 Cleveland Park Beer, Liquor & Wine
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OUR HEARTS, PRAYERS, THOUGHTS, WISHES FOR those that survive the
brutal, senseless, reprehensible shooting of eleven people in the
synagogue in Pittsburgh ... so sad ,
THREE FUNERALS today ... a tragedy -
and yet all that I have seen since of people coming together after
this tragedy inspires me in a time where there is so little inspiration
to be found as it is not sensational enough to be newsworthy - not
sensational enough. Have we really sunk so low to this?!?
BUT THERE are lots of inspirations, and I write about them later here, so read on!
LOTS OF SPOOKS and GOBLINS, Caspers The Ghost, Count Draculas,
Harry Potters, Princesses and Ariels and Power Rangers and Dynamite
Bonapartes, Batmans, Spidermans, Cinderellas, Beauties and Beasts soon
enough ...
WHAT COSTUME will you don?!? Have you picked one out already?!? My
wife was busy this weekend sewing the Batty Bat onto a small white
t-shirt for our dog that she slipped onto him minutes before our
daughter arrived as we knew she would already have donned her two cats
in Halloween magic somehow! BOO!
COME BY, I will open something appropriate today, have not decided
what yet but will do so to celebrate a fun and special night of
Halloween. I forgot to mention Linus and the pumpkin patch! How could I
forget?!? And Nielson singing his selection of dark and spooky songs,
too, and that song from the 60's that was always played! So much to
remember about Halloween.
I would go out as a child in Aurora Hills , Arlington with my
friends Katy, Kevin, Lisa, and be gone for hours until returning with
two-three bags filled full with my night's loot! Oh those were the
glorious days!
Then I would go out more recently with both our daughter and later
or son as my wife stayed home to meet and greet the trick-or-treaters!
GREAT FUN always! This year besides candy we will have some hot chili to enjoy, maybe hot chocolate, too.
SO : Come get what you need from us to be ready for tomorrow, and
come by and see what I have decided to open tonight to celebrate
Halloween here early! I think we will celebrate tonight with a special
Grand Reserva red 2010 : can you all guess which one?!?
IT is a beautiful day, 54 degrees out there, no rain, clear skies,
in the sixties for Halloween, that is great. Get out and enjoy some of
it if you can, even just ten minutes for a walk!
IN BEER from Santos Rivera we have :
1) Koyt Gruitbier , an ale brewed with spices, recipe 1407 JOPEN
from the Crafting Divine Beer company, $4.99 a 11 fl. oz bottle with 8%
alcohol by volume, product of the Netherlands - what a distinct flavor
and taste!
2) Citra Hopped LIVE Pale Ale, a bright, refreshing and loud from
SOUTHERN TIER Brewing Co. On Special for $9.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce
bottles, with 5.5% alcohol by volume, this is something that will be
nice this week, it will cut through many flavorful dishes.
CIDER, too from Santos Rivera -
1) General's Reserve Hard Cider , handmade Bourbon Barrel aged
cider made here locally by MT. DEFIANCE, in Charlottesville, Virginia,
$14.99 a 750ml bottle, with 6.9% alcohol, this will be good this week,
the Farmhouse Cider they make is much lighter. I had a glass of that
last night at home. I look forward to trying again this General's
Reserve soon! Cheers.
GINGER BEER - local, non-alcoholic - fine!
1) Ginger Brew , an all-natural small batch non-alcoholic
locally-made fresh weekly brew from Andrew Shapiro that is also a
bartender at Dino's Grotto in the Shaw neighborhood here in Washington
DC. $2.50 a bottle, really some great mouth-feel, contact, grasp, grip,
lingering pops of flavor, zing and zang of ginger, great to sip all by
itself but also excellent in the Moscow Mule and other recipes that
Andrew is more than happy to tell you about.
HE OFTEN uses the CHACKO aquardiente en Fuego, On Special for
$29.99, also made by a local celebrity of ours ( like Andrew ! )
president Dan Ziegler. We sell both. And Andrew's Ginger Brew can be
purchased in the 4-packs that are easy to carry and share with others.
IN LIQUOUR & LIQUEUR from Jagir -
THREE from DEKUYPER -
1) Cherry flavored brandy, $12.99
2) Tropical Papaya, $12.99
3) Pink Grapefruit schnapps, On Special for $10.99
ALL great for recipes and more!
1) Three Pins Alpine Herbal Liqueur from LEOPOLD BROS, $38.99 a
750ml bottle, with 35% alcohol by volume, this will be great to sip
and add to recipes to tweak them, to tweak our taste-buds, too!
2) Fire & Cane = camfire smokiness and toffee sweetness, $55.99
a 750ml bottle, from GLENDIDDICH, their #4 Experimental series in
Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, with 43% alcohol by volume, come check out
this tweak to our modern palates.
3) Bruto Americano from ST.GEORGE artisan distillers since 1982 (
just read an article about the man behind these following his own
instincts and path, bravo! ), : " We pledge to craft quintessential
spirits to delight hedonists and genius bartenders alike ". With 24%
alcohol by volume, On Special for $20.99 - come and be the mixologist
that you always have been and add this to your roster of spirits to mix!
4) BLUE ICE American vodka potato , distilled in Rigby, Idaho with
Idaho Russet potatoes, On Special for $19.99 a bottle, bottled by 21
Century Spirits, 100% neutral spirits distilled from potatoes - the
pristine water is the very essence of Blue Ice vodka! It tastes it, too
-pure, bright, satin velvet liquid sun's shine soooo!
