I am just kidding.  I take wine VERY seriously, and I would absolutely NEVER make such a slight against this lovely bottle of French wine.  It’s proper name is Chateau Haut-La Pereyre, 2007 Bordeaux Superieur. 

Okay, true confession… I just spent a good five minutes Googling how to properly pronounce the name of this winery, but get this- they have no website (that I can find) and basically I have such a short attention span and get so intensely irritated when something cannot be Googled and resolved within five minutes, that I have elected to stop searching.  French has always been difficult for me- maybe it’s because I studied Spanish and my brain automatically wants to apply Spanish rules to French, which ultimately leads to disaster and embarressment.  Spanish makes sense to me- French does not.  Whenever I try to say something properly, I always feel like I’m saying it wrong and people will laugh at me.  So here’s my best guess- I know “Haut” is “oat,” and “Pereyre” is maybe something like “Pear-yay.”   There you go.  Now I feel stupid. 

French wine makes sense, though- which leads me back to my original point- we’re going to call this one Chateau blahblahblah for now, so that we can discuss how utterly fantastic this wine is, and not have to worry about how to pronounce it!  Okay??  Okay. 

Alright, let’s get started, shall we?!  This wine is ABSURDLY good!  You may remember from one of my last posts about French wines, when I was obsessing about the Domaine Lalaurie Marselan- that when I find a French wine that I like, I do tend to- well, like I just said- obsess.  Truly, it doesn’t happen that often, as most French wines I’ve been blown away by have also been very expensive and being paid for by someone other than me.  And in order for me to get into full-on obsession mode, it HAS to be reasonably priced.  Because how exciting can a wine be if you can’t afford to drink it??  Exactly.

Moving on.  So many beautiful aromatics on this wine’s nose!  Vanilla, cloves, cinnamon and black fruits are very densely accummulated in the glass.  The palate gives you a very distinct punch of graphite, minerality, thyme, and meatiness.  Everything is so seamlessly interwoven and nicely concentrated.  It’s only 13% alcohol, which means it’s a perfect wine to sip on for the duration of the evening.  Ever try to drink Zinfandel all night?  not pretty.  Trust me.  This wine, you can really invite in for the night.  Sit down on the couch with it, in front of the fire.  Now I’m really starting to sound like a single person, I suppose.  It would be tragic if this wine really wasn’t a better companion than most of the single male population of the Columbia area.  (I kid, I kid). 

Alright, alright… I was absent for two weeks.  In my defense, my computer is having issues, but by sheer determination, I will bring you today’s post because it’s just that important!  It’s THANKSGIVING next week!  And that means Thanksgiving wine packs!  We at Cellar on Greene have prepared not one, not two, but THREE different four-packs of wine for you to choose from!  So without further delay, I present Thanksgiving Pack #1- “The Beginner”! Here they are looking all artsy because I have a cool new photo app…

“The Beginner” includes Conde de Subirats Cava Rose- NV Spain, St. Michael Riesling- 09 Germany, Chime Pinot Noir- 2009 California, and the L’Oca Ciuca “The Drunken Goose” Sangiovese-Merlot-Syrah blend- 2006 Italy. All four of these wines have been IMMENSELY popular in the last few weeks at Cellar.  I’m a huge, massive fan of the Subirats Cava Rose- its pleasantly dry and thirst quenching, but with nice amounts of juicy red fruits- strawberry, raspberry and a lean tight finish.  Fantastic stuff.  The St. Michael Riesling from Germany is a light, racy little Riesling with just the right amount of sweetness and great acidity.  We sold tons of this stuff at last week’s wine sale!  Chime Pinot Noir is nice and delicate smooth, with just the right combination of fruit and light earth.  And many of you will fondly remember the Drunken Goose Sangiovese blend!  We’ve sold cases and cases of this wine in the last several months, and it’s literally the perfect Italian “house” red!  It’s more new world in style, compared to the dry, dusty, tannic Italian reds that many of you distastefully remember.  It’s incredibly smooth and palatable.  An interesting blend of Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah that really overdelivers for it’s pricetag.  Speaking of pricetags!  This Beginner pack will only run you $38! That’s less than $10 a bottle!  This pack is perfect for bringing to a gathering of family members when you can’t break the bank, and want to bring something a lot cooler than green bean casserole!!

