2007 Domaine du Moulin Gaillac Rouge

Dear Rene, Just wait until you taste how pure, complex, full of flavor and soulful this wine is. Domaine du Moulin is the perfect Bistro red (goes with any kind of food) with flavors of black raspberries, black cherries, black tea and stone dust; try it with roast chicken, meatloaf or pasta with red sauce. This week-night wine will magically transport you to your favorite Parisian Bistro or just take the chill out of an autumn evening. And the price (as low as $8.99 per bottle) is downright silly for a wine with all this flavor and complexity. I bought 100 cases of Domaine du Moulin on the spot when I tasted it in France last June and it's even better than I remembered. Just before it hit Arrowine, I got an email from wine-broker Peter Vezan: "...we tasted the Domaine du Moulin Gaillac this weekend with clients and they were simply blown away. The wine has gained in nobility and aromatic precision since you tasted it in June." He's right; this delicious wine has gotten even better with just a few more months of bottle age. Needless to say I was impressed and you will be too. Place your order soon before it's gone! Doug Rosen Addicted to Quality Series 2009 Buy these wines by the case. Response to our "addicted to quality" e-mails has been extraordinary. These are wines that I've hand-selected from the portfolios of some of the top wine brokers (with the best palates) in Europe. I have traveled with them, visited the estates, and chosen the very best from the exciting properties they represent. We've had them imported especially for us so we can sell them at great prices. In other words, these are wines to buy by the case. Just wait until you taste the wonderful wines in this series of e-mails... The selections for 2009 are strong; among the very finest I have ever found and with an added focus on value. Deliciously full of flavor, these wines are extraordinarily complex, packed with soul, and at prices that are insane for the quality. These are the wines I drink; these are the wines I love; these are the wines I am buying, by the case, for myself... 2007 Domaine du Moulin Gaillac Rouge 2007 Domaine du Moulin Gaillac Rouge (Gaillac, France) Reg. $11.99 Six bottle sale price: $9.99 per bottle (Save 17%) Case sale price (12+ bottles): $8.99 per bottle (Save 25%) This estate-bottled Gaillac Rouge will delight you with its complexity, its unique character AND its value.  Sometimes being secluded, even obscure, can be a real advantage. Today's wine is a great example. It comes from Gaillac, believed to be the very first wine growing area in France (planted by the Gauls); far older, even, than Bordeaux. But Gaillac is secluded in the vast southwest region, located between Bordeaux (to the Northwest) and the Languedoc region that stretches along the Mediterranean (to the southeast). Few wine importers scout this region and many of the grapes that thrive in Gaillac are unknown elsewhere. This obscurity might mean a marketing disadvantage, but it is a real asset when it comes to value!  The Tarn river divides the estate and, like in Bordeaux, there are different and excellent soils on the left and right bank with gravelly soil on the left bank of the river (as in the photo below) and chalky clay soils on the right bank. These different soil types provide optimal conditions for different varieties. This wine uses grapes from both sides and is known at the estate as "cuvée réservée" to distinguish it from other wines (this name does not appear on the label). It is a blend of 60% duras (a deeply colored and even more deeply perfumed ancient local variety) with 40% syrah (which enhances the texture and lends peppery spice to the finish). This family-operated estate was established in 1827 and today the wines are crafted by Nicolas Hirissou, the sixth generation of the Hirissou family at the estate. Nicolas earned his enology degree in France and trained in Napa. He is in the process of converting the family vineyards to organic viticulture to further enhance the health of the vines, the character and quality of the grapes. Here is what Domaine du Moulin tastes like: This wine has a beautiful deep purple color, almost black at the core. The aromas are very floral and perfumed with suggestions of violets and lavender; there are also notes of black raspberry and white pepper. The aromas are fabulous and suggest an important and much more expensive wine. The flavors are of black raspberries, black cherries, and black tea. The texture is bright and vivid and palate-caressing. The finish is long (shockingly long at the price point) and leaves impressions of peppery spice and limestone minerality. It's truly enjoyable. There is no new-oak and no hint of heat (the alcohol is a moderate 12.5%). This wine will go with almost any meal! Bust out of the shiraz, cabernet and pinot noir rut and enjoy this unique and wonderful wine that completely over-delivers for the price. This wine is a natural with fall and winter meals. To order please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Wednesday October 7th. Thank you for your support of Arrowine and the work that we do. Doug Rosen

