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SWING INTO
SPRING WHITES! |
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Imports continue to lead the way when it
comes to non-formulaic, food friendly
whites! |
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POUILLY FUMÈ 2005 “CHAMPS DE CRI” MARC
DESCHAMPS $21.95 [#309996]

It’s 2005! It was a great year for France’s
Loire Valley! And with that we welcome back
one of our favorite white wines! We love
this cuvee from Marc Deschamps and buy it
regularly! The 2005 is a complete success in
delivering nervy, brightly acidic Sauvignon
Blanc perfect for seafood or shellfish
dishes of any kind as well as grilled
chicken or pork. Fermented stainless steel
(100%) with just a touch of used oak, the
wine is crisp and clean with superb
delineation of fruit that captures nice
nuances of wet stone, herbed butter, chervil
and lemon grass. Oysters on the half shell
anyone? |
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CONO SUR 2007 “VISION SERIES” VIOGNIER
(CHILE) $11.99 [#380121]

Building upon the success of last year’s
edition, Cono Sur is back on the shelves
again with a knock-out Viognier that’s
perfect for outdoor patio and poolside
dining. This very well-done Viognier
provides a fruit bowl of mixed yellow peach,
dried apricot and nectarine essence to the
palate nuanced with hints of mango, tangelo
and spice. Despite all of its fruit
lushness, Cono Sur exhibits remarkable
restraint and balance in the glass with an
under swelling of refreshing acidity that
keep you coming back for more. |
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COTES DE VENTOUX BLANC 2006 DOMAINE
FENOUILLET $12.95 [#309995]

This wine was kind of a revelation for us in
that it’s the first white wine from CÙtes de
Ventoux that we’ve ever encountered.
Blended, predominantly, from Grenache Blanc,
this, too, is fermented in stainless steel
to impart a crisp cut that captures sundry
flavors of tropical melon, Granny Smith
apple, white pear and quince accented deftly
with hints of lime, gravel and salty stone.
Perfectly refreshing as a delightful
aperitif, this wine shows great potential as
a light appetizer wine perfect for shrimp or snackies of any kind. |
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ALBARINO 2006 “LICIA” RIAS BAIXAS (SPAIN)
$13.95 [#380441]

People are definitely discovering Albarino
as it has become an increasingly popular
staple of our Spanish wine section. This
particular rendition comes from a new estate
we’ve added to our shelves and it should
make friends and influence people at this
price point. The wine leads off with an
exotic nose of mixed floral followed by a
pastel fruit pastiche of white peach, papaya
and cactus flower. Sundry nuances of white
pear and mixed tropical provide additional
subtle complexity to this amazing gem that
finishes with a succinct minerality and
refreshing, lively acidity. |
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CHATEAU MARTINON 2006 ENTRE-DEUX-MERS $10.95
[#308880]

The task of finding good white Bordeaux is a
difficult one in that there’s a veritable
ocean of Bordeaux Blanc out there, most of
which can only be best described as wet and
white. So when we were able to taste this
superb bargain from Entre-Deux-Mers, we
jumped all over it! Martinon delivers a
superb delineation of Sauvignon fruit
accenting lemon-lime, wet stone and fresh
rain. Crisp, clean and delightfully
delicious, we can’t recommend highly enough
this value-priced gem that delivers way
beyond its price point! |
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PALAZZONE 2206 ORVIETO “TERRE VINEATE” $9.98
[#301625]

There are only a few great producers of
Orvieto and Giovanni Dubini of Palazzone is
one of them. This well-priced gem is a blend
of the classic white varietals of the zone
and offers fresh aromas of minerals,
hazelnut and white flowers and a
medium-bodied palate with a fresh crisp
finish. We recommend pairing this with
lighter pasta and rice dishes or with white
meats and fish. Here’s a serious value white
that definitely outshines its price point. |
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CAVALCHINA 2006 BIANCO DI CUSTOZA $15.98
[#302775]

