• 19Mar

    Bargain Hunter’s Guide to Dining and Drinking in Dupont

    From Rakuya’s HH last Fall.

    This topic reminds me of my recurring column from many years ago about eating in Arlington when nearly broke. Here are some Dupont Circle specials:

    Dawson’s Market free beer tastings on Thursdays (City State are DC Brau are the next two events). Photos of some previous tastings and their event calendar were covered in a previous article. They also have one Friday wine tasting a month at the DuPont location.

    Ala has an online discount code for online orders, “ALA30” and they also have a 25% off (entire menu, food and drinks) HH Mon-Friday 2-5pm. Keep in mind that they are a bit pricy to start with, and are also on the Too Good To Go app (café stuff).

    Duffy’s Irish pub (which opened on P Street during the pandemic) has dine in 1/2 price burgers Mondays with the purchase of a beverage all night and dine in all day/night 1/2 price wings Wednesdays with purchase of a beverage. Every Thursday from 4pm-7pm kids eat free from the kids menu with the purchase of an adult entrée and drink.

    Rakuya has Happy Hour (HH) food and drink specials including $3 shishito peppers or edamame, $5 yakitori, $5.50 gyoza, green beans tempura, shumai, crunchy spice salmon rolls, or spicy tuna rolls. They also have $4-8 beer, $7 glasses of wine, and a few $8-9 cocktails on HH.

    Firehook Bakery has Buy One Get One pastries M-F 5-6pm, but not cookies, or cupcakes; it’s items like scones and cinnamon rolls.

    Across the Pond has a special on Mondays 4-8pm: $6 hamburger and fries ($1 additional per topping).

    The Admiral HH features 3 cheeseburger siders for $10.

    Specials from our neighbors:

    Chef Geoff’s West end (a few blocks from DuPont) has a number of food on their HH menu like $4 mahi tacos, $6 white truffle popcorn, $12 pasta Bolognese, $5 off of burgers, etc. And, a few $8 cocktails and $10 supermug drafts.

    Ted’s Bulletin in Logan Circle during their HH Monday – Friday 3 PM – 6:30 PM has $3 drafts, $5 wines, $7 cocktails, and food specials like $6 fried pickles, $6 French onion dip with truffle potato chips, and $7 chicken parm sliders, $7 bacon cheeseburger empanadas, or Rueben tacos.

    -JAY

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  • 12Nov

    Tastings are Happening in Dupont and Rockville at Dawson’s Market!

    Glen’s Garden Market in Dupont Circle recently became Dawson’s Market. The store seems mostly the same, which is nice. I know that a lot of businesses haven’t gotten back to doing tastings, but Dawson’s is an exception.

    Every Thursday, Dawson’s has a different brewery pour samples 5pm-7pm during a weekly cookout, but lately other tastings have been happening as well. Today, both the Dupont Circle and Rockville locations had a wine and cheese tasting (see the Siema Wines photo above for Dupont Circle), and this weekend there will be tastings from Dawson’s Thanksgiving Menu. In Rockville the Thanksgiving menu tasting will be on Saturday, November 13th 12pm-3pm, and in Dupont, it will be on Sunday, November 14th 12pm-3pm.

    Dawson’s has an online event calendar.

    -JAY

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  • 16Jun

    Sonoma in Osteria Morini

    Last week I attended the Sonoma in the City Master Class & Luncheon. We learned about Sonoma County wines and heard various winery representatives speak, including the three featured above. David Mounts was seated next to me, so you are looking at a combination of both of our wine glasses.

    The wines were of course excellent and paired well with the food. I had not eaten at Osteria Morini previously and was very impressed with the food (pictured above); I’m definitely going to eat their again. The food pairings were:

    1st Course:

    • 2012 MacRostie Winery & Vineyards Wildcat Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
    • 2012 Three Sticks Durell Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Valley
    • 2012 Froswatch Vineyard & Winery Ophira Chardonnay, Bennett Valley
    • 2012 Robert Young Estate Winery Estate Chardonnay, Alexander Valley

    2nd Course:

    • 2012 Rodney Strong Vineyards Symmetry Red Meritage, Alexander Valley
    • 2012 Dry Creek Vineyard The Mariner Red Meritage, Dry Creek Valley
    • 2012 Francis Ford Coppola Winery Archmedes Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley (65% Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak)
    • 2011 Laurel Glen Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Mountain

    3rd Course:

    • 2012 Ravenswood Old Hill Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley
    • 2012 Mounts Family Winery Old Vine Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley
    • 2012 Dashe Cellars Todd Brothers Ranch Zinfandel, Alexander Valley
    • 2013 Hartsford Family Winery Old Vine Zinfandel, Russian River Valley

    -JAY

    Click to add a blog post for Osteria Morini on Zomato

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  • 25Sep

    Infographics: How to Make Coffee & Beer Vs. Wine

    Check out these infographics:

    How to Make Coffee Like a Pro.

