Sal Furfari, Old Friend Of Mine, Rep For Bacchus Imports Tastes LA VIEILLE FERME, RUST EN VREDE Wines Wed. Feb. 17th, 2010 @ Cleveland Park Wines

I've known Sal for a long time : he refers to Pandora and me as the other two


in the trio that makes up the Three Musketeers. For some reason it sticks out in both of our memories years ago way back in the late eighties or the early nineties how we all met up by chance on the corner of two major thoroughfares like Calvert Street and Connecticut Avenue I believe. We may have all just emerged from Sherry's Liquor and Wines or Pandora might have just come out of one of the local restaurants there? I don't remember exactly anymore. But that moment in time for some reason everything came together as if in one big epiphany : we realized at that moment the bond that we had formed over the years as salespeople working for one of the local D.C. metropolitan wholesalers. That's nice and Sal mentions it every time with a smile when he describes our past histories. I smile, too each time that he tells it. Pandora is now off in Florida someplace still working I believe in the business but having climbed the social wholesale ladder I believe may be now a part-owner/advisor? Is that it Sal?






Here I have taken some artsy photos of Sal pouring for me some of his selections that he was carrying around on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 in his wine bag of " goodies " to entice us to stop everything taste and buy immediately. That's always the hope and the plan and the best result that one may have as a rep for a wholesale house. I remember those days all too well as I worked for first Laurent Selections, then Wines Limited and finally for Forman Brothers when JP and I stopped seeing eye-to-eye on how to best take care of the customer and we parted company immediately.

It may have been one of the greatest in-disguise blessings of my life as it returned me to the arena of customers that come to see me at Cleveland Park along with the owners/wine-makers/reps/distributors/national sales managers/brand managers/wine-writers/wine-bloggers/embassies/etc that make up a wonderful world of individuals and personalities all coming to see me andprovide me with such great food for thought. Thanks JP : you may have with your distrust of our working relationship helped me without meaning to or knowing it.

I immediately took the job that was open and pretty much instantly offered to me by manager Mark Wessels of MacArthur ( Addy Bassins ) Beverages. I started within a couple of days after severing my business relationship with Forman Brothers and the wholesale business. However, I still remember fondly all of the connections that I made as a rep for the three wholesale houses ( Laurent Selections, Wines Limited and Forman Brothers ) both with colleagues " on the street " as well as those that purchased both in stores and in restaurants. Those were some mighty fine days. "

Of course at this point that all seems like a lifetime ago and yet the connections that meant anything in the first place still stand strong and lasting at least in my mind. That's one reason I keep thinking these days of Robert Whale and have made a note to call him soon and order some of his fine " cold-climate- food-wine " Aussie and Kiwi wines. He needs my support now as things are very difficult with the continued drought in Australia as well as the debacle that the large houses like Fosters have made for the small growers trying to sell their more expensive yet fabulously-priced selections of Aussie wines that compete beautifully in many cases for value and taste against anything else currently available on the international market. So, having got a bit off the track I now return you to our scheduled program and say : thanks Sal. You also have some fine Aussie wines like those of the YALUMBA portfolio that we enjoy selling at Cleveland Park off-and-on.

Pandora, how are you these days? Do you like having been thought of as one of the three muskateers way back when? Perhaps you will stumble upon this wine blog of mine someday? If you do please comment and or email me at my : tonythewineguy@gmail.com address. I hope that you are well. and I look forward to hearing how life has been for you in sunny Florida for the last fifteen or more years.




But this blog is also about the two bottles of wine that I tasted with you Sal on this afternoon. There were more than the two pictured here and I am valiantly trying now almost two weeks later to remember which they were? I have to say that the two that I have these pictures of I liked very much. They were both so different these two reds : but equally satisfying and well-worth the money.

I think that this may have been a Vineyard Brands day for Sal as I believe that the RUST EN VREDE from Stellenbosch, South Africa is still represented by Danny Haas of Vineyard Brands? Is this correct Sal?

There are so many brands to keep track of today and many of them do change wholesaler hands frequently which is not always the best thing.




LA VIEILLE FERME from the Cotes Du Ventoux region of the southern Rhone is made by CHATEAU BEAUCASTEL in the Chateauneuf-Du-Pape region of the southern Rhone ( and perhaps it's most famous, too ). They make a series of wines including both reds and whites with different tiers of pricing and quality though the overall quality is always the highest for whichever price bracket. That's never in dispute. However, for a small store like ours trying to maintain our own identity and continue to " add to the existing equation " or wines available the first question to be posed with LA VIEILLE FERME ( the old barn/farm ) is : " But these wines are in every store "? I am referring to stores like Calvert Woodley up the street on Connecticut Avenue that gives many of these known brands away as " lost liters " to draw the customers to their store and not ours.

