Thanks to all who have registered for the Organic Wine Tasting at Weygandt Wines. With a week to go, we have filled all of our spots and are no longer accepting new registrants for this event. If you wanted to attend this event but didn’t pull the trigger in time, fear not, we’ll have plenty more organic/biodynamic/eco-friendly events in the upcoming year. Over half of our stock is grown and produced by organic or biodynamic means and most of the remaining use sustainable agriculture, so it’s a good bet that anything you get hear will meet your green needs. Thanks again to all who registered for the event and stay tuned for more updates on tastings, events and all things wine related.

Thanks to all who showed up to meet with Sara Perez of Mas Martinet for a delicious and informative tasting this past Saturday. And please don’t worry (authorities), the young lady at the bar was not, in any way, involved in the tasting. She was just curious. As was he…This week, as we get ready for one of the very great Burgundy makers, Thierry Brouin of Domaine des Lambrays to pay us a visit, we’ll pour a handful of new selections to keep you interested until the Main Event on Saturday. And just a reminder, there are just a couple of seats left for the Domaine des Lambrays Winemaker Dinner at The Source by Wolfgang Puck. Puligny-Montrachets from 2006 and 2007, Morey-St.-Denis from 2007 and the famed Grand Crus Clos des Lambreys 2004 thru 2007 will all be tasted and paired with the elegant food from The Source. For more information, please contact the shop at (202) 362-9463 or email us a info@weygandtwines.com. As for the Lineup, here it is:

Domaine de Beauregard Muscadet Sevre et Maine 2008, $12.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Muscadet – 12% abv – Sustainable - This offers bracing lemon and lime flavors steered by a lingering note of fleur de sel. Drink now. 600 cases imported. – WS 87 points

Marof Chardonnay 2008, $19.99/btl – Slovenia – 100% Chardonnay – 13% abv – Sustainable – Biscuit and ripe aromas, this full-bodied, creamy, dry white wine has a surprisinigly long and mineral-laden finish.

Domaine Piron-Lameloise Moulin A Vent Vieilles Vignes 2008, $21.99/btl – Beaujolais, France – 100% Gamay – 12.5% abv – Sustainable – The Pirons’ 2008 Moulin-a-Vent Les Vignes du Vieux Bourg comes from 5 acres of centenarian vines. Aromas of blackberry, iris, smoked meat, mace, pepper, and salt spray lead to a pungently spicy, tartly ripe and juicy, yet subtly creamy palate, followed by a rather brash finish of formidable tenacity. This is built for at least 5-6 years in the cellar, where it should gain in both further complexity and harmony. A steal for old vine Moulin A Vent!

Domaine St.-Damien Gigondas Souteyrade 2006, $29.99/btl – Rhone, France – 80% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre – 15% abv – Sustainable – A candidate for “wine of the vintage,” the 2006 Gigondas Les Souteyrades possesses superb notes of jammy strawberries, black cherries, raspberries, flowers, and a crushed rock-like minerality. This full-bodied, pure, layered 2006 does not display the compelling richness of the 2007, but it is a beautiful wine that is already drinking well. It should evolve for a decade or more. – WA 93 points

Starting this week, we team up with one of the true superheroes of DC: the protector of porridge, the star of spice, the conqueror of the cauldron. That’s right folks, the one, the only…Soupergirl! The Caped Cook and Weygandt Wines combine to make a Dynamic Duo of palate pleasing pairings. Every week, we’ll let you know what she’s creating and what will be the best wine from our shop to go with that selection. In addition, make sure to come by the shop and whisper the password, “Soupergirl,” and you’ll receive anywhere from 25%-45% off the regular retail price of the selected wines. Also, Soupergirl flew by the shop and left some postcards with info about her base of operations with a special treat: enter the word “Weygandt” at checkout in the Discount Codes box and receive 10% off your first order from Soupergirl. This week’s Souper Lineup:

Rave on Mulligatawny Soup – Ingredients (in no particular order): lentils, chickpeas, tomato, curry, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, coconut milk, agave, basmati rice, cilantro, garlic, carrots, onions, olive oil, homemade vegetable stock goodness.

