Here’s a teaser of our Virtual Series and the action that our brave patrons have enjoyed so far…

Cheers!

Matt

The Scene: Wine and Beer Westpark Our weekly Thu tasting (8/27)

After a handsome bit of pestering from our favorite Luxembourgian we opened the Benegas Don Tiburcio (Argentina, $13), decanted it, and then presented the wine blind next to the 2003 Joseph Phelps Insignia (Napa, $$$).

Now there’s no arguing that the Don Tiburcio is an exceptional value at $13, as there was no pretending this would be a survey of merit. But, we’re a curious lot, and there was something remarkable in our customer’s reactions to the pair of decanters. Naturally suspicion arose that this was some kind of test to fail, but our novice tasters provided equal curiosity. Suffice it to say, close to an even split for the preferred decanter -  some admitted under reluctance, as well.

Then we did the unthinkable – we blended the two wines together.     Shock, and awe right? :0

Well, why not? Don Tiburcio’s rich Malbec played well in the smaller Insignia bringing more fruit and cocoa notes to the front, while the overall body of the Argentine blend was subdued by a touch of Napa elegance. Cuvee Don Signia was neither original, but, instead, quite an enjoyable wine all its own.

More importantly, our experiment – which evolved from the simple question “which do you prefer?” – became a deft lesson in the rules of engagement: enjoy wine first. Take pleasure in wine.

Don’t be afraid to have fun, and don’t worry about what other people like – your mouth is always the best judge of what’s best for you! The true luxury of wine is finding gems at every price point, and that’s something you can do everyday. Oh, and don’t be afraid if you spill a blend or two of your own, if the situation calls for it.

Cheers!

Last tasting of the Year of Doom – celebration glasses all around.

Wine

2007 Cousino Macul Sauvignon Gris, $15

Soft lemon nose, and minerality with a balance of white peach and pepper notes are reminiscent of its Sauvignon Blanc-self, but there’s texture and structure for us geeks to discuss.

2007 MacRostie Chardonnay, $20

A Westpark classic. This wine almost stemmed my anti-Chardonnay wave on its own, but, alas, I’m still lost to SB. French inspired? Pure, with elegant delivery. Down from $27.

2006 Mercedes Eguren Shiraz-Tempranillo, $11

A new wine for our inexpensive Spanish stable. Those familiar with Protocolo may recognize the Eguren name – this wine delivers plush, juicy fruit on a mild tannic structure. An enjoyable quaffer.

2003 Phelps Insignia, $If you have to ask…

What needs to be said? The unfortunate ’03 vintage was sandwiched between the classic ’02 wine of the year and the haughty ’04. We’ll take a look to see how this is progressing.

Beer

New Beer Rules! Octoberfest beers have taken over the seasonal shelf: Flying Dog, Paulaner, Beck’s, Starr Hill, and Bell’s are available now. Buffalo Bill’s, Ichabod Pumpkin and Southern Tier Pumpking are also available.

Heavy Seas Big DIPA (double IPA), and Terrapin are on the shelves – no surprises there.

Terrapin’s Maggie’s Farmhouse we have a few bottles left.

I have 1 or 2 bottles left of Abbaye de St Bon Chien Vin Jaune 375ml ($21). This is insanely limited, and if you have an interest you need to tell me this week.

Wine
2008 Yalumba Y Series Riesling, $15
After a few weeks of some heady tasting material I’m happy to say that Y Series from Yalumba is designed for your more carefree, everyday celebrations. The Riesling is bright with citrus, lime notes, and refreshing acidity.

2008 Jip Jip Chardonnay, $14
There’s been some stirring on Unwooded Chardonnay’s lately and this one has received some spritely recommendations. Having enjoyed the Terra Barossa Eden Chard so much, I have high hopes for this as well.

2008 Thorn Clake Shotfire Shiraz, $18
It’s a been a tough couple of years for the Aussies (heat/drought) and we’ve seen our regular selection shrink as quality has declined. Despite challenges, the Shotfire prevails yet again. I won’t say this is the richest, most jammy Shotfire I’ve had, but the production is well executed and the resulting wine is a fine example of the rich Thorn Clarke style overcoming adversity.

Beer
Don’t forget we’ll have John Cochran pouring through some Terrapin beers next Wednesday the 19th from 5:30 – 6:30.

The “End of Doom” promotional contest celebrates You and the completion of the “Year of Doom.”

The contest is simple: email me or post on our wall “Why you love shopping at Wine and Beer Westpark.” Each week (Wed- Tues) we’ll pick 4 quotations and post them at the store. Then, from Wed. Aug 26th through Mon. the 31st when you stop in the store for a regular purchse, vote and receive an instant discount.

1st place will be a $50 gift certificate second place $15 and third $10!

Why you should do this…1) you really do love us. 2) there’s a chance to win a free boozy gift certificate, and honestly, who can afford to pass that up 3) you wouldn’t want us to end the “Year of Doom” with a failed promotion!?! 4) you may not love us, but you’re not afraid to lie creatively for a boozy gift certificate.

