Back on the weekly schedule but a few days late, having given ourselves a few days of r&r up in the Poconos (where it was mighty chilly); have a great weekend!
NEW WHITES:
(new vintage) Lisabella 2010 Pinot Grigio @ $7.99
aromas of fresh fruit and flowers lead to a delicate taste, crisp and pleasant, nice texture and a fresh elegant finish
(new vintage) Ravines 2010 Keuka Village @ $11.99
a French-American hybrid blend (Cayuga White and Vignoles) with aromas of melon, peach and mango, lively, fresh, fruity with just enough sweetness to balance the acidity
(new vintage) Maculan 2010 Pinot & Toi @ $11.99
made from 60% Friulano, 25% Pinot Bianco and 15% Pinot Grigio from various vineyards in and around the town of Breganze, fermented and matured entirely in stainless steel to preserve its crispness
Jolivet 2010 Attitude @ $14.99
the second label of a great Sancerre producer, fresh, clean and youthful with delicate nuances of lime, grapefruit, green apple and kiwi
Pionero Mundi 2010 Albarino @ $14.99
medium-bodied, vibrant, and well balanced, with plenty of lemon, lime, and floral aromas and an underlying vein of minerality
(new vintage) Morgan 2010 Sauvignon Blanc @ $15.99
a proprietary blending of the Sauvignon Musqué and classic Sauvignon Blanc clones with a little Semillon blended in for richness and depth, featuring aromas of pink grapefruit, lemon-lime, sweet grass, ginger and limestone
(new vintage) St. Michael-Eppan 2010 Pinot Grigio @ $16.99
one of the most flavorful of Pinot Grigios, round and rich in aroma and texture
(new vintage) Wiemer 2010 Dry Riesling @ $16.99
from a landmark producer in the Finger Lakes, the winery's signature wine, with hints of lime and orange blossom on the nose, a succulent palate of apricot and grapefruit, and trademark minerality
(new vintage) St. Paul's 2010 Pinot Bianco @ $19.99
a clean, fresh Pinot Bianco from the Alto Adige region, offering aromas of apple, honey, minerals and earth
Riffault 2009 Sancerre @ $19.99
concentrated fruit flavors and a powerful bouquet from a producer that has been making Sancerre for generations
(new vintage) Fouassier 2010 Sancerre "Grand Groux" @ $20.99
offers aromas of citrus, grass and distinctive minerals with balanced citrus flavors that are sustained into a dry, lingering finish
(new vintage) Pernot 2010 Bourgogne @ $21.99
classic white Burgundy at a bargain price, from a producer that crafts highly individual, rich, powerful and expressive wines that still retain a silkiness and elegance
Hanzell 2009 Chardonnaay "Sebella" @ $29.99
fresh and youthful aromas of white flower, citrus blossom and chamomile wrapped in lovely Hanzell minerality, with fresh Chardonnay fruit and wet stone that are reminiscent of great Chablis grown in warmer vintage years
(new vintage) Lisabella 2010 Pinot Grigio @ $7.99
aromas of fresh fruit and flowers lead to a delicate taste, crisp and pleasant, nice texture and a fresh elegant finish
(new vintage) Ravines 2010 Keuka Village @ $11.99
a French-American hybrid blend (Cayuga White and Vignoles) with aromas of melon, peach and mango, lively, fresh, fruity with just enough sweetness to balance the acidity
(new vintage) Maculan 2010 Pinot & Toi @ $11.99
made from 60% Friulano, 25% Pinot Bianco and 15% Pinot Grigio from various vineyards in and around the town of Breganze, fermented and matured entirely in stainless steel to preserve its crispness
Jolivet 2010 Attitude @ $14.99
the second label of a great Sancerre producer, fresh, clean and youthful with delicate nuances of lime, grapefruit, green apple and kiwi
Pionero Mundi 2010 Albarino @ $14.99
medium-bodied, vibrant, and well balanced, with plenty of lemon, lime, and floral aromas and an underlying vein of minerality
(new vintage) Morgan 2010 Sauvignon Blanc @ $15.99
a proprietary blending of the Sauvignon Musqué and classic Sauvignon Blanc clones with a little Semillon blended in for richness and depth, featuring aromas of pink grapefruit, lemon-lime, sweet grass, ginger and limestone
