Chateau de la Bonneliere

Join us on Friday evening May 27th, between 5PM and 7:30PM, then again on Saturday, May 28th, from 12PM to 4PM for our tasting and enjoy discounted prices on these special selections. The Lineup:

Domaine Plouzeau Touraine Sauvignon, List Price $12.99, Sale $10.99 – Touraine, Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 12.5% abv – Organic – From chalky, flinty soils along the Cher, Marc Plouzeau has crafted a 2010 Touraine Sauvignon redolent of white peach and passion fruit; lean and quite dense; but finishing with refreshing juiciness, a saline tang, and hints of cherry pit and pistachio.

Château de la Bonnelière Touraine Cepage Sauvignon Les Devants 2010, List Price $14.99, Sale $12.69 – Touraine, Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 12.5% abv – Organic – Pale yellow. Assertive bouquet of lime zest, lemongrass and wet stone. Dry, nervy, tightly wound citrus and green apple flavors are underscored by dusty minerality and expand on the back half. Leaves a trail of mineral and citrus notes behind on the nicely persistent finish. This is a very good value and can compete with plenty of Sancerres.

Château de la Bonnelière Chinon Rosé Rive Gauche 2010, List Price $13.99, Sale $11.89 – Chinon, Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 12.5% abv – Organic – Very pale, orange-tinged pink. Vibrant aromas of wild strawberry, redcurrant, cracked pepper and minerals, plus a gentle floral overtone. Racy, tightly wound red berry and blood orange flavors are refreshingly dry and well-focused. Pure, bracing and penetrating, with strong finishing minerality and excellent persistence. This would actually work with shellfish or fresh-to-moderately-aged goat cheeses.

Château de la Bonnelière Chinon Rive Gauche 2010, List Price $14.99, Sale $12.69 – Chinon, Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 12.5% abv – Organic – Very fresh, almost primal, with intense blackberry and cherry fruit coursing along, held together by chalk and tobacco notes that ripple underneath. There’s a nice bright finish. On the palate, the tannin is full and silky. The overall taste lasts and is harmonious. Try it slightly chilled with grilled meats.

Château de la Bonnelière Chinon Cornuelles 2009, List Price $18.99, Sale $15.99 – Chinon, Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 12.5% abv – Organic – Plouzeau’s new winery gives him the opportunity not only to make wines with the greatest care but also to ensure that they may keep. This Chinon wine is of a ruby-red color and exudes an aroma of merello cherries and redcurrant. Well-balanced with an excellent tannic quality. It has a fresh taste with a hint of liquorice. It will accompany well rich dishes served in sauces such as Coq au Vin.

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1.  Bonnet-Huteau Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie Cuvee La Levraudiere 2009, List Price $10.99, Sale $9.34 – Muscadet, Loire, France – 100% Melon de Bourgogne – 12% abv – Sustainable - Light, bright straw. Dusty minerals, quince and lemon zest on the nose, with a hint of white flowers adding complexity. Dry, sharply focused citrus and mineral flavors show a weightier aspect in the mid-palate and pick up a hint of musky herbs with air. Finishes clean and brisk. – International Wine Cellar

2.  Domaine Richard Leroy Anjou Blanc Le Clos des Rouliers 2007, List Price $26.99, Sale $17.99 – Anjou, Loire, France – 100% Chenin Blanc – 12.5% abv – Organic - Pale Gold. Lemon curd, dried pear, melon and vanilla bean on the nose. Fairly bright and lush and creamy, offering gently sweet and weighty citrus and pit fruit flavors and bracing saline notes. Pliant and broad on the finish, which repeats the lemon and pear notes and lingers with very good spicy intensity. – Rated 90 points, International Wine Cellar

3.  Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy Sancerre Rose Terre de Maimbray 2010, List Price $21.99, Sale $18.69 – Sancerre, Loire, France – 100% Pinot Noir – 13% abv – Organic - Offers juicy strawberry and mixed red fruit aromas, with a hint of yellow peach. Dry and refreshing.

4.  Gerard & Pierre Morin Sancerre Rouge 2008, List Price $24.99, Sale $21.24 – Bue, Loire, France – 100% Pinot Noir – 13% abv - Sustainable - This Pinot Noir is planted in different parcels all situated in the commune of Bue. The roots of the vines draw from two particular terroirs to imbue the wine with its unique characteristics: “Les Caillottes,” predominantly limestone, brings finess and fruits notes. “Les Marnes,” deeper and with more clay, gives the wine structure and excellent potential as a “vin de garde.” Morin’s manner of working the soil and natural weed-control enhances the effect of the two soils, particularly through their harvesting entirely by hand.

