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I have now acquired about three bottles of vidal blanc though our wine club (not all at one time, so two different vintages). I need to use them. I am not really a dessert wine kind of person normally. I have a party coming up, could I make them into cocktails, or even better a punch??? If so, any ideas on what to mix with it to help tone down the sweetness?

Lady KN and I were in the Fells Point area and decided to hit Thames Street Oyster House on a Friday afternoon. In fairness, we only had access to the raw bar, as we arrived between lunch service and dinner service. No problem, as we tucked into Malpeque, another local Maryland oyster, two varieties of Virginia oysters and a dozen large shrimp as a cocktail. Everything was fresh and good, and I am definitely going to return to enjoy some of that enticing menu....

Strolling through town on the way to Jaleo last night I came across this place called Proof. The text on the papered-up windows stated that it is a wine-centric restaurant. Anyone have any information on this place?

Back in 2005, I arrived in DC hungry to meet like minded folks like myself. Little did I know nearly 13 years later this thread is still going strong. Now I’m looking to bridge the gap between DonRockwell.com and Instagram. I talk to Rocks briefly, and he gave his blessing, or he says he’s interested in me leading the way. After all, all social media experiences a wave of popularity that phases in and out. But with all of the great content on Instagram, a lightbulb went off in my head. Why not link the two forums? New updates on Instagram has a feature where you can follow #hashtags. So the next time you post, add the hashtag #donrockwelldotcom. And if you happen to be on Instagram, let me know what your handle is, and Ill follow. This is my first attempt at leading a social media campaign. Please be patient with me, and if you have any other suggestions on how to build momentum, I’m all ears. This too may build our Don Rockwell Community by adding members. I am hopefull. So while introducing yourself, please let me know who you are on Instagram! Looking forward to following everyone’s rec’s!! life_is_a_banquet, ( my handle) kat

Located just off Gunston Road in Gunston Plaza next to the US Post Office, this place surprisingly has 13 locations in the area. The pizza is good as are the subs, pasta and daily lunch specials which are typically $8-10. Service is consistently good as well. Atmosphere is typical vinyl green-checkered table clothes and the Italian flag, tacky Italian inspired, framed pictures and wall paper adorn the walls. Kitchen is somewhat open and the place is always clean and pretty busy for lunch - I have probably eaten here 25 times, and oddly just now adding this post. If you happen to be in Lorton and want someplace easy to park and dine, you have found it; very reasonably priced.

I had lunch at Nostos today, and it shattered two notions that I thought were inviolable. The first one is that Tysons is where good restaurants go to die amidst the indifference of wall-to-wall chains. The second is that Greek food in the suburbs is unrefined and unsubtle -- Zaytinya, Komi and Kellari Taverna belong downtown, while the suburbs get the mom-n-pop family restaurants that dole out gut-bombs in family-friendly settings. I held these two beliefs firmly....until today....when I ate at Nostos....wow! Nostos opened in May, in the former deli across from Morton's on 8100 Boone Blvd. in Tysons. It is nicely decorated in mostly grays and whites, with a beautiful stone wall along on one end of the dining room that has about 20 tables. There is another small section with about 7-8 tables for a more private setting, and a long bar area to the right of the entrance. The food here is really very good. We began with fried disks of zucchini with a tzaziki sauce and roasted beets with a dab of goat cheese on each piece. They were each really good. Then came a seafood sampler of sardines, calamari, octopus and shrimp, and while it was all good, the octopus was outstanding. It was marinated and cold, but it was worth eating over and over again. The waiter told me the grilled version is even better, so that's on the list for the next visit. On to the meats, and first there was the grilled filet, then there was the Greek burgers with tzaziki sauce, and then there was the roast lamb....each morsel was perfection. I remember taking a bite of the filet and looking out the window across the street at Morton's, and thinking that nothing on the menu there compared to the flavor and texture of this little masterpiece. Desserts and coffee followed, and I believe the kataifi was one of the best sweet items I have tasted in a while. Many hours later, I'm still full and will probably skip dinner tonight. As far as I'm concerned, this is the best Greek restaurant in the state of Virginia. But unless patronage increases, it is not likely to survive for long in Tysons. They will need about 80-100 covers a day, and lunch today looked to be about 20 or so. But this is the kind of restaurant Tysons needs, and I encourage everyone reading this to head over there and give it a try. Website

