Talking Wine Stories & Community, No Politics Today, Had Enough To Last A Lifetime! Cheers!!!

Cleveland Park Beer, Liquor & Wine Featuring a wide, international selection of fine wines, micro-brews and spirits

LET'S RELAX and have fun with this email !    HERE ARE SOME things I see to mention to you -       ALE, BEER and CIDER from Santos Rivera -   1) Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer from CRABBIE'S - imported from England, a " new ' 4-pack in cans , On Special for $8.99, with 4.8% alcohol by volume - come try some and enjoy it with the rain and snow coming later!   2) Hop Water & Hop LOver's Wet Dream, a 4-pack of 16Fl. Oz cans from Black Hog Brewing Company, $18.99, ...  Great label, outrageous message, and taste to back it all up. Cheers.   3) OR XATA a blonde ale brewed with rice and lactose, with natural cinnamon and vanilla flavors added. $15.99 for a 4-pack of cans from The BRUERY, with 7.2% alcohol by volume - a fine pint    to sip and relax and enjoy these distinct flavors here.            LIQUEUR and LIQUOR from Jagir Singh -   1) Ginger flavored Brandy from BOLS, with 35% alcohol by volume, a liter in volume for the ridiculous price of $5.99 ! Wow, great color, come and get it and use in whatever mixed drinks you like the flavor of ginger.. Limited quantities.   2) Port Antonio " Pineapple Cicha " a rum with natural flavors added, from Rockville, MD, made by TWIN VALLEY, with 15% alcohol by volume, $26.99 a 750ml bottle, Dave poured this here this past Saturday and it with the others was a great success!   3) Old Scout American Whiskey from West Virginia's SMOOTH AMBLER, with 45% alcohol by volume, since 2009, On Special for $32.99 a bottle ( regularly $36.99 a bottle ), this is a great one to use to make mixed cocktails. Just had a customer come get one all excited about the mixed drinks he would be making because of the unique taste of the Old Scout. Come check it out and see what you all think?!   4) Blanco tequila with natural flavors from ANZA, with 40% alcohol, a full liter bottle On Special for $14.99 ( regularly $18.99 ) is another really fine deal for a tequila, great for mixing as this arctic cold hits us with rain and snow tonight!   5) Exclusive edition " First Fill " Single Malt Scotch Whisky aged 12 Years from THE GLENLIVET, On Special for $84.99 a bottle ( down from $94.99 a bottle ). I have not tried this yet but I like the sound of it - should be even brighter, silkier and even a tad or a touch smoother, too!   JIMMY Stivers @JimStivers - just came by and tells us that Friday is his last day with Breakthru Beverages ( @BreakthruBeveragesDC ) . He has been doing a great job here helping us not only with his portfolio but with that of the rest of the company. He has always been here for us, for me, too and as a result we have done both sound and strong spirits and wine business. We will miss you Jimmy, thanks for all that you have done for us. Good luck in your next venture, may it be fruitful and fulfilling and may you thrive!   Will always remember our conversations about BV, Moet & Chandon, Domaine Chandon, NEWTON, CAPE MENTELLE and more, and in SPIRITS about BULLEIT, GLENMORANGIE, MYERS Rum, Gordon's vodka and Gordon's Gin - and more! @NewtonWines @MoetandChandon, @VeuveClicquot @GordonsGin @Glenmorangie - merci, thanks!            IN WINE from me - Tony :   TWO Off-Dry Wines -   1) Thracian Delight White from BULGARIANA, an off-dry blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Viognier, I quite liked this when we had it open, It is a really nice white to sip and chill and totally relax, with or without food, $9.99 a bottle - smooth-bright!   2) Thracian Delight off-dry red from BULGARIANA, on the fruitier more ripe and delicious style, so very bright and for many of you too much fruit, but for some of you just right!   A Half-Bottle of Pinot Noir -   1) 2014 Pinot Noir from SIDURI, from California's Santa Lucia Highlands, this is On Special for $14.99 a 375ml bottle, and delicious it is! Dan and I had it open the other day and it was showing really well - swell indeed. I recommend this a lot!             ONE Chilean Carmenere with great bottle age -   1) Carmenere Private Reserve 2011 from Chile's Aconcagua Valley from ALMA de CHILE, $9.99 : this wine is medium-to-lighter-bodied, and all the kinks and the wrinkles and whatever else needed to be worked out is all done now and you get a smooth, silkier bright and flavorful, distinct, tasty, best-with-food-eventually dry red treat! Si si si - venga aqui gente!   ONE FINE ' Organic ' TORO from Spain-   1) 4 Mil Cepas Toro, 2015 , 100% Tinta de Toro, 8 meses en barrica = eight months in oak, On Special for $14.99 a bottle down from $21.99. Eric Garcia had it open this past Saturday here : medium-to-lighter-bodied, bright fruit, silky and maturing so well, very approachable now. It sold really well as it will provide a whole lot of pleasure tonight as this rain and snow start to blanket us all starting at 4pm I believe? Cheers.         THREE Dry Sauvignon Blanc whites to enjoy :   1) 2017 Sauvignon Blanc  ' SilverMYn ' by Zorgvliet in South Africa, On Special for $11.49 : ' Integrity and sustainability '. there is both smooth brightness and a really nice sipping here that pleases but where the acidity is there but not overpowering in any way. A delight to enjoy a glass or two before your meal hits the table!   2) Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, 2017, from OKIWA BAY, $15.49 a bottle, good lively bright acidity, refreshing and pleasing and will draw you closer and relax you, too from a day's hard work, especially with the cold arctic air coming our way with rain , sleet and snow! Cheers!   3) " Cuvee Vieilles Vignes " 2017 100% Sauvignon Blanc Sancerre from the Domaine de la Rossignole, $27.49 a bottle - with that wonderful minerality yet charm and warmth that this soil in the Loire Valley imbues the wine with - another success story for Sancerre! Sante, viens acheter une ou deux bouteilles pour le mauvaise temps que viens descendre sur nous ici a Washington DC ce soir.         ONE GREAT Japanese sake in the 1.8ml bottle-   1) Junmai JOTO : " every sake rice grain has a center, the " Shinpaku " or " white heart " where all of the starches are concentrated - This Junmai is rich and solid with hints of fruit and a light acidity in the finish. Serve chilled, room temperature, or warmed with grilled meats, nutty cheese, barbecue or hearty Japanese food. " Go down after you buy a bottle and get either or some of both from Spices or Fate Pete's Barbecue restaurants - and have a feast tonight as the temperatures dip down low!         WEEK'S TASTINGS -   TONIGHT : Come taste with me 5-8pm the BROUILLY 100% Gamay H. Brac de la Perriere 2013 Cru Beaujolais from the village of Brouilly On Special for $19.99 a bottle, regularly $23.99 a bottle! It should be rocking, come and taste and enjoy a mature flavor and taste, cheers!   FRIDAY, February 1st, 2019 - ( 5-8pm ) : Narayan Campbell of his own Global Wines MD will be here to taste an array of his fine wines like the two Sauvignon Blancs listed above, and we will pick some reds, too. Cheers!   SPRINGFIELD MANOR Distillery with Jon here to pour an assortment.   SATURDAY, February 2nd, 2019 , 2-6PM, we will taste the ALBEMARLE hard apple cider as well as with -   HOPEFULLY Craig Mauro will be on hand to taste his fine wines from Comete Wines. Cheers. More and that soon.   AVALON we will taste the Catoctin Creek Virginia, spirits made in Purcellville. Our window display is of Catoctin Creek, thanks to Avalon!               I JUST CAME from an inspiring walking of our dog and an equally inspiring drive, too. It got me charged to face this week and to enjoy it and focus on the positive things in life and not simply politics and differences.   WALKING OUR DOG always makes me smile as we meet others walking theirs and stop to chat. Or as Elizabeth here stops to get whatever she needs and we chat and are a welcome inspiration to each other.   STEPHEN DADDARIO used to come by years ago and provide the same inspiration for me. He was looking after his aging father and could not be gone for long and we would talk about art, life, music, wine, the physical beauty of Washington DC, and more. We were there for one another each week for rich and rewarding yet brief visits. Stephen passed away and I still miss you Stephen, as you are remembered by your son Will and niece Susan, and your relative a successful actress named Alexandra is it? Never met her but have seen many pictures of her.   STEPHEN USED to come by with his mother and she was always a joy to talk with, too. They would often go to the library across the street. Imagine what they would think of the new library across the street now.     KATE SEZ making a " French 75 " cocktail this cold weather with some Simonet sparkling French wine made in Alsace, $9.99, with  some gin, some simple syrup and more " try it sometime ". I just might, being a francophile as I am! Thanks Kate.   WE HAVE SO MANY invaluable customers, friends and locals here that always have something to share and usually a big smile, too.   LIKE CHRIS HOENIG that is about to publish his book that I am currently reading and that he wants my feed-back on before he publishes it soon. The Seed is an inspiration to me , I am reading it slowly and it is helping me with some of my projects I am currently working on. It will be an inspiration to all. Thanks Chris.     BLAINE JUST CAME BY and while he was furloughed he was able to hunt squirrel, duck and fish, and was successful doing so. He looks fine, did not go stir-worry-crazy it looks like, that is good news. Cheers Blaine!     CHRISTINA CAME BY and it was fun to catch up.   CRAIG came by and was talking ' value wines ' , and as you all know, that is music to my ears! The better a value we can offer you is the best thing we may offer to you!   ONE OF OUR regulars, a musician came by and picked up two bottles of wine and said how happy he was to work from home with the problems that snow can make on the hillside of Porter Street where he lives. He was telling about the fiasco when two buses tried to get up their hill and got stuck in the snow and blocked the way for everyone. Fortunately he did not have to go anywhere and was able to observe this scene unfold and not be panicked that they were blocking his path!     STAY WARM and SAFE, the snow is really coming down fast now, so come see us now! Cheers, we have lots to offer! TONY