2006 Chateau Rocher Bellevue Figeac, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (Bordeaux, France)

Dear Rene, In only one week, more than half of our major purchase of Saint Emilion Grand Cru red Bordeaux from the esteemed Chateau Rocher Bellevue Figeac has sold. That means time is running out. We will continue this sale while supplies last; but when they're gone, they're gone for good. We will not be able to continue this price. If you've tried a bottle or even just one taste, you know how good it is; stop by and get your original wood case today. This wine is $30-$40 per bottle almost everywhere. It's delicious now, but promises to improve for two more years and drink beautifully until at least 2015. This is Bordeaux for Bordeaux-lovers and, while supplies last, it is only $19.99 at Arrowine. We've put our best price on every bottle; no minimums and no maximums. Just come in and load up on as much as you'd like. Case purchases of this wine come in the original wood cases. This sale is the result of a special 56 case purchase, we'll hold the price while supplies of this wine last. Here are the details... Jim Cutts Friday and Saturday Door-Buster Sale: Don't Miss This! 2006 Chateau Rocher Bellevue Figeac, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (Bordeaux, France) Reg. $29.99 Door buster price: $19.99 per bottle (Best price from the first bottle, no minimums, no maximums) No further discounts. Limited availability. First come, first served. In-store sales only (sorry, no phone or e-mail orders). Case purchases come in original wood cases. This estate-bottled red Bordeaux from the top Saint-Émilion Grand Cru area is the kind of Bordeaux that has been making people fall in love with Bordeaux for generations: deep fruit flavors, firm structure, velvety texture, great complexity, and a long finish that unmistakably says Bordeaux . It comes from the very good 2006 vintage. This normally sells for $30 or more. We're able to offer an amazing price because the importer, Chateau & Estates, has some great 2006s that normally would be long gone and they are motivated to deal. (Yes, in this case you can benefit from tough worldwide economic times). We picked a Chateau that is always a great value; Rocher Bellevue Figeac makes beautiful wines. This has not yet been reviewed by Parker or the Wine Spectator, but the Spectator gave the 2005 Rocher Bellevue Figeac a rating of 90 points "outstanding" and Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar said the 2006 from this Chateau is actually BETTER than their 2005. This is an exceptional 2006. Collectors: This is your chance to stock up on an estate bottled Saint Emilion Grand Cru from an excellent house for the price of many wines from lesser houses, lesser appellations, and lesser vintages. Drink it this summer with a roasted leg of lamb or cellar it for up to six or seven more years. Here is the tasting note from Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Good full red-ruby. Musky redcurrant, coffee, loam, mocha and iron on the sexy, complex nose. Suave on entry, then subtly sweet and vinous in the middle, with good definition and floral lift to the flavors of plum, redcurrant, iron, coffee and smoke. A silky midweight with sweet tannins and sneaky persistence, for enjoying over the next six or seven years." Just stop in to get your bottle, or case, or cases while supplies last. Only about 25 cases remain. Thanks for reading. Jim Cutts

