Wine of the Week: Domaine Saladin Cotes du Rhone Paul 2009

Here is a wine from near the historic town of Ardeche in the southern Rhone. The family roots go back many generations to 1422. They have always practiced organic farming as chemicals did not exist in previous generations, and both Elisabeth and Marie-Laurence and their parents have never used pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides in the vineyard.
All hand harvested, indigenous yeast, and minimal sulphur allow this wine to show it’s terroir.
90% Grenache and 10& Clairette co-planted in the vineyard results in an expressive natural wine that explodes with full body and flavor.

Wine of the Week: Domaine Chaume-Arnaud Vinsobres 2009

Every once in a while, you taste a wine that you just can’t get out of your mind. Domaine Chaume-Arnaud Vinsobres 2009 is one of those wines. Vinsorbes is on the east side of the Rhone valley next to the foothills. Being a higher elevation,  it is a much cooler climate than found on the valley floor. Farming biodynamic and certified in 2009. The blend here is a classic Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre mix. The wine has haunting aromatics of violets and dark fruit, followed by a palate of black fruit, crushed rock and hedgerow flavors, firm acidity and impressively silky tannins.

Wine of the Week: Saint André de Figuière Cuvée Valérie 2009

When one thinks of Provence, one thinks of rosé, and with good reason. Saint André de Figuière is known for their great Rosés. But what everyone does not think about, is the white wines from Provence. When I first tasted with Saint André many years ago, of course I loved the rosés, but it was the white wines that I was very excited about.  After spending many years in Chablis, Alain Combard moved his family back to Provence to Saint André. No wonder he has a great touch with white wines.The 2009 Cuvée Valérie has a pale yellow color with a green tinge. An impressively delicate bouquet of white flowers and lemon. Fresh on the palate with a lemony mineral finish. A blend of Rolle, Semillon, and Ugni Blanc.

Summer is not over and with the long weekend coming up, there is still plenty of time to enjoy Rosé. One of my favorite Rosés we brought in this year is the Mas Bruguière L’ARbousé. From one of the oldest producers in Pic Saint Loup, this Rosé has a soft bright pink color. Its powerful bouquet express all the fruitiness and freshness of the terroir with notes of red fruits and citrus that evolves towards the spicy and mineral. Refreshing and delicious, perfectly balanced. Enjoy this now and throughout the year. pairs well with Mediterranean and Asian cusine.

Wine of the Week: Halos de Jupiter Vacqueyras 2009 is LA Times Wine of the Week

This week we are very proud that the LA Times has picked our wine of the week.

Please follow the link to read what they have to say.

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-0818-wow-20110818,0,6714345.story

Wine of the Week: Château Les Arromans Entre-Deux-Mers 2010

Another wonderful white for summer. Crisp , clean and very refreshing. This is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon, Organic farming, small yields and alcohol of 12.5% make this a perfect wine to enjoy through the hot summer days.

Wine of the Week: Domaine de Menard Gascogne Blanc 2010

In the heart of AOC Bas Armagnac, is Domaine de Menard, founded in 1920, located on the famous Via Podensis, the road traveled for centuries by Pilgrims to visit Saint Jacques de Compostelle. This wine is a blend of Colombard, Ugni Blanc, and Gros Mansang.

With a nose of exotic fruits and apricots, good acidity and low alcohol (11.5%) makes this an ideal wine for warm summer nights. Pair it with shellfish and other fresh seafood.

Wine of the Week: Loïc Mahé Savennières Les Fougerais 2009

This is one wine that am extremely excited about. We tasted this wine early this year and it has just arrived.

Delicacy – Minerality – Fruity

Powerful and nervous at once, this Savennières expresses aromas of white flowers, citrus fruits and almonds. With a beautiful structure with subtiles bitterness it reveals at once lively and smooth in mouth. Let the wine breath in a decanter 2 at 4 hours before tasting.

Harvested by hand, indigenous yeasts, organic farming.

A special wine you should not miss.

Our new container has arrived!!

New releases from Burgundy:

Nicolas Rossignol
Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux
Domaine Rene Bouvier
Domaine François Lumpp
Louis Chenu
Domaine Testut

Wine of the Week: Henry Marionnet Gamay 2009

The Marionnet family has been living in Soings, in eastern Touraine, since the mid-19th century. The estate covers 60 hectares producing up to 400,000 bottles. The cellar is fully equipped with stainless steel vats. No barrels are to be found in the cellar. Because they use unconventional methods, their wines are completely original and bear unique characteristics.

The unique aspects of this wine imbue it with vastly different qualities such as: first, its lightness, which allows it to be drunk in healthy mouthfuls; then, its ruby red color with violet undertones; and finally, the explosion of aromas and fruit, strawberry, raspberry, black currant, kirsch, coffee and English sweets.
This wine can be paired with any meal and will delight you from beginning to end while quenching your thirst. It renders any dish lighter. It must absolutely be drunk cool (46° to 48°F in summer and 52° to 53°F in winter) and young, at between 1 and 18 months.