Patricia Carraro, Writes About LIDIO CARRARO Vinicola Boutique @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits Thurs. July 19th, 2012 : Talks Of Touriga Nacional & More...

It was great to meet you Patricia. Glad that you had your maps provided by the Wines of Brasil agency. I smiled immediately when I saw it as I had been given one by Francine and Paula Valenti when we were in the offices of the Wines of Brasil in late June, 2012 tasting the wines of CORDILHEIRA DE SANT'ANA from the Campanha region of southern Brasil that we will soon have here to sell in the United States in January 2012. Can't wait!

It's now Monday, December 10th, 2012 as I type the words of Patricia here in Portuguese before posting this. It's been a wonderful year of getting our stage set for this selling of the fine wines of Brazil here in the United States. The timing could not be better. Patricia and her family have made this already easier for us with their hard work and having Patricia actually go around and meet the stores and the restaurants that will sell their wines here in the U.S. It's a lot of work but it does pay off and people like me do notice, and are the better for it.

I am thankful that Barbara Ruppel and Laurent and I met her through Paula Valenti. it was a series of chances that came together and that have helped for us at Bralvin to set our stage to sell these fine Brazilian wines here in the United States. It's a whole lot of leg work but all our efforts will help us accomplish this goal of introducing the wines of Brazil to a market here that is largely unaware of them now. That's why we are here! To help in any way that we can.

I sold a case of the LIDIO CARRARO Vinicola Boutique Chardonnay to a customer and wine-lover that attended our Part-Two of our launch of Bralvin imports of fine Brazilian wines to Jim Stutsman. He tasted it and ordered a case and has reported back that at Thanksgiving recently many of his friends and guests enjoyed it and that it matched quite well to the foods her served then. This is always great news.

The rest of what is written here is what I wrote awhile back when I loaded these pictures here from Patricia Carraro's visit to Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits on July 19th, 2012. It was nice to meet here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits yesterday and hear  Patricia Carraro talk about their " purist philosophy " at LIDIO CARRARA. I liked that and will elaborate more really soon. Michel Dumont and I were able to try three wines with her : 1) Lidio Carrara Da'divas 2010 Chardonnay, 2) Lidio Carrara " Angus " Merlot 2009, and the 3) Lidio Carraro " Quorum " 2009. All were balanced, well-made, well-focused wines that would complement many a meal and it was thrilling to see Winebow Imports selling them.

It was the first time ever that we - that I can recollect, a Brazilian wine-maker, owner here and that impressed me and I told Patricia when I met her yesterday that was waiting for her to come and taste her current vintages with us here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ( 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C (202 ) 363-4265, www.clevelandparkwines.com , also on Facebook at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits, and on Twitter at : cpwinespirits , check out : chatwine.blogspot.com for more info ) here in the Cleveland Park Northwest neighborhood of Washington D.C.

Patricia spoke of the promise of the Pinot Noir, Touriga Nacional and the Tannat grapes, of the success already of the Chardonnay and the Merlot grapes. Here is what she wrote in Portuguese ( sorry if I do not write it correctly ) :

" A LIDIO CARRARA Vinicola Boutique surgue no mercado para oferecer vinhos que expressam todo o potencial do terroir Brasileiro com identidade propria, baseda em uma filosofia Puriste. Convido a todos amantes do bom vinho a ter uma experiencia com os vinhos da LIDIO CARRARO e descobrir a beleza e a expressao dos nossos vinhos! " Abracos, com carinho, Patricia Carraro 19/07/12 www.lidiocarraro.com Estrada do Vinho RS 444 Km21, Vale Dos Vinhedos , Bento Goncalves, RS, Brasil Cep. 95700 000 Fone/Fax 55 54 2105 2555 ou 55 54 3459 1222. As I said, I liked this visit with Patricia Carraro. Since the visit we have sold both the LIDIO CARRARO Vinicola Boutique Chardonnay and the Merlot, both tasted and pictured here. It has been great to include them in our selection of Brazilian wines at Cleveland Park Wines. The selection has also increased since Patricia's visit. I love that! We of Bralvin imports of fine Brazilian wines to the United States also used the LIDIO CARRARO wines at our Part-Two of our Three-Part of events to get the wines of Brazil launched here in northern Virginia and Washington D.C. What a great adventure it has already been, what a great adventure it will continue to be. Join us, be a part : go to : chatwine.blogspot.com , and to our Facebook page of : Bralvin for more. Cheers, bom dia, muito obregado. Boa semana. Abracos ... TONY