2008 Bodegas Pedro Escudero "Fuente Milano"

Dear Rene, As the warmer months of spring approach it will be time to get the deck chairs out and enjoy a relaxing meal al fresco before the real summer heat hits. For casual weekday meals or relaxed weekend lunches a light, crisp white is made to order. And all the better that you can get something delicious and distinctive for ten bucks a bottle. Mike and Shem recently travelled to Spain visiting some of our favorite estates and also sampling wines from new suppliers. The full fruits of this trip will be shown in later email offerings, but to start, the 2008 Bodegas Pedro Escudero "Fuente Milano," is a wine perfect for the season: a crisp white wine from Rueda in north central Spain. This will be the one white wine to set the standards at this price. Will Argentina, France or Italy step up to challenge Spain? Who knows. Why wait, this beauty, bottled in late February is as fresh and delicious as they come. The doors have been repaired and reinforced and we're ready to do it again... another famous Arrowine Door-Buster sale! Are you ready? This Friday and Saturday come in to Arrowine (sorry, no phone or e-mail orders) to get the 90 point (at $11) 100% tempranillo 2007 Campellares Rioja Rosado for just $5.99 per bottle by the case. Save over 45%!! Please come by this weekend. In addition to the Door-Buster sale we have delicious cheese and charcuterie specials and wine tastings. Doug Rosen 2008 Bodegas Pedro Escudero "Fuente Milano" 2008 Bodegas Pedro Escudero "Fuente Milano" (Rueda, Spain) Regular: $11.99 Half Case (6): $10.99 per bottle Case (12): $9.99 per bottle A Crisp White Perfect for the Warmer Spring Months Shem and Mike's Top White Wine Pick from their Trip to Spain The White Wine Value to Beat This Spring Recommended in The Wine Advocate's Spanish Wine Values Shem and Mike recently visited this estate in north central Spain and fell in love with this delightfully crisp, refreshing white. They signed up right on the spot to do an email special. When they got back and showed the rest of the staff the wine we were all very impressed. For ten dollars this will be the white wine value to beat in the warmer months of Spring and Summer. The Fuente Milano blend is made of 50% viura, 50% verdejo. Verdejo is the distinctive blue-green grape made famous in Rueda. The light-skinned Viura grape, most frequently used for making Cava, is fresh and floral when picked early, and richer with lower-acidity (increasing aging potential) when picked later. Many of Escudero's viura vines are up to 80 years old. The viura grapes slated for the Fuente Milano are hand picked early to have a light, crisp flavor. The fully modern winery uses the latest equipment to produce the cleanest, purest wines with minimal intervention. To maximize the potential of this wine there is cold maceration of the grapes for 12 hours which is then lightly pressed to extract the free run juice. A long, slow fermentation is utilized then aged sur lees in stainless steel tanks. The wine is lightly filtered for clarity before bottling. This excellent vineyard site has been in the Escudero family for several generations. The soil and growing conditions here are highly regarded (and envied) by other producers, consisting of large stones, gravel and sand over a red clay sub-soil. The day Shem and Mike visited was bitterly cold and blustery. That is common in this area, along with occasional hail. Although the summers are warm and dry, much of the growing season has the cool climate perfect for stressing the vines and retaining acidity for bright, vibrant flavors. Here's how it tastes: Pretty aromas of lime, green grass and lemon oil. The mouth is teeming with flavors of lime and succulent sweet pink grapefruit, with a long, clean, complex mouthwatering stone dust finish. Food pairing is as you might expect: light summer fare and summer salads with citrus or melon. The wine's crispness also compliments strong salty or briny flavors. Our favorite recipes are for sautéed shrimp in lime, tequila and sea salt sauce, or sautéed shrimp with arbequina olives, scallions and anchovies. To order, please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Friday April 17th. Enjoy! -- Graham Reid

