More Wine Deals!

Additional

Awesome

Winter Deals

Here is the UPDATED list (current as of 1 PM on Friday), descriptions and all! With deletions for what is already gone.

This list has A LOT more WHITE WINES on it than the 1^st list did.

Again, we are STILL changing around the ENTIRE store and in the midst of the chaos of doing that….66 cases of wine showed up last Friday and another 45 cases on Monday & Tuesday….so, it is a bit chaotic.…..GREAT PRICES, ALL of THEM! This is a GREAT sale! The store has come a long way this week with Jessica doing yeoman’s work making everything look nice.

The descriptions are all here.

Quantities for some of these wines are extremely limited.

If you want any of these, please e-mail your hopes, desires and/or requests to me at efullagar@gmail.com.

We are open each day……most days 10-6 and Sundays from 12-5. I’ll be open until 7 this Friday and Saturday.

Thanks,

Eric

The Wines

White Wines

California

Flora Springs Chardonnay 2007 (California) Reg. $16.99, Sale $11.99 – We sold out of the 2006 and National sent us 5 cases of the 2007! This has really nice toasty aromas of pineapple, pears and peaches. The wine does not go through malolactic fermentation so it has a lot of bright, fresh acidity. The wine does have the weight, texture and heft of a buttery, creamy Chardonnay due to its aging on lees for months. This is a well-balanced Chardonnay. This is not overly oaked. Balanced, balanced Chardonnay. Organically farmed. Solar-powered winery. 50% aged in French oak that is 1/3 new barrels, 1/3 2^nd usage and 1/3 3^rd usage (what all that means is that the wine is not oaky – the 1^st time you use an oak barrel, you leech out 80% of the oaky flavors and aromas). Food pairing – roasted chicken, lobster, scallops.

Flora Springs Sauvignon Blanc Soliloquy Vineyard 2007 (California) Reg. $24.99, Sale $15.99 – This is a single vineyard wine from Oakville. Rounded, rich and fuller bodied than many SB’s. This has bright, fresh fruit, acidity and minerality. Aromas and flavors of citrus, peaches, gooseberries with a little honey and spice. Long, silky smooth finish with hints of figs and fennel. Organically farmed. Solar-powered winery. 100% Sauvignon Blanc from 2 distinct clones – 70% Sauvignon Musqué and 30% Proprietary Soliloquy Clone. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and concrete vats. Aged sur lees for 8 months in 60-year-old upright oak barrels. This aging softens the wine without adding any oaky flavors or aromas. Drink now through 2012. Food pairing – roasted chicken, spicy foods, scallops, lobster.

Sbragia Sauvignon Blanc Home Ranch 2008 (California) Reg. $22.99, Sale $11.99 – This is a single vineyard wine from Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma. Ed Sbragia made wine for Beringer for years and started his own winery, Sbragia Family Vineyards. This is a juicy, delicious Sauvignon Blanc! Aromas of pears, pineapples, grapefruit and more. Flavors of citrus peel, honeysuckle, tropical fruit and green apples. Long, zippy finish. 100% Sauvignon Blanc from a single vineyard, Home Ranch. The grapes were all hand-harvested on one day. 1,200 cases made. Stainless steel fermentation. Aged in 3^rd use oak barrels, so this isn’t oaky at all. The bottle is closed with a cool glass stopper – the Vino-Seal. It’s worth saving the bottle and stopper to use to bottle vinegar at home. Food pairing – seafood, Asian food, lighter chicken dishes. Drinking. Wine Spectator, 89 points; Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 88 points

France

Philippe Colin Chassagne-Montrachet 2006 (Burgundy, France) Reg. 69.99, Sale $35.99 – This is such a classic Burgundy! Aromas of white peaches and white apricots and honey. Great acidity that levels out the fruit and the wines depth and richness. Great floral aromas as well. This is supple and lush. At the same time it has this verve and élan and a cut to the flavors that makes it pair well with rich seafood and dishes with cream sauces. 13% alcohol. Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 90 points