Bianco di Custoza is produced in near Lake
Garda in Italy’s Veneto region and is most
likely named after the battle of Custoza
(1866) which was part of the War of
Independence of the 19th Century. It’s our
opinion that Cavalchina is one of the top
producers here and their wonderful regional
white is often overlooked or simply unknown
to many. The wine is produced from Trebbiano,
Garganega and Fernanda grapes that make a
wonderfully crisp and refreshing quaff with
delicious notes of green apple, melon and
mineral. This is a versatile white that is
especially good when chilled and served on a
hot afternoon or at your next picnic or
backyard barbecue. |
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WEINGUT NIKLAS 2006 KERNER $19.98 [#301183]

Kerner is not well known here in the US but
it has become a very successful white
varietal in Italy’s Alto Adige region.
Winemaker Dieter Solva has established
himself of late among the better young
winemakers of the region and produces one of
the very best examples of Kerner. This
classy white was recently described as vivid
and minerally with a delightful herbal
quality and blessed with impressive acidity
and freshness. It offers a medium palate
weight and is intriguing from start to
finish. A sleeper that’s sure to please
those looking for an excellent new find or
anyone who appreciates outstanding regional
white wines. |
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ETTORE GERMANO 2006 RIESLING $26.98
[#302759]

World class Riesling from Italy? That’s what
we remarked when first offered this
impressive new release. Several years ago
Sergio Germano planted Riesling vines on a
parcel in the Alta Langhe (southernmost
section of Piemonte) that he rented from a
local farmer and the result is this rare
gem. At first whiff, the wine reminded us of
the best Clare Valley (Australia) Rieslings
yet we were blown away by the palate. This
is a dry Riesling with a stunning mid-palate
punch of intense lime and mineral flavors
and a long, zesty finish thanks to some
ample acidity. Fans of German wines will
especially not want to miss this one. A real
treat from Italia. |
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Features from Last
Month |
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Spain |
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Vinos Sin-Ley GRA-2 Graciano 2006
Rioja $12.95 [#380412]

This limited offering is not to be
missed. A 100% Graciano from Rioja
that's under 15 dollars? Are you
kidding me? The wine made by the
talented David Sampedro from old-vine
Graciano (a grape normally used for
blending or for high dollar bottlings)
is opaque purple in color. Blueberry,
blackberry, ripe and pure yet backed
by refreshing acidity, this mineral-
and spice-infused wine has amazing
depth and concentration for the price.
This wine is made for grilled meats so
dust off the BBQ and pop the cork.
Very limited.
Parker 90 Points. |
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Vinos Sin-Ley m5 2006 Yecla $13.95
[#380418]

This wine is 100% Monestrell from the
D.O. Yecla. This region can be summed
up in two words: high and dry. The
vineyards are at 2,300 ft in altitude
and receive only about 13 inches of
rain per year resulting in very low
yields (4lbs per vine). The wine
itself is has a dark ruby color to it
with a nose of smoke, kirsch,
blueberry and minerals. There is a lot
of fruit here, but it has a freshness
to it that keeps it balanced and
honest. The finish is long and
complete. Limited bottling!
Parker 90
points. |
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Barrahonda Monestrell 2006 Yecla
$11.99 [#380428]

100% Monestrell from vines ranging
20-120 years in age!! This wine is the
true expression of Monestrell from
Spain. Today a Bandol will rip about
35 dollars from your wallet so to say
this is a value is a major
understatement. The wine itself is
dark ruby-colored with sweet fruit
full of blueberry and mineral flavors.
The wine is raised in stainless steel
so there are no hard edges here at
all, just pure fruit flavors and
complete enjoyment at a great price.
Case price: $10.99 per bottle. |
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Torremoron 2006 Ribera del Duero
$10.99 [#377771]