Sal's response to my question about LA VIEILLE FERME being available everywhere was quickly : " no, you'd be surprised now Tony ".

This 2008 dry red LA VIEILLE FERME Cotes Du Ventoux was lovely , really quite charming : attractive indeed. Not heavy, not sharp, no edges here just a lovely bright red cherry/berry toastiness that prompted me to say to myself : " What's not to like here? " for both taste and for value?!? I remember when owner Marc Perrin came with Olivier Lotterie of Vineyard Brands years ago to the store and they poured the everyday PERRIN red and white as well as the CHATEAU BEAUCASTEL Chateauneuf-Du-Pape reds ( the 1996 was wonderful ) as well as two older whites - one a single vineyard I believe that sold immediately.

And just to show you how these reps like Sal Furfari and Danny Haas and Olivier Lotterie all do their jobs : Danny was reminding me that I was out of the LA VIEILLE FERME magnums and that they represented great value for the wine you get at the price and that I should order more! Thanks Danny ; you were right about that.

I am sure that Sal will talk me into buying some soon as I really have no argument left for not buying it. Besides, Sal and I are friends and I like giving him business when I can and it works for Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits as well as for Bacchus and him. That's smart business : that's teamwork.




I spoke with Sal just this last Wednesday and have ordered both the RUST EN VEDRE and the LA VIEILLE FERME to come with his order from the N. Empson portfolio of excellent Italian and New Zealand wines. On Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 we will receive these two wines as well as those from PODERI COLLA ( a longtime favorite of Piemonte ), VILLA LA SELVA ( another favorite Tuscan fattoria ), PEGASUS BAY, VOSS, PEREGRINE ( all three from Neil Empson's own country New Zealand ) and more. All on great inventory reduction and this is wonderful : like our PODERI COLLA declassified 2002 Barolo ( they made none - it was an extremely difficult vintage ) and called it only by it's grape variety Nebbiolo. It will sell for $12.99 a bottle and make a great everyday meal dry red that is fully-mature and ready to drink.

It may not be grand but it will not cost the $40-$100 that many Barolos cost today. If you close your eyes and enjoy it with any flavorful Italian meal that is hearty and well-seasoned I think you will be more than satisfied and rewarded as it is classic/traditional wine making that was designed from start-to-finish to complement food. Twenty-five cases come to the store this Wednesday. Come by and check it out as Chris Barker and I will open the wines from Wednesday through Saturday to let everyone know just exactly what they are buying and getting themselves into. LIke a full-disclosure : what can be any better than this?!?




I probably have more to say here but I do want to post this now before work on Saturday morning here from my home in northern Virginia on February 27th, 2010 at 9:11 AM.

As I said Sal came by on Wednesday and I will download those pictures that I took of the wines he was tasting. So stay-tuned. Cheers and enjoy the weekend with some LA VIEILLE FERME dry red 2008 Cotes Du Ventoux ( elegant, medium-to-light-bodied, great balance, smooth, easy to enjoy ) and RUST EN VREDE Stellenbosch dry South African Merlot ( bigger, denser, darker, more toasty and robust, medium-bodied and great with a well-seasoned meal. Merlot that shows the versatilty, power and enduring quality of good Merlot ... ) wherever you may be. TONY

Holly Kopika Brings Us Current Releases Of PETER LEHMANN , Barossa , South Aussie Wines To Taste Wed. Oct. 15th, 2008

Holly Brought us six of the current releases from the famous and fabulous PETER LEHMANN in the Barossa Valley, South Australia portfolio of the HESS CA. Collection.




We have represented ever since years ago Robert Whale brought us a half bottle of the ' Sticky " Semillon that quickly became back in the 80's a " must have " in any fine wine store here in the United States!




I am sorry that Robert lost the line and I must say that my enthusiasm and or eagerness to buy them from someone else pretty much killed the deal for me for many years afterward.



Robert actually brought Peter himself here years ago. It must have been in 2001 or so : I can't quite remember now and will have to consult my guest book that all owners and wine-makers kindly sign for me when they visit and I take their pictures.




I am really sorry to see that I have not posted this blog yet as it is an entire year since Holly's visit with these marvelous, distinctive and impressive wines from the Barossa Valley where I also love selling Rob Gibson's wines and now those of Daryl Groom as well. And of course I cannot forget Lindsay of the STANLEY-LAMBERT collaboration ( he and Jim made some really solid, value-oriented wines like the dry Semillon and the Thoroughbred Cabernet Sauvignon that we have enjoyed selling now for several years - especially the reds that had some nice bottle-age to them ) in the Barossa as I also like very much what he is doing. Of course there are also others that I should mention as well.




