wine

Crystal City Wine Shop to Open Second Location

By ARLnow.com

Ground floor of 220 20th Street S. (photo via Google Maps)The one-year-old Crystal City Wine Shop is expanding to a second location.

Crystal City Wine Shop — a for-profit business owned by the nonprofit Washington Wine Academy — will open a 1,500 square foot store at 220 20th Street S., in the former Revolution Cycles CityHub space. The store will carry 300 different wines and 150 types of beer, according to Washington Wine Academy president Jim Barker.

In addition to selling wine and beer, the store will “focus on educating people through tastings and events,” Barker said. Like the current store at 401 12th Street S., the new location will hold wine and beer tastings on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Barker says he hopes to open the new store at some point this summer, possibly in August.

Even though the two stores will only be a few blocks away from one another, Barker says he believes having a new store “in the heart of Crystal City” will help attract new customers who don’t necessarily want to walk to the existing store, on the north end of Crystal City.

Barker said the Whole Foods Market set to open a block away from the wine shop’s 12th Street location in 3-4 years is “obviously a concern,” but thinks that there’s room for both businesses. He pointed out that the apartment building in which the Whole Foods will be built will add residents to the area, and that the new Boeing headquarters will also add to Crystal City Wine Shop’s base of potential customers.

Photo via Google Maps

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Building in Ballston by Airpolonia

Another Military Daycare Worker Accused of Abuse — Another Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall daycare worker has been accused of abuse, just three months after another daycare abuse scandal broke at the base. This time, a daycare worker is accused of hitting a three-year-old child with a seat cushion. [WJLA]

Crystal City Plan Wins National Award — The Crystal City Sector Plan has won the American Planning Association’s 2013 National Planning Achievement Award for Innovation in Economic Planning and Development. “This ambitious, creative plan is already beginning to make Crystal City an even better place to live, work and play, and to help Arlington meet the serious challenges posed by BRAC,” said Arlington County Board Chair Walter Tejada, in a statement. [Arlington County]

Wine Walk This Weekend — Crystal City will host its annual “1K Wine Walk” this weekend. All but one “heat” on Saturday is sold out, but tickets are still available for most time slots on Sunday. The “1K Beer Walk” will take place two weekends from now. Disclosure: Event organizer Washington Wine Academy is an ARLnow.com advertiser. [Washington Wine Academy]

Seeking ‘Women of Vision’ Nominees — Arlington County’s Commission on the Status of Women is seeking nominations for the 2013 Women of Vision Awards. “The awards are given to individuals who demonstrate a strong commitment to women’s issues, and have, over time, developed and communicated their vision for women and engaged community members and other leaders in order to realize this vision,” the county said on its website. [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Airpolonia

Wine, Beer Walks Returning to Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Crystal City will be holding its popular indoor wine and beer walks again this winter.

The walks, now in their third year, combine light exercise (a one kilometer course through Crystal City’s underground shopping area) with moderate drinking (multiple wine/beer and snack stations are set up along the course).

The 1K wine walks will take place between 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Jan. 12 and 13. The 1K beer walks will take place between 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Jan. 26 and 27.

The walks will feature “dozens” of varieties of beer and wine, as provided by the Washington Wine Academy.

Registration for the wine walk is $43.50 and includes a t-shirt and 20 tasting tickets. Registration for the beer walk is $38.50 and also includes a t-shirt and 20 tasting tickets.

Tickets can be purchased online. The course begins at the section of the Crystal City Shops closest to 2200 Crystal Drive.

Photo courtesy Crystal City BID. Disclosure: Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

Grateful Red to Hold ‘Grand Opening’ Wine Festival

By ARLnow.com

Grateful Red (2727 Wilson Blvd) wine shop in Clarendon is holding its official grand opening celebration this weekend.

Wendy Buckley, who also owns Screwtop Wine Bar, opened the store a couple of months ago, but wanted to take some time to get established before holding a big bash. This Saturday, September 15, Grateful Red will officially hold its Grand Opening and Fall Wine Lovers Festival.

Visitors can sample more than 30 wines and craft beers, along with gourmet goodies and cheeses. Local business Cookies and Corks of Falls Church will be at the store to offer samples of their specialty wine pairing cookies. Customers will receive discounts off of wine purchases over $50. The store will soon kick off wine classes, and will offer more information and a sign-up on Saturday.