This has been a staff favorite since
we brought it in a few years ago. The
wine is a true expression of Ribera
del Duero. The grapes (100%
Tempranillo) come from these gnarly
looking, low-trained, head-pruned, old
vines that are 60 to 120 years in age.
These are the kind of grapes that
usually find their way into some of
the top wines in the region. The wine
is ruby red in color with wild berry,
raspberry, cherry and an amazing
exotic perfume. There is some great
concentration here as well and a along
juicy finish.
Parker 90 Points. |
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Dingus Bodegas Vina Magana 2004
Navarra $14.95 [#380427]

The 2004 Dingus is made from 50%
Tempranillo, 25% Merlot and 25%
Cabernet aged in 50% new French oak
for 12 months. Magana has been making
wine since the 1970s and is considered
the quality winemaking pioneer of
Navarra. The vineyards are
estate-owned and planted with old
vines that are rich in minerals and
deep-rooted, which is expressed in the
wine's depth. This is a modern style
of Spanish wine, yet it displays a
grace and elegance that is hard to
find these days. The finish is silky
smooth. This wine is an excellent
value and will go head-to-head with
any 30-dollar California Cabernet. |
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JOSE PALACIOS 2006 PETALOS $19.99
[#380113]

Alvaro Palacios, who has achieved
worldwide fame with “L’Ermita” and
“Finca Dofi,” believes in the
distinctive terroirs, incredibly steep
hillsides and, most importantly,
ancient vineyards of Mencia. He wanted
pioneer making great Mencia from this
new DO Bierzo. The 2006 Petalos has
achieved that, coming from 60- to
100-year-old Mencia vines. Fragarant
aromas of violet, lavender, mulberry
and blueberry lead to a palate rife
with rich supple fruit that shows
great structure due to the cool
climate of Bierzo. It's beautifully
crafted with only a few weeks in new
French oak, followed by 6-10 months in
2nd and 3rd passage barrels.
Parker 91
Points. |
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ViZcarra Roble 2006 Ribera del Duero
$15.99 [#378628]

Juan Carlos Viscarra started bodegas
Viscarra in 1991. This is a small
production garage winery in the town
of Mambrilla the vineyards are at an
altitude of 2,785 ft and range between
15-80 years of age. The 2006 Roble was
aged for 6 months in French oak. The
wine is dark ruby/ purple in color and
it just coats your glass like ink.
Flavors of vanilla, smoke, blueberry,
and blackberry liqueur coat your mouth
The Viscarra Roble is rich and
satisfying with a fantastic finish for
a wine at this price.
Parker 90
Points. Case price: $14.99 per bottle. |
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Bodegas ROBERT Naia 2006 Las Brisas
$8.99 [#302256]

Importer Jorge Ordonez likes to call
this a "first class cocktail" but we
think it’s even better. Las Brisas is
a crisp, flavorful blend of 50%
Verdejo and a 50% blend of Sauvignon
Blanc and Viura that delivers beyond
its modest price point. This is a
light-bodied, clean white with hints
of grapefruit and orange zest. Crisp
acidity makes this a fantastic,
spring-through-summer white wine. |
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Finca Sandoval 2005 Manchuela $36.99
[#377260]

This estate-bottled blend of 76%
Syrah,13% MourvÀdre and 11% Bobal is a
traditionally-produced Rhone-style
mind-blower with a twist: Bobal is a
native variety to this area which adds
to the aromatic complexity. This means
a rich, full-bodied wine with intense
concentration of flavor, including
blue and black fruit and ripe tannins,
yet beautifully balanced acidity with
floral and mineral notes on the
super-long finish. This wine is very
limited so grab it while it lasts!
Highly recommended with grilled meats,
especially game and steak with
mushroom sauces or strong cheeses.
Parker 94; Tanzer 93. |
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Alonso del Yerro 2005 Ribera del Duero
$34.95 [#377029]

