Friday, August 30, 2013
A SHOUT-OUT To Roger, One Of The Owners Of The Ripple Cleveland Park Sustainably-Farmed, Go Local Fine Restaurants Here In Cleveland Park , Northwest, Washington D.C., 20008 Here On Connecticut Avenue! Cheers Roger!!
I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT - OUT to ROGER , one of the owners of Ripple Restaurant. I saw him outside his restaurant the other morning with his watering can. He was watering his beautiful parched flowers by the side curb. Beautiful - radiant - bright - intense CADMIUM COLORS to draw the sun's attention, as well as ours , and all the myriad bug and bee population that is Cleveland Park. I stopped to chat briefly with Roger and complement him on this, but to say that I LOVED the two wheel barrels filled with all the glory of the herbs at our disposal, and that grow well here : all on prominent display for all us to see and touch with our eyes, have them touch us , too ,,, and perhaps even the few daring us to touch them quickly so as to release the profusion - abundance of fragrances and perfumes and essences, cores, centers, interiors, hearts and souls and the GUTS of each of these wonderful herbs and spices. THANK YOU ROGER, we here in Cleveland Park appreciate your personal efforts as a person and as an owner to do these things, to take care and pride in them, and to help them flourish for us all to appreciate and enjoy. Cheers! Happy Friday, August 31st, 2013 everyone. Come by later to our wine-tasting with Jim Reeves of Comete Wine Selections of French Burgundy and French Rhone wines : only some of the very best, and GREAT DEALS, too : many already on SALE for this LABOR DAY WEEKEND! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn, Free tasting, call with any questions : 202-363-4265, or just show up ...
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Anthony Quinn's Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits Store Email he Wrote & Posted On August 14th, 2012, Enjoy It Now Tuesday August 27th, 2013 One Year Later!
Cleveland Park Wine Cleveland Park Beer, Liquor & Wine
Featuring a wide, international selection of fine wines, micro-brews and spirits
Our WEEKLY WEDNESDAY 20% STILL-WINE SALE
WE WANT TO SIMPLIFY THINGS.
FROM NOW ON, each and every Wednesday here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits you
can count on SAVING 20% on your still-wine ( non-sparkling wines not on sale )
purchases as we usually do every month.
TO MAKE THINGS EASIER we want to make every Wednesday our 20% OFF Still-Wine (
non-Sparkling wine SALE. We will not have the sale on Thursday anymore. This
means that each week here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits you can take
advantage of our 20% OFF SALE that is always a TWO-PART SALE :
1) BUY ANY BOTTLE $20 or over that is a still wine and SAVE 20% off the
marked sticker price.
2) BUY ANY 12 BOTTLES at any price ( even already On Sale ) and SAVE 20%
OFF the marked sticker prices.
You can add bottles of sake, marsala, madeira, sherry, as well as all size
bottles - even box wines.
You can in this way get an assortment of wines, ports, sherries, sakes,
marsalas, and madeiras : you can help stock your wine racks, bars, etcetera and
be prepared for many events.
IF YOU CANNOT COME to do this in person please call and ask for either
Michel or for Tony and we will be glad to assist you over the phone.
YOU MAY ALSO RESPOND directly to this store email and let us know how we
may help you with your selections.
IT'S SIMPLE : CALL : 202-363-4265 or EMAIL :
anthony.quinn@clevelandparkwines.com or :
Michel.Dumas@clevelandparkwines.com.
EITHER OF US will be more than happy to walk you through your many
possibilities.
CLEVELAND PARK WINES & SPIRITS is the place to be with this heat and humidity.
It's nice and cool here and you can come in and chill-down a bit and collect
your thoughts and we will show you some of the CONSTANT, EVER-CHANGING,
continuously-growing landscape of wines, beers, spirits, apple ciders, liqueurs,
waters, sodas, and more. It's pretty amazing and it takes us by surprise and
sometimes we are caught running up to catch up to whatever " new " development
that was just proposed to us.
FOR EXAMPLE : Lindsay Marsh just showed Michel and me this past week an
assortment of the " new " whiskies from the LEOPOLD BROS. I have two here in the
office. We tasted 19 I believe? I know that we tasted a number of them and that
they are working on a " new " one that they cannot as yet divulge.
LINDSAY MARSH has come to the store now and already tasted five or so of these
LEOPOLD BROS. whiskies. They were already really well-received. When Michel and
I tried them last week we had nothing but praise for them. I think that we have
six of them now in the store. Here are two that I brought to the office :
1) New York Apple Flavored Whisky ( $35.99, 40% alcohol by volume, Batch
No. 1226, www.leopoldbros.com, Denver, CO. 80239) made from : " ... New York
State apples marry perfectly with the subtle oak, vanilla, and raisin finish of
our whiskey in this uniquely blended spirit ". It's so rich and thick and full
on the palate. You get so much immediately and it's so nice to sip slowly and
let all the flavors spread over your tongue and seep into you many senses, too.
It's pretty amazing. Don't rush it, close your eyes, swallow in steps - always
leaving a bit still on your tongue - as the flavors explode and intensify and
multiply. it's pretty much like enjoying a good bottle of wine. You pay for the
whole bottle so get your money's worth and let the flavors and tastes linger and
make their subtle influences known fully to you. The patience will be well worth
your time and care and notice.
2) American Small Batch Whiskey from the LEOPOLD BROS - Pot Distilled from
Open-Fermented Sour Mash ( $35.99, 43% alcohol by volume, www.leopoldbros.com,
Denver, CO. 80239 ) makes a Classic, Old Fashioned : 2 oz. Leopold Bros.
American Small Batch Whiskey, 1 sugar cube, 2 dashes of bitters and 1 large
orange peel.
LINDSAY will come here and pour these again over the next four or so
months. She is scheduled to come again in September and I will include that date
as soon as I know it.
I JUST RECEIVED an email from Lindsay and I have three other web pages to
add. This company is doing a whole lot of really good things. Check them out at
: www.NonoFogo.com, www.TequilaRack.com,www.MotherEarthBrewing.com. I have a
really good feeling about all of this and I do think that we will be a great
source for the LEOPOLD BROS whiskies for you all.
BUT HEY, this is also beer weather and I have some really fun suggestions from
Santos for you all. Here are some of them, I had to pick and to choose:
1) Double-Wide India Pale Ale " It's Twister Proof " bottle-conditioned
from the BOULEVARD BREWING COMPANY ( On Special for $10.99 a 750ml bottle, 8.5%
alcohol by volume ) is from the Smokestack Series ,
www.smokestack.boulevard.com, Kansas City, Missouri ) : " The classic India Pale
Ale is a traveler's beer, aggressively hopped to withstand the long, hot ocean
voyage to the British East Indies. ... ".
2) Dream Weaver Unfiltered Wheat Beer from the Independent Pennsylvania
TROEGS Craft Brewery( On Special for $9.99 a 6-pack, 4.8% alcohol , Hershey, PA.
www.troegs.com ) is handcrafted by the Troegs brothers.
