2009 La Chapinière, Touraine, Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc & 2009 Pierre Gaillard Syrah (VdP Collines Rhodaniennes, Northern Rhone Valley, France

Dear Rene, Please take advantage of these two wines. They (one red, one white) set the standard for excellence in their respective appellations. Both are sold out at the winery and our allocations are nearly gone and both are now available for under $15 per bottle. Winemaker Florence Veilex has set a new standard for sauvignon blanc from Touraine. The great thing is that we now have the terrific 2009 vintage, one of the best vintages ever in the Loire Valley. The even greater thing is that it can still be had for as low as $13.99 per bottle, (matching our lowest sale price ever for this wine). Wine broker Thomas Calder and I discovered La Chapinière Sauvignon Blanc more than three years ago at the Salon des Vins de Loire wine show. We were captivated by the quality of the wine and by winemaker Florence Veilex. Her work is inspired. Winemaking at this level can't be taught, it has to be felt. Like creating any great work of art, it must come from the soul. I've often heard Touraine Sauvignon Blanc described as "poor man's Sancerre," as if it was an inferior substitute. This wine shows that Touraine sauvignon has its ownpersonality and charm and that it can actually be superior in quality to all but the very best of Sancerre. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate recently wrote (and underlined) "Touraine is a treasure trove of value" and this is "exhibit A" to prove his point. To find a wine with this much depth and character often means spending twice as much or more. Next we have a wonderful syrah from Pierre Gaillard, a "superstar" (as proclaimed by The Wine Advocate's Robert Parker), that will wow any devotee of Northern Rhone reds. Gaillard makes magnificent syrahs in Côte Rôtie that sell for $50 - $120 per bottle depending on the vineyard site and the vintage. Robert Parker wrote (in the Wine Advocate) "Pierre Gaillard has over two decades of experience, so he no longer qualifies as an 'up and coming' superstar as he has achieved that status."I've been selling Gaillard's wine for years and have visited his domaine numerous times, which is how I know about this little gem of syrah, only sold to friends and a few insiders in France and elsewhere. It's a steal for syrah from the Northern Rhone. It comes from the very first vineyard that he ever worked. A vineyard that Pierre's father bought him as a gift when he first showed an interest in making wine many years ago. It was from growing the grapes in this vineyard and making the wine that Pierre started his climb to superstardom. It's about eight miles north of Côte Rôtie, located near the village of Ternay. Pierre lavishes attention on this vineyard and makes the wine with the same attention he gives to his Côte Rôtie. One more great feature of this wine is that it is from 2009, a spectacular vintage in the Northern Rhone about which Parker recently wrote, "Where 2009 is great is in the northern Rhone. A number of producers who have been making wines for over thirty years claim it is the greatest vintage in their lifetime. I can say that without a doubt it is the finest overall vintage in the north since 1999, and probably since 1990. However, 2009 is different than either of those vintages as it is much more concentrated than 1999, and fresher and more delineated than 1990." Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Doug Rosen 2009 La Chapinière, Touraine, Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009 La Chapinière, Touraine, Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc Regular Price $17.99 6 bottle Price: $15.99 per bottle Case Price $13.99 per bottle This delicious sauvignon blanc is a mirror image of the woman who made it. It is bright, complex, poetic, and full of life. Florence Veilex is a remarkable woman who never stopped dreaming. Even though she had a highly successful career with doctorates in mathematics and computer science that enabled her to rise to the highest ranks of the corporate world, she just wasn't satisfied. Florence wanted to make wine and the wine she makes is extraordinary. In 2003, after 20 years of dreaming, she turned her dream into reality. Florence and her husband, journalist and literary critic, Eric Yung, bought the small domaine of La Chapinière in Touraine in France's Loire Valley, not far from where Eric was raised. This is what makes Florence so special: As an adolescent she always wanted to work with the land. Florence worked in a botanical garden to help support herself while in University. Her father liked wine and encouraged Florence to explore the world of wine. For over a year and a half Florence returned to school to receive a Bachelor of Technical Science in viticulture. She's