Cleveland Park Beer, Liquor & Wine

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LABOR DAY TREATS here @ cleveland park wines

WE HAVE SO MANY things to celebrate with this weekend as we say : " goodbye " to summer and " hello " to the fall as school starts back up for many households. It's a bittersweet moment as we are all forced to SQUEEZE the very last drops of spirits, fun, summer, sunshine and extra warmth and humidity, the last of the mosquitoes, too ... and turn to a more serious demeanor with more chores, obligations, rituals and jobs that we kept at bay for short periods of time as we relaxed and perhaps even turned off most of our electronic gizmos, too?! Is that even possible in today's day and age? Not as easy as it once was.

I WROTE THE ABOVE on August 28th, 2012, and it still rings true today, the heat today is dangerous and we all must stay hydrated and be careful with this intense heat!

COME SEE US, we have plenty for you here to stay cool and to enjoy some lively spirits even in this heat, like some Portuguese Vinho Verdes, like some cachaca to make caipirinhas from Brazil, like some Limoncello from Sarento, Italy, like some Macchu to make Pisco Sours, some cider, some beer, some sangria, too - and MORE!

THANKS to both Aretha Franklin for being such a great queen of soul music, and John McCain for being the maverick that you are and staying true to your principles and fighting a fair fight. I liked hearing on the Today show this morning you say in your own words that no one is more fortunate or appreciative to be alive than you - something like that. I feel the same. Even when we as people disagree there are still more things that bring us together that we share than divide us. Cheers!

MARK CONGDON our rep from Bacchus Imports came to taste some great wines from the Peimonte region of Italy ( just like Ari Goldman came to taste, too - more great Piemontese wines coming our and your way first week of September ), Mark told me that Neil Simon the playwright just passed away - what a great loss, too! Such wonderful plays, some turned into memorable movies with Richard Dreyfus and more!

I HAVE RECENTLY been toying around with the idea of having a deli here as we have heard from so many customers how upset they are from losing the deli of Brookville Market.

SO IN THIS INTENSE HEAT here are some concrete suggestions for you all :

BEER -

GRAPEFRUIT is still reigning supreme -

1) Radler Grapefruit from Austria's Salzburger STIEGL, a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans On Special for $10.49 - sooo refreshing!

2) Hefeweizen Grapefruit Bier from Germany , made by SCHOFFERHOFER, On Special for $8.99 for a 4 16-ounce cans.

ALSO :

1) Dry-hopped Sour Ale " Hopsynth " from UPLAND Sour Ales Brewery, a 500ml bottle On Special for $8.99 a bottle, : " ale aged in oak barrels with fresh hops , " from Bloomington, Indiana.

2) Imperial Barley Wine Ale , a 2015, bottle # 0122 from the Ridgeway Brewing Co., a 330ml bottle, with 10% alcohol by volume, : " a golden fusion of the characteristics of a Russian Stout and traditional barley wine. ... " , $6.99 a bottle.

AND in CIDER :

1) Midlantiky unfiltered , unpasteurized Dry Cider from SPUPREME CORE craft cider, - this is a lemon Shandy cider, a 4-pack of 12-ounce cans , $11.99 from right here in Washington DC, we are thrilled to have these here for you all as I believe there are four different types that we carry here!

2) Browns Lane Classic English dry hard cider from CRISPIN, " made from English bittersweet cider apples ", $9.99 for a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans. YES, tried and true, come get some!

LIQUEUR and LIQUOR By Jagir -

1) Premium Limoncello " Limone di Sorrento I.G.P. " from GIOLA LUISA, $24.99 a 750ml bottle, with 30% alcohol by volume, wonderful for this intense heat, sip slowly and enjoy!

2) MACCHU PISCO the all-natural spirit of the Andes, from Peru, made by our friends, sister Melanie and Elizabeth Asher in Peru with a little help fro their friends, $28.99, a delight, pure, fresh bright, taste and no headache! Cheers!

3) Cachaca of Brazil made by VELHO BARREIRO, a one liter bottle, $16.99 a bottle, a great way to make a delicious summer-heat Caipirinhas ! Cheers!

4) Mezcal Artesanal ALIPUS , a Joven Espadin ' San Luis ', $48.99 a bottle, with 47.6% alcohol by volume, : " produced from 100% Maguey Espadin, a Underground, roasted ic conical stone oven pit, smashed with mule-driven chilean tahona, fermented in 1500 litre high pinewood natural tubs, and doublediscontinuous distillation in copper stills. "

WINE from Chris and me , Tony -

1) Vinho Verde dry Portuguese white wine , $7.49 a bottle, with 9% alcohol by volume, with a splash of spritz, this is a great summer bright quaffer!