2006 Domaine de Bérane, "Les Agapes" & "Les Blaques" Côtes du Ventoux

Dear Rene, Our Frugal Francophiles series continues! If you are a wine connoisseur on a budget today's double offering is just what you've been waiting for: it's a double dose of deliciousness at a price to delight! Coming estate-direct to Arrowine from our friend and importer Ed Addiss of Wine Traditions cuts out the middleman and saves you big time. Even at their normal everyday price these wines represent tremendous value. At these special prices they are simply unmatched for quality/price ratio anywhere in the market. These are wines that are truly expressive of their unique terroir, from a region in the Southern Rhône which is often compared to Gigondas, and Chateauneuf-du-Pape. These days many basic Côtes-du-Rhône are selling at these prices and they don't offer anywhere near the complexity or depth that these wines have. And the real beauty of it is how wonderfully they drink now. No need to bankrupt the pocketbook or hide the wine in the cellar waiting for the optimum moment - these babies are ready to "pop and pour" right now! Graham Reid Domaine de Bérane Domaine de Bérane makes its home at 350 meters on the slopes at the base of Mount Ventoux in the southern Rhône, just north of Provence. The vineyards bask in the sunny Mediterranean sun and enjoy the best of loving, all-organic viticultural care. Top-notch Ventoux for the Price of Basic Côtes-du-Rhone Southern Rhône Terroir at its Best All Organic Viticulture Ready to Enjoy Now! Mix or Match a Case to get the Super 25% Off Price! Basic Côtes-du-Rhône (blended from vineyards throughout the Rhône Valley) may solidly hit all the middle notes, but you'll never get the high overtones or the deep powerful bass notes that true terroir-driven wines can express. These two wines definitely "kick it up a notch." You can go dark and full-bodied, or light and bright, depending on mood or culinary inspiration. You'll see what we mean by "wines of character." They'll take even a simple mid-week meal to another level. You may mix six or mix a case of twelve to get the best price. 2006 Domaine de Bérane, "Les Agapes" Côtes du Ventoux 2006 Domaine de Bérane, "Les Agapes" Côtes du Ventoux Regular $15.99 Half Case (6): $13.99 per bottle Full Case (12): $11.99 per bottle Save over 25%!! Mix or match to get the best price. "Les Agapes" is primarily grenache and displays gorgeous aromatics, suppleness of texture and delicious bright fruits and spice. We think of it as a sort of miniature Chateau Rayas (a landmark grenache-based Chateauneuf-du-Pape costing nearly $200 a bottle). It is made from 70% grenache, 25% syrah and 5% mourvedre. Only the syrah component sees any oak. This impressive wine shows lip-smacking red fruits such as cherry, strawberry and red currants, along with herbes de Provence and a dusting of white pepper. The texture is supple, finely balanced, and with just enough zip to make grilled chicken jump with mouth-watering flavor. 2006 Domaine de Bérane, "Les Blaques" Côtes du Ventoux 2006 Domaine de Bérane, "Les Blaques" Côtes du Ventoux Regular $16.99 Half Case (6): $14.99 each Full Case (12): $12.99 each Save nearly 25% !! Mix or match to get the best price. "Les Blaques" is all dark brooding fruits, dried meats, smoked meats, scorched earth and posh velvety texture. It is made from 70% syrah and 30% grenache. It displays rich dense fruit with hints of smoked meats, dried violets and well-worn leather. Fine tannins give it a big, velvety texture on the palate. This has been a customer favorite since we first introduced it with the 2004 vintage, and we all agree the 2006 is the best yet! While both drink just fine by themselves, they really shine with the right food pairing: "Les Agapes" best with chicken, pork, pasta, vegetarian, Lebanese or Moroccan cuisine; "Les Blaques" best with hearty casseroles or red meat of any kind. Mix and match to get the best prices. To order please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wines arrives tomorrow, April 15th. Enjoy! Graham Reid

2006 Villa da Filicaja Chianti Superiore

Dear Rene, It's hard to believe you can still get a wine this good for $12.99. Our e-mail price is even better! Start with a grand estate in the famed Chianti hills of Tuscany that has been making wine for 550 years. Add in a Count and Countess as owners who devote their (considerable) resources to improving their wine slowly but constantly, just as their family has century after century. Combine this with a fantastic Tuscan vintage that received Parker's highest vintage score in Tuscany(tied) since Parker started rating Tuscan vintages in 1970, 96 points. What is the result? A majestic $200 trophy wine? Nope, it's my new favorite Chianti for weekday pasta or pizza or roasted chicken, or just about any other uncomplicated meal. It's a great deal at $12.99 but today, just for our e-mail customers, we've made the price as low as $9.99. This is pure, delicious, full-flavored and an absolute joy to drink, with absolutely nothing heavy or harsh. Get your case today. Jim Cutts 2006 Villa da Filicaja Chianti Superiore 2006 Villa da Filicaja Chianti Superiore DOCG Reg. $12.99 Six Bottles: $10.99 each Case Sale Price: $9.99 per bottle This wine has lots going for it: A winery with over five and a half centuries of experience, family owned since 1452! The resources of the forward thinking Count Antonio and Countess Marita Nardi-Dei da Filicaja Dotti. A philosophy of constant improvement and the understanding that neither tradition nor innovation alone, but the expert combination of both, can produce top-quality wines. Perfectly located vineyards, with excellent climate and stony soils, growing near Montaione, 36 miles SW of Florence at elevations of 354 meters. Quality standards for the new "Superiore" designation that are much stricter than for regular Chianti. The standards are very close to (and in some ways even more rigorous than) the standards for Chianti Classico. A great vintage. 2006 is tied as Parker's highest rated year ever in Tuscany. Here's just one example of how this winery masterfully combines tradition and innovation: They still harvest their grapes by hand, the traditional method of harvest that, while not as fast as mechanical harvesting, allows them to be selective with the quality, ripeness, and cleanliness of the grapes they choose. Their experienced pickers avoid immature grapes, broken skins, leaves and other things a machine can't. To improve on the traditional harvest, though, they have an innovative transfer system which assures that each crate of hand-picked grapes is de-stemmed and put into fermentation tanks within 15 minutes of the time each grape is picked. If you've ever seen truckloads of grapes parked in smoggy traffic in the hot sun waiting, sometimes for hours, to make their way to a winery, you'll understand what a difference this innovation makes to freshness. And it shows in the purity of the wine. Here's how it tastes: This Chianti Superiore, a traditional blend of 90% sangiovese, 5% canaiolo and 5% merlot has a beautiful bright ruby color. The aromas are of refreshing red and black cherries and savory cooking spices. The flavors are pure, bright, and refreshing, not at all heavy. They're reminiscent of black cherries, red berries and subtle spices. The finish is refreshing and palate-cleansing. This beautiful glass of wine, full of flavor yet not at all heavy, is perfect for rinsing the palate with uncomplicated meals like spaghetti bolognese, pizza or roasted chicken. Many of us eat a little lighter as the weather warms up and this light to medium bodied, but extremely flavorful red wine is perfect with these lighter meals. On a hot day you can even give it a light chill to make it even more refreshing. Order this by the case. To order please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, April 8th. Thank you for reading. Jim Cutts

