Wine & Words

Prices marked are the regular retail, followed by the Feature Price with a 20% discount.

Lurton Les Fumées Blanches Sauvignon Blanc (Languedoc-Rousillon, France) Regular $10.95/ Feature Price $8.76

Nothing says "spring into summer" like the crisp green notes of Sauvignon Blanc. This one is a great bargain, like many of the wines we're getting from this region in southwestern France. The winemaker notes: "Les Fumées Blanches" takes its name from the light morning mists which drift like white smoke over the foothill vineyards in Southern France. In these relatively cool micro-climates, Sauvignon Blanc develops the smoky, slightly pungent aromas which are part of the unique personality of this grape." Try it with a salad of spring greens or chill it down and quench your thirst after a warm afternoon of lawn mowing.

Ehrhardt Chenin Blanc 2005 (Clarksburg, California) Regular $18.25/ Feature Price $14.60
The grapes for this lovely summer wine were grown in the cool and fertile Sacramento Valley by the fourth generation of the Herzog family, who bought the vineyard land from the Ehrhardts in 1902. This is the same grape that makes the wines of Vouvray, France. Here its subtle sweetness and soft mouth feel combine with a clean backbone of acidity to make a wine that's equally at home on the front porch swing as it is with a light summer evening supper. Don't serve it too cold, in order to let the soft aromas and gentle flavors wake up your mouth.

Skouras Moscofilero 2007 (Peleponese, Greece) Regular $17.75/ Feature Price $14.20

A new one from our friend Jim Stock, the Haw River Wine Man. Jim's family is from Greece, and he found this wine on a recent trip to see family on the Greek island of Santorini. The wine is a stunner! Its racy crispness cuts right through the luscious fruit, then lets it shine on the long, complex finish. Moscofilero (moss-co-FEE-ler-o) is the grape, a standard in the Peleponesian islands for dry white wines that go with southern Greek cuisine. Forget the Retsina; step up to a brilliant Greek wine that will get you dancing on the beach.

Cantina del Taburno Falanghina (Campania, Italy) Regular 19.90/ Feature Price $15.92

The folks at Cantina del Taburno have made quite a reputation with the wines they make from the Falanghina grape year after year. The grape was probably brought by Roman merchants from Greece to Italy. It owes its Latin name to the word "phalange", namely "tied to the pole", describing the ancient system of cultivation used to make the vines grow. The volcanic soil around Naples gives the wine an incredible mineral crispness, with a finish almost like grapefruit juice. Just the thing for a salad or some chilled steamed shrimp.

Chrismont La Zona Rosato Mezzanotte 20005 (Victoria, Australia) Regular $18.25/ Feature Price $14.60

What is it with Americans and rosé wines? It must be that these wonderful summer wines, the staple of every sidewalk bistro from Paris to Rome to Madrid, have had their reputation spoiled by the insipid pink swill that in America goes by the name of "blush." Get over it, people. Maybe I can win you over with this stellar Rosato Mezzanotte ("midnight rosé") from the Pizzini family whose King Valley property in the Australian alps reminded them of their Italian homeland. It's a blend of 50% Sangiovese (the main grape in Chianti), 25% Barbera, and 25% Marzemino. This is a wine you can sip while sitting in your chaise longue and thinking how good life is despite the economy and the war and climate change. And if I can turn you on to this one, let me know. We've got many more wines that will help you see the world through rose colored glasses without feeling like a chump.

Sant' Evasio Brachetto D'Aqui (Piedmont, Italy) Regular $18.20/ Feature Price $14.46

If you like your wine a little sweet, you'll love this beauty. It pours a deep ruby red color with a bit of aromatic fizziness. Serve it cold, maybe out on the patio, with candle lanterns. Even "serious" wine drinkers like this one when it's time to let your hair down and enjoy the romance of a summer's eve.

Black Box Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles, California) Regular $27.00/ Feature Price $21.60 (equivalent to 4 bottles at $5.38/bottle)

We've had this wine (and its Monterrey Chardonnay sibling) for several years but we've never "featured" it before. This month, I'd like you to try what's in the box. It's not industrial rejects that taste like they were fermented in a plastic tub from grapes swept up off the floor. It's real Paso Robles Cab that will go just fine with those steaks and burgers you're serving at the backyard party. Cheap enough to serve to a crowd, convenient enough to keep around for an emergency or as the regular house wine on your boat, tasty enough to be proud of. It's time to start thinking inside the box.

Château Saint-Michel 2004 (Bordeaux, France) Regular $16.50/ Feature Price $13.20

OK, if you're not buying the box and you want your Cab in a more sophisticated package, try this inexpensive Bordeaux. This is "Bordeaux Supérieur" not "Grand Crus," but it costs less than $20, not more than $100. You get a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend with good fruit and a very dry tannic backbone that will complement anything with fat in it…like a juicy steak or burger…or even a nice piece of cheese. This is an excellent value in a sophisticated wine that's ready to pour now and will only get better with time.

Four Vines "Old Vine Cuvee" Zinfandel (California) Regular $16.50/ Feature Price $13.20

California Zin is one of our summertime favorites. Its bright fruit and easy-drinking conviviality make a believer of even confirmed "non-red" wine drinkers…and it goes with barbecue sauces like nobody's business. This "Old Vine Cuvee" combines wines from Amador, Sonoma, Paso Robles and Lodi to get just the perfect touch for all-around summertime enjoyment.

King Estate Pinot Noir 2006 (Willamette Valley, Oregon) Regular $32.00/ Feature Price $25.60

And now for a bit of summertime elegance. Though we've had the King Estate Pinot Gris for some time, this is the first time we're introducing the Pinot Noir. The grapes are grown organically then fermented in 100% stainless steel to bring out the freshness of the Pinot Noir fruit, followed by 10-12 months in French oak barrels to lend a mellow toasty note. Pinot Noir is one of the most food-friendly red wines there is, its lighter body and note of acidity allowing it to pair with a wide variety of foods. A great wine to serve when some people want red and others want white. Delicious!

Tasting Opportunities…