more proud of this degree then her Ph.D.s. She immersed herself in the culture of the area, talking at length with vignerons, gleaning what she could about farming, making wine and the business of wine. After seven vintages, Florence's passion for working the soil and making wine is stronger than ever. She is doing what she was meant to do. Here's what makes Florence's wine so special: The 7.5 hectares of sauvignon blanc are farmed organically. Her vines are up to 50 years old and create intense and complex grapes. She allows wild grasses to grow between the rows, eliminating the need for weed killers, reducing the vine's vigor to concentrate flavor in the grapes, andrecreating biodiversity in the vineyards, which allows the vineyards to achieve a natural balance. Florence pulls the excess foliage and grape clusters from the vines by hand toreduce yields and concentrate flavors in the grapes. No systemic chemicals are used. The grapes are harvested in the morning when they are cool, they are lightly pressed and the juice is cooled. The juice is then cold macerated for roughly 10 days, resulting in enhanced richness. The duration of the maceration period is determined by taste. The juice is allowed to settle and as the temperature begins to rise,fermentation begins using the natural, indigenous yeasts. The temperature of the juice is kept cool during fermentation to retain freshness. The wine is kept on fine lees for three months and then stored outside during the winter to stabilize naturally. The wine is bottled unfiltered with minimal use of sulphur. As Florence puts it, "We are always guided by love or passion and the desire to make wines that we will enjoy sharing with our friends and clients, because for us, pleasure and sharing are an integral part of the best job in the world - vigneronne!" This is what Domaine La Chapinière, Touraine sauvignon blanc tastes like: Ethereal aromas of lemon rind, tangerine, rose water and white gardenia. This is full-bodied, dry sauvignon, bursting with flavors of tangerine, lime, sweet pink grapefruit and fresh white flowers, elegantly presented with lush texture, remarkable depth, and surprising persistence. Serving this will heighten the experience of eating nearly any great preparation of fish or other seafood. It is also a wonderful aperitif served with creamy cheeses (like camembert) or tangy goat cheeses. For $13.99 (or $19.99, for that matter), you can't buy better sauvignon blanc. Buy some and be happy! To order, please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information, including expiration date. Wine is here now, ready for pickup. 2009 Pierre Gaillard Syrah (VdP Collines Rhodaniennes, Northern Rhone Valley, France) 2009 Pierre Gaillard Syrah (VdP Collines Rhodaniennes, Northern Rhone Valley, France) Reg. $14.99 Sale: Buy 6 bottles at $11.99 per bottle Case Sale: Buy 12+ bottles at $10.99 per bottle Pierre Gaillard, the superstar winemaker of Côte Rôtie, has a vineyard about eight miles north of Côte Rôtie, located near the village of Ternay. This excellent vineyard is planted on the hillsides of a glacial moraine facing south-west to take full advantage of the afternoon sun. The vineyard is also primarily on clay soil (ideal for syrah) and is covered with large rounded pebbles which hold the sun's heat well into the evening. Because of the southwest orientation and the pebble-covered clay soil, the location is especially warm and perfect for producing especially ripe grapes (just like in Côte Rôtie, the prestigious area just to the south that translates to "roasted slope"). Even though it's in a less-famous area, Gaillard cuts no corners with the grapes from this vineyard. The grapes are hand harvested and then further sorted by hand so that only perfect, clean, optimally ripe grapes are used. The grapes are then partially de-stemmed and crushed, and allowed to cold-macerate for about 5 days before fermentation. Just as in Côte Rôtie, the fermenting wine goes through a "punch down" ("pigeage") three times a day and a "pump over" ("remontage") at least once so that the deep color and expressive aromas and flavors can be extracted from the syrah. The wine is then aged for eight months, 2/3 in large casks, 1/3 in smaller used barrels. The result is a wonderfully expressive syrah with great freshness and a soft, pure palate of red and black syrah fruit and spice. Here's how it tastes: Beautiful garnet color. Pristine nose of dark red raspberry and stone dust. The palate is incredibly pure with delicious flavors of black raspberry, plum and spice that finish with a hint of violet very long and clean. This wine will help you get through winter's chill. To order please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine is here now, ready for pickup. Thank you for your support of Arrowine and the work that we do. Doug Rosen

