Joe Riley

Funny thing about vacations - the food and wine always taste better I'll bet you were also drinking more water - I always had plenty of Vitel or Badoit in France, especially in all the cafés and restaurants. You were probably also eating better and really relaxing and enjoying your meals and taking your time. That makes a difference in your overall well-being.

Oh, please, not YET! I just got the cases angled properly for my feet, and I'll never be allowed to buy an ottoman with store funds You're too much, Rocks. Some men are born to greatness, others have it thrust upon them. And then there's me, who risks stumbling into it by the grace of Mr. Rockwell. Good heavens, where to start? Perhaps with a pontification? Let's see..... THE VERY BEST WINE IN THE WORLD IS...... the one that someone ELSE is paying for! (thank you, thank you, I'm here all week....Try the veal!) Okay. So. Being that I work in Washington, DC. and our favorite indoor sport here is vetting people's qualifications for office, allow me to present my own. I put the "sewer" in "wine connoisseur". I put the "spurt" in "wine expert". I know as much as some, and not as much as others, but I DO know more than any reasonable person ought to about our favorite beverage. Go ahead and try and stump me - it's easier than you think. What do I bring, you ask? Passion. There are so many great wines to be passionate and enthusiastic about, and legions of mediocre labels to be suffered through, that at this stage of my life the thing that gets me most excited in my job is finding something really worthwhile at an affordable price. With the weak dollar (vis a vis the Euro, at any rate) this has become increasingly difficult, but I soldier on. I also ignore most of the wine press. The Wine Spectator? The Wine Advocate? Don't read 'em. Heck, I barely have time to read the Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine that my dear sister renews for me every Christmas, but it isn't because of some reverse-snobbism on my part. I'm just not driven that way. I used to be, but most wine magazines are lifestyle magazines, and don't really get down into what I'm truly interested in. I'd rather hear from the people who actually drink the stuff. I might get back into reading the Wine Advocate, since my friend David Schildknecht is writing for it now. David makes for incredibly worthwhile reading. I also have to see what Mr. Tanzer is doing these days, I've neglected the International Wine Review, again due to lack of time. Conflicting streams of thought? Not really. I'd like to read them because of the people behind them who I know, and THEY interest me, but I'm not into the "point system". I always said that if I ever opened my own wine store, I'd call it "The Pointless Wine Shop" I'm opinionated as all get-out, except when I'm not. And you can take that to the bank.

I have no contempt for customers who genuinely need help, and have an open mind - it's been correctly pointed out that we aren't born knowing this stuff, yet the most infuriating response that I get when making a wine suggestion is that the customer doesn't want it because, "I've never heard of it" Right. All that tells me is that your comfort factor is extremely low, so you want me to put a well-known label into your hands. Our shop is FILLED with those things, so what do you want from me? I would imagine affirmation. That's the part that bothers me. Come to me if you want to learn something new. Come to me if you want to expand your horizons. Come to me if you want to build a relationship where I'll be the guy calling you to tell you that the new vintage of one of your favorites has arrived, or we're about to sell out of your day-in/day-out "house" wine, which won't be available for a long time, so I want to give you a chance to stock-up. The reason that you come to a store like mine is, if you have a problem with one of the wines I've sold to you, I'll make it up to you, I'll take your returns and credit you and find something for you that you'll like and remember you and your purchase next time. Try that at Costco, or some huge chain store with little or no staff, or lots of turnover. It won't happen. That's why stores like ours exist - personal service and the familiar touch. I'm far from unique - my competitors all have a few people who are someone's "wine guy" and we enjoy that part of the job. Nothing is more personally rewarding than getting a return customer who LOVED the wine I sold them, and is so grateful. That's why I'm there. If you want the familiar, I'll sell you the familiar, but put yourself in my hands, and I'll take you off the edge of the map, where there may be "monsters", but also great wines that you may never have known existed. Isn't that the fun of it?