5.  Yannick Amirault, Pavillon du Grand Clos, St.-Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Malgagnes 2006, List Price $31.99, Sale $25.99 – St.-Nicolas de Bourgueil, Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 13.5% abv – Organic -  Produced from vines planted originally in 1936, with portions of the vineyard replanted in 1973 and 1994. Vinified in wooden vats and then aged in once-used oak demi-muids. Only 583 cases produced. With vibrant flavors of plum, cassis and black berry, tinged by coffee and bittersweet chocolate, and notes of game, minerals and olive, held together by bright acidity.

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1.  Chateau de la Bonneliere Touraine “Cepage Sauvignon – Les Devants” 2008, List Price $14.99, Sale $12.69 – Touraine, Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 12.5% abv – Organic - Pale yellow. Assertive bouquet of lime zest, lemongrass and wet stone. Dry, nervy, tightly wound citrus and green apple flavors are underscored by dusty minerality and expand on the back half. Leaves a trail of mineral and citrus notes behind on the nicely persistent finish. This is a very good value and can compete with plenty of Sancerres. – Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

2.  Domaine Pascal Bonhomme Vire-Clesse Vieilles Vignes 2009, List Price $23.99, Sale $19.99 – Macon, Burgundy, France – 100% Chardonnay – 13% abv – Sustainable - A throw back to classic and artisanal wine making, we are very excited to have recently found this treasure in southern Burgundy. Pascal Bonhomme has some of the best situated sites in Vire-Clesse and he makes every effort in his vines to convey that in the bottle. Similar to vignerons in the Cot D’Or, Pascal harvests completely by hand and vinifies meticulously using pneumatic pressing. The estate is 2.5 hecates in size with most of it’s production being sold cellar door and, now, to the U.S. 60 year old vines; vinification is 20% in oak barrels and 80% in stainless steel tanks, 100% malolactic fermentation.

3.  Domaine Mourgues du Gres Terre d’Argence Blanc Vin de Pays du Gard 2008, List Price $17.99, Sale $14.99 – Costieres de Nimes, Rhone, France – 50% Viognier, 30% Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc – 12% abv – Sustainable - Slightly fuller, with undeniable minerality as well as a more exotic character. . . . Approximately one-fourth of this cuvee is aged in French oak, and the rest in vat. More honeysuckle, white peach, and currant notes make an appearance in this medium-bodied, elegant, authoritatively fruity, stylish wine. Drink it over the next year. – The Wine Advocate

4.  Domaine Serafin Pere & Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 2007, List Price $54.99, Sale $46.99 -Burgundy, France – 100% Pinot Noir – 13% abv – Organic -  A hint of wood spice frames moderately sauvage, earthy and layered currant and dark pinot fruit aromas that merge into rich, full and serious medium weight flavors underpinned by ripe tannins and a balanced, intense and persistent finish. A classic Gevrey with fine quality for a villages wine. – Burghound

5.  Domaine des Soulanes “Cuvee Jean Pull” Vin de Pays de Cotes Catalanes 2007, List Price $18.99, Sale $15.99 – Roussillon, France – 60% Grenache, 40% Carignan – 14.5% abv – Organic - Intense kirsch, red plum and raspberry flavors give this southern French red real character and power. The finish is spicy, with plenty of finesse to the black licorice notes. Grenache and Carignane. Drink now through 2012. – Wine Spectator

6.  Domaine Georges Vernay Cote-Rotie “Blonde du Seigneur” 2006, List Price $69.99, Sale $49.99 – Northern Rhone, France – 100% Syrah – 12.5% abv – Sustainable - Bright ruby-red. Finely etched red and dark berry, floral, herbal and mineral aromas, plus a slow-building anise quality. Tangy and focused, offering sweet raspberry and blueberry flavors and showing no obvious tannins. Finishes lush and creamy, but with a jolt of zesty minerals adding vivacity and cut. Extremely fresh and delicious right now. These vines are planted entirely in the Cote Blonde, at Lancement and Coteaux des Semons. Incidentally, Paul Amsellem describes 2006 as a “subtle, smooth and classic vintage for red wines,” adding that they will be best in their youth, like the ’04s. “The 2007s, though, are agers.” – Rated 91 Points, Wine Spectator; 91 points, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

Sale pricing for selected wines lasts through the end of Saturday, April 2, 2011. No other discounts may apply.

