AUSTRALIA-ARGENTINA-CHILE-NEW ZELAND:

2007 Brancott "Festival Block" Sauvignon Blanc Terroir Series $25.00*bottle. Wine Spectator: "Complex and intense, with a burst of oyster shell, grass, sea salt and peach flavors enlivened by fresh lime acidity. Lemon blossom and guava add interest, with a hint of fresh herb bitterness tingeing the finish. Drink now. 1,000 cases made." and Stephen Tanzer: "Bright, pale yellow. Slightly oily aromas of capsicum, lemon and minerals; this called to mind a very dry Savennieres. Then densely packed but a bit sharp, with a sweet/sour quality to the lemon and spice flavors and a faint suggestion of cat piss. Distinctly idiosyncratic wine with plenty of material."

2008 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough - $119.99 cs/12 ($9.99) - "Pale straw green in color with brilliant clarity, this 2008 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is zesty and aromatic with lots of lively fruit characters. A concentration of assertive passionfruit and tropical fruit flavors with an abundant bouquet, it is a wine that is always crisp, elegant and refreshing."  Wine Spectator 89pts."Bright and zingy, a lively mouthful of lime, lime peel, green apple and a whiff of herbs as the tart finish sails on and on. Drink now."  also Stephen Tanzer 88pts."Citrus skin, herbs, spices and a stony note on the nose. Firmly built and penetrating, with brisk flavors of lemon, minerals and stone. Finishes lively, firm and persistent. Very good value."

FRANCE:

2006 DRC Le Montrachet - Retail $2,500 - $5,600.00 OWC of 3 ($1,866.67) - Burghound 93-96pts. " In contrast to the hugely expressive 2005 version, the 2006 Montrachet is a good deal more discreet with almost shy white flower, citrus, mildly exotic fruit and subtle spice notes trimmed in just the right amount of wood leading to beautifully textured, pure, intense and focused big-bodied flavors wrapped around a firm acid spine and culminating in a wonderfully racy, dry and mineral-driven finish. This is much more of an elegant and sophisticated wine than the 2005 and while it's true that it doesn't possess the sheer amounts of dry extract and raw power, the 2006 is not without considerable appeal as well though I suspect that it will always be more of a Montrachet of finesse rather than muscle. We'll see as it develops because the '06s is actually more primary than it usually is at this time of year and thus it will clearly continue to evolve before it's bottled."

2006 DRC Le Romanee-Conti - Retail $3,500 - $9,000.00 OWC of 3 ($3,000.00) - Burghound 97pts. " Here too is a very reserved yet ultra classy and refined, indeed even ethereal nose that is quite simply kaleidoscopic in its breadth, combining red, blue and black fruits with spice, earth, minerality and a hint of underbrush that stands aside for the perfectly balanced, pure and stylish medium full flavors that are very firmly but not aggressively structured while delivering flat out unbelievable length yet all the while remaining completely understated in personality. As are all the very best vintages of RC, this is spherical with nothing out of place and this will age effortlessly for decades. The La Tâche is truly spectacular but there is simply another dimension of depth present here. A wine of sheer class and the epitome of the phrase 'power without weight'."

2005 Guigal Cote du Rhone Rouge - $159.99 cs/12($13.34) - Parker 89pts. "A blend of 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache, the 2005 Cotes du Rhone is a real head turner. Full-bodied, with a deep ruby/purple color and sweet notes of berry fruit, a hint of road tar, and some pepper, the wine is dense, chewy, ripe, and a surprisingly big mouthful of juicy, velvety-textured wine to drink over the next 3-4 years. The Rhone Valley’s most successful producer continues to ratchet up the level of quality of his Cotes du Rhone cuvees, of which he produces hundreds of thousands of cases. Both Marcel Guigal and his son Philippe realize how important quality is and demonstrate that commitment in these lower level wines. They just get better and better, which is incredibly admirable."

2004 Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape - Retail $50 - SALE $450.00 - Parker 88pts."The deep ruby/purple-tinged 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape offers expressive notes of kirsch liqueur, licorice, herbs, meats, and spice. This fleshy effort should drink nicely for 7-10 years. If readers can still find any, 2003 was a very strong vintage for Guigal, with the 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape meriting a solid 90 points. It is a slightly more tannic version than the 2004, with more meat, kirsch, and body. I also thought the 2003 Gigondas (89) was better than the 2004. You can’t go wrong with the 2003 Cotes du Rhone (88) as it offers loads of berry fruit. Guigal, who also owns fabulous vineyards in the Northern Rhone, is a superb blender when it comes to his Southern Rhones. He is turning out enormous quantities of high quality Cotes du Rhone reds, whites, and roses as well as fine Chateauneuf du Papes, Gigondas, and a terrific rose from Tavel."

2005 Le Corton Grand Cru Rouge Clos des Fietres - $450.00 cs/6($75.00) - Picard Michel  "Elegant complex bouquet of fresh red fruits with grey pepper aromas. Leather nuances appear with bottle age. Well structured and built, surprisingly supple in the mouth with very silky and slightly thin tannins."

2007 Macon Villages Faiviley - Retail $25 - SALE $195.00 cs/12($16.25) - "Pale, limpid yellow color, nose is fresh and open, with golden fruit scents. This wine is round and voluptuous in the mouth."

