Drop by Thursday, November 20 from Noon till 6:00 pm, Friday, November 21 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm, or Saturday, November 22 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm for a taste of Nouveau.

Pinot Noir is a grape that must be grown in the right place. The “right places” in Sonoma County are the Russian River Valley and the Carneros district. Both regions are ideal for Pinot Noir because of cool growing conditions. Given the breadth of conditions in Sonoma County, Chateau St. Jean prefers the flavors in Pinot Noir where the backbone of the wine is predominately Carneros. They use fruit from the Russian River Valley to heighten the blend. Approximately 77% of the juice for this wine came from the Carneros region—mostly from the Benoist Ranch and Durell Vineyard. Grapes from every grower, every block and every clone are kept separate throughout the fermentation and aging process. After 9 months in barrel, each lot is assessed, different lots selected and blended, then the wine is bottled unfined. Youthful and inviting, this Pinot Noir is filled with pleasant aromas of cherry and plum as well as hints of cedar, leather and spice. The palate offers ripe fruit flavors and fine tannins that give a creamy texture and a long fruit-driven finish.

2006 Fleur de California Pinot Noir, $13.99

Fleur de California wines are made to be bright, fresh and approachable. They are vibrant, food friendly wines. Their Carneros Pinot Noir has an elegant style that completely charms. Its light ruby color sets the stage for aromas of ripe cherry and cranberry, with hints of white pepper and nutmeg. While dominated by fresh, fruity flavors, this wine is soft, supple and rich in the mouth. Its an affordable Pinot Noir that really tastes like Pinot Noir. Enjoy it served at cool room temperature, alongside an appetizer of pate & smoked salmon, with broiled Portobello Mushrooms with garlic, or as an aperitif. Needless to say, it’s also a great choice for your Thanksgiving table.

Sebastiani Pinot Noir, $16.99

The grapes for this wine came from Sebastiani’s estate vineyards in Carneros and select Sonoma Coast vineyards near Cotati and the Dutton Ranch in the Russian River Valley. The Sonoma Coast appellation is the largest and coolest in Sonoma County, perfectly suited for Pinot Noir with its gentle ocean breezes that preserve acidity and flavor. The 2006 vintage started off with moderately, wet weather in May. The summer was mild, and August was cool, with considerable fog, resulting in long hang time for the grapes and substantial flavor development. After initial fermentation, the wine was racked off into French and Hungarian oak barrels where it underwent malolactic and extended aging on the lees. The resulting wine has a beautiful medium to dark garnet color with dried cherry, strawberry compote, vanilla and mocha aromatics. The flavor is balanced between juicy, cherry like fruit and subtle toasted oak. This Pinot has finesse and finishes with lively acidity, firm tannins and well-integrated oak.

Very limited vintage wines for special occasions (or special people). These wines are perfect for celebrating milestone anniversaries, birthdays or other memorable moments.

Madeira and Port

1948 Blandy’s Madeira Bual, $295

1968 Blandy’s Madeira Bual, $149

1968 Quint do Noval Colheita Tawny Porto, $160

1969 Gossart Gordon Madeira Bual, $169

1976 Blandy’s Madeira Terrantez, $179

1977 Blandy’s Madeira Bual, $105

1985 Dows Porto, $79

Barolo Riserva

1978 Borgogno Barola Riserva, $139

1982 Borgogno Barolo Riserva, $119

1989 Borgogno Barolo Riserva, $135

1990 Borgogno Barolo Riserva, $125

Rare Vintage Champagne

Alain Robert 1986 Magnum, $305

Alain Robert 1988 Magnum ,$298

Bollinger Brut R.D. 1990 Magnum, $400

First up are two reds from Bodegas Aragonesas, the largest wine estate in Spain’s Campo de Borja region, where grapes have grown for over 800 years. The estate is favored with an unusually dry climate that guarantees a consistently excellent harvest. The vineyards are rocky, highly elevated, and ideally exposed to the sun, resulting in perfect ripeness and flavor. While they continue to plant new grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah to enhance their wine’s complexity, they use primarily old vine Garnacha. These Garnacha vineyards - some planted over 100 years ago - produce exceptionally low yields ensuring deep ruby color and rich, full-bodied flavors that are both soft and complex.

