REDS
2006 Cono Sur, Pinot Noir
Was $11.99 ~~ NOW $9.99
This Chilean winery is taking their journey into Pinot Noir so seriously, that they have created an entire independent wing of their winery dedicated exclusively to this grape. Started in 1999, they have moved forward from their initial goal of producing the finest Pinot Noir in Chile, to making a French-style Pinot Noir to take on the world. Hand harvested, and individually checked, the whole clusters of grapes are then actually crushed manually… with feet! Gravity (not pumps) then takes the wine to the barrel room, where it spends 14 months in French oak. The wine has a lively, purple-red color, aromas of cherry, raspberry, plum, strawberry & just a little smoke. Soft, velvety textured flavors of sweet fruit lead to a long, balanced & structured finish with fine tannins.
2005 Chateau de Brondeau,
Bordeaux
Was $21.99 ~~ NOW $17.99
Robert Parker recommends not only this vintage from Bordeaux, but also some of the "lower pedigree", Merlot-based wines because of the depth & quality of the vintage, and the fact that they will be drinkable sooner. 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon tell you that this wine will have much more depth & complexity than most Merlots though… This wine is ready to drink now, but will continue to improve for the next 3 years or so. You will be rewarded if you decant it before serving as well… It is an intense, bright & opaque, ruby red in color. The aromas are subtle, and will reveal themselves more fully with a little swirling of your glass, but wow… There's a lot going on in here! Cherry, plum, black currant, blackberry, raspberry… Vanilla? Black pepper? Wait… roses, violets & licorice too! These aromas carry through to smooth, velvety, concentrated flavors with a light acidity, followed by a long elegant finish.
2005 Pannaroz, Jumilla
Was $10.50 ~~ NOW $8.99
Wow! A 90 point rated wine from Robert Parker for under $10?!? A blend of Mouvedre, Grenache & Syrah, this wine is an inky, purple-red color with big, sweet aromas of blackberries, cherries, chocolate, and a little earth. Fruity & medium-bodied with a long finish, this wine is a steal!
2006 Reds, by Laurel Glen
Was $9.99 ~~ NOW $8.99
This red blend is always a quality wine, and a great value. For 2006, it worked out that the wine was comprised of 1/3 Zinfandel, 1/3 Petite Sirah, and 1/3 Carignane. A very dark reddish-purple, the wine has fresh, fruity aromas of plums, berries & cherries, with just a touch of warm spice. Full, ripe flavors of blackberry from the Zin are balanced with a white pepper zing from the Carignane. The Petite Sirah keeps the jammy character of the Zin under control, adds a subtle black pepper, contributes heavily to the darkness of color, and really kind of pulls the whole blend together. This wine cries out for grilled meat, so pick up a few bottles for that first BBQ!
WHITE
2005 Le Sud, Blanc
Was $7.99 ~~ NOW $5.99
An interesting blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 45% Roussanne, & 5% Clairette. Estate bottled & grown, the wine is produced by Chateau Condamine, which has been around for, oh, about 220 years… The wine is a clear, yellow-gold color, with fine orchard fruit aromas of peach, pear & apple. Exotic & elegant flavors of mango & lychee, along with a fresh pear make this wine a natural to be served with lighter fare (fish, fruit, salad…), or by itself as an aperitif… A fantastic value.
