Not snowed in yet, but we’re getting close! For your festive holiday pleasure, I am featuring several wonderful bubblies.

Gruet Brut Blanc de Noirs and Blanc de Blanc, both traditional Methode Traditional sparkling wines from New Mexico. The Noir is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and the Blanc is 100 percent Chardonnay.
$13.79/750ml – Half bottles available!

From Spain, two superb Cava’s: Froncoli Brut Reserva, made from Parellada and Macabeo $13.29/750ml; and Movisa Gran Sarao Cava Brut made from a blend of Xarel-lo, Macabeo, Parellada, and Chardonnay with secondary fermentation in the bottle $10.79/750ml.

Finally, from California, the Roederer Estate Brut, made with estate-grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from California’s Anderson Valley. All the barrels are first-run juice and fermentation is in stainless steel.
On sale: $17.99/750ml

Just Arrived (Please inquire, as I have not been able to put them all out yet.)
• Turley Wine Cellars Zinfandel 2006 Presenti $41.99/750ml
• 2006 Ueberroth $52.99/750ml
• 2006 Cederman $31.39/750ml

My Wines of the Week
• J. Vidal-Fleury Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc, a delicious 100 percent Viognier from the Rhone Valley. Luscious mouth feel with great pear and mineral fruit and a very strong finish. $9.79/750ml.

• Domaine Thibert, 2007 Macon-Prisse is mineral driven 100 percent Chardonnay from southern Burgundy. Lovely nose with hints of apple and banana followed by cleanly defined fruit layered with hints of spice, minerals and a long powerful finish.
$18.99/750ml

My Red Wine of the Week
Brickhouse 2007 Gamay Noir. Reports say its one of their best. I have not tried it yet, but am looking forward to it. Quantities are limited, so don’t wait too long.
$23.29/750ml.

Case discounts on every wine except those featured in Savories. 15% on unmixed cases and 10% on mixed cases of 12 or more.

Thanks!
To all of those who attended the 2006 Grand Cru White Burgundy tasting on Wednesday! Can we drink these every day of the week? Please? California, eat your heart out. No butter or oak here: solid fruit and mineral driven Chardonnay with the power to last 10 years and more.

December Tastings
• Friday, Dec. 19 at 5 p.m. – Mil Piedras Merlot 2006
• Saturday, Dec. 20 at 5 p.m. – Stumptown's New/Old Lompoc, IPA and Special Draft
• Sunday, Dec. 21 at 5 p.m. – Earl Cramer Brown from C&G Wines will be pouring Kopke Ports. Yum!
• Friday, Dec. 26 at 5 p.m. – Domaine Thibert Macon-Prisse 2007
• Saturday, Dec. 27 at 5 p.m. – Martin Gredvig from Eel River pouring Triple Exultation and Ravenseye Stout

Tastings - Coming in 2009
• 2005 Red Bordeaux (Date to be established, so stay tuned.) Are they as good as the press says they are? Find out soon. Chateau Lagrange, Cantemerle, Frombrauge, Giscours, Lafon Rochet, and Montrose.
• Aldo Vacca, Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 5 p.m. Aldo Vacca will be pouring and taking about Produttori Barbaresco at our Wine Bar. Be there!

Eugene’s offers an eclectic and wide selection of fine wines and beers. Why fool around with ho-hum distributor-driven, boring thumb-in-the-side-of-the-cheek wine and beer sections at the big boxes? You may need a flashlight in our wine and beer cave, but, hey, nothing good’s easy! And besides, you can chat with me and my staff and make us look for it! What could be better?

Drive carefully this holiday season, or, better yet, snuggle up to someone you love and stay at home with that by-now-well-stocked wine cellar!

This week we will be covering a lot of ground, but I promise: no jet lag.

First off, let’s travel to Europe’s highest vineyards and the Cave Du Vin De Morgex et De La Salle. The Blanc 2006 is made entirely from Prie Blanc in Italy’s Val d’Aosta Region from vines trained horizontally to avoid the snowy blasts. It is a lovely greenish-gold color with a lemony nose followed by some nuttiness, citrus, and limestone and a long finish. I was able to purchase this at an incredible savings.

$6.99/750ml.
Heading southward to warmer climes and Tuscany in particular, I was delighted and surprised with the Fattoria Bibbiani Treggiaia Rosso. A blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Canaiolo, it exhibits crushed cherry on the nose, followed by Bing cherry pie flavors with a hint of saltiness and light but mouthcoating tannins that carry the fruit into a fine finish.
$9.79/750ml.

Leaving Europe and traveling overseas we arrive in Argentina. From vineyards located at about 1,000 meters in Mendoza, the Tiza El Ganador 2006 Malbec sports a deep, earthy nose with hints of blackberry patch and followed by intense blackberry fruit with a good underlying earthy structure and luscious finish.
$9.79/750ml.

Ending our journey in Australia’s Clare Valley, I’ve selected the Reilly’s Barking Mad 2006 Shiraz. Spice box on the nose with raspberry, anise and peppery tannins followed by a zippy finish that stays on the palate.
$12.99/750ml.

New Brews:
Lagunitas Brown Shugga, a classic.

Wines in stock:
Evesham Wood Seven Springs and Cuvee J.
Willi Shaefer 2007 Rieslings
Elderton 2004 Command Shiraz
Domaine Serene Yamhill Cuvee.