Italy

Falesco Ferentano 2006 (Lazio, Italy) Reg. $29.99, Sale $16.99 – This is one of my favorite white wines. Much like a very good white Burgundy. Definitely a "red wine lover's" white wine! A great, unusual white wine! Aromas and flavors of pineapples, bananas, fresh herbs, vanilla, minerals & more. Rich & full-bodied. Long finish that is just complex as can be! From a rare grape unique to Umbria - 100% estate-grown Roscetto, a red grape that makes a full-bodied white wine. Aged 3 months in 2-year-old French oak barriques. Bottled unfined & unfiltered. Aged 1 month in the bottle before release. 1,000 cases made. Organic farming. Food pairing - This white wine screams for "big" meats dishes. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 88 points (I respect Robert Parker, but he is severely undergrading this wine)

Cantina Girlan Gewürztraminer Aimé 2008 (Italy) Reg. $24.99, Sale $11.99 – This is a dry Gewürz. Nice wine with an excellent spiciness! This is from the Alto Adige in Northeastern Italy, an area renowned for excellent white wines. This is one of them. This area is also known as the Sudtirol and it is birthplace of this grape varietal. This has a deep, golden color. Aromas of flowers, honey and lychee nuts. The wine is soft and smooth in the glass – really viscous. Medium-bodied. It’s spicy – anise and pepper. Tropical fruit and stone fruit flavors. It needs to breathe a bit after opening. 100% Gewurztraminer. Stainless steel fermentation and aging. Food pairing – fish, sausages, ham, Thai food. Wine Enthusiast, 89 points

Cantina Girlan Pinot Bianco San Martino 2006 (Italy) Reg. $17.99, Sale $8.99 -

We just tasted this two weeks ago with Art from National and we really liked it. It has a depth and complexity that comes to good white wines after a couple of years in the bottle. This is from the Alto Adige in Northeastern Italy, an area renowned for excellent white wines. This is one of them. This area is also known as the Sudtirol. This has aromas of apples, flowers, citrus, tropical fruit and peaches. The wine has a rich, soft texture to it and a smooth finish. 100% Pinot Blanc. Stainless steel fermentation and aging. Food pairing – Pinot Biancos are extremely versatile wines when it comes to food. Pair with fish, Thai food, Sunday brunch, shellfish, creamy soups, etc.

Portugal

Lagoalva Espirito Branco 2008 (Portugal) Reg. $14.99, Sale $7.99 – This estate was owned by the Order of Santiago de Espada (Military Order of Saint James of the Sword). It’s in the Ribatejo region along the south bank of the Tagus River For centuries, grapes, olives, cork, sheep, bulls, heifers and horses have been raised on this land. In 1991, Isabel Juliana Campilho bought the property (over 12,000 acres) and founded the winery. Today, it has 113 acres devoted to grapes. Blend of 25% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Alvarinho, 20% Verdelho, 20% Fernao Pires and 15% Arinto. This has bright acidity and aromas and flavors of peaches, melons and kiwi. Nice minerality on the finish. Crisp and clean. Aged and fermented in stainless steel. Food pairing – seafood, lighter dishes and as a cocktail wine.

Red Wines

California

Flora Springs Merlot 2006 (California) Reg. $24.99, Sale $15.99 – This is a velvety smooth Merlot from a top winery in Napa. When Merlot is done right, it is so good. This is done right! Winemaking on this land dates back to the 19^th century, but it was Jerry and Flora Komes who brought the property into the modern era and to GREAT winemaking over 30 years ago. Aromas and flavors of strawberries, raspberries, plums and cherries with hints of spice. Soft tannins. Delicious! 100% Merlot. Aged 15 months in French, American and Eastern European oak (just a small amount of the oak is new). Drink now through 2012. Organically farmed. Solar-powered winery. 4 bottles left.

Hyde & De Villaine (HdV) Napa Valley Proprietary Red 2003 (Carneros, California) Reg. $63.99, Sale $29.99 – Just over 10 years ago, Aubert de Villaine, co-owner and director of Burgundy's famed Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC to its fans) and Larry Hyde, owner of famed Hyde Vineyards in California, joined forces to produce a Chardonnay and a Merlot-Cabernet blend from the Carneros district. This venture is HdV, named after the two families. De Villaine’s wife is Larry Hyde’s 1st cousin. Hyde Vineyards doesn’t make wine. They grow some of California’s greatest grapes – Patz & Hall, Staglin, Dave Ramey, Paul Hobbs, Kistler, Duckhorn and more buy grapes from Larry Hyde. Hyde Vineyards is the equivalent of a Grand Cru vineyard in France. The coat of arms on the label is that of the De la Guerra family, one of California’s oldest and one that won a winemaking gold medal at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Fair; so, their ancestors have a long history of making wine in California. This joint venture is making no more than 5,000 cases per year. 1 bottle left.

