Not sure who's doing the tasting tomorrow, but it's billed as California Cabs and Chards (well, all depends on who and which, I guess, so join us and find out). Hope to have new samplers for you next week . . . and those of you serious about Scotch, check out the info on the web site about the big-deal Scotch tasting Tuesday night at the store. Now for the new wines (and hope you are finding the tasting notes useful)!
NEW WHITES:
(new vintage) Healdsburg Ranches 2007 Chardonnay @ $11.99 unoaked Chardonnay from Sonoma county, fresh and lively
Chateau des Hospitalieres 2008 Languedoc Prestige @ $12.99 dry, compact, aromatic . . . And organic
Lafayette Reneau 2006 Chardonnay @ $13.99 a barrel-fermented version from the Finger Lakes with lots of vanilla and a buttery texture
Treleaven 2008 Silver Lining Chardonnay @ $14.99 off-dry, unoaked, with tropical flavors
Chateau de Cary Potet 2007 Bourgogne Aligote @ $15.99 Chablis-like minerality, one of the greatest Aligotes in Burgundy
Ollieux Romanis 2008 Corbieres @ $15.99 a family-run vineyard honoring traditional practices, a rich blend of Marsanne, Rousamme, and Grenache Blanc
Lafayette Reneau 2008 Dry Riesling @ $15.99 elegant, tart green apple, great structure
Ottella 2008 Lugana @ $16.99 from a family-run winery in Lake Garda, clean and refreshing with lots of tropical fruit
Domaine Cailbourdin 2007 Pouilly-Fume @ $19.99 elegant, powerful, well-structured, and very rich
(new vintage) Liocco 2008 Chardonnay @ $20.99 unoaked from Sonoma, with flavor notes of mineral, citrus, and tropical fruit
Wild Horse 2007 Unbridled Chardonnay @ $24.99 from the great Bien Nacido vineyard, rich and creamy with flavor notes of lemon, peach and pineapple
(new vintage) Healdsburg Ranches 2007 Chardonnay @ $11.99 unoaked Chardonnay from Sonoma county, fresh and lively
Chateau des Hospitalieres 2008 Languedoc Prestige @ $12.99 dry, compact, aromatic . . . And organic
Lafayette Reneau 2006 Chardonnay @ $13.99 a barrel-fermented version from the Finger Lakes with lots of vanilla and a buttery texture
Treleaven 2008 Silver Lining Chardonnay @ $14.99 off-dry, unoaked, with tropical flavors
Chateau de Cary Potet 2007 Bourgogne Aligote @ $15.99 Chablis-like minerality, one of the greatest Aligotes in Burgundy
Ollieux Romanis 2008 Corbieres @ $15.99 a family-run vineyard honoring traditional practices, a rich blend of Marsanne, Rousamme, and Grenache Blanc
Lafayette Reneau 2008 Dry Riesling @ $15.99 elegant, tart green apple, great structure
Ottella 2008 Lugana @ $16.99 from a family-run winery in Lake Garda, clean and refreshing with lots of tropical fruit
Domaine Cailbourdin 2007 Pouilly-Fume @ $19.99 elegant, powerful, well-structured, and very rich
(new vintage) Liocco 2008 Chardonnay @ $20.99 unoaked from Sonoma, with flavor notes of mineral, citrus, and tropical fruit
Wild Horse 2007 Unbridled Chardonnay @ $24.99 from the great Bien Nacido vineyard, rich and creamy with flavor notes of lemon, peach and pineapple
NEW REDS:
Chateau Le Bergey 2006 Bordeaux @ $9.99 a rising star in the Graves, a great bargain
Chateau La Reyre 2008 Bordeaux @ $9.99 light but spirited, another good value
Charles & Charles 2007 Red Vol. II @ $10.99 from Washington state, a 50/50 blend of Cab and Syrah concocted by wine buddies Charles Smith (of Washington) and Charles Biehler (of Provence)
Lafayette Reneau NV Cuvee Rouge @ $10.99 a blend of viniferous grapes and hybrids, a bold red with a velvety texture
Padrillos 2008 Malbec @ $11.99 ripe, with concentrated black fruit aromas and hints of chocolate and cherry
Castello Monaci 2007 Salice Salentino @ $12.99 80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera from the Adriatic coast, warm and velvety