2005 Aragonesas, Campo de Borja Tinto, $7.99

A blend of 50 percent Garnacha from 40 year old vines, 20 percent Tempranillo from 25 year old vines, 20 percent Syrah and 10 percent Cabernet from 10 year old vines. It is a traditionally made wine with the juice macerating for 8 days on the skins to extract richness and flavor. Still, the tannins remain soft while the acidity is fresh and balanced. This lush wine offers up flavors of dark plum and cherry along with touches of chocolate and spice. Incredible value!

2006 Aragonesas,  Dom Ramón Oak Matured Red, $8.99

The two varieties in this blend of Garnacha (75 percent) and Tempranillo (25%) are vinified seperately, undergoing both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation before coming together. The wine then spends just three months in American Oak Casks more to gain complexity than extract flavor. The result is a medium bodied wine, well structured on the palate with good persistence of flavor. Ripe cherry flavors are backed by good acidity with hints of anise, herb and spice on the finish

Next up are a red and a white from Italy. The wine scene has been baraged by a legion of catchy labels, and while the trend started in Australia it has spread across the globe. With so many bottlings out there clamoring for attention you can’t blame a winery for looking to create a label that will set it apart from the crowd. It’s a marketing ploy that makes sense, but it only works once. If the wine in the bottle is not worthy, fancy graphics won’t be enough to to gain repeat customers. Fortunately the two wines that follow have more than just cute labels:

Il Bastardo Sangiovese di Toscana, $7.99

The IL Bastardo winery is located in the Rufina area of Tuscany just 20 kilometers outside of Florence in the Sieve River Valley, the area considered best for Sangiovese grapes after the “Classico” Region. Consulting winemaker, Paolo Masi macerates the skin in stainless steel for 10 days creating a brightly colored fruit forward wine. Pours a dark ruby red color and has an aromatic nose, with black berry and cherry aromas and flavors. On the palate it is medium bodied with good tannins and an overall Chianti like fruit finish. This 100 percentSangiovesewine  is a “junior” Chianti through and through, offered at an excellent price.

La Bastarda Bianco di Toscana, $7.99

The same winery produces this blend of 70 percent Trebbiano and 30 percent Chardonnay.  Winemaker Paolo Masi worked with the goal of getting just the right blend of acidity and fruit. Fermented entirely in stainless steel, after a controlled cold maceration on the skins, the wine is fresh, and clean with aromas of citrus, melons, and apple finishing. With its crisp finish it would work well as an aperitif or with light pastas, chicken and fish dishes. Both the red and this white are entitled to the IGT classification, noting quality from the region. They offer good value at a bargain basement price.

This time we’re spotlighting a trio of value priced wines. First up are a red and a white from a “new to us” producer that sources grapes from the western side of Argentina’s San Juan Valley.  Both come from the unique terroir of the Zonda Valley. Jelu is a partnership between Cellarworld Argentina and Bodegas Borbore, a completely modernized facility owned by the Berzenkovich family.  The name comes from the Huarpe Indian word for sun, and their Santa Sylvia vineyard has been recognized as a potentially world class site for wines. Located some 3000 feet above sea level the vineyard sits in the alluvial soil of an old river bed. Temperature variations of 50 degrees in one day are quite common in the summer months. Both factors contribute to the exceptional quality of their Malbec and Torrontes.  The 2007 Jelu Malbec, $9.99 offers intensely concentrated aromas of anise laced cherry and berry liqueur that segue nicely into richly textured flavors of dark plum, bittersweet chocolate and sweet vanilla. On the white side, Torrontes is Argentina’s answer to Chardonnay, a versitile variety that is that country’s most widely planted white wine grape. The 2008 Jelu Torrontes, $9.99 is cold fermented to preserve all the delicate floral aromas of peach and honeysuckle. It shows excellent balance on the palate with rich fruit flavors and just the right hit of acidity. Try it on its own or pair it with appetizers, fish or poultry.