2007 Domaine Bart Bourgogne Rouge

Dear Rene, This note is about an estate making the prettiest red Burgundy at the best price, completely blowing away other Burgundies as well as pinots from California, Oregon, or New Zealand for value. The red Burgundies of Domaine Bart in Marsannay are just amazing. We've quietly been receiving and selling some of the wines of this estate for several years, but there has been so little wine available that a few customers and staff members have grabbed it all. We're getting more this year than ever before and I'm thrilled to be able to let more people know about this estate. In an excellent article for The Wine News Magazine called "Best-Value Red Burgundy Producers," Master of Wine and renowned author Clive Coates discussed dozens of domaines and appellations that are consistently, well, the best value red Burgundy producers. The very first "best value" Domaine he chose to mention was Domaine Bart in Marsannay.  Proprietor Martin Bart is a grandchild of the Clair family of Clair Dau fame (one of the most prestigious names in Burgundy) and he has everything a red Burgundy fan could want-- from the best single vineyard red Burgundies of the Marsannay appellation (at incredible prices) to top Grand Cru Cote de Nuits vineyards (like Clos de Beze and Bonnes Mares inherited from the Dau Domaine); he even has a dry Marsannay 100% Pinot Noir Rosé, one of the best around, that is in stock at Arrowine at just $14.99 per bottle ($13.49 by the case--the lowest price in the USA). The focus of today's e-mail feature, though, is his biggest bargain of all, the silky-soft, complex, and outstanding 2007 Bourgogne Rouge (100% pinot noir). I've visited Domaine Bart four times in recent trips to Burgundy. Having tasted this in Burgundy and then back here in Arlington, I'm convinced there just isn't a better pinot noir on the planet for the ridiculous price as low as $13.99 per bottle. This is such a bargain, we wanted to order 100 cases, but we were only able to get 40. This will sell out quickly, don't delay in ordering. And, as always, we have a lot going on here this weekend (we'll be closed the 4th): wine tastings, cheese tastings, beer tasting and marvelous cheese and charcuterie specials (look out for our July Cheese and Charcuterie Newsletter going out later today). Please come by. Doug Rosen 2007 Domaine Bart Bourgogne Rouge 2007 Domaine Bart Bourgogne Rouge Reg. $17.99 Six bottle price: $15.99 each Case (12 + bottles) price: Just $13.99 per bottle This is a truly beautiful wine. Martin Bart, pictured below, crafts some of the prettiest pinot noirs of any winemaker I know and he sells them for far less than comparable wines from other Burgundy producers. This Bourgogne is precise, terroir-driven, expressive, delicate and, above all, delicious. If you love honest, pure, pinot noir, not over-extracted or overoaked, or if you just love a great deal, order a case today. Martin Bart began Domaine Bart in the 1980s when Domaine Clair Dau (Bruno Clair) was divided between members of the family. He is one of the top growers and winemakers in Marsannay and has some of the top vineyards in the entire area. Dedicated, high-quality vineyard work is the foremost precept at Domaine Bart. Hisorganic vineyard practices, hand pruning, hand picking, working of the soil, and green harvesting lead to low yields and assure that Martin brings in the highest quality, cleanest grapes. In the 2007 vintage, the quality is truly outstanding. Simply put, Martin Bart grows better grapes than many of his neighbors and that is what allows him to make better wine. In the cellar, grapes are sorted by hand and vinified separately, vineyard by vineyard, lot by lot, depending on the specific parcel from which the grapes came.Fermentation is done slowly at a cool temperature to allow his high quality grapes to express their fullest character. Martin understands his different parcels and treats each lot of grapes differently to bring out the best of the unique fruit. Domaine Bart's wines are made with extreme care, and in a manner that is absolutely first class. His style is about expressive aromatics, terroir-driven flavors, and delicate silken texture, rather than about sheer weight, extraction, or oak tannin. Here's how this tastes: This pale garnet red Burgundy has an exquisite perfume more reminiscent of Chambolle than of regional Burgundy. The high toned aromas bring to mind red berries and cherries with floral accents and a touch of stone. The palate is pure and delicate with notes of wild strawberries, cherries, and herbs fusing into into pure silk. The finish is bright, classy, dry, and luscious. This is pretty and utterly charming as well as one of the best bargains I've experienced from anywhere in the region. To order please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Friday July 2nd.

