Godello
Finca Os Cobatos ~ Monterrei-Galicia, Spain 2009
 Once sold mainly for bulk production, wines from Galicia are catching up to other regions in Spain. With multiple single estates springing up, there are many fantastic wines coming out of this north-western area bordering Portugal. Most people are already familiar with Albariño from Rias Baix, but there are several other DO's that are becoming more available such as Ribiero, Ribeira Sacra, Valdeorras, and Monterrei. Godello (go-day-oh, aka Verdelho) is a grape with the widest planting in Monterrei where it yields crisp white wine of good character. If you like dry flavorful whites, this Finca Os Cobatos is one to try. The Mendez Family has been making Os Cobatos on their Tapias Vineyard since 2006. Planted in the early '80s, this 10 hectare vineyard is one of the oldest in Monterrei - you can expect plenty of old-vine and terroir nuance.
Flavor Profile: Medium-bodied, dry. Pale straw color and aromas of stone fruit. Eight hour cold-maceration and stainless steel fermentation offers a palate loaded with bright lemon zest, pineapple and clear tropical fruit. The oak-free finish is clean, long and crisp with mineral notes. Pair with white fish, raw shellfish, cream sauces, avocado, chorizo, and rice dishes.
$13.99/Btl. $142.68/Case with Discount
Sparkling
J Vineyards ~Cuvée 20 Brut~ Russian River Valley, CA NV
 Judy Jordan could have stayed on at her family's renowned Jordan Winery, but in 1986 she decided to start her own winery specializing in sparklers as well as a few single varietals. J Vineyards & Winery owns 274 acres of sustainable vineyards situated on the hillsides and valley floor of Russian River in northern Sonoma. Her traditional champenoise grapes are grown in cool, coastal micro-climates on eight vineyards of diverse soils. With a large, sustainable, sparkling wine facility purchased in 1996 from Piper-Sonoma (just outside of Headlsburg), J is now able to produce four cuvées of Brut sparklers. As an alternative to their pricier J Vintage Brut, Judy and her winemaker decided to make a non-vintage blend at a more moderate price. The final blend in Cuvée 20 is 49% Chardonnay, 49% Pinot Noir and 2% Pinot Meunier.
Flavor Profile: Medium-bodied, quite dry. J starts with lemon peel, honeysuckle and light yeast aromas. The opening flavors are a mix of Fuji apple and grapefruit followed by toast, caramel and almond flavors on the mid-palate. Balanced citrus leads to a crisp yet lush finish. Pair with oysters, caviar, shrimp cocktail, eggs dishes, spicy Asian food, and popcorn.
$24.99/Btl. $254.88/Case with Discount
Bordeaux Superieur
Chateau Biré ~ Bordeaux, France 2008
 From the most expensive First Growths to the cheapest regional wine, Bordeaux cranks out about 700 million bottles per year. Only a very small percentage of this output is top growth, the rest of the vino (equal to the capacity of 200 Olympic size pools) is meant to be consumed daily without much consideration. As buyers, our job is to pick the best wines from a massive selection while eschewing mass-production brands - of which one sells 170,000 cases per year in America. Hence, we insist on choosing limited production wines no matter what price range. Chateau Biré makes 5,800 cases from 25 year-old vines grown on 10 hectares of lieu dit (high quality yet unclassified) vineyards named Le bout de l'Ile. This is a serious wine that tastes much more expensive than its price. The blend is 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc.
Flavor Profile: Full medium-bodied, dry. Deep garnet-red colour with a nose of red fruit, spice and a bit of red licorice. The palate shows red-berry compote with hints of leather, chunky tannins and nicely integrated oak. Pair with steaks, pheasant, duck, hard cheeses like aged Gouda or Cheddar.
$14.99/Btl. $152.90/Case with Discount
Rioja
Zuazo Gaston ~Reserva~ Spain, 2001
 Bodegas Zuazo Gaston is a family winery led by Prudencio Zuazo Gaston. On 50 family-owned hectares of calcereous clay soil (at an elevation of 1500 feet), he cultivates only red vines for his elegant Rioja. SIP carried the Zuazo Gaston Tinto Joven (young wine) for several vintages, but when we tasted this decade-old Reserva we knew we had a gem on our hands. Made with 100% Tempranillo from 30 year-old average wines, the long macerated juice goes on to spend 18 months in new 225 liter French barrels and an additional 18 months in the bottle before release. Made at state-of-the-art facilities in the small village of Oyón (Rioja Alava), Zuazo Gaston's total production for five wines is only 200,000 bottles.
Flavor Profile: Medium-bodied, dry. Ruby red in color with vanilla and aged balsamic on the nose. The meaty palate expresses savory raspberry and cherries punctuated by a little spice and tobacco. The lush finish is a deft balance of ripe fruit, acidity and fine tannin. Pair with a nice steak, leg of lamb, and earthy vegetable dishes.
$19.99/Btl. $203.88 with Case Discount
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You might wonder how vines ended up in Uruguay. In the 19th century, grapes were brought by Basque settlers from the Pyrenees; this line of wine is named after Don Pascual Harriague who first introduced Tannat to Uruguay. Since then, grapes have flourished in this small country situated just under Brazil in the south, on the same latitude as Buenos Aires in Argentina (a few miles west), and 800 miles east of Santiago, Chile. Here, the heat coaxes this usually tough and tannic grape into yielding softer lusher wine that can be consumed much sooner than French Tannat. Originally founded in 1755 in the maritime climate of Juanico, Establecimiento Juanico was later purchased in 1979 by the Deicas family who brought this 600 acre winery into the 20th century. We've had other Uruguayan wines in the store, but some of them were a little rough around the edges with high alcohol, super-concentrated fruit, and poorly managed oak. Don Pascual Tannat, nevertheless, is a high-end, all handmade line of wine crafted with international standards in mind.