We went to SPQR for dinner last night. It reminds me of a revamped Babbo, right down to the rock-and-roll blasting from the speakers. Sweet corn and quinoa "frittella", smoked trout, roe and red onion crema fresca. I wanted to like SPQR especially since I'd heard so much about it. Style is "nuevo Italiano" and left much to be desired. Also not every day you're served a dish with a sauce that reminds you of Pepto-Bismol. The "frittella" was fine and the goo inoffensive. Sicilian artichoke, romano bean and kohlrabi salad, smoked wagyu beef, pecorino. Take away three ingredients on that plate and you've got a great salad. BTW the artichokes tasted like they were canned. Wild rice stuffed quail, creamed greens, heirloom apple. Their secondi were a bit more imaginative. The quail was perfectly cooked and the greens in keeping with the season. There was some sort of demi-glace-based sauce poured over the quail. Again, too many elements on the plate. Tasty though, for what it's worth....B liked it. Squid ink spaghetti, red wine braised octopus and mussel "puttanesca", black olive crumb. They redeemed themselves somewhat with the pasta. I suppose if I were to return here, I'd start with their primi instead. Chestnut clafoutis, black truffle gelato, honey ($22). Served with a glass of passito moscato from Cosenza, Calabria ($15). This dessert was the best thing I ate all night, and that says something. Very flavorful and everything complemented each other. Meyer lemon goat yogurt, lime honey, grapefruit sorbetto. Was pretty good. Would I return? Maybe, if I didn't have any other options. You can do better in San Francisco. SPQR1911 Fillmore Street (Wilmot Street)Pacific Heights

The other thread where foie gras and Sauternes and so on were being discussed made me think about the oldest wines I have tasted. A 1970 vintage port (Dow's?) that was amazing (had it in maybe 2003-2005 time range). A wino buddy offered to share a 1971 Petrus with my wife and I - it was pretty eye opening. Tasted in maybe 2003-2004. Other wino buddies have shared some gems, mainly from 1990 onward, but some interesting 1970s and 1980s Napa Cabs as well. Most of these tasted in the 2005-2010 time period). I think the oldest wine I have in my cellar, at the moment, is the 1993 Diznokyos Tokaji Aszu (I think it is either the 5 or 6 Puttonyos). I have tasted it maybe 4 or 5 times and it is amazing. When I bought them maybe 15 or so years ago, they were of a very pale honey color. Now, I think I have two bottles left, are much darker. One is approaching the color of buckwheat honey. I am still wondering if and when I might pull the trigger for a birth year wine for myself and my wife. But I have lots more important things to spend money on (travel, dining out, haha), so it may never happen.

I think, yes "I think" the biggest over priced item of the evening was your Kistler Pinot. What do you do with all the white wine you have to buy to get the Pinot.

Planning to spend a few days this July in Bordeaux. Will probably engage a guide for 2 days and then spend a day in town. Any and all recommendations are welcome. Looking at this as an opportunity to learn and taste the right and left banks as well as see chateaus and eat well. Will spend the last night in Paris, it seems there are plenty of suggestions on where to dine there.

We took my boyfriend's sister in to Total Wine in Fairfax. She's newly 21 and we wanted to pick up a sampling of beverages for her to try during her visit. The cashier upon seeing her ID handed her a form to sign verifying that she is 21 years of age. When we asked about it, the manager came over to explain that it was company policy that all people born in the newly 21 year (1985) sign the form every time they purchase anything from the store until the year (2006) expires. I mentioned that it was the first time I've heard of a procedure like this and it was a bit odd. Making the visit even stranger, the manager explain to us that the policy was not odd and we were wrong. Policies are policies and I understand that but I don't believe this is a common practice. That being said I haven't had my age questioned for a number of years so I haven't had to deal with the oddness of being 21 and the efforts to combat underage drinking. So my question to the group is has any one heard or experienced this? Is this normal? Thanks, Emily

Zinburger has signed a lease to take over part of the space vacated by Oriental East in Silver Spring, joining District Taco: "District Taco Signs Lease for Space in the Blairs" by Mike Diegel on sourceofthespring.com

K1 (Beer Advocate rating) is a neighborhood gem for beer and wine. I am planning to visit Belgium, so I stopped in at K1 to buy a bottle of Chimay. I was delighted to find several types of Chimay here, but I didn't buy any because there were so many other interesting beer selections from Belgium. I wound up trying two beers from Bruges, where I am planning to visit for a few days. This store is small, but it has a great selection of adult beverages--particularly beer.

