Come Taste These PIETRA SANTA California Wines Tonight From 5:30-7:30PM With Alessio Carli, Winemaker Himself @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits , Tuesday Evening, March 25th, 2014 : Free Wine-Tasting, Everyone Always Welcome!

JOIN US TONIGHT : 5:30-7:30PM with winemaker Alessio Carli of PIETRA SANTA winery in California's Central Coast region , the Cienega Valley. The winery was started in 1989, the Zinfandel vines were planted in 1905, they make three levels of wines :  Pietra Santa, the Signature Collection, and the Sacred Stone : they also make extra virgin olive oil! " Farming with environmentally sustainable methods, intensive pruning and trellising, to careful filed cluster selection and hand harvesting. ... our wines are only as good as the grapes that we grow " says winemaker Alessio Carli that you can meet here tonight and taste with him. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn  3/25/2014  from 5:30-7:30PM, no charge, join us, get a bottle signed as a gift! Enjoy the snow with California Central Coast Cienega Valley PIETRA SANTA wines tonight! WOW!  Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn   What an offer, what an incredible opportunity here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits on Tuesday, March 25th, 2014 : ask about the Dolcetto 2009, the Sangiovese, the 2009 Zinfandel, taste the 2010 Merlot that blew me away ...  TONY

Cleveland Park Wine & Spirits

3 hours ago

BIG Winemaker Alessi Carli  Wine-Tasting Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 25th, 2014 5-8PM : EVERYONE invited, come join us, no charge ever, only when you buy a bottle or more signed by this talented wine-maker of PIETRA SANTA winery in California. ..

.Alicia Seay says :

Look forward to tasting the Pietra Santa wines with y'all Tuesday! Our winemaker is too!

US , TOO : we look forward to it. I LOVED the Merlot and the Cabernet Sauvignon, and think the Pinot Gris is perfect for this early spring weather! We need to ask about the Dolcetto, the Sangiovese and the Zinfandel as well, and the extra virgin olive oils, too! Cheers,  Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 3/24/2014

These are the wines that I tasted with our local rep, a friend I have known and worked with for years, Sam Farran of the International Cellars Imports that came to taste us on the whole line that they have available for us to chose from. We decided to buy certain wines and offer them for sale at special prices tomorrow night, Tuesday, March 25th, 2014. Thanks Sam for helping to make all this come together so smoothly. Thanks also Alicia Seay for your part in California and at the winery for making it all come together so effortlessly!

I have told Sam that I welcome any of the wines being poured tomorrow from PIETRA SANTA, that we can and will buy any of them sold tomorrow night at our tasting. I would like to have them all poured because I have no idea what will sell and what will not? It's all a wonderful guessing game and we will see tomorrow.

There were wines I liked and wines I did not. That is always the case. I will let them speak for themselves, and with Alessio Carl, winemaker  himself on hand then they can be explained so that any questions that anyone has can be answered and they may be enjoyed all the more.

Join us please tomorrow. Bring family and friends. Enjoy yourselves, taste ans learn and discover what foods are especially suited for certain wines?

 GRAZIE Alessio, 24 years of hard work at PIETRA SANTA, the old ALMADEN property sure has paid off well! Cheers to you all ...

I liked the Sangiovese and the Pinot Noir we tasted as well as your version of a ' Super Tuscan ' as well. Come again any time ...

As you can see from these photos we had a great time tasting the PIETRA SANTA California Central Coast wines that showed so well, and sold so well, too.

I am glad that we were able to share these last night with our customres. Before it was all over I drew two quick portrait sketches as a ' thank you ' Alessio  for such a fun visit, tasting and moment spent together with many of our customers that braved the elements and the snow as it continued to fall throughout the day and evening ...   we still have some of them all, signed, too ...

 having these excellent reds of Cabernet Sauvignon, $17.99 ; Merlot, $16.99 : and Pinot Gris, $14.99 to cheer and warm them. Thanks, grazie ... TONY

Anthony Quinn's Store Email Of 2 Year's Ago, March 2012 : PEIRANO ESTATE, CA. PORT CITY IPA, 'Los Nahuales' Mezcal Joven, VICTORY Beer ' Headwaters ', VALLE REALE Montepulciano, COLTIBUONO 2008 Chianti Classico, PAOLO BEA ' Santa Chiara ', Moscofilero Greek Dry White, 'Dafni ' LYRARAKIS Crete Dry White, VENICA ' Jesera ' Pinot Grigio, Japanese Sake & Plum Wine ... & More!