New Insights Of 2012 As The Year Comes To An End ( 12/9/12 ) For BRALVIN Imports of Fine Brazilian Wines To The United States! SOON!!!

This 2012 has been a whole lot about Brazil and I am thrilled for that. I t happened quite by chance, really : and for that I am very grateful. Like so many things, it's how you deal or do not deal with events. It's how you see opportunity or not in encounters and it's a whole lot about believing in yourself and just pushing forward. That's some of what has happened here for me in northern Virginia where I live and in Washington D.C. where I work.
These pictures here are of Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits in Washington D.C. N.W. where I have held court and been the wine buyer and welcomed many people in the wine business, or simply interested in wine to JOIN IN , SIT A SPELL, unwind, relax, tell a story, share an observation, listen to another's, be a part of something wonderful and spontaneous and all our very own. It's ours and no one else's. That's okay as they are off somewhere enjoying their own unique and individual experiences, too. They can chose, like we do, to share and get involved and open one's mind, heart and soul and resources and include others in them. It's a choice, it's a life-style, it's a gamble, NOTHING IS SURE! That, too is okay by me. I'd rather roll the dice on the moment and maximize on everything possible / attainable in that moment. The moment is enough, it's the reward, it's the time, that moment that can be special and wonderful and revealing - or not.
The picture above is of Roberta that is half Brazilian and half Japanese and she is pouring me some French champagne I believe in this picture taken by me back in 2011 I believe? She works for Washington Wholesalers here in Washington D.C. and sells to us in Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ( 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. 200008 Tel : 2020363-4265 , on Facebook at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ) where I have been the wine-buyer for the past thirteen years. We are trying to get Roberta to work with us at Bralvin Imports of Fine Brazilian Wines ( anthony@bralvin.com, go to Facebook : Bralvin , and to my other blog : chatwine.blogspot.com ) to the united States. She just recently had a baby so maybe in time : we will see?!?
I am listening now to an old record on my Bang & Olofsen turntable by Jorge Ben : 10 ANOS DEPOIS recorded and released in 1973 ) ans each time I hear the song : " Pais Tropical FIO MARAVILHA TAJ MAHAL " I think of Rod Stewart's famous song : " Dp Ya Think I'm Sexy ". Did he steal the musical refrain from Jorge Ben? I think so.
Anyway, it's now Sunday, December 9th, 2012 here in Annandale, Virginia at home and I am going to publish this blog " as is " and add to it as I have time. I want to keep things fresh and available to all to you as Laurent Donchegay, Katarina Zubber and Anthony Quinn ( all of Bralvin Imports ) get closer to actually selling the fine wines of Brazil here in the United States.
Our first order of wines from Brazil is due to arrive here in late January 2012 and we cannot wait! Cheers, and stay-tuned for more news and please feel free to join us, to " like " us on our Facebook page at Bralvin, and definitely to stay in touch with us as we continue this marvelous aventure. Cheers e obregado para tudos, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn
I took these pictures in 2011 in our Washington D.C. winter I believe?
It was in late June 2012 that Laurent Donchegay and Anthony Quinn ( me, of Bralvin Imports ) spent ten glorious days in the heart of one of Brazil's wine regions - the Vale Dos Vinhedos, we stayed in the town of Bento Goncalves ), and it was beautiful there : no snow or hardly any bad weather at all. That was a great sign. WE LOVED IT ALL! Cheers, TONY

Bralvin's 3-Part Formal Launch Aug-Oct, 2012 : Cheers!