There's wonderful history tied up in all of this as well as connections and relationships and people that either make or pay for the wines themselves to be made : as well as those that export or import them here to our shores in the United States.

I believe in supporting and acknowledging all of this history because it is often why the wines themselves or the conversation is started in the first place. Someone always comes before and their contributions must be acknowledged as they helped to pave the way as Robery Whale did when he started this all up with one other Aussie way back in 1985 was it when that year the United States only bought less than ten thousand cases for the whole year from Australia! WOW : how things have changed since then and now things with the terrible drought have changed things all over again. That and the big companies like the Foster's Brewing Company buying up so many of the large wine organizations like PENFOLDS and LINDEMANS and ROSEMOUNT. Where are they now? I don't hear much about them anymore and rarely get requests for them.




I am eager as one small store to try and keep alive all the small wineries and growers like GIBSON and LOOSE END and GROOM and many more. They need our help to stay alive in these difficult times ( as does PETER LEHMANN ) and I want to be there in the front of the line lending my help!

Holly, come by and see me and I will give you an order for January of 2010 to bring some of these wines back to Cleveland Park as we are currently out. We did love that new Semillon white wine blend that we just recently sold out of " layers is it or something like that? It doesn't quite make up for that wonderfully evocative/provocative exposed nipple on the lady on the old Semillon bottles ( nothing ever will ) but is sure was nice and smooth and bright and delightful to enjoy all by itself or with a meal ...

In one of these pictures with Holly and me I see David Enright behind us , our rep for Grapolli imports ( mainly Italian wines ) that is from Perth Western Australia. Interesting touch ...




Now , getting back to Holly Kopica and the PETER LEHMANN wines that she brought : 1) 2005 Semillon, 2) 2005 Cabernet Shiraz, 3) 2005 Shiraz, 4) Clancy's 2005 red blend of 37% Shiraz, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot , 5) 2004 " Eight Songs " Shiraz and the 6) top of the line red simply called " Peter Lehmann ". I liked " the lot " of them and will have to see now what is currently available as it is a year later.

The wines are well-made/focus/defined nicely/balanced and displaying a certain high level of finesse and character across the board. We will continue at Cleveland Park to buy the ones that fit-in with whatever else we already have and that represent the best value at the time. I cannot fault these wines. HESS Selection/Collection has enabled Peter and his staff to continue producing really thought-provoking wines from Barossa. The money has made it so that he can continue doing what he does best : focus all his energy and attention and creativity on making some of the best wines that he can in the Barossa. I applaud this effort of his and am glad that HESS has helped him to keep his vision alive.

Having said all of this I still am torn. Let me explain further. Oh, I forgot to mention the big newspaper article that British writer Jancis Robinson wrote on Australia perhaps eight months ago? I've got to look at it as I believe I still have a copy at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits. I don't want to comment further on this article until I look at both the headline and read it again. Stay-tuned for that.

However, I am torn because Robert Whale is still out there with his Robert Whale Selections selling Aussie and Tasmanian and Kiwi wines and he, too needs my help promoting his wines and keeping his cold-climate dreams and wines " alive and well in the U.S. market. Being a small store I have only so much room and so much money to buy the wines that we stock and sell. I have known Robert much longer than either Peter Lehmann or Holly and so my allegiance is first to Robert and second to PETER LEHMANN if you don't add in the GIBSON and the LOOSE END wines. Yikes, it's all a lot to consider. I have to try and balance it all and keep a good representation of these wines as stay true to my oldest contacts and relationships.

We are all getting some " bottle age " on us now and the world is changing so fast that it's hard to keep up, really. I like to say that I am growing younger with age ( with the proviso that I stop at 22 years-of-age, of course. I certainly feel young.

I certainly still feel empowered and passionate about all that I am doing on a small stage in Washington D.C. at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits. It's humbling and heart-felt and an old-style/old work ethic of doing things I say with modesty and no offense to anyone else - with knowing those that I have grown up with, respecting them and trying to include them and their wines as often as I can in a sign of both appreciation and recognition for what they have already done and what they once meant to this grand wine world of ours. It may now be spinning out of control and totally skewered towards abstract and superficial values of money first with number of points scored and number of boxes or cases sold secondly. The " dream and the vision " seem less about small ones that were born, nurtured and loved and paid for with a few peoples' hard sweat and blood and toil and now more with vast companies making decisions from offices and cities far-removed from the place of inspiration and the lands that produce the wines. Sad, deeply disturbing, sad, sad, sad. What are we letting ourselves become for the absolute pursuit of money?