Barking Mad Cafe has a solid coffee program. They use Counter Culture beans and can draw a serious espresso. Their cappuccinos and lattes are also good, although I have had a few cappuccinos that were wetter than I prefer. They have drip coffee, but no pour over. The standout, though, is their cold brew. During the summer, they had two offerings, both on nitro taps. It's so smooth it's like drinking Guinness coffee. The coffee served at Barking Mad Cafe would be noteworthy anywhere in the DC area. IMHO, it's extraordinary in Gaithersburg, which has nothing comparable within a reasonable distance.

I normally don't cut-and-paste press releases, but then one says all you need to know. That said, while this may technically be "Shaw," it seems to be the centroid of Shaw, Convention Center, Mount Vernon Square, and Logan Circle, so I'm not sure exactly where to put this in the Dining Guide. Congratulations, Ron and Sherman! --- WASHINGTON, DC - August 21, 2013: Bringing new flavor to 9th St. NW in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, DC, Thally serves Modern American Cuisine created by Chef and Co-Owner Ron Tanaka, along with a rotating list of wines and craft beers, custom cocktails, housemade sodas, and unique spirits in a 70 seat restaurant which includes a 14 seat bar. The restaurant hopes to open on or about Tuesday, August 27th. A Dream Realized Thally is the brainchild of two good friends who have been talking about opening up their own casually elegant restaurant in Washington, DC for years. Chef & Co-Owner Ron Tanaka and General Manager & Co-Owner Sherman Outhuok finally found the perfect place, on a burgeoning block of 9th St. NW near the DC Convention Center, and Thally was born. Thally was conceived to be a comfortable and inviting neighborhood restaurant, as well as a destination worthy of Washingtonians crossing the city to discover our mouthwatering cuisine. Our name pays tribute to our Shaw neighborhood as well as our families: "Thally" refers to the Tally-Ho Stables (built in 1883) located in Naylor Court directly behind our restaurant, as well as to Thalia, Sherman's daughter. (Thally is pronounced without saying the "h", as in Tally-Ho.) The interior décor also reflects the character of Thally's surrounding neighborhood. Design details include: exposed brick, reclaimed wood, vintage barn-door hardware, blackboards, antique pipe fittings, leather seating, substantial wood and steel tables, and a 28 ft. absolute black granite bar with leather-finish. Our logo and the custom wall graphics created by local graphic designer/ artist Matthew Hlubny for Thally's dining rooms and bathrooms feature images of the antique stables, row-houses and carriage houses that are characteristic of the Blagden Alley-Naylor Court designated historic district in the Shaw neighborhood, contained between O and M Streets and 9th and 10th Streets. MENU Simple, Fresh, and Flavorful"¦ all of Thally's dinner dishes have been carefully created by Chef Ron Tanaka with those three words in mind. FIRST COURSE chilled cucumber soup "“ greek yogurt, celery, cumin, dill, mint romaine salad- capers, grapefruit, worcestershire croutons, buttermilk vinaigrette salad of grilled peach, crisp prosciutto, spiced cottage cheese, bibb lettuce, balsamic watermelon, heirloom tomato, herbed goat cheese, pickled radish bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, avocado vinaigrette, pain de mie toast crab roulette- peekytoe crab, cauliflower/tomato salad, dill carnitas sope- pork shoulder, red chile sauce, epazote, radish SECOND COURSE swiss chard- tarbais beans, fennel, mushrooms, shallots grilled branzino- eggplant caponata, basil, piquillo jus pan seared rockfish- corn salsa, filet beans, tomato, tarragon roast duck- artichoke, greens, black olive sauce grilled pork t-bone, mustard brined, pinto bean puree, mustard greens, ginger, grilled scallion grilled delmonico steak- baby spinach, coffee dust, bordelaise sauce BEVERAGES WINE: Thally will serve 