GREAT VALUES from FRANCE & ITALY
reds
2004 VERGET du SUD CHATEAU des TOURETTES Cabernet Sauvignon “Endes” $19.99
Run circles around your friends’ “Big Domestic Cab” with this ‘little’ European Import. Made by Jean-Marie Guffens of Burgundy fame, this beautiful ruby-garnet colored Cabernet Sauvignon has a character that makes me imagine a hypothetical blend of a Medoc Bordeaux and an excellent Super-Tuscan. Classic creme de cassis aromas intermingle with roasted red cherries as well as notes of cedar. In the mouth the wine is perfectly ripe with flavors of red-berry fruits, balsamic notes, and a long toasty finish.

2006 CHATEAU L’ERMITAGE Syrah “Via Compostelle” Costieres des Nimes Special $12.99! Winter’s chill instills a craving for the sun-splashed warmth of Mediterranean reds. This value-priced Syrah from the Costerieres des Nimes in southern France is grown in vineyards that line the 11th c. pilgrimage route from Europe to Santiago di Compostella.  “Via Compostelle” offers fresh, vibrant and uplifting aromas of blueberries, blackberries, violets, and minerals.  Syrah’s classic hint of white pepper punctuates the finish of this southern french beauty that behaves more like a Crozes-Hermitage from the northern Rhone. A great deal!

whites
2004 JEAN RIJCKAERT Cotes du Jura, Savagnin “Les Sarres” Reg. $23 Special $19.99  Add this to your new year’s resolution: lean, taut, fit, crisp, (but not lacking in exotic complexity), Savagnin, an indigenous white from the Cotes du Jura. Located east of Burgundy, the Jura shares the same Jurassic limestone foundation as Burgundy, giving their wines noteworthy characteristics of creamy stones, dusty chalk, and lemon-tinged minerals. Reminiscent of a great burgundy– think premier cru Chablis–but with a little something different, maybe fresh spring herbs–this is a wine that strikes a perfect balance between multi-dimensional flavor and great ‘Drinkability.’ A perfect match with fondue, scallops, lobster, or a simple buckwheat pasta with aged Fontina, wild mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts.

2005 LA COLOMBERA “Timorasso” Colli Tortonesi Reg. $19.99 Now $14.99!  “Timorasso” is an indigenous Piedmontese varietal unique to Colli Tortonesi, a region sandwiched between Gavi and Oltrepo Pavese. Aromas of baked-spiced, honey-tinged apples jump from the glass. The flavor of the wine is decidedly drier with orchard fruits predominating, leading to a long, powdery- mineral finish. Serve cool, but not overchilled — you’ll miss the parade of flavors!

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