Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Happy Thanksgiving to one and to all, come join us here all week and see what liquid goody tastes we have for you!

Cleveland Park Beer, Liquor & Wine

Featuring a wide, international selection of fine wines, micro-brews and spirits
 
 

WE HAVE LOTS OF EVERYTHING 4 U!

 

 

WINE NOW as well as beer, Cider, liquor, all 4 u 2 give thanks, b thankful!

 

 

It's been a bit - a lot  crazy really here & In R World. how 2 process it all?!? how to adjust, keep r sanity, not lose it as we are all part of families. communities, neighborhoods, organizations, companies, job, volunteer positions helping others - 

 

 

and accepting of one another 7 the right of each of us to exist peacefully 7 work towards the greater good or more than just a few.



 
WE TRY our best to provide a harbor, an oasis, a place that can be a shelter for the many storms that we face daily these troubled days where the solace that comes from being together with family and friends becomes even more important that ever.
 
 
 
 
LIFE In the fast lane, we enjoy the commotion, the energy, the action and the passion, joy warmth and togetherness here as people gather to shop and taste, to learn, to share, to hear and listen, to tell their stories. How wonderful.
 
Driving to work I started to think about what I would write about today and the only thought that cam was ' giving thanks, and healing, and acknowledging that we are a vibrant nation of many parts that it sure would be nice to get to work more closely together and be less divisive. ' 
 
 
 
 
That is so much easier said than done. I know that - we know that.
 
BUT LET US TAKE A MOMENT to mention the many things we have here to offer you now for this week of family gatherings and time we spend together and give thanks for all we share and have as Americans.
 
 
BEER and CIDER - from Santos -
 
1) TEN FIDY Imperial Stout , aged in bourbon barrels, ' Barrel-Aged ', brewed and canned bu OSKAR BLUES Brewery, in Colorado, USA, the Stovepipe. cross-eyed. Cyclopean. Cancupiscent. $12.99 for a 1 pint 3.2Fl Oz can, this is quite the experience in a can, get into it below the sheen and the shine, be alive.
 
2) 30th Anniversary Imperial Oyster Stout, an ale with oysters and cacao nibs, from GREAT LAKES Brewing Co., $11.99 for a 1 pt, 6 fl. oz, with 11% alcohol by volume, this is another fine beer adventure, get psyched and enjoy over Thanksgiving.
 
3) Beyond the INFINITE Triple India Pale Ale , tred softly, from HELLBENDER Brewing Co. three stars, On Special for $11.99 a 4-pack of 12-ounce cans with 11% alcohol by volume. Come check this out and see if it holds it's own against the yams and the Brussel sprouts?!?
 
 
          CIDER -
 
1) High & Dry Super Dry Hard Cider from Vermont and made by STOWE CIDER , On Special for $11.99, with 6.5% alcohol by volume. You might also want some of this later when watching " White Christmas "?  No add any sugar or preservatives, really give a great chill before serving!
 
 
          SPIRITS From Jagir -
 
1) Almande Gluten-Free, Dairy Free Almond Milk liqueur from BAILEYS, On Special for $26.99 : ' new and exciting ' here! Just off the boat and off the truck!!! We need to set up a tasting of this and let you all taste just how good it is. Cheers, perfect to sip after your heavy meals this week, to soften the edges, to relax you that extra tenth degree.
We would love here to start and to star some of the things to give thanks to, to appreciate and to know they have played their part in making this great America of ours.
 
2) Straight Bourbon Whiskey  hand-crafted in oak barrels, a dual cask finished spirit from FILIBUSTER Distillery, $44.99 a 750ml bottle, made right here in Virginia, in Maretown : deep color to saturate your senses in and lull and ' rock-a-bye baby '  your eyes and other senses, makes a definite and distinct impression, try it!
 
3) Single Barrel, Copper Distilled Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a Singlr Barrel, from JOHN J. BOWMAN, On Special for $59.99 , regularly $64.99 a bottle. We will have to schedule a tasting of this here soon. I love the package, the bottle-shape, would make a generous stocking-stuffer, and just a good taste anytime as this cold weather consumes us at times, and is gentler at others.
 
 
          WINES from Chris and Tony -
 
     WHITES - Five Different States -
 
1) Viognier 2016 from SUNSET HILLS Vineyard, $23.99 a bottle : I like how sunshiny-bright and pleasing, and not too-heavy a mouth-feel this Virginia Viognier has. This is a perfect sipping wine anytime during the holidays, and will also taste nice with many of the flavors, too - especially if you have any butter in your dishes. With 13.5% alcohol by volume.
 
2)  ' Belle Oiseau - Beautiful Bird  ' from BELLE PENTE, 2011, from Oregon's Willamette Valley, with 11.7% alcohol by volume, $21.99, a mellow and full dry that is great to enjoy now with your meal as it will hold it's own with cured meats and also goose or turkey, with some cheeses, the equal parts of  Riesling and Pinot Gris and a splash of Muscat ensure that this will be pleasing and flavorful enough to satisfy even the most picky of tasters. Cheers.
 