Please join us

The Loire is a region of diversity, both in terms of landscape, and varietal. This week, and again next, we will explore the length of the Loire Valley, sampling outstanding wines, different producers, and contrasting styles and tastes.

Domaine de Beauregard Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie 2009, List Price $11.99, Sale $9.99 – Muscadet, Loire, France – 100% Melon de Bourgogne – 12% abv – Sustainable - Laurent Gregoire’s 2009 Muscadet de Sevre et Maine Sur Lie from Domaine de Beauregard (a name that only figures on a neck label, but then, his own is even more hidden-away) delivers the sort of soft, generous satisfaction that was to be derived from his 2005. Suggestions of Persian melon, nut oils, and grapefruit are tinged with salt and herbs, and there is ample juicy refreshment in a finish with alkaline and saline accents. Enjoy it over the coming year. – The Wine Advocate

Domaine Serge Dagueneau et Filles Pouilly-Fumé Les Pentes 2009, List Price $24.99, Sale $19.99 – Pouilly-Fumé, Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 12.5% abv – Organic - Stylish, with straw and lemon curd notes carried by very fresh acidity. The long finish has nice precision, leaving a lingering verbena note. Drink now through 2012. 500 cases imported. – Rated 90 points, Wine Spectator

Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy Sancerre Vieilles Vignes Les Angeslots 2006, List Price $34.99, Sale $29.99 – Sancerre, Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 13.5% abv – Organic - Offers a hint of paraffin, along with honeysuckle, lemon verbena and shortbread notes that all linger gently on the elegant finish. Drink now. 75 cases imported. – Wine Spectator

La Source du Ruault Saumur Champigny 2008, List Price $18.99, Sale $15.99 – Saumur Champigny, Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 12.5% abv – Biodynamic - Fresh, with a brisk edge to the black cherry, tobacco leaf and iron hints. Slightly crisp finish. Drink now. 200 cases imported. – Wine Spectator

Yannick Amirault Pavillon du Grand Clos Bourgueil Le Grand Clos 2007, List Price $27.99, Sale $23.99 – Bourgueil, Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 12.5% abv – Organic - Still fresh, despite the mature hints of tea and cedar around the edges. A lively core of mulled red and black cherry fruit is backed by tobacco and olive hints, with a lovely, perfume- and mineral-filled finish. Drink now. 25 cases imported. – Rated 90 points, Wine Spectator; 90 points, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

Yannick Amirault Pavillon du Grand Clos Bourguiel Les Quartiers 2008, List Price $28.99, Sale $24.99 – Bourgueil, Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 13% abv – Organic - This has just started to soften, as an alluring black tea edge moves in on the core of damson plum, raspberry and black cherry flavors. Long and suave on the finish, offering perfumy spice, incense and sweet tobacco notes. Drink now through 2014. 50 cases imported. – Rated 91 points, Wine Spectator

Richard Leroy Anjou Les Noëls de Montbenault 2007, List Price $29.99, Sale $19.99 – Anjou, Loire, France – 100% Chenin Blanc – 12.5% abv – Organic – Vivid yellow-gold. Honeydew melon, peach and nectarine on the nose, with exotic notes of gingerbread and musky herbs coming up with air. Initially pliant, gently sweet melon and pit fruit flavors turn firmer in the mid-palate and offer excellent palate coverage and strong spice character. Finishes with impressive length and lingering spiciness. Lots going on here but this still seems young. – Rated 91 points, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar; 90 points, Wine Spectator

Domaine Remi Jobard Meursault En Luraule 2007, List Price $68.99, Sale $42.99 – Burgundy, France – 100% Chardonnay – 13% abv – Sustainable – Lime and crushed stone aromas along with a bit of biscuity reduction. Then juicy and sweet, with enticing flavors of lime and spices. This broad, sweet village wine offers excellent energy and finishes with very good grip. There are five different plantings that go into this cuvee: Jobard bought these vines when they were “very young,” just before the 1994 harvest. – Rated 90 points, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

