2 Great Australian Wines at GREAT prices!

One of the distributors needed to reduce some inventory and I bought what they had!

These are limited in terms of quantity and drinking great right now!

Mitolo G.A.M. Shiraz 2005 (Australia) Reg. $49.99, Sale $32.99 - A full-flavored, rich, ripe & impressive wine. Gorgeous aromas of black & blue berries, licorice & toasted bread. Inky purple color. Full-bodied. Wonderful, mouth-filling texture. Flavors of blackberries, mocha, earthy spices. Long, rich finish. This is drinking well now & will age well for another 5-6 years. Aged 18 months in new French oak (705) & old American oak (30%). From Mitolo's McLaren Vale vineyard, which has morning & late afternoon shade moderating temperatures, so the grapes ripen more slowly. Harvested just as the fruit begins to dimple. The soil is well-drained, minerally loam & sandstone. Named for their children (Gemma, Alexander and Marco). Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 95 points

Charles Cimicky “The Autograph Shiraz” 2005 (Australia) Reg. $44.99, Sale $24.99 – Delicious! This is a big, bold Shiraz! Dark purple color that is glass-coating! Aromas of cherries, blueberries, cocoa, cola, mocha, smoked meat and more. Flavors of dark berries, blueberries, raspberries, black currants, dark chocolate and more. Long, lingering finish. Soft tannins! This sees 17 months in American oak (60% new). You can age this at least another 10 years. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 93 points; Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 92 points

Great Wine Deals!

Great Wine Deals

Sparkling

Bisol Jeio Prosecco Brut (Italy) Reg. $14.99, Sale $12.99 - This is a tasty sparkling wine and a great value from Italy’s leading Prosecco maker. Fine, soft bubbles. Starts soft and refreshing. With a touch of flowers and almonds as well as subtle acidity. Flavors of apples and pears. A nice, delicate, lingering finish. Food pairing - Great as an aperitivo or with antipasto, seafood or lighter white meat dishes. Goes great with smoked salmon or trout. This will go great with spicy food, especially Thai and Pacific cuisines. Excellent as a sparkling wine for a party!

Whites

Dry Creek Dry Chenin Blanc 2008 (California) Reg. $14.99, Sale $11.99 - YUM! That’s what we have to say about this wine! Aromas of lemon, orange, pear & pineapple that carry through to the flavors. Clean, crisp, well-balanced and easy-to-drink. This is soft and smooth! Great wine for warm days and a picnic/party! Food pairing - Great choice for shellfish, seafood, pasta salad, chicken and drinking! Perfect with curry dishes. Awesome with oysters! Food & Wine, “Great Bargain – Terrific Wine Under $15;” Wine & Spirits, “Best Buy”

Las Brisas Rueda 2008 (Spain) Reg. $12.99, Sale $9.99 - We absolutely love this wine! Guaranteed hit at a party! Just a wonderful wine to drink! Medium-bodied, crisp, zesty, clean and fresh! Great aromas of citrus, melon, spices, herbs, mint. Flavors of lemon, apple, grapefruit…Unoaked…well-balanced fruit and acidity. Long, pleasing, juicy finish. Blend of Verdejo (50%), Sauvignon Blanc (25%) and Viura (25%). Food pairing - Great with grilled or broiled fish, chicken, cheese and as a quaffing wine for a party! Drinks great with or without food!

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (New Zealand) Reg. $19.99, Sale $16.99 - Truly one of the best New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs made! This is a fresh, lively, fun to drink wine. Great lime, grapefruit, passion fruit, melon, green apple flavors & aromas in this classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Great depth of fruit. A subtle touch of pepper spice & lemon grass. Stainless steel fermentation. Food pairing - Enjoy with seafood, lobster, grilled tuna, spicy chicken or spicy Asian food. Wine Spectator, 89 points

El Portillo Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (Argentina) Reg. $10.99, Sale $8.99 - Bright, crisp, clean! A tasty wine that is just fun to drink! Aromas and flavors of grapefruit, tropical fruits and passion fruit! Crisp acidity and a long finish. Food pairing – lobster, shellfish, mussels, smoked fish, sushi, etc. The Tasting Panel, 88 points