Don’t forget to check my selection of 2005 Bordeaux. We will be having a tasting soon, and you can judge for yourself: Is the vintage as good as the wine writers say?

Deux Montille Grand Cru White Burgundy tasting, Wednesday, Dec. 17. $60/seat limited to 20 seats. 6 p.m. in our Community Room on the Mezzanine. Food by Executive Chef Greg Cabeza in addition to a fine selection of tasty cheeses from the region. R.S.V.P. 541-338-8455, 541-510-1616 or e-mail jimc@marketofchoice.com.

For those of you who just can’t get enough of the Russian River Pliny the Elder…guess what? Yes! It’s here, but please ask when you get here because I’m out of shelf space. Didn’t make your trip to the Abyss? One more chance! Don’t hesitate this time…

Tastings schedule:
• Friday, Dec. 12, Monica with Kastle Imports will be pouring a selection of wines from Baden, Germany at 5 p.m.
• Saturday, Dec. 13, Lagunitas Brown Shugga at 5 p.m.
• Sunday, Dec. 14, Tim Schimmel will be pouring Pudding River 2007 Pinot Gris and Erin Glen 2005 Syrah at 5 p.m.

This week I’ll be covering mostly California wines. With concentration and less reliance on the oak barrel, these guys can still produce some nice, terroir-driven wines.

From Sonoma, Thomas Henry Wines Russian River 2006 Chardonnay features ripe apple and supple tropical fruit in the mid-palate with hints of spice and butter and a nice finish. This is drink-me-now white wine that is hard to beat at $9.79/750ml.

The Thomas Henry 2006 Zinfandel is everything one wants in Zinfandel: blackberry and brambles on the nose followed with lots of jammy fruit, peppery top note, and a lively fruit-laced finish. $9.79/750ml.

On the bigger side, the Magito 2005 Panorama Zinfandel is from Napa,Sonoma, and Amador sourced fruit. Seventy-five percent Zinfandel, 8 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 percent Syrah, 6 percent Sangiovese, 4 percent Merlot, and 2 percent Petite Syrah, it sports a prickly, raspberry nose that segues into some pretty intense, peppery red fruit, earth, and notes of exotic spice with grip on the finish. $14.59/750ml.

One outstanding import this week: Godiolo 2005 Rosso di Montepulciano. Our tasting on Friday will feature this extraordinary value (just like Bobby, yes?) from the vineyards of Franco Fiorini. The wine is made from Caniaolo Nero and Prugnolo Gentile in the rolling hills south of Montepulciano. The grapes are fermented with the skins in stainless steel from 12-15 days,followed by malo after the skins are removed, and then aged in medium-sized oak casks for six to eight months. Intense violet on the nose with luscious blueberry fruit, notes of anise, chewy tannins and a powerful finish. $13.29/750ml.

Sign up now for the Domaine de la Mordoree tasting at 6 p.m. on Oct. 29, Seating is limited so don’t delay. We will taste a vertical of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Reine des Bois, and wine from Lirac, Cotes du Rhone and Tavel. Regional food provided by our Kitchen. Please RSVP atjimc@marketofchoice.com, stop by our wine bar, or call 541-338-8455. $35/seat.

If you’re looking for some great wine for the holidays, look no further …

From Germany’s Pfalz region Weingut Holz Weisbrodt brings us Secco Blanc Trocken made entirely from Riesling grapes. Featuring vivacious peach blossom on the nose with hints of citrus and lively bubbles in the mouth, this dry bubbly is perfect for special occasions or events. $17.99/750ml.

From Maison Vergnes in Southwest France an energetic, Methode Traditionnelle Blanquette di Limoux made from Mauzac and Chardonnay. Pleasingly dry and refreshing, with lemon and a light, chalky undercurrent. $12.59/750ml.

Mauzac is a traditional grape varietal, now supplemented by Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. The high altitude of the vineyards and the influence of the Atlantic Ocean make this area ideal for growing these varietals, and Chardonnay from this area is sought after. Locals claim that their use of secondary fermentation in the bottle predates that of Champagne, dating the production of these wines to 1531 at the Abbey de St. Hilaire.

Moving on, just north of Chateauneuf-du-Pape are flat plains once covered by the Rhone River near the town of Orange. Grenache, Syrah, Carignane and Cinsault grow prolifically in the gravel soils, giving the area a Vin de Pays classification. The wines are inexpensive, uncomplicated and delicious. The Domaine du Trapadis 2005 features lip smacking red raspberry fruit with mouth coating, satiny tannins and a nice finish. $9.29/750ml.

Finally from California’s Napa Valley, a newcomer. BonAnno means “good year” in Italian and is the name of the owner and winemaker, Matthew Bonanno. The Cabernet is sourced from Stags Leap, St. Helena, and Oak Knoll-area fruit. It sports an herb-scented nose with hints of peppermint, chocolate and graphite in the mid palate and a muscular finish. A very good value at $20.99/750ml.

Our brew of the week comes from the Green Flash Brewing Co., San Diego. Le Freak is a convergence of American style IPA and Belgium style Trippel. It features piney, yeasty aromas wrapped around toasted malt in the mouth, a complex layering of hoppy notes and a very intense and lasting finish. $8.99/22oz.

Your Market Wine and Beer Shop offers tastings at least three times a week. Watch for our sit-down tastings in the Market of Choice Community Room, upstairs on the Mezzanine, featuring hard-to-find and prestigious wine from around the world.