2008 Epifanio Ribera del Duero, Spain & 2009 Serge Batard "Hého Le Blanc", Loire Valley, France

Dear Rene, Arrowine is THE place to be this weekend! In addition to great tastings (details below), we have a DOUBLE Door Buster Sale featuring: 1. 2008 "Epifanio" Ribera del Duero, Spain: This is unequivocally the best Ribera del Duero we've had for the money! It was also the #1 top value recommendation in this week's Washington Post Wine article on tempranillo, the diverse and excellent signature red wine grape of Spain. Epifanio has been an Arrowine customer favorite since we introduced it with the 2005 vintage, but we've never sold a bottle for less than we will this weekend! The Post called it "Excellent" and a "Great Value" at $14.99per bottle. This weekend, while supplies last, it's as low as $10.99 at Arrowine. This is the fourth year we've worked with this outstanding red. We've never sold a bottle for less and we've never even seen a lower price ANYWHERE for this fine Spanish red. 2. 2009 Serge Batard "Hého Le Blanc", Loire Valley, France: This is a delicious summertime white, perfect for parties, beach trips, or refreshing sipping. It's a bargain at the regular price of $10.99. This weekend, due to popular demand, it is back at our Door Buster price as low as $7.99 per bottle. It comes from the premier grower in his famous French wine growing area and it is estate-bottled and grown carefully without the use of chemical fertilizers and weed killers. Load up for the hot weather that's coming! REMINDER: This is a "Door-Buster Sale" which means these special prices are available only today (Friday, April 30th) and tomorrow (Saturday, May 1st). This sale price is for in-store sales only and while supplies last only. Sorry, no phone or e-mail orders and no combining with other offers. Jim Cutts DOOR BUSTER #1 2008 Epifanio Ribera del Duero, Spain Reg. $14.99 Door Buster Sale: Buy a case (12+ bottles) at just $10.99 per bottle (6 bottle price: $12.99 per bottle) Open for tasting. $10.99 price is only on case sales of this wine (12+ bottles). No further discounts available on this wine and no combining with other offers. Sale is Friday and Saturday only and only while supplies last. In store sales only (sorry, no phone or e-mail orders). Reg. price is $14.99 per bottle. 120 cases are available. This has been a customer favorite since we introduced it to the region with the 2005 vintage. The only problem has been that so many people want it, we frequently can't keep it in stock. We've arranged for a big shipment and today we have it at an amazing price that matches our best e-mail sale price ever!  Epifanio is knockout Ribera del Duero at a price that you won't believe once you've tried the wine. Made from 100% tempranillo, Spain's signature red grape, this would be a fine value at double the price. This is made by the same winery and comes from the same vineyard as Erial (another great value), but it spends less time in oak and the price is considerably lower. The vineyards are perfectly situated in the heart of the Pesquera de Duero, right next to the famous (and famously expensive) Pingus. The outstanding wine spends just a few months in oak barrels, enough to smooth the wine, soften the tannins, and enhance the mouthfeel, but not enough to add oaky flavors. It is a made by famous winemaker Epifanio Rivera from a unique and special clone of Tinta Fina (Tempranillo) that was grafted from ancient pre-phyloxera vines. Some of the vines are over 80 years old. You have to try this. The character and complexity will amaze you. The Washington Post recommended it, rated it "Excellent" (2 stars out of 3) and awarded it their sought-after "Great Value" symbol at a price of $15 per bottle. The other three "Excellent" (2-star) wines were priced at $38, $19, and $23 per bottle. Here's what the Post's Dave McIntyre wrote about the 2008 Epifanio: There's a lot going on in the glass: minerally, stony character, and cherry and blackberry fruit perfumed with herbs such as mint. This is a very restless wine right now; I would expect it to calm down somewhat in a few months without losing its excitement. GREAT VALUE. 2 Stars "Excellent". $15. Again the best Ribera del Duero we've ever tasted at the price. It is the Post's best value among their recommended wines. It is one of our most popular Spanish wines ever. And it's the lowest price we've ever seen.  Thank you for reading and we look forward to seeing you at the store! DOOR BUSTER #2 2009 Serge Batard "Hého Le Blanc", Loire Valley, France Reg. $10.99 per bottle DOOR BUSTER SALE: Buy a case at just $7.99 per bottle (Save $3.00 per bottle!) Open for tasting. $7.99 price is only on case sales of this wine (12+ bottles). No further discounts available on this wine and no combining with other offers. Sale is Friday and Saturday only and only while supplies last. In store sales only (sorry, no phone or e-mail orders). Reg. price is $10.99 per bottle. 150 cases are available. This impressive white wine is made from 95% grolleau gris, an aromatic and refreshing white grape. 5% melon (the Muscadet grape) is added. The 15 year old vines grow inoutstanding sandy loam and limestone soils and are worked by hand without any chemical fertilizers or weed killers. Harvest is done entirely by hand before the aromatic and refreshing grapes are gently pressed and fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. This clean and cheerful white has aromas of green apples, yellow roses, and white pepper. The ripe citrus and green apple flavors are exhilarating and intense and lead to a long and zingy finish with nuances of white pepper and limestone minerality. Whether you serve this solo, with olives and fresh cheeses, or with your favorite shrimp dish you'll be thrilled with the refreshing quality of this 12% abv wine and amazed with the price. Take a case to the beach for a super-flavorful but not heavy sipper, or serve it nice and cold at any outdoor warm weather event. Come in and get this special white wine bargain for only $7.99 per bottle by the case while supplies last.  Thank you for reading. Jim Cutts

