2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tasting and Sale at Weygandt Wines Friday and Saturday

From an email:

“This weekend, make a detour to Weygandt Wines [3519 Connecticut Ave, NW] for our 2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tasting and Sale, where we’ll offer great prices on every 2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape on our shelves.

Peter chooses the winemakers he wants to work with for a reason. In addition to a commitment to producing wine sustainably and with a respect for the hands-on methods that ensure quality, Peter’s partners are hard-working, detail-oriented producers that always make the best of the hand they’re dealt.

Laurent Charvin, Stéphane Usseglio, Philippe Bravay, Baptiste Grangeon–these are producers that don’t shy away from a challenge or mail it in when conditions aren’t perfect. Instead, they redouble their efforts to coax the absolute most they can out of every vintage.

In other words, producing great CdP in ’09 and ’10 took hard work, but weather conditions were in the producers’ favor. In 2011, you needed a Weygandt-caliber winemaker to get a great CdP.

Even better, because ’09 and ’10 grabbed all the headlines, 2011 CdPs are available at a much lower price. And because of the vintage’s much more open style, you don’t have to wait the normally recommended 5-10 years before popping one open. Many of these will show beautifully while young (although they will surely improve with age).

To take advantage of this great offer, just make the trip to the store this weekend–the tasting and sale will be in effect both Friday and Saturday.”