted the AN/2 dry red Mallorcan magnum blend 2009 ( $39.99, he tasted it , LOVED it, decided to buy it! ), then he tasted the Ernesto Catena dry red Argentina Mendoza blend of Bonarda, Syrah and Malbec and loved that, too and decided to buy that as well! He left with what he tasted with me and said he would come back for the others later. It was fun to talk to Stan. he said he could live in Greece! he did say that a lot of Russian " nouveau riche " were moving to Greece and that he was upset when he heard from a Greek restaurant that some of them had ordered everything on the menu to show they could and that they had not eaten any of it. Sounds a bit odd. I said I hope that the owners of the Greek restaurant had invited all their friends over quickly afterward to enjoy this bounty of untouched greek food - pity for it all to go to waste to prove a point. Cheers Stan, happy holidays, thanks for chatting and sharing your stories with me. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/14/13 Saturday morning before rushing off to work ... to sell more ... TONY
A smiling yet attentive man came by last night with his wife from Pennsylvania needing lots of holiday gifts and so we started immediately with the bubbly and he bought and later tried with Jody Jackman some of the decadently delicious smooth-creamy-sparkling souffle-like French Savoie made from a lotta of Gamay grapes BUGEY-CERDON, $25.99 I believe? We then moved onto some of the L. HILLINGER sparkling rose 100% Pinot Noir that helps support breast cancer research and is a delight to sip along side of the Pais grape bone-dry Chilean TORRES sparkling wine, $22 I believe ... and this led to the PASAGEMS Tawny port we now sell for $21.99 and some of the Orange Curacao from PIERRE FERRAND and so many more items! Wow, it sure was a fun sale, we tyhree had a blast together for almost an hour! Cheers, happy holidays ... Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/14/13
Time is now of the essence ! Going by so quickly! Gotta act - gotta MOVE fast as there's not time to waste! Last night in the store had that kind of vibe : we had a GREAT wine-tasting with Jody Jackman of Winebow Imports - I LOVED the BUGEY-CERDON Savoie creamy-soft-frothy-mellow-mild-NO BITE Or BURN rose sparkling cream-souffle-like .... I also LOVED the AN/2 dry red magnum 2009 Mallorcan blend of 4 grapes : Callet, Fogoneu, 15% Syrah and Mantro Negre is it ( ? ) : it was showing like a smooth velvery red dream-come-true and only $39.99 - what a steal, two 750ml bottles of the 201 will cost you all $50, so buy the magnum - 1.5ml bottle and save $10! ... : TWO GREAT beer-tastings with : 1) PEAK Organic and Brendan Gangl our Mid-Atlantic manager, Maine pouring four flavors my favorite was the " Fresh Cut " this go-round ; and 2) OLD DOMINION Brewing from Washington D.C. originally, with Becca Knutsen pouring three flavors ( my favorite was the " Candi " Belgian Triple that was so creamy and smooth ... and a GREAT TITO'S Texas Vodka tasting, too with Marlene ( knows her CORONA beer really well, too - impressive ) making a mix of TITO'S with a hard spiced apple cider that was smooth and tasty and hit the spot with all this cold. The place was hopping! Really hopping - lots of good cheer to go around everywhere, smiles on everyone's faces, lots of merriment on Friday night at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits last night! Cheers and thanks all for helping and being with us to make it such a fine moment. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/14/13
I asked our customer Amanda last night if she needed any help? She said :
" Do you have any of the Bourbon County Ale? " I said that I would
check with Santos. He said that he did , and he pointed to behind our
register counter. I then said to Amanda : " That means we only have some
and have to share it equally with those that ask for it. " I then asked
her more about her request for it? I wanted to know more about this
GOOSE ISLAND ale and what it meant to her. Amanda explai
ned
that two Thanksgiving's ago she had bought and given some to her father
Karl from Alabama and that he had loved it. The one thing that he had
asked her this year is to buy some more as it is a seasonal release. So
she smiled broadly when she heard we had some for her. What a great
story Amanda, you will make Karl your dad really happy and we are really
pleased to have been a part of this story that ends with success.