This incredible Tempranillo is made by
one of Bordeaux’s most famous
winemakers, Stephane Derenoncourt.
Derenoncourt's style leans toward big
fruit and a velvety-textured mouthfeel
while respecting terroir to express
the origin of the wine. The grapes for
this wine come from four individual
plots with an elevation of 2,500 feet
at a very high density, meaning very
low yields, in rich clay and limestone
soil. Strict selection of only
perfectly healthy, ripe grapes on the
vines before hand-harvesting and
hand-sorting and aging in French oak
yields a silky-yet-showy wine
dominated by black flavors such as
licorice, espresso, dark chocolate and
blackberry. Young and fabulous and
ready to pair up with grilled meats!
Parker 94 points. |
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Germany |
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RARIFIED
RHEINGAU!
One of our wholesale suppliers
recently entered our store with a
treasure trove of unsold 2005 Germans!
We immediately made a significant
commitment to any number of wines from
this vintage of vintages that stands
today as one of the greatest in the
history of this central European
country. |
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RUEDESHEIMER BERG ROTTLAND
2005 SPATLESE WEINGUT JOHANNISHOF
$24.95 [#368742]

This superb production delivers tons
of nicely delineated Riesling richness
encompassing any number of orchard
stone fruit flavors including white
peach, dried apricot and nectarine.
Sassy hints of lemon/lime course
throughout providing this superb
Rheingau with the requisite vim and
vigor to go the distance! |
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ERBACHER STEINMORGEN 2005
SPATLESE BARON KNYPHAUSEN $29.95 [#368746]

Here’s another outstanding Rheingau
that delivers tons of classic Rheingau
richness. The wine, in fact, borders
on Auslese quality and speaks fully to
the glory of 2005 in Teutonic spheres.
Try this superb production with spicy
Thai, Szechwan or Vietnamese food. |
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Chile |
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SANTA CAROLINA 2006 RESERVA CHARDONNAY
$8.99 [#380420]

This Chardonnay is sourced from estate
vineyards in the Casablanca Valley,
specifically from their Santa Isabel
Estate. Its pale yellow color and
beautiful golden hue segue into a nose
ripe with tropical fruits (guayaba,
citrus and peach notes). This is a
medium-bodied Chardonnay with perfect
balance between its natural acidity
and the sweetness from the fruit and a
nice touch of oak (a range of barrels
from new to 2 years old are used to
perserve the fresh fruit
characteristics of this varietal). It
has medium complexity and a fresh
finish medium to long on the palate. |
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SANTA CAROLINA 2006 RESERVA CABERNET
SAUVIGNON $8.99 [#380421]

This Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced
from estate vineyards in the Colchagua
Valley at the food of the Andes
Mountains. This reserva is a bright
ruby color with gorgeous aromas of
cherries and black fruits on the nose
combined with hints of chocolate and
tobacco; additional sweet notes of
vanilla and cinnamon can be detected,
as well. On the palate this wine is
full-bodied yet contains an elegant
chiaroscura between fruit and oak,
measured with soft tannins and a long
finish. This is a beautiful, complex
and elegant wine with aging potential
at a fantastic price. |
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South Africa |
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STERHUIS 2003 stellenbosch Merlot
$14.99 [#379861]

This ultra boutique family-owned winery bought in 1980 (its first
vintage was released in 2002) is one
of the top up-and-coming wineries in
South Africa. This Merlot, with time
(like any 'old world' Merlot ) has yet
again proven why Johan received the
“Young Winemaker of the Year” from
Diner’s International in 2005.
The vineyard, western slope facing, an average altitude of 320
metres above sea level, has French and
Italian Merlot clones. These clones
produce very small berries with
complex flavor profiles and pronounced
color. The wine is classic in style
with serious yet very accessible
flavors with plums, mulberries,
chocolate and coffee on the nose. The
palate is rich in ripe black fruits
with integrated oak flavors and a
velvety soft tannin finish. Take a
bottle home, decant it and watch your
friends and family express how
delightful and impressive this wine is
as they enjoy it with a cheese platter
and/or grilled hamburgers/steaks!
This bottling will prove to you why Merlot is one of the best grape
varietals in the world! 500 case
production! |
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Morgenhof Estate 2003 Stellenbosch
"Fantail" Vineyards Red $9.99
[#380425]