WINE from Chris and Tony -
1) Allegro 2016 from Faugeres, France and made by OLLIER TAILLEFER,
$29.99 a bottle, a tasty multi-layered blend of 50% Roussanne and 50%
Vermentino - so much extra grip and fullness and pleasing-ness of
flavors, I love it! Perfect for this time of the year. This is a special
treat!
THREE Fine Dry Rose Wines -
1) Del Viento dry 2017 rose from DEL VIENTO, from Chile's Colchagua
Costa region, made with the Syrah grape, I love the extra flavor and
mouth-feel here, the longer and fuller and smooth mid flavors and good
finish, too. $16.49 a bottle, with 12% alcohol by volume.
2) Rose Feuersbrunn from Wagram / Osterreich Austria, made by Anton
Bauer, this 2017, $14.99 with 34% Zweigelt , 33% Syrah, and 33% Merlot
is a beauty to enjoy sipping all by itself!
3) Made with the Sangiovese superieure grape, this Villa Zappi from
TENUTA CASALI, $18.99, has some real presence and power and essence of
the Sangiovese grape that is soooo very appealing - everyone almost
loves it, and we always have people returning for more of this silk
rose-salmon-colored delicious sparkling spumante wine!
FOUR dry Reds -
1) Samur Champigny 2015 100% Cabernet Franc from the FAMILLE DUVEAU
vineyard, $21.99 a bottle, with 13% alcohol by volume, from France's
Loire valley, a Franck's Selection, : " savory - plum fruit - tobacco -
generous " Franck says, and I will add chill 40 minutes and enjoy with
your meals. This is a great food wine, distinct, pointed, flavorful, and
to me so very tasty. I love Cabernet Franc from the Loire valley, makes
me go ga ga soooooo!
2) " Palazzina " 2015 Sangiovese Superiore from TENUTA CASALI,
$16.49, medium-to-light-bodied, I love this with my food. It would be
great with the steak I usually prepare and cook on our grill on Monday.
It also would have gone really well with the fried chicken my wife and I
enjoyed yesterday before she went off to yoga. Really distinct, dry,
got some weight and the flavors need the food to flesh them out as they
gracefully age into their mature selves - this one is still aging
beautifully but slowly!
3) Tinta Miuda is one of the many indigenous and not well-known
grape varieties found in Portugal. This 2015 made by FIUZA ( that also
makes fine sparkling wines ) is On Special now for $12.99 ( 3 for $33
and 6 for $60 ), a Tejo or Alentejano region is a food wine. The acidity
levels are still pronounced, and the spice and rustic earth fruit dark
flavors also need to be fleshed-out with a meal. Try grilling something,
try with cheeses, try with TexMex, Mexican, Cajun, Indian, Asian, and
even sloppy Joes, burgers and more! Tasty!
4) Gran Reserva 2004 Rioja from DON JACOBO, On Special for $33.99
tastes like it was just bottled yesterday it is so bright and fresh,
pretty and pleasing and deliciously nice! The best you can buy with some
bottle-age that tastes great now and will be perfect this week and
tomorrow for Halloween, and also for Thanksgiving and our end-of-year
many great holidays!
TASTINGS This Week -
TONIGHT - Tuesday, October 30th, 2018 ( 5-8PM ) : We have tow wines that we will celebrate with tonight :
1) Chardonnay 2014 PGI Danube Plain from Chateau Burgozone, On
Special for $12.99 ( regularly $20 - with a 3 for $33, and a 6 for $60
), I just opened it and it is deliciously creamy, soft, a gentle lulling
bright, mmmmmm smooth taste! Come taste it anytime!
2) IN SITU Gran Reserva Carmenere 2010 , $16.99 a bottle (
regularly $25 plus dollars ). Some of the very last of this fine 1010
vintage with great bottle-age, flavors, textures and timely topics, too.
Friday, November 2nd ( 5-8pm ) : we have Camille Edange back to
taste some fine HELFRICH Alsace wine as well as some delightful Bordeaux
red, too ( great gift package ), and maybe some sparkling wines, too
from J.P. CHENET. All French wines with Camille, one of her last
tastings as she heads back to France soon after.
WE ALSO have Jon-Michael from Springfield Manor here for a second
tasting of his fine gin, grappa, pear brandy and more! Made here
locally, great patch of lavender to visit, and make an afternoon there
celebrating!
Saturday, November 3rd, 2018 ( 2-6PM ) : We have Eric Platt coming
to taste some Italian, German and Kiwi wines of New Zealand, too -
still to be determined. JOIN US, never any charge. It may be that Andy
steps in for him at this tasting, we will see?
AND : we have daylights' savings time on Sunday 4th, do not forget!
AND : Mark Your Calendars -
Wednesday, November 14th, 2018 : we will celebrate Thanksgiving
here with our mini Big-Theme Wine-Tasting here with Narayan Campbell,
Nik Burgess that makes his own River Ledge Sonoma Chardonnay 2016 ( only
three cases available so be sure and get here and taste and buy!. Nik
and Julienne also have wines planted in Culpepper, Virginia and hope to
make some wine perhaps this vintage?!? ), AND have reached out to Lucie
Morton and Rachel Martin, Rob DeFord, and more - SO : working on this
great evening now and will have more to report soon. JOIN US.
NOW : for positive vibes -
GREAT GLIMMERS of true and amazing inspiration for me and for us
all, some known-well, others barely known at all! STILL so very
inspiring all! I am proud to mention them here to you all as there must
be truth and transparency to surface and shine through the muck and lies
and deceit and bullying and elitist groupings of all kinds that result
and amount to abuse of both power , social standing, wealth, community,
public service, church, sports, and all facets of life including home
that still hides incest.
SO MUCH to sort through before you vote and cast your ballot for
those things that matter to you now and will matter to you later.
