Lucienne  2006 “Doctor’s Vineyard” Pinot Noir,
Santa Lucia Highlands
This is a wine built for food! I enjoyed each sip with every bite of my dinner.
$50.00

*Belasco De Baquedano 2005
“Swinto” Old Vine Malbec, Argentina
The pinnacle of Malbec expression. Silky. Sexy. Tantalizing.
Extraordinary.
$43.00

Bressan 2001 Vintage  N° 3,
Venezia Giulia, Italy
A heart-stopping blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Nero and Schioppettino.  Delicate and seductive. Truly one of the most gorgeous wines I have ever come across.
$70.00
 
~Chateau Maris  2005 Old Vine Syrah,
Minervois La Liviniére, France
Some wines are great.  This one is transcendent!
Made using biodynamically grown grapes, it dances a slow drag right across your grateful tongue.  
$50.00

 
Peterson 2003 Bradford Mountain Vineyard Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley
Dry Creek Valley is not known as one of California’s premier Zinfandel growing appellations for nothing.  
Gorgeous fruit.  
$42.00
 
 
La Cruz de Comal 2005 Cohete Rojo,
Texas Hill Country Red Table Wine
The red wine that changed my mind about Texas’ ability to produce a wine uniquely its own and be proud of it!  The ’05 is brighter on the palate, with a hint more of that dazzling acidity than the ’04.  It’s garnet hue is remarkable.  (See its “sister” white wine below, the Dickson Petard Blanc.)
$55.00

 
†Dickson 2006 Pètard Blanc, Texas Hill Country
The superb white wine (100% Blanc du Bois) child of Tony Coturri and Lewis Dickson.  It tastes like central Texas, I swear to God.
$50.00


*Hawkes 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
      Super small production winery.  The Hawkes family had been growing grapes in Alexander Valley, known for its delicious Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, for 30 years before they decided to see what it would be like to make their own wine with their own grapes.  Taste this and you’ll want to ask, “What took them so long?!”  This Cab has a gorgeously textured, fabulously layered palate.
$52.00

 
    *Hawkes 2006 Home Chardonnay, Alexander Valley
Hurrah to the folks at Hawkes for this delicious Chardonnay.
$40.00

 
Yalumba  2005  “Virgilius” Eden Valley Viognier, Australia
A sublime Viognier experience. Brash, unappealing and clunky when planted in the wrong environment or mishandled by a
devil-may-care winemaker, when coddled, the varietal sings!  
Hints of apricot and honey.
$47.00


†Saracina 2004 Petite Sirah, Mendocino County
Here’s what Stephen Tanzer says, “Inky ruby. Highly expressive nose features lush blackberry and cassis aromas with an overlay of pepper and cured tobacco. Supple, polished and sweet, with deep dark fruit flavors. The tannins are suave and round, providing support but not detracting from the pure fruit tones. This got sweeter and denser with air and drinks well now.
90 points.”
$49.00
 
†Saracina 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Mendocino
A delectable Sauvignon Blanc experience.
$42.00

 
~M. Chapoutier  2006  “Les Meysonniers”
Crozes-Hermitage, France
From the Crozes-Hermitage appellation of the Northern Rhone famous for its Syrah-based red wines.  It’s a kinder, gentler Crozes than one normally finds from a region where the wines can sometimes lean toward the more, shall we say, rugged. Perhaps this is due to the influence of the kinder, gentler biodynamic practices used to nurture the vines.
$45.00

~Ceâgo Vinegarden 2004 Estate Grown
“Camp Masut” Merlot, Mendocino
Another of the stunning wines from the Fetzer family. The biodynamically farmed Merlot grapes that went in to this wine, were  grown on the family’s home ranch, Camp Masut, vineyard, one of the very first vineyards in Mendocino County.
$43.00
 
Educated Guess 2006 Napa Valley Carneros Pinot Noir
The Cabernet Sauvignon from Educated Guess was a staff favorite for months, but I find their Pinot Noir even more compelling.  It lacks the overly-ripe-California-Pinot-Noir-Luden’s-Cough-Drop flavors that I find unappealing and instead offers soft, subtle earth and restrained fruit married in a seamless bottle of wine.
$50.00

*ZD Wines  2007 Chardonnay, California
From four of the most respected coastal growing regions in California (Napa Carneros, Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara) comes a blend of outrageous Chardonnay grapes.  No malolactic fermentation to make the wine clunky.  Just full-on bright acidic fruit softened by barrel fermentation.
$46.00

†Wine made from organically grown grapes
~Wine made from biodynamically grown grapes
*Wine made from sustainably grown grapes

* To find a spot on this list, a wine must be one of the best I’ve tasted all year.