THESE next FOUR I will taste tonight :

1) 50% Verdejo and 50% Viura dry blend from Spain, $9.99, a lovely refreshing mineral and touch of citrus-honey - yes si si si si si!

2) Rose de Saignee Grenache Noir dry rose, 2017, On Special for $12.99 / 3 for $33, 6 for $60! A treat with a meal.

3) 2014 ALTOS dry red Spanish Rioja, On Special for $9.99 - soft, smooth, bright, velvet and lighter-bodied, and perfect sipping now for this intense heat with a slight chil, yes!

4) a white wine with natural Orange flavor, from BODEGAS MALAGA VIRGEN, , this ' Cartojal Naranja , $16.49 a 500ml bottle, with 15% alcohol by volume, this white wine has a maceration of wild orange peels, known as cachorenas, also used to elaborate the famous English marmalade. "

AND for those wanting a white Sangria -

1) Premium Clarea COPLA, made with organic grapes, On Special for $8.99, I will not be tasting this tonight - off-dry, floral, pleasing on it's own but to add fresh grapes and orange slices would be a real plus! Cheers!

WEEK'S TASTINGS -

Tuesday, August 28th, 2018 ( 5-8pm ) : Tasting tonight with me!

Friday, August 31st, 2018 ( 2-6PM ) : We have Graham here to pour some fine wines of Francois Lurton, from France's Pays D'Oc, a FABulous dry red blend of Syrah and Grenache, a steel-bright-firm-dry rose, and a more complex, layered dry white that works well with food but is perhaps the most of the three that is an acquired taste?!? All sell for $11.99 : come taste all three! Called ' Les Haiuts de Janeil. Cheers, sante, a bientot!

ALSO : Kayla will be here from Jos. A Magnus to pour her local DC FINE spirits, two made by Nicole Hassoun that we love! Cheers!

Saturday, August 1st, 2018 we have a HIRO Japanese sake tasting of the Junmai and the Junmai Ginjo that are showing so well, and are both on deep discount!

THERE will also be another tasting that we are currently working on, stay-tuned, cheers!

THANKS for everything, you all are the very very top-niveau-level-BEST! WE love you, google loves you, too we hope! TONY

WHAT FOLLOWS below is an old store email that I wrote and sent way back on August 28th, 2012. Read it if you have time, and check for current availability, pricing, vintage-changes, etcetera! TONY 8/28/2018

READ ON : Our Weekly Wednesday, 3-Part Still ( Non-Sparkling ) Wine Sale Tomorrow : 8/ 29 / 12 ALL DAY LONG!

1) BUY any still wine over $20 : SAVE 20% Off the marked sticker price even if it's already On Special/SALE. 2) BUY any 12 still wines or more and SAVE 20% OFF the marked sticker price, whether On Special or not.

3) Buy 6-11 still wines and SAVE 10% OFF marked sticker prices, whether On Special or not.THIS ALSO INCLUDES : ports, sherries, marsalas, madeiras, sakes, box wines, all size bottles : mix it all up and cover all your needs, wants and desires for this LABOR DAY WEEKEND!

IF YOU CAN'T COME : Call : 202-363-4265 and ask for Michel or Tony.WE DELIVER Free in Washington D.C. for orders over $30. CALL!!!

A LADY JUST CAME asking for some Gentiane that she told me her friends was really having trouble locating here in Washington D.C. She prefaced that with the comment that she was turning to us for help as we had always solved many of her searches and requests with the products she was after.

WHEN I HEARD THIS I thought to myself that I hope we have what she is looking for this time? She pronounced the name of what she was looking for and I told her that I had never heard of it. It was a French digestif and I was wondering what it was and explaining that I did not know it but we decided to look at what we had on our shelves. As we were scanning them she said : " what's that?! ".

SHE WAS POINTING TO a bottle of our BONAL Gentiane-Quina des Montagnes de la Grande Chartreuse ST. LAURENT-DU-PONT ( Isere ), " an ouvre appetit depuis 1865 ". It's a QUINQUINA Vin Aperitif ( $19.99 a 750ml bottle, 16% alcohol by volume, once open keep chilled, product of France ? : " It is made by an infusion of cinchona ( Quinine ), gentian, and renowned herbs of the Grande Chartreuse mountains in a Mistelle base. As a Quinquina ( also known as " Kina ", an aperitif wine with chinchona. It is traditionally enjoyed neat, on ice with a twist, and in many classic mixed drinks ." It's called a Toni Aperitif de France. I like that. We only have three bottles left. It was out of stock at our distributor for awhile so come get some now if you are interested and celebrate Labor Day weekend with some BONAL! Cheers.