2007 Domaine du Grand Arc "Cuvee des Quarante," Corbieres

Dear Rene, In a recent "Value Report" edition, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate called this wine from my friend Bruno Schenck of Domaine du Grand Arc, pictured below, "highly recommended" and wrote "This is going to prove immensely versatile and satisfying to anyone smart enough to acquire some." I'm thrilled to see the press is starting to catch on to what Arrowine's customers have known for years! Arrowine introduced "Cuvee des Quarante" to the United States seven vintages ago and our customers have raved about it ever since. It, somehow, keeps getting better with each vintage. The 2007, from the best growing season in memory for southern France, is simply one of the best wines I have ever found for the money. Word is getting out, though. La Revue du Vin de France (a top French wine journal) wrote that the wines of Grand Arc are "among the best Corbieres" and Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate has featured this wine as a top value for two years running. This Corbieres has concentration you won't believe at this price; it is the deepest and fullest Grand Arc "Quarante" yet with more weight and more length than any previous vintage. The aromas are full and expressive. The mouthfeel is powerful yet elegant. The flavors are incredibly complex showing rich black fruit, spicy garrigue, great mineral quality, and excellent freshness and purity. The quality is the best yet and the number of cases available is down from past years since the press is catching on and people around the world are now seeking out Grand Arc's wines. Still, I've refused to raise our price. It's still as low as $13.99 per bottle, a price that has not gone up for four straight vintages. This won't last long,call soon. Doug Rosen 2007 Domaine du Grand Arc "Cuvee des Quarante," Corbieres 2007 Domaine du Grand Arc "Cuvee des Quarante," Corbieres Reg. $17.99 Buy 6 bottles or more at $14.99 per bottle Buy a case (12 bottles) at just $13.99 per bottle Arrives tomorrow March 24th Only 65 cases available I was introduced to this wine and this estate by my good friend and one of the top palates in France, Thomas Calder. It was fantastic then and it's even better today. I have introduced many of my own friends to it in the seven vintages I've bought and sold. This 2007, though, hits a whole new level of depth and concentration. The immense flavors in this wine are why so many in France, and now in this area, love this wine and why many others are eager to try it after reading about it in top reviews. Another reason we love it is the terrific price. The wine is significantly better than past vintages (that have been excellent) but we've been able to keep the same low sale price for four straight vintages. About the wine: This is grown in some of the highest vineyards of the Hautes (high) Corbières, with cool nighttime temperatures that result in wines with wonderful aromatic expression and great freshness. The south facing vineyards are on a dry, windy slope and vines are forced to reach deep for moisture and nutrition. The result is low yields and surprising depth of flavor and concentration. The small Grand Arc estate has 150 hectares of land, but only the best 22 hectares with ideal soils (rocky clay, limestone, and silex),good drainage, and perfect southern exposures are used for vineyards. This allows for fabulously rich and ripe wines, with extremely complex and satisfying flavors. It also means the wine can be made entirely from wonderfully high quality grapes. By only growing grapes in the best spots, they only have great grapes to use. There are no underripe, rotted, or waterlogged grapes to dilute the quality. This Grand Arc "Cuvee des Quarante" is made from about 40% carignan, along with about 35% grenache, 20% syrah, and 5% mourvedre, all of which are grown organically and harvested by hand. The vines average over 45 years of age. The grapes are de-stemmed then undergo a long cool maceration to achieve deep color and intense flavor. The wine is fermented in tank for freshness and maximum fruit expression; only indigenous yeasts are used. About 25% of the wine is then aged in new Alliers oak barrels to give it luxurious texture without imparting overtly woody flavors. The flavors are intense and satisfying with great fruit concentration. The wine is bottled unfiltered. Filtering is thought to strip away flavor, but it is not necessary for wines that are so carefully grown and vinified. The intense fruit flavors make this very enjoyable now, the structure and depth mean this will only become more complex over the next 3-5 years. Here's how it tastes:  There is very deep crimson purple color, nearly black. The nose is rich and intense withblackberry cream, red plums, minerals, spicy garrigue (rosemary and thyme) and licorice. The palate is full of flavor, dry yet rich and bursting with berries, plums, cinnamon spice and a subtle stone dust minerality. The finish is long, powerful, refreshing and satisfying. The wood regime is completely transparent and wonderfully integrated, adding creamy mouthfeel to the dry, long, complex flavors of the finish.This is a wonderfully deep, satisfying, and complex bottle of wine. I would consider it a fine value at $25. That it can be had for only $13.99 makes it no mystery why this is so popular and why it is becoming recognized as a "top value," especially from a great year like 2007. To order, please phone us at (703) 525-0990. We will need your name, phone number, and Visa or MasterCard information with expiration date. This arrives tomorrow, Wednesday, March 24th.  Thank you for your support of Arrowine and the work that we do. Doug Rosen

