Holiday 2024 Newsletter
Welcome to the holiday season of 2024, and for the first time in 5 years, our Holiday sale and tasting is back! This is arguably going to be the most incredible lineup we have ever had here, so set your calendars for Saturday, December 7. For details on who will be here that day, read on and remember that if you cannot make it here that day, as a loyal customer, we are offering you a special sale price on all items in the store, via on-line only. Use this discount code HOLIDAY2024 from midnight on Friday, December 6th through Midnight on Sunday December 8th, for 10% off everything on the website, including spirits (which we usually never put any discount on). Speaking of spirits, we have been stocking up this season with Cognac, Rum, Vodka, Aquavit, Bourbon, Brandy and just about anything else you can think of. Dig through the web page, and feel free to stop by the store to check them out in person. We are open with special Holiday hours through the end of the year, so make sure you read this all the way through the last page.
In lieu of charging a tasting fee at the holiday event we have always asked you to kindly donate money and non-perishable foods for our local food bank. The need for donations for local food banks will be greater than ever this year, so please consider donating generously. In addition to having collection jars at the tasting, we will again have the option of making your donation on line. Please consider selecting a specific dollar amount item from the web site to add to your shopping cart. We will donate 100% of the money to our local food bank. Your donation will go a long way for those in need this year.
Our annual ‘advent calendar’ is back again this year, for the ’12 days of Christmas’. Watch the in-box of your email every day, from Dec 13th, through the 24th for special offerings, gift items, discounts etc. All of these will be extremely limited, so you will need to respond quickly.
We also have a whole array of wine and spirits clubs to give as gifts and have brought in some special gift bottles and packs, glassware, stocking size bottles etc. Whether you are looking for that special bottle to sip by the fire, to send to a loved one, or the fixings for Glogg or punch, we pretty much have you covered.
The logistics of shipping during the holiday season are always tough. On top of the legal issues which require folks to allow way more time for delivery than in the past, inclement weather can bring everything to a screeching halt in a moment’s notice. For the best chance of getting your package to anywhere east of the Rockies by Christmas, we are asking for your orders to be in by November 15th. I know this seems early, but Thanksgiving throws in a big wrinkle in terms of timing, and Christmas falls on a Wednesday, which messes up the beginning of that week, so everything needs to arrive several days earlier than normal. There are still no promises, but we don’t have ‘express’ shipping to the East anymore, so please think well ahead, especially if you need something shipped to New York, Boston, Miami etc.
Happy holidays and pray for decent weather!
Doug, Will, Laura, Sandy, Brandon, Cory and Theodore
Wines & Spirits
Elijah Craig Single Barrel 8 year old Bourbon 7149579 ‘ded.reckoning’ 99.99
Elijah Craig has restructured its single barrel program, and cask strength is now an option. To whisky collectors and geeks, it is all about the details as to what is ‘hot’. First and foremost are the single barrel bottlings from top producers, then dial it up with cask strength, and to take it up to the highest level of collectability, the exact location in which the barrel was stored. Some rickhouses (aging warehouses) are definitely more desirable than others, and the higher the cask rests in that rickhouse, the more extreme the temperature changes are over the course of a year, so the more complex aging takes place.
When picking our annual cask of Elijah Craig this year, we were again offered multiple cask samples, from roughly the same age statement, but from multiple aging locations. One sample really stood out. Interestingly, just like the previous two years, this 8 year old Kentucky bourbon also came from Heaven Hill's most desired aging facility, Deatsville, and from exactly the same warehouse as last year, CC. This year, the floor was two levels lower, resulting is a slightly lower proof. What we have here is no basic single barrel, but rather a single barrel, from one of the best aging locations Heaven Hill owns, bottled at full cask strength. The pedigree just doesn't get any better than this. With a slightly lower proof than last year, at 121.4% ABV, it will make a fantastic comparison. This was the first Bourbon which we have allocated to our ded.reckoning program. Only 180 bottles produced.
D’Armanville Brut Champagne NV $29.99
A real Champagne to kick off the holiday season at under 30 bucks. What more can you want! Every year, we go on the hunt for a reach Champagne, which we can put on the shelf at prices we used to see 25 years ago, and every year, it gets harder and harder. This year, we got our hands on one, which we had never seen before. Champagne D’Armanville is not a household name, but has actually been around for over 150 years. Lots of things have happened in France in that time, so the current rendition of this brand dates to the early years after WW2. In the post war years, the southern-most reaches of the Champagne region, 5 small farmers pooled their grape harvests together to form a co-op, as none of them produced enough fruit on their own to make wine. Over the years, more and more farmers joined the group, and now it comprises over 130 farms, spread over appx 350 hectares of land, all pooling their fruit to make this Champagne, amongst several others. As they don’t have a big, fancy Chateau, but still have lots of prime land to work with, they can actually put a delicious bottle of Champagne on the table, without adding a huge marketing budget into the price. The proof is what is in the bottle. Mostly Pinot Noir, it has all that classic crispness, a gorgeous and creamy mouthfeel, notes of green pears, apples and citrus and a beautifully clean finish. A ridiculous value!
Baron de Funes Chardonnay / Macabeo 2023 $8.99
Yes, it is true, you won’t be arrested for drinking whites, or rose, this time if year and in many cases, this is actually the preferred wine for pairing with autumnal and winter meals. This fabulous sipper is a Spanish blend of Chardonnay and Macabeo. It has the texture and body of a no-oak Chardonnay and the bright and tropical character of the Macabeo. Papaya, mango, honeydew melon, green apples and Key Lime Pie. Gorgeous with all those oysters this time of year and it will also be stunning with that turkey you are cooking in a few weeks. Absolutely delicious stuff and really easy on the wallet.