3) 2016 Ship of Fools Old Mission Penninsula white, from Chateau Grand Traverse, an ' eclectic CGT ', $18.99, this is quite the blended feat of flavors and tastes that are brighter, lighter and more fruit-forward than the " Belle Oiseau ", so serve it first or as a palate-cleanser, : " A ship's journey will cease if  its myriad of characters fail to meld as a crew. In a similar fashion, we created this unconventional blend that reveals an altogether new Phizog. It exhibits bright fruit flavor, pleasing mineral qualities with nuances of aromatic green tea. With a dry, lingering finish and soft acidity, it is the perfect skipper to sail into uncharted waters. " And Thanksgiving meals , by-and-large can be quite uncharted.
I OFFER this to my childhood friend Kay Bean that now lives in Michigan! Cheers, happy Thanksgiving.
 
4) 2016 Vidal Blanc, $19,99, from Maryland's BIG CORK Vineyards ( just ten miles away from BREAUX Vineyards in Virginia where owner/winemaker Dave used to be the winemaker ). " This aromatic, semi-dry wine is suggestive of peaches and nectarines, with a hint of citrus. "
A treat - come try a bottle of all four for this week!
 
 
     REDS - Eight from four states -
 
1) Lake County of California, this 2014 Cabernet Franc made by Jed Steele's son, On Special for $12.99 with a 3 for $33 and a 6 for $60 is drinking beautifully now and may be enjoyed all by itself or with a meal. Medium-to-light-bodied, a delight to sip and enjoy this week while watching a game or enjoying a fire and chatting. Lovely. Great value, too. You can also talk about great literature, this " Writer's Block ' is so appealing!
 
2) 2012 Pinot Noir ' The Kilmore ' from Yamhill-Carlton District from OWEN ROE, with 14.1% alcohol by volume, $54.99, from Oregon and this wine should be rocking 150% now with everything in place and all the fire , power and grace you need! Finish the race with this delight!
 
3) 2014 Pinot Noir fron Sonoma Coast, from the GUARACHI Family Wines, On Special for $49.99, regularly $69.99 a bottle, with 14.8% alcohol, this is the perfect holiday wine that has enough weight, power, flavor and character to hold it's own to bolder flavors in our meals today. A modern-style Pinot Noir that as it opens becomes more gracious and the heartier exterior softens gradually and becomes a gradual delight, but no rushing it!
 
4) Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2003 ( fully mature - garagiste-style small-production Pinot of the smallest amounts! ), from LAUTERBACH Cellars, made by owner and winemaker himself, Stew Lauterbach ( he tasted this wine with me himself here ! ), this has all the bruises and highs and lows, the soaring of birds and rockets and song, and the dipping down deep into nooks and crannies of age and honest, humble, true integrity and character, where flavors and elements have never been compromised. This is true grit and grace! Come enjoy it in all it's glory this Thanksgiving! Only 96 cases made.
 
5) Owner Scott Jenkins has been here tasting this with you all, his Merlot 2015 , estate grown, from Washington State's own Wahluke Slope, $18.49 a bottle, " sultry and smoothwith flavors of dark chocolate, bay leaf, fig, plum, and raspberry. " Yum, come get some and enjoy!
 
          THREE From Virginia -
 
1) Loudoun County Tannat 2013 from Virginia's FABBIOLI CELLARS, with 12.5% alcohol by volume, On Special for $39.99, this is healthy as it is the grape the highest in resveratrol, the Tannat, and on top of that it is rich and layered and bright and delicious to sip all by itself as well as enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday period.
 
2) Reserve Loudoun County Cabernet Franc 2015, with 12.5% alcohol by volume, $34.99, this dry red from Virginia is hearty, lean, muscular, opinionated, fiery, and quick to display it's full character that will be more enjoyed when tempered by the more tasty and seasoned dishes this holiday season. Chill it 30-40 minutes and enjoy with your meal - something off the grill would be great - even burgers would be wonderful!
 
3) Virginia ' Midnight ' semi-dry Chambourcin 2012, $24.49 from Amissville, VA. is a great way for everyone to sit around conversing before the meal or watching a game, playing a card game, building a puzzle, reading, whatever. It will also take the heat and the spice out of many a fiery dish! Like nachos or Velvetta cheese dips, a treat!  With 13.4% alcohol by volume, enjoy.
 