Aromas of blackberries, black cherries, herbs, pepper and baking spices. Flavors of black fruit, cinnamon, leather, pepper and vanilla. It has that velvety feel that Merlot adds to wine. The tannins are fine-grained and soft. This has that characteristic Hyde Vineyard acidity so the wine ages well and has this vibrant refreshing finish. 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 18 months in French oak (35% new). Bottled unfiltered. 1,287 cases made. Organic and sustainable farming. Food pairing – steak, fillet mignon, venison, quail, duck. Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 89 points

TAZ Pinot Noir 2007 (Santa Barbara, California) Reg. $24.99, Sale $12.99 – I first tasted this wine about 4-6 months ago. I liked it a lot. At the same time, in this economy, I was thinking, “What am I going to do with an unknown $25 Pinot?” Well, it’s no longer $25 and it is still unknown and it still tastes good! Aromas of strawberries, black tea, black cherries and baking spices. Flavors of vanilla, baking spices, red cherries, dark berries and a bit of earth. The founder, Bob Steinhauer, is nicknamed the “Tasmanian Devil.” 100% Pinot Noir from 2 distinctly different vineyard areas. One is in the Santa Maria Valley and these grapes add a silky, soft texture with red fruit and floral notes. The second is the Fiddlestix Vineyard and that is a weightier Pinot with more dark fruit. Each lot of grapes is vinified separately and aged in French oak (40% new) for 9 months. Food pairing – roasted or grilled poultry, salmon, leg of lamb, lamb chops..

Chile

Baron Philippe de Rothshild Almaviva 2002 (Chile) Reg. $99.99, Sale $59.99 – If you like California-style big reds, you’ll love this Franco-Chilean blend featuring 3 noble Bordeaux grapes! This is concentrated, robust with aromas of dark, dark fruits, baking spices and toasty vanilla and new oak. The flavors are loaded with blackberries, cassis, black cherries and vanilla. This is medium-to-full bodied. The tannins are ripe and well-integrated. This has a super long finish. While Almaviva has a Hispanic ring to the name, the wine is named after Count Almaviva, the hero of “The Marriage of Figaro.” This wine is the result of a joint venture between Mouton Rothschild and Concha y Toro. Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine (67% Cabernet, 29% Carménère and the rest is 4% Cabernet Franc). Aged 18 months in new French oak. Drink now through 2016. Food pairing – while this would pair up well with steak, lamb and other robust meals, I think this is a sit and sip wine after dinner. While you may buy a bottle of this, if you buy 6 of them, you get the nice wood box that comes with it. Wine Spectator, 93 points; Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 93 points. 8 bottles left.

France

Cru Beaujolais are among the greatest values in the wine world and great food wines. We have 1 of them left from a great producer from Cotes de Brouilly. Cru Beaujolais is more akin to good Pinot Noir than it is to Beaujolais Nouveau or Villages.

Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly 2006 (France) Reg. $26.99, Sale $15.99 – This is a fabulous wine from a great winery. Aromas of toasted nuts, smoke, cranberries, cherries, earth and more. Flavors of nuts, cranberries, saline, roasted tomatoes, black fruit and more. This is substantial and weighty. Really nice wine. Long finish that has bright, fresh fruit. Food pairing – roasted chicken, duck, salmon, cold cuts, paté. 13 bottles left.

Domaine A. et P. De Villaine Mercurey Les Montots 2008 (Burgundy, France) Reg. $41.99, Sale $19.99 – This is an excellent Burgundy that will age well for at least 6-12 years. This wine will significantly improve with age and you’d be doing both it and yourself a disservice if you drink this right away. I’d buy this for Thanksgiving Dinner in 2015-2018. Aromas of raspberries, red currants, bing cherries and flowers. This has a silky texture and a pleasant tartness at the finish. De Villaine reduces yields/acre more than 20% from the already strict A.O.C. guidelines for Mercurey. This helps ensure that the grapes are of the highest quality. Fermented in traditional open-topped, small oak vats and then aged in oak barriques for a year. Bottled unfiltered. 158 cases imported. Organic Farming. Food pairing – red meat, game, mushroom dishes. Harder cheeses. Serve at about 64 degrees. Wine Spectator, 88 points; Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 88 points

Italy

Giuseppe Cortese Trifolera Dolcetto D’Alba DOC 2007 (Italy) Reg. $16.99, Sale $9.99 – The Trifolera vineyard is named after the prized white truffles that can be found in the region. The vines are 25-35 years old. This is a small, family-run winery dating to 1971. The wine is a lighter style red, which is typical for Dolcetto. This is elegant and velvety with a pleasant bitter note at the finish. That might not sound right or good, but it is. This has really nice red berry fruit all the way through the wine. Food pairing – roasted poultry, vegetable pasta or risotto dishes, pork tenderloin with a cranberry sauce.