3) Red Nectar All Natural Ale , Nectar Ales ( On Special for $12.49 a
six-pack, 5.4% alcohol by volume, www.NectarAles.com ) is something that will be
a real treat for this sunny weather that we are enjoying now as the clouds have
cleared from the morning and the sun is gearing-up to be a full-force-FULL
FACTOR for us all. Yesterday was great and so maybe the humidity will vanish and
the sunshine and blue skies will prevail once again?
4) Humming Ale from the ANCHOR BREWING Company, ( On Special for $10.99 a
six-pack of 12 ounce bottles, since 2009, San Fransisco, CA.
www.anchorbrewing.com ) : " Humming is an ancient term, used centuries ago to
describe both ales and beers. ... suits this bold, hoppy ale which we have
created to celebrate the anniversary of our first brew at 1705 Mariposa Street
... ". It's all there to read in fine print on the neck of the bottle. Come
check it out. Great taste.
CIDERS ARE SO BIG NOW, They are everywhere , especially here in the store.
Santos discovered a " new " one that we need to mention here :
1) Ragged Mountain " Virginia Apple Cider from the ALBEMARLE CIDER WORKS (
$16.99 a 750ml bottle, 9.8% alcohol by volume, www.albemarleciderworks.com,
North Garden, VA. ) : " Ragged Mountain Cider is a blend of classic apple
varieties - Albemarle, Pippin, Winesap, Staymen and others - historically grown
on and around the Ragged Mountains. This semi-dry cider pleases a wide range of
palates. It is good with spicy foods and pairs well with sharp cheeses and
fruits. "
Ravi, WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE for us? What LIQUOR, what LIQUEUR?
1) Creme Yvette Delicieuse Liqueur, L'Original : the Original since 1890 (
$52.99, from France, 27.75% alcohol by volume ) : " handcrafted from a masterful
blend of all natural fruits, spices and provincial violet petals ... " makes the
famous drinks , 1) the Stratosphere : one-quarter ounce of CREME YVETTE and top
with sparkling wine served in a fluted glass. You can also make 2) the Pousse
Cafe : Triple Sec, Creme Yvette, Creme de Cacao, Creme De Menthe and Grenadine.
2) Berkshire Bourbon Whiskey from the BERKSHIRE MOUNTAIN distillers, Inc (
$45.99, 43% alcohol by volume, since 2007, Sheffield, MA. ) is triple distilled
utilizing a traditional pot still method and is aged in virgin American white
oak barrels. " It is round, rich and complex with hints of toffee and spice".
3) GLENGRANT Single Malt Scotch Whisky, established 1840, aged 10 Years (
$45.99, ) is " seductively smooth, fruity and rich ... delicate nutty finish ".
WE are happy to have this back once again. It's a great crowd-pleaser and a very
good value, too.
4) Swiss Absinthe Superieure from KUBLER is : grain neutral spirits with
herbs and spices, since 1863, ( On Special for $52.99 a bottle ) is distilled in
the Val-De-Travers in Neuchatel, Switzerland, 53% alcohol by volume, a full
liter bottle , www.kublerabsinthe.com ) has been revived by Yves Kubler the
great-grandson of Kubler in 2001. It contains all natural herbs and flavors and
formulated without using of preservatives, artificial flavours or colors,
according to Swiss and European law. We have recently had a lot of interest in
this KUBLER. Note that it comes in a full liter bottle and so this is a GREAT
DEAL.
TITILATING WINES From Michel & Tony :
REDS :
1) Tempranillo 2011 dry red from Hacienda LOS HAROLDOS ( On Special for
$8.99. Mendoza, Argentina ) is new and exciting and such a special wine to enjoy
now with or without a meal. Very smooth, no bite, medium-bodied and
fruit-forward, chill and enjoy anytime now., inside or outside.
2) 2009 Cotes Du Rhone dry red from Charles Thomas ( $8.99 ) : delicious to
enjoy slightly chilled now : medium-body, really a nicely-balanced inexpensive
dry , spicy, toasty red.
3) 2009 Gamay Noir called " Bone-Jolly " from Edmunds St. John from Eldora,
California ( $19.99 ) is a great red to chill and to enjoy anytime outside,
anytime you grill. Tasty and fresh and lively with good spice, too.
4) " Paco Rojo " dry red Virginia wine - a blend from the FABBIOLI CELLARS
is fruity and fruit-forward and a delight to enjoy chilled. This is fun, this is
fresh, this is so pleasing : I loved it the other night sitting with two Swedish
ladies, one on each side of me as we discussed life and as I had to defend all
men as there was a wee bit of men-bashing that I survived beautifully, thanks to
the Fabbioli Cellars! 5) " Falcon's Perch 2010 from the J.LOHR Estates, CA.
( On Special for $13.99 ) is a great red to enjoy now with all this intense heat
and humidity. Chill it twenty minutes and open it twenty minutes before drinking
and enjoy with or without a meal.
WHITES :
1) LEVA Winemaker's Selection Chardonnay/ Dimiat and Muscat ( $10.99 )is a
new and exciting product of Bulgaria. WE are thrilled to have it here as it is
quite tasty and flavorful and something fun and different. I mean , after all
who has ever heard of the grape Dimiat? What is the character of Dimiat? What
does the Dimiat add to the Chardonnay and to the Muscat? We will have to taste
it here soon with our local rep that sells us this LEVA and she will be here as
soon as we can determine a date. More to follow.
2) Chardonnay 2011 Hacienda Los Haroldos de Mendoza ( On Special for $8.99
) that is light and unoaked and everyone this past weekend loved it when Marcie
had it open this last Saturday.
3) Grill indigenous dry white makes this " Zagra " from the VALLE DELL'
ACATE vineyard ( $19.99 ) and it's shiny bright, thoroughly refreshing and
energizing and a dream to drink now with all this humidity. It will elevate your
spirits, Medium-t-light-bodied with great minerality/ theatricality, too.
4) Alianca Dao Reserva 2010 D.O.C. Dao from the QUINTA Da GARRIDA in
Portugal, this is another flavorful, original-tasting dry and complex and
multi-layered white made from 100% of the Encruzado grape. Jody Jackman tasted
it with you all and it makes for a great food wine : anytime you marinate food
well, cook your fish in lemon and lime juice, and order out from the two Thai
restaurants here, for example. This is pretty amazing - pretty special. Do not
rush through it, take your time, relax, close your eyes, hold your breath,
swallow in " steps " and always leave something in your mouth as the flavors
will expand and explode and intensify and clarify and overall amaze you.
Wonderful, really a nice treat, especially in these humid days, you need
something like this to enjoy. Thanks Jody for bringing this Encruzado grape to
our attention. Cheers!
5) Amontillado medium-dry sherry from ALEXANDRO ( $21.99 ) are really nice
at this time of the year chilled and served with many various nuts and some
semi-hard and hard cheeses, crackers and specialty breads like Olive and also
rosemary bread.
WEEK'S TASTINGS :
Friday, August 17th, 2012 ( 5-8PM ) : Join us with Chris of Lanterna
Imports as we try some great French dry Rhone wines : a red, a white and a dry
rose, too. These are great summer wines that are very inexpensive and will taste
great anytime that you are outside and with family and friends. Chill all three
down and enjoy now- no need to wait, they are ready now.