Edna Valley Vineyard Chardonnay 2008 (California) Reg. $15.99, Sale $10.99 - Delicious CA Chardonnay with just subtle notes of oak, butter and cream. Aromas of vanilla, baking spices, peaches, pineapple and citrus notes. This is full and round. Flavors of peaches, citrus, subtle minerality and baking spices. Medium-to-full bodied. Long finish. 100% Chardonnay. Aged 8 months in 33% new oak (66% French, 4% American, 30% Hungarian). Food pairing - creamy pastas, baked sea bass, scallops, roast chicken, lobster and salmon. “Best Value,” Washington Post

Honig Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (CA) Reg. $14.99, Sale $12.99 - This is a tasty, smooth-drinking wine – has a touch of Semillon (5%) that adds a little body and softness to the wine’s texture. Light-to-medium-bodied. Aromas of lemon grass, melons, & minerals ….flavors of citrus and Sauvignon Blanc’s quintessential grassiness (think lemon grass). Food pairing - An excellent Sauvignon Blanc – perfect with lobsters, many oysters, mussels & other seafood; spicy Asian food; rosemary & garlic dishes. Wine Spectator, 88 points

Rosé

Jean-Luc Colombo Cape Bleue Rosé 2009 (France) $12.99, Sale $11.99 - Delicious! It's strawberry-peach in color, dry, crisp and clean, offering aromas and flavors of strawberry, cherry, peach and citrus. Light/medium in body, it is a nicely balanced, versatile food wine, great for summer! Refreshing! Food pairing - fish chowder, turkey sandwiches, steamers and fruit salads.

Reds

Altos las Hormigas Malbec 2009 (Mendoza, Argentina) Reg. $12.99, Sale $9.99 - We just tasted this…it’s marvelous! I had it with 20 people with venison stew – huge hit! Dark, deep purple color. Great aromas of dark & black berries & cherries, a touch of earthiness and spice. Lots of depth in the flavors – dark & red berries, touch of peppery spice, mocha & vanilla. Well-balanced acidity. Nice tannins on the finish. Medium-to-full-bodied. Food pairing - Excellent choice with grilled meats, rich stews, and other flavorful food. Drinks well on its own!

El Portillo Malbec 2008 (Argentina) Reg. $10.99, Sale $8.99 -Excellent wine! Easy drinking and soft…..just a pleasure! Medium-weight, with a slightly jammy core of red cherries & plum backed by baking spices on the soft finish. 100% Malbec. Stainless steel fermentation. Food pairing - Enjoy with grilled steaks, roasts and pasta in richly-flavored sauces.

Redtree Pinot Noir 2009 (California) Reg. $10.99, Sale $8.99 – This is a soft, light bodied Pinot Noir with lots of cherry and strawberries in the aromas and flavors. It has a touch of oak in the aromas. The tannins are soft and smooth. The finish is clean and medium-long. Food pairing – great wine for a party! Grilled meals and lighter foods.

El Portillo Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Argentina) Reg. $10.99, Sale $8.99 - Good tasting red at a great price! Fairly dry, moderate fruit. Holds up for 1-2 days after opening. Aromas and flavors of dark berries with a little pepperiness! Smooth. Not too tannic or dry. Food pairing – red meat, lamb dishes, robust vegetarian dishes. Restaurant Week, 4 Stars

Fess Parker Frontier Red Lot 92 (California) Reg. $11.99, Sale $9.99 - This has long been a favorite red around our house! Just a good wine! A “classic” California “Rhone Ranger!” Loads of cheery, dark berry, currant flavors and aromas. Big and rich. Notes of pepper. Nice long finish. Food pairing - Grilled meats & other hearty dishes. Great pizza wine! Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, “One of California’s top values…the wine inside is unquestionably a hell of a bargain.”

E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône 2006 (France) Reg. $15.99, Sale $13.99 - Excellent wine! Long a favorite red wine of mine. It’s been a “house red” for years. Deep, dark purple. Loaded with dark berry fruit, herbs & cherries. Supple and rich, medium-bodied, slightly tannic. Excellent wine from one of France’s best winemakers. 60 % Syrah, 30% Grenache and a little Mourvèdre & other grapes (10%). Food pairing - Try it with roasted or grilled meats. Drinks well on its own! Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 88 points

Kenwood Russian River Pinot Noir 2008 (CA) Reg. $16.99, Sale $12.99 -
This is a really nice Pinot and an excellent value! Wonderful red berry aromas and flavors. Blueberries, vanilla, red currants and lavender are in the flavors and aromas. A touch of peppery spice. Silky, soft…lots of fruit. Medium-bodied. Long, smooth finish. Food pairing - Goes well with roast chicken, duck, turkey, pork and lamb. Gold Medalist, Los Angeles Wine Competition

Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna DOC Riserva 2006 (Sardinia, Italy) Reg. $14.99, Sale $12.99 - We had this wine with dinner & loved it! I took it to a private wine tasting and it was the hit of the night! Rich, complex, enjoyable. Beautiful, pale, translucent color. Rich aromas of violets, red berries and more. Good fruit (cherries, red berries). Good spice. Medium-bodied. Nice long finish. Can’t say enough about this wine! We had a great halibut dish & a rich seafood stew (spicy Italian version of bouillabaisse). Cannonau is Sardinia’s primary red grape – in France it is Grenache. Food pairing - Goes great with rich foods, red meats and flavorful cheeses.