2007 Chateau de Cary Potet Montagny "Les Reculerons" (Burgundy, France)

Dear Rene, White wine lovers: get to Arrowine as quickly as you can (but, please, don't break any traffic laws)! This weekend we have an EXTRA SPECIAL door-buster sale that will allow you to stock up on a fabulously complex and delicious estate-bottled, single-vineyard white Burgundy from the best grower in the excellent Montagny growing area (located half-way between Meursault and Pouilly Fuisse) in the southern part of Burgundy's Côte Chalonnaise. Not only that, but it comes from the outstanding 2007 vintage!  The door buster sale price is amazing. The lowest price we've found on this gorgeous white wine by searching the Internet is $22.25 per bottle. But you can get it this weekend, while supplies last, for as low as $14.99 or 32% OFF the lowest price we could find. We'll have it open for tasting until it is gone so you can see for yourself what a beautifully flavorful wine this is. Stop by for a taste and stock up for the summer (and for the next few years, this will keep). REMINDER: This is a "Door-Buster Sale" which means this price is available only Friday, March 19th, and Saturday, March 20th. This sale price is for in-store sales only and while supplies last only (we have 75 cases available). Sorry, no phone or e-mail orders. Our price on this stunning white, which has been called a "baby Meursault," is the lowest in the USA by far. Doug hand-selected this wine from several excellent whites produced by the acknowledged star of the Montagny growing zone, Chateau de Cary Potet. This 2007 "Les Reculerons" is the best, most pure, most complex, most refreshing white ever made at this Domaine and Doug made a deal on the spot that makes this special sale possible. We'd like to thank our excellent broker Peter Vezan and our friend Yanni Tsapos of Dionysos Imports for helping make this sale possible. Once you taste this, you'll want to thank them, too! If you ever eat seafood of any kind, or if you enjoy a glass of cool refreshing and complex white wine when the weather gets warm, please don't miss this. It is as expressive, complex, and refreshing as chardonnay gets under $30 per bottle. Jim Cutts Friday & Saturday Door-Buster Sale: Don't Miss This! 2007 Chateau de Cary Potet Montagny "Les Reculerons" (Burgundy, France) Reg. $22.99 DOOR BUSTER SALE: Buy 6 bottles at just $16.99 per bottle Buy a case (12 or more bottles) at just $14.99 per bottle Open for tasting. No further discounts available on this wine and no combining with other offers. Sale is Friday and Saturday only and only while supplies last. In store sales only (sorry, no phone or e-mail orders). This is the lowest price in the country, by far, on this wine! Chardonnay has no finer expression than the fabulous whites grown in Burgundy's revered Côte d'Or in spots like Meursault. The trouble is, it hurts the wallet just to look at some of the grand crus and premiere crus. Finding less famous spots where chardonnay can thrive and deliver expressive aromas, intense flavor, complexity, and refreshing style is one very important reason Doug goes to Burgundy at least twice a year and meets, talks, and tastes with some of the best palates in the business. One of the most exciting such spots Doug has located in a decade of this kind of work is Montagny. Montagny has a handful of growers, led by Pierre du Besset of Chateau de Cary Potet, that are making chardonnays with the depth, intensity, complexity, richness and freshness that even the most particular white Burgundy lovers seek in the most expensive wines from the most venerated areas further north in the Cote d'Or. This estate can be traced back to the 15th century and is located near Chalon-sur-Saone in the southern part of Burgundy's famous Cotes Chalonaisse, about half way between Pouilly Fuissé and Meursault. The Montagny "Les Reculerons" comes from a vineyard composed of low-yielding old vines on a steep slope that has perfect drainage (for concentration), sun exposure (for richness), soil (for complexity), and day/night temperature variation (for freshness and aromatic expression). Stop by this weekend for a taste and see how outstanding this is. Once you try it, you can stock up at by far the best price in the country. Here's how it tastes: With pale straw color, this has a gorgeous Meursault-like perfume of lemon oil, tangerine, baked apple pie, and orange blossoms. The palate is rich and deep with mineral infused green apples and tangerine butter. This is a joy to drink from first whiff to the long, lingering impressions of apples, minerals and sweet spices. It is hard to resist today, but save a few bottles to see how it will add richness over the next year and drink beautifully over the following two years. Don't miss this exceptional value in estate-bottled, single-vineyard white Burgundy. Stop by this weekend. Thank you for your reading. Jim Cutts

2007 Domaine Pierre Guindon "Cabernet," Coteaux d'Ancenis, France

Dear Rene, We have a not-to-be-missed offer today: a complex 2007 French cabernet as low as $8.99 per bottle. And this isn't some mass-produced "cheap" cabernet. An estate-grown, estate-bottled, hand-harvested, limited-production cabernet from 35-year-old vines froma producer who has been called "the pre-eminent grower" of his region by David Schildknecht (the regional expert for Parker's Wine Advocate)! The producer, Domaine Pierre Guindon, is an absolute star of the tiny "Coteaux d'Ancenis" region in France's Loire Valley, a highly-regarded area in France, but one which remains undiscovered outside of France. In addition to consistent praise from the Wine Advocate, Guindon has been listed as a "favorite producer" by Master of Wine Jancis Robinson (a well-regarded wine blogger and writer) and has been distinguished in several of France's top wine journals. I bought this wine last year and have held it and carefully aged it for over a year for you. Why? Because I wanted you to experience how unique and complex this wine could be now that it is really starting to hit its stride. This is so good I bought nearly half of the total production, something I was only able to do because I went to the Loire Valley and met with the producer. At Arrowine, we take great pride in finding you these gems. If you are looking for real value in estate-bottled, hand-harvested, limited-production wine that is delicious as well as profound (as well as ridiculously cheap), then look no further, order your case(s) today. And if you're not thinking of buying any, then just buy six bottles. In addition, please check out our special tastings this weekend, and take advantage of our cheese and charcuterie features and sales. I hope to see you this weekend. Doug Rosen 2007 Domaine Pierre Guindon "Cabernet," Coteaux d'Ancenis, France 2007 Guindon "Cabernet", Coteaux d'Ancenis, France (Loire Valley Red Wine) Regular Shelf Price $12.99 6-Bottle Price- $10.99 each 12-Bottle Price- just $8.99 each (save over 30%) Wait until you see how complex and how unlike cheap cabernet from Australia or California this is-- it has true complexity and character! What makes it different from new world Cabernet? Just about everything: In this area of the Loire Valley, the word "Cabernet" on label can refer to cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, or both. Guindon's 40 year old vineyard includes both, about 80% franc and 20% sauvignon. It is carefully estate-grown and hand-harvested unlike almost all wines in this price range from this part of France (or anywhere else). The tiny vineyard is densely planted at 6,500 vines per hectare; this forces the vines to compete and keeps yields naturally low for better concentration and complexity. Fermentation is entirely with natural yeast, allowing true expression of the vineyard and remarkable complexity. It is from a cool climate, unlike Australian and California cabernets, so it shows more freshness and liveliness and a better affinity with food. It is more dry and savory and less heavy and sweet. Guindon's vineyards are planted on excellent hillsides with soils consisting primarily of clay and schist. This gives the wine a distinct mineral complexity. Fermentation and aging are done in tank, there are no oaky flavors to cover up the complex fruit, mineral, and spicy complexity. Here is how it tastes: This is a serious wine for only $8.99. It has wonderful garnet color with aromas of red currants, sun-dried leaves with hints of red licorice. Soft and silky, ripe, red strawberry fruited palate with hints of herbs, red licorice and stone dust. This wine possesses wonderful precision and mineral tang, making it an ideal wine with roasted chicken, salmon or any lighter meats. I just don't know of many $12.99 bottles of wine that can deliver this level of complexity; at only $8.99 per bottle load up and enjoy this fascinating wine over the next few years. To order please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Friday February 26th.