Saturday, August 18th, 2012 ( 2-6PM ) : join us with Nolan Hale when we
taste through a series of the excellent California FRITZ CELLARS WINES : the
Old Vines Zinfandel, the Chardonnay , the Cabernet Sauvignon : all from the
famous and excellent Dry Creek Valley! These are really superb wines : my father
loved this winery and it has become a favorite of mine, too.
I KNOW THAT I HAVE FORGOTTEN SOMETHING : Sorry! However, it's time to send this
email now and alert you to our new schedule with our WEEKLY WEDNESDAY SALES
mentioned above.
JOIN US TOMORROW and start saving 20% on your still wine ( non-sparkling ) sales
here. It's a Two-Part and you can find ways to make our weekly Wednesday sales
work for you. Let us help you try. Cheers and thanks for all your business and
faith in us, we appreciate it and do not take any of it for granted. Cheers,
TONY
Please visit our website below for more information, events and specials, and
our calender of wine tastings!
[1]www.clevelandparkwine.com
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
I Like The Music Of Pink BUT I DO NOT LIKE WALMART & Their Facebook Ads That Want Me To LIKE Them Because They Sell Pink's Music & Other Artist's Music That I LIke / ENOUGH is ENOUGH!
I WROTE THIS a few minutes ago and posted it on the Walmart Facebook page. I keep getting pictures on the right of my screen with pictures of people like Pink and Shakira and others with messages saying that their music is available at Walmart and would I like to like them and the artists? YES< I would like to LIKE the artists, but DEFINITELY NOT LIKE Walmart. This is what I posted below.
I like Pink and her music and am always happy to hear her sing, I simply do not like you and your company and am not going to LIKE or shop with you. Become better neighbors and don't always squeeze the last penny or the last breath out of everything that stands in your way or your path to open more stores and put more small businesses out of business and I may change my tune. BUT for the moment I will be glad to hear Pink and all the others sing on the radio and feel better that I am not helping you to grow your vast empire and pretty much demolish everything else that stands in your way. Just my opinion, just what I believe, just what I see, feel and read : I do not claim that these words are shared by others. I am just tired that each time I see a picture here on Facebook with an image of a singer I like that I am asked to LIKE you because I may buy their music at Walmart becasus you sell it. Anthony Qunn 7/21/13
I like Pink and her music and am always happy to hear her sing, I simply do not like you and your company and am not going to LIKE or shop with you. Become better neighbors and don't always squeeze the last penny or the last breath out of everything that stands in your way or your path to open more stores and put more small businesses out of business and I may change my tune. BUT for the moment I will be glad to hear Pink and all the others sing on the radio and feel better that I am not helping you to grow your vast empire and pretty much demolish everything else that stands in your way. Just my opinion, just what I believe, just what I see, feel and read : I do not claim that these words are shared by others. I am just tired that each time I see a picture here on Facebook with an image of a singer I like that I am asked to LIKE you because I may buy their music at Walmart becasus you sell it. Anthony Qunn 7/21/13
Store Email For Cleveland Park Wines & Spiirits Written & Posted In Late July 2011, Outer Banks, Wine, Art. Life, Family & Friends, ENJOY!
BACK FROM THE OUTER BANKS, North Carolina and feeling a bit disoriented as
a result of cooler weather there as well as a lovely breeze and very few
mosquitoes. It was pretty magnificent there and I am happy to say that it was
quite relaxing : almost to the point that I was concerned that I was doing so
very little at times. Working on a Walt Disney puzzle that was perhaps the
hardest that I have ever seen with a scene from the animated film " Under The
Sea ". We did finish it I am happy to report.
I WAS ALSO ABLE TO DO SOME DRAWING and even more important record myself
drawing with my Flip camera on three occasions I believe? The body surfing was
also key here and the waves did manage to make me scrape my chest on the very
first wave that I rode. I was much more careful after that.Wave-running with my
son was also a big highlight for me : my main job being to hold on and not fall
off as he steered and zoomed and I had to keep my cap from flying off every
split second as well as not losing my balance and landing way behind in the
wake of our waves. That was challenging, let me tell you. But I did manage
somehow.
HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU ARE ENJOYING YOUR VACATION or time-off with family
and loved ones.
WHAT ARE YOUR " Big Plans "? May we be of any assistance here in helping
you to relax and enjoy yourselves to the very max and to the fullest extensions
of your fingers and toes and hairs wild and tame on head, arms and legs?!
I AM ALSO HAPPY TO REPORT that ( on my trip to the Outer Banks ) there was also plenty of wine to go around.
I was, of course the master of wine ceremonies as well as of cheeses and
crackers. Our " Happy Hours " would start later in the afternoon and extend on
into the wee hours and depending on our own remaining stashes of energies,
enthusiasms, catching of dreams, chasing of fantasies and trails of
conversations and many words on many books. Picture-taking was a key element as
well as there were so many Kodak moments to preserve as we do not see one
another very often and so we have to " max-out " on our time together.
THE WINE FLOWED SO EASILY( at the Outer Banks ) BECAUSE many of our wine reps were nice enough
to drop off some samples each for me to take to Salvo, North Carolina. Thanks
to them my extended family as immediate one did quite well and we enjoyed many
great wines as well as stories and " new " shared moments together with broad
smiles, giggles, outright laughs and moments of discovery, too.
SINCE THE WINES WERE SAMPLES I WILL mention in their places several
similar wines that we currently have here in the store. I will naturally speak
to our reps and inquire about buying some of these wines for the store :
probably to arrive here in August.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW for Wednesday, July 27th, 2011 ( 5:30-8:30PM )
when we have our " Big-Theme FRENCH Loire Valley Wine-Tasting with many dry
reds and whites that also include some sparkling, some rose wines and some
off-dry as well. We have invited some of the most informed and qualified people
in the business to be here like Danny Haas of Vineyard Brands, as well as Roy
Cloud of Vintage 59 Imports and Charles Noel Gendrot of Williams Corner
Selections. Jeremy Sutton of Kysela Imports will also be here pouring his
wines. There should be something for everyone. The Loire Valley makes lots of
great wines to be enjoyed in the heat and the humidity and so we will discover
different towns and areas, grapes and styles and levels of dryness as well as
of minerality and citrus, too. Here are some of the wines being considered for
pouring :
From Charles Gendrot ( Williams Corner ) -
1) J. MOURAT Collection Rouge 2010 ( $16.99, sustainable agriculture ),
from the Fiefs Vendeens region
2) DOMAINE DE LA BERGERIE Rose De Loire 2010 ( $15.99 ), Anjou
3) Bernard Baudry Chinon dry rose 2010, $19.99
4) Bernard Baudry Chinon Estate dry red Cabernet Franc " Les Granges "
2009 ( $24.99 )
and more being considered ...