Hob Knob Pinot Noir 2008 (France) Reg. $10.99, Sale $9.99 – Smooth, soft Pinot from the South of France! Aromas and flavors of cherries, violets, cranberries and red berries. NOT earthy. Medium-bodied. Soft tannins. Medium length on the finish. Food pairing – grilled meats, pasta dishes and just sipping on its own! Silver Medal, International Pinot Noir Competition, Switzerland

Wintertime Wine Deals

GREAT DEALS!

Artesa Carneros Pinot Noir 2004 (California) Reg. $35.99, Sale $19.99 - This Pinot has bright raspberry and cherry aromas, which are complimented by aromas and hints of vanilla, cinnamon, roasting coffee, chocolate and cedar. Good mid-palate weight and a silky finish make this wine a tactile joy as it melts away like chocolate in your mouth. While this wine has the suppleness to enjoy by itself, it excels when paired with food.

Gunderloch Rothenberg Nackenheim Riseling Spätlese 2005 (Germany) Reg. $40, Sale $19.99 - An intense Spätlese, exhibiting a piercing smoke and herb scent backed by apricot and pineapple flavors. Rich yet elegant, with well-integrated acidity and a mouth-watering finish. Drink now through 2018. 400 cases imported. Wine Spectator, 93 points

Hope Estate Hunter Valley Chardonnay (Australia) Reg. $12.99, Sale $7.99 –Ripe nectarine, melon,peach and pineapple fruit characters with nutty, creamy butterscotch characters. The buttery, oaky complexity is balanced by the flinty, citrus finish. Rich depth of stonefruit flavours are balanced by the fresh citrus and melon. The fruit integrates with the creamy oak to achieve a complex and full mouthfeel with persistent flavours and a very long, crisp, refreshing finish.

Leeuwine Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (Australia) Reg. $45.99, Sale $24.99 – The outstanding 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Art Series boasts spicy, subtle French oak, cedar, spice box, black currant aromas and flavors gently touched by licorice and herbs. This attractive, medium-bodied Cabernet exhibits layers of richness, a graceful, restrained personality, decent acidity, noticeable but sweet tannin, and a long finish. Enjoy this beauty over the next decade. Drink 2005-2015. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 91+ points

Leeuwine Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2005 (Australia) Reg. $89.99, Sale $19.99 - A little mute to begin of the nose but soon opens out to some very pretty floral and tropical fruit aromas: jasmine, pineapple, guava and some spicy oak plus faint hints of chalk dust and white pepper, with some coaxing. The palate is rich and ripe with a full body of concentrated fruit, and a decent backbone of medium to high acidity to balance. Long tropical finish. Drink now to 2015. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 91 points

Leeuwine Estate Art Series Riesling 2006 (Australia) Reg. $21.99, Sale $13.99 - The light straw-colored 2006 Riesling “Art Series” exhibits a bouquet of mineral, spring flowers, and lemon-lime. This leads to a dry, crisp wine with plenty of citrus fruit, ripe flavors, excellent concentration, and a lengthy finish. Although it can be enjoyed now, particularly with raw bar, it will evolve for up to a decade in the manner of a top Mosel Riesling. Drink through 2017. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 90 points

Leeuwine Estate Prelude Cabernet Merlot 2003 (Australia) Reg. $33.99, Sale $12.99 - Bright red. Peppery, herb-accented cherry and redcurrant aromas strongly suggest Bordeaux; this doesn't smell like it's from a superripe vintage. Taut, light red berry and plum flavors are nicely focused and zesty, with fine-grained tannins adding structure. Finishes bright and crisp, with very good persistence and a lingering note of cherry pit. Nice balance here. Stephan Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 90 points