2007 Domaine les Ondines Vacqueyras

Dear Rene, The southern Rhone's amazing 2007 vintage received a98 point vintage rating by Robert Parker, tied with 2000 and 1998 as his highest rated vintage ever for the region. Yet our price today on the excellent Vacqueyras from Domaine les Ondines, one of our favorite Southern Rhone reds, is as low as $15.99 per bottle, lower than many generic Cotes du Rhone. This is a deal you won't want to miss. It will disappear fast, though. There isn't much of this wine to go around. Simply put, this wine is a no-brainer. It will impress collectors as much as infrequent wine drinkers just looking for a delicious glass of wine. And it will do it at a shockingly low price, as low as $15.99 per bottle. If you normally spend $25 or $30 per bottle for Rhone wines, this is your chance to save some real money without sacrificing anything. I would also like to invite you to a special Wednesday Winemaker Tasting, tomorrow from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Meet and taste with Maria José Lopez de Heredia of Haro, Rioja Alta Spain. The Lopez de Heredia family has over 130 years of winemaking experience. Their name is synonymous with Rioja. Lopez de Heredia is the oldest winery in Haro and still crafts wines that epitomize the "classic style" of extended maturation in cooperage crafted from the finest American oak. The barrels are made at the winery. Each wine then receives years of bottle aging before release. This dedication to traditional methods has made Lopez de Heredia amongst the most sought after and respected names in Spanish Wine. Please take the opportunity to meet Maria Jose tomorrow, March 25th from 5:30 to 7:30 and taste through her exciting portfolio of wines. Maria Jose will be pouring her 1987 Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva, 2000 Vina Bosconia Reserva and 2002 Vina Cubillo along with several others. See you then! Doug Rosen 2007 Domaine les Ondines Vacqueyras 2007 Domaine les Ondines Vacqueyras (Rhône Red) Regular: $19.99 Half Case (6): $17.99 each Full Case (12): $15.99 each Save over 20% Wine guru Robert Parker has called the rich reds of the Rhône Valley "the world's most delicious red wines." Vacqueyras is among the top growing areas in the entire Southern Rhône. And today's offering, the 2007 Vacqueyras from Domaine les Ondines, is one of the best values in all of Vacqueyras. Domaine les Ondines has it all. It has excellent "terroir"-- a beautiful location with excellent sun exposure for ripeness and good drainage for concentration. It has wonderful old vinesthat produce very low yields, even by the strict standards of Vacqueyras, allowing them to achieve excellent complexity. They use no chemical herbicides or pesticides, instead relying on hard work in the vineyards. This blend of 60% grenache, 30% syrah and 10% cinsault comes from old vines (many over 50 years of age). Despite all this, Domaine les Ondines and others in Vacqueyras remain in the marketing shadow of their much bigger, more historical neighbor to the east, Châteauneuf du Pape. Being less than half the size of Châteauneuf du Pape and having been recognized with its own official appellation (AOC) 67 years after Châteauneuf du Pape (not until 1990) means that, though the wines can be very similar, the prices for Vacqueyras are generally significantly lower than Châteauneuf du Pape. And the price on the Ondines is even better than almost all Vacqueyras wines because of their commitment to value and because this is brought directly to Arrowine by our friend Ed Addiss of Wine Tradition. It shows a beautiful garnet color. The perfume is a beautifully intense combination ofripe blackberries, violets, and crushed herbs such as sage and thyme. It hits the palate with a juicy, opulent and easy-to-like blackberry and dark plum character, but then fills the mouth with herbs and spices and a very subtle minerality. The finish is medium in length and immensely appealing with lots of spicy black fruit and a gentle tannic structure. This is already excellent, but will improve for a year and hold for four or five more. This compares to many wines at double the price and will make an excellent companion to grilled or roasted meats, especially lamb or duck. This superb find has an exceptional quality/price ratio - a feature shared by many wines selected by importer Ed Addiss of Wine Traditions. It is 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, Wednesday, March 25th. Thank you for reading. Jim Cutts