From Roy Cloud ( Vintage 59 ) -
1)09 BOVE Sparkling Chenin Blanc ,$15.99
2) 09 BRAGER Muscadet, $14.99
3) GARRELIERE Cendrillon Sauv. Bl., $24.99
4) 10 Sancerre MERLIN-CHERRIERE,$29.99
5) 09 ROCHER , Montlouis white, $27.99
6) GARRELIERE Touraine Blanc, $19.99
7) GARRELIERE Touraine Rouge, $19.99
From Danny Haas -
1) DOM. DE BERNIER Chard 10,
2) Muscadet De RAGOTIERE 09
3) PATIENT COTTAT'S Sauv Blanc 2009
4) DELAPORTE Sancerre 2009
5) BERTIERS Pouilly Fume 2009
6) BERTHIERS Pouilly Fume Cuvee Eve 2008
7) Vouvray Cotteaux de la Biche 2009
8) PICHOT Vouvray 2010
From Jeremy Sutton ( Kysela ) -
Jeremy has a variety from his three sparkling Loire Valley wines, a dry
light-bodoed and inexpensive Chardonnay, a Vouvray, and a biodynamic L'ECU
Muscadet, too ... and more.
THINGS ARE STILL BEING WORKED OUT and so more will follow next week. Feel
assured that you will learn lots about the Loire Valley at this tasting.
ALL WINES WILL BE ON SALE by the bottle at this tasting. Bring family and
friends. Cheers.
BACK TO TODAY and the HERE and the NOW and the heat and the strong
sunshine and the need and desire to chill. Here are some great suggestions, the
first of which I took to the beach and enjoyed thoroughly this past week:
Reds:
1) 2008 Chianti Colli Senesi ( $16.99 ) from VALDIPIATTA. It drinks so
smoothly, so wonderfully , so brightly. It's a charmer and a pleaser and a
thorough delight no matter which way you taste or evaluate it. I'm thrilled to
have it here as it tasted great even with all the heat and direct, over-head
sunshine of the Outer Banks. Lovely, really lovely and such a bouquet and rich
color, too. I highly recommend this for now.
THREE REDS From West Virginia -
ALL OFF-DRY and fun
1) WEST WHITEHILL Sweet Mountain Spice Wine ( $10.99)
2) WEST WHITEHILL Raspberry Royale ( $10.99)
3) WEST WHITEHILL Highland Mist Blush Wine ( $10.99, with natural flavors
of orange and lemon)...
CHILL ALL THREE and just enjoy with or without any food. Fruit baskets
would be nice, of course as well as some dark chocolates, too : and so much
more.
MORE REDS -
1) 2009 Cotes-Du-Rhone from Charles Thomas ( $9.99 ) was tasted here just
this past Saturday with some of you lucky enough to have been in the right
place at the right time! It sold really well but we still have some for you
now. Don't wait too long , it will sell quickly.
2) MARCHIGUE Carmenere 2010 Gran Reserva, from Chile's Colchagua Valley,
this dry red Carmenere On Special for $14.99 is a real,beauty with a great
bottle and label and once tasted by you it will win you over immediately : even
with this really hot and bright weather. What a winning taste.
SOME SURPRISES IN WHITES -
1) TERRANOBLE 2010 Sauvignon Blanc from Chile's Central Valley ( $7.99 )
is so dry and bright and refreshing and light enough for this heat and
blaze/craze ... and the price is wonderful, too!
2) ROSENBLUM Cellars Vintner's Cuvee California 2009 Chardonnay ( $9.99 )
has just the right amount of flavorful butter and oak tastes and at this price
I predict that it will become a big favorite for a number of our customers.It
showed beautifully the other day. Not my style at all but really well-made and
also a value.
3) KENWOOD 2009 Pinot Gris Sonoma County at $10.99 is a real steal!
KENWOOD is on a roll and makes some really classy, well-balanced wines and has
stood the test of time. What a lovely dry, aromatic white at a ridiculous
price, too!
4) HUSCH " La Ribera Vineyards " estate-bottled 2010 Mendocino Chenin
Blanc ( $13.99 ) is hugely popular here with a number of our customers. We
tasted it out here this past Saturday with Nolan and it sold quite well once
again. It's very forward and very bright and the rich fruit Chenin Blanc
flavors just jump right out of the glass before you even have a chance to
weigh-in or have an opinion on it or not. Not shy at all : quite the contrary
- quite extroverted in fact. Charming and full of character and pizzaz! Cheers.
5) LA VAL Dry White Albarino Spanish white from the Rias Baixas region (
$19.99 ) was just tasted here this past Saturday by Estebe to quite a favorable
response. We still have a few bottles left of the brustling and totally
refreshing dry white made with Spain's famous Albarino grape that is still it's
most famous after many years of competition from other grapes like the Verdejo
and the Verdelho and Godello grapes, just to mention a few.
SOME DELIRIOUSLY Delectable Roses -
1) VITIANO Dry Umbrian Rosato blend of Merlot and Sangiovese is really
quite amazing. So much more flavorful with more personality than most and at
the ridiculous price of only $6.99 a bottle. It's the 2008 vintage and for many
bottles of rose that would be the end of them but for the VITIANO dry roses
their life spans are long and glorious. How refreshing to hear. Cheers.
2) 2010 Touraine Dry Rose from the DOMAINE DE BELLEVUE ( $10.99 ) has
consistently been one of the most popular dry roses and we are thrilled to have
it here. It's so bright and refreshing and so perfect for this intense heat and
scolding sunshine now...
HEY SANTOS, What BEER Do You Have:
1) BROTHERS Reserve " THe Beer " ( $9.49 22 Fl Oz bottle, 9.5% alc. by
volume , limited release #4 Spring 2011 ) Galaxy Hopped, Barleywine Ale, " ale
brewed with huskless malt and Belgian candy sugar ".
2) WEYERBACHER " Slam Dunlel " Double Dunkelweizen Ale ( On Special $6.99
, 12 Fl. Oz, 7% alc. by volume, 4-pack ) is brand, spanking new!
3) PAULANER Salvator Double Bock Munchen ( $9.49 a 6-pack of 11.2 Fl. Oz
Bottles, 7.9% alc. by volume , www.paulanerusa.com, from Munich, Germany ) is a
special order for a good customer and we liked it so much we ordered some for
the store as well. Oh yeah ...
Oh Ravi, What You Have In Liquor?!? -
1) JEREMIAH WEED Blended Bourbon Whiskey 90 Proof On Special for $14.99 a
750ml bottle. From Norwalk, CT distilling company ... www.jeremiahweed.com for
more info.
2) Pear Williams Alto Adige-Sudtirol ( $37.99 a 750ml bottle, 40% alc. by
volume, Osterreichischer Williamsbrand ) pear brandy is also " new and exciting
".
3) HIGH WEST Distillery " The 36th Vote " Barreled Manhattan ( $54.99 )
is Manhattan made with rye whiskey and vermouth, 37% alcohol by volume is also
" new and exciting". So much that's new to consider. This is a good thing. "
The 36th Vote commemorates Utah's role as the deciding vote to end
Prohibition".
4) ATLANTICO Ron Private Cask Rum from the Dominican Republic ( $29.99 )
will be here tomorrow or this week anyway. It's owned in part by singer Enrique
Iglesias and I believe that we will be tasting it here shortly. Sounds pretty
exciting. Will Enrique be here for the tasting? We sure do hope so. Perhaps we
could get him to sing a couple of songs during the tasting? What do you say
Enrique?!? Venga aqui por favor ...
