Sorry to have been MIA for a few weeks, but things now show signs of picking up so I should be back on a fairly regular basis from now on. Here's what came in last week, for a serious start:
NEW WHITES:
d'Alfonso del Sordo 2012 Catapanus @ $12.99
made from Bombino Bianco, a grape native to Puglia, a full, rich white with aromas of anise and tropical fruit
Mariana 2012 Branco @ $13.99
from Portugal, a blend of Antao Vaz, Arinto and Alvarinho, a light refreshing white with a palate of freshly squeezed lemon and grapefruit
(new vintage) Ca' Lojera 2012 Lugana @ $16.99
a pleasingly complex bouquet of melon and tangerine laced with floral notes and hints of mint
(new vintage) Craggy Range 2012 Sauvignon Blanc @ $19.99
densely packed with stone fruit, lime, grapefruit and mineral characters, richly textured with a long finish
Abbazia di Novacella 2012 Kerner @ $20.99
from the northernmost wine region on the southern side of the Alps, an aromatic white with apple and peach fruit on the nose with a hint of mango, ripe and full on the palate, its opulence cut by crisp acidity
Bruno Clair 2011 Marsannay Blanc @ $33.99
fleshy, ripe fruit flavors countered by crisp acidity, tense, with touches of citrus rind and stone fruit, faint hints of floral honey
Pierre Morey 2010 Meursault "Les Tessons" @ $85.99
a single-vineyard Meursault with great complexity and minerality, elegant, refined, and eminently ageworthy
NEW REDS:
(new vintage) Cousino Macul 2012 CAB @ $8.99
Bing cherry, red currants and boysenberry fruit aromas that persist on the palate, with subtle mint, bay leaf and spice in the bright, refreshing finish
Chateau Peyguerol 2011 Costieres de Nimes @ $9.99
a soft, supple blend of Syrah and Grenache, with aromas and flavors of red fruits and grilled meats
(new vintage) Conquista 2012 Malbec @ $9.99
bright and fruity with plum, spice and red fruit aromas, full bodied with good acidity and layers of blackberries and blueberries, hints of mocha and spice on the lingering finish
Trivento 2012 Cabernet/Malbec @ $9.99
powerful plum and red fruit aromas, well-structured on the palate, with fleshy tannins and a pleasant, persistent finish
(new vintage) Altovinum 2012 Evodia @ $10.99
vibrant spice and fruit notes, a perfectly balanced mix of flavors with loads of taste, a smooth texture, and a pure, fruit-filled finish
Navarro Correas 2011 Malbec @ $11.99
medium-bodied, with delicate floral aromas, flavors of red cherries and blackberries, hints of licorice, vanilla, chocolate and smoke
Laborde 2009 Haut-Medoc @ $15.99
aromas of black fruits, spice, and licorice, powerful yet silky with good length
La Fleur Boireau 2009 Montagne-St. Emilion @ $15.99
soft, floral, ripe with plum and currant fruits, over a slightly earthy finish
Domaine de l'Echevin 2011 Cotes-du-Rhone Villages @ $16.99
100% Syrah, big and spicy, with dark chocolate notes on the midpalate
(new vintage) Domaine Couroulu 2010 Vacqueyras @ $17.99
a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre aged in cement tanks, with good acidity, terrific focus, and unbelievable concentration for its price point
(new vintage) Rutherford Ranch 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $17.99
big flavors of red currants and cranberry complemented by earthy undertones
Cadalora 2012 San Valentino Rosso @ $17.99
from a practicing organic winery near the banks of the Adige River in northeastern Italy, 100% Marzemino, dry, moderately acidic, full-bodied, velvety smooth
(new vintage) Talbott Kali Hart 2011 Pinot Noir @ $19.99
aromas of blueberry, cherry and plum, as well as floral notes and hints of spicy cinnamon and French oak sweet ripe flavors of cherry, blueberry and plum
(new vintage) Fattoria del Cerro 2010 Rosso di Montalcino @ $19.99
good concentration and an intense fragrant aroma with evident fruity notes, among which are wild black cherry, violet and vanilla
Coto de Imaz 2008 Rioja @ $20.99
100% Tempranillo sourced from estate vineyards in Rioja Alta, with round and juicy spiced red fruit, a velvety character, and ripe tannins
Vulcanus 2008 Petit Verdot @ $21.99
a classic Bordeaux varietal but produced in the La Mancha region of Spain, round and ripe, with strong tones of violet and leather
Luce della Vite 2010 Lucente @ $24.99
a Tuscan blend of Merlot and Sangiovese with a seductive bouquet of raspberries and blackberries, warm and well rounded, with supple tannins that are perfectly integrated into the wine's structure
Chateau Puligny-Montrachet 2010 Monthelie @ $30.99
a refreshing Pinot made in an easy-to-appreciate red fruit style with a perceptible crunch underneath
Raquillet 2004 Mercurey @ $35.99
made from old vines from the Cote Chalonnaise, with an excellent concentration of dark fruit and developed notes of earth, spice, and underbrush
Rion 2010 Nuits St. Georges "Les Hauts Pruliers" @ $77.99
a superb Burgundy with impressive perfume, density of flavor, and gentle tannins, called by one critic "a perfect Nuits"
Pierre Morey 2009 Volnay Santenots @ $84.99
from one of Burgundy's finest vignerons, aromas of ripe fruits, great power and concentration but with an underlying elegance
Bruno Clair 2009 Savigny-les-Beaune "Dominode" @ $85.99
ripe, exotic and flashy, with an insistent minerality
Magnien 2010 Morey-Saint-Denis "Chaffots" @ $96.99
medium weight, with fine minerality, intense and pure flavors that culminate in a complex, balanced, and somewhat austere finish
NEW ROSE:
Valduero 2012 Rosado @ $12.99
a blend of Tempranillo and a grape native to central Spain called Albillo, luscious, deep, and structured, filling the mouth with juicy fruit
ALSO NEW AND NOTEWORTHY:
Polmos Spirytus Vodka 192 Proof @ $19.99
a high-proof rectified spirit from Poland made from high-quality winter rye, suitable as the base for making liqueurs and cordials
