UP TO 20% OFF TOMORROW'S SPARKLING WINE TASTING-SALE : Ohhhh BOY Yes, What Fun, 33 BUBBLIES TO SAMPLE and ENJOY tomorrow, $15 AA Person, Reserve seats now at : @Eventbrite, that &15 goes to pay for any purchase you make of the 33 sparkling wines you taste tomorrow!

December is a great month with so many holidays to celebrate with family and friends, : we love them all, that is what makes up the tapestry here of the United States Of America.

WE need to celebrate our being alive and here in the United States , and being a country that still affords many opportunities.

WE cannot let our differneces bring out the mean and the ugly in us, that is not a way to move positively forward, we cannot grow in hatred and negativity.

SO : come and be a part here. Do not spread comments like : " They are not laughing now ". THat is a really negative comment, not one that is friendly and from which to grow in a positive manner.

PLEASE COME and be a part of our store, our community, our neighborhood here of Cleveland Park. We all need to be aware that these are serious times, and that the health of ourselves and our community is paramount. Things are not good here for our business community. I have heard many rather desperate, last-ditch comments made to me by many here, not encouraging to us maintaining a prosperous and healthy, lively and bright community.

THIS IS SAID not to alarm but to alert us all to the fact that we need to support more than ever all our small businesses here if we want things to grow and prosper!

MOVING ONE STEP FORWARD at a time, feeling good about it, too, let's see what we have besides sparkling wine to tempt you all?!?

BEER & CIDER from Santos :

BEER - 5 From WICKED WEED Brewing :

1) ' Old Fashioned ' barrel-aged ale , brewed with oranges and cherries, $12.99, for a 12,7 Fl Oz bottle, , with 10% alcohol, will warm us all up with this cool weather and wet drizzle now.

2) " Xibalba ' barrel-aged Imperial Pumpkin Ale with Cacao nibs, chiles and spices. 12.7Fl Oz bottle, with 9.5% alcohol by volume, this should soother our possibly frazzled nerves?!? Cheers!

3) ' Tyrant ' double red India Pale Ale, On Special for $6.99 , what a value, for a 500ml bottle, two! And with only 8.5% alcohol by volume, this is a great place to start to warm-up, feel a lovely glow, to feel inspired and fired and famously good!

4) ' Dark Angel ' Bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Stout, $12.99 for a 12 Fl, Oz, 12.7% alcohol by volume bottle : this will be good to watch the moon tomorrow night as it peaks out from the thick cloud covering of last night!

5) ' La Bonte ' Tart Farmhouse ale with figs, $11.99 with 6.5% alcohol by volume, for this 500ml bottle, ... and perhaps with some ' figgy pudding, too' ?!?! I think so, perfect fit, perfect timing, the weather screams - cries Mary, calls Harry for these now. Yes!

ALL from Ashville, North Carolina.

COME TRY THEM - buy one of each, have a beer-sampling tonight?

TWO Hard Ciders from BOLD ROCK :

1) Pear Cider / hard cider from BOLD ROCK, made with New Zealand pears, On Special for $9.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles, with 4.7% alcohol by volume, Virginia, naturally gluten-free, : " inspired cider blend of New Zealand pears and local Blue Ridge apples."

2) ' Virginia DRAFT 'Hard Cider, an amber apple cider from BOLD ROCK, On Special for $9.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles, with 4.7% alcohol by volume, " " a smooth and mellow cider made from a blend of local Virginia apples. "

LIQUEUR / LIQUOR From Jagir :

1) Cassis liqueur from Virginia's Middleburg, MT. DEFIANCE distillery, try this incredible, rich, lush, vibrant, amazing Creme de Cassis, one of the very best that I have had in years, $34.99, 375ml bottle, with 23% by volume, .... I love this, what a treat! Highly highly recommended.

2) KOLOA Kaua'i Spice, the original, from Hawaii, a Hawaiian rum with natural flavors and caramel color, On Special for $41.99 a bottle, a deep golden burnst caramel color that invites closer inspection, with 44% alcohol by volume, this flavor is so hearty, so robust, so intense that it is best when cut to soften the blow and the edge and the burn and the grip and roll that is so athletic on one's palate, and not all of us are atheletes either! Tasty, enjoy.

