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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.

Classic Wine Club:

Domaine Les Grand Bois Cotes du Rhone Viognier 2009 – Rhone, France – 100% Viognier – Sustainable - Classic Viognier aromas of white peach, apricot and violet with gentle mineral notes adding energy. An exotic papaya quality lingers on the juicy finish. This is perfect as an aperitif or with freshly grilled halibut or rockfish.

Domaine Duseigneur Lirac Antares 2007 – Rhone, France – 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre – 14.5% abv – Biodynamic - A bigger, richer offering, the 2007 Lirac Antares is a blend of 60% Grenache and equal parts Mourvedre and Syrah. The Grenache is aged in tank, and the other two varietals are kept in barrel. In keeping with the style of this vintage, it possesses plenty of freshness and ripeness in addition to deep black raspberry and black cherry fruit, licorice, smoke, and garrigue notes. This dense, medium to full-bodied, elegant as well as substantial Lirac should drink well for 5-6 years. This biodynamically-farmed vineyard, which has Philippe Cambie as its consultant, is a sleeper selection for value and high quality. – Rated 91 points, The Wine Avocate

Regular Price $38.98, 3WC Price $29.99 – A 23% Savings!

Gourmet Wine Club

Bodega Pedralonga Albariño Rias Baixas 2007 – Rias Baixas, Spain – 100% Albarino – 13% abv – Sustainable - A very full-bodied nose with notes of grapefruit, apple and floral hints. Structured and robust on the palate with prominent minerality,  lactic hints and slight, fruity acidity. Quite a bit richer and fuller than your average Albariño, serve this with a nice, oily fish such as mackerel or fresh sardines.

Yann Chave Crozes Hermitage Le Rouvre 2007 – Rhone, France – 100% Syrah – 12.5% abv – Sustainable - Dark and winey, with crushed currant, fig and boysenberry fruit laid over a strong graphite note. Additional tobacco, plum sauce and coffee notes fill in the briary finish. Best from 2010 through 2013. 2,080 cases made. – Rated 91 points, Wine Spectator

Regular Price $63.98, 3WC Price $49.99 – A 22% Savings!

Deluxe Wine Club

Domaine Remi Jobard Meursault Le Chevalieres 2007 – Burgundy, France – 100% Chardonnay – Organic - The most elegant, and most complex, aromas to this point with citrus blossom, anise, delicate pain grille notes and a background hint of orange peel marries into very pure and stony flavors that are chiseled and gorgeously intense, all wrapped in a dry and mouth coating finish that again offers excellent length for a wine of this level. As it usually is, this is the best of this fine group of villages wines. Recommended. – Rated 90 points, Burghound

La Campana Brunello di Montalcino – Tuscany, Italy – 100% Sangiovese Grosso – 14% abv – Sustainable - Medium-deep red. Ripe red cherry, plum, marjoram, cinnamon and smoke on the nose and palate. Creamy and sweet, this Rosso offers lovely texture and intensity to its flavors, with fresh acidity giving it a penetrating quality. Though it starts off rather sweet and lush, it finishes with substantial tongue-coating tannins that leave you scrambling for something to eat.

Regular Price $125.98, 3WC Price $99.99 – A 24% Savings!

Tement Sauvignon Blanc Grassnitzberg 2007, $39.99/btl – Styria, Austria – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 13% abv – Fermented in tank and matured in larger barrels, Tement’s 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Grassnitzberg is cooling and minty in personality yet with a glossy texture and lovely cling. Another year in bottle may bring more complexity, but this very proportional and refreshing Sauvignon should be worth following for 2-3 years. – WA 87 points

Chateau Mourgues du Gres Vin de Pays du Gard Blanc Terre d’Argence 2007, $15.99/btl – Rhone, France – 50% Viognier, 50% Roussanne – A blend of equal parts Viognier and Roussanne, a small percentage fermented in new wood, the very good 2007 Terre d’Argence blanc is surprisingly restrained compared to the Galets Dores. It offers abundant amounts of white currant, honeysuckle, and apricot notes in a medium-bodied, dry, refreshing style. – WA 87 points

Chateau Pont de Brion Graves Rouge 2005, $20.99/btl – Bordeaux, France – 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot – 12% abv – Classic Left Bank Bordeaux from a classic vintage. Dark fruit and cedar with a long, balanced finish.

Clos Marie Coteaux du Languedoc L’Olivette Pic Saint Loup 2008, $26.99/btl – Languedoc, France – Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault – 13.5% abv – Displaying aromas not only of ripe black fruits but of spiced apple cider such as one would more expect in a white wine, and a soothingly-textured and fruit-forward palate, this also hints at the sort of saline, iodine, and stony mineral dimensions that help make Clos Marie’s wines so fascinating as a group.

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

Domaine La Bastide 2007, Languedoc, France – 100% Viognier – “The 2007 Viognier represents one of several remarkable opportunities of which I’ve recently become aware to discover the true charms (without the common weaknesses) of this world-traveled grape made famous in the Northern Rhone. A pungent, classic nose of acacia, pepper cress, and alkaline mineral notes leads to a luscious, subtly oily, yet refreshing rather than at all heavy palate, and faint but pleasant bitterness of citrus zest and apple pit mingles with salt and white pepper in a palate-coating finish. Give this a workout at your dinner table over the coming 6-9 months.

“Guilhem Durant’s La Bastide wines have long represented an excellent collection of wines at almost embarrassingly modest prices, but in vintage 2007, he simply out did himself with amazing abundance of value.” – WA 89 point

Strele Soave 2007, Veneto, Italy – 100% Garganega – Yellow strong color, with nice flavory, fresh and intense taste with a little of almond note in the end. This wine is a very good combination with light appetizers fish, pasta dishes and even white meat with light sauces.