A Few Notes on Picolit

Our Thursday tasting this week features the wines of Giorgio Colutta as presented by Lauren Tompkins of Grappoli Imports. The Colutta farm and winery is located in the farthest reaches of northeast Italy, in the rolling hills of the Colli Orientali. This area is closer to Austria and Germany stylistically than to the rest of Italy, and it’s no surprise that white wine grapes flourish here. However, the most highly prized white grape in the Colli Orientali, Picolit, produces lightly honeyed, sweet wines, but struggles annually and challenges growers:

-The grape itself is small, but with large pips (seeds).
-The vine is extremely vigorous, requiring time in the vineyard to restrain it.
-Early, sparse flowering, and late ripening combine for a long growing season, and exposure to unwelcome rain and hail.
-Picolit suffers from a genetic mutation that aborts flowers before pollination, resulting in precious few berries per bunch.
-Because of its flowering habits, late ripening and vigor, the vine requires some of the best hillside vineyard sites- those with excellent sun exposure, poor soils, and good ventilation.
-Many producers, including Colutta, dry the grapes to further concentrate sugars (the vine has already done a lot of the work in this respect).

The above challenges present themselves even in the best vintages. Growing and producing Picolit requires lots of time, attention and resources, and as a result, many producers have abandoned production. Total production is around 150,000 bottles, most of which are 375 or 500ml.- that’s 12,000 cases, in mostly small bottles!

Join us Thursday for a rare opportunity to try Picolit.

Why call it the Beer Theater? Originally, we planned on having an amphitheater like beer diplay where we could have different beers fight to the death in the center ring of the “Beeriseum.” However, the recent dip in the economy didn’t call for more of an expansion in our malty real estate, so we shelved the idea for the time being.

Enter the spring and our winemaker videos (two of which aren’t even up because of my novice video mistake of shooting sideways) and our burgeoning interest in mulitmedia. As with the winemaker videos I expected to shoot discussions on style, flavor, and quirky stories; perhaps, even include the occasional beer brawl.

I’m sure many people would enjoy us talking about the nuances of lagering versus ales and the specifics of style, but wouldn’t it be better to hear it from the brewers themselves?

This is not a particularly challenging question. Instead, let’s ask what never get’s asked – within the craft world, where is the deeper discussion of beer’s place and purpose?

Consider the legions of beer drinkers who also homebrew, and understand the process intrinsically. Given the opportunity people who are even modestly educated in wine will graduate from taste and flavor profile to food pairing, regional significance, cellaring, stylistic comparisons to other available examples. One has to wonder what’s next?

Certainly there’s a host of culturally significant topics to discuss when we move past beer tastes good… so where’s the discussion? More importantly, how do we find out what’s on the minds of the people who make it?

Now we have an interesting situation. Here, we get to speak to people who make what we love – leaders in the field, in fact. So what will you ask?

While I enjoy the flavor of the “Beeriseum,” pitting ale on ale in a flavor grudge match for supremacy, I think it would be at the cost of a more intriguing and impactful debate – both of which, would make good theater.

I just finished posting our first Vitrual Tasting with X Winery’s Reed Renaudin on our Facebook event page; I’m excited and terrified. It’s a great feeling. Monday’s Richmond Times Dispatch article jump started the buzz – thanks Louis! – with new faces from places we’re not used to. In my first four years of ownership I’ve met many new people who undoubtedly ask the “Who are you, Where are you?” questions – so simple, yet this is the essence of our biggest obstacle. Now WBW’s firing back with, “Won’t you join us Friday June 5th to find out?”

We’ve got our prom tux on and we’re hoping our date and the limo will show…

Ironically, or friends and fans who have been with us the whole way, well, I think they’ve just been waiting for a day like this to happen. We don’t pretend to know everyting about wine and beer, but we strive to add inviting and entertaining nuances to your wine and beer experiences. We’ve got ideas and information and emotion that we’re trying to stuff into the precious few minutes we’ve captured your attention.

We’re going to keep pushing and finding new ways to enrich your experience beyond bringing you fresh ales and hot wines. And, guess what, we’re learning all the time too. If you’re just getting started with finer libations, you’re not too late to join us…

After all, you can buy wine and beer from just about anywhere – the thing is, that’s not just what we’re selling.

So this is Wine and Beer Westpark, and here’s my personal invitation to join us at perhaps your first, but our biggest event. June 5th at 5 pm.

Cheers,
Matt Lake

If you’re using Facebook, let us know if you plan on attending the event. I’ve also created a a new topic on the Discussion Board to find out what questions you would like Reed to answer, and I encourage you to begin your participation now.

Just a few dates to keep in mind…

Sun- Mon May 24^th & 25^th – Wine and Beer Westpark will be closed for Memorial Day Weekend, please plan accordingly.

