A handful of new items snuck in over the last couple of weeks, holiday season or no. Hope you all had a good Christmas, and herewith all our best wishes for the new year!
NEW WHITES:
(new vintage) Tablelands 2011 Sauvignon Blanc @ $11.99
bright and refreshing, with citrus, ripe pear and yellow apple flavors that are round and detailed, with spice and apple blossom notes
Thomas Coyne 2009 Viognier @ $18.99
a new release for the winery, aged five months on the lees in French oak, essence of peach and honeysuckle
Alpha Box & Dice 2009 Golden Mullet Fury @ $26.99
a 50/50 blend of Muscadelle and Chardonnay from former Red Heads Studios (McLaren Vale, South Australia) winemaker Justin Lane, with an exotically perfumed bouquet of dried pear, yellow plum, anise and musky herbs, broad and fleshy but surprisingly dry, with chewy orchard and pit fruit flavors and a bracing note of lemon pith
Melville 2009 Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills @ $28.99
100% from the winery's Santa Rita Hills estate, vibrant, minerally, with the concentrated flavors that are the hallmark of the appellation
Drouhin 2009 Puligny-Montrachet "Les Folatieres" @ $89.99
a premier cru Burgundy from a highly rated vintage, made in a style that marries balance, harmony, finesse and character
(new vintage) Tablelands 2011 Sauvignon Blanc @ $11.99
bright and refreshing, with citrus, ripe pear and yellow apple flavors that are round and detailed, with spice and apple blossom notes
Thomas Coyne 2009 Viognier @ $18.99
a new release for the winery, aged five months on the lees in French oak, essence of peach and honeysuckle
Alpha Box & Dice 2009 Golden Mullet Fury @ $26.99
a 50/50 blend of Muscadelle and Chardonnay from former Red Heads Studios (McLaren Vale, South Australia) winemaker Justin Lane, with an exotically perfumed bouquet of dried pear, yellow plum, anise and musky herbs, broad and fleshy but surprisingly dry, with chewy orchard and pit fruit flavors and a bracing note of lemon pith
Melville 2009 Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills @ $28.99
100% from the winery's Santa Rita Hills estate, vibrant, minerally, with the concentrated flavors that are the hallmark of the appellation
Drouhin 2009 Puligny-Montrachet "Les Folatieres" @ $89.99
a premier cru Burgundy from a highly rated vintage, made in a style that marries balance, harmony, finesse and character
NEW REDS:
Lamberti 2009 Valpolicella Ripasso @ $10.99
a great old-school style of ripasso, soft-textured but full of flavor with juicy black plum, dried red cherry and raisin
(new vintage) McManis 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $11.99
mirroring flavors, aromas and a bouquet of blueberry, blackberry, mocha, milk chocolate and toffee
Michel Torino 2010 Don David Malbec @ $14.99
displaying expressive plum jam, raisin and pipe tobacco aromas, with toasty vanilla notes, balanced, spicy dark fruits and cassis, almond and nutty notes on the long finish
Dynamite 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $17.99
sourced primarily from the Red Hills Lake County appellation, a Cabernet Sauvignon with aromas of black fruit, cassis, and chocolate followed by flavors of luscious blackberry cobbler and toffee
(new vintage) Forefront 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $19.99
aromas of blackberry, red cherry and raspberry enlivened by intriguing notes of spice, cedar and toffee, with a palate that echoes the nose with a juicy swirl of dark and red berries
Mas des Collines 2009 Gigondas @ $19.99
from a highly rated Rhône producer, a Gigondas with flavors and aromas of earthy plum, prune, leather, and smoke. an earthy red, slightly rustic, with good acidity and tannic structure, built to last
Thomas Coyne 2004 Petite Sirah @ $19.99
a full-bodied red with berry and plum flavors and a rich oak finish
Thomas Coyne 2007 Petite Verdot @ $19.99
a Bordeaux varietal usually used for blending to enhance color and body, here made in a full-bodied style with intense herbal flavors and a rich oak finish
(new vintage) Palmina 2010 Dolcetto @ $20.99