I went there on Thursday night. I had a good time. For anyone who has been to Sette on Connecticut Ave. above DuPont Circle, Sette Bello is HUGE - I mean, the kitchen alone is 5 times the size of Sette's. The Bar Tonno section of the restaurant is run by Tiffany Lee, ex-Chef de Partee at Equinox. I had some excellent tuna and gaspacho (sp?). The wine list is very good, and anyone who has been to Sette or Café Milano will recognize some familiar names (the Café Milano restaurant group owns Sette and Sette Bello, for thos who aren't aware.) The Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto is a favorite of mine, and it did not dissappoint. That gypsy band was really good but, my God, it was so loud I couldn't carry on a conversation if my life depended upon it while they were playing. The flat-screenT.V.'s over the bar were well-placed, so I could follow the baseball game. It is, indeed, right across from the Clarendon Metro and the Hard Times Café, on Wilson Boulevard and Highland Street, where it meets Harrison by the church. There seems to be plenty of parking around, and there might be parking in the building as well. I think this place is quickly going to become a neighborhood favorite for people who work there. Like it's Arlington neighbor, Tallula, it is a prime example of "downtown" dining that is available in the suburbs. If this trend continues, then Arlington will someday be giving Bethesda a run for its money as a suburban dining Mecca. I'd like to note that, for those who don't drive or want to fool with the Metro, the headquarters for Arlington Yellow Top and Red Top cabs is ONE BLOCK away on Irving Street, so if you imbibe a bit too much, call them and you won't have a long wait for a taxi.

German wines are argueably my absolute favorites. Give me the names and I can obtain them for you and I'll make the prices worth your while. Feel free to PM me if you prefer.

How much would you register on a B.A.C. monitor if you'd just gargled with Listerine or other alcohol-containing mouthwash? 0.01 is ridiculously low - what if you ate a piece of rum cake, or brandied cherries yet imbibed no alcoholic beverages? Lunacy. The law is really overstepping here. I could just have easily been nailed for that myself a couple of years ago, but instead they nailed me for speeding instead (which I was). I was lucky in that respect. I had the SAME OFFICER that was in the article. I remember, because he told me that he was the one who got Marlene Cook that time.

We've got plenty. I'd love to see it go away. Send me a PM and we'll talk.

Apples and oranges, my friend. The Clos du Mesnil is from the single highest rated vineyard in all of Champagne (as rated by the Champagne growers bureau). It is surrounded by the town of Le Mesnil Sur Oger, and can only produce but so much fruit, and it is in very high demand. Obviously, it is a Blanc de Blancs, whereas the vintage Krug bottling is Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay. I'm not saying that it isn't overpriced - for some it is, for others it is not - but the two aren't truly comparable. The best Krug bottling? Easy - the one that someone else is paying for

I don't disagree, but Kalin wines have a VERY limited appeal. For a restaurant or retailer to support the brand has to be a labor of love, because they are not easy wines to sell. They are held back quite a bit so one has to appreciate older tones in wine. They are also expensive. Having said that, one of my favorite Pinot Noir bottles of all time was a Kalin - an '87 DD bottling I think (I could be mistaken - it's been a while).

This thread is making me weep. I have been told that, many years ago, Peter Pastan at Obelisk was forced to "make" rosé in the kitchen because some guest demanded White Zinfandel. I have no idea what wines that Peter actually used were, but the customer was apparently satisfied. I have too many horror stories, but one that still makes me scratch my head is the guy who refused to buy a close-out bottle of Meridian wine because he read the label, and in very small print, it says that it was aged in French oak (this was during the early days of the Iraq war) and he refused to have anything to do with French products. I think he was exactly the type of person who, when Universal Studios released "The Last Temptation of Christ" into movie theatres, decided to get "even" with Universal by cancelling his pre-order of "E.T. The Extraterrestrial" which was due to debut on videotape at the time. Sure pal, punish your kids. But I digress. I love the customer who recently told me that she wanted me to send her a Shiraz in the $10-15/bottle range, so I picked one from Penfold's which fit the criteria, and she got upset with me because I hadn't sent her Yellowtail (aprox. $6) Forget the fact that she didn't ask for it, and that Yellowtail doesn't match that criteria - apparently, my job description entails that I also be "The Amazing Kreskin" as well! Idiots. If I had the time, I'd start a blog akin to the excellent Waiterrant.net (if you haven't read it, it's well-worth a look).