Cheers, happy holidays to you, your dad Karl and your family! Come back
soon. Take care, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/13/13 ... Friday morning
here and it's breezy and sunny with clear baby-blue skies ... nice. Time
for some GOOSE ISLAND purchasing to enjoy later tonight and through
this weekend and the holidays. We can help. TONY
Katie and Mike came by the store yesterday and I saw Katie holding two bottles of the THIBAUT-JANISSON Virginia sparkling wine in her arms, $32.99 a bottle. I asked her if I could help her? She smiled and said that she had found what she was looking for. She had a very pleased-with-herself look on her face. She went on to explain that she and Mike had recently tried the THIBAUT-JANISSON sparkling Virginia wine at a local restaurant that had been recommended to them and that they had liked it very much indeed. I later discovered that the restaurant was the " newly-reopened " Iron Gate " across from the Tabard Inn : said Katie. I knew it. I had lunch there before and enjoyed the experience. I had also just read about how it had opened again and that it looked very promising indeed. According to Katie and Mike they had thoroughly enjoyed their dining experience, the food , the setting, the service and the wine. That their waiter and the staff had been quite informed and alerted them to the French champagne connection of Claude Thibaut and Manu Janisson. I told them that Claude Thibaut often stopped by himself to our store and that we had been one of the very first stores in D.C. to start selling it years ago in 2007 was it? Mike said that it might have been served to them with Rockfish? I also mentioned to Katie the half bottles and showed her one and she said she would take one! What a great visit, what a fun story, glad to share it with you all. We all have gained from it. Cheers, we have more in stock, come on and try some. Top-flight sparkling wine, local, go green, go Virginia, TOO! anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/13/13
Tapping into this magnum bottle of Callet, Manto Negre and Fogoneu tonight, a 2009 vintage from AN/2 from Mallorca should be a whole experience all in itself and reveal a treasure of tastes and expressions unique to these grapes when combined with 15% Syrah! Cheers, join us at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits if you have the time, $39.99 a magnum : what a steal, perfect for this bristling cold wind and weather and a piping-hot meal. Walk on down and see my friend Dave Hansen at PULPO a few store-fronts down and ask him if you can bring a bottle to enjoy there afterward with their fine food fare? There might be a corkage fee, but it would be worth it with some friends this weekend! Check it out. Cheers, TONY
This is such a treat : we welcome you all to join us later tonight in Northwest Washington D.C. 20008. Call us at : 202-363-4265, or write at : anthony.quinn@clevelandparkwines.com. This is what I wrote and posted already on our Facebook page at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits. Check us out there as I update that daily. Cheers, Happy Holidays everyone, see you later tonight. What a special moment this will be with also a dry white Viognier from VERGET in France, a Bougey sparkling French off-dry rose , and some Argentina dry red blend of Malbec and other grapes , too from Ernesto Catena that also produces a sparkling wine as well.
With Jody tonight from 5-8PM we have ANIMA NEGRA and we continue the excitement as we taste the 2009 dry red blend they make proudly on this island Mallorca from three indigenous grape varieties that produces a distinct, flavorful, charismatic dry earthy, spicy, herbal red that speaks volumes of the soil, the weather, the roots that dig deep for sustenance in the soil, the relationship of darks and lights and highs and lows, of the necessity of food to often " flesh-out " the spaces and levels and states and degrees in a wine's taste that can be hard and demanding and angular. Wow, this will be an experience for us all with this magnum bottle ( 1.5ml bottle ) that at $39.99 On Special represents a great deal as the regular bottle , the 750ml bottle of the 2010 that we sell is at $25.99 a bottle or more. Come taste this unique dry Mallorcan red with us tonight, Friday, December 13th, 2013 from 5-8PM. NEVER any charge. You are all welcome. Come in from the cold, the sun will be gone and the temperatures will surely drop! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn ... here at 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C., 20008, Tel : 202-363-4265. TONY
Harry finally got his wine! Wow, this is good! He has been asking for the ALBERTI 154 2011, $17.99, 14% alcohol by volume, Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. We had been out of it for a month or so and I have been promising Harry this wine now for quite some time and I am thrilled that on his third or is it the fourth visit here that we had it. He saw he and immediately asked without any other introductions : " Is the ALBERTI 154 Malbec in? " I smiled and said : " Yes, it's been here now for several days. " Both Michel and I went to reach for it at the same time! Michel also obviously knew that Harry wanted some ALBERTI 154 Malbec that we buy from our local rep Marci Weinstein here of Constantine Imports. This was good, all good : a happy ending to this saga. Harry brought two bottles to the register to buy yesterday, Wednesday afternoon, December 11th, 2013. Cheers and happy holidays Harry to you and to your family. Thanks for being patient with us and not losing faith that we would have it for you again. I remember maybe a year or more ago when Harry discovered this ALBERTI 154 Malbec. It's obviously been a favorite ever since. Cheers, ... A good bottle to stay warm in in this really cold arctic air blowing through now with snow still on the ground and baby blue skies now. Bundle up all. TONY
Just met Saphora a customer of ours that I saw holding and smiling with two half bottles of the HEITZ NAPA CELLARS Port, $26.99 and asking : " Are you going to get more? " I said : " Yes, are you buying the last two bottles? " She said : " Yes. " I said : " Thanks for telling me. Most people do not tell us and so we find out too late. I will call my rep Jean Gagliolo now and order more. " I did, too and Jean says he has more, he looked it up, and so on our next order from Jean we will have six more bottles coming for Saphora and anyone else that would like to have it. I like that : good business. Fine product, too. I gave Saphora a taste of our " new " Portuguese port PASAGEMS from Dan Terrasa of William Harrison, a Reserve Ruby that we just got to try, that was open here, as Dan had left the bottle for us to taste ourselves and taste out to customers. More good business. Cheers everyone!