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

SUNSHINE,MORE Italian reds,plum wine,meinklang organic Austrian beer...

THE SUN'S OUT NOW, THINKING OF NAMASTE Dogfish Head beer, of " Los Nahuales "
Joven 100% Agave Espadin MEXCAL, of VICTORY " Headwaters " Pale Ale from
Dowington, PA., of Japan and our Big-Theme Japanese Sake & Plum Wine Tasting (
Wed. March 27th, 2011 5:30-8:30PM - and looking for a local relief operation to
raise money for it ), of the " new " MEDIUM RARE " restaurant in the old
Yanni's location that is opening tonight ( Brian tells me that the trial run
was yesterday ) at 5PM, of lots of Italian reds to warm us up in this chillier
weather, of our up-coming Friday, April 1st Georgian wine-tasting of five
different styles of Saperavi indigenous red grape variety wine, and of this
Friday, April 1st when we will receive a whole selection of excellent wines,
some being " inventory-reduction " from Neil Empson imports and that will offer
ridiculous values to you all from Barolos all the way down to Dolcettos and
others. There is lots on my mind now and that's good.

AND I ALMOST WENT OFF and forgot to mention all the great Austrian wines that
we offered you all here this past Wednesday evening for March's Big-Theme
Austrian wine0tasting. The overall comment at this tasting was that of the 24
wines there was not one loser! Klaus Wittauer our Austrian wine-importer was
also blown away by our selection saying that he had never seen so many Austrian
wines here in a wine store before. I told you I would paraphrase you Klaus and
so there goes.

I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT some current ITALIAN WINES that we have here now and
will list them here for you all. They include a white or two as well as many of
the Italian reds can really warm one up as the temperatures tumble when the sun
says " adieu ".
WHITES :
1) " Giabine " Piemonte dry white Chardonnay from ANTICHI GIOCHI ( $15.49
) : perfect to wrap yourselves around this flavorful and well-structured dry
white.
2) " Arcese " White Canelli " Piemonte white from BERA VITTORIO E FIGLI (
$19.99 ) and imported by Louis Dressner that sells organic and wines really
typical of small regions and areas in Europe. May your prayers be with Joe as
he is suffering from brain cancer and needs our well-wishes and prayers now
more than ever. This wine is really special. Dry and complex and worth your
making a special trip here to find some and try it on for size, fit, feel and
pleasure.
3) " Jesera " Pinot Grigio from VENICA in Friuli, Italy's " Collio "
region that is reputed to make some of the very finest Pinot Grigio in the
world. Try this one and you will agree - filled with it's own personality and
charm, a bit more color - almost a gold-dusting - and real nuances and
definitions to expand the palate and meaning of the words " mineral "  and  "
citrus ". It's a big winner ( $22.99 ) for a nice meal.
4) " Dafni " 2007 the dry white indigenous grape variety from the island
of Crete ( I know, I know, I'm cheating a bit here but want to include these
anyway ). This LYRARAKIS dry white is layered with many skins of mineral and
citrus flavors that also included grand and smooth notes of notes with bits of
spice and accents of honey, too - the essence of honey. It;s On Special now for
$15.99 a bottle.
5) " Moscofilero " dry white indigenous grape variety from the Peloponnes
peninsula of Greece is also a stretch from Italy but still in the same vein,
really. I mean, Greek wines came first and were followed by the Italian wines
later : let's never forget that. This dry white Moscofilero On Special for
$13.99 a bottle is not as hearty of complex as the Dafni. From ESMIOS it's a
2009 and has great acidity and more punctuating acids that adhere and grip and
squeeze you and you palate just a bit more. More impatient to drive it's point
home it is also very much a wine that will excel in the company of a flavorful
meal. It will also warm us all a bit with this chilly, brisk weather outside.
6) Verdicchio 2007 of " Donna Ginerva " ( $25.99 ) from the Conte Giovanni
Baldeschi Balleani - it's a classico and one of the silky ans smooth and really
elegant, fruit-driven -toasty and animated, lively and engaging dry whites to
titilate the senses.
7) Santa Chiara from PAOLO BEA in Umbria ( $47.99 ) is served by DIONO
restaurant and is a powerhouse or more flavors and tastes ( honey, nectar,
rich and creamy and nutty and so multi-layered and thick and dark in color that
most will not know what to make of it. It's a sublime food wine, do not chill
at all and wait for it to open and reveal it's charms really slowly like a
great bottle of red wine. It's a 2006 and still has years and years of life.