All of the store’s usual offerings will also be available including meats, cheeses, gifts like soaps and lotions, more than 120 beers and more than 50 wines for less than $12.

It is free to attend the event, which runs from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Crystal City Wine Festival Returns in September

By ARLnow.com

The 6th annual Vintage Crystal wine festival in Crystal City is less than a month away.

Vintage Crystal: A Taste of Wine and Jazz is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 16, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. The event will be held in the parking lot outside 220 20th Street S.

The $20 cost of admission will get you a tasting glass, sips of tequila and various types of Spanish and South American wine, and tapas dishes from local restaurants. There’s also a $10 food-only option.

In addition to the food and drink, the event also features salsa dancing lessons, Latin jazz, and wine tasting classes.

Crystal City is also hosting weekly “Wine in the Water Park” events, at the public “water” park at 1750 Crystal Drive. The events are held on Fridays, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., through Sept. 28.

Disclosure: Crystal City Business Improvement District is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

Grateful Red Wine Store Now Open in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Grateful Red, a new boutique wine and gift store from the owners of Screwtop Wine Bar (1025 N. Fillmore Street), is now open in Clarendon.

Located at 2727 Wilson Blvd, in the old Shoefly space, Grateful Red will carry (the store is still building its inventory) 500-600 bottles of wine, primarily from lesser-known independent producers, including local Virginia wineries. The store also offers beer, gourmet snacks and cheeses, and gifts.

While Screwtop will continue to operate its small retail wine shop, owner Wendy Buckley says she opened Grateful Red in order to offer more variety to customers. Many of the wines at the store can’t be found elsewhere in the immediate area, she said.

“When someone comes here, they won’t see a lot of wines they see in grocery stores,” she said.

Buckley said she’s happy to have hired some of the former staffers from Best Cellars, the Clarendon wine store that closed last year. She said the closing of Best Cellars in Clarendon wasn’t due to a lack of business. Instead, Buckley suggested, the store was doing well, but closed due to financial problems with the parent company.

Store General Manager Amanda Weaver-Page, who formerly managed the Best Cellars location in Dupont Circle, will be offering wine classes at the store, including “wine 101” and classes that focus on specific wine-growing regions.

Buckley noted that the store is pet friendly, takes pride in its sense of humor. Gifts on sale include funny t-shirts, bedazzled flasks, and an ice cube tray that makes ice in the shape of the Titanic. Although the staff is knowledgeable about wine, Buckley says they “don’t take themselves too seriously.”

Future plans for the store include adding the capability to fill beer growlers, and launching a wine basket delivery service for the D.C. metro area.

1/12

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

ACPD Cruiser Hits Dog — An Arlington County police cruiser hit a dog Thursday night. The dog’s owner is accusing the police officer of speeding at the time the dog was struck, but a police spokesman suggests that that the dog’s injuries — it survived and is expected “to make a full recovery” — would have been worse if the officer was actually speeding. [WUSA 9]

Ballston Craft Market Season Starts — The Ballston Arts & Crafts Market will open its 2012 season on Saturday, May 12. It will take place on the second Saturday of the month through October. [Sun Gazette]

Wine Shop Offers Discount for Locals — The new Crystal City Wine Shop is offering 10 percent off to neighbors who live in the 22202 zip code and can prove it with a valid photo ID. The deal is valid on Tuesdays only. The shop is also offering 10 percent off on Wednesdays to anybody who works in the 22202 zip code and can prove it with a business card.

Wine Shop to Replace Shoefly in Clarendon

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 11:25 a.m.) A new tenant has emerged to take the place of Shoefly (2727 Wilson Blvd) in Clarendon. Soon, a wine shop will be moving into the space.

Screwtop Wine Bar (1025 N. Fillmore St) informed its customers over the weekend that it will open a retail wine bar in the old Shoefly spot. A Facebook page has been set up for the store, which will be called Grateful Red. Its website just became active today.

The store is expected to open sometime this summer. Screwtop Wine Bar owner Wendy Buckley said she hopes Grateful Red will be able to open its doors by July 4.

Buckley and her staff will aim to provide a mix of wines, ranging from “fancy” to less than $10 per bottle. Buckley said she’s grateful to be able to run a business in an area she loves.

Shoefly had been in business for 10 years, but the owners reportedly decided not to renew the lease.

