Listening For The Last Two Nights To Jim Stutsman's " Winter Sampler " C.D. Of Music He Assembles Annually - Twice A Year : Summer & Winter/ Enjoying SALTON Brazilian Brut Espumante, Dry White 2008 DOMAINE DU VIEUX LAZARET Chateauneuf-Du-Pape & Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009 From FOURNIER / Enjoying, Too Brie De Meaux & Crotin Chevre! Great Combos All!

On this past Saturday afternoon I was carrying up a case of wine for a customer and passed one of our favorite customers, Jim Stutsman and he said : " Is that mine? " and I quickly : " No, I'm helping another customer", smiled and walked on. I had earlier seen Jim come in with his own wine-tasting glass in hand ready to taste what we were offering up. It happened to be owner and winemaker Doug Fabbioli and his FABBIOLI CELLARS , Leesburg, Virginia wines. I said to Jim : 

" Have you met Doug Fabbioli? " Jim responded, : " No , I haven't had the pleasure yet. " I introduced them and went on helping my customer. I saw Jim again minutes later at our register and he said : " I have something for you " and he handed me his collection of songs that he copies onto a c.d. and puts out in the summer and again in the winter.

This is his " winter c.d. " of some eighteen song selections from his massive collection of old albums and c.d.'s and cassettes with special and rare musical, jazz, folk, blues and classical songs and recordings, many no longer in print or available to the public. Jim's mission is simple : he wants to share these rare recordings with the public today so that they will never die. It is sort of like the same mission we have at Cleveland Park Wines and Spirits : we and all the rare and indigenous grape varieties and unknown regions of the world that produce them to live on and not die to the public today.

 It is a daunting task, with great rewards, where victories are hard and take patience and where it's 
always done " one at a time". 

Thank you Jim. For the last two nights my wife and I have loved listening to you new " Winter " collection enjoying the SALTON Brazilian Brut sparkling, $14.99, the Fournier Sauvignon Blanc Loire Valley dry white 2009 On Special for $13.99 - 12% alcohol by volume - great acidity and so much rich mineral flavors that cries out for the Crotin goats' cheese we enjoyed with it, the white blend of Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 2008 DOMAINE Du VIEUX LAZARET, On Special for $29.99, regularly $44.99 a bottle, 14% alcohol - so creamy-souffle nutty-like now, that tasted great with the Brie de Meaux ( both cheeses brought back from Paris, France for us a week ago - nice ). Special. Thanks Jim, wonderful. Happy Holidays Jim, thanks for sharing these twice a year! We treasure them. It was great that we could tell you, too last night when I called you on your phone at home on Sunday, 
December 8th, 2013 and both my wife and I got a chance to thank you on the spot, so to speak.

 We know that you have been with the Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center since it started many moons ago, that you have an amazing collection of music, taste, too : and that for forever as well you have been what I call " The Godfather " of our country's lesser-known states and their wines championing them at your home when you invite people like us to come and taste them with you : all treasures that you collected on your motorcycle when you would go and taste and buy them. 

Thanks for that, too. That will have to wait for another time. Cheers,  TONY