Domaine Sérafin Père & Fils Morey St.-Denis 1er Cru Les Millandes 2007, List Price $104.99, Sale Price $88.99 – Côte-de Nuits, Burgundy, France – 100% Pinot Noir – 13% abv – Organic - A floral red berry and earth inflected nose serves as a relatively elegant introduction to the pure, detailed and lightly mineral suffused medium full flavors that possess good power, focus and intensity on the long and palate staining finish. This is lovely and understated. – Rated 90 points, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar; 90 points, Wine Spectator; 89-92 points, Burghound

Domaine Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2006, List Price $99.99, Sale $74.99 – Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France – 100% Pinot Noir – 13% abv – Organic - The Dugat-Py 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes offers considerable depth of ripe black fruits and toasted meat on a palate so fine-grained it is able to sooth and seduce all the way to a succulently long finish. En route, cocoa powder, sage, iodine, and black pepper add interest and invigoration. It could be enjoyed young but will doubtless hold well for 6-8 years, given the track record at this estate. – Rated 90 points, The Wine Advocate; 90 points, Wine Spectator; 88-90 points, Burghound

Domaine Jean Royer Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Tradition 2007, List Price $43.99, Sale $36.99 – Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France – 90% Grenache, 5% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre – 15% abv – Sustainable - The most drinkable and precocious of the 2007s is the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape, made from essentially the same blend as the Hommage a Mon Pere, but from slightly younger vines (only 40 years old!). Kirsch and floral notes dominate this ruby/purple-tinged effort. Almost Burgundian in its freshness and vivacity, this full-bodied, rich, elegant, gorgeously textured, approachable wine should evolve for 10-15 years. This small estate (just over 12 acres) is run by the Royer family, who can trace its origins in Chateauneuf du Pape back to the 1800′s. However, they have only been estate bottling their wines since the mid-eighties. As the following notes indicate, these are very high quality, artisanal wines made with assistance from consultant Philippe Cambie. All of the vineyards are located in the southern sectors of Chateauneuf du Pape known as Bois de la Ville and Les Grandes Serres, the latter being one of the sources for the superb wines from Isabel Ferrando’s St.-Prefert Chateauneuf du Papes. – Rated 91 points, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar; 90 points, The Wine Advocate; 90 points, Wine Spectator

Domaine Clos St-Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2005, List Price $69.99, Sale $42.99 – Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France – 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 4% Mourvedre, 3% Cinsault, 2% Vaccarese, 1% Muscardin – 14.5% abv – Sustainable - The 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes has a dark saturated ruby/purple color and a gorgeous nose of camphor, beef blood, roasted meat, pepper, lavender, spring flowers, and assorted red and black fruits such as kirsch and blackberry. The wine is very Provencal, extremely deep, full-bodied, and ideal for drinking over the next 12-15 years. The tannins are there, but they are nearly obliterated by the wine’s concentration and richness. – Rated 93 points, The Wine Advocate; 93 points, Wine Spectator; 91 points, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

Sale pricing for selected wines lasts through the end of Saturday, February 19th, 2011. No other discounts may apply.

In the last ten years, the wines of this Yannick Amirault’s Pavillon du Grand Clos, have appeared as the most complex and the most consistent of the appellations Bourgueil and St. Nicholas de Bourgueil. The wines of the domaine are characterized by body, cleaness, charm and in a great vintage, by aristocracy…. Amirault’s wines have a maturity of tannins that is rare. When the vintage accentuates this search for maturity, certain cuvées swing towards opulence, but still serve as a reference for the finesse des matieres. – Le Classement, Revue du Vin de France

Join us on Saturday, September 18th from 12PM – 4PM for what promises to be an excellent tasting. Like all of our Saturday, In-Store Tastings, this event is free and all are welcome (must be 21 years of age to sample wines). The Lineup:

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil “La Coudraye” 2008, Regular Price $20.99,  Sale Price $17.84 – Bourgueil, Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 13% abv – Organic - Solid, with dark currant and briar notes backed by flint and iron hints and a lingering maduro tobacco note on the gutsy finish. Drink now through 2011. – Rated 89 Points, Wine Spectator

Yannick Amirault St.-Nicolas de Bourgueil “La Mine” 2008, Regular Price $25.99, Sale Price $22.99 – St.-Nicolas de Bourgueil, Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 12.5% abv – Organic - Fresh and racy, with alluring black tea and olive notes weaving through the core of black cherry and plum fruit. The polished finish lets a tobacco edge linger nicely. Drink now through 2011. – Rated 90 Points, Wine Spectator