(new vintage) St. Michael-Eppan 2010 Pinot Grigio @ $16.99
one of the most flavorful of Pinot Grigios, round and rich in aroma and texture
(new vintage) Wiemer 2010 Dry Riesling @ $16.99
from a landmark producer in the Finger Lakes, the winery's signature wine, with hints of lime and orange blossom on the nose, a succulent palate of apricot and grapefruit, and trademark minerality
(new vintage) St. Paul's 2010 Pinot Bianco @ $19.99
a clean, fresh Pinot Bianco from the Alto Adige region, offering aromas of apple, honey, minerals and earth
Riffault 2009 Sancerre @ $19.99
concentrated fruit flavors and a powerful bouquet from a producer that has been making Sancerre for generations
(new vintage) Fouassier 2010 Sancerre "Grand Groux" @ $20.99
offers aromas of citrus, grass and distinctive minerals with balanced citrus flavors that are sustained into a dry, lingering finish
(new vintage) Pernot 2010 Bourgogne @ $21.99
classic white Burgundy at a bargain price, from a producer that crafts highly individual, rich, powerful and expressive wines that still retain a silkiness and elegance
Hanzell 2009 Chardonnaay "Sebella" @ $29.99
fresh and youthful aromas of white flower, citrus blossom and chamomile wrapped in lovely Hanzell minerality, with fresh Chardonnay fruit and wet stone that are reminiscent of great Chablis grown in warmer vintage years
NEW REDS:
(new vintage) Monte Oton 2010 Borsao @ $8.99
100% Garnacha (Grenache) made from grapes grown on the wind-swept slopes of an extinct volcano, hearty, ripe, yet softly textured
(new vintage) D'Aigueville 2010 Cotes du Rhone @ $9.99
a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre with fruity black cherry aromas, black pepper and earthy notes opening to ripe black cherry flavors with earthy accents
Tour Caillet 2009 Bordeaux @ $9.99
a meaty, substantial Bordeaux at a truly bargain price
McManis 2010 Pinot Noir @ $10.99
fermented in stainless steel, aged six months in French oak, abundantly fruity, big yet soft, with creamy mocha notes that linger in the finish
(new vintage) Gouguenheim 2010 Malbec @ $10.99
a dark red Malbec from Mendoza with aromas of dark fruit, chocolate and pepper, medium-bodied in the mouth with a round finish
Ravines 2010 Keuka Village @ $11.99
from a husband-and-wife boutique winery in the Finger Lakes, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Noiret, bright and fruit-forward with peppery hints and soft tannins
St. Eugenie 2010 Le Clos @ $11.99
a spicy blend from the Languedoc with a hefty addition of Merlot that adds a subtle herbal note
(new vintage) Laurent 2009 Saint Pourcain @ $12.99
from the Allier region in Auvergne, central France, an easy drinking, juicy, earthy wine made of Gamay and Pinot Noir
Puy Bardens 2007 Bordeaux @ $12.99
a classic old-school type of Bordeaux, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, with flavors of earth, tobacco, dust, and cedar and firm gripping tannins adding the backbone to make it a great food wine
Fausto 2008 Rosso Piceno @ $12.99
from the Marche on Italy's Adriatic coast, a blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese, clean and crisp with wild cherry flavors with hints of oak and a lasting finish
Decenio 2009 Rioja @ $13.99
light in style with great freshness, a very drinkable Rioja from a small family-run winery
Amador Foothill 2009 Zinfandel @ $13.99
made from grapes from a 40-year-old organically farmed vineyard, with intense cherry aromas and mouth-filling lingering flavors of raspberries, black cherries and pepper
Dauvergne Ranvier 2009 Cotes du Rhone @ $14.99
a collaboration between two friends who own neither vineyard nor winery but have persuaded several successful producers to let them manage their vineyards, a Côtes-du-Rhône with bright red berry notes, baking spices, roasted herbs, white pepper and sassafrass.