WEEK'STASTINGS :
Friday, July 15th, 2011 ( 5-8PM ) : We have wine rep Ann Skillman back
again to taste her wines from India called THE GOOD EARTH which includes a dry,
spicy, flavorful 2998 Reserve Shiraz " Brio "( $22.99 ), an earthy and
old-world style Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ( On Special for $19.99 the " Basso " ;
and a dry white Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ( $16.99 ) : all three from Nashik, India.
Join us, the wines are exceptionally nice and great with flavorful meals as
they all have tons of character and personality. Nothing light-hearted or
innocuous here. Oops, that was last Friday! Were you all here? Thanks Ann for
the tasting. Sorry I missed it but I was at the Outer Banks chilling.
Friday, July 22nd, 2011 ( 5-8PM ) : We have Jeremy Sutton of Kysela Pere
Et Fils here to taste a selection of his wines from France, Austria, Spain, and
Italy.
Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 ( 2-6PM ) : We have Matt of Washburn Imports
here tasting some of his excellent selections which will include Chile and
California and France I believe. What fun! Matt brings a lot of experience to
the table here with him. He's been a really fine Washington D.C. waiter for
years and can answer questions about that, too if you are interested.
I WANT TO THANK all our reps for helping both Greg and myself last Saturday here as we were both off. I hear that things went really well.
I AM SURE THAT I HAVE MISSED MANY THINGS but it's time to get this email
to press and release it into the infinite cyberspace that is both exciting and
mysterious, too. Come check on us and learn more at :
www.clevelandparkwine.com, on Facebook at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits, on
Twitter at : cpwinespirits, and at : chatwine.blogspot.com,
chatpoetry.blogspot.com , too. Tell us what we may improve here. Let's always
work together as a team. Some of the best work done ever is because of team
work. Cheers and thanks as always for all of your support now and over the
years. Let us know what we may do better for you all to repay in part your
support and kindness. Take care, TONY
Please visit our website below for more information, events and specials, and
our calender of wine tastings!
[1]www.clevelandparkwine.com
If you have any orders, suggestions or questions, you may e-mail us at
[2]sales@clevelandparkwine.com or call (202) 363-4265.
References
1. http://www.clevelandparkwine.com/
Friday, August 2, 2013
Retailers Versus Sommeliers : When Someone Talks About A Restaurant & Their Sommelier I Ask : " But Do They Have A Good Retailer On Staff ?!? " That's So Important / I Will Explain Myself Here
I say this in complete earnestness as I feel strongly that retailers in fact teach more people about beer, liquor and wine than do sommeliers : and yet sommeliers, restaurants and chefs get ALL THE ATTENTION, as if us retailers do not exist, do not count, do not matter. How have we allowed things to degenerate to this point? It's unacceptable , someone has to say something, someone has to bring this ugly development out into the open to be seen, discussed, addressed completely and healed. There's no other option.
I do not mind sharing the spotlight with restaurants, chefs and their sommeliers, but I refuse anymore to be silent, stand still, watch and say nothing. So be if it falls to me. It's really not what I want to spend my time addressing and defending. It's pretty obvious, lots of people agree with me I am sure, certainly many of them that I have spoken with over the last ten years as this has become a real sore thumb - a BIG BEEF with me. It upsets me when I attend important tasting events and the sommeliers are presented in glowing terms with praise and adulation and complete respect, almost as if they are celebrities, rock stars, movie stars in their own realm. Well, they are, but they are not the only ones. So are we in our realms. We should be included , too in these tastings, consulted and asked to express our opinions as well as the sommeliers.
What?!? Having a restaurant where food is prepared and served and brought to one makes them forget all reason and abandon all their faculties and thinking and succumb to these comforts and joys and not look beyond them to us the retailers that, in fact, see and talk to, on a real one-on-one basis a whole lot more than sommeliers do with their customers. A retailer's customer can return as often as they want, ask for as much advice as they want, and have a much easier, much more personal and comfortable one-on-one with a retailer than they ever can with a sommelier. This is all so obvious, so clear to me. We do so much more for the average customer than does a sommelier. The only difference is that we do not have a meal to serve our customers, we do not have a special place for them to be seated and to be served , dined and wined and pleased. That's too bad of course but we prepare our customers to return to their homes or go to homes of others and do the best that they can to match wine and food together and make as many people as happy as possible. That's pretty special, too if you ask me. Perhaps not as glamorous, perhaps you will not see a famous celebrity pass by you but perhaps you will?!?
As I have already said : live and let live : that's my motto. I do not mind sharing the stage with chefs and sommeliers, but I also want to be included, courted and asked to speak about both food and wine and how the two belong together and benefit immensely from being served together. Let's have both a sommelier speak and then a retailer. Do not say that we retailers are all sommeliers. We are not. We were not trained as sommeliers. In fact a whole lot of our experience comes from a constant weekly hands-on experience with our customers , where we have nowhere to hide : we face our customers face-on repeatedly, daily and weekly and monthly and live and breathe beer, cider, food , liqueur, liquor, water, and wine! It's what we do. We take it home with us, we taste constantly, we combine constantly, too. It's our job, our necks are on the line each and every time!
So, when you ask about a restaurant or about a tasting or a meal or any occasion involving food and wine and all the rest I simply ask : " Do you have a good retailer on hand, that you trust, that you have consulted?!? Cheers, I am open to discussion about this. It's an open-ended blog this one, say what you have to say : let's have an open dialogue about this and clear things up and put things straight and give everybody the credit that they merit and deserve. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 6/24/ 2103 Happy Monday Night!
I wrote this recently at night and am just now proofing it to post now on Friday, August 2nd, 2013 from work. I have just finished my lunch and will return now to helping customers and many subjects and try and do the best for them that I possibly can. Cheers, have a great weekend. It's beautiful here now in Washington D.C., Northwest. Take care, TONY 8/2/13
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Today's Cleveland Park Wine & Spirits Weekly Tuesday Store Email WRitten & Posted By Me ( Anthony TONY Quinn ) , July 30th, 2013 : Last Day Of The Tour De France! Enjoy! Beautiful Weather & Low Humidity Today Here In Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area
COME TO Cleveland Park Wines & FULL Experiences, Random, Planned, Serendipitous, Calculated-For-Your-Ultimate-Pleasure, Experiences Of Joy and Warmth and Caring and Thought, of Heart and Soul and Music, Of Art of Sound and Opera, Of Fury, Of Piano and of Guitar, of TASTES and Character , of plates of Pure Flavors and Experiences you have earned and fully deserve and that we alone recognize and offer up freely to YOU!
Cleveland Park Wine & Spirits
You need to come and see what all the fuss is about. Have you been made aware of it? Have you heard? What has been shown you already? Do you need to rethink everything or just part of your strategy? The time is YESTERDAY and really, if it must be said, it was five yesterdays' ago, seems already like a lifetime. doesn't it?!? RUN, do not walk, do not stop at GO, COME directly to Cleveland Park Wines & Experiences!
Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits 3423 Conn. Ave. N.W. D.C. 20008
I HEARD MORE this past week from you all about the mandatory furloughs and how it is effecting you. We here @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits are working to bring more of our costs down to help you get through this difficult time. Let us know if you are effected and we will do whatever we can, one-on-one, situation-by-situation, working together with you to lessen your financial loads where we can by offering you ways to save and still enjoy what you like.
THE TOUR DE FRANCE ends today at the Arc du Triumph on Paris' famous Champs Elysees and that's inspiring and wonderful and still an incredible event and show of strength and perseverance, of character and resolve and fighting and racing, pedaling, steering, climbing, turning and continuing on ...
I LOVED WATCHING THIS yesterday on t.v., the rush, the swoop, the dash, the bike swaying back and forth, the seemingly effortless thrust forward of the bikes, the light metal and steel, the helmets, the BRIGHT colors, all the endorsements BLAZONED everywhere across the bikers as the sped past us and the cameras that captured them so close and so well. I saw all this and was swept up into it and felt so positive from it all.
IT WAS GREAT INSPIRATION for me to get back outside and continue to work in our yard and to be outside on an absolutely gorgeous, low-humidity, bright, breezy, fresh and brilliant baby-blue-skied day. I had so many errands to run and one was at the grocery store where I heard several of the employees talking about how rare this day was here in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. One lady announced: " I've got my bathing suit and as soon as I'm out of here I'm off to swim at the pool! " I LOVED hearing all of that, so true to real life.
I CAN IMAGINE that here at the store Michel, Ravi, Luis and Santos were having a similar conversation?! I felt very lucky and blessed indeed to have been fortunate to have been off on such a day. I resolved to appreciate it fully and to not miss out on one glorious second outside. Mission accomplished.
IT SEEMS THAT TODAY is starting off very much as yesterday did. I loved my drive to work earlier and I am all set to get this weekly store email written and off to you all in record time today.
WHAT TO DRINK ON this TOUR DE FRANCE finish?!? There are many choices indeed? I have not heard much talk about any of this and will include some ideas here. The wonderful thing is that racers come from all over the world to compete in this annual event and so the world of beer, cider, liquor and wine is open to us for choices.
WHEN I LIVED IN FRANCE back in the seventies I was there for a number of these finishes at the Arc de Triumph. When I took my family to France for a two-week visit back in 2002 we were there and had to fight the traffic coming into the city to see our friend Marco Riminelli and to get to his apartment. We came in through Saint Cloud where my mother used to have an apartment so many glorious moons ago.
SO I KNEW that way a bit better, and we did make it in one piece, and we did find parking for our rented SKODA. Both my wife and I remarked that on some of the jerseys worn by the racers that SKODA was plainly visible as sponsors. And being a stick-shift I had a hard first day getting into the small villages of Normandy when we first landed and had to navigate the round-abouts and not burn the engine up as I shifted from neutral to first. I should have practiced some first, the Autoroute there was a breeze and I was caught unprepared. Oh well, I am a better person for that experience I am sure.
2002 WAS A HEAT WAVE for that period of time in Paris when the Tour De France ended. I heard that there will be a lot of rain today? I wish all the riders well today as that can be even more challenging with rain.
SO : WHAT To Drink? What BEER ?
1) A HONEY OF A SAISON From BOULDER BEER COMPANY, a Malt Beverage Brewed With Honey ( On Special for $8.99 a 1Pt. 6-Fluid Ounce bottle, 11.5% alcohol by volume, from Boulder, Colorado, www.BoulderBeer.com ) :
" A Honey of a Saison is a swarm of flavor and a stinger at 11.5% alcohol by volume. The French Saison yeast produces big, estery, phenolic aromas and flavors, while the Wildflower Honey from Madhava Natural Sweeteners in Longmont, CO, lends a spicy, sweet aroma with essence of dried fruits. Champagne Yeast is also used to complete fermentation and create a dry finish, and a strong malt bill imparts a rich, golden honey color to the ale ."
WOW, I could not have reached earlier for a better beer to start this ball rolling, this liquid flowing to celebrate today : French Saison years and Champagne Yeast and Wildflower Honey, golden honey color : all to celebrate, all tasty, all adding their own character, all working together in team effort. I am thrilled. It must have been there in my thoughts as I reached for it. It's also easy to transport, one glass bottle, to keep it cold, easy to hold, a fabulous label, too of yellows and reds and browns, and a place that is mountainous and trying just as it was yesterday for all these riders to navigate on their second-to-last stretch.
2) HOG HEAVEN Dry-Hopped Barleywine-Style Ale from AVERY BREWING CO. ( ON Special for $9.99 a 1 Pt. 6 Fl. Oz bottle, from Boulder , Colorado, 9.2% alcohol by volume, The Holy Trinity of Ales, ) : " Or is it Hop Heaven? This dangerously drinkable garnet beauty was designed to satisfy the most zealous of hop devotes. Intense bitterness and the dankest of dry-hopped aromas are intertwined with a rich caramel candy-like backbone. Drink!"
THIS HOG HEAVEN provides a great contrast to the HONEY OF A SAISON and BOTH are in glass bottles that are easy to hold, keep the cold and easy to transport. They provide two nice extremes and will appeal to a broad spread of tastes today.
TO COMPLETE The Cycle We Also Have IN CANS :
3) Pumpkinhead " It Comes Once A Year! " from SHIPYARD ( On Special for $9.99 a 6-pack, from Portland, Maine, in 12-ounce cans ) : this is fun and seasonal and released now so early! get some NOW while you can as it disappears quickly once people know it has been released. Beat the rush. Come here early. Easy to transport, lighter, nice for picnics and when outside, don't have to worry as there is nor glass to break. LAST YEAR we sold-out quickly and we had many very unhappy customers!
DO YOU HEAR that SHIPYARD! Make more, be there for more of your customers. Don't let us run out. Cheers.
JUST SPOKE TO ALEX one of our customers about the wines of Georgia. He wants more dry white Georgian wines. He bought the COLOSSI Bianco ( $11.99 ) dry white to make a kir that he just recently discovered.
KIR :
THAT'S DRY WHITE WINE and a splash of creme de Cassis - a very famous French aperitif, so it sounds appropriate to add this here now. I mentioned that he might buy a bottle of the LES COSTIERES DE POMEROLS HB 34810 2012 Picpoul de Pinet, $8.99 , 12.5% alcohol by volume ( ALWAYS one of the best-seller-EVER-here @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits - EVERYONE almost loves this! ) and make a kir with it. I did mention to Alex the Tour De France.
KIR ROYALE :
I SHOULD HAVE mentioned to him making a kir royale that uses sparkling wine instead of dry white wine with the creme de cassis. That would be another great idea to celebrate the Tour de France today!OF COURSE with BOTH : you may substitute some Framboise/ Raspberry when you make either. It will be lighter this way and maybe more enjoyable if it is especially hot outside.
I JUST TALKED WITH MICHEL that is off and at home now and he tells me who won the Tour De France! I will not reveal that here, I will let you all see or hear it on your own as that is pasty of the joy and excitement. I have two more to add here : and one of the ales/ beers mentioned are from the home of the winner:
4) FULLER'S " London Pride " Outstanding Premium Beer from Griffin Brewery ( On Special for $12.99 a 11.2 Fluid-ounce 6-pack of bottles, 4.7% alcohol by volume, www.fullers.co.uk , England ) : " Fuller's London Pride is an award-winning English classic premium beer, rich and smooth, with a good malty base and well-developed hop notes in the finish." Nice to enjoy with the lower alcohols as well.