The Curious Grape Reopens in Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

The Curious Grape has reopened as a wine store and restaurant in Shirlington.

The wine shop traded its former location at 4056 Campbell Avenue — now a Cheesetique wine and cheese store — for a much bigger location a couple of blocks away, at 2900 S. Quincy Street (next to the Energy Club). The larger, sunnier space has allowed owners Suzanne McGrath and Katie Park to to reinvent their store as “The Curious Grape Wine, Dine & Shop,” complete with a sit-down restaurant, coffee and wine bar, and fresh, house-made pastry selection. As before, The Curious Grape also sells wine, beer, cheese and other gourmet items retail.

The Curious Grape restaurant — which quietly started serving diners last night — is helmed by executive chef Eric McKamey, whose resume includes PassionFish in Reston, 2941 in Falls Chuch, and Central, CityZen and Proof in D.C. McKamey’s menu offers “an eclectic selection of seasonal starters, small plates and entrées,” with ingredients “sourced from the Mid-Atlantic region whenever possible.” A press release listed some menu specifics.

Standouts include the Crimini Mushroom Soup with toasted sunflower seeds and preserved mushrooms; Lightly Cured Hamachi with pomegranate, cumin, and preserved lemon; Lamb Empanadas with pumpkin seed salsa and crème fraiche; Sweet Potato Gnocchi with thyme, Taleggio cheese and black truffle; Pan Roasted Sea Scallops with black rice, bok choy and a plum wine sauce; Pene Pasta with a Vietnamese-spiced beef and lamb Bolognese, as well as Coffee and Cacao-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin with potato-fennel gratin, wilted spinach and Malbec bordelaise. A unique menu layout directs guests to wine pairings for each dish, and also encourages customers to “drink what they love”. Prices range from $7 to $8 for starters, from $13 to $17 for appetizers, and from $19 and $25 entrées.

In its 5,200 square foot space, The Curious Grape has a 10-seat wine bar, a 55-seat main dining room and a 40-seat private event space. The coffee and pastry “cafe” is open starting at 7:30 a.m. daily. For bar and restaurant patrons, the eatery offers a seasonal selection of beers on tap and by the bottle. Additional hours and reservation information are available on the store’s website.

1/15

Crystal City Wine Shop Now Open

By ARLnow.com

Crystal City’s only gourmet wine shop is now open for business.

The Crystal City Wine Shop, at the corner of Army Navy Drive and 12th Street S. on the ground floor of the Lenox Club apartments, quietly opened on Thursday and is operating under reduced hours this week while management hires employees and kicks the business into gear.

For the time being, the wine shop is stocking about a third of the wine and beer selection that will eventually be offered for sale. As they start ramping up sales and restocking, managers hope to offer some 150-200 types of beer and about 800 individual wines. There will be a special emphasis on Virginia wines, we’re told. In addition to wine and beer, the store is selling meats, cheeses, sauces, crackers, potato chips and chocolates.

Through Saturday, the store will be open daily from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Eventually, the store’s hours are expected to be 12:00 to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 12:00 to 9:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. The store does not yet have a website, though one is on the way.

The shop is wholly owned by the nonprofit Washington Wine Academy, which has offices in a building across the street. Alex Evans, the academy’s director of education, says the store was conceived after attendees at academy-run events — like the Crystal City 1K Wine Walk — started asking where they could buy some of the unique wines they were tasting.

“Now we can give them a definitive answer,” Evans said.

(more…)

Wine, Books Come Together at Fundraiser

By Katie Pyzyk

Wine and beer may not be the first things that come to mind when you think of children’s literacy. But a fundraiser is combining the two in an event called “Of Wine & Words.”

The Reading Connection is hosting the event on Friday at the Boeing Conference Center (1200 Wilson Blvd). Attendees can enjoy a wine and beer tasting, food from local restaurants and a silent auction.

WJLA Meteorologist Brian van de Graff will emcee and children’s book author Jarrett J. Krosoczka will be the literacy honoree. Lyon Hall‘s Executive Pastry Chef Rob Valencia has earned the distinction of being the event’s first ever Chef Chair.

A special VIP reception will allow guests to speak with Krosoczka, Valencia and representatives from Tallgrass Brewery and Chateau O’Brien at Northpoint winery.

The 8th Annual Of Wine & Words runs from 7:00-10:00 p.m., and the VIP reception begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 per person, or $115 including the VIP reception.

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