Well, we have several premium sakés, and some soju (2 from Korea, 1 from Japan) and access to many others. We stock enough alcohlic beverages that I consider "exotic" in some ways. Can you tell me any specific brands that you are looking for?

David Schildknecht, a longtime contributing writer for Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar is going to be writing for The Wine Advocate. David is well-known to a number of longtime Washington wine consumers - he used to be the wine manager at Pearson's until about ten years ago or so. He has been living and working in Cincinnati, working for an importer/distributor company called Vintner Select, and writing for various periodicals part-time. David is argueably the foremost english-language authority on German and Austrian wines in the United States, and his grasp of French wines and many other kinds is tops in his field as well. He has a keen intellect, a clinical detatchment when he needs it, an insatiable curiosity about wine and the people who grow it, and he is a firm believer in terroire, soil and microclimates. I admire David's palate and I personally place his analysis of any given wine among the most thoughtful and considered that I could possibly read. His writing is VERY engaging, and I respect his professionalism and even-handedness. I'm somewhat shocked by this, because David never embraced the 100-point system so promulgated by The Wine Advocate. I wish him nthing but the best, and I hope he can provide more food for thought for subscribers who are simply looking for easily-digested "sound-bites" on wine, plus a score. In other news, which I mentioned in the dedicated thread, Michael Franz is soon to write his last column for the Post. I'm guessing that he's going to be concentrating on the WineReviewsOnline website. I'll miss his columns in the Post, but I'll follow him online.

Sadly, Michael's last column for the Post is forthcoming. In an email he sent to me today, he mentioned that his next column for the Post would be his last. I am guessing that he is devoting his energies into the Wine Reviews Online site that was mentioned here already. This is an unfortunate development - I have long been an admirer of Michael's academic take on the wine world and the thoughtful writing on the bottles he tasted. I hope they get another contributor - Giliberti shouldn't have the sole responsibility for the wine column because I don't think he really wants to do it weekly.

My friend David Raines, of Gordon's in Waltham, Mass, is obviously in a silly mood today. His Daily Flash for today is a complete hoot. It made me look askance at my bowl of Total, that's for sure (Moderators: I posted this here because of the nature of the parody, and the fact that it comes from a wine merchant. If it belongs elsewhere, please feel free to move it.)

Give me a call - we have several good sakés, some of which Daisuke at Sushi-Ko picked out for us. We also have Soju and the best plum wine I can imagine.

Just to give you a retailer's perspective on availability.... Raveneau is imported by Kermit Lynch, in Berkley, California. He is the importer of record. The local distributor (for D.C.) for Kermit Lynch has a TINY allocation of Raveneau each year, and it is restaurant-only. Our good friend Mr. Slater at Citronelle is likely the primary recipient. I've seen Raveneau at one other D.C. wine shop, and it curiously lacked any import labels, which leads me to believe that it was "grey-marketed" into the U.S. Caveat Emptor, indeed. Glad to hear that your bottle turned out so splendidly. He is definitely THE guy in Chablis. I'm happy to "settle" for Jean Dauvissat, though