I TAKE THIS MOMENT to encourage our young to vote, that will make a
difference, vote for what means something to you like the violence in
schools. Vote, be heard not herded as is what happens so often.
I HAVE READ many negative and many positive things before our midterm elections. I was inspired by the John F. Kennedy quote :
" Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer
but the right answer.Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let
us accept our own responsibility for the future. "
MY FRIEND when I was 15 and went trick-or-treating then wrote an
inspiring PLEA for people to get out, be heard, do something on top of
voting and sending prayers and good wishes, just as simple as reaching
out and helping neighbors, people in the community, and more. I loved
it. Will write her words down here when I have the chance.
I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT HERE to THREE WOMEN that worked with Steven
Spurrier back in 1976 to make the event with California and French wines
a coming together and appreciation and celebration of life, family and
all those things we value and hold special, that make us feel special,
that give us the hope and the will to forge forward and enjoy and make
best our lives and those around us, too. It was not a competition in
Paris, France back in 1976. Three women helped Steven to make this
celebration that later morphed into the Judgement of Paris and
international phenomenon. The tree women were : 1) Patricia
Gastaud-Gallagher, 2) Joanne DuPuy, and Dorothy Tchelistcheff. Without
them none of this would have ever happened, and it was Partricia's idea
and goal from the start. Thanks and merci vous trois! A 4th woman to
thank is Ester Mobley that wrote this article that was published in the
San Fransisco Chronicle on Oct. 24th, 2018.
TODAY on the Today Show I was blown away by listening again to
gold-medal gymnist Aly Raisman talk about the immense challenges that
the sport of gymnastics faces with physical, mental, verbal abuse of the
young athletes there that may still persist today, and that need to be
revealed, stopped and cleaned-up! I was blown away by hearing her
express herself so well and with such control, passion and aim! Thank
you for inspiring me so this morning!
LOVED and still love the album Volunteers by the Jefferson Airplane
that I listen still to on record format at home. Love the lyrics that
cry out for recognition, understanding, a hand reaching out to those
young people at the time that would like to have things change - late
sixties, early seventies :
" We can be together
Ah you and me
We should be together
We are all outlaws
In the eyes of America
In order to survive we
Steal cheat we forge fred
Hide and deal ... "
THE MESSAGE still rings true today, the piano is played by Nicky Hopkins, Paul Kantner wrote these lyrics.
I ALSO want to draw attention to mother and daughter the kosher
kitchen Soup Girls. I know Sarah well and want to meet her mother. They
were just on the show : " Shark Tank ". Check it out!
SO MUCH to share but I have more and yet have to bring this to a
close and say thanks to all of you for being such great people and
customers and part of our vibrant community of Cleveland Park. Cheers,
thanks again,
COME TASTE with me now, time to celebrate early Halloween here! TONY 10/30/2018
WHAT FOLLOWS below is an old store email I wrote on the 28th of October, 2015, read and enjoy it if you have time! Cheers, TONY
TONIGHT, HOWEVER we have Gabriela that comes from Romania and she
will be here with her ' liquid red and white blood-wine ' to taste with
you all, made from indigenous blood-clones that have morphed over the
centuries into fine wine clones and hybrids and unique grapes like the
Feteasca Neagra and the Babesca Neagra that are bottled MONSER (
pronounced in Romanian as : " Mon chere ", as well as HEREDITAS.
AND SOMEHOW the Cabernet Sauvignon grape got through the Romanian
security ( Count Drakula, you are slipping ! ) and found it's way into
one of these HEREDITAS bottles and we will be tasting that as well as
the indigenous white that I, for my life, for my blood, for my very
existence, I cannot remember it's name now! HELP ME Gabriela, Michael,
Katie : what's it called?!?
SO TONIGHT a much more reassuring vision and presence, personality
and pleasure and person and wine-educator in the form of Gabriela will
be here to lead us into the dungeons, the cellars, the haunted castles
and vineyards of Romania that provide us with some of the greatest wines
available to us, thanks to Gabriela and her husband ... and the prices
are all really reasonable, all so affordable. I think that the Cabernet
Sauvignon is the most expensive with the others all being under $12 a
bottle to you? Come tonight and discover Romania through it's fine
wines.
NEWS UPDATE : We have Jean Gagliolo of Prestige Beverage Group with
Benjamin Melin-Jones of Clement Rhums of Martinique ( Benjamin's mother
is French and his father is American ) , and Benjamin and Jean have
here two ' new items ' to us that we do not yet carry : 1) CLEMENT
Mahina Coco, ... and the 2) Limited Edition CLEMENT by JonONE ( the
artist of this label ) VSOP Rhum. Here's Benjamin to tell you what he
knows : " It is exciting to have Clement by JonONE introduced in DC.
Only a few stores will be able to get this bottle because we have
limited production. Clement Mahina Coco is a new expression to the US
market. It is a very light and luscious coconut liqueur perfectly
married with Rhum Agricole, which allows you to always have a good
quality coconut ingredient for your cocktails and cuisine. Nothing else
compares" By the way, we just had this past weekend here Nikolai here
tasting the Premiere Canne, On Special for $32.99, as well as the
CLEMENTE Select Barrel Rhum, $32.99, and both did really well. We did
not taste the orange liqueur as it was out of stock at the time. Cheers,
TONY thanks Jean et Benjamin.
BENJAMIN JUST SIGNED his bottles of Rhum for any of you looking for
fine rhum/rum to give as gifts to your family and friends! This was
fun, this was serendipitous, this was totally unexpected for me and I
enjoyed it thoroughly. Cheers, ...