Paired with…

Bernard et Robert Schoffit Gewurztraminer Cuvee Caroline, SG Price $19.99/btl,, Regularly $26.99 – Alsace, France – 100% Gewurztraminer – 13.8% abv – Aromas of celeriac and celery seed, clove and rose petal. A touch sweet on the palate this wine’s caramel and mocha-coffee tones lend a sense of low-toned richness s and it finishes with persistent rose perfume, and dominant sweetness. Gewurz and spicey foods are like peas and carrots.

Let the Bright Orange Shine In Soup – Ingredients (in no particular order): sweet potatoes, carrots, cardamom, turmeric, ginger, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, touch of cayenne, onion, canola oil, salt, pepper, homemade vegetable stock goodness.

Paired with…

Richard Leroy Anjou Le Clos des Rouliers 2006, SG Price $16.49/btl, Regularly $26.99 – Loire, France – 100% Chenin Blanc – 12.5% abv – A tangy, stony style, with yellow apple, lemon verbena and chamomile notes pushed by a melon- and lime-filled background. There’s nice length and purity.

More information about her soups can be found here.

On Saturday, March 27th, Weygandt Wines is proud to welcome Sara Pérez of Mas Martinet in Spain’s Tarragona region, as she visits our retail shop for a special in-store tasting event of some of Spain’s greatest wines.

“In ancient times, Tarragona  was a major Roman colony, and the capital city from which the province takes its name is filled with significant Roman ruins, including a seaside amphitheater. The Romans, and prior to their tenure the Greeks, made wine here, but the “modern” winemaking history of the region dates to the 12th century and the Carthusian monastery, or priory (priorat in Catalan), from which the Priorat area takes its name. The Scala Dei (Ladder to God) winery was founded in 1973 on the grounds of the once-magnificent monastery. For nearly two decades, its rustic but palatable wines were the only ones from the region known to the outside world.

“What has happened in the province of Tarragona over a short span of years is nothing short of mind-boggling. Rather than mere change, there has been upheaval every bit as dramatic as the ancient geological events that created the region’s strikingly beautiful landscape.

“The surge in quality can be credited largely to five once-fledgling producers whose names are now well known, with some approaching cult status – René Barbier (Clos Mogador), Carles Pastrana (Clos de L’Obac), Josep Lluís Pérez (Mas Martinet), Daphne Glorian (Clos Erasmus) and Alvaro Palacios (L’Ermita). They descended upon Priorat in 1989 to make wine together. Their exceptional achievements caused a ripple effect that spurred the momentum.” - Gerry Dawes, The Wine News, Tarragona’s Powerful New-Age Reds

The wines of Priorat are today Spain’s finest reds, and the equal of the best that the French Mediterranean and all of Italy produces. It is a wild region, of steep, terraced vineyards that date to Roman times. The typical terroir is composed mainly of ragged and broken slate (schist, or llicorella in the Catalan dialect), lending a distinct character and finesse to the region’s best wines.

Wine making at Mas Martinet is at once simple and brilliant as described by Drew Matich from Pulling the Cork, August 2009: “. . . the bottom line is this: Sara’s wines faithfully reflect the grapes of the vineyard in any given year. There are no winemaker games played to optimize or equalize the wine across different vintages. The grapes are blended, fermented, and aged as they come out of the vineyard. And from our tastings, the results were amazing.”

Depending on our available quantities, we’ll open up at least 4 of the following, if not more. The Lineup:

Mas Martinet Menut 2006, $19.99/btl – Priorat, Spain – 50% Garnatxa, 30% Merlot, 20% Syrah – 14% abv – An incredible value, Menut is a blend of Martinet’s younger vines, and parcels not used for their five single-vineyard cuvees, along with a good chunk of Merlot. Aged 15 months in 3,4,5-year French barriques. Then tank.

Mas Martinet Bru 2007, $32.99/btl – Priorat, Spain – 40% Garnatxa, 25% Syrah, remaining 35% Carignan, Cabernet and (tiny amount) Merlot – 14.5% abv – Martinet Bru is From a single parcel at the southwest corner of the caudron. Unique climate here. Aged 17 months; half in 300 liter second and third year French oak, and half in large wooden tank (3 years old).

