2006 Dolium Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) & 2007 Domaine la Blaque Coteaux de Pierrevert, France

Dear Rene, It's hard to believe that 10 bucks still buys a wine this good, but I had to travel over 5,000 miles to find it. There's no sacrifice great enough in pursuit of a delicious 10 dollar red! If you like a smooth, juicy, easy-drinking "new world" red that is guaranteed to blow away any California cabernet, Australian shiraz or Chilean carminere at the same price, then here you are. I had the pleasure of visiting with Ricardo Giadorou, owner of Dolium, earlier this month while in Mendoza. I tasted many, many malbecs during my stay and the 2006 Dolium was a clear winner. I know you will enjoy it. It's an outstanding bargain from a winery that Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar says "turns out some of Argentina's most impressive red wines." Despite the critical praise, the list price of this wine has not increased in five years. How many European or California wines can you say that about? Our e-mail price on the 2006 Dolium Malbec is $2 per bottle LOWER than the list price of the 2001 vintage and the quality is far superior; 2006 is Robert Parker's highest rated vintage in Argentina ever. This wine is great with food, and equally good alone! Order your case today, you'll be glad you did. Supplies are limited and a bargain like this won't last for long. You still have time to take advantage of another outstanding bargain, the 2007 La Blaque Coteaux de Pierrevert. This is a presale of this delicious red blend that will arrive in November. When the Wine Advocate review hit, calling it a sensational value, I knew I couldn't wait to place my order. Reserve yours now! Please come by this weekend. We have a lot going on here: Friday wine and cheese tastings; Saturday two wine tastings, a beer tasting and a cheese tasting! And of course, Perry has great deli and cheese specials. I hope to see you. Doug Rosen 2006 Dolium Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) 2006 Dolium Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) Reg. $11.99 per bottle Case Special (12 or more bottles): $9.99 per bottle How did we find this bargain? By going where the bargains are! That's why both Doug and Jim have been to Argentina this year. By going to the source we can select the best wines before they are picked over internationally. It also allows us to make deals to bring them to you at the lowest prices. Why Argentina? A dollar buys more there. Dolium is a unique and special winery in the Agrelo section of Lujan de Cuyo, one of the very best wine growing areas in all of Argentina. The winery, visible in the background in this picture, is the first underground winery in Argentina. It was established by engineer Mario Giadorou and has been advised by famed winemaker Paul Hobbs. Mario's son Ricardo now heads the winery and is pushing the level of quality even higher while keeping the prices of the wines remarkably affordable. Nothing is left to chance. For this 2006 Malbec, grapes were selected from the best areas of Mendoza (Lunlunta and Perdriel in Lujan de Cuyo). The grapes are hand picked at optimal ripeness and then moved to the winery where they are vinified by winemaker Nicolas Raby using the best, gentlest, modern equipment. The delicate treatment of the fruit ensures that the full flavors of the excellent grapes are retained in the wine. Here's how it tastes: The color is bright ruby with a deep blue-purple core. The aromas are complex, rich, and inviting, reminiscent of blueberries, blackberries, violets and licorice. The palate is deep and intense with blue and black fruit supported by subtle hints of spice, tobacco, and minerals. The finish is long, satisfying and pure. The intensity, purity, and complexity here are two steps above other wines in this price range. To order, please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information, including expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Friday, September 26th. 2007 Domaine la Blaque Coteaux de Pierrevert Presale 2007 Domaine la Blaque Coteaux de Pierrevert, FranceRegular Price $14.99 6 Bottle Presale Price $12.99 each 12 Bottle Presale Price $11.99 each This delicious blend (55%syrah, 35% grenache,10% mourvèdre ) is from Coteaux de Pierrevert, Pays des Alpes de Haute Provence. I first introduced you to this domaine's charming viognier and rosé in August as part of my "Addicted to Quality Series." Mike Feeney and I discovered Domaine La Blaque with wine broker Thomas Calder at ViniSud in Montpellier last winter and we were floored by the quality. All of the wines were delicious. I was so impressed that I insisted on visiting the Domaine after the show to get a closer look at why these wines were so good. It was well worth the drive. Little did I know that this Domaine would be written up in the latest Wine Advocate by David Schildknecht. After the article hit, calling the Rouge a sensational value, I decided not to wait as all the attention generated by his review will make the Rouge from La Blaque disappear in short order. Review by David Schildknecht Wine Advocate # 178 (Aug 2008) "Rating: 90 Drink 2008 - 2010 Cost: $15" "The La Blaque 2007 Coteaux de Pierrevert represents most of the production of the estate, and that is great news, because it offers striking personality and sensational value. Vividly recalling Cornas ..., this displays mouth-filling fruit as befits wine made by a variation of carbonic maceration, yet there is a pleasant graininess as well. Black tea, cocoa powder, iodine, and savory shrimp shell notes are revealed as the wine opens up, culminating in a finish of remarkable richness and grip for a tank-rendered wine of its price. Enjoy it over the next two years. Situated in the Alpes de Haute Provence, the obscure appellation of Coteaux de Pierrevert is capable of generating some striking, remarkably late-harvested results with Syrah. Thomas Calder Selections" To order, please call 703.525.0990. We need your Visa or MasterCard information including expiration date. Wine will arrive in mid-November.

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

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