3) ' Breakfast gin ' from FEW in Evanston, Illinos, $41.99 a 750ml bottle, with 42% alcohol, this intrigues me so just by the name! Is it the cure for a hangover?!? Probably not, though that makes sense, too? The question here is how elegant and smooth is it, or hearty and vigorous to ' wash-out ' our systems well after a Hard Day's Night! Let's ask Paul McCarthney or Ringo Starr?!?

WE JUST DID a tasting of the FEW Rye and Bourbon here this past Friday. Both were really appreciated, we sold both. The Rye was the favorite, for me the Bourbon was my favorite as it displayed more versatility with more highs and lows in range, and also a longer finish.

TWO ' New ' Local DC Spirits :

We just had master distiller Matt Strickland of the District Distillers here on U Street NW pouring all four of their current spirits : rum, bourbon, gin and vodka, we introduced the rum this Saturday.

1) ' Corridor ' Vodka, On Special for $26.99 a bottle, with 46% alcohol by volume, Batch 2, ... this one really spoke to me on Saturday, it was my personal pick of the four ; recommended. Thanks Matt!

2) ' Buzzard Point ' Colonial style white rum, On Special $27.99 a bottle, Batch 1, with 46.7% alcohol by volume, ... very smooth, really soft and bright, easy, many customers loved this this Saturday. Come check it out.

THIS WAS MATT'S second tasting here and he will be back again!

WINE From Chris & Tony -

TWO Whites -

1) VOLTI FACI Vinho Regional Alentejano, dry white, $19.99 a bottle, perfect to enjoy now as it is cooler, there is dampness in the air, and this just smoothes everything out so nicely! Yes!

2) Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett, 2013, from Germany's Mosel, On Special $16.99, so silky, so lush and bright and fresh and pleasing- sooo right, by itself or with many a meal. This is a great holiday wine, highly-recommended!

FOUR REDS For Now -

TWO From France -

1) ' Les Pampres ' 2012 from MAS LAVAL, with 14% alcohol, $21.99, a flavorful red to warm you quickly, nicely! From the Pays De L'Herault, southwest France.

2) ' Les Jumelles ' Corbieres from the CHATEAU De LUC, $19.99, another robust, earthy, tasty, great red to enjoy around a fire, with grilled meats, flavorful seasoned dishes, lots of herbs, the more the merrier!

ONE From Armenia - For You Linda!

1) 2014 dry red , $15.49 a bottle, , a rich and flavorful blend of 40% Syrah, 18% Tannat, 15% Cabernet Franc,, 14% Petit Verdot, 10% Montepulciano, and 3% Khundoghni : it is that three percent that makes this wine rock. When was the last time you were Khudoghni'ed?!? You would not forget, no goin back - lovely!

ONE From Wellington, South Africa -

1) 2012 DIEMERSFONTEIN Cabernet Sauvignon, $21.49, a lovely elegant, flavorful, floral, fragrant and delicious red from South Africa!

WEEK's TASTING :

Wednesday : Big-Theme BUBBLY 33 Types Tasting Tomorrow , 5:30-8:30PM, $15 a person, go to @Eventbrite to sign up, cheers, that $15 goes to pay for the purchase of any of the 33 bottles you taste and want to buy.

Friday, December 9th, 2016 , 5-8PM, We have Jody Jackman here from Winebow Imports to taste Miriam's TENUTA VALDIPIATTA Rosso di Montepulciano, and more! Yes, join us, Great event.

Saturday, December 10th, 2016, 2-6PM, We have Andrea Shank here from Tradewinds Imports to taste a selection of fine Spanish wines, yes! We will include also the Oloroso sherry from ALEXANDRO.

THANKS For everything, you are the very best, come on by anytime. See you tomorrow, cheers, happy holidays, support your local businesses here, we need you now more than ever. Keep us all alive, vital, and healthy to better help you! TONY