Mas Martinet Degustacio No. 1 2004, $46.99/btl – Priorat, Spain – Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache – 15.5% abv

Mas Martinet Els Escurcons 2006, $71.99/btl – Priorat, Spain – 80% Garnatxa, 20% Syrah – 14.5 % abv – This has an expressive nose of roasted mineral, damp earth, mushroom, blueberry, and black cherry. Forward, sweetly-fruited, and succulent, it can be enjoyed over the next 8-10 years. – 92 points, The Wine Advocate

Mas Martinet Clos Martinet 2006, $71.99/btl – Priorat, Spain – 68% Garnatxa, 20% Caranyana, 12% Syrah – 14.5% abv – The flagship 2006 Clos Martinet (a single-vineyard). Aged 20 months in 300 liter French barrels – 25% new and 75% from two- to 6-year-old barrels] is a saturated purple color with an alluring bouquet of liquid mineral, lavender, cigar box, truffle, black cherry, and black raspberry. Fruit-forward, elegant, and smooth textured, this harmonious effort can be enjoyed over the next decade although it will continue to blossom for several more years. – 94 Points, The Wine Advocate

Mas Martinet Cami Pesseroles 2006, $92.99/btl – Priorat, Spain – 60% Caranyana, 40% Garnatxa – 14.5% abv – The purple-colored 2006 Cami Pesseroles has earth, mineral, spice box, and black cherry aromas that give way to a suave, structured wine with savory fruit, plenty of spice notes, and a lengthy finish. It will benefit from several more years in the bottle and will deliver optimum drinking from 2012 to 2026.” – 93 Points, The Wine Spectator; 92 Points, The Wine Advocate

***SOLD OUT***The Eco Luxe Life, Grassfed Media and GoingGreenDC are hosting a wine tasting April 7 at Weygandt Wines in Cleveland Park featuring organic and biodynamic wines with local light fare from Dino, award-winning artisan cheese from Firefly Farms and fair trade chocolate samples from Divine Chocolate. Part of the proceeds will benefit the DC Farm to School Network. The event is $15 in advance and $20 at the door (cash only). If you would like to reserve a space at the pre-paid price, but do not want to pay by PAYPAL, please call us at the shop at (202) 362-9462. We’ll put you on the list. For more details and to RSVP, please visit http://organicwine.eventbrite.com. ***SOLD OUT***

Thanks to all who made it by the shop on a beautiful early spring day this past Saturday to meet the wonderfully affable Micheal Gerin of Jean-Michel Gerin. (We know that technically winter did not succomb to spring until midnight Saturday, but the day was nice enough to take a pass on a technicality.) Next Saturday, we will have one of the undoubtedly great winemakers of the Priorat region of Spain in our shop to pour and talk about her wines. Sara Perez of Mas Martinet will be here, probably between 1 and 4 pm, but we’ll give you a definite schedule sometime in the next couple of days. Meanwhile, we’ll continue to pour our normal assortment of wines between 4 and 7 pm from Monday thru Friday. This week, we’ll offer two bottles under $11, a 90 point wine under $13 and a 91 point wine under $23. The lineup:

Chateau Font-Mars Picpoul de Pinet 2008, $10.99/btl – Languedoc, France – 100% Picpoul – 12.5% abv – Font-Mars – with its coat of arms flanked by dinosaurs, an allusion to fossilized eggs found on the property – once again offers a distinctively delicious wine with their 2008 Coteaux du Languedoc Picpoul de Pinet, smelling of honeydew melon and passion fruit; refreshing, sappy and stimulatingly bitter in its notes of green apple and melon rind, and guaranteed to improve the contents of any refrigerator over the next 6-9 months.

Weingut Trapl Gruner Veltliner 2008, $15.99/btl – Carnuntum, Austria – 100% Gruner Veltliner – 11.5% abv – White grapefruit that lingers for a considerable amount of time given the price point. Finishes with an abundance of mineral and a touch of chalk.

