Anthony Quinn's Tuesday Weekly Cleveland Park & Wines Store Email Of March 11th, 2014 : Owner-Winemaker Damiano Here Tasting His Family's ROSA DEL GOLFO Italian Puglian Wines 5-8PM Join Us, Everyone Welcome!

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EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR with the promise of being both ' Negroamaro'ed ', as well
as ' Primitivo'ed! ' I like to turn many of the grape varieties, especially
those indigenous ones that many of us have never heard of, that are sometimes
hard to pronounce, and really not sure of their spelling?!? Those are my
favorites and it always makes everyone pause and wonder and sometimes express
their almost discomfort at what might be implied as they all-of-a-sudden find
themselves in completely uncharted waters/ grape waters in this case. SO :
TONIGHT : Tuesday March 11th, 2014 plan on coming by after work and enjoy the
company of Damiano himself. He's quite the gentleman, he's quite the figure,
he's a lovely force to be reckoned with, and that's all even before you taste
his wines!

COME : TASTE - Damiano's ROSA DEL GOLFO reds made from the Negroamaro grapes ,
as well as another made with the Primitivo grapes. See what you taste and
whether you like Damiano's style or not?

WHAT I LIKE : With Damiano's ROSA DEL GOLFO reds are the brightness, the
freshness, that the fruit of each grape is , from start-to-finish ALWAYS
center-stage, and that they taste fresh like wine and not like lab experiments
or enhancements : they are : ' what they are - take or leave them .' I really
like all of that, and they are both $16.99 a bottle and they are for me quite
affordable.

THEY ARE ALSO GREAT with many different foods. They are made to be enjoyed with
food. Together the food and the wines work really well and enhance the other as
it should be : a marriage that really works well and in harmony.
THEY ARE BOTH from the 2010 vintage, so they both now have some bottle age. The
Negroamaro 2010 is at 13% alcohol bu volume which is very reasonable considering
how hot it gets in Puglia the heel of Italy's boot. The Primitivo 2010 is 13.5%
alcohol-by-volume which is also quite low for the heat of that region.

THE REASONABLE ALCOHOLS of these wines keeps them balanced and focused and where
the fruit of the wine is always front-and-center, fresh, lively and bright, too.
Bravo Damiano. Let's now see what tonight's customers think when they taste
them?

GET A SIGNED BOTTLE or more for gifts. They will make perfect spring gifts as
they harmonize so well with so many meals now as it starts to warm up again.
Beautiful modern yet stylish and classic labels, Bordeaux-shaped bottles.

BEER TIME NOW, fair is fair and I have to remember to talk about beer , too. I
like this next beer and I owe it to Matt Loftin that helped me this past weekend
when he was tasting it with you all. he took some pictures of Enrico Sasso of IL
PIOPPO Selections on his phone and sent them to me. As he left this weekend I
looked at him and smiled and said that I had forgotten to take pictures of him
pouring them.

THREE Favors - Styles of MOTHER EARTH Brewing BA Brewers Association,
handcrafted in eastern North Carolina, in Kingston  ) Matt poured, all On
Special at $12.99 a 6-pack for the 12-ounce bottles. I liked them, especially
the
1) ' Weeping Willow ' WIT Belgian-Style Wit Beer - ale brewed with spices, 5%
alcohol by volume ; - : " This beer style is over 400 years old, and continues
to enjoy overwhelming popularity. Offering low hop bitterness, it is easy to
enjoy '  ...  and the
2) ' Dark Cloud ' Munich-Style Dunkel lager - " Steeped in a long history dating
back hundreds of years, this ' old-fashioned ' beer is again in vogue. - , and
less the heavier-style of the ...  3) ' Sisters of the Moon ' India Pale Ale ,
6.9% alcohol-by-volume, - : ' Made with hops grown in the good ol' USA, you'll
proudly support American farmers when you drink this beer! ... '

GO TO : www.motherearthbrewing.com for more info. From North Carolina.

ON THESE ' MOTHER EARTH selections I liked the elegance, the balance and the
more subtle flavors I tasted that were neither heavy or unbalanced, all
well-focused. I was happy to taste them. I was happy to learn that North
Carolina is making such fine beer. I heard from customers this weekend that the
micro-brew business is blossoming there.

ALSO From Santos in BEER:

4) ' Sour In The RYE ' Sour Rye Ale aged in Oak Barrels, from  Famille Rue THE
BRUERY ( On Special for $21.99, 2014 edition, 7.6% alcohol by volume, from
Orange County, California , 1 Pint, 9.4 Fl. Oz bottle, ) : " Deliciously sour,
bursting with spicy rye notes and hints of oak from the barrels it was aged in.
"
GO TO : www.TheBruery.com for more info, more inspiration, more tastes of
wisdom, too.