2007 Château de Jouclary, Cuvée Tradition, Cabardès Rouge

Dear Rene, I know few other wines that offer you as much complexity, depth, and value as Chateau Jouclary does at $11 (o.k. it's $12-$15 elsewhere in the country, but it's still a good deal at those prices). It's been a perennial customer and staff favorite for six years straight. These guys get it right every year. But 2007 is an exceptional year, it is the fullest and deepest Jouclary yet. And our Door Buster price is our lowest price EVER on Chateau Jouclary, just $7.99 per bottle by the case. Even with our great e-mail specials, our previous lowest price for any vintage was $8.99 (THAT was the lowest price in the U.S.A.; today's price is the lowest BY FAR). REMINDER: This is a Door-Buster Sale meaning this price is available only Friday, February 12th, and Saturday, February 13th. This sale price is for in-store sales only and while supplies last (we have 150 cases available). Sorry, no phone or e-mail orders.  Previous vintages sold out quickly. Since then, customers have called again and again asking for more. How often do you see a price tag like this on a wine with flavors that have drawn comparisons to Châteauneuf du Pape? This special wine and special sale prove once again that working closely with local importers saves you money. Friends like Ed Addiss of Wine Traditions bring the wines directly from the vineyards to Arrowine. I visited the property with Ed and can attest to the fact that this is fabulous winemaking from fabulous vineyards in a fabulous terroir. It's another way we work diligently to ensure that our customers get the best possible values in the market. There are only 150 cases available. Doug Rosen Friday & Saturday Door-Buster Sale: Don't Miss This! 2007 Château de Jouclary, Cuvée Tradition, Cabardès Rouge Regular: $10.99 per bottle Door Buster Sale price: Only $7.99 per bottle by the case (12) Sale price on solid cases only. No further discounts and no combining with other offers. Sale is Friday and Saturday only and only while supplies last (150 cases available). In store sales only (sorry, no phone or e-mail orders) This is the lowest price in the country by far on this wine! Okay, what is Cabardès Rouge? Located just outside the medieval walled city of Carcassonne in the Southwest corner of France, this is the only appellation that requires the use of both Bordeaux and Rhone varietals in the blend. Cabardès has the best of both worlds: the depth and structure of a fine right-bank Bordeaux, and the bright fruits and spice of Mediterranean (Rhone) wines. All that depth, generous mouthfeel, and complexity of flavors, and yet a wine that issmooth enough to just drink by itself! At our regular price of $10.99 (or even at the $12-$15 price it sells at in most of the U.S.) this has got to be one of the very best values around. This is especially true in an excellent year like 2007. At our Door Buster price, it's a steal. The Cuvée Tradition is an un-oaked blend of merlot, syrah and grenache, each grown in the type of soil conditions which allow for ideal varietal expression. That's possible in this case because there are two distinct soil types on the property, visible even to the untrained eye: the merlot thrives in heavier clay soil, while the 70 year old grenache vines thrive in lighter limestone soil. This wine truly reflects the special vineyards where it is grown. How does it taste? Tasting this wine we all agree that the old-vine grenache is the most prominent flavor component, with gorgeous floral and spice box aromatics and delicious black raspberry fruit. Red flame plum and dried cherries round out the fruit expression while subtle nuances of cinnamon bark, licorice, and cumin spiceadd a fascinating array of complexity. The wine has a silky suppleness of texture and a delicious lingering finish. There's a lot going on in this wine, much more complexity than other wines at this price. This may be the only $11 red in the store that the staff simply refuses to spit. What else need we say? Jouclary is amazingly food versatile or enjoyable all on its own. Fancy foods, simple foods, hearty dishes, light dishes, cassoulet, pasta, chicken, lamb, you name it. This is the kind of wine restaurants dream of - it tastes great with anything! For a simple evening meal after a hard day's work uncork this with plate of charcuterie and cheese. For a perfect cheese match, try the award-winning "Uplands Pleasant Ridge Reserve", a firm, flavorful, and delicately nutty cheese from Wisconsin's excellent Uplands farmstead creamery. Our salame, paté, or cured meats can round out the simple and fabulous meal. Enjoy! -- Graham Reid and Jim Cutts