Domaine La Bastide Syrah Vin de Pays d’Hauterive Les Genets Vieilles Vignes 2007, $12.99/btl – Languedoc, France – 100% Syrah – 14.5% abv – The 2007 Syrah Vieilles Vignes came in at close to 15% alcohol, yet its wonderfully-concentrated, brown-spiced, sweetly-ripe cassis, black cherry, and purple plum retain a refreshing brightness and are not in the least marred by bitterness or heat. Anything this wine lacks in complexity it makes up for in seamlessness and generosity, not to mention ridiculously good value. Enjoy it over the next 2-3 years. – WA 90 points

Domaine Duseigneur Lirac Antares 2007, $22.99/btl – Rhone, France – 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre – 14.5% abv – 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. – WA 91 points

On Saturday, March 20, from 1 pm to 4 pm, please help us welcome Micheal Gerin of the great house, Jean-Michel Gerin, to the shop. He will pouring his very well reviewed wines that are written about as some of the very best from the Northern Rhone. The whites are all Viognier and the reds are all Syrah; one can see from the picture above the amount of care and work that must go into tending grapes that are grown on these rocky, mineral-rich, mountainside vineyards. Rare and outstanding wines, this is another great opportunity to taste some cuvees that you just don’t open up for general consumption. Unless you’re us. Which we are. All bottles will be priced 15% off the normal retail price, with a 20% discount to be applied by the case. The Lineup:

Jean-Michel Gerin Condrieu Coteau de La Loye 2007, SALE $42.49/btl, Regularly $49.99 – Rhone, France – 100% Viognier – 14.5% abv – Quite ripe, but with excellent precision, as a clear minerally streak and crunchy acidity runs through the peach, mango and anise flavors. Long, bright finish lets the anise and mineral notes stretch out nicely. Drink now through 2010. 1,165 cases made. – WS 91 points

The superb 2007 Condrieu La Loyes is a bigger, bolder white with more crushed rock and minerality accompanying its white peach, apricot, and lychee nut characteristics. – WA 91 points

Jean-Michel Gerin Syrah Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes 2007, SALE $16.99, Regularly $19.99/btl – Rhone, France – 100% Syrah – 13% abv – A hint of reduction blows off quickly, leaving incense, crushed cherry, violet and mineral notes to glide through the iron-tinged finish. Drink now. 1,415 cases made. – WS 88 points

Jean-Michel Gerin St. Joseph 2007, SALE $25.49/btl, Regularly $29.99 – Rhone, France – 100% Syrah – 12.5% abv – Shows the bright, crunchy acidity of the vintage, with hints of violet, pastis, black cherry and incense gliding through the fresh, lengthy finish. Drink now through 2011. 1,665 cases made. – WS 91 points

Jean-Michel Gerin Cote Rotie Champin Le Seigneur 2006, SALE $50.99/btl, Regularly $59.99 – Rhone, France – 100% Syrah – 13% abv – Vibrant and racy, with good drive to the red licorice, red currant and damson plum notes, backed by hints of fruitcake, roasted vanilla and iron. The long, silky finish is finely tuned. Drink now through 2016. 3,750 cases made. – WS 91 points

Jean-Michel Gerin Cote Rotie Les Grandes Places 2006, SALE $84.99/btl, Regularly $99.99 – Rhone, France – 100% Syrah – 13% abv – Still a bit taut, with briary tannins framing the red currant, black cherry, licorice and iron notes. Firm, with the licorice edge winning out on the slightly tangy, olive- and mineral-filled finish. This needs cellaring to flesh out fully. Best from 2010 through 2020. 625 cases made. – WS 93 points

We need to squeeze in a few wines to taste before our big Jean-Michel Gerin Cote Rotie Tasting on Saturday (details to come). We thought to match the changing weather, we’d pour a couple of delightfully refreshing, wallet-friendly Gruner Veltliners and two sub-$20 reds with bright, fresh fruit flavors. The lineup:

Markowitsch Gruner Veltliner Schanzacker 2008, $15.99/btl – Carnuntum, Austria – 100% Gruner Veltliner – 12% abv – There’s plenty of fresh herb and green peach notes in this light white. A refreshing minerality finishes this delightful sipper. Drink now.

Soellner Gruner Veltliner Danubio 1-Liter 2008, $16.99/btl – An herbal style, with straightforward fresh-cut apple flavors and a medium finish. A bit more bang for the buck considering the larger format bottle. Drink now. 500 cases imported.

Chateau de La Bonneliere Chinon 2007, $17.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 13% abv – This displays a satisfying amalgam of bitter-edged black fruits, toasted nuts, salt, and herbs with positively lip-smacking sappiness and a tart, but persistently invigorating finish. Plan on enjoying it over the next couple of years.