 
WEEK'S TASTINGS -
 
TONIGHT, Tues. Nov. 20th : if enough of you show up I will open the five wines we will pour this week :
a) 2015 Chenin Avec Chene = Chenin with wood : a wooded Chenin Blanc from STELLENBOSCH in South Africa and made by SIMONSIG, regularly $35.99, now $17.99 On Special, this is so smooth, bright, fresh and appealing - great sipping or enjoying with a meal!
 
b) Beaujolais Nouveau 2018 from BOUCHARD AINE & FILS, $14.49 a bottle, chill 30-40 minutes - a lovely treat to enjoy now with everything. 
 
c) Pinot Noir Valle Centrale from Chile, the 2018 Autoritas, $9.99 is a light pure and refreshing Pinot that is classic and so enjoyable. A treat. 
 
d) Chateau LE DOYENNE Cotes du Bordeaux 2012, $9.99 a bottle, a fine Bordeaux blend, medium-to-light-bodied, what a treat! AND 
 
e) Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 from Argentina's Mendoza, made by FINCA FLICHMAN, On Special now ahora for $9.99, a real hearty taste for a meal at a great price here.
 
WILL OPEN these throughout the week depending as it will be me and Chris pouring as everyone will be home with family and friends. So inquire when you come and we will share what we have.
 
ALSO in this week's tasting of other spirits :
 
TOMORROW , Wednesday, November 21st, 2018 we have two spirits' tastings :
 
1) Dave will be here from TWIN VALLEY Distilling in Rockville, MD pouring some of his fine Maryland spirits! From 4-7pm.
 
2) We will taste here DR. STONER'S Smoky Herb, with 42% alcohol by volume, $29.99 a bottle, this is unique and distinct and must be tasted to be believed and enjoyed! Cheers. 5-8pm.
 
JOIN US - never any charge, and we may have some of the above-mentioned wines open for you all to taste with me or with Chris.
 
Friday, November 23rd, 2018 : 2-5pm we have various JIM BEAM spirits open for you all to enjoy with Jamie. Chris will have some of the above-mentioned wines open for you to enjoy as well.
JOIN US!
 
GREAT GIFT IDEA was just handed to me by Santos -
 
Rr Republic Restoratives, Washington DC local spirits - a traveling pack with a tasting glass included of the BOROUGH Bourbon and the Civic Vodka, both 375ml size, what a psecial treat, and you can travel with it and it will not break, oh yeah! Only distillery owned by women in the District though there is now a woman-partner in another new venture, so they will have to make room for her, too! Cheers! Thanks Emily for getting this to us, and for your tasting here with us this past Saturday.
 
AND Back to our chat and also much we want to share with you all-
 
THANKS to the native Americans, to the immigrants, to the  former slaves and the indentured that also came from Europe, to men and women and children that have all pulled their weight and worked here in the United States of America. To say thanks to the many beliefs and religions, the gays and lesbians, transsexuals, the handicapped, all of us no matter what color we may be or what baggage we may have once born. We are people, we all depend on our land and the air and the water that we need. We all feel pain, fall in love, have to deal with self-doubt, depression, fear, bullying, cliques and clubs that exclude, tall iron fences and electric ones, too that shock and exclude us.
 
COME HERE and celebrate what we share in common. So even if you do not drink alcohol we do sell non-alcoholic drinks here from beer to wine, we also sell water. Come have a glass of water here, bring your dogs that are welcome, and share a story, smile, laugh, feel the love and the warmth, and get away from politics for awhile! I have put our music back on and that is better than listening to private email sources used and not our own, about caravans and border troops, about making America great again as if it ever stopped being great?!
 
LET'S RISE UP in peaceful voices and make the presence of a solid wall with our voices in peace and purpose and intent to be heard, respected, honored, acknowledges and welcomed.
 
HEAVY THOUGHTS, I know. It seems that it is impossible to get away from them these days and nights.
 
I BUILT a symbolic wall down about 200 feet away from the Washington Monument two Friday's ago, November 9th, and I used a bad-mitton net to hang my : " Transparent Wall " made from streamers of mad-made recycled goods, from leaves and nuts and acorns, flowers, weeds, sticks, whatever. I called my peace-piece : " Prayer to : Natural Beauty and Man-Made Products ", and I used masking tape to seal boxes to mail, and put everything between the strips and then strung them up on the net with the help of Kris and AJ that Friday morning before work.
 
I TOOK pictures of it , too before leaving to come here. It was in two parts with a heavy canvas also enveloped between two large sheets of plastic. Adam Eidinger one of the members of Catharsis on the Mall mentioned that all work displayed there should be waterproof. I took that to heart as I did not want it to be damaged and ruined.
 
SO I WORKED on my pieces all year - three parts in all with a connector between the two large pieces, a small strip.
 
WHEN STEPPING BACK to take a better look at what Kris and AJ and I had assembled that Friday morning it looked a bit like a rumpled tepee and a large giant's headdress, and I had to think of of our American native Indians and also after a bit more thought, of the South American Indians of Brazil and the Amazon jungle where that I met on occasion between 1955-1963 when our father worked for the American Embassy.
 

AND I HEARD that some of our native American Indians were having trouble voting this past med-term election? Will have to find more clarification on that as I find that troubling news, especially as we get ready to give thanks for so much that we have now.
 
THANKS for your support - happy holidays to one and to all!
 

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