2008 Maipe Bonarda, Mendoza, Argentina

Dear Rene, After winning the 2008 red wine BOTY ("Bargain of the Year") trophy with their Malbec, the Maipe winery is back with our leading contender to date for the 2009 prize! Don't miss this impressive Bonarda. Haven't heard of Bonarda? Don't be afraid to try something new, this is outstanding and the price is way way low for the quality. Here's what Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate had to say about it... "The purple-colored 2008 Bonarda offers an enticing bouquet of smoke, mineral, and blueberry. Round and ripe on the palate, it has surprising depth and length for its humble price. Drink this succulent wine over the next three years. 89 points. ($13)." Dr. Jay Miller, Wine Advocate (Dec 08) If Dr. Miller was surprised by this wine's excellent depth and length at the "humble price" of $13 per bottle, how pleased will you be if you get this wine at just $7.99 per bottle? That's more than 38% off the suggested national price. If you're a fan of deep, long, flavorful reds and if you don't object to a true bargain, get to a phone and call us soon to reserve your case(s) of Maipe Bonarda (our number is 703-525-0990). Wines offering this incredible combination of high quality and low price just don't come around very often. A NOTE ON THE SECOND SHIPMENT OF MAIPE MALBEC: If you ordered the Maipe Malbec in December and are waiting for the next shipment, it is expected at Arrowine on Friday, March 27th. Also, we have a few spots left in our Grand Barolo & Barbaresco Tasting and Dinner at D'acqua Restaurant on March 18, 2009. Please see below for details. Jim Cutts 2008 Maipe Bonarda, Mendoza, Argentina 2008 Maipe Bonarda, Mendoza, Argentina National price: $12.99 Our Reg.: $9.99 each Super Case Special: $7.99 per bottle Only 112 cases available-- this will go fast! The estate-bottled Maipe Bonarda comes from the excellent Lujan de Cuyo zone, in the Mendoza region of Argentina. The excellent winery where Maipe wines are made was the first stop on my trip to Argentina last year. The winery was impressive, with a noticeable energy and a focus on improving every aspect of their production. As noted in a recent Wine Advocate article, "Alberto Antonini (think Altos Las Hormigas) is a consultant at Maipe which in and of itself is an indicator that the winery is focused on quality." The quality showed in customer favorite 2007 Maipe Cabernet Sauvignon and their 2008 Malbec, our 2008 BOTY winner. This Bonarda makes the quality focus of this winery even more obvious. Here is the review from the Wine Advocate: "The purple-colored 2008 Bonarda offers an enticing bouquet of smoke, mineral, and blueberry. Round and ripe on the palate, it has surprising depth and length for its humble price. Drink this succulent wine over the next three years. 89 points. ($13)." Dr. Jay Miller, Wine Advocate (Dec 08) One thing we'd add is that this impressive fruit-filled bonarda is more food-friendly than the malbec. You'll enjoy this with everything from herb-roasted chicken to a charcoal grilled steak. More on Argentina:  Argentina is very quickly becoming an extremely important wine country and sales of Argentine wines are rocketing upward. Both Doug and I traveled to Argentina last year to identify the best areas and the best wines. If you haven't yet explored Argentina's wines, or if you've only tried Malbec, this bonarda would be an excellent way to try something new. The price can't be beat and the wine is outstanding, coming from 30 year old vines. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate recently featured an article titled "The Love Affair with Argentina Wine Continues," in which Dr. Jay Miller made the case for why sales of wines from Argentina "continue to explode despite economic hard times in the USA." The reasons U.S. imports of Argentina wines tripled from 2002 to 2006, boiled down to several factors: Outstanding terroir, especially in select zones of Mendoza (like Lujan de Cuyo, the home of Maipe). "High quality (as compared to the mediocre 'critter' wines that have so tarnished Australia's reputation)." Low production costs (inexpensive land and labor) have made surprisingly low pricing possible. An ideal climate with lots of sunshine and cool nighttime temperatures makes high quality possible at every price level. The U.S. Dollar has remained strong relative to the Argentine Peso. To order please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Wednesday, March 11th.  Thank you for reading. Jim Cutts