BUT HEY, Let's talk now some ALE and BEER and SANTOS RIVERA :
1) Pumpkin Patch Ale from ROGUE FARMS " Grow The Revolution ",
ale brewed with Rogue Farms Pumpkins , $15.99 a 1 Pt. 9.4Fl.Oz Bottle ,
6.1 % alcohol by volume bottle : orange in color, perfect for the
season, perfect for Halloween that is this Friday. How many of you might
be sitting out with Charlie Brown, Lucy and Linus and Sally in the
Pumpkin Patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin to make an appearance,
drinking this ROGUE ?!? What fun.
2) " Nosferatu ", a Handcrafted Imperial Red Ale from the
GREAT LAKES Brewing Company in Cleveland, Ohio, On Special for $11.99 a
4-pack of 12-ounce bottles, 8% alcohol by volume, again, perfect now for
Halloween this Friday!
3) " Pecan ' Harvest Ale from ARBITA in Abita Springs,
Louisiana, On Special for $10.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles, 5.2%
alcohol by volume. I just had a customer raving about how good this was
at the register this past weekend. I cannot wait to try it myself, I
love pecans, love pecan pie, how about pecan ale : makes perfect sense!
4) " Blast ! " from the BROOKLYN Brewery : " A decidedly
robust IPA " they say , for $12.99 a 4-pack pf 12-ounce bottles, with
8.4% alcohol by volume, almost out, try some while you still can.
Cheers.
LIQUEURS & LIQUORS From Jagir & Malkit :
NEWS UPDATE : Jagir's operation went well and he is recovering from
it really well and will be back home tomorrow. Glad to hear this Jagir.
I was thinking about you this weekend and so happy to hear this good
news from Malkit this morning.
1) CRISTAL Sin Azucar/ Without Sugar Exportacion Imported Ind
Licorera de Caldas, $18.99 a 750ml bottle, 30% alcohol by volume, is a
cane neutral spirit with natural flavors, from Columbia. This is very
new and exciting here! Glad to have it on our shelves.
2) Beach Plum Gin Liqueur from GREENHOOK GINSMITHS , $51.99 a 750ml bottle, 30% alcohol by volume, ... " crafted with a rare, finicky fruit with a prized, piquant flavor, ... " this is a really unique recipe. Cheers.
NEWS FLASH : Mike Miller from BIG C Wines in Raleigh, North
Carolina, and Dwight Weidenhamer of Global Wines are both here now with
two Chilean wines I tried that I liked : 1) Single Estate Centra Valley
D.O. Cabernet Sauvignon, On Special for $9.99 from the CASAS DEL TOQUI
and the ' Terroir Selection ' Carmenere Gran Reserva 2009, On Special
for $19.99, also from the CASAS DEL TOQUI. Dwight also sells the AURORA
CELLARS wines of Brazil, great news, too. Cheers. Here is Mike to say
something about his wines : " Unique Chilean producer, these wines are
not currently available elsewhere... come enjoy! " Thanks Mike! Here's
Dwight with his ' two bits ' of info : " Delicious wines from Chile
that won't break the bank. " Thanks Mike.
LIQUORS / LIQUEURS CONTINUED :
3) ' Wild Berry ' from ERISTOFF Black , On Special for $18.99 a
liter bottle, is a premium vodka with natural flavor and certified
colors, 20% alcohol by volume, , imported from France. Fun and new and
totally exciting! Imagine all the possibilities, all the blends you can
create with this and other things!
4) ' Aztec Chocolate Bitters ' from the FEE BROTHERS , On Special for ^.99 a 5Fl. Oz bottle, , made in Rochester, NY, ... wow, I just saw this and am thrilled to discover this chocolate bitters with an Aztec flavor : will have to do some tests on it here and get back to you with more suggestions of how to use it. Cacao beans, peppers and spices : what a great idea.
5) Honey Flavored Vodka Alaska " Buzz " is always so
well-appreciated here and they have ' tweaked ' the label and it's so
attractive. Come try some if you do not already know it.
SAVE BIG : SALE SUPER SALE, MORE SALES!
TUESDAY, TODAY : SAVE BIG ON BUBBLY here today, up to 15% OFF when
you purchase and pay today. Call us if you cannot come : 202-363-4265.
Cheers.
WEDNESDAY Weekly 3-Part Still/Non-Sparkling Wine Sale : Includes Sake,
Port, Sherry, Marsala and Madeira : Mix them all up and SAVE BIG : 1) BUY ANY BOTTLE of Still Wine over $20 and SAVE 20% Off the marked sticker price. 2) BUT 6 or More Still Wines and SAVE 15% OFF the marked sticker price. 3) BUY 12 or More Still Wines and SAVE 20% OFF the marked sticker prices. You may assort/include the port, sherry, sake, madeira and marsala bottles ( any size ), and also the box wines, too. SAVE BIG here at Cleveland Park Wines each Wednesday on Still Wine Purchases. Call and ask for Michel or Tony to help you. We also deliver here in the neighborhood. Call : 202-363-4265. SAVE BIG! UPDATES From This Past Weekend :
1) The LALTRINIERE sparkling Lambrusco wines from Emilia did really
well, from owners Alberto and his daughter Cecilia, the " Bianco " is
$14.99, it's rare and exciting and soooooo much fun!
2) The " Palazzina " 2012 Sangiovese Superiore from Romagna, Italy
was so silky smooth, so polished, so bright, so elegant, without any oak
taste, aged in stainless steel to preserve the purity and the
brightness of the grape, and this weekend with Silvia the owner pouring
it everyone seemed to agree and like it. It was a huge success! Selling
for $18.99, we have some here for you all still ...
3) 2010 Dry red Spanish Rioja from the MAZUELO de la QUINTA Cruz,
On Special for $17.99 a bottle, usually $21.99 ... showing really well
now, nice with a meal. I like it a lot.