Established in 1692 and bought by Mrs. Anne Cointreau in 1983,
Morgenhof Estate is one of the hottest
wineries in Simonsberg, Stellenbosch.
Fantail’s original label had a
peacock; however, the South African
government told Morgenhof it could not
have an actual peacock on the label so
they did the next best thing - an
imaginary bird that looks like a
peacock. And ‘Yes’ there are peacocks
that wonder the grounds of Morgenhof!
Fantail is well balanced with black fruit concentrations, cigarbox,
licorice and velvety tannis that round
out this exceptional bottling. This
wine appeals to the masses due to the
elegance on the palate with subtle
complexity in the finish. Fantail
Vineyards Red blend is comprised of
33% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon,
15% Pinotage, 9% Malbec, 5% Pinot Noir
and 5% Cabernet Franc. It's
perfect at just about any occasion and
a well known barbecue favourite!
Wine Magazine –
Best Value Award in 2006 |
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MORGENHOF ESTATE 2005 Stellenbosch
Chenin Blanc $11.99 [#308207]

This Chenin Blanc vineyard is 37 YEARS OLD planted on West facing
slopes at an altitude of 300 to 330
meters above sea-level! The wine is
fermented in stainless steel tanks and
then aged in French Oak for eight
months. This wine has a lovely
greenish-yellow color with honey
blossoms, dried apricots, peaches and
lime integrated with wood on the nose.
After sniffing the elegant aromas, you
will be stunned by this full-bodied,
wonderfully complex, well balanced
wine with nice acidity! Every flavor
on the nose follows through very well
on to the palate.
This wine goes well with curries, salads, fish, poultry and red
meat. You could even enjoy this as a
pre-dinner warm-up with fruits and
cheeses! 800 case production! |
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Italy |
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TERENZUOLA 2006 TOSCANA ROSSO
“MARCIAFERRO” $12.98 [#302624]

In 1993, owner Ivan Giuliani traded
his University economics studies for
viticulture and began a winery in
Tuscany. Today, he not only produces
better known varietals like Sangiovese,
but also he is the only one in his
area committed to the cultivation of
Tintoretto and Merla, two native
grapes. “Marciaferro” is his unoaked
value red that consists of equal parts
Sangiovese, Merlot, Merla and
Tintoretto. Aged entirely in stainless
steel tanks, this outstanding rosso
offers bright red cherry fruit with
fresh acidity and mild tannins and is
a classic Tuscan table red. It’s
definitely a reflection of both
thoughtful winemaking and site
specific terrior as it’s quite a lot
of wine for the price. Customers are
always asking us for outstanding,
value priced Tuscan reds so here’s
your chance to try one of the better
ones to hit our cellar floor recently. |
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RENATO RATTI 2005 NEBBIOLO D’ALBA
“OCHETTI” $15.98 [#302663]

Those of you who recently purchased
and enjoyed the outstanding Cascina
Ca’Rossa Nebbiolo 2004, will not want
to miss this tremendous new release
from the Ratti family. We tasted this
last year during a visit with Pietro
Ratti and couldn’t wait to sell the
wine. Like the Ca’Rossa it’s 100%
Roero fruit yet it’s a fuller, rounder
style more similar to Barolo rather
than Barbaresco. The fruit is rich and
flavorful, the tannins soft and ripe
and the acidity nicely balanced making
this a wonderful wine to drink now
with roasts, red or white meat dishes,
heavier pastas or hard cheeses. If you
don’t want to shell out the extra
bucks for a Barolo, here’s the perfect
wine.Outstanding!! |
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CAVALLOTTO 2004 BARBERA D’ALBA “VIGNA
DEL CUCULO” $23.98 [#301222]