That's TENDRIL Et LOMBARDIE French Champagne I am talking about :
Michel Dumas and Anthony Quinn ( me ) just tried the Natalie Tendril French Champagne : three styles : 1) a Blanc de Blanc,$62.99 - a delicate cream and a delightful ease and please taste that had no bite, just nice to sip all by itself ... ; a 2) Brut half-bottle, 375ml size, $27.99 - heartier, firmer, more solid and more edge and still bright and fresh and lovely really defies gravity - AND 3) the Blanc de Noir that had more gravitas, more density, packed things in - more taste closer together so that you had to get to know the taste and flavors - no escaping - and we both liked it very much, really we did, $62.99 a bottle. Our local rep fro International Cellars Nolan Hale brought these to our attention today, ... and we can use the half bottles as we are low on this category. We will see what customers say. ALL THREE are excellent in their own styles, what a treat. Thanks Nolan, merci Nolan, merci Natalie, quel bon travail vous deux a faites pour nous aujourd'hui : quel plaisir de essayer les trois cette apres-midi! Encore merci et a la prochaine. Vous-etes toujours bienvenues ici ... bons fetes 2013! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/11/13
Marsha's now living in the Netherlands with her partner - in Rotterdam, the second-largest city there she told me. She likes it okay. She said : " Everyone goes everywhere on their bicycles ! " I like that, so fuel-cost-efficient! She tasted with Doug. She was visiting Trisha. All good. Nice to have you in the store Marsha. Hope you have a nice time here and " happy trails " as you make your way back to Rotterdam. next time share a story or two with us about Rotterdam. Cheers, TONY 12/9/13
The last day that Ravi was in the store I pretty much stayed up front by the register with him. I was sorry to see him go. It made me sad and so I wanted to spend some time with him after almost working with him for fifteen years. He was someone that I was going to miss as I remember him being here in the United States in the beginning, all alone, with his wife still back in India. It took him awhile to get her over here. Now they are both back in India for awhile as he works to make repairs to his home there as well as help one of their sons that is with them arrange to get that son's fiancee back here soon so that they may marry and live here. I learned from Ravi that he will be in the town/city called that is named after Jalandar a name given to one of the sons of Shiva that came under very bad influences and that became bad himself. I also learned from Ravi that Jalandar is one of the ten big towns in Punjab. Shukria Ravi for this information. We also spoke about what it would be like for you in India. You say that it has all changed since you were there. You were a bit nervous though happy to be going. It brought a really big smile to your face when we spoke of you going. It's nice you still call to check in on us. Shukria Ravi for everything. We miss you these days at the store. It has been a transition without you in the store and at the register, and we are doing the very best we can to make things a smooth transition. Things are going smoothly but, my friend, you and your services are missed, including your big smile! Happy holidays to you and your family in Jalandar! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/9/13
I just got disconnected! Arrgghhh! I hate it! I lost my post as a result - really frustrating, really annoying! Facebook you suck at times like this, don't disconnect me from my screen as I am typing and not save what I have typed! I am not a happy Facebook customer this second as I was typing about Ravi and his going off to India and being happy there and calling us to check in from time-to-time from Jalandar , Punjab, India where he and his wife are now with one of their son's that is going to marry a young Indian lady soon. I learned the word : shukria that means " thanks " from both Jagir Singh ( the " new " Ravi at our register ) and Malkit Singh. I wanted to know how to say thanks. Shukria Jagir and Malkit! Happy holidays everyone. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/8/13