    “Did you know that 63% of Americans over the age of 18 drink coffee everyday? I’m a part of that statistic and I bet you are too.”

    Beer Vs. Wine: the Great Drink Debate.

    “This may come as a surprise, but when it comes to people who love their wine, did you know that no one enjoys it more than the folks in the Vatican City? They are considered to be the world’s biggest consumers of wine with 365 bottles a year per capita (which makes exactly one bottle a day!). You can find this and other interesting facts in this infographic: http://financesonline.com/beer-vs-wine/.”

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  • 21Sep

    Portugal: the Great but Often Overlooked Wine Country

    Portuguese WineHave you ever tasted a Portuguese wine? I know I hadn’t until last Tuesday. And apparently that is the unfortunate norm. Although Portugal has a wide range of delicious vintages they are extremely underrepresented by American wine sellers. And as a result, we, the American wine drinking public, have been missing out. Hopefully, that is about to change.

    Last Tuesday I attended a Wines of Portugal seminar taught by Master Sommelier, Doug Frost. The class was extremely informative as well as entertaining. Doug provided us with a thorough view of Portuguese history and geography, while relating it all back to the country’s diverse wine producing regions. I learned about how the country’s different regions, effected by coastal breezes and water (ocean on one side, Mediterranean Sea on the other) as well as mountainous and hot sandy climates in the middle of the country, allow it to produce a wide variety of grapes and wines.

    The result of these unique geographical circumstances? Some truly delicious wines. One thing I learned from Doug is that we each have unique tastes and palates. I now know that I have a low sensitivity to acid. Portugal is famous for having a high acidic base to many of their wines. Think Virginia’s Viogniers, New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs or German Rieslings as comparable options. I had never made this connection before, but these are some of my favorite types of wine, which is why I loved the majority of the Portuguese wines I tasted. The takeaway from this class is that by drawing more attention to the Portuguese wine industry, people will start asking for these wines to be made more readily available. So next time you do see a Portuguese wine listed on a wine menu, take a risk and try it. My guess is you won’t be disappointed and hopefully these wines will become a mainstream commodity here in the States.

    -JPM (Joyana)

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  • 22Jul

    It is the Region that is Green, Not the Wine

    I recently had the wonderful fortune of sitting in on a Full Circle Wine Solutions master class wine luncheon at Bryan Voltaggio’s restaurant, Range. The theme was “An Exploration of Portugal’s Wine Regions and Varietals.” Each course was paired with 4 wonderful Portuguese wines. We were even sent home with the book (wine journal that includes distribution information) 50 Great Portuguese Wines by Doug Frost.The food, the wine, and the pairings were spectacular. We really should get the word out about how good Portuguese wines can be.

    I could just sit here and some of the delicious 2012 Quinta da Raza Raza Vinho Verde (green wine) right now! Then, I’d start on a the other vinho verde, 2012 Adega Cooperative de Ponte de Lima Adamado. I do love vinho verde, and yes, they are named for lushness of the region. I was also very much enjoyed the third course wines (including the tawny port that was served with them in advance of the dessert course).

    The wines we sampled included:

    Reception: 

    2012 Quinta da Raza Raza Vinho Verde

    First Course: 

    2012 Adega Cooperative de Ponte de Lima Adamado Vinho Verde
    2009 Campolargo Arinto, Bairrada 
    2011 Jose Maria da Fonseca Domingo Soares Franco Verdelho Peninsula de Setubal
    2011 Esporao Reserva White, Alentejo
     
    Second Course:
     
    2009 Quinta do Mondego Red, Dao
    2010 Quinta S. Joao Batista Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon-Touriga Nacional, Tejo
    2010 Luis Pato Vinhas Velhas, Bairrada
    2009 Tahora Medeiros Tonto, Aentejo
     
    Third Course:
     
    2009 Joao Portugal Ramos Conde de Cimioso Falua, Alentejo
    2009 Quinta do Portal Touriga Nacional, Douro Valley
    2009 Durum Reserva Old Vines, Douro Valley
     
    Dessert Course:
     
    Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Douro Valley
     
    -JAY
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  • 10Apr

    Can’t Get Enough Of The Wines of Catalonia

    Torelló 3D BY Custo 2007, DO Cava comes with 3D glasses (which Michael Birchenall of Food Service Monthly is wearing), but the U.S. has not approved the wine for import because of the (intentionally) unclear label.

