France

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Gérard Bertrand
"Réserve Spéciale"
Viognier 2010 . . . . . 10.99
88/100 - Our score.
We find the aromas that Viognier offers to be nearly impossible to resist. This wine presents fragrant white flowers along with tangy orange zest on the nose. The mouthfeel is lush with ripe tropical fruit and honey. The finish remains rich, but is balanced by crisp acidity and a touch of nuttiness. This would be perfect for the next time you have Chinese take out!
EXPECTED ARRIVAL FEBRUARY 8TH

Benjamin Leroux
Bourgogne Blanc 2008 . . . . . 21.99
91/100 - Our score.
Benjamin Leroux is on an absolute tear! We went from knowing nothing about this estate not too long ago to being completely in love with everything that they make! (Keep your eyes open for upcoming offerings of their reds!) This lovely Chardonnay is completely mineral driven, with white rock and chalky notes. American Chardonnay fans will enjoy the hints of butterscotch and salted honey notes. Burgundy lovers will be attracted to the nutty, leesy "batonnage" flavors and to the noticeable green apple skin and fresh and bruised pear nuances. At a modest 13% alcohol, this wine is long and tasty and will easily fool your "expert" friends into thinking that it is a $35 bottle! The only bad news is that we have a limited supply, so act quickly!

Thomas-Labaille
"Les Monts Damnés"
Chavignol Sancerre 2010 . . . . . 21.99
91/100 - Our score.
Sure you can spend $35 for Sancerre, but why? Labaille is one of our favorite growers and in the high-acid 2010 vintage they have fashioned a wine of precision and complexity. Look for intense flavors of minerals, citrus fruit and green herbs. Another outstanding release from this estate.

Louis Michel
"Vaillons"
1er Cru Chablis 2010 . . . . . 29.99
92+/100 - Our score.
89-92/100 - Burghound.
92/100 - Wine Advocate. "The estate's 2010 Chablis Vaillons is a striking wine graced with exquisite perfume and layers of fruit, all supported by a persistent vein of chalkiness. This is one of the more nervous, wiry wines of the lineup, but its class and pedigree are impossible to miss, even at this early stage. Hints of grapefruit and lime linger on the bright, articulate finish. In 2010, the Vaillons is made from parcels in Roncieres, Chatains and Melinots. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025."

ROSÉ

Mas Carlot
Costieres de Nimes Rosé 2010 . . . . . 5.99
Blowout price on this deliciously fresh Rosé!
89/100 - Our score.
88/100 - Wine Advocate. "Mas Carlot does an admirable job with roses, and although this wine is probably sold out (as it should be), the 2010 Rose Tradition is a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre. What makes it one of the better roses is its display of minerality as well as dry, intense flavors with good grip, something most roses tend to lack."

RED

Ch. Paraza
"Cuvee Speciale"
Minervois 2009 . . . . . 8.99
88/100 - Our score.
A blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 20% Mourvedre, this latest release from Paraza has all of the wonderful ripeness that you've come to expect from the 2009 vintage in southwest France. Medium in body, it offers cherry and blackberry fruits as well as some pepper and cinnamon spice. This bargain from Minervois can compete with many Côtes-du-Rhônes at twice the price.

Chateau de Pena
"Cuvee de Pena"
Vin de Pays des Pyrenees-Orientales 2009 . . . . . 9.99
89/100 - Our score.
90/100 - Wine Advocate. "The as usual Carignan-based red 2009 Cuvee de Pena is simply the finest of its illustrious bargain-priced breed that I have tasted (and I go back 20 years with this cuvee and its predecessor), which also makes it a mind-boggling value! Clean and polished, concentrated but unexaggerated, this delivers sweet fruit with soil and soul. Ripe cherry, black raspberry, and purple plum are shadowed by their distilled counterparts in a high-toned nose and practically gush on the palate. Pungent, resinous herbs, smoky black tea, toasted pecan, brown spices, and crushed stone all serve for aromatic and gustatory interest, leading to a brightly juicy yet deeply rich finish. Buy it by the case, or buy it by the bag-in-box; delight and - if you dare reveal its price - amaze your guests over at least the next couple of years, though quite possibly longer. (And we wine snobs need to stick this into some blind tastings to put quality-price rapport into perspective, and perhaps some prejudices to rest.)"
EXPECTED ARRIVAL FEBRUARY 7TH

Domaine des Escaravailles
"Les Antimagnes"
Côtes-du-Rhône 2009 . . . . . 13.99
90/100 - Wine Spectator. "This shows concentration, along with poise and polish, offering gorgeous linzer torte, blackberry and mulled cherry notes laced with alder wood, spice and iron hints. Solid length. Drink now through 2013. 600 cases imported."

Domaine des Escaravailles
"La Ponce"
Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Rasteau 2009 . . . . . 18.99
91+/100 - Our score.
91/100 - Wine Spectator. "Very pure, with lovely range to the cherry, blueberry and black currant fruit, which all mingles together seamlessly, while spice and plum eau de vie notes chime in on the finish. Fruitdriven, but with juicy acidity well-embedded for balance. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2013. 600 cases imported."

Domaine Francois Lamarche
Hautes Côtes de Nuits Rouge 2009 . . . . . 29.99
91/100 - Our score.
Domaine Lamarche is sole owner of the famed "La Grand Rue" Grand Cru, a sliver of a vineyard resting between La Tache and Romanee-Conti. Nice real estate! Save for hard-core Burgundy geeks, however, Lamarche is an off-the-radar producer. Their style is quite traditional, as is evidenced by the lean, bright character of this 2009 Hautes Côtes de Nuits. (Most 2009's are dark and ripe - not here!) Look for lifted flavors of sour cherry, tree bark, tobacco leaf and dried orange peel along with earth flavors of salty oyster shell and dried mushroom. There is no obvious oak flavor, just classic Pinot Noir notes with tang and length. Only 12% alcohol. Medium-plus acidity and medium tannins.


Our Scoring Scale 96 -100 - Extraordinary 90 - 95 - Exceptional 85 - 89 - Above Average
84 and below -	You won't find it at the Wine Discount Center