2005

Chateau Barat Bordeaux Superieur

Classic red Bordeaux notes at a very affordable price.  Cedar, cigar box, hints of cocoa and just a touch of juicy berry fruit.  Well structured with excellent balance. This estate is owned by Bérénice Lurton, of the talented and near-ubiquitous Lurton wine dynasty.

$13.99

La Fleur Bibian 2005 Listrac-Medoc Bordeaux

Ripe currant and plum, with hints of fig, with a lovely mineral component that shows up on the back end.  This manages to impress with its ripeness without going over the top. Made by superstar winemaker Michel Rolland, this is another fine example of the ’05 vintage.  60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chateauneuf du Pape

2005

Clos de la Graniere Chateauneuf-du-Pape

The second wine of Chateau la Nerthe, one of the oldest and most prestigious estates in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, this is a tremendous value from a stellar year. Sourced from young vines on the estate, this is a blend of the all 13 of the traditional Chateauneuf-du-Pape varietals. Blackberry compote, hints of licorice, cherry, incredibly graceful and elegant.

$39.99

91 Points Wine Spectator

The second wine of the famed Vieux Télégraphe, Telegramme is sourced from the estates “youngest” vines (average age: 25 years). Impeccable balance and structure, with layers of red and black fruit, licorice, and hints of bacon, all held together by a fresh, juicy acidity though the long finish.

                                                                            Wine Spectator- 91 points

Rhone Reds, Rosés & Other Southern French

NV

Paul Autard Cotes du Rhone This wine boasts a fragrant nose of herbs, licorice, pepper and sage followed by a mouthful of fleshy blackberry, more pepper and a nice rich finish. Fuller & fleshier than the 2005, this is a delicious Cotes du Rhone with all of the requisite garrigue aromas and black fruit. For the third vintage in a row, we think this is a steal for fans of Rhone Reds.

Wine Spectator “Smart Buy” - 88 points

2006

Le Pas de la Beaume
An incredibly pretty everyday quaffer, this offers up violets, soft red and black berries, and a high-toned mineral notes. 90% of this was fermented in the traditional manner, but 10% underwent carbonic maceration (a la Beaujolais Nouveau) to preserve the fresh and floral character of the fruit. 76% Grenache, 8% each of Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan.

$12.99

Triennes
2004 St. Auguste Cab. Sauvignon/Syrah/MerlotVin de Pays du Var, France

This estate in the Var region of Provence was founded by two of the most revered men in Burgundy: Jacques Seysses, the founder of Domaine Dujac, and Aubert de Villaine, the co-owner of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. This is the estate’s flagship wine: a fragrant blend of Cab, Merlot & Syrah that offers up currant, red berry, sweet loam, rocky mineral notes with impeccable balance and structure.

Georges Vernay

2006 Syrah

Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes

From one of the most esteemed producers in the Northern Rhone, this is incredibly elegant, with hints of thyme & lavender, generous bright cherry & blackberry, followed by sweet loam & wet stone. This really struts it’s stuff on the finish, which is long, layered and incredibly persistent, ending with freshness and lift. Sourced from young vines in Cote Rotie & vineyards bordering Condrieu.  

Burgundy

Whites

2006

Nathalie & Gilles Fevre Chablis
Onoaked, clean, precise 100% Chardonnay from the Kimmeridgean soils of Northern France.  Chalk, lime, orange blossoms and a seashell finish.  Beautifully balanced and lovely in its layers.  Further proof that the wines of Chablis are astill some of the best bargain in the world of wine!

$23.99

2004

Demessey Bourgogne Blanc

  $22.99

2005

Demessey Puligny-Montrachet
This delicious Chardonnay comes from a 9^th century estate near Tournus, in the commune of Ozenay.  Notes of flint and shale on the nose are followed by a rich yet clean mouthful of  balanced apple, stone fruit and pear.  But the real payoff here is the depth of the wine and long, layered finish.  Another example of the terrific quality of the 2005 vintage in Burgundy.  Outstanding!

$54.99

Gorgeous, classic Chablis! Gunflint and lemon, followed by chalky mineral, seashells, lime blossom and hints of smoke and mineral on the finish. The Les Pagues vineyard was classified  Premier Cru before being abandoned during World War II.  The Servin family has carefully restored the vineyard, which now offers Premier Cru quality at a Village level price!

Reds

2004

Joseph Roty Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée de Champs Chenys

The Roty family has been making wine from vineyards in Gevrey-Chambertin and Marsannay for the last 11 generations. Farming is biologique from vines well over 80 years old. The small production of fruit per vine accounts for the amazing character and quality of this wine.

$59.99

2005

Michel Guillard La Platiere Gevrey-Chambertin Vielles Vignes

$42.99

2005

Demessey Gevrey-Chambertin

$49.99

A bit shy at first, with a bit of swirling this starts to show off.  Nicely perfumed with ripe red cherry, rose petal, clove and a touch of stem spice.  Delicate on the palate, light and silky with just a touch of tannin on the finish, this makes for a nice introduction to Red Burgundy. Véro is assembled by Veronique Drouhin (who also makes the wines for Domaine Drouhin Oregon) from selected lots of Chambolle-Musigny, Volnay, the Haute Cotes, Chorey Les Beaune, and Rully.

Loire & Other Whites

2006

Domaine des Aubuisières Vouvray Cuvée de Silex Vouvray

2006

Pascal & Nicolas Reverdy Cuvee "Les Coûtes" Sancerre