Next up is one of our favorite red Rhône wines, the 2006 Jaboulet Parallele “45″ Rouge. Paul Jaboulet Aîné has been a trend-setting grower and shipper in the Rhône Valley since 1834. The company was founded by Antoine Jaboulet (1807-1864), and his twin sons, Paul and Henri (1846-1892) continued to expand the family business. The elder son (”aîné” in French), Paul, established the company in its present form and gave it his own name. Since then, the company has been run by successive generations of sons from that side of the Jaboulet family. The reputation of their wines rests on the quality of their well-situated and well-tended vineyards, on low yields, careful vinification, and diligent aging in oak casks. The Jaboulet family prefers carefully integrated oak aging, in which the influence of wood is never allowed to become excessive. Since this is an important point, they have their own cooper who makes and maintains their stock of barrels. Our featured wine is named for the 45th North parallel which runs two kilometers from the Jaboulet cellars. A blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, the 2006 harvest shows remarkable quality, due to careful leaf-thinning on the vines. The wine has a deep color, with elegant and expressive aromas of red fruits and spices. On the palate, the wine has a solid structure, ripe tannins and a spicy character. A great buy at $12.99, but an even better one at the $10.99 sale price!

2007 Joseph Drouhin Laforet Bourgogne Chardonnay, $11.99

Since 1880 Maison Joseph Drouhin has produced wines of breed, finesse and elegance. A balance of tradition and modern techniques characterizes their winemaking and vineyard management: on site nursery, plowing, leaf removal, 100% hand harvesting, open fermenters, fermenting and aging in oak. As a result of the quality of their vineyards and their expertise from years of experience, Maison Joseph Drouhin is uniquely placed to uphold the authentic Burgundian style. That style is evident even in their entry level wines. Laforêt Bourgogne Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay grapes, picked by hand, coming from all over Burgundy. It derives its bouquet and taste from various terroirs: its general character from Mâcon, its crisp structure from Chablis, its body from Rully, Chassagne and Puligny-Montrachet, and its overall complexity from the young vines of Joseph Drouhin’s own “Crus.” Year in and year out it is an outstanding value.

2006 Bodegas Almansenas La Huella de Adaras, $9.99

Importer Eric Soloman believes that Almansa is Spain’s greatest location for Garnacha Tintorea, more commonly known as Alicante Bouschet. Vine growing on the outskirts of Almasa probably dates from the 16th Century and has been carried out ever since. This D.O. located about 2000 feet above sea level, is the most easterly point of Castile La Mancha, covering some 18,000 acres spread among just 12 different Bodegas. “The 2006 La Huella de Adaras is a blend of 60 percent Garnacha Tintorera, 30 percent Monastrell, and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Purple-colored, it delivers aromas of spice box, black cherry, and blueberry. On the palate it is slightly lean and structured with just enough fruit for balance.” Wine Advocate, 89 points.

2006 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha, $8.99

The beautiful region of Calatayud is located about 150 miles northeast of Madrid, and is centered around the rivers of Jiloca and Jalon. One of the youngest regions to attain D.O. status in Spain (as late as 1989), Calatayud is comprised of some 20,000 acres of vines, most of which are planted to red varieties. Although the D.O. is quite young, vines have been grown in this zone for some time. About one eighth of the vineyard land’s producton has been bottled at one of Spain’s best and most progressive cooperatives, San Alejandro. With an abundance of amazing raw material, importer Eric Solomon was able to commission several bottlings of very old vine fruit. “The 2006 Las Rocas Garnacha is dark crimson-colored with an alluring nose of spice box, mineral, black cherry, and black raspberry. Smooth-textured, round, and with no hard edges, this tasty effort is designed for immediate gratification. This is one worth buying by the case.” Wine Advocate, 91 points.

Join us this Friday, October 24 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm or this Saturday, October 25 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm for a free taste of these three wines.