I saw Katie that is expecting her second child in April, 2014! We had a great short visit! She had no time to speak or to stay so I quickly gave her a sip of whatever we were tasting, I brought it to the register. I introduced her to Jagir Singh that is our " new " Ravinder Sharma! You know, Ravi! That was good. it's nice for people to be introduced and I try to do it as often as I can. Katie LOVES bubbly and she missed our champagne/bubbly/sparkling wine-tasting. I gave her a sip I believe of the Subirat sparkling dry Spanish rose cava, On Special for $13.99 a bottle. She liked it : her eyes lit up and a smile crossed over her face and covered her completely! Lovely. I think that Katie had rushed in quickly to get herself a three-pack of the small 187ml bottles that we sell of Italian Prosecco , $11.99, that have become so popular with many of our customers. We can't keep them in stock : we always order extra these days, really we do. Oh, and it was Katie that explained the SOPHIA 4-pack with the straws, $19.99 a 4-pack to me : the straws are cool and she and others like them! SO : who am I to argue with this?!? We always have the SOPHIA as well in the cans for her and anyone else. Katie also loves the BAILLY-LAPIERRE Reserve 375ml bottle with the bright yellow label that we always sell for $13.99 a bottle I believe? I love that one, too. It's a special sparkling French Cremant from Burgundy - a Cremant du Bourgogne. Cheers, happy holidays Katie. Anthony (TONY) Quinn I borrowed these two pictures of the Bailly-Lapierre and the Sophia sparkling wines from the internet. TONY Happy Holidays 2013 everyone!
For Olivier Lotterie of Vineyard Brands Imports, in response to his Facebook picture of his Christmas tree lit with their lights I wrote :
Joyeux Noel Olivier! TONY Je suis en tren de boire le DOMAINE DU VIEUX LAZARET 2008 blanc Chateuaneuf-Du-Pape avec ma femme avec notre arbre de Noel alume et un peu deBrie De Meaux fromage fabrique par La Fromagerie que elle et ma fille a remener de leur voyage en Europe il y a une semain et le melange des deux marche bien. Le fromage est la depuis un semaine, le vin depuis trois jours : et ensemble en ce moment avec la musique de Jim Stutsman qui a jouer les " drums " pour le Washington Opera de Kenned y Centre pour 30 ans ou plus - les trois marchent bien ensemble en ce moment chez nous avec les lumieres d'arbre de Noel en Virginie du Nord chex nous avec la neige blanc et le " sleet " ... et je suis content pour toi et ta famille en ce moment. Joyeux fetes de 2013 mon ami! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/8/13 school has just been cancelled here in Fairfax County and my wife and daughter are ecstatic as well as all their teacher friends that are looking forward to a day-off and not having to drive on the ice as the sleet is coming tonight and leaving a shiny and invisible glass of ice to roll on and slip on and be out of control and hurt oneself! Cheers, as my wife said, nice that they let them know the night before! TONY
wines from FABBIOLI CELLARS :
During our tasting I saw a lady looking at the liquor on the wall and I asked her if she would like to taste Doug Fabbioli's Virginia wines with him. She smiled and said to me : " Sure, but I never tasted a Virginia wine that I liked. " I responded : " Well, then you can tell him what you think to his face. " as I smiled back. Doug did not hear our conversation but did inquire to what we had just said? I explained and he said that to Doreen : " Will you taste my wines? " And we were off, our necks on the line here with Doreen. She spoke a second to Doug as I answered another customer's question., When I got back Doug informed me that Doreen was only going to try one wine and what should that be. I said the Chambourcin 2012, $21.99 as it is my favorite and showed so beautifully. We tasted Doreen on this and I asked her what she thought ? She responded : " I don't hate it. " Well, not only did Doreen not hate it but she bought a bottle! And Doug you may have even signed it for her! Success, how sweet it can be, how sweet it can taste, just like the taste of your excellent 2012 dry red French hybrid ( still grown in France;s Loire Valley ) Chambourcin. Cheers everyone! One step at a time, one taste at a time, we - Virginia wines are gaining ground Doug!
