Ch. Font Mars 2007
Picpoul de Pinet Languedoc, France -- $9.99
We love Picpoul in the
summertime. It’s bright, crisp & refreshing, the perfect drink when
it’s too hot out to even think about what to open. We like this
Picpoul from Ch. Font Mars because it has more depth than most, with
notes of white flowers on the nose followed by a rich & minerally
presence on the palate without any heaviness, and a clean finish
that begs for seafood or grilled fish.
Kung Fu Girl 2006
Riesling Washington -- $9.99
We thought this was a
very good wine when it sold for $13.99. When the distributor slashed
the price to move the last few cases, we thought we’d pass this
ridiculously good deal on to you! Crisp and zingy with notes of
green apple and lemon. With just enough residual sugar to round out
the texture without adding a lot of sweetness, this comes off as
just-barely off-dry, and the perfect refresher for hot weather.
Culley 2007 Sauvignon
Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand -- $12.99
Classic Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc. Gooseberry, passionfruit and lime, with bright
acidity, a nice backbone of minerality, and a clean crisp finish. We
think this drinks way better than the usual New Zealand SBs you see
in the supermarket (you know which ones we’re talking about)!
Franco-Fiorina 2006
Gavi di Gavi Piedmont, Italy -- $13.99
Another vintage from this
Stefano Farina label, and once again a great bang-for-the-buck wine!
Juicy with sweet lemon, peach and pear, this is a fantastic fish
wine, bright enough to quench a thirst, but with enough weight to
not be confused with water. Grilled shrimp, calamari, even fish
tacos would pair well with this! Yum!
St. André de Figuière
2006 “Valerie” Cuvée Signature Cotes de Provence Blanc -- $13.99
This is dangerously,
dangerously drinkable. This is
“oops-I-didn’t-realize-I-drank-the-whole-bottle” dangerous. Slightly
nutty, with soft ripe lemon and hazelnut, this is smooth and tasty
and the perfect weight for summer or fall or anytime the sun is
out. 60% Ugni Blanc, 25% Rolle, 15% Semillon.
Ch. de la Greffière
2007 “Sous le Bois” Macon-La Roche-Vineuse -- $14.99
This has no right to
drink as beautifully as it does…but it does! The fruit here is very
bright and pure, with pear, a hint of lemon and a nutty note in the
background. Bright and vibrant, this sees no oak. The minerality is
persistent (La Roche-Vineuse = Vinuous Rock) and clean. Gorgeous
texture, excellent richness and weight. White Burgundy at this price
is almost never this good!
SBRAGIA 2007 Sauvignon
Blanc Home Ranch, Dry Creek Valley -- $17.99
Floral & fragrant with
jasmine and honeysuckle, followed by green apple and Meyer lemon and
a long, lovely finish. Sbragia Family Vineyards is the current
project of former Beringer winemaker, Ed Sbragia. 91 points Wine
Spectator
Turonia 2006 Albariño
Rias Baixas -- $17.99
This starts off rich and
lush with a nice mouthful of melon and a hint of peach, then
develops a streak of mineral that continues on to the finish where
it’s joined by a refreshing squirt of lime. Fun yet sophisticated,
lush yet precise, this offers up quite a bit more than your typical
Albariño.
Frank Family 2006
Chardonnay Napa Valley -- $29.99
Beautiful ripe aromas of
freshly baked apple pie, vanilla, and roasted almonds. This is ripe
and rich on the palate with bright tropical fruit and butter notes.
Smooth with well-integrated toasty oak and a long, elegant finish.
Frank Family is a blue chip name up in Napa, and this Chard is a
perennial best-seller.