4) " Perla Real " Merlot 2010 Monovarietal from Spain's Jumilla region, On Special for $14.99 a bottle : fuller, rounder, richer, thicker, a nice one to sip a glass or two of and then enjoy a bit more with your evening , guests, friends and meal!
WEEK'S TASTINGS :
TONIGHT, Tuesday, October 28th, 2014 ( 5-8PM ) : Gabriela, perhaps
for tonight our Countesse Drakula because of Halloween this Friday ?!?
Come and taste and discover the fine wines of Romania!
FRIDAY, October 31st, 2014 ( 5-8PM ) : Come meet and taste with
Jonathan of Lanterna Imports the fine West Coast wines of DESERT WIND
and also of DUCK POND. What a treat : great dry reds and dry whites,
too. Cheers.... help us celebrate Halloween here with Jonathan. We will
do a great job at both.
SATURDAY, November 1st, 2014 ( 2-6PM ) : We have Stephane Defot
from Z Wine Gallery Imports pouring some FABulous wines from both France
and from Spain.
JOIN US : NEVER any charge, everyone always welcome.
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING ... follow us on Twitter at : cpwinespirits
and also LIKE us on Facebook at : Cleveland Park Wine & Spirits.
COPPI'S Organic restaurant will be opening soon at the end of the
block where Lavandou used to be. We welcome Coppi's back that used to be
next to us and then it was a Ligurian restaurant, now it is an organic
restaurant. What great news.
THANKS AGAIN for believing in us, we believe in you, too. TONY
LOTSCOOKING, BREWING, DISTILLING, FERMENTING as
IT'S HALLOWEEN this Friday, October 31st, 2014 and we will be ready
for all of you as you go off to your parties all dressed-up, or as you
pass through quickly with your kids while trick-or-treating with your
fabulous young children
WHAT FOLLOWS BELOW is a store email I wrote and posted on Tuesday,
October 22nd, 2013 ... enjoy reading it if you have time .... TONY
WE HAVE enjoyed getting our valued government employees back at
work starting last Thursday. That's a good and welcome sign. Welcome
back everyone! You had forced stay-at-home time off - that was stressful
: I took my stay-at-home-week-vacation before the holiday season gets
into full swing - and it was refreshing and lacking any real stress!
I RECEIVED AN EMAIL : " DC Council : leave the Cleveland Park
Service Lane On Connecticut Avenue as it is - Sign the Petition! " How
do you all feel about this? Do you want it to stay the same, do you want
it to change. We have or will have the petition here for you all to
sign again so that your voices may be heard. This is an important change
if it goes into effect and will take time to implement and it will
disrupt business as usual we feel this holiday season. So be sure and
make your voices heard, if not here then by contacting the DC City
Council and letting them know directly through a phone call or an email.
MY STAY-AT-HOME-VACATION : what a : new perspective on life I got
as I worked the whole week outside on maintenance and repairs to our
home, deck, carport : lots of painting, lots of conquering old fears and
beating them back once again and proving to myself that I could! A
small leap indeed for mankind but a huge leap for Anthony Quinn!
IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE LIFE and to experience it from balancing
precariously up high on ladders scraping shutters and then painting
them, scraping wood trim high up over our carport, pulling up tired
pressure-treated wood planks on our deck and creating new support and
solidity once again for us to enjoy fully our deck. Easier said than
done, especially when you do not do this very often and have to learn as
you go.
THE VIEW from our roof yesterday was exhilarating as I scraped
peeling paint from wood trim and green moss from our roof shingles
themselves. Felt good, it really did balancing the quart of white paint
in one hand and painting without spilling, laying on my belly at the
edge of the roof. What a vision I must have been!
THE MOST SCARY THING was coming face-to-face with our resident shed
shiny black snake that was lumpy up-and-down it's body length with
mice! It happened twice, actually three times in all : and on the third
time I got pictures to show it in all it's glory taking in the sunshine
at our shed entrance.
TO BALANCE THAT was the small, flat gray-haired, tiny vole that I
saw a couple of times as I pulled-yanked unwanted ivy from the side of
our house that was doing it's very best to climb up our brick wall
there! The vole sure was cute, glad that the black snake had not found
it!
HALLOWEEN IS COMING! BOO!!!
We still have some Pumpkin beers. The category has exploded
this year and so you still have plenty to choose from. Unfortunately
they were released so early as seems to be the trend today. What are the
breweries thinking? The same has been true with the Octoberfest beers.
We recommend that like squirrels you come and purchase what want and the
" squirrel " it away until you need it. Do as a squirrel!
YOU MAY WANT TO buy some now, however, to be sure you have some for Halloween. Here is one for you :
1) PUMPKIN ALE from ALEWERKS Brewing Company , Crafted in Williamsburg, VA. ( $12.99 a 6-pack , go to : www.AleWerks.com
for more info ) : ale brewed with roasted pumpkin and spices. We have
worked a lot with ALEWERKS Brewing Company but this may be the first
time we have any of the Pumpkin Ale? Come get some now : GO LOCAL, Go
Green, support what's close to home.
SANTOS HAS SOME OTHER " Beer " Treats :
1) JOHN HENRY 135 Colonial Cream & Brown Ale ( $12.99 a 1
Pt. 9.4Fl. Oz. ( 750ml bottle ), 9.3% Alcohol by volume, from COLD
SPRING Brewing Co., Cold Spring, MN, USA ) : " Brandy Spiral Oak-Aged
Ale, ... blended 50% Cream Ale and 50% Brandy Oak Spirals. A
double-fermented cream ale. " Enjoy!
