Northern Rhone Viognier pairs very well with rich cheeses, fish with sauces such as a beurre blanc, guinea fowl and other lighter poultry. The Syrahs are a natural match with duck, game birds, venison and richer meats.

All of the wines from Georges Vernay will be on sale for 25-50% off the regular retail price. For those of you who haven’t tasted Viognier and/or Syrah from the steep-sloped, shale and granite soils of this region, this is an excellent opportunity to try these elegant and complex wines. The Lineup:

Georges Vernay Viognier Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes Le Pied de Samson 2007, Sale $19.99/btl, Regularly $32.99/btl – Rhone, France – 100% Viognier – 12.8% abv – Fresh, tangy mix of peach, anise and mineral notes, that all stay bright and pure on the finish. Drink now. 1,080 cases made. – WS 88 points

Georges Vernay Condrieu Les Terrasses de L’Empire 2007, Sale $34.99/btl, Regularly $52.99/btl – Rhone, France – 100% Viognier – 14% abv – Really bright and superracy, with a tightly coiled core of orange blossom, honeysuckle, green fig, yellow apple and chamomile notes waiting to gush forth. Taut acidity holds this back for now, so cellar to let it round into form. Best from 2009 through 2012. 1,665 cases made. – WS 92 points

Georges Vernay Cote Rotie Blonde du Seigneur 2005, Sale $49.99/btl, Regularly $74.99/btl – Rhone, France – 100% Syrah – 12.5% abv – Bright and pure, with racy acidity carrying a strong floral note, along with hints of licorice, iron and cassis. Graphite edge really stretches out the finish. Best from 2009 through 2016. 415 cases made. – WS 92 points

The outstanding 2005 Cote Rotie Blonde de Seigneur exhibits the beautifully sexy, seductive notes from the Cote Blonde, with raspberry, kirsch, smoke, and flowers, followed by an elegantly wrought wine with supple tannins, beautiful black and red fruits, and a savory mouthfeel. It is rich, but not over the top. – WA 92 points

Georges Vernay Cote Rotie Blonde du Seigneur 2006, Sale $39.99/btl, Regularly $62.99/btl – Rhone, France – 100% Syrah – 12.5% abv – A juicy, ripe style, with lots of briar, red and black currant, sweet tapenade and aged tobacco notes, backed by a vibrant minerality. Long, alluring finish. Drink now through 2018. 665 cases made. – WS 91 points

Georges Vernay Cote Rotie Maison Rouge 2004, Sale $69.99/btl, Regularly $109.99 – Rhone, France – 100% Syrah – 12.5% abv – Shows a mix of sweet tea, black olive, currant, sanguine and mineral notes, with a long, supple finish. The fresh acidity lets the herb and mineral notes linger nicely. Drink now through 2015. 415 cases made. – WS 91 points

Georges Vernay Cote Rotie Maison Rouge 2005, Sale $79.99/btl, Regularly $119.99/btl – Rhone, France – 100% Syrah – 12.5% abv – Gorgeous aromas of Turkish coffee, warm fig bread and dark cocoa lead the way for a lushly layered palate of fig, boysenberry and black currant paste notes. Very alluring, with ample structure buried on the finish. Don’t overlook the reds at this Condrieu-based domaine; they’ve really improved in the last few vintages. Best from 2010 through 2025. 415 cases made. – WS 94 points

The 2005 Cote Rotie Maison Rouge is dark ruby in color but totally dominated by new oak. The wine has some serious weight to it and excellent freshness, but the wood is overwhelming at present, which surprised me. Judgment reserved. – WA 88 points

As for this week, we have another special event scheduled for Saturday (details to come), so this week’s lineup applies to Monday thru Friday, and as always, 4-7 pm:

Chateau Mourgues du Gres Costieres de Nimes Les Galtes Dores 2008, $14.99/btl – Rhone, France – 30% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, 30% Vermentino, 7% Marsanne,3% Clairette – 13% abv – The elegant white wine offering, the 2008 Les Galets Dores (nearly equal parts Grenache, Roussanne, Rolle, and tiny amounts of Marsanne and Clairette), offers notes of honeyed grapefruit and buttery citrus along with fresh acidity, medium body, plenty of flavor, and a dry, crisp finish. It should be drunk over the next year. – WA 88 points

Weingut Heymann-Lowenstein Riesling Schieferterrassen 2006, $19.99/btl – Mosel, Germany – 100% Riesling – There’s appealing flavors of peach, spice and slate, yet this seems a little slack, lacking the core of acidity to give all the components verve and snap. Drink now through 2012. 50 cases imported. – WS 88 points

Memo Sangiovese 2008, $10.99/btl – Tuscany, Italy – 100% Sangiovese – 13% abv – Strong ruby red color in the glass, with an intense and persistent nose. This fruity Tuscan wine has notes of cherries, prunes and vanilla. Medium bodied, slightly tannic, balanced and ready to drink. Cheap and cheerful!