Beauregard Ducasse 2006 Graves @ $14.99
a classy Cabernet Sauvignon /Merlot/ Cabernet Franc blend showing blackberry, raspberry, cinnamon with tannins softened by 12 months in oak
(new vintage) Scheu 2010 Spatburgunder @ $15.99
a German Pinot Noir packed with strawberry and cherry flavors that ride excellent acidity into an earthy finish
(new vintage) St. Michael Eppan 2009 Lagrein @ $15.99
a fresh, clean nose with vivid aromas of freshly crushed ripe red cherry and other red berries with earthy and mineral notes, medium bodied and well-rounded with delightful red fruit flavors intermingled with refreshing acidity
Wiemer 2008 Field Cuvee @ $15.99
a unique blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Lemberger, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon, medium-bodied with an exceptionally drinkable balance, well suited to many different tastes
Pittnauer 2008 Blaufrankisxch @ $16.99
a fresh and classy red, medium-bodied, supple and aromatic, with vibrant black cherry character offset by well-judged oak
Arnad-Montjovet 2009 La Kiuva @ $17.99
made by a tiny co-op in the Valle d'Aoste, primarily Picatendro (the local clone of Nebbiolo) with a range of other local varietals blended in, with dark cherry fruit, an alluring spiciness, and refreshing acidity
Ravines 2008 Cabernet Franc @ $17.99
made in a classic fruit-forward style with ripe red fruit, notes of earth and spice with soft tannins and perfect balance
Westry 2009 Pinot Noir @ $26.99
a Willamette Valley Pinot with a broad flavor spectrum of raspberry, blueberry and sweet spice and fruit aromas that are complemented by notes of sweet clove spice and a hint of toasty vanilla oak
(new vintage) Amapola Creek 2008 Zinfandel @ $32.99
a truly distinctive Zin from very old vines, with concentrated flavors that are rich and textured with hints of sweet spices
Potensac 2008 Medoc @ $39.99
profoundly aromatic, with dark cherry and plum notes, good substance, and a nicely balanced tannin core
Peter Franus 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $39.99
a firm red with ample tannin and acidity leading to cherry flavors with warm sweet oak notes that extend the finish
Stevenson Barrie 2007 Pinot Noir @ $44.99
the personal label for the winemaker at Panther Creek Cellars, rarely found outside of Oregon, an elegant and subtle Pinot with a beautiful array of mineral, fruit and floral aromatics encased by a soft, elegant texture and weight
Lewelling 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $49.99
a Bordeauc look-alike, harmonious and seamless with great concentration and a long finish, eminently ageworthy
Lewelling Wight 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $69.99
a single-vineyard barrel selection Cab cuvée from the same producer, deep, rich and reserved, with plenty of tannin
Sea Smoke 2009 Pinot Noir "Southing" @ $69.99
complex and elegant with a seductive nose of rosewater, violets and cherries. fine tannins and minerality enhanced by the vineyard's cool-climate acidity
Blason d'Issan 2004 Margaux @ $74.99
the second label of Chateau d'Issan, a 60/40 blend of Cabernet and Merlot, spicy and meaty on the nose, round, polished and creamy on the palate with gentle acidity
Beau-Sejour Becot 2009 St. Emilion @ $74.99
rich and broad, with great structure and substance, but with a bright layer of fruit above
Sea Smoke 2009 Pinot Noir "Ten" @ $99.99
a brooding and intense Pinot with aromas of dried blueberries and lavender and firm tannins followed by a long velvety finish