The Cavallottos are well known for
their outstanding Barolos but their
Barbera d’Alba often goes virtually
unnoticed by many. We, on the other
hand, are quick to take our annual
allocation and grateful to offer this
wonderful wine to our
customers.”Cuculo” is produced from 38
year old Barbera vines from the
Cavallottos Bricco Boschis vineyards
and aged in large used casks for two
years prior to release. The 2004
offers fragrant notes of cherry and
cranberry with hints of cinnamon and
cloves along with a balanced,
full-bodied palate with good intensity
and finish. It’s an incredibly
versatile wine that especially shines
with meat dishes, pastas with red
sauce and aged cheeses. A class wine
from start to finish. |
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CASTELLO DI FARNATELLA 2004 “POGGIO
GRANONI” $35.98 [#302508]

For the past several years we’ve been
selling the very popular Castello di
Farnatella Chianti Colli Senesi, the
second Tuscan property of Giuseppe
Mazzocolin, owner of Felsina. Many,
however, are unaware that this
property also produces their own
version of a “Super Tuscan” wine.
Poggio Granoni consists mostly of
Sangiovese with small amounts of
Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah blended in
for structure, texture and spice. It’s
unmistakably Tuscan and is just what
many customers are constantly asking
for. |
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SAN FELICE 2001 CHIANTI CLASSICO
RISERVA “POGGIO ROSSO” $35.98
[#376165]

One wine we can always count on from
vintage to vintage is San Felice’s
Poggio Rosso Riserva. Although the
winery has added a few modern touches
(using French oak) in recent years,
the wine has retained its signature
fruit and remained among Tuscany’s
great Chianti Riservas. Their 2001 is
the best since the amazing 1995, as it
offers richly concentrated and layered
fruit, ample structure and great
overall complexity and ageability. Put
this one in the cellar for a year or
two or give it lots of air prior to
consuming it if you should open it in
the near future. |
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BIONDI 2003 ETNA ROSSO “OUTIS” $30.98
[#301386]

Ciro Biondi is among a handful of
outstanding producers on Sicily’s
Mt.Etna that are crafting some of the
finest wines in Southern Italy. Until
recently, the perception of Southern
Italian wines was not very favorable.
That has changed dramatically thanks
to producers like Biondi. His wine is
made primarily of Nerello Mascalese
with a smaller amount of Nerello
Capuccio blended in. The result is a
fragrant red brimming with an enticing
combination of red and black fruit
laced with notes of balsamic and
spice. It offers a Burgundian-like
elegance and a very flavorful
medium-weight palate with long lasting
fruit and deceptive tannins. A
fabulous wine that is simply heavenly
with lamb chops but will more than
suffice with your favorite meats and
cheeses. A Hi-Time staff favorite! |
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ELIO GRASSO 2003 BAROLO “GINESTRA CASA
MATE” $49.98 [#301301]

This is the bigger of the two Grassos
and it is endowed with powerful, ripe
dark berry fruit along with heady
aromas and flavors of camphor, mineral
and spices. As with the Gavarini, this
delicious Barolo drinks nicely now and
is probably best consumed over the
next 3-4 years as the fruit appears
riper and less structured than its
counterpart. Simply delicious.
Robert
Parker 91 points. |
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Zolo 2005 Bonarda $9.95 [#380249]

The Zolo Bonarda with its
ultra-aromatic complexity is made for
those special occasions when one needs
a wine to “knock your hat off.”
Argentina’s most planted varietal, the
Argentine Bonarda, like the Malbec ,
is on fire in the U.S.. This wine
highlights the grape’s
characteristically raspberry aromas
and strawberry jam. Smooth with soft
sweet tannins, finishing with toasty
barrel notes. |
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Gascon 2006 Malbec $9.99 [#377458]

Since 1884, the wines of Don Miguel
Gascon have been recognized for the
rich, smooth flavors that come from
Argentina’s Mendoza wine region. High
altitude vineyards situated along the
Cordillera of the Andes Mountain
produce full mature grapes for this
classic Malbec. It is full bodied and
elegant with soft, round tannins,
layered with flavors of blackberry,
blueberry, dark cherry, and a hint of
mocha. |