5)TUSKER Finest Quality Lager Brewed and bottled by East African Breweries LTD. ( $2.49 a 12 Fl. Oz bottle, P.O. Box 30161-00100, Mairobi- Kenya , go to : www.eabl.com for more info ) : excellent and brewed in East Africa since 1922, that's almost one hundred years ago!
HARD CIDER For The Tour De France :
1) Virginia Draft from BOLD ROCK Hard Cider , this hard cider ( On Special for $9.99 a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles, 4.7% alcohol by volume, easier to enjoy with the heat of the summer, from Nellysford, VA. Go to : www.boldrock.com for more info ) : " This smooth and distinctive Hard Cider combines its apple heritage with superb drinkability. ... Virginia Draft is perfect anytime anywhere... " NEW & EXCITING here in Cleveland Park. This is a " Must-Try " for you all. Hard cider is a very hot category today!
BUT HEY LET"S LOOK @ LIQUEUR/ LIQUOR, Too From Ravi :
1) Guava Rum From CRUZAN Premium Cruzan rum from the island of St. Croix, with natural Guava flavor ( $14.99 a 750ml bottle, 21% alcohol by volume, go to : www.cruzanrum.com for more info ) : " In 1760, a sugar mill began crushing cane at the current site of the Cruzan Rum distillery on the island of St. Croix. Since the early 1800's, the Nelthropp family has lived on and been an integral part of this legendary island's rich history." I like the taste of Guava, check this out. Perfect for this hot weather!
2) Cherrykran from ABSOLUT Country Of Sweden , a Vodka with Cherry, White Cranberry & Plum flavors ( On Special for $19.99 a 750ml bottle, 40% alcohol by volume, from Ahus, Sweden, go to : www.absolut.com ) : Just add cola! Cheers.
3) Vermouth PERUCCHI GRan Reserva from Montana Perucchi - the ULTIMATE in fines, distinctive, elegant and polished Vermouth ( $19.99 a bottle, from Badalona, Spain, from LA REAL CASA ESPAGNOLA, since 1886, 15% alcohol by volume, 1 LITER bottle, ) : YOU HAVE to TASTE IT to BELIEVE IT! Wonderful, highly recommended, both the sweet red and the dry white : both are here for you try on for size, fit and feel. Cheers. NEW! Exciting!!
4) Single Estate TEQUILA OCHO 100% Puro De Agave Tequila Anejo, hecho en Mexico LOS CORRALES Vintage-Dated 2010 ( On Special for $59.99 a 750ml bottle, 40% alcohol by volume, Mexico ) : " Ocho is a one of a kind tequila : A departure from the traditional objective of distilling which delivers " complexity of character " instead of " consistency of character ." This is accomplished by featuring a single estate. Taste it and see/ taste/ experience what all the BUZZ is about now. It's very special indeed.The altitude of Los Corrales is 2166 m with deep, red soil ... " light and broad, not deep, earthiness and subtle oak persist on the finish." A MUST-TRY.
5) SKINNY GIRL Vodka with Natural Flavors " Bare Naked " ( On Special for $19.99 a 750ml bottle, 30% alcohol by volume, Deerfiled, IL. USA , go to : www.skinnygirlcocktails.com for more info ) : " ... Skinny GirlBare Naked is low in calories and contains no added sugar. Become a " fixologist " and make your favorite guilt-free cocktail " writes Bethenny Frankel. Cheers, we also have the Cucumber-flavored vodka here for you all. Ravi says that both sell really well.
AS YOU MAY HAVE READ or seen on our Facebook page at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits that I am trying to convince Bethenny that it would be in her best-interest to come here and do an in-store tasting! We will see, you never get anywhere if you do not make the initial effort with follow-through. Cheers.
WINE By Michel & Tony :
TWO FINE VALUES -
1) Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from the WINE MEN of GOTHAM ( $8.99. 11.5% alcohol by volume, from owners Bruce and Kate, Adelaide 5000, SA , go to : www.gothamwines.com.au for more info ) : both Bruce and Kate have been here doing tastings of their wines that have done so well here over the past years. The Wine Men of Gotham are doing really well now . especially with tough times and more people having to take extra furlough days. Cheers. Dry, crisp, bright and refreshing.
2) Shiraz / Grenache 2011 dry red Aussie blend from the WINE MEN of GOTHAM ( $8.99 a 750ml bottle, 13% alcohol by volume, ) : this is a 75% Shiraz and 25% Grenache dry red blend - this drinks really nicely, balanced, distinct, flavorful. Thanks Bruce. I always thought that you named these wines because you were the Bruce in Batman! I did not think it was after the Gothamites - the villagers of Gotham, England!
IF, as I hear an Englishman won the Tour de France earlier than this could also be a great homage to him and to England? What do you think Bruce and Kate, will you sign-off on this idea of mine now? I hope so.
DRINK GOTHAM, we have the GOTHAM label here, too at $18.99 for the 2009 McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.9% alcohol by volume... that has always impressed me, now even more than before as it continues to evolve in the bottle to near-perfection! Cheers.
3) Syrah 2011 from CHANARMUYO Estate, Argentina's La Rioja region. Both Michel and I love this because it is fruit-forward, balanced, tasty, broad and very appealing and Balanced most of all, not to mention On Special for only $9.99 a bottle, 14% alcohol by volume. Go to : www.chanamuya.com.ar for more info. Thanks Estebe, thanks Fernando for pouring it here this past Saturday afternoon for all our customers.
MORE WINE FROM Michel & Tony :
THREE From Franceen & Vias Imports :
1) Pinot Grigio 2011 from Trentino, Italy from MASO POLI ( $22.99 , 13.5% alcohol by volume, go to : Maso Poli for more info, on Facebook at Maso Poli ) : it does not get much better : distinct, mineral and citrus flavors, structures, monuments to taste and depths that plumb the soul and character that defines the human spirit! This is magical, really a wonder, a work of art, so much here. WOW! Did I say WOWWWWWWWWWW!
2) Teroldego Rotaliano dry red 2010 from LECHTHALER, Italy ( $17.99, 13% alcohol by volume, ) was opened and taste here this past Friday by Franceen Kahng pf Vias Imports. I LOVED it, absolutely LOVED it! What grace, what finesse, what delightfully , ultimately wicked flavors and stories it spun seductively and seemingly unaware of it's effect or what it was doing to play with my senses. It amused and very much pleased me.
I THINK IT SHOWED magically this past weekend, and I HIGHLY, highly, HIGHLY recommend, RECO(me-to-you)MEND it. Great wine, great everything : completely balanced, medium-to-light-bodied, like a Pinot Noir with a splash of Grenache thrown in for good spice and measure.