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil “Le Grand Clos” 2007, Regular Price $27.99,  Sale Price $23.79 – Bourgueil, Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 12.5% abv – Organic - Still fresh, despite the mature hints of tea and cedar around the edges. A lively core of mulled red and black cherry fruit is backed by tobacco and olive hints, with a lovely, perfume- and mineral-filled finish. Drink now. – Rated 90 Points, Wine Spectator

Deep, bright red. Vibrant aromas of black cherry, cassis, licorice and smoky minerals. At once dense and juicy, with a medicinal reserve and building minerality giving a serious mien to the sweet dark fruit flavors. Graceful and precise but has solid structure for the vintage. Finishes with silky tannins and very good spicy length. – Rated 90 Points, International Wine Cellar

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil “La Petite Cave” 2007, Regular Price $35.99,  Sale Price $30.59 – Bourgueil, Loire, Franc – 100% Cabernet France – 12.5% abv – Organic - This racy red is a chalky spine driving the black cherry and black currant fruit, all backed by liberal tobacco and bittersweet cocoa notes. Grippy but fresh on the lengthy finish. Rock-solid. Drink now through 2012. – Rated 91 Points, Wine Spectator

Yannick Amirault St.-Nicolas de Bourgueil “Les Malgagnes” 2008, Regular Price $31.99,  Sale Price $27.19 – St.-Nicolas de Bourgueil, Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 13% abv – Organic - Lively, with open-knit blackberry, blueberry and cherry fruit, laced with sweet tapenade and spice notes. A bouncy edge on the finish lets the gorgeous, pure fruit play out without losing focus, while a tobacco edge chimes in for added depth. Drink now through 2012. – Rated 91 Points, Wine Spectator

We’re featuring six of these wines this week at the shop, with special pricing. And join us this Saturday, July 17th, at Weygandt Wines from 1PM until 4PM as we host a tasting where you can try them all before you buy! The Lineup:

Domaine Alary La Grange Daniel Blanc 2009, Regular Price $14.99, Sale Price $11.99 – Rhone, France – 100% Roussanne – 14% abv – Sustainable - Honeysuckle, rose petal, and apricot notes emerge from this tank-fermented and aged white. It exhibits surprising body and flavor intensity along with beautiful richness and length. I wouldn’t age it beyond a year, but it is ideal for current drinking with intensely flavored shellfish and poultry dishes.

Domaine Albert Mann Auxerrois Vieilles Vignes 2009, Regular Price $19.99, Sale Price $15.99 – Alsace, France – 100% Auxerrois – 13% abv – Biodynamic - Pale color. Fresh, pure nose offers peach and flowers. Juicy, fresh and moderately dense, in a rather sweet style for Auxerrois at nine grams of residual sugar. Turns a bit dry and peppery on the end.

Gerard & Pierre Morin Sancerre Chene Marchand 2008, Regular Price $28.99, Sale Price, $22.99 – Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 13% abv – Sustainable - A gorgeous nose and subtly oily, lush, yet ultra-bright palate are dominated by hedge flowers, fresh orange, lime, and grapefruit. Chalk, iodine, and salt seem to cling indelibly even as this sensationally concentrated and supremely elegant Sancerre invigorates and refreshes. Here is that perfect paradox one encounters with Sauvignon: its most sublime manifestations are farthest from typicity, and those seeking gooseberry, passion fruit, or cassis will be disappointed by what they find here.

Domaine Servin Chablis Vieilles Vignes Selection Massale, Regular Price $25.99, Sale Price $19.99 – Burgundy, France – 100% Chardonnay – 12.5% abv – Sustainable - (50% tank and 50% older barrels) Bright yellow. Less fruity than the Pargues on the nose, showing a menthol element. Dense, ripe and minerally, with excellent lemony cut and serious acidity. Finishes with noteworthy persistence, and the structure to age. These 2008s have 4.7 to 4.8 grams per liter of acidity, according to Francois Servin. Rate 89 points, The International Wine Cellar

Chateau de La Bonneliere Chinon Rive Gauche 2009, Regular Price $14.99, Sale Price $11.99 – Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 12.5% abv – Organic - Brimming with tart but ripe cherry and blackberry tinged with baking spices and toasted nuts. Succulent and sappy on the palate, it finishes with bright black fruits and pungent spice and pepper. This would make an excellent, highly affordable introduction to Loire Cabernet Franc as well as a versatile tablemate over the next 12-18 months.

Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy Sancerre Rouge Terre de Maimbray 2008, Regular Price $28.99, Sale Price $22.99 – Loire, France – 100% Pinot Noir – 12.5% abv – Organic - This juicy offering boasts bitter-edged, black pepper-, salt- and cinnamon-tinged mulberry and cassis on an elegant palate and strikingly long finish. The effect of older barrels seems to detract marginally from the purity of fruit, and I would in any case plan to enjoy this over the next 12-18 months.

And on Saturday, June 12, from 1-4 pm, please join our importer, Peter Weygandt, in the shop to taste some of the perfect hot weather wines. All of these wines will be discounted 15% off their regular retail price for a single bottle and 20% off a mixed or matched case. In addition to the sale on the bottles that we are pouring tastes of, we are extending the special pricing to any of the wines of the producers that we are featuring. The entire portfolios of Bonnet-Huteau, Marof, Birgit Eichinger, Clos de l’Origine and Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy will be on sale. So stop by and taste some great summer sippers with Peter Weygandt! The Lineup:

Bonnet-Huteau Muscadet de Sevre et Maine Sur Lie La Levaudiere 2009, Regular Price $12.99, Sale Price $11.04 – Loire, France – 100% Muscadet – 12% abv – Biodynamic - Light, bright straw. Dusty minerals, quince and lemon zest on the nose, with a hint of white flowers adding complexity. Dry, sharply focused citrus and mineral flavors show a weightier aspect in the mid-palate and pick up a hint of musky herbs with air. Finishes clean and brisk. – Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar

Marof Renski Rizling, Regular Price $18.99, Sale Price $16.14 – Mackovci, Slovenia – 100% Riesling – 12% abv – Sustainable - Marof’s 2007 Renski Riesling is simply one of the ten or dozen finest Riesling wines I can recall tasting from outside of the greater Rhine basin or Austria. A gorgeous aromatic display of smoke-tinged apricot, Meyer lemon, apple blossom, and rowan leads to a silken-textured, infectiously juicy palate that makes a virtue of its relative looseness by conveying an airy elegance. Apricot kernel, lime zest, and an amazingly savory underlying sense of meat broth add complexity, and the interchange of flavors with which this wine finishes is positively vibratory. I suspect it will be best relished over the next 12-18 months, but there’s really no way of knowing absent any track record. – Rated 91 points, David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate

Birgit Eichinger Grüner Veltliner Qualitätswein Trocken Kamptal Wechselberg 2008, Regular Price $22.99, Sale Price $19.54 – Kamptal, Austria – 100% Gruner Veltliner – 12.5% abv – Organic - Powerful, with concentrated grapefruit, Asian pear and gooseberry flavors that are supported by plenty of crisp acidity. Very vibrant and rich on the buttercream- and spice-filled finish. Drink now through 2015. 50 cases imported. – Rated 90 points, Kim Marcus, Wine Spectator

Clos de l’Origine Les Quilles Libres Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes Blanc 2007, Regular Price $23.99, Sale Price $20.39 – Roussillon, France – 80% Grenache Gris, 20% Grenache Blanc – 13% abv – Organic - The l’Origine 2007 Les Quilles Libres white is from Grenache Gris in both schist and chalk-clay terroirs of Maury (plus whatever bit of Grenache blanc may have been unavoidably harvested along with it), and was fermented for two months and aged in used barriques. An overlay of barrel-engendered lanolin and coconut in the nose segues into toasted nuts and grain and musky, narcissus-like scents. Firm and refreshing on the palate, it displays toasted nut, coconut, lanolin, lemon zest and brine, finishing long on piquant nuttiness, invigorating zest, but without the clarity or depth of the l’Original cuvee, and with an aura of oxidative evolution that some tasters may find slightly off-putting. This will demand careful pairing and I would advise exploring the options within the coming year. Inexperienced as I am with this estate I could easily end up being fooled by this wine’s potential. But given its low sulfur, it definitely requires vigilant, cool care. – Rated 88 points, David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate

Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy Sancerre Terre de Maimbray Rose 2009, Regular Price $24.99, Sale Price $21.24 – Burgundy, France – 100% Pinot Noir – 13% abv – Organic - Medium red color. Mineral-driven aromas of redcurrant, strawberry and rose, with notes of orange peel and herbs adding complexity. Dry, focused and pure, with tangy red fruit flavors and good mineral bite. Impressive for its elegance and understatement; the finish is brisk and focused but just a touch dry. – Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar

On Saturday, May 8th, 2010, from 12PM – 4PM

Rosé is one of those everything sort of wines . . . that is to say, that it goes well with nearly everything! With the aromas of juicy red fruit and the texture and dryness of a fresh white, Rosés are the perfect go-to warm weather wines to accompany anything from light fair to grilled meats . . . If you’re not a convert yet, come in on Saturday for our free tasting and we are sure that we’ll change your mind! And besides, the world always looks a little better through rosé colored glasses!