As I rushed to work yesterday morning , Saturday December 7th, 2013 I walked hurriedly through the courtyard of Firehook Bakery and passed a young blond female customer - a regular and one that we have gotten to know well - and we both said " hello ". She had her young child in a papoose in front of her , a coffee in hand and a bag in the other. She shouted back at me and made me stop as she said : " this is our last weekend here. We're leaving. And the thing we will miss is Cleveland Park Wines and you. But , don't worry, we will be back to see you. ". I asked her where they were moving. She told me it was still close and I wished them well and told her that we delivered in town. She liked this news. They have been a real pleasure to sell to : great personalities and warm smiles, too. Gotta love that, I certainly do. Bon voyage, see you soon! Cheers, happy holidays 2013. If you need any empty boxes for packing come on by anytime. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/8/13
Three young sharp-dressed customers were shopping the other evening in the store : two men and a woman. Sometimes they were together, sometimes walking around alone. I heard them talking, one of the young men saying that : " ... a Cabernet, something big and bold ". I had asked them if they needed help, so had Michel, and they said " no " that they were happy browsing. They did, too for almost half an hour, or so it seemed. Finally I saw them pass by me headed to the register with a bottle of the OBSIDIAN RIDGE Vineyard Red Hills, Lake County, Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 , $36.99, 13.6% alcohol by volume bottle in their hand. I told them that it was a good choice for this Saturday, December 7th, 2013 and the current weather. I also said : " Come back with me, I want to show you something. " I went back to find the piece of shiny quartz crystal black-hued light-coffee brown piece that the OBSIDIAN RIDGE Vineyards National sales rep had left when we ordered a case. They each held it. I found out that their names were Adam and Mora. The other gentleman's name I forgot. Sorry! I recommended that they could make it all so simple by going to shop the back wall of Brookville Supermarket two door's down from us to buy some cheeses and pate. I also suggested that they could walk to the end of the block to Vace to buy one of their pepperoni and sausage pizzas with green peppers, onions and whatever else to enjoy with this hearty, robust, flavorful, best-with-food,balanced California cabs! Cheers and I hope you enjoyed it. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/9/13
Cleveland Park Wine & Spirits
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Margaret came by the other day after calling me about getting some of the ROYAL TOKAJI 5-6 Puttonyos Aszu? She wanted two bottles, we had one of the 5 Puttonyos Aszu , $52.99. 11.5% alcohol by volume in stock that she picked up. I ordered more from Sal at Bacchus as we need to keep this essential product from Hungary in stock! WE are ready for you to visit us again Margaret. Thanks for the call and coming by our store. We LOVE selling the wines of Hungary here. Cheers, Happy holidays to you all and to you, too Margaret! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn COME to our BIG-THEME BUBBLY wine-tasting here tomorrow from 5-8PM : it's free, everyone is welcome! TONY 12/3/13
Balla Géza a Royal Tokajit képviseli. — at Borjour Magnum 2012.
Thank you all very much. You helped us to get a 5-Star rating here on Facebook and we do appreciate that very much1 You are all the very best1 please ask your friends and family that might also enjoy shopping at Cleveland park wines and Spirits to LIKE us as well! Thanks. This is a great way to start my day as I get ready to go to work and set up for owner and winemaker doug Fabbioli of his own Leesburg/ loudoun County, Virginia winery FABBIOLI CELLARS to come pour a selection of his fine wines today. JOIN US : 2-6PM, everyone ALWAYS welcome. Lets get passed this rain of yesterday and get stocked up in case Monday turns out to be a really bad weather day! Cheers, No charge for the tasting, only if you buy something. saturday, December 7th, 2013 ... get a bottle signed as a gift by Doug for these holidays. TONY
Anthony Quinn shared Barack Obama's photo.
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Inspirational. Years ago while in South Africa with John Morrison we were driving in Cape Town and John pointed out Mandela's house as we left a winery there in Constantia and headed to John's daughter's home for a lovely meal. Yesterday Theresa Morrison was at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits talking about their arriving container of much-anticipated wines from South Africa and the tasting we will be doing in the store later this December 2013. We will dedicate it to Mandela and to the boundless inspiration and admiration he has inspired in all of us. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn when I heard the news on NBC Channel 4 I was writing the people of the LAETITIA Vineyard & Winery in California and had to pause, and told them so.