2) 2010 Belgian Ale CUVEE du CHATEAU from KASTEEL, www.belgianfamilybrewers.be
( On Special for $11.99 a 1 Pt. 9.4 Fl. Oz bottle , 11% alcohol by
volume , ) : from CASTEL Brewery, Van Honserbouck, Belgium, bottled
100527. Try some! Cheers.
3) ESTAMINET Premium Pils - A Belgian Original, since 1797 (
On Special for $10.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles, 5.2% alcohol by
volume, Steenhuffel, Belgium, go to : www.palmbreweries.com for more info ) : new and exciting for us here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits in our Happenin' neighborhood!
LOCAL APPLE SPARKLING WINES :
1) Heyser Farms' SPENCERVILLE RED Hard Apple ( $18.99 a 750ml bottle, 8% alcohol by volume, may contain sediment, go to : www.spencervillered.com for more info , from the GREAT SHOALS Winery in Princesse Anne, Maryland, www.greatshoals.com
) : " Crisp & Refreshing Apple Wine. Made by hand in small batches,
Spencerville Red Hard Apple is blended from freshly pressed premium
apples grown and produced by Heyser Farms of Colesville, Maryland - a
family farm in continuous operation since the 1700's. This potent drink
evokes the hard ciders fermented in the days of colonial times. ...
Spencerville Red Hard Apple is uniquely dry and naturally sparkling
with a refreshing taste of ripe, crisp fruit. Enjoy with lunchtime
sandwiches, light fare suppers, or simply by itself. Serve chilled. "
2) G Great Shoals Apple Sparkling Wine Traditional Method ( $31.99, vinted and bottled by GREAT SHOALS WINERY, Princesse Anne, Maryland, www.greatshoals.com, 750ml bottle, 12.5% alcohol by volume ) : " This off-dry wine is inspired by food lovers for food lovers - enjoy with seafood and light fare. Unfiltered. Serve chilled. "
CIDER :
1) America's Best Joker Hard Cider ( On Special for $10.99 a
6-pack, 6.9% alcohol by volume, produced by the CALIFORNIA CIDER
COMPANY, Sonoma County, CA. www.acecider.com
) : " Our Master Cider Maker decided he would experiment and make a
strong dry cider. The result is Ace Joker which is European in style and
has distinct Champagne characteristics. ".
RAVI, What Have You In LIQUEUR / LIQUOR ?
LIQUEUR :
1) Orchard PEAR Fruit Liqueur from ROTHMAN & WINTER ( $31.99 a 750ml bottle, 24% alcohol by volume, go to : www.a;penz.com
for more info, product of Austria ) : " ... combines juice from the
second harvest of Williams Pears with an eau-de-vie produced from the
same fruit. Distillerie Purkhart carefully selects its fruit each season
from family orchards in the Danube Valley and surrounding regions. "
Special!
LIQUOR :
1) GLEN GARIOCH Highland 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky ( On Special for $65.99 a bottle, www.auchentoshan.com,
Oldmeldrum Aberdeenshire, Scotland ) : " Hand crafted since 1797,
non-chill-filtered ... gains its distinctive Highland character from a
classic marriage of Bourbon & Sherry casks . Fresh heather, poached
pears and a hint of oak. " I like the sound of all of that, especially
the poached pears! Love it. Cheers.
2) J. P. WISPER'S " Spiced Whisky " Vanilla No. 5 Canadian
Whisky ( On Special for $22.99, 43% alcohol by volume , with natural
flavor and caramel color : ALSO available is the " De Luxe " Imported
Blended Canadian Whisky, On Special for $20.99, 40% alcohol by volume, :
since 1857, go to : www.wisers.ca for more info ) : new and exciting for us! From Canada's Best-Selling Whisky! Try both.
3) 100% Agave Olmeca ALTOS Plata Tequila, Hecho en Mexico (
On Special for $29.99, 750ml bottle, # 15207, 40% alcohol by volume,
stone-crushed, go to : www.olmecaaltos.com,
on twitter at : #altos ) : " Herbal notes of 100% blue agave, the rich,
sweet, fruity taste of the pinas with a hint of citrus ... Olmeca
Altos is produced using the 500-year-old Tahona method, a volcanic
millstone used to crush the cooked pinas to draw out the sweet, rich
juice from the agave. "
4) Single Malt Irish Whiskey Since 1762 of The TYRCONNELL 10
Year-Old & Finished In Port Casks ( $81.99, from Riverstown, County
Louth, Ireland , go to : www.tyrconnellwhiskey.com
for more info ) : " A truly original single malt . TYRCONNELL'S unique
soft and elegant flavour has been crafted and refined for over three
centuries. The PORT CASK : initially matured in American oak and
finished in port casks to impart further depth and flavour creating an
inviting single malt with a deep antique cooper colouring. The extra
aging and port cask finish produce a silky sweet taste of rich fruits,
honey and spice with a beautiful lingering oak finish. "
5) Premium Gin from DELAWARE Distilling Company Distilled
Eight ( 8 ) Times for an ultra smooth finish ( $30.99, 40% alcohol by
volume ,On Facebook an Twitter : @Dedestill, www.delewaredistillingcompany.
WINES By MICHEL Et TONY :
WHITES :
1) JEAN SABLENAY Sauvignon Blanc Touraine 2012 Loire Valley,
France ( $10.99 a bottle, 12% alcohol by volume, from around the town of
Tour ) : this bottle is dry, bright, fruit-forward and so refreshing, a
real treat!
2) MATUA 2012 Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand (
$11.99 a bottle, 13% alcohol by volume ) : refreshing and bright, and
reminded Michel and me of the French Loire Valley Sauvignon Blancs. Like
the above J. SABLENAY this offer a freshness and a brightness, a little
softer than the above Touraine. Nice.