2007 Arnoux Vacqueyras "Chapelle St. Arnoux"

Dear Rene, This is a deal you don't want to miss. The 91-93 point rated Vacqueyras we are offering today is one of the greatest values we've seen anywhere from the historically great 2007 vintage in France's Rhone valley. In case you've somehow missed it, here is some of what world famous wine critic Robert Parker has said about the 2007 vintage Rhone reds: "Tasting the 2007s out of bottle has confirmed my thoughts - this is a truly historic and profoundly great vintage.... this may be the most compelling vintage of any viticultural region I have ever tasted.... I have never tasted better Côtes du Rhônes, Gigondas, or sumptuous, rich, complex Vacqueyras than the 2007s. " Robert Parker, eRobertParker.com "You can't buy enough of the 2007 Southern Rhônes ...from top to bottom, this is the greatest vintage I have ever tasted in any viticultural area.... The wines are just hitting the distribution channels in the United States and Europe, so move quickly. Despite the worldwide economic woes, these wines are disappearing at a rapid pace." Robert Parker, eRobertParker.com No set of wines has ever created quite the same frenzy as the 2007 Rhones (not even the 2005s from Bordeaux). Anybody who has even a slight interest in wine should be trying all the 2007s they can from France's famous Rhone Valley and stocking up on their favorites. The wines are THAT good. Today you can order a highly rated (91-93 points) red wine from the historically great 2007 Rhone vintage and from the excellent area of Vacqueyras. Though Parker pegs the price of this red Vacqueyras wine at $25-$42 per bottle, you can order it today, while supplies last, for as little as $12.99. Don't wait. Call now to order (703-525-0990). We are receiving 200 cases tomorrow and, with a deal this good they are likely to all be spoken for by the time they arrive. Jim Cutts 2007 Arnoux Vacqueyras "Chapelle St. Arnoux" 2007 Arnoux Vacqueyras "Chapelle St. Arnoux" Release price: $25 Our reg.: $16.99 6 bottle sale price: $14.99 per bottle 12 bottle sale price: just $12.99 per bottle **200 cases available** The Chapelle St. Arnoux estate has been family-owned since 1717. The Arnoux family owns 40 hectares of vineyards in Vacqueyras and also makes wine with carefully-selected purchased (negociant) fruit. Marc Arnoux, a stickler for high quality, is the current oenologist and vineyard manager. The quality of this producer is starting to attract a great deal of positive attention with the international press. Since 1978 they have received 30 Gold Medal awards. Arnoux's 2007 vintage wines, in particular, have attracted the attention of critics and wine lovers everywhere; they are outstanding. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate has rated many of the Vacqueyras and Gigondas cuvees very highly. Of the many excellent 2007 Rhone wines made by this estate, though, the Vacqueyras "Chapelle St. Arnoux" offers, by far, the most impressive combination of high quality (Parker's rating calls it "An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character.") and a great price (especially at Arrowine). Here is the brief note from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Vacqueyras Chapelle St.-Arnoux is nearly identical to the Jean-Marie Arnoux. I could not find much difference between the two in their composition, upbringing, texture, flavor, or intensity. It is a super, unfiltered effort. All these 2007s merit serious attention. 91-93 points ($25-$42)." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #181 And, to understand more about this review, here is the lengthier review of the Jean-Marie Arnoux wine that Parker called "nearly identical": "The 2007 Vacqueyras Jean-Marie Arnoux is superb. Its blend is somewhat different, with the Grenache dominating (70%), but 25% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre, all from 50-year or older vines included. This stunning wine exhibits a dense purple color along with abundant quantities of blackberry fruit, pepper, bouquet garni, spice box, and meaty notes. Full-bodied and opulent, it is a superior Vacqueyras from a great vintage. 91-93 points ($25-$42)." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #181 To order your case of 2007 Arnoux Vacqueyras "Chapelle St. Arnoux" for only $12.99 per bottle, please call us at 703.525.0990. We will need complete Visa or Mastercard information. This combination of high quality and affordable price is rare, especially on a category of wines as sought after as 2007 Rhones. This will be extremely popular. Please call soon to order; if all of our lines are busy, please call back. Jim Cutts