It's been a difficult few days but we are all (I think) still standing, and grateful to have been spared the worst. That having been said, here are the new arrivals from last week, and Happy Halloween to all!
NEW WHITES:
(new vintage) Carrel 2011 Jongieux @ $11.99
made from the Jacquere grape native to the Savoy region of France, very inviting and cleansing with a great juicy attack expanding nicely in the mid-palate with citrus, lime, unripe white peach, almost white grapefruit, flavors
(new vintage) Jadot 2011 Macon-Villages @ $12.99
floral, apple and citrus aromas and flavors, with mineral notes; a classic expression of Chardonnay from this appellation
Domaine Chene 2011 Macon la Roche Vineuse @ $13.99
unoaked white Burgundy with a lovely, elegant finish
Willow Creek 2011 Pinot Gris @ $14.99
aromas of ripe pear and honey, with textural complexity and a bone-dry finish
Franciscan 23011 Sauvignon Blanc @ $17.99
a fruit forward palate, crisp, and appealing with a strong mineral backbone giving an elegant presence on the round mouthfeel and a lingering, generous finish
McGregor 2010 Rkatsiteli-Sereksiya @ $24.99
from New York's Finger Lakes region, a light, crisp, refreshing white made from two grapes native to eastern Europe
Patz & Hall 2010 Chardonnay "Hyde Vineyard" @ $55.99
a classic expression of the famed Hyde Vineyard in Carneros, with vibrant orange and grapefruit flavors, sophisticated minerality and a beam of bright acidity that adds focus to the pure fruit notes
Ramey 2009 Chardonnay @ $62.99
palate-coating orchard fruit and floral flavors lifted by juicy acidity and sharpened by a gingery note
(new vintage) Carrel 2011 Jongieux @ $11.99
made from the Jacquere grape native to the Savoy region of France, very inviting and cleansing with a great juicy attack expanding nicely in the mid-palate with citrus, lime, unripe white peach, almost white grapefruit, flavors
(new vintage) Jadot 2011 Macon-Villages @ $12.99
floral, apple and citrus aromas and flavors, with mineral notes; a classic expression of Chardonnay from this appellation
Domaine Chene 2011 Macon la Roche Vineuse @ $13.99
unoaked white Burgundy with a lovely, elegant finish
Willow Creek 2011 Pinot Gris @ $14.99
aromas of ripe pear and honey, with textural complexity and a bone-dry finish
Franciscan 23011 Sauvignon Blanc @ $17.99
a fruit forward palate, crisp, and appealing with a strong mineral backbone giving an elegant presence on the round mouthfeel and a lingering, generous finish
McGregor 2010 Rkatsiteli-Sereksiya @ $24.99
from New York's Finger Lakes region, a light, crisp, refreshing white made from two grapes native to eastern Europe
Patz & Hall 2010 Chardonnay "Hyde Vineyard" @ $55.99
a classic expression of the famed Hyde Vineyard in Carneros, with vibrant orange and grapefruit flavors, sophisticated minerality and a beam of bright acidity that adds focus to the pure fruit notes
Ramey 2009 Chardonnay @ $62.99
palate-coating orchard fruit and floral flavors lifted by juicy acidity and sharpened by a gingery note
NEW REDS:
Val Bruyere 2009 Cotes du Rhone Villages @ $10.99
an easy-drinking Cotes du Rhone, light, tasty, just dry enough and just earthy enough, produced by the coop in the village of Cairanne
Lapierre 2011 Raisins Gaulois @ $12.99
declassified Morgon from an outstanding Beaujolais producer, fresh, appetizing, filled with juicy, crunchy, mineral-drenched berry fruit
(new vintage) Decenio 2010 Rioja Joven @ $13.99
produced by Bodegas Las Orcas, a classically styled, earth-driven Rioja, very drinkable and with great freshness, bottled unfined and unfiltered
Saint Cosme 2011 Cotes du Rhone @ $14.99
100% Syrah made by Louis Barruoul, one of the great winemakers of the southern Rhone, a profound wine, round and deeply colored, with extraordinarily great fruit
(new vintage) La Murola 2010 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo @ $14.99
100% Montepulciano from the Marche, medium to full-bodied with just a hint of wood, refreshing and effectively fruit-driven
(new vintage) Colosi 2011 Nero d'Avola @ $14.99
deep blackberry aromas and a fresh tannic palate, fresh, vinous, and loaded with ripe red fruit
Champ des Treilles 2011 Bordeaux @ $16.99
an organic/biodynamic wine from Sainte-Foy in the eastern part of Bordeaux, a blend of Merlot, Cab Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, fresh, bright, and supple
Fox Run 2009 Lemberger @ $16.99
made from estate-grown grapes from vineyards on the western shores of Seneca Lake, a benchmark Lemberger with rich plum and black cherry flavors that lead to sweet vanilla, smoke, and a spicy black pepper finish
Robert Hall 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $20.99
"the essence of Paso Robles," with complex plum, black currant, and cocoa aromas echoed by rich persistent flavors of plush ripe fruit, dark chocolate and spice all supported by balancing velvety tannins
Balthazar 2011 Cotes du Rhone @ $23.99
from one of the northern Rhone's most important young winemakers, based in Cornas, dense and rich with an ample amount of deep plummy fruit
Cornelissen Rosso Contadina No. 9 @ $25.99