24 wines by the glass, with a rotating list that switches out 6 wines by the glass per week! DRAFT BEER: Our bar has 10 craft beers on draft. DRAFT CIDER: We're cider fans, and will always have 2 ciders on tap and a few by the bottle. THALLYTAILS: Custom cocktails created by Co-Owner Sherman Outhuok. HOUSEMADE SODAS: In lieu of serving traditional sodas squirted from a soda gun, Thally will be making its own sodas and colas. OUR TEAM Thally is co-owned by Chef Ron Tanaka, Sherman Outhuok, and Paolo Sacco. Ron Tanaka, Chef & Co-Owner A native of San Diego, Chef Tanaka began his culinary career in the mid 90s when he came to DC and began working in the pantry of the Morrison-Clark Inn under the tutelage of Susan McCreight-Lindeborge, who was a great inspiration to him. He was then spirited away by well-known Michel Richard who hired Tanaka as a line cook when he opened Citronelle. He continued to refine his cooking talents and techniques while working for Frank Ruta at Palena and then Eric Ziebold at CityZen. When Cork opened on 14th St NW, Tanaka was hired as Executive Chef, putting the restaurant (and himself) on DC's culinary map. Excited for new adventures, Chef Tanaka left Cork to reinvigorate New Heights in Woodley Park, quickly making it a must "“go dining destination, and earning it accolades on Washingtonian's "2012 Very Best Restaurants" List. He is excited to now open his own restaurant which dedicates itself to Simple, Fresh, and Flavorful Modern American cuisine. Sherman Outhuok, General Manager & Co-Owner A longtime fixture on DC's bar scene, Sherman Outhuok was a managing partner for a number of years at Posto restaurant on 14thSt. He then went on to open Maple in Columbia Heights as the Bar Manager /AGM. He makes his own "Cello" (sweet and citrusy) liquors, inspired from his time at Posto. You'll regularly find Outhuok behind the bar mixing up new batches of Lemon, Tangerine, Orange and even Grapefruit Cello. You'll also see him front-of-house, greeting guests. Paolo Sacco, Co-Owner With more than 20 years of experience in Washington, DC, as well as substantial culinary work throughout Italy, London, and New York, Paolo Sacco is highly regarded as a dynamic leader in the restaurant and hospitality industry. He is the well-known and admired Owner of Ristorante Tosca, Co-Owner of Posto, and now a Co-Owner of Thally. Sacco's hard work, dedication, and mission to always provide the highest quality cuisine and service to his patrons have placed him among the elite of Washington's restaurateurs. Sacco's career in DC began when he became the maitre d' at the very trendy Bice Restaurant from 1993-1995, where he was responsible for the operation of the dining room, as well as creating unique menus with the chef. Since its opening in April 2001, Ristorante Tosca has firmly established itself as a mature player and premier Italian restaurant on the Washington restaurant scene. Sacco's trattoria-style restaurant, Posto, has followed that same path "“ albeit on a more casual level, as it is quickly became a cornerstone on 14th St.'s restaurant row. With Sacco's guidance, Thally is poised to lead the charge in making 9th St. NW a culinary destination. LOCATION, HOURS, AND CONTACT INFO: Thally is located in the newly thriving 9th St. Corridor in Shaw, immediately adjacent to Seasonal Pantry and A&D Neighborhood Bar, in the middle of the block between N and O Streets NW. 1316 9th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 202-733-3849 info@ThallyDC.com www.ThallyDC.com Facebook.com/ThallyDC Twitter: @ThallyDC Open Tuesday "“Sunday: 5pm -11:30pm (bar), 5:30pm - 11pm (kitchen) Closed Mondays Private Dining Thally is able to accommodate parties of up to 25 people in a separate, semi-private dining room. In addition, Thally is also available on Mondays for full restaurant buy-out to accommodate 70 people.

Jill described it as a Cheese and Wine bar, but apparently there's going to be even more good stuff according to Counter Intelligence.