REDS :
1) " Germoglio " dry red Tuscan Sangiovede red from LE FILIGARE( $14.99 ),
this 2009 is showing quite nicely now and marries really well the old world and
the new world wine-making styles. Medium-bodies with some really nice
brightness, toastiness, bright intense fruit and best when served with food.
Sure to get you well on the way to being warmed up in this cold, chilly, breezy
weather.
2) Chianti Classico 2008 from Tuscany in Italy, this RS from COLTIBUONO (
$17.99 ) has again a great balance of old and new world styles of wine-making
and with it's extra weight and brawn it's especially nice when combined with a
robust and flavorful - uncomplicated comfort-food meal.
3) " Vigne Nuovo " Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2009 dry red from VALLE REALE
in the Abruzzo region of Italy is like a rustic, earthy, pithy and perky ,
spicy, too Chianti. The grapes were once Sangiovese until they became cloned so
much that they became their own. Now by law the Montepulciano can have up to
20% of the Sangiovese blended back into it.

BEER By Santos Rivera :

1) " Namaste " Beer is made by DOGFISH HEAD and is beer brewed with
coriander, orange and lemongrass (On Special for $12.99 a bottle, 1 Pt9.4 Fl
Oz, 5% alc by volume ). What a great label with a skeleton on it clapping it's
boney hands! Go t: www.dogfish.com for more info.
2) " Odyssey " Ale Aged In Oak Barrels from ALLAGASH ( $18.99, 1Pt. 9.4
Fl. Oz. , 10.4% Alc. By Volume, bottles in February, 2011, cases bottled were
55o. Limited production... www.allagash.com for more info.
3) " Headwaters " Pale Ale from VICTORY ( $9.99 a  6-Pack 12 ounce bottles
from Downingtown, PA. www.victorybeer.com  ) is new and exciting for us.
4) Ancient Grain Ale from MEINKLANG that is Austrian and organic and quite
distinct and flavorful. It's $18.99 a 6-pack of 12 ounce bottles ( 100%
biodynamic farm, 4.7% Alc. by volume, 11.2 Fl Oz to be exact bottles ) .
Demeter certified ... check it out. It's brand new here.

LIQUOR/LIQUEUR From Ravinder Sharma :

1) " Los Nahuales " Mezcal Joven 100% Agave Espadin ( $52.99, 43.3% Alc By
Volume, 750ml bottle ) is also brand new here. Great bottle and package -
reusable bottle that would be fun to keep around. too. From Oaxaca, Mexico ...
2) " Sweet Lucy " Bourbon Based Liqueur from BENJAMIN PRICHARD'S ( $29.99,
750ml bottle ) is handcrafted in small batches to achieve a really smooth
flavor. It's made in Kelso, Tennessee, 35% alcohol by volume.
3) Cream Vanilla alcohol-infused whipped cream( On Special for $10.99 ) is
made with grain neutral spirits and also really new and exciting.
4) VIEUX PONTARLIER Absinthe Francasie Superieure 65 Distillerie of EMILE
PERNOT ( $69.99 750ml bottle )is 65% alc. by volume and crafted with grape
neutral spirits and distilled with herbs. Also brand new here...

GO TO MEDIUM RARE Restaurant Tonight In The Yanni's Old Location ( 5 PM, it's
the 2nd night they are open ) for their steak frites with all the warm,
home-made bread you could want, with also Portobello mushrooms and pasta,
twelve wines , four beers by tap, four or five desserts, too. I just saw Brian
and all is set for tonight. I also just spoke with Bobby Kacher wine rep Ronnie
Miller and President of operations, Antoine Songy and  I got a list of some of
the wines being served from France :  1) BRUNEL'S Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 2006,  2)
TARIQUET'S Sauvignon Blanc,  3) CARLOU'S dry rose from the Costires Du Nimes
region,4)  CHOPIN'S 2008 Pinot Noir red burgundy, and  5) a sweet French red
2007 , too.