"Let us pause and give thanks for the fact that Nelson Mandela lived—a man who took history in his hands and bent the arc of the moral universe toward justice." —President Obama 12/6/13
Sarah our great friend of the Quebec House brought her best girlfriend Amy into the store in search of some Pinot Noir for them to enjoy. Amy live on the island of Curacao with her husband and she's pregnant and expecting , and delivering this coming April. She needs a good sip of Pinot Noir and asked for the MARK WEST which we do not have so we showed her our favorites, the 1) DELOACH Vineyards 2012 CaLIFORNIA Pinot Noir, On Special for $$12.99, the Heritage Reserve, 13.5% alcohol by volume, and the ... 2) TORTOISE CREEK Wines " Les Oliviers " Pays D'Oc, from southwest France, $11.99, 13% alcohol by volume. Now we have to wait and see what she and Sarah thought of these two? When I heard she was living in Curacao I showed her our bottle of liqueur made by PIERRE FERRAND. She has never seen it before but may after having her baby. Cheers Amy, nice to meet you. Happy holidays to you both! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn So sad about the passing of Nelson Mandela! TONY
Thanks Matt Crutchley for taking such good care of our account here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits. It's people like you with your dedication and professional help that make the real difference. Every product needs a push. I learned that years ago when I applied for a job at Scheffein Imports and the interviewer asked me about how I would sell BEEFEATER? I said that it sells itself, or something like that? He did not like my response, he said that it has to be mentioned all the time to keep it fresh in people's minds. I did not get the job. That's okay, I've always been about the wine. Anyone that knows me knows that. That does not change , however my respect for the hard work that Mathew Crutchley of National Republic Distributors does for our account here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits , 3423 Connecticut Avenue.N.W., 2008 202-363-4265, with Malkit Singh and Jagir Singh. Cheers, , thanks Mat. Happy Holidays everyone. We are all saddened by the recent passing of Nelson Mandela. A real loss. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/6/13
We have lots of LIQUOR " ON SPECIAL NOW : a whole floor display as a matter of fact :
Chris, one of our salespeople for one of the big wholesalers ( National ) was just here doing a fine job with our liquor displays : they have never looked better. Come check out our Specials on :
1) ABSOLUT 1.75ml, On Special at $33.99,
2) BEEFEATER 1.75ml On Special at $28.99,
3) JAMESON Irish Whisky On Special at $26.99,
Speaking of Laetitia Vineyards' wines and bubblies, too : and the recently announced passing of Nelson Mandela :
Thanks Jackie, the history we have with Laetitia is long and involved and really quite special as they go. I remember so well the real love that many of our customers like Mike had for the Pinot Blanc when we started years ago. How can I forget that, it was profound : the quality was amazing, and then we could not buy it here in Washington D.C. as it all went to a major hotel chain I believe? What a grand loss that was : went through, all of us , a real sense of mourning : much as wel all will do now that Nelson Mandela had just been pronounced dead. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all of this, really I am. It's a whole lot to digest just now. I need a moment .... TONY
Romy passed through tonight : what a vibrant, young, youthful, carefree, beacher-girl-surfer-girl bit of Aussie freshness for us all - a gift of sorts from Syndney, Australia where the beaches are fine, where it is summer now in Australia and Romy might be there at the beaches that are fine there now?!? Anyway, we had Romy in the store and she signed many of her GOTHAM wines , and Men Of GOTHAM wines for our customers, said that Kate was " a good egg ", smiled, was cheerful and bright and a delight to have tasting her wines like the one where she picked the grapes, then stomped them , too - announcing to me earlier and to her father Bruce at the time that it was indeed " hard work ", ... the Stalking Horse --- that in the image looked like a stallion horse stalking a man ( that she said looked like her brother?!? ) ... a Shiraz that I quite liked, almost as much - but not nearly as much as the McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon, $17.99 - a 2009 was it?!? - that Romy said was " her favorite ". I'm glad for that as it has been mine, too. I did discover a " new " red blend that I also liked very much. More on that when I am back at the store. Cheers, Thanks Romy, what a treat. GREAT TASTING. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Thursday night @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits, December 5th, 2013