Leeuwine Estate Prelude Chardonnay 2006 (Australia) Reg. $33.99, Sale $12.99 - The 2006 Chardonnay Prelude Vineyard was barrel-fermented and aged in one-third new French oak. Medium straw-colored, it offers up an alluring bouquet of buttered toast, spiced apple, and tropical notes. Crisp and refreshing on the palate, it has superior depth, ripe flavors of pineapple and mango, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. Drink it over the next four years (2009-2013). Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 90 points

Milz 180° Riesling (Germany) Reg. $17.99, Sale $8.99 – The Mosel River makes one of its famed 180° turns around the pretty village of Trittenheim, where the Milz family has been making wine since 1520. With only 18 grams of sugar, this Riesling is neither dry nor sweet. It has racy acidity and nice minerality. Aromas and flavors of pears and citrus balance the minerals.

Patz & Hall Durrell Vineyard Chardonnay 2006 (California) Reg. $44.99, Sale $24.99 - Good medium yellow. Lemon drop, orange, clove and minerals on the nose, complicated by a musky flinty, smoky character. Glyceral in the mouth, with fruit-driven flavors of pineapple, lemon custard and stone fruits. A bit more complex and deep than the Napa Valley bottling. Stephan Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 89 points

Penley Estate Hyland Shiraz 2005 (Australia) Reg. $24.99, Sale $9.99 - Deep ruby. Sexy, expressive red and dark berry aromas are brightened by floral and mineral nuances. Very sweet on entry but the raspberry and cassis flavors are nicely enlivened by zesty acidity and a hint of orange peel. Crisp berry skin tones define the long, juicy finish, which leaves a lingering note of fresh raspberry. This boasts impressive depth and purity, especially at this price. Drink now-2015. Stephan Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 91 points; Wine Spectator, 90 points.

Pfeffingen Scheurebe Spätlese Ungsteiner Herrenberg 2006 (Germany) Reg. $29.99, Sale $15.99 - Harvested only three days later than the feinherb rendition, the Pfeffingen 2006 Ungsteiner Herrenberg Scheurebe Spatlese reflects a very different state of ripeness as well as the rapid onset of botrytis. Redolent of mint candy, sage flower, black currant, nectarine, pink grapefruit and banana, its veritable bowl full of fruits on the palate prominently features those classic Scheurebe markers pink grapefruit and cassis. Suggestions of grapefruit rind and berry skin invigorate, while lending counterpoint to the wine’s sweetness. This gaudy, lush and luscious Scheurebe should be capable of entertaining you over the coming 12-15 years. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 91 points

Renwood Fiddletown Zinfandel 2005 (California) Reg. $26.99, Sale $16.99 - A genuine Zinfandel, intense and appealingly rustic. Wild berry, dusty clay and fresh licorice aromas, with tart, minerally boysenberry and smoky pepper flavors. The tannins suggest there's no hurry. Best from 2009 through 2012. 2,573 cases made. Wine Spectator, 90 points

Salentein Pinot Noir 2003 (Argentina) Reg. $22.99, Sale $9.99 - The medium ruby-colored 2003 Pinot Noir Reserva offers an alluring nose of raspberry, cherry, and rose petal. This leads to a velvety-textured wine with ripe flavors, good depth, and enough structure to last for several more years. Excellent; supple, rich and full bodied; a wine with intense fruitiness (plum, cherry), and layers of oak character (toast, smoke, cedar). Very long finish.

Sileni Pinot Noir 2006 (New Zealand) Reg. $21.99, Sale $9.99 - This ripe, deeply coloured food wine has concentrated black cherry aromas which follow through to the palate where dark berry flavours are supported by soft tannins. Perfect for early drinking but capable of cellaring for up to 6 years.

Tintara Shiraz 2005 (Australia) Reg. $21.99, Sale $9.99 - Smooth and velvety, with an attractive range of plum, red berry and mint flavors mingling well and lingering on the finish. Drink now through 2012. 12,000 cases imported. Wine Spectator, 89 points

Trefethen Chardonnay 2006 (California) Reg. $17.99, Sale $9.99 - Liquid sunlight” in the glass, this Chardonnay has aromas of poached pear, lemon cream, toasted brioche, and bright white honeysuckle. A full, viscous mouth is balanced by classic Trefethen fruit – bright and crisp pear and lemon. A little vanilla, butterscotch, and cooking herbs linger in the background and tickle the tongue during a nice, long finish. In 1979, Trefethen 1976 Chardonnay was named “Best Chardonnay in the World” at the Gault Millau World Wine Olympics in France. This is a half-bottle!