Markowitsch Blaufrankisch Carnuntum Spitzerberg 2007, $19.99/btl – Carnuntum, Austria – 100% Gruner Veltliner – 12% abv – Medium-bodied, with fresh and lively red berry and plum flavors that show an elegant side. Spicy finish features notes of beef and pepper. Drink now. – WS 88 points

As the title indicates, we will be hosting an Organic Wine Tasting on Wednesday, April 7, from 6:30 pm til 8 pm. (This does mean that we will close our doors at 6:30 pm to the public. We will resume our normal hours of operation the next day.) If you would like to attend and have not registered for the event, please do so HERE. At $15/head, this is a bit of break from our normal way of doing things–giving you things for free–but we think that the cost of this event is justified. In addition to the wines which will be described further down, we’ll have food from Dino, cheese from Firefly Farms, as well as a raffle for prizes ranging from a $50 gift certificate to Founding Farmers Restaurant to an organic gift basket from Herban Lifestyle. And, more importantly, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to The DC Farm to School Network. So, all in all, good food, good drink and a good cause. Win, win, win. The Lineup (all featured wines are on sale for 20% off):

Domaine du Vissoux Cremant de Bourgogne NV – Beaujolais, France – 100% Chardonnay – 12% abv – A terrific alternative to pricey Champagne, this Blanc de Blanc  made by star Beaujolais winemaker Pierre Chermette is made in the methode tradtionelle. Hand crafted and hand riddled, this 100% ORGANIC sparkling wine offers outstanding structure and weight, with notes of green apple and spiced pear, all in a crisp, well-balanced package. EVENT PRICE, $20.99/btl

Chateau de La Bonneliere Touraine Les Devants Cepage Sauvignon 2008 – Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 12.5% abv – Marc Plouzeau’s BIODYNAMIC bottling of his 2008 Touraine Sauvignon is redolent of citrus and herbs; lean and unusually bright on the palate even for its genre, and finishes with a combination of fresh lemon, salt, peppermint, and nettles that will leave your palate both scoured and invigorated! EVENT PRICE, $12.99/btl

Domaine Albert Mann Pinot Blanc 2008 - Alsace, France – 50% Pinot Blanc, 50% Auxerrois – 12.5% abv – Jacky and Maurice Barthelme’s BIODYNAMIC 2008 Pinot Blanc portrays their unique style consistently; beautiful delineation of flavors and precise textures, never heavy, clumsy or out of balance. A lovely mineral-scented nose is followed by palate coating pear, white peach and apricot. EVENT PRICE, $14.99/btl

Domaine David Clark Bourgogne Au Pelson 2006 – Burgundy, France – 100% Pinot Noir – 12.5% abv – Scottsman David Clark’s ORGANIC is firm and complex, with a mix of smoke, herb, dried currant and wild raspberry flavors that expand to ripe cherry and plum. Full-bodied and well-structured, gaining depth and picking up a nice fresh earthy edge. The finish is long and persistent. EVENT PRICE, $16.99/btl

Domaine Duseigneur Lirac Antares 2007 – Rhone, France – 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre – 14.5% abv – Jean and Frederic Duseigneur’s 2007 Lirac Antares is a big rich offering. 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 and smoky notes. This dense, medium to full-bodied, elegant as well as substantial BIODYNAMIC Lirac should drink well for 5-6 years. EVENT PRICE, $18.99/btl

Clos de L’Origine Cotes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France Les Quilles Libres Rouge 2007 - Roussillon, France – 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Carignan – Marc Barriot’s ORGANIC 2007 Les Quilles Libres is loaded with wood smoke, tobacco, brown spices, soy, peanuts, and ripe red fruits mingle in the nose. On a sappy, palpably extract-rich palate, lightly cooked red raspberry and strawberry are dusted with cardamom, cinnamon, and white pepper, and underlain with toasted praline and peanuts. EVENT PRICE, $23.99/btl

