Johnnie Walker Blue Engraving

Free engraving for Johnnie Walker Blue Label is available at Schneider's when you purchase one or more bottles of Johnnie Walker Blue in the 750ml size. For more information, call Richard at 202.543.9300 OR email at richard@cellar.com.

Save The Date – Gambal and Dublère Wine Dinner, November 18

Please mark your fall calendar, and save the date for a red and white Burgundy wine dinner you don't want to miss. On Tuesday, November 18, we will have the privilege of hosting a dinner featuring the wines of our dear friends Blair Pethel at Domaine Dublère, and Alex Gambal. The entire portfolio of 2006 red and white Burgundies from both Dublère and Gambal will be the highlight of this dinner at Café 8. We will have the price and menu available in the coming weeks.

Oktoberfest Experience

I had heard about the great festival Oktoberfest many years ago, probably sometime during my teenage years. I can picture myself sitting with friends, thinking how cool it would be to actually attend the festival, drink beer after beer, and act a little crazy. After having the opportunity to experience it first hand, I realize that Oktoberfest has much more to offer then just drinking beer and getting drunk. The festival is a sixteen-day celebration of culture and tradition that dates back to 1810. It is the world’s largest fair, and it caters to over six million people who travel every year from all over the world to attend. I had the pleasure of spending an entire week at the festival, and I loved every moment of it… especially the ones that I remember.

I arrived in Munich, Germany, not really knowing what to expect. I had never traveled to Europe, and I was concerned about how I would communicate with others. My concerns about language barriers faded quickly because many people spoke English and were more than willing to help me. With the stress of not understanding the German language alleviated, I began to notice some striking differences between Germany the States. Walking down the street in the middle of the day and drinking a beer is normal behavior, not just something done by hobos and drunks. The atmosphere is much more laid back, and I was thrilled to be there.

After settling into the culture and my surroundings, I didn’t hesitate to make my way down to the festival. The size of this massive festival, the number of attractions, and amount of people present was amazing. As far as my eyes could see, there were all types of amusements from roller coasters to haunted houses, beer tents, games, raffles and many more. The largest attractions – not surprisingly - were the beer tents. Fourteen tents represent the six breweries that serve the official Oktoberfest beers. They are Spaten, Lowenbrau, Augustiner, Hofbrau, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr. These beers are served in liter size steins and are absolutely delightful. Since the 1970’s Oktoberfest beers have been pale lagers between 5 and 6 percent alcohol. These beers are different than many American style Oktoberfest beers that tend to be have a stronger presence of hops and be darker in color.

Oktoberfest however is not only about drinking. One could not have a single drink and still have an unforgettable time. The array of German foods and desserts was just amazing. Along with the tents that serve food, small restaurants are scattered throughout the festival serving authentic German dishes. Bratwurst and schnitzel definitely seemed to be the favorites as people waited in long lines to get some of their own. In addition, there were a variety of chicken, ox and fish dishes, which were all wonderful. Let’s also not forget the deserts! If you have a sweet tooth, you are in luck! Booths throughout the festival serve ice cream, chocolate covered strawberries and bananas, and much more.

I must say that my time in Munich at Oktoberfest was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It was everything that I expected and much more. Standing on tables, drinking oversized steins of beer while singing with thousands of people was an amazing experience. The diversity of the crowds blew me away - people of all ages, from all over the world, coming together to celebrate and enjoy life. There was so much to do, you could not possibly have enough time to take it all in, let alone suffer from boredom. I recommend anyone with an interest in Germany or traveling to Europe consider a visit to Munich during Oktoberfest. Whether you like the thrill of amusement parks, eating rich, wonderful foods or drinking authentic German beer, Oktoberfest will appeal to you. With a family friendly environment during the day, and a more adult appeal at night, anyone - regardless of age – will find him or herself caught up in the moment of this wonderfully timeless festival.

Joe Prebble, General Manager - Schneider's of Capitol Hill

Vicchiomaggio Wine Dinner with Winemaker, John Matta

Please join us on Thursday, October 23, for an evening at Locanda with John Matta, the winemaker and owner of Vicchiomaggio wine estate in the heart of Chianti Classico. John is British by birth, but his family has owned the Vicchiomaggio estate since the early 1960s. Come hear him discuss his wines and talk about the winemaking process as we taste through his estate lineup. A reception will begin at 7pm, and dinner will begin at approximately 8pm. Price is $100.00 per person, all inclusive. Locanda Restaurant is located in Washington, DC at 633 Pennsylvania Ave, SE.

Opening Reception
Two types of Crostini:
Crostini with grappa-cured salmon and capers
Crostini with Mortadella
Anime Prosecco and Vicchiomaggio San Jacopo Chianti Classico 2006

Dinner
Olives and Piquillo pepper stuffed with goat cheese, pinenuts and raisins on a bed of arugula.
Vicchiomaggio Ripa dell Mandorle 2006

Duo of Grilled Octopus and Bresaola:
Octopus served with celery, olive and chorizo salad.
Bresaola, an Italian cured beef, thinly sliced and topped with cornichons, capers and parmesan.
Vicchiomaggio Agostivo Petri Riserva 2004

Homemade Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu and Parmesan.
Vicchiomaggio La Prima Riserva 2004

Grilled Lamb steak with Olivada spread with roasted baby eggplant.
Vicchiomaggio Ripa delle More 2004

We will finish with Coffee and Espresso.

For Reservations Call Schneider’s of Capital Hill at 202-543-9300.