I have never met the owner of HESS Collection. I hear from Holly that he is a bit of a visionary? Holly makes it sound as if I would like meeting him : that we have some things in common? He has never responded to my previous blogs here at : chatwine.blogspot.com. I think I even emailed him and got no response. That might have tipped the scale a bit in his favor if I had. Maybe he never got it? Who knows anything anymore in this cyberspace world of ours of our own creating?

So Robert Whale and Rob Gibson, you still for me win and represent the " lion's share " of my thoughts and energies and money. I choose to spend more of my money on you both. Peter, I am sorry for this. It is nothing against you. You dis come to the store so in a broad sense you are a part of the larger Cleveland Park family that is so important to me. I will not forget you or your fine work and contributions. But I will not be able to as much for you because of everything I have already said here.

So Robert and Rob you had better get a hold of Arielle Monaco our rep at the Country Vintners in Ashland, Virginia ( home of my alma mater Randolph-Macon College where I majored in English literature ) and tell her that I need to order more of your wines ASAP before including some of these excellent PETER LEHMANN selections from the Barossa Valley.

Imagine that, someone that is still principled and not doing it all just for the money? Must be mad/ lost his mind, wouldn't you venture? Fou, loco, insane, sangle ...

... and lovin' it. I have never felt more vital or alive or artistically-inspired/fired and " with mission " to keep alive all so much of the glorious wine world that still survives if only barely. I'm here for them and I say that I and they will not " go gently into that good-night " ... and " will not stop for death " t even though as Emily Dickinson says " it kindly stopped for me ". I will be damned if I stop for it : I/ we have way too much to get right and straighten-out of this huge jumble and mess that has become the corrupted wine world largely - blindly/sadly ... dastardly.

I'm surprised that all of this has poured out of me just now. But as we near the year 2010 ( it's Monday, December 13th, 2009 now here at home in northern Virginia at 8:49 PM ) I am trying to organize. galvanize/steel myself for the battles, wars and skirmishes that I see up ahead awaiting me and that I must deal with eventually or simply bail and sell my soul - both not being options for me now or ever.

Cheers, I'm feeling so much better now having laid my cards on the table so to speak. How about a glass of the Clancy or the GIBSON Shiraz or some LOOSE END sparkling red to celebrate all that is and has been great in this vast and magical and wondrous wine world of ours? TONY




It was great to see Holly once again who now works for the HESS Collection of wines which now owns and promotes the PETER LEHMAN Barossa, South Australian wine portfolio. We have represented them over the years and did a big business with them when they were represented by the Robert Whale Selections portfolio. They are excellent and showed really well this last Wednesday and we will get an order of them here at the start of November in another couple of weeks.

By the way, in all of this Holly has done an excellent job in keeping me mindful of PETER LEHMANN and the fact that I should always have some on our shelves because of Peter and his hard work and the excellence overall of his selection of wines produced. Thanks Holly ...

Happy New Year to one and to all ...

Here are some of the photos that I took of the bottles, the wines in a Riedel glass and of Holly and me. As you can clearly see I like experimenting with the pictures that I take. Being an artist this is definitely part of my artistic expression through words and the images/ photos that I take to capture a bit of the story/ the history/the various elements that all tie into the blogs that I write. I hope you enjoy them.Cheers, TONY

Keeping Up With Old Friends Like Aussie Importer Robert Whale

Who says that you can't go back in time? Here I am going back to this story that I wrote about you Robert because I was thinking about you - have been thinking about you recently and wondering how you are doing in these difficult times for Australian wines? I hope you are well.

I sure would like it if you stopped by sometime soon to chat and taste me on your new releases. We need to exchange stories and " chew the fat " so-to-speak. How the hell are you anyway old mate?!?

I'd like to extend the offer to you to have " a good one " on me. I will pick up the tab for this " good one ". What do you say? Hell, I'd like for you to have " several good ones " on me mate : why should I restrict it to just one? Who the hell am I anyway to go and do that and possibly squelch all the fun you/ we could have?





I love this photo that I took of you Robert at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits when you brought the Aussie winemaker Will of TAMAR RIDGE, Tasmania to do one of our in-store wine-tastings back three-four years ago? How long has it been since then?

Anyway, I think this is an excellent close-up of you. Do you agree?




These next pictures are from that same tasting with Will we did in Cleveland Park N.W. Washington D.C. ( 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C. 20008 Tel : 202-363-4265 sales@clevelandparkwine.com ).