black cherry fruit flavors that are full and round on the palate, supported by lovely acid and soft tannins into a deep, full finish
(new vintage) Ramspeck 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $21.99
primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Cabernet Franc and Merlot added, fruit-forward, well balanced, with a long velvety finish
Coppola 2008 Pinot Noir "Director's Cut" @ $22.99
a Pinot with a vibrant personality and silky texture, highly aromatic, with scents of cloves, tea leaves, and roses, followed by bright flavors of red cherries, cranberries, and plums
(new vintage) Molly Dooker 2010 Two Left Feet @ $26.99
a powerful blend of Shiraz, Cab and Merlot, big and bold with great depth and complexity, could easily go another five years
Melville 2009 Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills @ $26.99
100% from the winery's Santa Rita Hills estate, with fresh fruit aromatics and nuances of sandalwood, spices and dried herbs, a dense mouthfeel, and a savory finish
(new vintage) Molly Dooker 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon "The Maitre 'D"@ $26.99
an incredibly aromatic Cabernet of great intensity with bright berry fruits and mashed raspberry, together with licorice spice and espresso coffee, a vibrant and fresh palate, building with layers of fruit, toasty oak and fine Cabernet tannins
(new vintage) Molly Dooker 2010 "The Boxer" Shiraz @ $26.99
no holds barred, straight up and intense, with a luscious palate offering creamy mocha and vanilla up front and bright acidity on the finish
Berliquet 2003 St. Emilion @ $29.99
from one of the oldest vineyards in St. Emilion, a smooth and supple wine with aromas of fresh fruit and supple tannins, a medium body, and a fleshy, low-acid finish
J Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir @ $30.99
a lush, full wine exhibiting the expressive character of the Russian River Valley, a wine of great depth, with elegantly composed layers, the traditional Pinot Noir flavors of cherry and strawberry fully integrated with the subtle oak tannins
Some Young Punks 2010 Naked on Roller Skates @ $29.99
a blend of Shiraz and Mataro (Mourvedre) from McLaren Vale, South Australia, with a heady hit of cherries, pepper and cloves , youthful and vibrant, needs some time to soften
Frog's Leap 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $39.99
a smooth, supple Cab with the classic Rutherford characters of earth and dust, elegant and soft, with a plush texture balanced by firm yet yielding tannins and a bright acidity
Domaine Drouhin 2009 Pinot Noir @ $39.99
deep and vibrant, with good color and excellent clarity, lush and mouth-coating, but well-balanced, with refined, silky tannins and a long finish
Sasa 2006 Brunello "Marlia" @ $42.99
from the vintage that is the new benchmark for Brunello, a version with all the hallmarks of a classic bold Brunello, including strawberry jam, vanilla, tobacco, cherry, and rose petals
La Couspaude 2003 St. Emilion @ $52.99
primarily Merlot with some Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon blended in, with aromas of blackberry, chocolate and toasted oak on a medium-bodied palate, fine tannins, and a long, caressing finish, refined and silky for the vintage
Lamberti 2009 Valpolicella Ripasso @ $10.99
a great old-school style of ripasso, soft-textured but full of flavor with juicy black plum, dried red cherry and raisin
(new vintage) McManis 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $11.99
mirroring flavors, aromas and a bouquet of blueberry, blackberry, mocha, milk chocolate and toffee
Michel Torino 2010 Don David Malbec @ $14.99
displaying expressive plum jam, raisin and pipe tobacco aromas, with toasty vanilla notes, balanced, spicy dark fruits and cassis, almond and nutty notes on the long finish
Dynamite 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $17.99
sourced primarily from the Red Hills Lake County appellation, a Cabernet Sauvignon with aromas of black fruit, cassis, and chocolate followed by flavors of luscious blackberry cobbler and toffee