    Torelló 3D By Custo 2007, DO Cava comes with 3D glasses (which Michael Birchenall of Food Service Monthly is wearing), but the U.S. has not approved the wine for import because of the (intentionally) unclear label. Winemaker Francisco de la Rosa Torelló is holding the bottle.

    Yesterday I attended events featuring the wines of the Catalonia region of Spain practically all day including:

    • Sommelier Seminar (Oyamel)
    • International Cartavi Awards (Jaleo (Jaleo won an award))
    • Media Lunch (Jaleo)
    • Walk-around tasting (Jaleo)

    The dishes served to us during lunch were dishes from the same region and were paired with delicious wines. See the gallery above to get a peek at some of the food we ate at Jaleo.

    The quality and variety of the wines featured during all the events was exceptional. It was nice that at the Oyamel class we learned a about Catalonia’s different wine regions. Many of the wines were organic and from family vineyards with long histories of making wine.

    Some of my favorite wines that day were also great values ($16-20):

    Recaredo – Gran Reserva Particular 2001, DO Cava

    Vinicola de Nulles/Adernats – Seducció 2012, DO Tarragona

    Parés Baltà – Indigena red 2010, DO Penedès

    -JAY

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  • 03May

    My Recent Wine Adventures

    Fried green tomatoes at the Chesapeake Room.

    A couple of weeks ago, I attended Newton Vineyard’s Eco Chic Media Tour at (the relatively new) Chesapeake Room (501 8th Street Southeast) near Eastern Market. Michael Wisner was present; he is a contemporary American artist and designer of the new 2011 Newton Limited bottle chiller and an official partner of Newton Vineyards eco – conscious initiatives. I got to meet Chris Millard as well; he is the winemaker for Newton Vineyards. I’ve never had unfiltered wine before, and was expecting something like unfiltered grape juice (which is basically juice with pulp). No. there was no grit or pulp because wine sits longer and settles into sediment that does not wind up in your glass. Was it good? Yes, definitely better than expected.

    Cheese & fig compote. The (delicious) seafood salad is to the right.

    How was the food at Chesapeake Room?  I had a variety of appetizers including fried green tomatoes with goat cheese tomato creme, seafood salad on cucumber slices, Appalachian cheese with (their house made) fig compote, shrimp & zucchini skewers with chimmichurri (I’ll go with their spelling), and smoked duck breast with Pomeranian sauce. My favorites were the seafood salad and the shrimp skewers, but i enjoyed all the dishes except the duck, which I felt was too tough. The fig compote was good. The chef is new to this area and is originally from North Carolina.

    I attended Biagio’s sample day a couple of weeks ago. They had many great chocolate samples out (like a 100% bar, and one with pink peppercorns). They also had the list of winners from a British chocolate show and were selling the chocolates that won awards. First Vines was the guest vintner and had some great French wines at the tasting; they can actually deliver to DC or ship to Virginia (sorry Maryland). Biagio’s sample days are monthly, and while they announce the dates a few days in advance, they are (at my request) sending me the dates a couple of weeks in advance.

    One nice thing about the Biagio tastings is that two wine stores on the same street have wine tastings on Saturdays. So, we hit 3 tastings in one shot. The other two shops we hit were A.M. Wineshop (which only carries French wines), and Ansonia (which has prepared foods as well).  De Vinos might have tastings as well.

    -JAY

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  • 15Mar

    Upcoming Tuesday Tastings at Jaleo (Crystal City) Wine Shop

    In my Inbox.

    -JAY
    ————————–

    ThinkFoodGroup Beverage Director Jill Zimorski will lead her Tuesday Tastings at 6 PM at Jaleo Wine Shop, located at Jaleo Crystal City, which are designed to take participants through a tour of the wines and regions of Spain. The cost is only $5, and it can be applied to any purchase in the restaurant or shop (excluding gift cards). For more information, please contact the restaurant at 703-413-8181.