Claude and Isabel Fonquerle began farming Minervois La Liviniere in 2002, in partnership with oenologist Philippe Cambie of Chateauneuf du Pape. (They also have a sliver of acreage near one of their two facilities, in the St. Chinian appellation.) Nearly all of their vines are old and head pruned. Fruit is rigorously selected at picking, chilled overnight, and then sorted twice more by bunch and berry before crushing, and fermentative skin contact can run for one or two months! “While Chateauneuf remains the source of my orientation,” says Claude, “Burgundy is my inspiration. The purity of fruit and the minerality in those wines is something magical. Think of Henri Jayer!” I’ve heard that Burgundy line the world over, and I’m not sure to what extent I’d call these wines “Burgundian.” But purity of fruit and elements one can only describe as “mineral,” they surely display in abundance. It would be less misleading – and no exaggeration – to say that this team has already redefined the potential of Minervois, and bottled what are almost certainly the finest and most exciting wines ever grown in that appellation, not to mention their representing extraordinary values. This is not the same as saying “of that appellation,” incidentally, because not all L’Oustal Blanc wines follow the blends permitted or the protocol prescribed for Minervois. The Fonquerle’s mutual inspiration and admiration with horn player Jacques Adnet of the Paris Opera has resulted in the re-christening of their upper-level cuvees with names inspired by music. – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate

On Friday, March12, between 4 and 7 pm, and Saturday, March 13, between noon and 4 pm, we will open four very special bottles from Minervois, a small appellation bordering Carcassonne to the west, within the Languedoc region of France. Domaine L’Oustal Blanc consistently crafts 90+ point wines according to all of the top reviewers and we offer to you a sampling of their outstanding wines. As a young man, Claude Fonquerle worked on wines in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and the importance of the varietals from that legendary appellation remain the same in Minervois. In this equation, the combination of great terroir and a great winemaker equals great and unique wines. The Lineup:

Domaine L’Oustal Blanc Naick 6 Blanc 2006, SALE $29.74/btl, Regularly $34.99 – Minervois, France – 95% Grenache Gris, 5% Macabeo – 14% abv – This is pungently floral and zesty in the nose, like a mingling of oranges with some mysterious orchid. Peach kernel, toasted hickory, and wet stone add a faintly bitter and austere side to the palate, and a saline savor, fresh peach, chalk dust, and citrus make for a piquant, almost endlessly lip-smacking and thought-provoking finish no less remarkable, but far more refined and classically white wine-like than that of the 2007. These L’Oustal whites simply have to be tasted to be believed, and I suspect this will be worth following for at least half a dozen years. Along with Roland Velich’s (Moric) ancient vines Gruner Veltliner – and perhaps not coincidently given their striking similarities in terroir and method – Naick white counts as my greatest white wine revelation of the past couple of years. – WA 94 points

Domaine L’Oustal Blanc Minervois Giocoso 2006, SALE $25.49/btl, Regularly $29.99 – Minervois, France – 65% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Carignan – 15% abv – The 2007 Minervois Giocoso – which I tasted assembled from tank – is 65% Grenache (raised in tank), with a balance of Syrah and Carignan (raised in barrique, half new), and incorporates fruit from outside of the La Liviniere sub-appellation. Black raspberry, blackberry, carob, gingerbread, and nutmeg in the nose set the theme for a richly ripe yet berry-tart palate of seductive spiciness and underlain by what it is hard not to imagine as something analogous to the schistic stone (rare for Minervois) and chalk on which these grapes grew. This shows a rare purity, lift, refinement, and vivacity you will seek virtually in vain anywhere in this appellation, and the finish is invigorating to the point of exhilaration. I expect it will reward at least 6-8 years of cellaring. – WA (92-93) points

Domaine L’Oustal Blanc Minervois La Liviniere Maestoso 2005, SALE $39.09/btl, Regularly $45.99 – Minervois, France – 34% Grenache, 33% Syrah, 33% Carignan – 14% abv – Very lush and spicy, with gobs of kirsch, dark plum and dark cherry flavors that are accented by concentrated chocolate mousse notes. The long finish features lots of creamy notes and plenty of silky tannins. Drink now through 2014. – WS 93 points

Domaine L’Oustal Blanc Minervois La Liviniere Prima Donna 2006, SALE $42.49/btl, Regularly $49.99 – Minervois, France – 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 10% Carignan – 15% abv – By now, predictably this is more restrained than its 2007 counterpart. But there are stony, humus-like, and meaty dimensions here worth pondering, along with rich black raspberry and cherry fruit that will pamper your palate. Certainly the remarkable polish and refinement of tannins that Fonquerle and Cambie have figured out how to achieve are every bit as evident as in the 2007, and, given the character of the ripening season, even more remarkable. – WA 92 points