Ned came through the store looking for a bottle of port for a gift for someone that knows port so I took him over and immediately - wow , Nelson Mandela dead, I just heard this on Channel 4 as I was typing - I have to pause for a moment - ... anyway, now a few seconds later - I showed Ned the bottle of FEREIRA 20-Year-old Tawny that we have On Special for $59.99 : it BLEW Michel Dumas and Anthony Quinn- me - AWAY when we tried it. This is our second order and just in time for the holidays! Ned bought it after much discussion and I showed him other choices , too. It was my first recommendation - he went with it! Cheers, happy holidays Ned! TONY 12/5.13
One of our grand regulars came by to thanks me for the BUBBLY annual tasting, saying it was always one of the highlights of the year for him. He had his characteristic smile on his face, some bottle-age like me, he LOVE$S bubbly, was always a LAETTITIA Non-Vintage Brut California sparkling fan and I bet he bought that as he always bought either the Brut or the Brut rose - both dry. Cheers, TONY here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits 3423 Conn. Ave. M.W. Washington D.C. in a " happenin' community! " Cheers, Happy New Year everyone 12/5/13
Lisa came in from Australian looking for a gift red for friends here for $15 a bottle : i suggested and sold her a bottle of the ROCKBRIDGE Virginia Tuscarora Red, $14.99, 13% alcohol by volume, that's a blend and really nice to sip or enjoy with a meal. I also gave her two Virginia winery maps to keep one and offer one with the bottle. Lisa told me she's off to Tasmania and I showed her the JANSZ Tasmanian brut sparkling wine, $21.99 : she bought it, too. Lisa said that her friends had told her to come here many times : this was her first in 4 years : ouch! Oh well, better late than never. Turns out that people thought she said she was going to Tanzania instead of Tasmania, and I am one of the first to know where Tasmania is! I like that. Great news. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/5/13 Bon voyage Lisa! Enjoy the ROCJBRIDGE and the JANSZ!
Cleveland Park Wine & Spirits
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Margaret came by the other day after calling me about getting some of the ROYAL TOKAJI 5-6 Puttonyos Aszu? She wanted two bottles, we had one of the 5 Puttonyos Aszu , $52.99. 11.5% alcohol by volume in stock that she picked up. I ordered more from Sal at Bacchus as we need to keep this essential product from Hungary in stock! WE are ready for you to visit us again Margaret. Thanks for the call and coming by our store. We LOVE selling the wines of Hungary here. Cheers, Happy holidays to you all and to you, too Margaret! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn COME to our BIG-THEME BUBBLY wine-tasting here tomorrow from 5-8PM : it's free, everyone is welcome! TONY 12/3/13
Balla Géza a Royal Tokajit képviseli. — at Borjour Magnum 2012.
I heard so many nice things about IL BORRO from my family and how beautiful it was, they loved the experience, walking along , I saw in the pictures the flower pots hanging from the upper windows, the ivy and green growing along the walls on the narrow walkways that hugged the hill, the miniature renditions of the village and the people - close-ups in the pictures to better see, the pool of water - a rectangular space of reflective, vibrant water, the walking down into the cellars and the darkness and warmth, the steel tanks for wine that walled the above-ground winery, the shimmer, the shine of steel, wondering what was inside ? And I would enjoy later the Pian di Nova 2010 75% Syrah and 25% Sangiovese,... that was great with the cheese and again a day later really nice with my steak ... cheers , grazie , Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn ... the 2010 still needs time, I'd ideally give it another 3-5 years of cellaring to have it offer up everything that it has inside to please and tease and pleasure us all! Happy holidays 2013 everyone. TONY
Looking at a clean old-fashioned wine glass from Tuscany, Italy made to enjoy Chianti wines. It dates back to the old Mayflower Wines & Spirits' days of the eighties when I started off with a four-pack of them and am now down to just one! It's on the table runner that my daughter and I bought in Sienna, Italy back in late October 2009 with an olives and olive branches motif. Look great and I think I will enjoy using it later tonight for old time's sake. It has the Gallo Nero - Black Rooster symbol on it that is still a distinction to have on your Chianti bottles. It says : Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico. I wonder how we got them : what vineyard sent them to us? VOLPAIA, FONTERUTOLI, FOSSI? I do not remember - it's been awhile. Happy Sunday everyone : it's so nice now, have got logs and branches and twigs in our fire pit outside for a fire in a bit. Cheers, TONY 12/1/13