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!

I consistently see Linden and RdV praised as the go-to wineries in the area and, indeed, they happen to be my personal favorites. My "problem" is that I exhaustively research everything, so I'm always "stuck" with the best... what's the point of exploring if everything else will disappoint by comparison? So that's why I turn to you, DR crew... outside of RdV and Linden, what should I be trying? Are there any exciting newcomers to the scene I should get in on the ground floor of? Are there hidden gems waiting for me to discover? I don't like crowds and it's supposed to rain this weekend, so a nice, quiet, indoor space is welcome.

One that comes to mind for me is Grapeseed in Bethesda. Had a great meal there last month. I find this to be one of the highlights of the Bethesda restaurant scene. There are so many restaurants downtown, but hardly any GOOD ones. Anyone have any thoughts on this place?

Same chef and bar manager though. But for the fact that the last guy forgot to renew the liquor license the place might have stayed open continuously, but they had to re-apply and used the time waiting for the new liquor license to spruce the place up a bit. I believe Mr. Moliere always owned the building and was heavily invested as a backer of the former "owner", to the extent that he controlled the situation and had the power to boot the guy.

We want to make sure that you know about the upcoming Wine and Olive Oil Event to be held at the Mayflower Hotel on Wednesday, March 1. Marco Oreggia, most respected extra virgin olive oil journalist and Daniele Cernilli, highly acclaimed international wine critic on Italian wine, aka DoctorWine, are pleased to invite you to the walk around tasting for the launch of the guides in the U.S. Come enjoy wines from 50 producers and olive oils from olive oil producers from throughout Italy who have earned the highest scores in the 2017 guides. We have created a page that summarizes the event, trade and consumer hours, and registration. Olio2go (Fairfax), Fiola Mare (Georgetown), and Piazza Italian Market (Easton, MD) are scheduled to host additional events with olive oil producers during the week of 25 February – 3 March. You can see the full list of events with this link. Please feel free to share this with friends and colleagues!

2 Park Avenue (32nd Street), New York, NY 10016 Phone: (212) 725-8585 Web: http://www.artisanalbistro.com/ Menus: http://www.artisanal...menus_index.php For years, Artisanal has been my go-to lunch spot anytime I'm near Penn Station or Grand Central, though it's a bit of a hike from both. It's not a cheap lunch, but it has good food and wines by the glass. On my visit last Friday, I sat at the bar and started with six "East Coast" oysters (no place of origin was indicated on the menu or when they arrived) ($18) and a Hugel Reisling from Alsace ($14). The oysters were big and nicely briney, but served with a Mignonette that was basically red wine vinegar. This isn't typical and, regardless, a good oyster is a good oyster. I also ordered The Big Cheese, a killer grilled cheese with Fontina, Tellegio, Gruyere, and Emmenthaler ($15.50), to which I added tomato ($1.50) and bacon ($2.00), and subbed an under dressed green salad for the standard chips. Add another Hugel and the bill was $71 for a big lunch, which admittedly wasn't their finest effort (an anomaly, but still an enjoyable meal). Steep, yes, but you could stick to the sandwich itself or the excellent burger and leave for much less.

I am looking for a restaurant in the Farragut/Dupont area that has half price bottles of wine on Tuesday nights. Does this exist?

Hi everyone, One of our favorite wines is the Jean-Louis Chave "Mon Coeur". We can get it from Chelsea Wine Vault in NYC, but have struck out around here. Does anyone know of any wine shops that happen to stock it (or any JL Chave wine, for that matter) in the area? Thanks in advance!

This is shocking, and makes me wonder if I have any wines on hold with them. Man, this is *every bit* as shocking as what happened with Carolina Wine Company. "Berkeley's Premier Cru Wine Schemer Pleads Guilty to Wine Fraud" by Malaika Fraley and Matthias Gaffni on eastbaytimes.com "Premier Cru Boss Cops Plea in Wine Fraud Case" by W. Blake Gray on wine-searcher.com Apr 3, 2016 - "Claims of a Ponzi Scheme in the Collapse of a Rare-Wine Seller" by Robert Frank on nytimes.com