3) RAPIDO Dry Italian Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie, 2012, ( $9.99, 12.5% alcohol by volume, ) : it's lovely like the 2 Sauvignon Blancs above : great to sip, sit back and relax and feel good about the rest of the day that you still have to enjoy. Cheers. Franceen came and poured some wines here this weekend, this may have been one of them?
4) HILLCREST Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from Durbanville, South
Africa ( $19.99 , 13.5% alcohol by volume ) was just tasted here this
past Saturday by John and Theresa Morrison. It's bright, fresh, lively,
with a clarity and a focus that's pure delight - liquid sunshine
filtered through Sauvignon Blanc, what else could anyone want? Cheers.
5) Moschofilero 2011 from ANTONOPOULOS ( $15.99 a bottle, 13%
alcohol by volume, wine of Patras, Greece ) : a lovely dry white ,
protected geographical region " Arkadia ". We had Sotiris Bafitis here
this past weekend pouring the wine for everyone to enjoy. Distinct,
aromatic, a touch of floral, very appealing, quite special taste!
6) CM CASTELLUCCIMIANO 2012 Catarrato indigenous dry white
Sicilian grape variety ( $17.99, 13% alcohol by volume, ) is grown high
up, way above sea level. The owner was here with David Enright and his
wines blew Michel and me away and we have some of most of them. This is a
medium-bodied, elegant dry white that has subtle tones of mineral and
citrus and a velvet-bright taste that lilts and rocks your palate, like
being pushed ever so smoothly while in a swing ... nice. This wine is
special, really. Enjoy with or without a meal.
7) Pinot Blanc from BARTH RENE , Vignoble de Bennwihr,
Alscae, France, 2009 ( $16.99, 12% alcohol by volume ) : with the bottle
age this wine has blossomed fully into a delightful, fruit-forward,
bright and fresh-round-no-edges- taste that is a pleasure to sip with or
without a meal. What a treat! I liked it immediately when I tasted it
again about a week and a half ago! Cheers.
8) Adoli Ghis 2011 dry white Greek wine from ANTONOPOULOS (
$21.99, 12.5% alcohol by volume , from Patras ) : amazingly distinct,
fresh, clean, crisp, mineral-laden flavors and tastes that make an
immediate impression that strengthens quickly and reveals even more
character and personality that you want to continue enjoying with a
meal. This is seriously impressive wine for you all to enjoy now. Close
your eyes, it's got the body and the flavor of a good red. Cheers.
REDS :
1) Anne De Joyeuse MALBEC 2012 " Original " depuis 1868 from
Limoux, France ( $14.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume, Certified Protect
Planet by Bureau Veritas International BVQD ) " this is where Malbec
first was planted, even before Cahors in the Lot region to the north and
just south of Bordeaux! Wow! It's so bright and red-fruit toasty-berry
flavors that that are easier to enjoy and certainly less harsh and
tannic : and great value, too! Oscar may have just tasted this here over
the weekend?
2) 2008/ 2011 Chianti Colli Senesi from Italy's Tuscan region and from TENUTA VALDIPIATTA ( $17.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume , in Montepulciano, Tuscany where they filmed some of the TWILIGHT movie- Movie Two I believe ? ) : the last few bottles of the 2008 are fully-developed and flavorful, more extraction. The 2011 is softer and lighter and brighter red toasty berry flavors. Both are recommended.
I prefer the 2008. My son will be there this coming weekend seeing
and tasting with owners, father and daughter : Guido and Miriam! What
fun. We have all their wines here for you all! Come check them all out
and enjoy these Colli Senesi Chianti wines in this cooler weather now.
3) 2011 McLaren Vale Shiraz from Thomas GOSS, this Aussie red ( $19.99, 14.5% alcohol by volume, go to : www.thomasgoss.com.au for more info ) has got some real weight, good mouth-feel and grip, and a splash of extra alcohol to warm you even if you enjoy a glass outside in these cooler nights! New and exciting for us here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits.
4) 2006 Private Collection Dry Red Patras Greek red from
ANTONOPOULOS ( $21.99, 14% alcohol by volume ) : Sotiris Bafitis was
here again this past weekend to taste these fabulous Greek wines with
you all. This wine makes a real statement : the best of both the modern
and the classic worlds. It's a good medium-bodied dry red to enjoy with a
meal. Have a glass all on it's own and then settle into the meal and
the benefits of combining both together. Cheers.
5) Notarpanaro dry 2006 Salento Rosso Red from TAURINO (
$24.99, 14,5% alcohol by volume , 100% Negroamaro indigenous grapes ) :
Sotiris Bafitis also tasted this here this past weekend while I was on
my stay-at-home-vacation. This is a classic, old-world style of
barnyard, kitchen sink, herbs and spices and olive, tar, leather and
tobacco flavors that cry for food to flesh out these more lean and
muscular and less-polished yet highly personable and wonderful flavors
and tastes. Medium-bodied : a real class-act: everyone should experience
this wine more than once in their lifetimes!
6) CAPE ELEMENTS 2009 dry red South African Blend of Shiraz,
Cinsault and Grenache from Nico Van Der Merwe ( $18.99, 14% alcohol,
Stellenbosch, South Africa, www.wilhelmshof@xsinet.co.za
) is a medium-bodied Rhone style red with some real polish, brightness
and elegance. We tasted the 2009 on Saturday with John and Theresa
Morrison and it was a huge hit. Here we have the previous vintage as
well for less money and more bottle age. Perhaps buy a bottle of each
and compare and enjoy? Cheers.
ALSO : From an old email I copied this here as it's an important story to keep telling : Go Virginia!