This was the first three parts that we show here of Bralvin Imports os Brazilian Fine Wines to the United States. We have been working on this venture, Laurent Donchegay and myself now for the past year or so and everything is falling slowly into place as it takes a whole lot of time to get the labels approved, the wines selected, the proper papers, licenses, brokers, shippers, etc all in line to finally import, store and distribute wines. LIke having a child, you almost would never do it if you knew everything that you would encounter along the way. And yet that's also part of the magic and the fun : you learn a whole lot of patience and it makes you firmer in your beliefs and better-prepared to deal with the challenges you will still encounter along the way! SO : the moral is, don't give up, just become more patient and better organized. It will all pay off, it has already paid off greatly with the journey thus far. Builds character, too : or at least makes that character become front-and center on the stage you are on. This is all good : trust us.

We met at the Suprex warehouse in northern Virginia and not far from the Dulles airport in August, 2012 from 12-3PM. Owner Flavius Cucu was nice enough to let us use his warehouse space to hold this, our very first meeting of Bralvin Imports with our prospective clients, future working partners, sellers, believers and supporters. Laurent Donchegay, Katarina Zubber and Anthony Quinn ( me ) were building on this day the framework and the core of Bralvin Imports and we had a good turnout for it.

Flavius Cucu introduced to me years ago the pleasures of the wines of MIOLO Vinhos Finos of Brazil's Vale Dos Vinhedos, just outside the wine town of Bento Goncalves. Obregado Flavius, it was the start of another beautiful relationship for us and for me, and I fell all over again in love with Brazil and it's wines. I had spent six years of my life growing up as a child of 2-8 years of age growing up in Brazil's Rio De Janeiro while it was still the capitol, and then in Brazilia as it became the capitol. This was back in 1962-63 was it? It's so long ago now. My father worked for the State Department and was working at the American Embassy at the time. I loved it as a child and would not trade these experiences and memories for everything.

Flavius was nice enough to let us use the MIOLO wines that he sold at the time as there were very few Brazilian wines for us to chose from then and our wines were still being decided and had not yet left Brazil. I already knew and liked very much the MIOLO wines and felt very comfortable with them. I have since bought Flavius out of his stock and have sold most of them now at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits where I manage the wine department in Washington D.C. at 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C. 20008, Tel : 2020363-4265, on Facebook at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits and on Twitter, too at : cpwinespirits ).

That's Flavius in the picture above sitting in his office chair smiling broadly as I chat in the back with some of the reps and sales people that I know so well now. We had the MIOLO Vinhos Finos to taste as well as some excellent cheeses and pates that we bought before the event at Trader Joe's.

That's me above in the center talking to Gustavo Fernandes of Recife, Brazil that worked before for both Vinifera and also for Tannic Tongue imports. Katarina Zubber was responsible for many of these pictures. Thank you Katarina, you did a great job in capturing the excitement and the action, the Brazilian flair of the moment here on a August summer's day in an open and spacious warehouse filled with the wines of Romania, Portugal, Spain, France, South Africa, Brazil, California, Moldova and more. You would be hard-pressed not to find some wines to please you here in Flavius' warehouse.

That's my partner Laurent Donchegay in the picture above in the center , all three listening to me talk about our experiences during the ten days that Laurent Donchegay and I visited Brazil in late June, 2012 in Brazil's winter, there deep in the heart of Brazil's wine country in and around the towns of Bento Goncalves and Caxias Do Sul, as well as the Vale Dos VInhedos, Nuova Padua and more. It was an amazing experience that has added immeasurably to my life. I am so happy to have gone : I am so happy to be involved with Bralvin imports.

Here Laurent Donchegay and Anthony Quinn ( me, of Bralvin Fine Brazilian Wine Imports with Katarina Zubber ) are pictured above at out first public meeting at Suprex' warehouse with owner Flavius Cucu.

