I lucked out – rock star parking on a very busy Saturday
It’s fall in the greater Washington region, so that means it’s time for the Calvert Woodley wine sale. I received the new catalog a few weeks back.
Calvert Woodley is a venerable presence in DMV (the District, Maryland and Virginia) wine circles, with co-founder Ed Sands celebrating 50 years in the business this past July. I wrote two years ago about Calvert Woodley and the encyclopedic catalog they send out, so I’ll keep this update post brief. You can download your own 2016 catalog from this page on their site — very large file.
Some points made in the Calvert Woodley catalog:
Bordeaux – 2015 is a very good year for Bordeaux, not quite up to 2009 and 2010 but strong. As usual, Calvert Woodley has a huge array of affordable choices, including the best selection of petit chateaux in the area. Also, 2015 was a super year for Sauternes.
California – Californian Cabernet Sauvignon is on a roll, with excellent years in 2012, 2013 and 2014 (2015 too early to tell). 2014 is shaping up to be a very strong year for Pinot Noir. Russian River and Sta. Rita are two favorite regions of ours.
Spain – Long known for its Tempranillo-based red wines, there has been an explosion of quality white Spanish wines, based on multiple grapes – Albarino, Godello, Albillo, Viura and Verdejo.
Argentina – It’s not just Malbec anymore. White wine made from the Torrontes grape is improving rapidly.
Chile – It’s offering more than red Bordeaux blends. The Sauvignon Blancs have gotten very good.
New Zealand – There was a spring frost that benefited the 2015 Sauvignon Blancs. In particular, wine from the Bannockburn region of Otago is recommended.
These are broad generalizations of large wine-making regions of course — your mileage may vary. I’ve generally found Calvert Woodley recommendations to be on the mark, and especially helpful when trying wines we don’t usually drink.
Calvert Woodley is a huge wine resource, no matter what your enthusiasm or knowledge level. The store also carries a wide range of liquor and beer. Download the catalog, or even better stop by next time you’re in Northwest DC.