made on the slopes of Mt. Etna by ultra-natural winemaker Frank Cornelissen, largely Nerello Mascalese with several other varietals blended in, bottled unfined and unfiltered, an austere wine with Pinot-like characteristics
(new vintage) Melville 2010 Pinot Noir @ $36.99
deep, rich, textured, pure, medium to full-bodied, packed with silky tannins and good vibrancy and delineation
Lewelling 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $52.99
luscious and beautifully balanced, with a supple, silky finish
Lewelling 2009 Wight Cabernet Sauvignon @ $69.99
a huge wine bursting with dark red fruit, flowers and sweet spices, with firm yet silky tannins that frame a textured, generous finish
(new vintage) Sea Smoke 2010 Southing Pinot Noir @ $75.99
one of the Central Coast's cult Pinots, a big, complex and heady wine with notes of violets, wild mushrooms, cola, and spices
Pisoni 2010 Estate Pinot Noir @ $79.99
remarkably open for such a young wine, expansive and sensual on the palate, should age gracefully for at least a decade
(new vintage) Sea Smoke 2010 Ten Pinot Noir @ $99.99
a blend of ten different Pinot clones from estate vineyards, brooding and intense, with firm, mature tannins and a long, velvety finish
Val Bruyere 2009 Cotes du Rhone Villages @ $10.99
an easy-drinking Cotes du Rhone, light, tasty, just dry enough and just earthy enough, produced by the coop in the village of Cairanne
Lapierre 2011 Raisins Gaulois @ $12.99
declassified Morgon from an outstanding Beaujolais producer, fresh, appetizing, filled with juicy, crunchy, mineral-drenched berry fruit
(new vintage) Decenio 2010 Rioja Joven @ $13.99
produced by Bodegas Las Orcas, a classically styled, earth-driven Rioja, very drinkable and with great freshness, bottled unfined and unfiltered
Saint Cosme 2011 Cotes du Rhone @ $14.99
100% Syrah made by Louis Barruoul, one of the great winemakers of the southern Rhone, a profound wine, round and deeply colored, with extraordinarily great fruit
(new vintage) La Murola 2010 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo @ $14.99
100% Montepulciano from the Marche, medium to full-bodied with just a hint of wood, refreshing and effectively fruit-driven
(new vintage) Colosi 2011 Nero d'Avola @ $14.99
deep blackberry aromas and a fresh tannic palate, fresh, vinous, and loaded with ripe red fruit
Champ des Treilles 2011 Bordeaux @ $16.99
an organic/biodynamic wine from Sainte-Foy in the eastern part of Bordeaux, a blend of Merlot, Cab Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, fresh, bright, and supple
Fox Run 2009 Lemberger @ $16.99
made from estate-grown grapes from vineyards on the western shores of Seneca Lake, a benchmark Lemberger with rich plum and black cherry flavors that lead to sweet vanilla, smoke, and a spicy black pepper finish
Robert Hall 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $20.99
"the essence of Paso Robles," with complex plum, black currant, and cocoa aromas echoed by rich persistent flavors of plush ripe fruit, dark chocolate and spice all supported by balancing velvety tannins
Balthazar 2011 Cotes du Rhone @ $23.99
from one of the northern Rhone's most important young winemakers, based in Cornas, dense and rich with an ample amount of deep plummy fruit
Cornelissen Rosso Contadina No. 9 @ $25.99
made on the slopes of Mt. Etna by ultra-natural winemaker Frank Cornelissen, largely Nerello Mascalese with several other varietals blended in, bottled unfined and unfiltered, an austere wine with Pinot-like characteristics
(new vintage) Melville 2010 Pinot Noir @ $36.99
deep, rich, textured, pure, medium to full-bodied, packed with silky tannins and good vibrancy and delineation
Lewelling 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $52.99
luscious and beautifully balanced, with a supple, silky finish
Lewelling 2009 Wight Cabernet Sauvignon @ $69.99
a huge wine bursting with dark red fruit, flowers and sweet spices, with firm yet silky tannins that frame a textured, generous finish
(new vintage) Sea Smoke 2010 Southing Pinot Noir @ $75.99
one of the Central Coast's cult Pinots, a big, complex and heady wine with notes of violets, wild mushrooms, cola, and spices
Pisoni 2010 Estate Pinot Noir @ $79.99
remarkably open for such a young wine, expansive and sensual on the palate, should age gracefully for at least a decade
(new vintage) Sea Smoke 2010 Ten Pinot Noir @ $99.99
a blend of ten different Pinot clones from estate vineyards, brooding and intense, with firm, mature tannins and a long, velvety finish
ALSO NEW AND NOTEWORTHY:
Great Lakes Pumpkin Spirit @ $48.99
distilled each fall from the Pumpkin Lager produced by Milwaukee's Lakefront Brewery, with bright, sweet aromas of clove, nutmeg, candied ginger, fruitcake, and pumpkin custard with a dryish medium-to-full body and a spicy dusty clove and pumpkin cheesecake finish
Great Lakes Pumpkin Spirit @ $48.99
distilled each fall from the Pumpkin Lager produced by Milwaukee's Lakefront Brewery, with bright, sweet aromas of clove, nutmeg, candied ginger, fruitcake, and pumpkin custard with a dryish medium-to-full body and a spicy dusty clove and pumpkin cheesecake finish