Wine in DC? It’s a capital idea. Wells Fargo Championship, TPC Potomac at Avenel Farms, May 5-8 2022
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The Wells Fargo Championship will be held this week at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farms, just a Cameron Champ bomb northwest of Washington, DC. It’s a daunting task trying to identify the best of the best places for wine in such a large and diverse restaurant scene, especially when the pandemic has made the job of just staying open so challenging. There are, however, two classic retailers we can send you to without “reservations (see below).”
Accordingly, we tip our hats and refer you to these links from DC-Eater and Gayot for restaurants with good wine lists. Just make sure they’re still open before you go! We have had many good meals at the Blue Duck Tavern in the Park Hyatt Hotel, with a decent if not great list. But our research did turn up a terrific list at a place called Kinship. If you take the time to break it down, it’s an excellent list and you can find some values, especially on the compelling list of older vintage wines.
MacArthur’s Beverages. This venerable wine shop is credited not only with educating Robert Parker and helping him get started, but also playing a key role in East Coast adoption of California wines. Whatever you want they probably have it or a legit substitute.
Calvert Woodley. Another great local store. Unless you’re in the mood to wander around, I’d simply toggle back and forth on the website here and at MacArthur’s looking for the best deal on whatever you feel like drinking.
Kinship. A somewhat strange and small menu gives it up for the stupendous wine list, which is really two lists in one: a pretty strong base list and then a long list of older wines from all over the place. Prices are ok for a high-end restaurant but there is compelling value if you know where to look, like a 2019 Raveneau Monts Mains for less than current retail. It would be an expensive evening here but I could be talked into it.
Wardman Wines. We’d be remiss if we didn’t say something about Wardman, located in the NE just a lob wedge from Catholic University. It’s the epitome of a great neighborhood store, small but meticulously curated with a pleasing bent towards sustainable and artisanal producers. Highly recommended!