“Strele” is the old name for the cru which one exists and does part of Francesco and Gaetano family more than 50 years. The family Strele has worked hard on this young cru and they were selling in the past the grapes to other cantinas. Last year, one members of the family, Francesco decided to keep for himself this Garganega nectar without giving away to other wine makers.

Garganega grape is ancient grape from Greece origin and have found his perfect habitat in Verona area for thousand years back. Soave wine is mention about 1.500 years ago and beside Veneto we can find this grape only at Friuli, Umbria and Lombardia. Garganega is a late-ripening and ultra vigorous vine, with medium sized, pentagonal leaves with pronounced notches. The loosely-knit clusters are a little bit long, cylindrical and winged, supporting spherical, juicy berries of good acidity, thick skinned, medium in size and white-green in colour.

Domaine La Bastide Blanche Bandol Rose 2008, Provence, France – 70% Mourvedre, 22% Cinsault, 8% Grenache – “Another summer …bone-dry rose…fuller-bodied style with surprising power,depth and even structure…behaves more like a mid-weight dry red ….most Bandol roses are rare and expensive (very popular in Europe and quantities are limited)…this is right up there with my standard Bandol reference rose…Domaine Tempier…but Tempier sells for $35…this costs $20….ordered a case myself…..” – Robert M. Parker, Jr.

In the early 70’s Michel and Louis Bronzo (the latter on the board of the INAO) acquired the property of the Bastide Blanche, with an eye to producing from appellation Bandol wines the equal of more famous appellations like Chateauneuf. Their painstaking efforts were rewarded in 1993 when vintage conditions created the benchmark year to put Bandol in general and Bastide-Blanche, in particular, on the map of top producers in France. They have various cuvees, depending on the vintage, but always about 75% Mourvedre as a minimum, up to 100% Mourvedre for the cuvee Fontanieu from a parcel of that name near the Mediterranean. Also, common each year to their success are their very low yields, never more than 34 or 35 hl/ha, and simply impeccable cellar conditions and attention. This shows in the pure, well-delineated fruit, that has become a hallmark of Bastide-Blanche, as well as the delightful Rose that we will be pouring.

La Ca’ Nova Langhe Nebbiolo 2005, Piedmont, Italy – 100% Nebbiolo – More approachable than a Barolo or Barbaresco when young, the La Ca’ Nova is soft and supple with hints of licorice, violets and tar. A fairly versatile red, drink this with anything from roasted chicken to braised meats.

La Ca’ Nova is a classic family-run operation. The three Rocca brothers, joined for some time now by sons Ivano and Marco, still labour in the vines and cellar, practising the style of winemaking traditional in Langhe: meticulous care for the vineyard, careful timing for the harvest, gentle pressing of the clusters, macerations of 15 to 20 days and maturation in large Slavonian oak casks.

Simone Scaletta Dolcetto d’Alba Viglioni 2007, Piedmont, Italy – 100% Dolcetto – Intense ruby violet color, aromas of fresh violets and blueberries. Tasting it, you may distinguish a final hint of almond note. Medium bodied, easy drinking, it is considered to be an excellent, everyday wine which doesn’t fear time passing.

The grapes are macerated on the skins for about 5 days in rotary fermentors with temperature control. The grapes are then pressed off the skins and the alcoholic fermentation and the malolactic one are completed in steel tanks. Wine is still kept into steel tanks for about 9 months. By the repeated pouring processes, the wine in the end is pure. At about the end of July the wine is bottled without filtration and fining and then settle for 3 months before being out in the market.

Uwe Schiefer Blaufrankisch Konigsberg 2007, Südburgenland , Austria – 100% Blaufrankisch – “Schiefer matured his 2007 Blaufrankisch Konisberg in a new 3,100 liter cask (meaning that there was around five and a half times more of it than of the 2006) and bottled it already last summer, because he was bereft of wine to sell. It includes some estate fruit, and some from the Eisenberg. Ripe cherry with bitter cherry pit and smoke accents in the nose, in turn inform a cool-fruited but ripe palate, with subtly stony and spicy notes that carry into a bright, sappy finish. This may well pick up some further nuance with time in bottle but, as things stand, offers an excellent introduction to Schiefer’s style of Blaufrankisch, perfect for enjoying over the next 2-3 years. The rest of Schiefer’s 2007s were highly promising, if backward, from barrel last summer.

“I wrote extensively in issue 177 about Uwe Schiefer and his remarkable and distinctive Blaufrankisch from the once-famous Eisenberg area on the Hungarian border in South Burgenland. His 2006 collection almost certainly represents the best of his eight to date, hence some of the most exciting red wine ever produced in Austria. Despite his relatively brief history, Schiefer’s conception of Blaufrankisch as a wine with site-sensitivity and finesse comparable, and best handled in a manner akin to that of Burgundian Pinot Noir and not a wine of, as he puts it, “tannin and power,” or one best marked by small toasty barrels, has begun to resonate within Austria, not least in the exciting Moric wines of Roland Velich (the 2006s of which are reviewed in this report).” – WA 89 points

Schiefer’s principle: “Less is more” – his aim is a genuine winemaking. He produces wines in a very puristic style focusing on naturalness. Currently he works in some vineyards biodynamic, but wants to change all vineyard culture to biodynamic in the coming years.

The Südburgenland is Austria’s smallest wine producing province and straddles the border with Hungary. There are a total of 400 hectares under vine. The finest vineyard is the 120 ha Eisenberg, a steep schistus slate hillside where Uwe Schiefer (by coincidence the word Schiefer meaning slate in German) works now on 5 hectares. About 10 years ago, he started putting together his estate, nearly all planted to Blaufränkisch.