HERE'S ANOTHER RECIPE :

From our " A Taste Of Cleveland Park " from our old and dear friend Pam The Butcher Ginsberg :

LEMON SOLE FOR YOUR SOLE -

1 lb. filet of lemon sole one-third c. white wine

2 roma tomatoes, chopped coarsely Juice of one lemon

2 shallots, chopped finely black pepper to taste

" Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place sole on cooking sheet that has been covered with foil for easy cleanup. All fish expands with heat. Cook sole for 4 to 5 minutes. While sole cooks, saute tomatoes and shallots in white wine, lemon and pepper. Remove sole from the oven. With slotted spoon remove tomatoes and shallots from pan, placing them on top of sole. Return sole to oven 8 to 9 minutes. Reduce heat on sauce by half. When sole is done, place sauce on bottom of plate with sole on top. "

MICHEL. WHAT DO YOU THINK? Did you all ever make this or a version of this at Liliana's? Would you have a Ligurian or a French wine with it? We are out of the Ligurian white that we normally sell here and so I will mention some French wines that I think might work brilliantly with this LEMON SOLE FOR YOUR SOUL recipe of Pam's :

1) 2010 SAINT-BRIS " Clotilde Davenne " dry white Sauvignon Blanc ( On Special for $16.99, 12.5% alcohol by volume, vin de Bourgogne/Burgundy. Made not far from the Chablis Burgundy region this unique Sauvignon Blanc from Burgundy has loads of extra body, flavor and taste to cut through and help frame better the distinct yet refined and aromatic, delicate flavors of sole and herbs and tomatoes to cradle our souls.

2) 2011 " La Renaudie " Sec/ Dry 100% Sauvignon Blanc white from the town of Bergerac ( $14.99 a bottle, 13.5% alcohol by volume, a two-hour drive from the town of Bordeaux driving into the interior and not far from the caves of prehistoric drawings Caves le Lascaux.

THIS IS A BRIGHTER, rounder, fleshier-tasting Sauvignon Blanc that is easy-drinking before and with the meal of the lemon sole.

3) 2011 Le Nectar des Fees in Saint-Pourcain from the Gardien Freres/Brothers. Celebrating a famous fairy tale this dry indigenous grape Tressalier only grows in these vineyards of Saint Pourcain that are reputed to be the oldest in France. It's quite dry with great mineral and soaring blasts of acids, too,

IT'S DEFINITELY A FOOD WINE, and will cut through all the flavors to be found in Pam's dish. It's also a great value and something unique with a great story. Google it and share it while you enjoy Pam's lemon sole this Labor Day.

4) 2010 Palais Prive dry white from the Rhone Luberon region of France, this ( $20.99. 12.5% alcohol by volume, Caves de Bonnieux, 84480, France, www.doyleprovence.com ) is also quite dry with bright bursts of minerals and tangy-accenting ripples of acidity , medium-bodied and after a glass as an aperitif you will welcome with open arms and palate some of Pam's lemon sole.

5) 2006 Bourgogne Aligote Vieilles Vignes / Old Vines of DOMAINE Henri NAUDIN-FERRAND in Burgundy ( On Special for $17.99, 12.5% alcohol by volume, www.naudin-ferrand.com ) is mature and complex and richly-layered and a very serious dry white food wine where mineral and even some nut and honey flavors are really turned up high so that they insinuate themselves, subtly infiltrate , permeate and saturate one's palate.

THE LEMON SOLE will float effortlessly on everyone's plate. Definitely a food wine : it will hold it's own against many flavorful/well-seasoned dishes. Not so much a sipping wine : too much flavor for that!

6) 2010 Ondenc / Onsec Sec - indigenous dry French white grape variety - Par Robert & Bernard Plageoles ( $27.99, 14.5% alcohol by volume, jennyandfrancois.com, info@jennyandfrancois.com ( 646 ) 322-4254 ) is a Jenny & Francois Selections' complex, multi-layered, golden-colored white that is rich and full and so thick on the palate with great feel and legs and flesh.

THIS IS AN amazingly-refreshing, powerful mouth-full of wine that must be tasted to be believed. It's an experience all in itself and I include it as it will hold it's own to many a vegetable or side dish and will be a great way to bring closure to an already thoroughly delicious meal and moment.