Although the Bogle family has been farming since the mid-1800s, it wasn’t until 1968 that the father and son team of Warren and Chris B0ogle planted their first 20 acres of wine grapes in Clarksburg, California. In this small farming community nestled along the Sacramento River, the Bogle family’s years of hard work developed into an impressive grape growing operation, as well as a nationally acclaimed winery. Today Bogle Vineyards farms over 1200 acres of wine grapes in the Delta region. While the winery was established ten years after the first grapes were planted, its success has grown tremendously. That success is firmly rooted in one thing: the day-to-day involvement of the Bogle family in a hands-on effort to produce and promote quality wines of great value. Their Petite Sirah offers luscious boysenberry aromas with touches of black pepper and herb. Jammy tones fill the mouth with ripe fruit and berries, while the voluptious finish lingers with toasty oak and lush fruit. Try it with rich meat dishes of lamb, portk or game.

2007 Bodegas Camante Vina Reboreda, $9.99 

Bodegas Campante was founded in 1940 and has been owned to the present day by the Méndez family.  José Luis Méndez and his daughters Ana and Laura head one of the most progressive and stable wine firms in Galicia. It’s the largest private bodega in Spain’s D.O. Ribeiro.  Campante has been instrumental in the region’s quality renaissance by encouraging the reintroduction of traditional varieties. The Vina Reboreda, a crisp, aromatic and versatile dry white wine, is a blend of 20% Treixadura, 20% Godello, 20% Torrontes and 40% Palomino provide regional character and structure. The textbook 2007 harvest ripened all varieties to perfection. “Bright lemon, yellow apple and jasmine aromas are deepened by anise and an exotic cardamom quality. Fleshy but dry, with punchy orchard and pit fruit flavors and an undercurrent of salty minerals. Tastes like a top-notch Sancerre but with more flesh. Finishes with dry, dusty mineral grip and sneaky length. I really like this style. ” Josh Reynolds

As always seating is limited, so call Café Vicino at 472-1463 for reservations.

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They founded Watermill Winery in 2005, with Rick Funk from Saviah Cellars on board to oversee winemaking. In 2007 the opened their facility in Milton-Freewater. Fruit for their wine is sourced from top vineyards throughout Washington State including their own Watermill Estate Vineyard. This week we are featuring their “Chances R” Red along with a great buy on their 2005 Viognier.

2005 Watermill Winery Viognier, Walla Walla Valley (reg $13.50) Sale Price, $7.99

With the release of their 2006 vintage, we scored a close-out deal on this wine. It’s an outstanding price for a gorgeous Viognier with a pretty, floral nose and flavors of stone fruit. Fermentation in neutral French oak barrels and time on the lees imparts a nice richness without overpowering the fruit. This wine is drinking beautifully now, but don’t take our word for it. Try a sample, then buy a few bottles before the staff grabs it all.

2005 Chances R Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $13.50

A wine that celebrates the risk takers and thrill seekers in all of us. This wine is about taking chances and experiencing life. It’s a delicious blend of Milbrandt Vineyard Merlot, McClellan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, McClellan Estate Cabernet Franc and Seven Hills Merlot. The 2005 release is a big wine, with a sweet plum taste to delight your senses. Enjoy with any meat dish and especially with your favorite BBQ.

The Spanish phrase La Yunta signifies a pair pulling together for a common cause. This unique partnership between an Argentine winemaker and an American enthusiast of fine wine is dedicated to bringing the best of Argentina to the world. The Torrontes grapes used in this wine come from the Famatina Valley in the province of La Rioja. Torrentes is the white wine variety most associated with Argentina. It is wonderful as an apertif or as an accompaniment to seafood and poultry dishes. Notably aromatic of green melon and white peach, it has a balanced citrus flavor with a touch of French oak and a crisp, lingering finish. Serve well chilled.

2007 Cono Sur Pinot Noir, $9.49

Founded in the “Southern Cone” of South America in 1993, this Chilean winery’s motto is: No family trees, no dusty bottles, just quality wine. They have definitely achieved the latter, combining top quality with exceptional value. Pinot Noir is not an easy grape to manage and most priced under ten bucks taste like cheap red wine, showing little of the character and charm that make this grape so popular. But the Cono Sur tastes like very good Pinot Noir with rich fruit notes of cherry, raspberry, plum and strawberry. It has excellent structure and balance with fine tannins and light notes of leather and smoked meat. If that sounds more like a $20 Pinot, then you get the idea. It’s been about four months since we first poured this wine at our weekend tasting, and the price has gone up 50 cents, but it is still the best priced Pinot on the planet.