VA. WINERIES Recommended By Steven Spurrier :
Steven Spurrier had his Caves De La Madeleine and his Academie Du Vin in
Paris, France off the Place De La Concorde in the early 1970's and in
1976 he conducted a blind wine-tasting with both French and American
judges of both California and French wines and the French picked the
American wines as better!
What a scandal ensued! He was just invited back by Virginia's
Governor to do a similar wine-tasting with both Virginia and other
well-known/high quality wines. The Virginia wines fared really well.
Steven had some favorite wineries and wines.
Dave McIntyre of the Washington Post wrote up the results this
past Wednesday. Here are some of the wines we have and recommend from
Steven's favorite wineries :
BOXWOOD ESTATE, Middleburg, VA.
1) " Topiary " 2008 ( $28.99, 13% alcohol by volume, www.boxwoodwinery.com
) is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec grapes from the ENTAV
clones grown and processed in the traditional Bordeaux style :
low yields are harvested and sorted by hand ...
Made like the Right-Bank wines of Bordeaux. This 2008 should
really be beginning to open and reveal some of it's many charms. No need
to rush. Buy it in the half bottles that we still have some for $17.99
Boxwood and enjoy those while you wait patiently for these full bottles
to develop and mature.
They will reward the patient. Steven Spurrier tried the 2010 vintage and wrote about those.
2) " Boxwood " 2009 ( $29.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume, www.boxwoodwinery.com
) is made like a classic Left Bank French Bordeaux wine with a blend of
Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes from the ENTAV
clones ...
It's heartier, bolder, thicker and usually more tannic and in need of a meal than the " Topiary ".
We have enjoyed them since the 2007 vintage and with family
member Rachel Martin's earlier visits here. She even helped me conduct
one of my Saturday wine classes. That was quite the fun and educational
experience. The 2009 are brighter and more fruit-forward than the 2008
vintage wines.
But they are made to age slowly and gracefully and again the patient of you are all well-rewarded.
Read above again about what I wrote of the two wines enjoyed
this weekend from the 1983 vintage to get some distance and perspective.
No need to rush. Buy some and put them away for later.
We have a few bottles left for you all and will move on to newer vintages as soon as Rachel or Andrew taste us on them.
When I visited the BOXWOOD Winery recently and saw my old
friend Lucie Morton there, as well as owner Rachel Martin I was very
impressed with both the 2011 and the 2012 vintages, the 2011 being quite
difficult, and the 2012 being a gift of Nature! What a treat.
WEDNESDAY Weekly 3-Part Still/Non-Sparkling Wine Sale :
Includes Sake, Port, Sherry, Marsala and Madeira : Mix them all up and
SAVE BIG :
1) BUY ANY BOTTLE of Still Wine over $20 and SAVE 20% Off the marked sticker price.
2) BUT 6 or More Still Wines and SAVE 15% OFF the marked sticker price.
3) BUY 12 or More Still Wines and SAVE 20% OFF the marked sticker prices.
You may assort/include the port, sherry, sake, madeira and marsala bottles ( any size ), and also the box wines, too.
SAVE BIG here at Cleveland Park Wines each Wednesday on Still
Wine Purchases. Call and ask for Michel or Tony to help you. We also
deliver here in the neighborhood. Call : 202-363-4265. SAVE BIG!
NOTE : There's been a horrible accident here at the Cleveland
Park metro center on the Red Line. Only heard briefly about it but am
sorry to say that it sounds quite sad and tragic. Check before you get
or try to get on the Red Line today to come home.
WEEKEND TASTINGS :
Friday, October 25th, 2013 ( 5-8PM ) : We have Jim Reeves here
to taste some of jis amazing French Burgundy Rhones ( GUYOT - dry reds,
one dry rose ), as well as the MATILDE Chablis and Saint-Brie Sauvignon
Blanc dry whites - and more! Always a great surprise and great value,
too when Jim tastes with us all!
Saturday, October 26th, 2013 ( 2-6PM ) : We have Fernando from
Argentina here that works with Tradewinds Specialty Imports here to try
some of the finest Argentina and Spanish wines : perhaps some sherry,
too as it sure is getting colder, some of the fine sherries from the
house of ALEXANDRO, I LOVE the Pedro Ximenez, for example, $32.99.
Perfect for Halloween! Decadently thick brown colors that OOZE and leave
the greatest legs on the side of any wine glass imaginable! What a
treat : a little bit goes a long , long way to making this cold weather
seems less cold and intimidating!
JOIN US : NEVER any charge, all our tastings are free. Come
and relax and learn and enjoy, meet others, share stories and have a
great moment together with us. Memorable. And never stuffy ...
AND TO ALL OUR SUPPLIERS :
We want to thank some of you that came to see us recently with some
excellent products that we are considering buying and selling here :
You always have something fun and exciting and worth sharing
with you all. Michel and I have been tasting some great wines thanks to
them and the many others. Cheers.
I AM SURE I HAVE FORGOTTEN many things but it's time to post this
so that you all may stop by on this beautiful day after work and see us.
We have lots to share with you, really we do. We also want to thanks
you for all your support. Check us out
on Facebook at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits, follow us
on Twitter at : cpwinespirits, and also at : wineenabler.
WE DELIVER No-Charge here locally in Washington D.C. with an
order of $30 or more. Call us at : 202-363-4265 and we will come and see
you. Cheers!
Thanks again for everything, you all are the best! Great to have all you government workers back on the job! TON
| |
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Tragedy in Pittsburgh w/ 11 innocent deaths, Halloween tomorrow, So many things to find hope and positive vibes in here, read on! " Let us accept our own responsibility for the future " John F. Kennedy, Get Out and VOTE Nov 6th, 2018!
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