Randy and Sandy enjoyed talking with you and exchanging stories as they, too had spent some wonderful time in Australia. You are from Victoria, right? I suppose they stayed in Sydney? I will have to ask them next time I see them.








Here we are together I believe way back in 2005 ( ormaybe 2006 ? ) when I did a " Big Theme " tasting of Pinot Noirs from around the world. You poured the TAMAR RIDGE Pinot Noirs ( 2 ) and one from SIEFREID ( Nelso, New Zealand ) and one or two others I believe that night.

This was a fun picture of us together here. I am glad to have it and to include it now to share with others.

It's Tuesday evening ( actually now Wednesday early morning at 12:40 AM, September 2nd, 2009 ) here at home in northern Virginia as I type these last words and head on up to bed.

     just a few minutes ago Robert Whale stopped by unannounced with Garrick Harvison the export manager of YARRAMAN ESTATE wines. Garrick had two whites and two reds - all four current vintages. The whites were a slightly-oaked Chardonnay that tasted grand on my voice that with allergies and a cold seem to have abandoned me for more receptive situations! I'm whispering a lot now. Oh well, the Chardonnay was like ambrosia to my stressed throat. It always showed brightly and the small bit of oak never dried out the bright, freshness of the Chardonnay flavors. The next a Verdelho white blend was a bit more tightly knit, a bit crisper and more angular. I liked it better and would enjoy that with many a summer-fare meal. My throat preferred the Chardonnay. Of the two reds , one a Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend and one a Cabernet-Shiraz blend I liked both. The Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend was a bit more fruit-forward and lusher, brighter. It was just a the limit to the amount of fruit I would like in a medium-to-light-bodied red. I would have chilled it slightly and it would have shown better in my opinion. The Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon red blend was a bit tighter, drier and I ultimately liked it better. It interested me more. I liked that it was a bit more complex with a touch more spice and toasty berry flavors showing, challenging me just a touch more. We will buy all four and have them in three weeks or so. They will be a great addition to the store. They are balanced, cold-climate wines that complement a meal and never displace it. That is what Robert Whale is all about.

     Robert came by maybe two-three weeks ago and he and I walked across the street to Byblos restaurant where I like to sit outside and write poetry, watch life go by and see a younger school population that with time will become customers of ours when they are of a proper age. It's fun to listen to them talk school talk,gossip and tell stories. I enjoy their youthful exuberance: it's so fresh and forward and out-there.

     Robert and I chewed the fat. I told him about my trip to Australia and he asked me many questions. I went for two weeks in February and landed in Perth on Sunday late afternoon February 10th the day of Heath Ledger's funeral on the Cottlesloe beach. We drove by twice and stayed just down the street two minutes away at the Beach Hotel. Wow, stunning scenery and I loved my swim in the beach the following morning. I was able to visit a number of wineries in both western and south Australia and have a two-day, one-on-one experience with the wine maker or owner. That meant a whole lot to me. I was able to convey some of this to Robert. He seemed hungry for information about him home country as he spends so much time here in the U.S. traveling from state to state promoting cold-climate Aussie ( Coriole, Plantagenet( western ), Rafferty's Rules south Australia ), Peter Howland ( western ), Yarraman Estate and more ) and New Zealand wines ( Seifried, Nelson ).

     I've known Robert now for forever, since the early eighties and we have followed each other's paths. It was nice for us to sit outside of Byblos restaurant and talk inspiration, dreams both realized and working-on. Today I discovered more about the exciting developments with his son and his love of photography. I want to see some of his work.

     Just like they always say, 5% of the time if that is spent on business and the rest is spent on catching up, sharing news and observations, gossiping mostly nicely I hope and telling/sharing ribald male fantasies that I cannot share here. Yes, all said and done we're still just a couple of blokes with desires and dreams and things we still want to accomplish even though we've already come this far. Cheers to you Robert and your family. I look forward to receiving a fresh batch of wines from you shortly. They will be welcome and great additions to our selection.

     Keep looking and enjoying whatever candies your eyes stumble/trip/ collide into - even spy out of the corners making you stop, turn your direction, enjoy and marvel. Life is wonderful, rich and so frustratingly frustrating and stimulating all in one. Maybe we need to stop in a pub and over a glass of the Yarrraman Chardonnay have another " good one ". I'll pay this time, the next time's on you mate! We may have to have something steamin' off one of our  barbie's with our families soon Monsieur Ballein. Oh, it was nice to see you again Garrick. You are always welcome here anytime.   TONY