Every year at this time, we put all of our distributors to task, with the goal of finding the most incredible value sparkler for the holiday season, regardless of where it comes from. This year, it is coming from Spain. There is nothing particularly rare about Cava from Spain, as there are countless to choose from, but most are rather ordinary. Not this one. Bonaval is rare in that it is one of only a few Cavas that come from Extremadura, where the working wine town of Almendralejo (south of Merida, Badajoz Province, on the Guadiana wine trail) was only granted Cava D.O. status in 1985; and it was the first one commercially produced from there shortly after that happened. Bright citrus, intermingled with fresh apples off the tree, a hint of roasted almonds, and just a touch of peachy fruit in the finish. This is scrumptious stuff.
Domaine Cassagnau Pays d’Oc Rouge 2022 $9.99
Southern French reds are always a huge hit here, as there are not many wines out there which are more food friendly and easy on the wallet at the same time. Domaine Cassagnau is in the Languedoc, at the base of the Pyrenees mountains, where the winds and climate of the Atlantic and Mediterranean meet. This delightful blend is comprised mostly of Syrah and Grenache, much like a Rhone, but the remainder is Merlot, not unlike Bordeaux. Again, the Atlantic, meets the Med. Basically no oak here, so the gorgeous red vine fruit of the Grenache, the spicy and peppery notes of the Syrah and the deep plum and blackberry of the Merlot all come through in spades. Incredibly versatile this holiday season, and an incredible value. We only have about 20 cases of this one, so don’t take too long deciding on it!
The return of the annual Holiday Sale and Tasting!
On Saturday, December 7th, our Holiday sale and Tasting is back! We will be open with regular hours, from 10:00-6:00, and every item in stock will be 10% off, even rare items and spirits. Some items will have further discounts, and everything is on sale until it is gone, so come early for the best selection. No discounts on special orders made that day. Starting at noon, we will have two different wineries here for tasting, and what a lineup it is! There is no tasting fee, but we are asking that everyone who is planning on tasting, to plan on bringing either non-perishable foods or make a cash donation that day, either in person or on line. Here is our incredible lineup:
12:00-2:00
Andrew Will Winery
Elentone Sparking Wines
2:00-4:00
Upchurch Vineyard
Champagne Laurent Perrier
4:00-6:00
Trothe Wines
Weathereye Vineyards
Wine and Spirits Clubs for the holidays
As we head into winter, the nights get a bit cooler, and the allure of snuggling by the fireplace starts to take hold, the need for a tipple or two starts to increase. With that in mind, we have several wine and spirits clubs, which make perfect gifts. As with all our clubs, there is no fee to join, and your selection will always be discounted well below our normal price. Prepay for a year to save even more.
Like Bourbon? How about Irish? Maybe Japanese? This one is for you. Each month, you will get a fantastic bottle from one of the great producers who grace this planet. Maybe a Rye or Corn, maybe a craft Washington producer, maybe India. Again, we like to feature the little, unknown and hard to get bottles. This will average $50-$75 per month, or pre-pay for a year for $800.
If you are into rare and collectable spirits, you are in the right place. The highly allocated Bourbons, Single Cask Malts, Japanese Whiskey, Cognac, rare Mezcal and Tequila will all appear here. Membership is very limited in this club, as we cannot guarantee quantities on these. Priority is given in the order in which folks sign up. Market price per month.
The Washington Wine of the Month Club
If you love Washington wines, and frankly, who doesn’t, then let us do the work for you, so you can try one or two new wines each month. You can pick from either one or two bottles of red per month, or one bottle of red and one bottle of white. $29.99 for two, or $15.99 for one, or save a bit and pre-pay for a year in advance. $347.99 for two bottles per month for a year, or $179.99 for one.
This is by far the most sought after club we have, and is typically completely full. Occasionally, space opens up and we do these announcements. We have only done this about half a dozen times in the last 20 years. If you are looking for the best of the best from this state, but don’t want to wait for years to get on the winery mailing list, then this one is for you. The following wines are included, and you will automatically get them upon release, but no more than two releases each month: Leonetti, Sheridan Block 1, Corliss Red, Reynvaan Contender, Weathereye L’Atomique, Trothe Limited, Piolet Cabernet, Gjallerhorn Syrah, Rotie Little G, Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval, Two Vintners Alice, Upchurch Cabernet, Doubleback Cabernet, Anthony Cellars, Abeja Heather Hill, Force Majeure Estate Cabernet, and Passing Time Horse Heaven Hills. Just drop Sandy an email at sandy@compasswines.com and she will get you all set up.
Special Holiday Hours
November 2024
Monday-Saturday, in store shopping 10:00-6:00
Thanksgiving Day, Thursday the 28th- Closed
December 2024
Monday-Saturday, in store shopping 10:00-6:00
Saturday, December 7th, Our Holiday Sale and Tasting 10:00-6:00
Sunday, December 8th, 15th and 22nd 11:00-5:00
Christmas Eve, Tuesday the 24th 10:00-3:00
Christmas Day, Wednesday the 25th, Closed
Thursday the 26th, Closed
January 2025
New Year’s Day, Wednesday the 1st and Thursday the 2nd, closed
If the weather goes really foul, give us a call first as we don’t want to put employees or customers at risk.