 Mon Jun 1^st – Wine dinner at Café Rustica!

 Wed Jun 3^rd – Beer Dinner at TJs in The Jefferson Hotel

I’m gonna let the memories of Monday night’s beer dinner float me into this fine holiday weekend… perhaps you’ve got some R & R on your mind already, too?

Before you get there, consider a timely visit with Garry Moore this Thursday at our weekly tasting, 4-7. Then, see if you can’t find some time to join us at Café Rustica on the June 1^st or TJ’s in the Jefferson on the 3^rd for respective wine and beer dinners. 

If I might allow a short aside, the Café Rustica dinners are an adventure in dining (wine and beer). I’m not going to sell you on whether or not the price is modest (these days it’s all relative) – but the value is off the charts. We’ll be taking a break through the summer, but seriously give some thought joining us when we return in the fall…

You can find the full menu on our Facebook page and on the website soon.

Wine

We’re cashing in our Siema Wines rain check Thursday, as Garry Moore will join us for a little something old and a little something new…

2007 Borgo Viscone Friulano, $14

If we do get closer to the 90s then the 80s this weekend, you’ll be happy to have this crisp frisky, white – this one just seems to sail on and on.

2007 Borgo Viscone Chardonnay, $14

My notes are overshadowed by the enormous VIBRANT!!! next to this wine. I’m not usually one for noble grapes coming from Italy, but I can make an exception for this. Don’t pass this up if you’re picnicing this weekend – if you do, and someone accidentlally mistakes you for Eeyore, well… just sayin’.

2005 I Fabbri Chianti Classico, $20 (on sale from $28)

Susanna and Maddalena Grassi are lady heroes in Westpark’s wine world – come to think of it, we have quite a few. The Grassi sisters have reinvigorated an old, family spot and are moving their vineyards toward a fully organic operation. In the meantime we enjoy the fruits of their 2,500 total case production, and you will too.

 2001 Miguel Merino, $36

A rare find – a Rioja producer with a current release from one of the finest Rioja vintages in recent memory. A triumph in all respects.

 New Beer News…

Ok, so I know the website beer updates have been lame… we are workin’ on it! For now here’s the new list and the beer dinner menu. If you want my 2 cents, this will be the beer dinner that puts TJs on the map. So, yeah, I think you should go, $50 includes tax & tip and it just doesn’t get better then that.

 NEW: Founders Old Curmudgeon, Left Hand Pale, Smutty Hanami, Dogfish Festina Peche, Sierra Summer, Sam Summer, Sierra Southern Hemi Fresh Hop, Southern Tier Mokah, Great Divide Hercules, Oberon 5L tins, and Anderson Valley Summer Solstice. And yes, Buffalo Bill’s Orange Blossom returned.

 Allagash Brewing Beer Dinner, $50.00 Per Person Tax and Gratuity Included

Please contact Jonathan Kibiloski at 804.649.4672, kibiloski@jeffersonhotel.com or me at the shop

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 7:00pm

Executive Chef James Schroeder

 Artichoke Stuffed Hawaiian Prawn

Spinach, Country Ham, Grits, Mustard Sauce

Allagash White

 Pan Seared Chesapeake Bay Soft Shell Crab

Grilled Romaine, Semi-Dried Tomatoes, Pickled Water Mellon Rind,

Caper Menuire

Allagash Triple

 Pan Seared Georgia Quail

Morrel Mushrooms, Asparagus, Gnocchi, Truffle Cream

Allagash Cureiux

 BBQ Glazed Berkshire Pork Cheeks

Apple-Fennel Slaw, Buttered Green Beans, Roasted Shallots

Allagash Four

 Constant Bliss

Quince marmalade, Toasted Brioche, Warm  Blue Cheese and Onion Tart

Allagash & De Prouffe Les Deux Beux Brasseurs

A slight change in scheduling brings John Grimsley of Grappoli Imports to the tasting table, Thursday from 4-7 for a tour through some traditional Italian varietals.
 
The Menu
These wines are short on price and long on personality, as any good table wine should be.
 
Garofoli Verdichhio $10.50
Return of the Amphora! A wonder, crisp Verdicchio for the table this spring.
 
Barbi Streppiticcio, $10
A Montepulciano and Sangiovese blend from Umbria that’s not complicated, but delivers on the gem promise.
 
Li Veli Passamante, $13
And from Southern Italy, a fantastic example of Negroamaro from Puglia – it’s deep ruby color has a rich bouquet with red berry fruit while being quite lively.
 
Calendar:
Thu April 10th David O’Neill of Cobblestone Cellars will pour the afternoon away, 4-7.
 
Sat April 19th Spring Sale and Tasting
Our annual tasting and bottle sale will feature a few selections in the $30 range for you to enjoy as we say farewell to some excess winter inventory. Tasting will be 1-4 with the sale going all day – more to come in the next couple of weeks.