Save The Dates – Wine Tasting Dinners This Fall

Please mark your fall calendar and save these dates for two wine dinners you don't want to miss. On Thursday, October 23, we are privileged to have the owner and winemaker of the fabulous Castello Vicchiomaggio, John Matta lead us in a dinner tasting of his wines featuring the outstanding 2004 vintage. The tasting will take place at Locanda. This will be a tasting you will not want to miss!! We will also host a 2006 red and white Burgundy dinner at Café 8 on Tuesday, November 18. We will feature the entire portfolio of wines from our dear friends Blair Pethel at Domaine Dublère and Alex Gambal from his Domaine. We will have the prices and menu's ready by early next week.

Market Watch "Best Web Site Award 2008"

Schneider's of Capitol Hill is the recipient of the Market Watch 2008 Best Web Site Award!

Jon and Rick Genderson traveled to New York City on September 17th to receive the award, presented by Market Watch Magazine in New York's St. Regis Hotel. Just like visiting the store, Schneider's is committed to providing all of our online customers with the same, excellent customer service.

Chef Ben Page

Schneider's Assistant Wine Manager, Ben Page, began his chef career shortly after graduating from high school. He took a year off before deciding to attend Framingham State College in Massachusetts. He worked for Legal Seafood during that time as a cook, which led him to enroll at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Upon leaving Framingham for CIA, Ben was thrust into the intense course work. His focus at CIA was on general culinary studies.

There are two things Ben came to appreciate while attending CIA. One is wine – a course offered at CIA exposed Ben to wines from around the world and expanded his palate to things he had not encountered before. Ben also learned to appreciate a young woman who would eventually become his wife, Amanda. They met in a gastronomy class, working on a group presentation where Ben charmed Amanda with his sense of humor and light-hearted wit.

Upon completion of his course work at CIA in the fall of 2004, Ben graduated with a culinary associate’s degree and returned to Legal Seafood. Being a native New Englander, Ben loved working with seafood, and his training at CIA had given him a greater appreciation for the culinary art. However, Ben and Amanda packed up the car, said good-bye to New England, and they left for Washington, DC. Ben spent two years developing his craft, working for Legal Seafood in the management program, overseeing both wine and food operations in the restaurant. During those two years, he also moonlighted as a wine sales associate at Best Cellars.

“Working at Best Cellars was a good transition,” said Ben, into the next phase of his career. He enjoyed selling wine, working with customers and expanding his own knowledge of wine. After two years with Legal Seafood, Ben decided to leave the restaurant world and pursue a full-time career in wine sales. While the art of preparing food was still his passion, Ben decided to cook for and family instead of paying customers.

In the fall of 2006, Ben transitioned from Legal Seafood to Schneider’s as a wine sales associate. This would be his first and only job in DC. He enjoys the atmosphere as well as the way Schneider’s works – assisting customers and helping to expand their palates, exposing his clients to wines of smaller production and high quality. In December 2007, Ben was promoted to Assistant Wine Manager.

Ben says that he truly enjoys working at Schneider’s. “Schneider’s is a great family-owned and operated business, much like those back home on the Cape – as opposed to the corporate world.” He enjoys his coworkers and values their professional opinions. He also commented that the hours are much more conducive to better quality of life than restaurants. He is able to study wine, focusing on regions, history, varietals and food and wine pairings.

Even though he is no longer cooking as a profession, Ben still enjoys preparing food for family and friends. In that regard, Ben says, “The meals I enjoy preparing most are for people who are important to me. It makes the meal more special when it is for people I really care about.”

When asked what his favorite techniques are for cooking, Ben replied, “Receiving a fry-o-later as a wedding gift was one the best things I could ask for – frying food and being able to do it in your own home is incredible – you can make homemade onion rings, fried shrimp, fish, and fried veggies.” In addition, he remarks that “Anything with bacon is magical and if you add garlic, it’s celestial!”

In closing, Ben’s overriding theme in cooking can be summed up with the following statement: “No matter what ingredient you are shopping for, be selective – pick the pieces that YOU want – especially with meats and fish.”

Ben's Braised Pork With Brussels Sprouts

Shopping list:

• Pork Chop (bone-in)
• Brussels Sprouts (1/2 lb per person)
• Whole Garlic
• Shallots
• Bacon
• Chicken Stock
• Fresh Thyme
• Whole Grain Mustard
• Butter (unsalted)

Before you begin, you will need – a large sauté pan and a medium sauté pan

Bone-in pork chops (1 per person), salt and pepper and sauté to internal temperature of 130

1 lb Brussels sprouts (for 2) cut in half
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 shallot chopped
¼ to ½ lb of bacon (dice and then render – cook until lightly crispy)
1 tbsp of fresh thyme (picked)
½ tsp of ground black pepper
salt to taste (I prefer sea salt)
cup chicken stock

Heat up a large sauté pan and render the bacon. Drain excess fat from bacon, leaving enough to sauté the shallots, garlic and Brussels sprouts. Place Brussels sprouts cut side down into the hot pan and allow to brown. Add chicken stock and thyme and rendered bacon. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes until tender – allowing a fork to pierce effortlessly.

Plate Brussels spouts using a slotted spoon so as to not add liquid to plate. Add pork chops over sprouts.

Using pan from pork, deglaze the pan with liquid from Brussels sprouts. Stir in a tsp of mustard. Simmer until the liquid reduced by about 1/3 – a little more if there is more sauce. Turn off heat and continue to stir in 2 tbsp of butter. Sauce will thicken. Salt and pepper to taste and ladle over the pork.

Serve with a Burgundy (white or red – your preference) such as Lamy Saint Aubin 2003 or Champy Signature Bourgogne 2005. Also goes nicely with Chianti – try Montegiachi Chianti Classico Riserva 2003.

Enjoy!
Ben Page, Assistant Wine Manager - Schneider's of Capitol Hill