N.V. Pommery "POP" Extra Dry Champagne in 375mls. - Retail $39.99 - SALE $150.00 cs/6(25.00) - "When Pommery POP Champagne was introduced in 1999, it was only available in a small single-serving size. Connoisseurs were taken aback by the break with tradition, and especially the sight of people quaffing the high-class drink directly from the 187ml bottle or through a straw like a soda pop. But as POP caught on around the world with more and more style-conscious customers, other Champagne houses followed suit, offering small bottles of their wares. Now the Product Of Pommery (POP) is also sold in a full 750ml bottle, all the better to share with friends during the holiday season. The genuine AOC Champagne is a blend of 90 percent Chardonnay and 10 percent Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Even though the large cobalt blue bottle is marked “Extra Dry,” its yellow-hued contents are sweeter than a typical Brut. But that just makes it even more appropriate to POP open a bottle to ring in a sweet New Year."

2006 Puligny Montrachet Olivier Leflaive - Retail $69.99 - SALE $499.99 cs/12($41.75) - "A subtle touch of reduction knocks down the white flower and pear-infused nose at present though no such effect occurs for the delicious, sweet and intense flavors underpinned by an attractive touch of minerality on the stylish and persistent finish. A lovely villages and worth a look." Burghound.com 89pts.

2005 Vacqueyras Clos Montirius Saurel - $299.99 cs/12($24.99) - Parker 90-92pts. "A blockbuster effort, the 2005 Vacqueyras Confidentiel’s inky/purple color is followed by a wine with a mouth-staining feel, monster extraction, super-richness, sweet tannin, and good acidity. Despite its size, richness, full-bodied power, and impeccable balance, it requires 2-3 years of aging, and should keep for 10-15+ years." "This wine is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. The vines average 40 years of age, though some parcels date to 1925. The Montirius domaine is in the south of the Vacqueyras appellation and has been under the ownership of the Saurel family for 5 generations. In 1996, they fully converted the vineyard to biodynamic methods and released their first biodynamic wine in 1999. The vineyard suggests consuming this wine over the next 7-8 years. 14% alcohol."

ITALY:

2001 Barbera BRAIDA Bricco dell Uccellone - $699.99 cs/12(58.34) - Gambero Rosso 3 Glass Award and Parker 91pts. "seductive nose of spicy, grilled bread, infused with espresso, roasted meats, black cherries, and raspberries. Dense, full-bodied, luxurious texture, super intense, plush, to enjoy over next 8 yrs."

2005 Gaja Costa Russi - Sori Tilten - San Lorenzo - $495.00*bottle. Wine Spectator 96pts."There's fabulous fruit on the nose, which is very pure, with crushed blackberry and blueberry. Full-bodied, with superrefined tannins and a long, caressing finish. A very classy wine. This is so long and beautiful. Lasts for minutes on the palate. Best after 2014. 800 cases made." plus Stephen Tanzer 90-93pts. "Full ruby-red. Dark raspberry, minerals, rose petal and a whiff of tar on the nose, along with a chocolatey impression of ripeness. Dense, suave and youthfully closed, with the flavors of violet, minerals and chocolatey oak displaying increasing definition with aeration. Showing its oaky side today and tannic on the back end."

2007 Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio - Retail $29.99 - SALE $239.99 cs/12($19.99)

2005 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Masseto - $999.99cs/3($333.33). Wine Spectator 96pts."Smells like chocolate mousse, with crushed raspberry and hints of flowers. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a rich, fruity finish. This is powerful and structured Merlot, with layers and layers of everything. Needs time to come around. Best after 2014. 2,660 cases made."  Robert Parker 94pts."The 2005 Masseto (Merlot) is simply gorgeous. A wine of extraordinary class and personality, it remains very primary in its dark fruit, licorice, cassis and toasted oak. It offers notable concentration and well-integrated tannins, all of which convey an impression of awesome harmony, finesse and balance. The tricky growing season seems to have been less of an issue for the Merlot, particularly in the old-vine Masseto Centrale vineyard. The 2005 Masseto has been superb every time I have tasted it thus far. As is often the case, the wine requires at least a few years of bottle age before it becomes approachable. Anticipated

2001 Taurasi Piano di Montevergine Riserva – Retail $69.99*bottle. Parker 94pts."Off the charts! Dense wine exudes the essence of jammy blueberries, blackberries, tar and smoke. Still incredibly primary and loaded with fruit. It appears to be destined for a very long life. Tannins are well integrated and it has phenomenal balance to allow it to improve with more bottle aging (written 2/08). Maturity 2010-2026.                                

SPAIN-SOUTH AFRICA:

2001 Senorio de Cuzcurrita - Retail $49.99 - SALE $199.99 cs/6 ($33.34) - Parker 93pts."There is no doubting the 2001 Senorio de Cuzcurrita, also 100% Tempranillo, aged 12 months in French oak. Purple-colored, it offers a much more expressive nose of toast, spice, clove, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. Full-bodied, with layers of opulent blue and black fruits, it has beautiful integration of oak, alcohol, tannin, and acidity, all leading to a pure, 45-second finish. This splendid wine has enough baby fat to be enjoyed now and it should drink well for another 15-20 years."