3) Sicilan Nero D'Avola dry red blend from COLOSSI, this Rosso 2010 ( $11.99, 13.5% alcohol by volume ) was also poured here this weekend by Franceen. It, too has all the character and flavor and taste, the energy and presence to delight and to cajole, to reach out and make a very positive impression without any doubt on our palates. It showed beautifully here this past weekend and it's a delight to enjoy with the idea that it will complement ultimately one's palate and marry really well with some food, too. Cheers.
4) 2008 Chianti Colli Senesi dry Tuscan red Sangiovese blend from VALDIPIATTA ( On Special for $13.99, from Tenuta Valdipiatta, from Montepulciano, Italy ) this wine from owners Guido and Miriam is a pure delight to drink with or without a meal. Sure to please, sure to entice a smile from you, sure to draw your avid attention, you will be pleased. Highly recommended, too!
5) " Velvet Revolution " 2011 Virginia Monticello dry red Reserve Blend of 25% Cabernet Franc, 25% Chambourcin, 25% Merlot, and 25% Petit Verdot , $19.99, 13%% alcohol by volume, was poured here two weekend's ago by owner Jim. It impressed me even more than the first time I tasted it.
IT WAS THEN fruit-forward and very rich and pleasing on the palate. ALL those flavors have intensified, grown and expanded to become EVEN MORE and I like that, I like it a whole lot as the vines are still very young and it shows the tremendous promise here with this 2011 and with all the following vintages. Made by Michael Shaps, owners Jim and Susan are on a fine roll these days. Recommended.
I WANT TO WELCOME Matilda from England here to our store as well as to Cleveland Park. She's English and came here a bit earlier looking for a good local white wine and I showed here both the STONE MOUNTAIN VINEYARD and the DEMOCRACY VINEYARD dry white Viogniers, BOTH at $19.99 a bottle.
SHE PICKED the DEMOCRACY for it's name, I gave her two Virginia road maps with a list of many of the Virginia wineries on it with addresses and phones, emails, times of operation, ectetera that I am sent yearly - thanks - and I just have to wait now and hear if she likes it or not?
I DO KNOW THAT in England that in London, for example that they have readily embraced the wines of Virginia. What great music that is to these ears. WELCOME Matilda!
WEEKLY WEDNESDAY 3-Part Sake-Port-Sherry-Marsala-Madeira-Still/Non-Sparkling Wine SALE :
1) BUY ANY bottle of These above and SAVE 20% OFF the marked sticker price.
2) BUY ANY Six Or MORE of the categories listed above and SAVE 15% OFF the marked sticker prices.
3) BUY ANY TWELVE ( 12 ) of the categories above and SAVE 20% OFF the marked sticker prices.
IF YOU CANNOT COME BY call us at : 202-363-4265 and we will help you, Pay on Wednesdays and SAVE BIG on non-sparkling wine purchases. Cheers. Ask for Michel or for Tony.
WEEKEND TASTINGS :
Friday, August 2nd, 2013 ( 5-8PM ) : We have Scott of Monument Imports to come and taste an assortment of his FABulous California, French, Italian, Croatian, Kiwi wines : to be decided tomorrow. Call if you want to know what we have decided. Or check us out on our Facebook page at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits.
Saturday, August 3rd, 2013 ( 2-6PM ) : We have Chuck Waldman of Robin Cellars here to taste some of his small West Coast wineries that over-deliver for the money, and provide us all with some really exceptional taste experiences when we thought we have already tried or experienced it all : we have not!
JOIN US for both, NEVER any charge. EVERYONE always welcome.
THANKS For ALL that you do and mean to us. Without you we could not exist and be open to serve, help, and suggest things to do you. Have a great day and enjoy this beautiful weather. Thanks again for all your belief and support in us. It's mutual. TONY
CHECK US OUT ON Facebook at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits and FOLLOW US on Twitter at : cpwinespirits and also at wineenabler.
There Is Nor Respect For Boundaries In Businesses As They ALL Become EVERYTHING to EVERY CUSTOMER So That No One Has To Go Anywhere Else / What's Wrong With This?!? EVERYTHING, That's What : READ On!!
I attended a local ANC Meeting in Washington D.C. where there's an agenda to discuss many issues and often the crowd gathered is allowed to ask questions at some point. The meetings draw on and on and on and on and your brain starts to atrophy and you begin to wonder if you will ever be able to discuss your concern? This is how it happened awhile ago when Wallgreens wanted to get a Liquor license for one of their stores to sell beer and wine. They had their lawyers there and finally they were allowed to state their case to the public gathered.
The lawyers for Walgreens said that they had had requests to sell certain beer and certain wines and that they were applying for a license to sell both so that they could be more to their customers. The lawyers asked basically, and I paraphrase : " What's wrong with that? Is there anything wrong with wanting to be more to their customers? It's a nice concept, it's a considerate concern, yet the bottom line is that it's ultimately self-serving and it does not respect the boundaries that have been established for years that define stores and their identities and what and what not they sell. It's an old concept, it's been crumbling now for years, and recently it's been crumbling at lightning speed in our current " Me " society where it is all about the individual or individual corporation.
I listened patiently and wondered when it would be my turn to speak, that I had waited there patiently in the local police precinct and wanted my turn / my say. Well, it finally came, I finally got a chance as I was addressed by name by one of the several council members there. She simply asked : " Tony do you have any comment? "
Of course I had a comment, I had been turning this over in my mind now for days , and even more intently for the last few hours. I said simply to the lawyer : " Well then why don't we sell some drugs to make up for the business that we lose by Wallgreens selling some beer and wine? " You would have thought I said something insulting and mean because to see the expression on the lawyers' faces was priceless. It was like I had crossed their boundaries of what may and may not be done or said. I continued : " For that matter, why don't we sell everything that a customer wants so that we can be everything to every customer : and so the customer does not have to go anywhere else anymore?!? Wouldn't that be good for our customers? "
At that point the room was silent and it was awkward and I was thinking quickly where to take this further? That's when one of the council members decided it was time for them to vote on the measure before them. They took a vote, they, too were tired of being there and had families to return home to like the rest of us. I made my point but legally they did not have any grounds on which to deny their support of Wallgreens selling both beer and wine. So they ultimately gave their consent and the meeting continued onto the next issue to discuss. I got up and walked out, I had spoken my peace, I had said what needed to be said.
So now Wallgreens sells inexpensive beer and wine and it hurts our bottom line as we are only a traditional, classic beer, liquor and wine store as they were set up decades ago. We suffer as do all the similar traditional beer, liquor and wine stores. Our boundaries have been crossed and invaded by well-paid lawyers and our businesses have all suffered as a result. We are still in business but we are struggling like never before. It's tough, it's bit hard : it's what I always refer to as " sobering ". I think that's an ironic thing to say in our environment - it does not quite seem fitting somehow : and yet it's dead-on fitting!
We have been here for many years before Walgreens, and if we have anything to say or do about it we will be here for many more. It's been great to support our community here. I have done it myself now for about fifteen years and feel good and sleep well at night except when I hear and see again in my dreams and thoughts those Walgreen lawyers that send a shudder through me. Might is not necessarily right if not yielded without care and respect for traditional boundaries that have worked for many years before and deserve their space in the context of our busy lives. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 7/30/13
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
