STAFF WINE RECOMMENDATIONS

"I'm looking for an everyday wine. What is a reasonably priced wine that you are drinking on a regular basis?

Gary: (Wine Sales)
Mas Neuf Costieres de Nimes Rouge 2005 $9.49

This wine is usually one of my favorite everyday drinks from year to year, and the 2005 is no exception. This vintage’s weather conditions in Southern France were excellent pretty much across the entire South. This wine comes from grapes grown around the ancient Roman city of Nimes in the Languedoc. Robust aromatics and intense ripe red and black fruits hit the palate with subtle hints of leather and earth. A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Carignane, it is a ﬂavorful and highly drinkable expression of the Costieres de Nimes.

Larry: (Wine Sales)
L‘Ecole ‘Columbia Valley’ Semillon 2005 $13.99
Try the Semillon from the famous winery in the former French Town (Lowden, WA), L’Ecole No 41. With 14% Sauvignon Blanc to add interest, the wine is barrel fermented dry and then a brief time in oak sur lies aging to add depth and complexity. Soft, almost delicate aroma with sassy hints of lemon/lime ﬂavors, the body easily cleanses the palate, while the wine ﬁnishes slightly dry.

Matt: (Asst. Manager)
Paraiso ‘Santa Lucia Highlands’ Pinot Noir 2005 $17.99
This is one of my favorite Pinots that I drink on a regular basis. The Santa Lucia Highlands area is increasingly popular with Pinot fans and Paraiso’s bottling is prototypical. Abundant sunshine during the day and cooling fog in the evenings gives the grapes the hang time needed to develop aromatic and ﬂavor complexity. The wine is certainly quaffable, but take some time with it to catch all the nuances.

"I'm visiting friends who are really into wine. I want to bring over a wine that will really impress them, maybe something new that they haven't had before. Any Suggestions?"

Howard: (Imported Wine Buyer)
Yalumba ‘Hand Picked’ Shiraz/Viognier 2004 $25.99
The classic French recipe of adding a splash of Viognier to Syrah takes a new world twist here. Old vine Shiraz from the Barossa Valley ﬂoor is coupled with 5% Viognier from Yalumba’s experimental vineyards. Toasty oak and savory aromas sit on top ﬂavors of licorice and liqueur. This is a knockout wine with a seemless, melted texture.

Ken: (Spirits Buyer)
Armstrong Ranch ‘Diamond Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 $64.99
“2002 was a very good year for Napa Valley Cabernets, and this Diamond Mountain estate bottled beauty is no exception. Only 160 cases were made, from 13 acres of high altitude vines. My wife and I had a bottle recently to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary at a local restaurant. I had grilled duck, my wife grilled ribeye, and the wine was superb with both – great fruit, softening tannins and a wonderful long, ﬁnish. Pricey at $65, but it knocks spots off a lot of much higher priced cult Cabernets.”