2007 di Lenardo Pinot Grigio "Vigneto Vigne dai Vieris"

Dear Rene, Today we have a "slam-dunk" of a deal on our most popular pinot grigio -- the perfect summertime white. It's from our friend Max di Lenardo. Don't let the price fool you. This isn't "cheap" pinot grigio like the watery stuff you see at grocery stores or served by the glass at many restaurants. This is real, flavorful, hand-harvested, estate-bottled, single-vineyard pinot grigio at the lowest price in the country. Stock up! And if you missed our Tuesday 2005 Burgundy special, we sold out of our Village Volnay, but we still have a little more of the outstanding Michel and Marc Rossignol, 2005 Volnay 1er Cru available at a great price. Don't forget our tastings: two wine tastings and two cheese tastings! And of course, marvelous cheese and charcuterie specials. Please come by. Doug Rosen 2007 di Lenardo Pinot Grigio "Vigneto Vigne dai Vieris" 2007 di Lenardo Pinot Grigio "Vigneto Vigne dai Vieris" Reg. $10.99 "Slam dunk" sale prices: 6 or more bottles at $9.99 each Solid cases (12): $8.99 each This is serious pinot grigio, more flavorful than the well-marketed, mass-produced Santa Margarita, and half the price. It is already a favorite of many, many customers at the regular price. It was THE big hit at our tasting last Friday. Take this sale opportunity to replenish your stocks if you already have some or to score a case if you don't already have some. It is one of the great white wine values we'll see this summer. It'll be wonderful to drink anytime through 2010. My friend Massimo ("Max") di Lenardo is a former Olympic athlete (volleyball) who has been called "... dynamic to a fault, always looking for new ideas to develop" by the Italian wine journal Gambero Rosso. When he took control of the family winery, he gave himself the personal challenge to increase production, keep prices down, and at the same time, actually improve the quality of the wine. Not many wineries accomplish these goals simultaneously, but we've known for years, and Gambero Rosso recently wrote, "we can safely say that he has won his personal wager". This is why it's so good:The whole grapes are pressed in a gentle pneumatic press. After a first racking, the must is transferred to temperature-controlled fermentation vats. The wine is allowed to stay on the lees until immediately before bottling to give it the fullest flavor and texture possible. The result is a wine that has won countless awards for quality and countless more for value. The 2007 is terrific -- his best yet! It's a new vintage, and when we tried it we were thrilled. This new vintage hasn't been reviewed in the popular press yet. Past vintages, though, have earned two glasses "due bicchieri," a prestigious honor usually reserved for very expensive wines, from Gambero Rosso, Italy's leading wine journal. Also, the wine has received countless "best buy" awards at prices ranging from $12-$15 per bottle. A "best buy" at $12-$15 is a "slam dunk" at $8.99. This is how it tastes: Pale straw color with an attention-grabbing pinot grigio bouquet of pear, apple, apricot and flowers. The rich and flavorful palate is reminiscent of pears, quince and green apple skin. The rich fruit flavors are balanced beautifully with refreshing acidity. There is surprising depth to the fruit and a long, refreshing finish filled with ripe fruit and just a hint of pinot grigio's characteristic "nut skin". This flavor intensity and length of finish are usually only found in much more expensive pinot grigios. This is a fantastic "porch" wine, delicious and refreshing on its own, but it will also partner well with a variety of appetizers, salads, pastas and fish dishes. This is terrific pinot grigio at an insane price. To order, please call 703.525.0990 or reply to this email. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine will arrive tomorrow, Friday June 27th. Thank you for reading. Jim Cutts

2005 Domaine les Ondines Vacqueyras

Dear Rene, If you love Côtes du Rhône, you'll love this Vacqueyras! Simply put, it out-performs any Côtes du Rhône at this price. Vacqueyras is the value appelation in the entire Southern Rhône: Find out why! And please join us for a very special wine dinner at Taberna del Alabardero with our good friend Aurelio Cabestrero on June 26th. See the delicious details below. Don't forget our tastings: two wine tastings, including a SuperTasting on Saturday and two cheese tastings! And of course, marvelous cheese and charcuterie specials. Please come by. Doug Rosen 2005 Domaine les Ondines Vacqueyras 2005 Domaine les Ondines Vacqueryas (Rhône Red) Regular: $19.99 Half Case (6): $16.99 each Full Case (12): $14.99 each Save 25% !! (Seen elsewhere for $26.99) Luxurious on the palate yet lean on the pocketbook. Great with roasted or grilled meats. A wine to sink your teeth into! Better than any Côtes du Rhône for the price. From the best vintage since 1978, this dense, full-bodied Vacqueyras is the real deal - not international in style, with all the edges rounded out and the character emaciated. This is a wine with some meat on the bone! The nose shows rich cherry fruit with pronounced black licorice and subtle notes of sage, thyme and lavender. The palate shows some grippy tannins which with sufficient aeration provide a velvety cushion of dark plum fruit and black licorice. The finish gushes with a cascade of cherry fruit carrying glimmers of spice, coffee and bitter chocolate. This rich, savory wine pairs naturally with rustic mountain cheeses, grilled or roasted meats, especially lamb or duck. Just as in nextdoor, far too over-hyped Chateauneuf-du-Pape, in Vacqueyras, time has proven that the magical blend of grenache and syrah creates a symbiosis which is often quite magnificent. Wine guru Robert Parker calls these rich Rhône reds "the world's most delicious red wines." Domaine les Ondines is made of 60% grenache, 30% syrah and 10% cinsault - many of the vines over 50 years old. They use no herbicides or pesticides on their estate, and yields are exceptionally low even by the strict standards of Vacqueyras. Buy with confidence - this is another wine with an exceptional quality/price ratio - a trademark combination from importer Ed Addiss of Wine Traditions. Luxurious on the palate, but easy on the pocketbook! To order, please call 703.525.0990 or reply to this email. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Friday, June 20th. Enjoy! -- Graham Reid