(Admins/Moderators: feel free to remove this or close this on Thursday) Ace Beverage at 3301 New Mexico Avenue NW (the Foxhall Square building) has free passes good for 2 people each, for an advanced screening of the new Ralph Feinnes movie "The Constant Gardener" for this Wednesday, August 24th, at 7:30 at the Landmark Theatres E St. Cinema (E street and 11th NW) Seats are NOT guaranteed and are limited to theatre capacity and are first-come, first-served. No one will be admitted after the screening begins, either so ARRIVE EARLY. Here's a little info on the movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387131/ No purchase necessary. The passes will be on the front counter, but I hope that any Rockwellians will take the time to say "hi". Sorry to post something so completely unrelated to the topics and themes here, but these passes just arrived, and I wanted to offer the community here an evening's free entertainment. Besides, then you can go out and grab a late bite and post about it here, and especially the wine you had

I've been a loyal Bonny Doon fan for 20 years. Owner and President-for-Life Randall Grahm is a national treasure. Had the best time visiting them 12 years ago, too. I'm carrying the following at the moment: Pacific Rim Dry Riesling Pacific Rim Dry Chenin Blanc Critique of Pure Riesling Old Telegram (VERY old, Old Telegram! Should be coming around about now, too) Le Cigare Volant Vin Gris de Cigare ("The thinking person's pink wine") Ca' Del Solo Big House Red, Big House White and Big House Pink. Ca' Del Solo Malvasia Bianca Ca' Del Solo "Freisa" (think that's how it's spelled) Muscat Vin de Glacière Their new Syrah Port, "Bouteille Call" And various and sundry other things, such as some Garnacha, eau-de-vies and goodness knows what else. The Bonny Doon website is increasingly entertaining and fun to read. Kudos to them also for being U.S.A. pioneers with Stel-Vin closures - as Randall said, and I'm paraphrasing here, "We use 21st century technology in the vineyards, 21st century technology in the vinification process, so why seal it all up with 14th century technology?"

From time to time, I'm asked what a particular wine I'm suggesting was "rated", or "how many points" did it get. I like to respond that I don't know because I prefer wines that are "pointless" One time a customer came in to see me and was carrying a HUGE binder of Wine Advocates. I wasn't about to waste a lot of time with someone who was simply going to second-guess every suggestion I made, so I told them up front, very politely, "Before we go any further, you're going to have to put that away." Wine reviews are useful, but they are only the opinions of certain people. These people mentioned in David Raines' piece appear to want to challenge the age-old notion that, "there are no great wines, only great bottles"

Here's a very thoughtful and intelligent piece by wine importer Terry Theise on globalization: http://www.skurnikwines.com/msw/globalization.html

Ha! They are obviously trying to capitalize on the French notion of "Pipi de chat" as a common descriptor of a certain aspect of Sancerre. Come to think of it, Scheurebe is sometimes credited with that aspect as well. Must be a sulphur thing. I'll have to look into the science of that.

That's a nice find! Thanks for posting this.

This may be one of the most frightening things I've ever read... http://tinyurl.com/7p4sz David Raines is the wine manager for the Gordon's chain in Waltham, Mass (Boston area) and I've followed his writings for years by snail-mail and then his daily missives by email. He is very thoughtful and passionate about wine. I've spoken with him on the phone a few times (his brother used to live here and was an occasional customer) and I once got into huge trouble over on egullet because I posted a piece he'd written about French bread, and even though I have him full attribution, the powers-that-be demanded that I get David's written permission to post it. He was in France at the time, and I had to ask him to email someone at egullet (!!!). I fear the day that someone asks me for a "Style 4" wine!

Interesting article about the director here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7270489/ Also, my friend Neal Rosenthal, the wine importer, comes off very well in this film. He is encouraging people who care about these issues of globalization and homogenization to see it. This is from a very nice Newsweek piece about him in 2003: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3069237/site/newsweek/ Neal is quite literally in the vanguard of "terroir-ists". To read his concept of terroir, go here: http://www.madrose.com/htmlIndex.html

Ohh, I could provide a LOT of ideas for DonRockwell.com "theme songs", but the one that jumps to my mind first is... http://tinyurl.com/b6p4k