2006 Savigny-les-Beaunes "Les Picotins" Vieilles Vignes

Dear Rene, At only $19.99 a bottle by the case (the lowest price in the country by far) this is easily the best buy in estate-bottled, single-vineyard Red Burgundy you can find. A bold statement, but true. I challenge you to find a Burg that tastes this good for twenty bucks! I've been working on getting this wine into your hands for almost two years. Shem and I selected the tastiest six barrels of "Les Picotins" in the Spring of 2007 with our good friend wine-broker Peter Vezan and had it raised and bottled to our taste. With the help of Yannis Tsapos of Dionysos Imports, (thanks Yanni) we squirreled it away until this delicious moment. It's ready to enjoy now, or will age quite nicely. In fact, I retasted it last night, and my wife, who is most definitely not a "pinot freak," said it was "delicious!" The 2006 Savigny-les-Beaunes "Les Picotins" Vieilles Vignes combines the elegant and racy qualities of the region with a rich concentrated complexity. It does all of this at prices that harken back to 1996. Red Burgundy from a famous single vineyard and star winemaker at $19.99? Now THAT is reason for pinot freaks to rejoice! And if you haven't had enough pinot, we're tasting some of Oregon's best this Saturday. Please come by this weekend for our wine, beer and cheese tastings. Check out the delicious cheese and charcuterie specials Perry has, this week from Italy. I look forward to seeing you. Doug Rosen Domaine Jean-Luc Dubois For years I have been extolling the virtues of Jean-Luc Dubois and the wines he produces in Burgundy's Côtes de Beaune. Jean-Luc inherited his 7.5 hectare estate from his father in 1988, and hasn't looked back since. The quality of the wines has soared. Once fully in control of the family estate he: Dramatically lowered yields Became one of the first in his region to green harvest (removing all imperfect fruit to further reduce yields and improve quality) Bought a destemmer to reduce the possibility of unripe tannins that can cause harshness in the wine Introduced the use of barriques to gracefully age his wines and enhance their texture and mouthfeel 2006 Savigny-les-Beaunes "Les Picotins" Vieilles Vignes 2006 Savigny-les-Beaunes "Les Picotins" Vieilles Vignes, Jean-Luc Dubois Reg. $29.99 3 bottle special: $24.99 each (Save 16%) 6 bottle special: $22.99 each (Save 23%) Case (12) special: $19.99 per bottle Save 33%! This is one of my favorite Red Burgundies every year. Due to the unwavering hard work in the vineyards and the confident yet light handed approach in the cellar, Jean-Luc Dubois seems to never miss. The 2006 is no exception. It is just this sort of wine that Allen Meadows' Burghound.com was talking about when he said, of the 2006 vintage: "At their very best, the Cote de Beaune 2006s are classic burgundies that mirror the finest wines from the Cote de Nuits. This is to say that they are exceptionally aromatic and elegant with the best transparency to the underlying terroir since the 2001s, all wrapped in admirably persistent finishes with fine detail and a more pronounced sense of minerality than most vintages possess. " The other happy news about the vintage is drinkability. This 2006 is still young, but it is already starting to show the beautiful fruit, perfect balance, and exceptional complexity that are the hallmarks of great Burgundy. It promises to get still better over the next year and keep beautiful for six or seven more years. In other words, this is a wine you'll be able to drink in the near future, unlike many of the 2005s that will require many years of additional cellaring. Here's what it tastes like: It the glass this has deep dark ruby color. The perfumed aromas start out shy but blossom as the wine airs to show violets, black cherries, and ripe raspberries. The palate shows a deep, rich, and serious quality with ripe cherry fruit, soft vanilla spice, and a clear sense of minerality. The flavors seem to unfold and expand as the wine airs. This has plenty of deep rich fruit and it's all wrapped in bright, silky, racy structure. Wines of this quality/price value are rare indeed. Buy enough to experience it soon and also see how it evolves through 2015. If you are already a pinot freak, load up. If you're not, try this to see what all the excitement is about. I've tasted many $40 pinots from Oregon without this much character and class. To order please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Friday March 6th. Thank you for reading. Jim Cutts