Our In-Stock Rosé Selections
Domaine Les Aphillanthes Cotes-du-Rhone Rosé 2009, 60% Cinsault, 20% Grenache, 15% Cunoise, 5% Mourvedre. $13.99 by the bottle

Rive Gauche Chinon Rosé 2009, 100% Cabernet Franc. $15.99 by the bottle

Domaine les Grands Bois Cotes du Rhone “Cuvee les Trois Soeurs” Rosé 2009, 75% Grenache, 15% Carignan, 5% Syrah. $13.99 by the bottle

Buchegger Pinot Noir Niederosterreich Rosé 2009, Austria. 100% Pinot Noir. $16.99 by the bottle

Chateau Mourgues du Gres Fleur d’Eglantine Costieres de Nimes Rosé 2009, 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Carignan. $13.99 by the bottle

Chateau Mourgues du Gres Les Galets Roses Costieres de Nimes Rosé 2009, 60% Syrah, 40% Grenache. $15.99 by the bottle

Pierre-Marie Chermette Les Griottes Beaujolais Rosé 2009, 100% Gamay. $16.99 by the bottle

Chateau de Manissy Tavel “Cuvee des Lys” Rosé 2009, 60% Grenache, 30% Clairette, 10% Syrah. $18.99 by the bottle

Domaine Duseigneur Lirac Rosé 2009, 50% Cinsault, 37% Mourvedre, 7% Clairette, 3% Grenache, 3% Syrah. $16.99 by the bottle

Domaine La Bastide Blanche Bandol Rosé 2009, 70% Mourvedre, 8% Grenache, 22% Cinsault. $22.99 by the bottle*

Chateau de Baumelles Bandol Rosé 2009, 30% Mourvedre, 36% Cinsault, 34% Grenache. $22.99 by the bottle*

Domaine Charvin Cotes du Rhone Rosé 2009, 80% Grenache, 20% Bourboulenc. $18.99 by the bottle*

*arriving at the shop late this week

Save Money When You Buy A Case or More
10% Off Mixed Cases
15% Off Matched Cases

Beatrice & Pascal Lambert Chinon “Les Perruches” 2006, $18.39/btl, Regularly $22.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 13.5% abv – Organic - Rock-solid, with a briary undertow carrying the macerated plum and cherry fruit, all followed by sweet tapenade and aged tobacco notes on the long finish. Even better than the 2005. Drink now through 2011. 200 cases imported. – 90 points, Wine Spectator.

La Source du Ruault Saumur Champigny “Vieilles Vignes” 2006, $19.99/btl, Regularly $24.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 12.5% abv – Biodynamic - Jean-Noel Millon took over his family’s vineyards in 1998. His 2006 Saumur Champigny Vieilles Vignes boasts pure, ripe, tart blackberry fruit with sage oil and ginger pungency and saline, chalky mineral expressions. Smoky, toasted nut notes, carob, and brown spices emerge in a penetrating finish that will truly leave you licking (the residues from) your lips. This admirably concentrated, inevitably versatile Cabernet Franc will be worth following for at least 2-3 years.

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil “Les Quartiers” 2006, $23.99/btl, Regularly $29.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 13% abv – Organic - A dark, grippy red from France’s Loire Valley, with charcoal, mesquite, roasted fig, dark olive and mineral notes coursing through while a backdrop of plum sauce and toast waits in reserve. The structured, mouthfilling finish drips with fruit and olive notes. Best from 2009 through 2017. 821 cases made. – 92 points, Wine Spectator

Yannick Amirault St.-Nicolas de Bourgueil “Les Malgagnes” 2006, $25.69/btl, Regularly $31.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 13.5% abv – Organic - This offers the appellation’s telltale iron, briar and dark olive notes, with a rock-solid core of black currant fruit. It’s all given a lift by a layer of well-integrated cocoa and mocha-tinged toast.

Fill up your cellar or wine racks with any of these special Loire Valley reds at 20% off the regular retail price!