I MIGHT RECOMMEND that you start with one of the other wines and then finish with this Ondenc? Why not, there are always various tastes in the foods served and it is not always easy to have one wine be the perfect foil or balance for all those flavors? You might even make Pam's dish and serve three or four of these wines and invite family and friends, neighbors, too and see what you all think? It's a simple yet really tasty recipe here that Pam has provided the Cleveland Park community. Thanks Pam. What do you think Michel? Let us know.

COME AND MIX these bottles and more and SAVE 20% on those over $20 a bottle. Also save 20% when you mix 12 or more of them - and any other still wines, too. SAVE 10% when you mix any of these or other still wines, you just need to buy 6 or more bottles to SAVE 10% OFF marked sticker prices. Call if you cannot come : 202-363-4265 - or respond to this email.

BEERS From Santos :

1) " Wyld " Extra Pale Ale from the UINTA Brewing Company ( On Special for $9.99 a six-pack is certified organic from the USDA/Organic group , unleashed, Salt Lake City, Utah, go to : uintabrewing.com for more info ) is brewed with renewable power and is mighty tasty, too. Try some this Labor Day weekend.

2) " Monumental " I.P.A. India Pale Ale from the Port City Brewing Company, Alexandria, Virginia ( On Special for $10.99 a six-pack of 12 ounce bottles, 6.3% alcohol by volume, 3950 Wheeler Avenue, Alexandria, VA. 22304, ) is " really local, new and brilliant and inspirational and FUN! Great for this Labor Day weekend : DRINK LOCAL more, more often, with gusto and pride and smiles all around.

3) Special Release Pumpkin Ale from the SCHLAFLY / SAINT LOUIS Brewery, Inc.Company ( On Special for $11.99 a 6-pack, 8% alcohol by volume, St. Louis, Missouri ... " I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than crowded on a velvet cushion " sez Henry David Thoreau .... www.schlafly.com ) : " Schlafly pumpkin ale - celebrate the bounty of harvest with this rich, malty ale brewed with pumpkin and flavored with spices to invoke the season of plenty. " ALL sounds good to me ...

4) Fire Rock Pale Ale from the KONA Brewing Company ( On Special for $8.99 a six-pack of 12 ounce bottles, 6% alcohol by volume, bottled in Portsmouth, NH, Portland, Oregon, and Woodinville, WA. From Kona, Hawaii. go to : www.KonaBrewingCo.com for more info ) : " Since 1994 Kona Brewing Co. has been committed to making handcrafted ales and lagers of uncompromised quality. We invite you to visit our brewery ... "

5) Maredsous Abbaye - Abdij Triple10Triple Ale ( On Special for $11.99 a 1 Pt. 9.4Fl. Oz bottle, 10% alcohol by volume, Tradition Benedictine,, product of Belgium, Abbaye de Maredsous, www.maredsous-usa.com, ) : " Maredsous Triple is a high fermentation abbey beer, ... refermented in the bottle during the 2-month aging period ... "

LIQUOR/ LIQUEUR From Ravinder Sharma :

1) 15 Year-Old GLENFIDDICH Single Malt Whisky ( On Special for $58.99, since 1887, 40% alcohol by volume, www.glenfiddich.com ) is a great deal for a 15-Year-Old! Try some soon and SAVE. Great gift, also great to celebrate Labor Day.

2) Smooth Ambler established in 2009 , this " Old Scout " Straight Bourbon Whiskey ( $34.99, 49.5% alcohol by volume, aged 5 years, 99 Proof, is made by the SMOOTH AMBLER Spirits Company in Maxwelton, WV. www.smoothambler.com ) is Batch 1, bottled 10-27-11. Enjoy and cheers!

3) Bloody Mary Macerated flavored vodka from BELVEDERE ( On Special for $32.99, product of Poland, 40% alcohol Polmos, Zyrardow, Polska vodka, 100% neutral spirits distilled from Rye grain, " just add tomato juice and a squeeze of lemon " ) : " No artificial additives or flavors are used. Only Belvedere tastes like this : tomato, horse-radish, black pepper, red pepper and chilis ... " Try some. GREAT for Labor Day!!!!

4) " Skinny Girl Sangria, a golden-white Sangria ( On Special for $12.99, 10.5% alcohol by volume, made with grape wine with natural flavors, ) : Open and serve. Cheers.

WINES By Michel and Tony :

1) 2011 HUGL Weine - Austrian Dry White Gruner Veltliner in the liter bottle ( $10.99 a liter, 13.5% alcohol by volume, product of Austria ) is another great Labor Day weekend wine to enjoy outside with family and friends.