Rosalind and her sister came to shop two nights ago and it was great to have her on Thanksgiving eve! THat was great to see you again my friend Rosalind! You looked great, LOVE your smile and the way it covers all your face when you greet someone! It was also a real treat to help you pick out your wines for your family. You were coming from Colorado was it where you moved? I believe so. Anyway, you told me how picky and choosy they were , and how critical, too. I said : " Wow, my neck is really on the line, just like yours here. " Rosalind smiled as we walked towards the EASTON Vineyards " Amador County " , California Zinfandel, $20.99 as we started our quest to find six or so whites and reds that they would like. We also put in the VINACEOUS Grenache, Shiraz with a splash of Tempranillo red Aussie wine, $16.99 into the mix. It was fun working on this with you Rosalind. It was so great to see you again. I hear that we forgot to load the two six-packs of beer into your car so that you had to come back for them? Can't wait to hear how well we did on the selection of wines. Happy holidays to you and to James and to your children, too. Congratulations on your new books just out. I will look for them and get back to you on that later. You're the very , VERY best! Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 12/1/13
I just walked through the front door @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits and Santos at the register smiles and says : " You overslept, I'm here all by myself. A customer in the back may need you help. " AS I walk swiftly past him I say " yes ", and I ask Kim and Elsa looking at our French wines : " Do you need any help? " Kim says : " I'm misses the Beaujolais Nouveau " as she held a bottle of the Beaujolais-Villages from CHATEAU-PRETY. She looks at the vintage and says : " Oh, this is a 2011. " I tell her it's drinking really well, that we just had it open the other day and that it's delicious. " It sells for $16.99 a bottle. A treat for now. I tell her that we still have the Beaujolais Nouveau wines, that she has not missed them. I describe the BOUCHARD AINE 2013 Beaujolais Nouveau, $11.99 as being bright red in clor and fruit-forward, and softer and rounder on the palate, the MANOIR DU CARRA Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau, $10.99 as being more complex, more tightly-knit, and offering a nice contrast to the BOUCHARD AINE. I tell both Kim and Elsa that Frederic that is the owner and wine-maker has been here and tasted with our customers. Kim decides to buy Frederic's wines. As they pass me I ask them if they want to try the BOUCHARD AINE and that it's been open for awhile. Kim is describing it to Elsa : talking about the Gamay grape. Then I taste them on the CHATEAU CHEVAL BRUN Grand Cru Saint Emilion 2009, On Special for $31.99, and Elsa says she likes it much better. She says that the BOUCHARD AINE may have turned. So U taste it and say " No. It's just more complex now, lost some of the baby-fat-fruit it had, is more interesting now and more of a food wine now. " I tell her that she will like it when it's fresh. I tell her there are other less-expensive Bordeaux reds, too like the GENTIS Bordeaux red blend, 2010 - great year - , $10.99 in case Kim wants to buy Elsa that, too?! You never know : cover all your bases. They walk up to the register. and Kim says : " Thanks. You've been very helpful. Thanks for the lesson. Very interesting. " Thanks Kim and Elsa. I discover that Kim is visiting from Rochester, New York. Santos picks up on this and talks about Mike Martin that worked here and moved up there. They talk about that and I come back to type this before I forget it all. Happy Saturday, November 30th, 2013 : come and taste later with Regis. I invited Kim and Elsa to come taste, too. Happy holidays! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 11/30/13
Katherine a good customer came in to taste early this evening before going to dinner. Michael, another good customer was tasting, too. As he passed by me I said I liked his Prosecco choice - the three-pack at $11.99 , and he came back and said to Katherine : " I like your purse, really nice. " She showed it - a small black purse covered in keyboard letters in bas-relief that reflected nicely the changing light. Very snappy, very cool : never seen that before. I told her I liked it, too. Michael complemented her on her outfit: she was well-dressed, looked great. It was a nice conversation the three of us had before going our separate ways. Michael also bought a bottle of the Alto Adige Italian Gewurztraminer from KALTERN, $16.99. Katherine had just purchased a case here of wine a week before so she was fine. Great to taste and chat. We talked about the service road. She had ideas as she had worked on at the Historical Association in Texas somewhere ( ? ), and her comment was that the service lane should not be touched as it was part of our historic building area. She's right. Looks like it will not be touched. Cheers Katherine and Michael : have a great weekend. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 11/30/13