Tuttobene Toscano Rosso IGT 2006 (Italy) Reg. $14.99, Sale $7.99 – Blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Canaiolo from the highly acclaimed Tuscan winery Tenimenti Angelini. This winery is a Tre Bicchieri winner producing wines in the 3 major areas of Tuscany: Chianti, Montalcino and Montepulciano. Tuttobene means “All is well.” This has that classic Sangiovese red brick color. It’s medium-bodied with soft tannins. The Sangiovese brings that red fruit characteristic and the Merlot adds a soft roundness to the wine. Aromas and flavors of red currants, raspberries, plums and Tuscan herbs. Crisp acidity. Food pairing – lighter dishes, roast chicken, pasta, pizza, Pecorino Toscano or Manchego.

New Zealand

Giesen South Island Pinot Noir 2008 (New Zealand) Reg. $16.99, Sale $9.99 - Wonderful, juicy Pinot Noir! Aromas and flavors of ripe, fresh blackberries and cherries with hints of mushrooms and bramble and some spice! Medium-bodied. Just shows a hint of oak. The tannins are soft and the wine is silky! Nice, refreshing finish. 100% Pinot Noir. Aged 8 months in oak barriques (15% new & the balance in older barrels). Food pairing – spicy dishes, mushroom dishes, grilled or roasted meats.

Oregon

Maysara Pinot Noir Estate Cuvée 2004 (Oregon) Reg. $29.99, Sale $15.99 – This is an excellent Pinot Noir that is drinking great right now and will drink well for another 2 years or so! This has ripe dark fruit aromas with additional notes of baking spices, pepper and cardamom. The flavors are of dark fruit, earth, pepper, cherries and pomegranates. Smooth. Well-integrated tannins. 743 cases made. Aged in French oak barrels (about 30% are new). Owner Moe Momtazi immigrated from Iran in 1971 as a young man. He’d spent a lot of time with his grandfather watching him farm naturally. This winery began in 1997 with the planting of 13 acres of Pommard-clone Pinot Noir. Today, they have over 200 acres of vines and they’ve never used a pesticide, herbicide or fungicide in their vineyards. Organic and Biodynamic Sustainable farming. Food pairing – salmon, duck, pork tenderloin, rare tuna. Wine Spectator, 89 points. 9 bottles left.

Portugal

Lagoalva Espirito Tinto 2005 (Portugal) Reg. $14.99, Sale $7.99 – This estate was owned by the Order of Santiago de Espada (Military Order of Saint James of the Sword). It’s in the Ribatejo region along the south bank of the Tagus River For centuries, grapes, olives, cork, sheep, bulls, heifers and horses have been raised on this land. In 1991, Isabel Juliana Campilho bought the property (over 12,000 acres) and founded the winery. Today, it has 113 acres devoted to grapes. This is a blend of 50% Touriga Nacional (one of the most important grapes for Port) and 50% Castelao. This has aromas and flavors of dark berries, raspberries, cola, a little earth. Fine-grained, soft, soft tannins. Good length on the finish that is not drying….rather it is refreshing and has good length. Aged 6 months in French oak (2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th use) and another 6 months in the bottle before release. Food pairing – robust vegetarian dishes, spicy tomato sauce dishes, lots of meat dishes, aged cheeses.

Spain

Raimat Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (Spain) Reg. $12.99, Sale $6.99 – This is a solid Cabernet that is holding up surprisingly well for a moderately priced wine. We cracked one open on Monday after it arrived and really liked it. It’s more of a medium-bodied wine. This has aromas and flavors of cooked, stewed dark fruit, a little earthiness, dark chocolate, vanilla and spice. It’s good….it’s not great….certainly a good bottle to crack open on a Tuesday night. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot. Aged 24 months in American oak and 6 months in the bottle before release. Food pairing – lamb or beef stew, chili, comfort food dishes.