(Julia's notes) Wow. For years we've been preaching "DRINK PINK" and pushing rose for all it's
worth. The staff of RCC truly has
saigne' running in our veins (har--wine humor). But our dear friend, former RCC staffer and Potomac Selections rep Ryne Hazzard really outdid himself Sunday hosting a ONE HUNDRED ROSES tasting at his secret compound the other side of town. Like an idiot I scheduled myself Sunday so the rest of my staff and every wine shop geek from Charlottesville to Williamsburg had a 4 hour head start by the time I got there. But tasting and spitting (sorry neighbors on the other side of the fence) at lightening speed I caught up in no time. 40 industry people, 12 hours, 100 wines, 3 bottles of mosquito repellent and one kidnapping later, we were very pink indeed. Sara has the best photos, (coming next week), as she and Ryne meticulously
cataloged each bottle, which ranged from rare and pricey ($80/bt) Chateau Simone to hilarious (Wild Irish Rose*), famous (Domaine Tempier) to pedestrian (Beringer white zin) with lots of gems from Provence, South Africa, Italy and sunny Spain delighting a tough crowd. Honestly it was such a treat because not once did I hear "what's the price point?" or "who brings this in?" but only "great to see you!" and "oh, oh--you gotta try this!" And did I mention many of us dressed up, in pink of course?!
Of the many highlights of the evening, my two favorites were absconding with the owner of a famous Belgian-beer loving Vietnamese restaurant on Broad Street and bringing him back for the tasting (I think there may have been a rocking chair theft involved but I'm pleading the 5th), and a certain Country
Vintner wine rep and former front of house manager at Acacia doing the *most perfect ever* rendition of 'Baby Got Back.' So a shout out to all my hard working, rose loving peers--Belmont Butchery, the Cheese Shop, Enoteca Sogno/Coast, Barrel Thief, Strawberry Street Vineyard, Bello Vino, Mekong, Can Can, Belle Vie, Emerson's, and of course RCC--good times! We love our jobs. And if you love us, help celebrate Independents [sic] Day by supporting your local wine shops and restaurants. Thanks to you we
live
La Vie En Rose!
*According to Henry Reidy at SSV, Virginia was the 4th largest (by volume) wine producer until Wild Irish Rose moved its production from Petersburg to New York. Now we're 5th. I don't think that's a bad thing ;)
(Julia's notes) Wow. For years we've been preaching "DRINK PINK" and pushing rose for all it's
worth. The staff of RCC truly has saigne' running in our veins (har--wine humor). But our dear friend, former RCC staffer and Potomac Selections rep Ryne Hazzard really outdid himself Sunday hosting a ONE HUNDRED ROSES tasting at his secret compound the other side of town. Like an idiot I scheduled myself Sunday so the rest of my staff and every wine shop geek from Charlottesville to Williamsburg had a 4 hour head start by the time I got there. But tasting and spitting (sorry neighbors on the other side of the fence) at lightening speed I caught up in no time. 40 industry people, 12 hours, 100 wines, 3 bottles of mosquito repellent and one kidnapping later, we were very pink indeed. Sara has the best photos, (coming next week), as she and Ryne meticulously 
cataloged each bottle, which ranged from rare and pricey ($80/bt) Chateau Simone to hilarious (Wild Irish Rose*), famous (Domaine Tempier) to pedestrian (Beringer white zin) with lots of gems from Provence, South Africa, Italy and sunny Spain delighting a tough crowd. Honestly it was such a treat because not once did I hear "what's the price point?" or "who brings this in?" but only "great to see you!" and "oh, oh--you gotta try this!" And did I mention many of us dressed up, in pink of course?!
Vintner wine rep and former front of house manager at Acacia doing the *most perfect ever* rendition of 'Baby Got Back.' So a shout out to all my hard working, rose loving peers--Belmont Butchery, the Cheese Shop, Enoteca Sogno/Coast, Barrel Thief, Strawberry Street Vineyard, Bello Vino, Mekong, Can Can, Belle Vie, Emerson's, and of course RCC--good times! We love our jobs. And if you love us, help celebrate Independents [sic] Day by supporting your local wine shops and restaurants. Thanks to you we live La Vie En Rose!
*According to Henry Reidy at SSV, Virginia was the 4th largest (by volume) wine producer until Wild Irish Rose moved its production from Petersburg to New York. Now we're 5th. I don't think that's a bad thing ;)
Progress!
Our Mason Chris and his trusty assistant Jamie have opened up the windows and are busy cutitng out the doorway. And no, not a flagman in sight! Here's hoping the rain holds off until we get the glass in...
Shout out to my brick mason, Chris McBrayer.: he is talented, efficient, professional, creative and tidy. Even if he is a bastard for making a veal fed almost 40 year old girl demo ancient windows ;) Dude--isn't that what 19 
year old boys are for?! Oh well, at least I don't need a silkwood shower when I get off work.
(Sara's notes) In cheese news, I just got back from Caromont with a cooler full of all our favorites--Fresh Chevre, Old Green Mountain rounds, and pyramids of Alberene Ash (that I'll be having for dinner tonight with some fresh beets I got at the farmer's market). It was great, as it always is, to hang out with the goats and their keepers, to do some milking and some packaging, and to 
check in on my two favorite little ones, Violet and Sparrow, who are still as sweet as ever. Maybe one day I'll be able to bring them home with me (and you know I'll bring them to the store for show and tell), but until then, here are some pictures so you can see just how adorable they really are...
progress, and I'm slowly getting 
used to the dull ache and sharp pain in my right arm. Tim attacked the crazily over-built dressing rooms with a rather large electric saw, and David G filled two dumpsters' worth of debris. Now we're left with only a bit of drywall and baseboards to pry out. The subs have started coming in for estimates (hood, electric--still need plumbing and HVAC if anyone has a suggestion: info@rivercitycellars.com). The joys of dealing with various codes and an old, carved up building are book worthy. All it takes is more money ;)
In the wine geek celebrity watch department, Michael Broadbent and his lovely wife Daphne stopped by the shop yesterday for some cheese. Of course I was sweaty, pig-tailed and covered in a patina of drywall dust, but it was exciting to show him around the wine bar space. "Lovely aspect, and I used to be an architect you know." And somehow I managed to deflect Bartholomew's (their son, Richmond transplant and an old friend) comments about how his dad likes a dirty girl... Sigh. It was a treat meeting them. Hopefully next time they're in town I can serve them a glass of chilled Manzanilla! (In the photo, left to right: David G our beer buyer, Daphne, Michael, Peter our wine buyer and me.)