Domaine La Bastide Syrah Les Genets Vieilles Vignes 2007, $12.99/btl – Languedoc, France – 100% Syrah – Medium-bodied, with dense red fruit flavors and tobacco leaf notes. There’s pepper and graphite on the finish. Drink now through 2012. 2,000 cases imported. – WS 86 points

Domaine de Ferrand Cotes du Rhone La Ferrande 2006, $21.99/btl – Rhone, France – 100% Syrah – 14% abv – As remarkable as 2007 is, there are 2006s that should not be forgotten. Domaine Ferrand (an excellent producer of Chateauneuf du Pape) has turned out a 100% Syrah cuvee, the 2006 Cotes du Rhone La Ferrand. Its opaque ruby/purple hue is followed by aromas of pepper, blackberries, licorice, incense, and earth. Dense and rich with surprising complexity and character for a southern Syrah, it should drink nicely for 2-3 years. – WA 90 points

Domaine la Berangeraie Les Caminoles Cahors Malbec 2007, $14.99/btl – Sudouest, France – 100% Malbec – 13% abv – In 1971 Andre Berenger came to Cahors from Provence with his wife Sylvie, who is originally from Champagne, and planted their vineyard near Grezels, on the red clay/iron stone soil known as Grezes. Their two children, Maurin and Juline not only joined them in the family business but so too have their respective spouses. Thus the three couples all work together and do everything in this twelve hectare domaine themselves – the pruning, the treatments of the all-organic vines and the harvesting all by hand (a disappearing practice in Cahors where harvesting is now done almost exclusively by machine). This is a lighter bodied Malbec from where the grape was originally grown. Malbec lovers should try this as a nice alternative to their standard powerhouses from Argentina.

Domaine Alary La Grange Daniel Blanc 2008, $14.99/bottle – The 2008 La Grange Daniel blanc (100% Roussanne) could easily be compared to a top vintage of Beaucastel’s renowned white Chateauneuf du Pape (which is dominated by Roussanne). 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. – WA 90 points

Soellner Grüner Veltliner Hengstberg 2007, $21.99/bottle – Ripe peach flavors dominate this medium-bodied white, which features some almond notes and a smoky finish. Drink Now. 500 cases made. – WS 85 points

Schiavenza Dolcetto d’Alba Vughera 2005, $21.99/bottle – Medium bodied with dark plums and cherries, good with pasta and pizza. Drink young. A classic Dolcetto d’Alba.

Domaine Charvin Vin de Pays à Côté 2007, $14.99/bottle – I don’t know why Laurent Charvin never shows me this wine when I taste with him as the 2007 is a brilliant effort. A blend of 42% Grenache, from 60-year-old and 45-year-old parcels, and 58% Merlot from much younger vines, aged for 18 months in concrete tanks, and bottled without filtration, it represents a gorgeous bargain. A deep ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by sweet black cherry, spice box, pepper, and unsmoked cigar tobacco notes. The wine possesses a ripe, round texture, and a long, lusty finish. This is pure hedonism at its best combined with the unmistakable character of Provence. Drink it over the next 1-2 years. – WA 90 points

Domaine les Aphillanthes Vin de Pays 2007, $13.99/bottle – A blend of Syrah, Merlot, and Grenache, the 2007 Vin de Pays possesses straightforward, crunchy, chunky, juicy notes of kirsch, black currants, licorice, and loamy soil undertones. This fresh, lively, bistro-styled red sells for a song. Consume it over the next year. – WA 87 points

Domaine Font-Mars Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, $7.99/bottle – Firm, with plum and berry flavors, and some herbal notes on the finish. Drink now. 1,250 cases imported. – WS 83 points