The pictures above are from Part One of the three parts starting Bralvin Imports, at least here in the United States, once that Laurent Donchegay, Katarina Zubber and Anthony Quinn ( me ) got organized as a company specializing in the importing of fine Brazilian wines to the United States.

These next eight pictures that follow ( except the one of the wine glass in Flavius Cucu's warehouse in Virginia ) are all Part two where we met our prospective wholesalers, brokers, reps and sales people at the ILDA Club in northern Virginia, Annandale, Virginia to be exact. This was Bralvin's opportunity to talk more about and to taste together some fine Brazilian wines with the local Brazilian cuisine in a relaxed and open space in September of this year. It was a beautiful late summer day and the weather could not have cooperated more to give us a stunning backdrop to display a selection of our wines and to start to really tempt people to take a closer look and to join in with us on this exciting and perfectly well-timed venture of ours to expose those living in the United States now to the many wonders and pleasures that Brazilian wines can and do afford us. It was Bralvin's chance to showcase Brazil and to show hoe Brazilian wines do, in fact, add to the equation of wines already known and available to the world at large : and not simply duplicate more of the same.

It's a really exciting time for Brazil and the United States is still largely unaware of any of this. Pictured above ( from left to right are : Elisabete ( Laurent Donchegay's Brazilian wife from Sao Paulo, Brazil, Katarina Zubber from Sweden, and Gustavo Fernandes from Recife, Brazil.

Above : my INAO wine-tasting glass filled with some of the MIOLO 2008 merlot I believe? I liked these pictures of the wine glass and use it periodically here to break-up the pictures. Hope you like it.

Pictured above on the table at ILDA Club are the wine samples that Laurent Donchegay and I had mailed to us with Paula Valenti's help of the Wines Of Brasil. Obregado Paula! It's quite an impressive display of the wines of Brazil and perhaps the largest ever shown and assembled thus far in northern Virginia?!? I believe so.

In the picture above are Anthony Quinn of Bralvin imports ( on the left ), and Gustavo Fernandes on the right. This picture and many of them here were taken as we were setting up the event before people arrived soon after, some shown here in these pictures.

The picture above of me , Anthony Quinn of Bralvin imports shows me at the Brazilian restaurant in Woodbridge, Virginia as we started to taste in the Part Three of our events the wine samples that we had shipped back to the United States with the help of Paula Valenti of the Wines of Brazil.

In the picture above are some of the typical foods that you would find everywhere in Brazil. These were made by Elisabete, Laurent's wife for us to enjoy with these fine wines of Brazil. Obregado Elisabete. I will post this blog now " as is " and finish it up soon. In the meantime enjoy these pictures and what I have included so far. It's really been an amazing adventure thus far : and it's only the very beginning! Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn

Tasting CORDILHEIRA DE SANT'ANA Brazilian Campanha Wines W/ Francine, Paula Valenti, Laurent Donchegay & Anthony Quinn ( Me ) Outside Bento Goncalves In Late June 2012 Pics!

This was quite the treat, this was quite the revelation for me! I had arrived, I was tasting wines that suited me so perfectly, pleased me so perfectly, and surprised me, too so perfectly that I was brimming and smiling and thinking and feeling so marvelous and pleased with myself! I had arrived, I had found a soul-mate in these wines of Brazil and it was in one of the offices of the Wines of Brazil with Francine and Paula Valenti, Laurent Donchegay and me ( Anthony Quinn ). I LOVED the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, I adored it, I understood it, felt as if it understood me, and that was the link that made it all work for me so completely. Everything else followed smoothly and naturally and I was so content.

 

Don't get me wrong, I also really liked the dry Gewurztraminer, the dry Chardonnay,the Merlot and even the Tannat ( it was Francine's favorite ) and for me it's higher alcohol levels made it less satisfying for me. Oh well, that's simply how we taste and how many taste buds we each have that determines our impressions that are ours and ours alone. Laurent and I will, in fact buy some of the Tannat and have it come soon along with some of the Cabernet Sauvignon and the excellent Gewurztraminer, too.