Domaine de l'Espigouette 2007 Cotes-du-Rhone @ $12.99 medium-full body with a velvety feel and good fruit concentration
(back) Lovivalo 2007 Toro Joven @ $13.99 rich blackberry fruit, with floral, spicy notes
Camino de Navaherreros 2008 Tinto @ $13.99 old vines Grenache, with lavender, cloves, tart cherries, gripping tannins
Le Fraghe 2008 Bardolino @ $13.99 a blend of Corvina and Rondinella, with great tannic structure and perfect balance
Trentadue 2006 Old Patch Red @ $14.99 a luscious field blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane and Syrah, peppery and spicy with great berry flavors
(back) Cantina Sant' Agata 2005 Baby Barbera @ $14.99 youthful freshness, straightforward flavors, brash fruitiness
Marziano Abbona 2008 Dolcetto di Dogliani @ $17.99 spicy, juicy, robust, more than textbook Dolcetto
Clos Julien 2007 Pinot Noir @ $18.99 the first release from this Oregon producer, blends grapes from three different sustainably farmed vineyards, done in a classically Burgundian style
Santa Sofia 2006 Valpolicella Ripasso @ $19.99 dark ruby color, elegant bouquet with a hint of spices, old-style ripasso
Celebration 2008 Gamay Noir @ $19.99 dark fruit flavors and scents of berries and molasses from Oregon's Eola-Amity Hills Region
Chateau Haut-Villars 2005 Fronsac @ $19.99 full, rich, concentrated, a classic example of Fronsac
Gonnet 2005 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Domaine Font de Michelle @ $44.99 big, glossy, with lots of Grenache fruit on the nose
Chateau Le Bergey 2006 Bordeaux @ $9.99 a rising star in the Graves, a great bargain
Chateau La Reyre 2008 Bordeaux @ $9.99 light but spirited, another good value
Charles & Charles 2007 Red Vol. II @ $10.99 from Washington state, a 50/50 blend of Cab and Syrah concocted by wine buddies Charles Smith (of Washington) and Charles Biehler (of Provence)
Lafayette Reneau NV Cuvee Rouge @ $10.99 a blend of viniferous grapes and hybrids, a bold red with a velvety texture
Padrillos 2008 Malbec @ $11.99 ripe, with concentrated black fruit aromas and hints of chocolate and cherry
Castello Monaci 2007 Salice Salentino @ $12.99 80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera from the Adriatic coast, warm and velvety
Domaine de l'Espigouette 2007 Cotes-du-Rhone @ $12.99 medium-full body with a velvety feel and good fruit concentration
(back) Lovivalo 2007 Toro Joven @ $13.99 rich blackberry fruit, with floral, spicy notes
Camino de Navaherreros 2008 Tinto @ $13.99 old vines Grenache, with lavender, cloves, tart cherries, gripping tannins
Le Fraghe 2008 Bardolino @ $13.99 a blend of Corvina and Rondinella, with great tannic structure and perfect balance
Trentadue 2006 Old Patch Red @ $14.99 a luscious field blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane and Syrah, peppery and spicy with great berry flavors
(back) Cantina Sant' Agata 2005 Baby Barbera @ $14.99 youthful freshness, straightforward flavors, brash fruitiness
Marziano Abbona 2008 Dolcetto di Dogliani @ $17.99 spicy, juicy, robust, more than textbook Dolcetto
Clos Julien 2007 Pinot Noir @ $18.99 the first release from this Oregon producer, blends grapes from three different sustainably farmed vineyards, done in a classically Burgundian style
Santa Sofia 2006 Valpolicella Ripasso @ $19.99 dark ruby color, elegant bouquet with a hint of spices, old-style ripasso
Celebration 2008 Gamay Noir @ $19.99 dark fruit flavors and scents of berries and molasses from Oregon's Eola-Amity Hills Region
Chateau Haut-Villars 2005 Fronsac @ $19.99 full, rich, concentrated, a classic example of Fronsac
Gonnet 2005 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Domaine Font de Michelle @ $44.99 big, glossy, with lots of Grenache fruit on the nose