5) ' Magna ' Special Edition 2013 GALAXY Belgian Triple from TROUBADOUR, India
Pale Ale ( $13.99 a 1 Pint 9.4 Fl. Oz bottle, 9% alcohol by volume, product of
Belgium, ) : " This ale is a one-time special brew of Troubadour Magna, every
year available at the end of summertime. This is an amber colored Belgian Triple
India Pale Ale, dry-hopped with American Simcoe hop. For dry-hopping ... we
selected GALAXY hops ... providing a typical intense fruity aroma. "

" This will go well with pizza, right? " Anne-Lee asked me as she held up the
bottle and showed it to me. It was a bottle of the FINCA FABIAN  2012 Spanish
Tempranillo Dominio De Punctum ( Bodegas Y Vinedos Ecologicos , $10.99 a bottle,
go to : www.fincafabian.com for more info, from Vino de la Tierra de Castilla ,
13.5% alcohol by volume ). I smiled and said that and Italian wine would work,
too. She added that she picked it for the bird on the label, that she liked the
label. I paused and immediately added that the wine would be fine with her pizza
and that the wine and the label was made by a woman that worked with her brother
and father to produce and market these wines. I told Anne-Lee from Morgantown,
West Virginia, that has a degree in Biology that it also comes in a dry white
unoaked Chardonnay and she said : " Give me one. " We talked about the weather
and she said : " this will probably be the last time I wear this black dress
this year. " I smiled, told her it was okay as it's nice to have these changes
in weather and that my only real reference for Morgantown is the line in Joni
Mitchell's song : ' Good Morning Morgantown ' and that probably Joni was talking
about Canada or even California but probably not about West Virginia? Cheers,
enjoy your two wines Anne-Lee!

LIQUEUR-LIQUEUR From Malkit/ Jagir :

LIQUEUR :

BAILEY'S Mudslide :
1)  For St. Patty's Day or before :

a) 750ml bottle, On Special for $7.99, was $14.99 a bottle.
b) 1.75ml bottle, On Special for $10.99, was $19.99 a bottle.
WHILE SUPPLIES LAST, first come, first serve!

2) Limoncello Creme from GIOLA LUISA ( $24.99 a 750 bottle, imported from
Sorrento, Italy, 17% alcohol by volume, Orchards of Sorrento, go to :
www.golimoncello.com for more info ) : " Giola Luisa Limoncello Creme is made in
the traditional Sorentine, ITalian method with a touch of creme! ... " Taste
some, refreshing an nice over ice.

3) 99 APPLES Liqueur Apple Shnappes ( $17.99 a 750ml bottle, 49.5% alcohol by
volume , produced by Polynesian Products, Co. Louisville, KY ) : " A tangy apple
taste sensation, get a bunch of apple flavor with every sip of 99 apples served
chilled. " Sounds like a plan for me! Imagine an apple a day keeps the doctor
away, what does 99 apples a day do?!?

LIQUOR :

1) ' Big Peat ' Small Batch Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky ( On Special for
$61.99 a bottle, product of Scotland, 46% alcohol by volume, ) : " A shovelful
of Islay Single Malt Scotch Whiskies including malts distilled at ARDBEG, CAOL
ILA, BOWMORE, PORT ELLEN ... not chill filtered, 96 points from Jim Murray's
Whisky Bible. "

2) Organic Spirit Snake River USA Organic Vodka & Organic Flavor from AMERICAN
HARVEST ( On Special for $18.99 a 750ml bottle, was $24.99 a 750 ml bottle, 40%
alcohol by volume , Rigby, Oregon ) : " ... proudly handcrafted in small batches
from organic American wheat, certified organic ingredients and water from deep
beneath the Snake River Plain, yielding a distinctly smooth and silky spirit
with a crisp, clean taste. "

WINES :

1) Vinho Verde D.O.C. Branco from the VALE DO HOMEN ( On Special for $9.99 a
750ml bottle, 2011, 11.5% alcohol by volume ) : We have been delighted to offer
this wine in the past for $11.99 a bottle and are now thrilled to be able to
sell it to you for only $9.99 a bottle. It's been a ' favorite ' of Michel, Joe
and me - Tony. It has much more body and depth than many bottles of Portuguese
Vinho Verdes, and more alcohol, too. It's perfect for this cooler weather when
there is also a nipping breeze to send chills up and down our spines! This one
is made with a blend of two Portuguese indigenous grapes : Loureiro and Arinto,
and from the Sub Regiao Do Cavado. What a delight and a treat!

2) " V " erdi ... 2011 dry Austrian white Gruner Veltliner from ANTON BAUER  (
On Special for $9.99 a bottle, was $13.99 a bottle, from Wagram, Austria , 12.5%
alcohol by volume ) : what a great deal, lighter, brighter, yet nicely fleshed
and rich on the palate. Easy to sip and enjoy all by itself!

3) Pinotage 2012 ' Fairtrade ' from FAIRVALLEY in South Africa ( $9.99 a 750ml
bottle, 14% alcohol by volume, go to : www.wine@fairvalley.co.za  from Citrsdal,
South Africa, Western Cape ) : The flavors, the consistency, the focus and the
good mouth-grip, expression of flavors is pretty amazing for only $9.99 a
bottle. This is quite the treat, quite the find, QUITE the VALUE!

4) Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Organic - Fair Trade South African dry red  from
STELLAR ORGANICS Winery  ( $12.99 a 750ml bottle, 13.5% alcohol by volume, Vegan
Friendly, W.O. Western Cape Fair For Life, go to : www.stellarorganics.com for
more info ) : these wines really do deliver in every way, fruit-forward, fleshy,
spicy, sometimes earthy, too ; balanced and tasty and good for all of us! GOTTA
LOVE IT, I do!!

TWO HONEY Wines :

1) Traditional Mead Semi-Sweet Honey Wine from FOX HILL MEADERY ( $19.99 a
750ml, 13% alcohol by volume, from Marshall. NC, go to : www.foxhillmead.com for
more info ) : " ... contains multiple varieties of honey and was aged with oak
to create a mead with many layers of complexity... "

2) ' Harvest Fruit Cyser ' from FOUR QUARTERS is where  ' apple cider and honey
join to create a crisp, sweet Cyser with a uniquely full-bodied nose ' ( $17.99
a 750ml bottle, 15% alcohol by volume, from Walker Lane Artemas PA , go to :
www.FourQuartersWine.org for more info ) : " A Pennsylvania non-profit Church,
Monastery and Retreat Center 814-784-3080 ) - there are three other styles, too.
I will ask our local rep Jean Gagliolo to come in here and do an in-store
tasting of all four of these as there is a real growing interest in this
category today!

TOP FLIGHT Non-Kosher :

1) 4 Seasons Pinotage 2010 from ASAF ( $35.99 a 750ml bottle, from Israel, from
Galilee, go to : www.assafwinery.com for more info ) : exciting, world-class,
the real treat for a serious meal. Dry, complex, balanced, made to enjoy with
food as it needs the food to help flesh out it's more spicy, earthy and drier,
pithier-grittier-yet-elegant flavors and tastes! GLAD to have it here for you
all.

TWO Super-Tuscan Wines From Salvatore Ferragamo : That's IF You Can
Call A Chardonnay a ' Super Tuscan ?!? ', probably not . oh well ...

From IL BORRO, Arrezo, Tuscany, Italy-

1)  ' La Melle ' 2011 Chardonnay Toscano I.G.T. from IL BORRO ( On Special
for $28.99 a bottle, regularly $30.99 a bottle, San Giustino, Valdarno ) : I
like the elegance, the polish, the brightness, the finesse, the bright nuances
of taste that slide and glide and linger and last and rock gently on the palate
in no hurry to disappear or go anywhere, taking their time to embed themselves
completely into you palates' psyche! And they do, it opens slow and gracefully
and you have to pause and not rush and take your times as not to miss the
subtlety of this medium-to-slightly-lighter-bodied dry fruit-forward Chardonnay.
I like it, nice to sip, nice to imagine, nice to simply BE!

2)  ' Pian Di Nova ' 2011 75% Syrah and 25% Sangiovese dry red 2011  from
IL BORRO ( On Special for $28.99, regularly $28.99 a bottle, 14.5% alcohol by
volume ) : I will taste this again but my overall feeling is that these are
really fine aging wines that get so much better with lots of patience and time.
Cellar them, or enjoy them decanted with a good, hearty Tuscan meal of game or
grilled meats or the famous soup they make that has different breads in it! I
have enjoyed my bottles at home over several days and I do not mind it that way.
It spreads the wealth longer, like making a good pair of shoes from finer
leather and that last and hold their shape and their form longer. You pay for
what you get. I agree here. Cheers! Get some and squirrel it away of when the
occasion is right.

WEEKLY TUESDAY Sparkling Wine SALE in effect, SAVE UP to 15% on sparkling wines
today, and on WEDNESDAY, SAVE up to 20% on still wines.  SAME AS ALWAYS,
outlined in previous emails, check them or ask Tony or Joe and we will be happy
to tell you. Call us at : 202-363-4265 and we can take care of whatever you want
and guarantee that you SAVE SAVE SAVE MORE!

WEEK'S TASTINGS :

TONIGHT, Wednesday, March 11th, 2014, ( 5-8PM )  , Owner Winemaker Damiano of
ROSA DEL GOLFO here from 5-8PM tasting his two Puglian indigenous reds of Negro
Amaro and also Primitivo, $16.99 both! No charge.

FRIDAY, March 14th, 2014 : 5-8PM, We have Chuck of Lanterna coming to pour a
selection of his wines. No charge, join us. Cheers.

SATURDAY, March 15th, 2014 : 2-6PM , We have Alex of the Balkan Wines here to
pour some of his Balkan estate reds and whites. We will probably pour the
ever-popular Portuguiser dry and floral and fruit-forward red that you all love
so much!

THANK YOU ALL for everything! PLEASE FOLLOW us on Twitter at : cpwinespirits and
at wineenabler, also PLEASE LIKE and follow us on Facebook at : Cleveland Park
Wine & Spirits.

JOE HAS BEEN REALLY BUSY reorganizing and straightening up our shelves on the
left side of the store and the signs need to be changed to correspond with the '
new ' shelves, otherwise it is all really great and better organized, easier to
see and shop and ponder and consider all your many wonderful choices and
possibilities and various scenarios ... oh yeah!

THANKS AGAIN, CHEERS,   TONY