    Tuesday, March 22
    Wines from Rioja, Part II – (Region; 2nd in the “Rioja Series”)
    2003 Marques de Murrieta ‘Capellania’ (Chardonnay)
    2007 Seis de Luberri (Tempranillo)
    2000 Cune ‘Vina Real’ Reserva (Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano)

    Tuesday, March 29
    Wines from the Canary Islands!
    2008 Monje ‘Tinto Tradicional’ (Negramoll, Listan Negro)
    2006 Tacande Tenerife (Baboso, Tintilla, Negramoll)


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  • 07Mar

    Boxwood Winery Tastings & Happy Hours

    In my Inbox. Much of this is local and only $10. Boxwood Winery itself is in Middleburg, Va.

    -JAY
    ——————–
    Boxwood Winery and The Tasting Room Wine Bars are pleased to announce our upcoming schedule of events.

    Please RSVP to cat@boxwoodwinery.com. Event links follow each listing:

    Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 8 pm, Reston, Mardi Gras!
    All welcome to our Mardi Gras Party with live jazz and complimentary Creole snacks by award winning chef and author, David Guas of Bayou Bakery. Boxwood 2007 (out of vintage) will make an appearance – don’t miss its encore or the party!
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=165709883477667&index=1

    Saturday, March 12, 2011, 4 pm, Chevy Chase, The Mardi Gras Super Tasting
    The Mardi Gras Tasting: Join us in our Wisconsin Place location for a tasting of
    5 delicious wines for $10 per person (plus tax and gratuity) and Kings Cake also by Chef David Guas. Please RSVP.
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=205231379492297&index=1

    Saturday, March 12, 2011, 4 pm, Reston, Trefethen Tasting
    The Trefethen Family Winery Tasting: John Harrington of Napa Valley winery, Trefethen will be on hand to present and discuss Trefethen’s wines including special vintages. $20 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Please RSVP.
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=202493056433096&index=1

    Sunday, March 20, 2011, 2 pm, Middleburg, Super Tasting
    Middleburg Super Tasting Event: Join us for a worldy tasting and discussion of 5 wines for $10 per person (plus tax and gratuity) in our charming hometown of Middleburg. Please RSVP.
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=197551666930660&index=1

    Monday, March 21, 2011, 6 pm, Chevy Chase, Networking and Wine
    The Networking Wine Tasting at Wisconsin Place: Bring your business cards and introduce yourself to other professionals while tasting two glasses of delicious wines. $10 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Please RSVP.
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=193284500703022&index=1

    Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 7 pm, Chevy Chase, Paraiso Tasting
    The Paraiso Vineyard Tasting at Wisconsin Place: David Fleming, Wine Maker of the acclaimed Paraiso Vineyard in Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey, California is welcomed for a tasting and discussion of Paraiso wines. $10 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Please RSVP.
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116022795141309&index=1

    Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 7 pm, Reston, Kamen Tasting
    The Kamen Estate Wine Tasting: Katy Wilson of Kamen Estate Wines in the Mayacamas Range of Sonoma County, California is welcomed to present and discuss Kamen’s highly acclaimed Cabernets and Syrahs. $10 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Please RSVP.
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=131028946969202&index=1

    Event attendees receive $10 off menu prices on bottle purchases and 10% off cases.

    News from the Winery:

    It is almost time for Rose! Last year’s vintage sold out in only weeks and we expect both of our awaited 2010’s to do the same. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for news on the release, then beat a path to The Tasting Rooms for your cases!
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boxwood-Winery/227231687567

    Boxwood’s on-hand vintages are moving quickly: Time to consider cellaring your favorites. You can purchase bottles and cases on-line at the Boxwood store:
    http://stores.floridakeys.com/boxwood/

    Schedule your visit to tour and taste at Boxwood Estate Winery now for the warm seasons ahead! Tours can be booked online here:
    https://secure.floridakeys.com/boxwoodwinery/

    Keep tabs on us:

    Follow Boxwood Estate Winery on Facebook:
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boxwood-Winery/227231687567

    Follow Boxwood’s Tasting Room Wine Bars on Facebook:
    http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=30378393212&v=wall

    We look forward to seeing you in March!
    The Boxwood Winery and Tasting Room Teams
    This message was sent by: The Boxwood Winery, P.O. Box 1887, Middleburg, Virginia 20118

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