2007 Domaine de Martinolles Chardonnay, Vin de Pays de L'Aude

Dear Rene, We have a new white wine leader for Bargain of the Year ("BOTY")! It's an estate bottled chardonnay from a hilly part France's Languedoc and (only for our e-mail customers) it's just $7.99 per bottle by the case. This is a natural for summertime parties (and your guests will assume you paid double). One taste and we ordered all we could, but it's only 125 cases and it will go fast. Once again we'll sing praises for the importer, Ed Addiss of Wine Traditions, who found this bargain and brought it from the vineyards to us. If you've ever doubted that having a high quality importer located nearby saves you money, this is your proof. This sells for $11.29 in the Pennsylvania stores and as much as $14 around the country. But Ed brings this from the vineyard to Arrowine. This eliminates one or two middlemen that mark up the competition. You simply won't find a better chardonnay for $11, let alone $8. That's why this is our new leader for white wine BOTY. Jim Cutts 2007 Domaine de Martinolles Chardonnay, Vin de Pays de L'Aude 2007 Domaine de Martinolles Chardonnay, Vin de Pays de L'Aude Reg. $10.99 6 bottle price: $8.99 per bottle Case (or more) price: $7.99 per bottle No further discounts. Limited availability. You may already know Domaine de Martinolles; they make our most popular sparkling wine of all time, the "Le Berceau" Blanquette de Limoux. The estate is located in the Limoux region, the western most part of France's Languedoc, just south of the ancient walled city of Carcassonne. It has been owned by the Vergnes family since 1926 and has a unique climate that is influenced by both the cool Atlantic and the warm Mediterranean. The combination of chalky soils, elevations nearing 1000 feet, warm days, and cool nights makes this area, originally planted to vines by the monks of St. Hilaire in the early 1500s, an excellent place for viticulture, and especially for chardonnay. This wonderful climate allows Domaine de Martinolles to work the vineyards traditionally, with no chemical herbicides or fertilizers. In fact they are a leading member of Terra Vitis, a group that promotes and certifies sustainable agriculture. Everything here is high class and suggests that this SHOULD be a more expensive wine. The vineyards are densely planted and picturesque, the grapes are harvested at night so the grapes are as cool and fresh as possible, yields are low, vineyard work is careful and sustainable with no chemical herbicides or fertilizers, vinification is clean and temperature-controlled and no oak is used. It is bottled in a traditional Burgundy shaped bottles and finished with natural corks. This chardonnay simply outclasses its price competition. Here is my tasting note: The wine is a bright, pale straw color. The aromas are of freshly cut green apples, freshly peeled green apple skins, an orchard full of white flowers, and just a subtle touch of sweet baking spices. On the palate there iscitrus, green apple, spice and a crisp, refreshing, mouthwatering finish that is twice the length of anything else in the price range. This is delicious chardonnay and THE white wine bargain of the year so far. To order, please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Wednesday, July 16th. Jim Cutts