2) " Pink " BUG JUICE Filtrato Dolce. sweet deep rose pink color is sweet from Rinaldi Vini, this is like a lovely pink Moscato and delicious all by itself. For $20.99 this is a treat/ splurge to say " bye-bye " to summer and start getting ready for the fall and cooler weather. It's so smooth and tasty all by itself!

3) Bricco Lorella Rosato/ Rose is dry and made from the Nebbiolo grape in Italy's Piemonte region. This Coste della Sesia 2010 from the Azienda Agricole ANTONIOLO in Gattinara, Piemonte, Italy ( $19.99 , 13% alcohol by volume , ) is smooth, velvety, delicate, silky and WONDERFUL. What a treat to sip slowly and linger and pasue and close your eyes and dream and feel great as you do so. Cheers. Great rose color, too.

4) Barbera d'Alba 2010 from CORINO, estate-bottled, ( $20.99, 14% alcohol by volume, La Morra, Piemonte, Italy ) is bright, fresh , lively and very fruit-forward with bright red toasty cherry and berry flavors. It's an oasis from the heat and the humidity.

5) Piaggia " Il Sasso " Carmignano 2008 ( the " first " Super Tuscan before it was fashionable , $37.99 a bottle, 14,5% alcohol by volume ) from MAURO VANNUCCI is so well-balanced and focused with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot blended with the Sangiovese that you never, ever notice the higher alcohol level. It's a magical red carpet wine ride high up in the sky with views and vistas that cross your palate that you have to pause and take stock of where you are, your life, your accomplishments, etcetera. You ultimately feel grand. Cheers.

SAVE HUGE ON FRENCH WINES from William Harrison Imports coming tomorrow from the Loire Valley, from Bordeaux and from Burgundy. Mostly reds with a GREAT DEAL, too on some more half bottles ( 375ml ) of the Bernard Reverdy Sancerre 2010 that we sold you recently for $10.99 a half-bottle saying that if you bought two of them we would take 10% off and get you two for under $20. Our deal tomorrow will be better than that I believe? WE also have some PIERRE ANDRE red Burgundy from the Hautes Cotes de Beaune 2009, Meursault 2009 and the white Reserve 2009 coming, too along with some exciting CHATEAU FLEUR DE RIGAUD 2009 Grand Cru Saint Emilion. ALL On DEEP SALE. Get them tomorrow and save more with our THREE-PART still ( non-sparkling ) wine SALE detailed above.

WEEK'S TASTINGS :

Friday, August 31st, 2012 ( 5:30-8PM ) : We have Brennan Downey here to taste some of his excellent 1) Di LENARDO Friuli, 2) DAL MASO Veneto, 3) SULIN Piemontese, 4) TENUTA MAZZOLINO Oltrepo Pavese and 5) GROTTA Del SOLE Italian wines with you all : dry reds and whites and maybe a rose and some sweet reds, too? I think so. Call for more info ( 202-363-4265 and ask for Michel or for Tony ). NEVER any charge, join us. Saturday, September 1st, 2012 ( 2-6PM ) : We have Franceen Khang coming to taste more superlative Italian wines from the Vias Imports portfolio. Michel and I just tried them last Wednesday : 1) San Michele all'Adige, Pinot Blanc 2010 ( Trentino ), 2) Fattotia del Cerro Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2009 ( Tuscany ), 3) Colpetrone Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG 2007 ( Umbria ), 4) Cogno Barbera d'Alba " Bricco dei Merli " DOC 2009 ( Piemonte ) and more still to be decided. This will be a great Italian weekend to taste some of Italy's best to serve later for Labor Day weekend! Join us and enjoy and relax and start celebrating Labor Day early here! BRING FAMILY and friends, neighbors : make AN EVENT HERE of it. Cheers.

IT'S TIME TO POST THIS WEEKLY store email and thanks for everything. Come and SAVE here 20% OFF on the 3-Part Still Wine SALE , Wednesday, August 29th, 2012. Call if you cannot come : 202-363-4265. Let us know what we may do for you. Respond to this email with any questions, concerns, comments. Cheers and check us out at : www.clevelandparkwines.com, on Facebook at : like us on Facebook at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits, follow us on Twitter at : cpwinespirits. TONY

P.S. We are sorry to say that our dear customer and neighbor Elinor Sachse ( I wrote her recipe here last week : Fabulous Mushroom Soup , remembered by her husband Harry ) passed away last week. Our thoughts are with you Harry