(new vintage) Forefront 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $19.99
aromas of blackberry, red cherry and raspberry enlivened by intriguing notes of spice, cedar and toffee, with a palate that echoes the nose with a juicy swirl of dark and red berries
Mas des Collines 2009 Gigondas @ $19.99
from a highly rated Rhône producer, a Gigondas with flavors and aromas of earthy plum, prune, leather, and smoke. an earthy red, slightly rustic, with good acidity and tannic structure, built to last
Thomas Coyne 2004 Petite Sirah @ $19.99
a full-bodied red with berry and plum flavors and a rich oak finish
Thomas Coyne 2007 Petite Verdot @ $19.99
a Bordeaux varietal usually used for blending to enhance color and body, here made in a full-bodied style with intense herbal flavors and a rich oak finish
(new vintage) Palmina 2010 Dolcetto @ $20.99
black cherry fruit flavors that are full and round on the palate, supported by lovely acid and soft tannins into a deep, full finish
(new vintage) Ramspeck 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $21.99
primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Cabernet Franc and Merlot added, fruit-forward, well balanced, with a long velvety finish
Coppola 2008 Pinot Noir "Director's Cut" @ $22.99
a Pinot with a vibrant personality and silky texture, highly aromatic, with scents of cloves, tea leaves, and roses, followed by bright flavors of red cherries, cranberries, and plums
(new vintage) Molly Dooker 2010 Two Left Feet @ $26.99
a powerful blend of Shiraz, Cab and Merlot, big and bold with great depth and complexity, could easily go another five years
Melville 2009 Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills @ $26.99
100% from the winery's Santa Rita Hills estate, with fresh fruit aromatics and nuances of sandalwood, spices and dried herbs, a dense mouthfeel, and a savory finish
(new vintage) Molly Dooker 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon "The Maitre 'D"@ $26.99
an incredibly aromatic Cabernet of great intensity with bright berry fruits and mashed raspberry, together with licorice spice and espresso coffee, a vibrant and fresh palate, building with layers of fruit, toasty oak and fine Cabernet tannins
(new vintage) Molly Dooker 2010 "The Boxer" Shiraz @ $26.99
no holds barred, straight up and intense, with a luscious palate offering creamy mocha and vanilla up front and bright acidity on the finish
Berliquet 2003 St. Emilion @ $29.99
from one of the oldest vineyards in St. Emilion, a smooth and supple wine with aromas of fresh fruit and supple tannins, a medium body, and a fleshy, low-acid finish
J Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir @ $30.99
a lush, full wine exhibiting the expressive character of the Russian River Valley, a wine of great depth, with elegantly composed layers, the traditional Pinot Noir flavors of cherry and strawberry fully integrated with the subtle oak tannins
Some Young Punks 2010 Naked on Roller Skates @ $29.99
a blend of Shiraz and Mataro (Mourvedre) from McLaren Vale, South Australia, with a heady hit of cherries, pepper and cloves , youthful and vibrant, needs some time to soften
Frog's Leap 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $39.99
a smooth, supple Cab with the classic Rutherford characters of earth and dust, elegant and soft, with a plush texture balanced by firm yet yielding tannins and a bright acidity
Domaine Drouhin 2009 Pinot Noir @ $39.99
deep and vibrant, with good color and excellent clarity, lush and mouth-coating, but well-balanced, with refined, silky tannins and a long finish
Sasa 2006 Brunello "Marlia" @ $42.99
from the vintage that is the new benchmark for Brunello, a version with all the hallmarks of a classic bold Brunello, including strawberry jam, vanilla, tobacco, cherry, and rose petals
La Couspaude 2003 St. Emilion @ $52.99
primarily Merlot with some Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon blended in, with aromas of blackberry, chocolate and toasted oak on a medium-bodied palate, fine tannins, and a long, caressing finish, refined and silky for the vintage