 

We had a great opportunity to taste these wines just the four of us. Paula Valenti greeted us as we arrived. She had set up the tasting downstairs in this private tasting room space downstairs and Francine had a slide show prepared for us with the wines all set up for us to taste. I did not know what to expect, that's especially nice as I had no expectations as I knew very little of the wines of Brazil at this time. I knew that I had quite-liked what I had already tried but I still was quite new to all of this. being an artist I see things like a blank white canvas with very little on it already. I was just starting to sketch things out to paint and develop more with time.

 

It was great to make this discovery and to know that these wines were coming from another win-making/ grape-growing region of Brazil : that of Campanha very close to Uruguay. They are located at Estrada de Palomas, Caixa Postel 34, Sant'Ana do Livramento, RS Phones : +55.55.9973.2620 / +55.55.9947.4187, founded in 2000 with an annual production of 20,000 liters of wine and already selling really well in England. I listened to all of this very carefully as I tasted through these fine wines and even went back to re-taste them a second and even a third time. I wanted to be sure that they were as good as I thought they were. I did not want the place and the space and the moment steel my affections and influence me as Laurent and I had just enjoyed a wonderful luncheon and wine-tasting at CASA VALDUGA and then a tasting of sparkling-espumante wines at DOMNO earlier with Francine, Elisa and Jones Valduga the owner. It was a whole lot of good things that we had already been exposed to in one day. However, the icing on the cake, the moment that was profound and like a real moment of clarity and connection for me was tasting this one 2004 CORDILHEIRA DE SANT'ANA Cabernet Sauvignon!

 
The tasting was such a resounding success that Francine immediately called the owners of CORDILHEIRA DE SANT'ANA Vinhos Finos to share this information with them. Everyone was sorry that we could not have been together to have shared this wonderful experience. The owners were sorry that it was such a distance and that they could not have been with us or that we could make it down to see their vineyard and cellars and wine-making facilities. We will have to plan to do that on our next trip to Brazil Laurent!

 
In closing I would like to add that here in northern Virginia just outside of Washington D.C. that Laurent and I re-tasted a bottle of the Gewurztraminer that had been opened for nine days already ( it was the 24th when we re-tasted it and it had been opened for our Grand Brazilian-Wine-Tasting and launch of our company Bralvin Imports from 1-4PM at the Charbroil Grill Brazilian Churrascuria restaurant in Woodbridge, Virginia, 22192 with 40+ wines tasted. We were meeting at Laurent's home on the 24th of october, 2012 to decide what wines to import here to the United States and what quantities? So we re-tasted some of the open bottles that Laurent still had and I was blown away by how fresh, full of character and personality, focus, etcetera. The wine was not faded in the least : developed and more evolved and with more dimension but not old or tired or fading. Now that's amazing and a great testament to the excellent wine-making and grapes grown and used to produce such a fine, aromatic and floral yet dry white wine from Campanha, Brazil! What a great moment all over again, and months after having left Brazil in late June, 2012 where Laurent and I spent 10 wonderful days tasting an assortment of fine Brazilian wines.

  Laurent and I cannot wait to share all this excitement with you all. It's palpable and real and here to stay and here to make a real and a lasting impression on many of you in the coming months. Hop on board and follow along and taste and promote these excellent wines alongside of us. Please feel free to contact me at : anthony@bralvin.com for more up-to-date information. Cheers, and please stay warm, dry and safe during this tough time here with Hurricane Sandy on Monday, October 28th, 2012 here in the Washington D.C. metropolitan region and all up-and-down the East Coast of the United Sates! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Obregado a todois, que maravilha! Sera um evento maravilhoso, sucesso e muitas felicidades, estaremos torcedo por voces and for us all! Here's a toast to all of us, we lift our glasses now to celebrate where we have come from already, how much progress we have made already and where we still intend to go! BRAVO! TONY