DINO HAS A BURGER & BEER SPECIAL , starting tonight, Tuesday - Thursday, March
29-March 31st, 2011 with the local Alexandria, Virginia brewery PORT CITY
BREWERY. Get an IPA,or Porter in the bar area. The burger is from local
farm-raised cows. Andrew the bartender just dropped this off for me a few
minutes ago. Thanks Andrew for the heads-up on this fine offer.

KOSHER WINE SHEET for getting ready for PASSOVER. Come pick up your copies and
be prepared and proactive. There are 35 wines on the sheet from France, Italy,
Spain, Argentina and Israel and includes dry and sweet and sparkling and white,
rose and red wines, too : something for everyone and in all price levels, too.
Cheers!

WEEK'S WINE-TASTINGS :

Friday April 1st, 2011 We have a dual wine-tasting of mostly GEORGIAN ( 5
different Saperavi indigenous reds - one sweet one, too ) and FRANCE with a
sparkling soft-dry rose from Bugey and also a Quincy dry white Loire Valley
Sauvignon blanc, too : Mamuka and Laurent will be on hand to conduct this
exciting wine-tasting here, JOIN US, NEVER any charge.
Saturday, April 2nd, 2011 : We have Matt of Washburn Imports here to taste
a selection of Spanish reds, one white and also one dry white California
Viognier from PEIRANO ESTATE. Fun, more fun, and still more fun!
WINE-CLASS on European wines also on Saturday from 11:30-1PM with six
wines and at a cost of $10 a person. Get up and get over here and have a blast
with me. I will conduct the tasting and I promise to make it memorable. What a
deal! Call : 202-363-4265 to reserve a place. I still have some spots for you.
SANTOS TELL ME that there is also a Heineken beer tasting this week so
keep your eyes peeled for such an event here.

I AM SURE I AM FORGETTING A WHOLE LOT but it's time to send this email now so
that you can read it , get here and then over to either MEDIUM RARE the new
steak-fries restaurant and to DINO for the Burger and PORT CITY IPA and PORTER
Beer special for only $10 at Andrew's bar! So much excitement and joy and
enthusiasm and purpose and aim and destination and desire/fire to manage and
fulfill, too ... good luck and thanks for all your support - we greatly
appreciate it if we do not tell you enough ...   TONY

Manuel Janisson Et Claude Thibaut Launch This Past Saturday In Washington D.C.Their ' New ' VA. XTRA BRUT Sparkling Wine Venture, March 22nd, 2014 : Only 100 Cases Claude Tells Dave McIntyre @ Event! $50 Retail If There Is Any

Imagine my surprise when I got up to check my email this Monday morning on my day-off here in northern Virginia on March 24th, 2014  and discovered this latest ' breaking news '  from Washington Post wine-writer Dave McIntyre about the recent launch of the ' new ', limited-release Xtra Brut Virginia sparkling wine made by Manuel Janisson and Claude Thibaut from 100% Chardonnay grapes;  that there are only 100 cases,  and that the retail price will be $50 a bottle.

It will be a mess for Claude and Pamela to deal with as everyone will want some and there is so little to be had! Glad I am not them.

I wrote Claude an email a few minutes ago and am awaiting a response from him to see if we will have any to sell at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits at 3423 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington D.C. , 20008 ( 202 ) 363-4265? I hope so.

I wish I had known of this, that would have been nice. We have sold Claude's VA THIBAUT-JANISSON sparkling wines ever since they were first released with both he and Pamela Margaux coming on at least two occasions to pour them for our customers of the store. It's been a fun adventure to share with them both. We also appreciated then soon after when Claude brought Manuel ( Manu ) Janisson by the store to meet us.

In today's age that is all ' ancient history ' even though it was really only back in 2006-7 that this all started?!?

We - everyone has to stay current and we do our best, really we do : and it's fun because being a boutique wine retail house we always try and keep these small family-owned ventures front-and-center with our customers that enjoy supporting the small houses/vineyards/owners and winemakers. Being a small boutique wine shop ourselves we believe in this wholeheartedly.

Anyway, I am thrilled for Manuel, Pamela and Claude. Bravo to the three of them. I will keep you all posted on whether or not we get any of these few 100 cases to sell you all at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits? If not we are happy to continue selling the THIBAUT-JANISSON Brut, $32.99 that we already have in the 750ml bottle size. We also introduced them recently in the 375ml bottle size and we will see if there are any more cases to buy of that as we are down to our last bottle.

