La Maschera Prosecco, Italy – As I’ve mentioned many times before, we’d love to see our customers choose sparkling wines more often and not just for birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions. Think of it as simply another dry white wine; pair it with food in the same way, sip it the same way, and pretty soon, the lovely stuff becomes a habit. A fantastic place to start is Italy’s Prosecco. The best of these wines contain tons of complexity and length, are greatly satisfying, and best of all, are typically attractively priced. This one is produced 100% from the Prosecco grape (also known as Glera). In addition to the fresh apple and lemon notes, it offers a delicateness that many sparkling wines simply do not possess. Imagine you are in one of the region’s small, hilly towns near Venice, sitting in a creaky, old wicker chair in a quiet piazza at noon. The only sounds at the moment are the occasional flutter of pigeons as they take roost on the long ceramic gutters at the edge of the square. That is, until the waiter arrives with your bottle of Prosecco and pours your first glass – the carbonation making a brief sound, “frosh” as it expands upward in your glass. The waiter leaves, the square is quiet again and you’re left to contemplate things like, what would pigeons eat if we weren’t here to feed them? Exactly how old are these cobblestones? And finally, am I in a Prosecco commercial? $12.99 btl

2007 JL Chave Saint Joseph Saint Joseph Blanc, Celeste, France – I could go on all day about how much I love the Chave wines from France’s Rhone Valley. However, the following fact sums up their importance more than any opinion I could share. The Chave family has been making wine in the Rhone Valley since 1481. These fine people have been farming wine grapes and fermenting the resulting crops since before America was officially “discovered.” The town of Hermitage and the hilltop vineyard site that sits above it is considered by many to be the most important winemaking area in the northern (if not the entire) Rhone Valley. You’d be hard pressed to find a wine critic anywhere that would not put Chave at the top of the short list of wineries making wine in Hermitage. His bottling goes for upward of $300 and is truly one of the most profound bottles of wine that I’ve been lucky enough to taste.

This white made here comes from 100% Marsanne grapes and is one of my favorite white wines from the Rhone. On top of that, its sturdy and intense nature makes it an excellent fall white. Notes of dried apricot and orange peel lead off the nose, with a richly textured palate following it up. Flavors start slightly peachy, giving clue to its youth, and then move toward dried fig and apricot. Lots of mineral in the center and lots of acidity also tell me that this wine will unwind with time. If you enjoy rich white wines but have never had Marsanne from this part of the world, you’re in for a real treat. $29.29 btl

2009 Domaine Lauribert VDP Vaucluse, France – We’ve recommended many wines from southern France’s region of Vaucluse, with most of them being incredible values. Well, on that theme we’re excited to offer the new vintage of Lauribert. This is a wine that all but defies logic when it comes to the flavor/price ratio. It opens with a very detailed nose of blackberry, underbrush, pepper, kirsch, and a little mineral. A medium body carries this array of red and black fruit and spices to a stunningly long finish. I could certainly ponder how this wine could possibly be so cheap, but instead I’ll spend my time letting you all know that we now have some available. You must try it! $7.49/btl.

Lastly, a couple quick notes about a few other new items…

We’ve just taken receipt of ten cases of Evesham Woods’ 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Priced at $16.99 btl. I need not say more. This ridiculous value, year after year, sells faster than just about any other wine. Come in or call now if you’d like some.

Also, we’ve finished our re-set of one of the end caps that face the beer section. What was previously Zinfandel has been filled with cool reds from the southern hemisphere. This includes, but is not limited to: Argentina, South Africa, Chile and Australia. Keep in mind that single-varietal wines that already have their own section (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, etc.) will remain in their respective sections. You’ll find primarily blends and varietals, such as Malbec, Carmeñere, Pinotage (only one), Mourvedre, and others. Zinfandel now lives around the corner adjacent to Cabernet Sauvignon. Happy shopping!

Tastings:

• Friday, Sept. 17 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. – Join us and guest Greg Falk from D’Vine Wines as he steps up to the wine counter to pour two wines from the Peirano family: the Viognier and the much-loved Immortal Zin.

• Saturday, Sept. 18, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. – We’ll be improvising with some new stuff. Come for the surprise!

Cheers!

Aaron

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