I have more to say of course but will wait as what I have not said here weighs heavily now on me as it raises so many questions still unanswered, or answered poorly from my point-of-view. Cheers, happy Monday March 24th, 2014 to you all.

Come by the store today and buy some THIBAUT-JANISSON VA. sparkling wine and some French champagne JANISSON " Tradition " Non-Vintage brut to enjoy as it may snow again tomorrow.

NOTHING melts the ' snow white ' blues better than really good French champagne or really good Virginia sparkling wine : don't you all agree?!?  Sante, cheers,  TONY

New Alexis Thompson Tastes Mexico's Fine L.A. CETTO Wines @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits With Brennan Downey

What a great line-up, what fine wines from Mexico : L.A. CETTO ! We are sold-out, need to order more! Just called Chip, and Alexis and Chip will come see us this coming week of March 2014 here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits : 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C., 20008 - and we will be ready to roll again with L.A. CETTO in April, 2014. Cheers, gracias para todos amigos!!  Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Saturday, March 22nd, 2014 ...   TONY

PACO & LOLA Albarino Rias Baixas, Spain : Appreciating Both The Art Of This Deep Gold Color Of One Of Spain's Tastiest White Wines & Showcasing Both This Glorious Color & Fun & Creative Label : Both Standouts, Both Deserving Attention ; Together Unbeatable!

I took these pictures years ago and am sorry to be just getting around to sharing them here with you all. In my creative, artsy roll I do this here to show another reason, another level of appreciation of both fine wine, Spanish in this case, creative and fun labeling, and hopefully giving everyone a desire to come looking for this wine to taste and enjoy it with family and friends.

Since it's been awhile, we did buy and sell this at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits at 3423 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington D.C., 20008, 202-363-4265 ;  and we sold it out and need to order more.

That's Jennifer above pouring it for us and I will have to talk to Scott Calvert now and ask him what the deal is currently with this PACO & LOLA Albarino? I would like to try the current vintage available to us.

In the meantime enjoy these pictures I took in celebration of both the wine, it's color, it's sparkle and richness and vibrant impact on the eyes using the playful and label that begs the question for me at least : why this label, why not some other?!? Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 3/22/2014

ALSO : enjoy this Saturday the third ' official ' day of spring 2014! It promises to be wonderful, warm and inviting, cheerful and beautiful and with the blooming yellow Daffodils now a real treat here in the Washington D.C. metropolitan region. Cheers,  TONY

Thoroughly Enjoying The DOMAINE WENBACH ' Cuvee Theo " 2012 Dry Alsace Riesling From Laurence Faller & Danny Haas Last Night, Thursday The First Official Day Of Spring 2014, March 20th!

Nothing could have been more perfect : a slice of heaven-on-earth for me! I loved this, I really did. It was such a nice way to enjoy the first official day of Spring 2014, Thursday March 20th. First at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits in Northwest Washington D.C. with importer Danny Haas of the Vineyard Brands portfolio , and Sal Furfari of Bacchus Imports - as well as with Meaghan Frank the daughter of Willi Frank - both of the DR. KONSTANTIN FRANK New York State Finger Lakes wines, and then in the comfort of home here in northern Virginia with my daughter and wife.

There was a dinner waiting for me, almost ready, I stepped outside to see our fresh-blooming Daffodils, I then came inside and poured myself a glass of the Cuvee Theo 2012 Riesling of DOMAINE WEINBACH and enjoyed it alone, then with our dinner of boneless pork chops, rice and a garden-green tomato and asparagus salad and vinaigrette; and then alone again after this delightful dinner of conversation.

The Cuvee Theo just continued to impress and please me. I felt it's balance, warmth and charm and appeal with each taste. Each taste delighted and caught my attention. I was never let down - I was always drawn in, always made to notice, to pay closer attention, to follow the taste from start-to-finish to see and taste if anything was missing? Anything at all?!?

NO, NOTHING was missing, it was all there, beautifully-packaged, beautifully orchestrated, all in such style and finesse and fullness and completeness of taste. I was very impressed, very happy on this first official day of spring as I relaxed and enjoyed and reminisced about the times I had met and enjoyed being in the company of Laurence. Cheers to you all, merci infinement et a la prochaine fois. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 3/21/2014