Next, the middle child- “The Wine Lover!”

This one could be my favorite.  It includes Domaine Carneros by Taittinger Brut- 2006 California, Loosen Brothers “Dr. L” Riesling- 2009 Germany, J Pinot Noir- 2007 Russian River Valley, and the Gilles-Robin “Cuvee Papillon” Rhone blend- 2009 France. I’m not sure you could pick four cooler wines to package together!  They’re like the boys from Entourage!  You probably won’t find a better vintage Cali sparkler than this one!  We normally sell it for $24 a bottle, so when you hear the final price on this four-pack, it’ll be a guaranteed shocker.  It’s fresh, with light toasty-yeasty notes and pleasant hints of cherry and lemon, PLUS it got a cool 91 points from Wine Spectator!  The Loosen Brothers “Dr. L” is definitely a customer and staff favorite I really don’t think you can do better than this.  It’s acidity is perfection and it’s fruit content is divine.  Beautiful pear, honeydew melon and peach fuzz.  Sunny and warm like a spring day!  This will be a mah-velous palate cleanser on Thanksgiving!  The acid content will help you recover from almost any rich dish you’re been indulging in.  Likewise, the J Pinot Noir has been immensely popular the last few weeks at Cellar.  Why?  Well, number one it’s good, and number two- we’ve been selling it for $22 a bottle which compared to the average retail/online price of $28-$30 is frigid’ rad!  It’s a gorgeous, sunny, plush, round, fruit-forward expression of the Russian River Valley!  Perfect for any Pinot-lover.  And last but not least, a delicious little Syrah that can be summed up with two words: WHITE. PEPPER!  White pepper, white pepper.  Well, okay- there are also some lovely aromas of violets, plums, prunes and olives.  This is a lighter, springier Rhone red- meant to be drunk young, and perfect with food.  So, you ask- what is the cost for this lovely four pack of perfection?!  Individually these would cost you $24, $13, $22 and $24 respectively, for a grand total of $82.  But, just for you- you can have ’em for $68! That’s a little more than 15% less!  I’m not the most excellent with calculations, so that is the closest I can get.

And last but certainly not least is Pack #3- “The Connoisseur!” This one is not for the faint of heart.

These are some seriously good wines!  And although they’re a bit pricier, you’re still going to be getting a MASSIVE savings of about 25% when you purchase this four-pack!  It includes Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve- NV Champagne, Chehalem Reserve Pinot Gris- 2007 Willamette Valley, Penner-Ash Pinot Noir- 2008 Willamette Valley, and Peter Lehmann “Stonewell” Shiraz- 2004 Barossa Valley Australia.  For anyone unfamiliar with the wonder that is Billecart Salmon- these bubbly’s are some of the best out there.  Their Brut Rose is literally to die for (but it will cost you an arm and a leg, as will their Blanc de Blanc).  The Brut Reserve, on the other hand, is a surprisingly affordable model!  A developed, rich nose of butter and cream, followed by a crisp, crunchy palate with an ultra-fine mousse and notes of white currant, lemon and apple.  French fizz simply don’t get much more delicious than this!  The Chehalem Reserve Pinot Gris is a simply gorgeous Alsatian style wine, and only 700 cases were produced!  This is smooth, polished Pinot Gris with a round, full mouthfeel and hints of lemon, ginger and pear.  It certainly will not disappoint.  Penner-Ash Pinot Noir, 2008 is brand new to SC!  I believe this is the first year, in fact, that they have been available here.  Several of my regulars have been blown away by this wine.  It has a slew of fantastic ratings- 91 Parker, 91 Wine Spectator, and 90 Stephen Tanzer.  Firm and lively, it literally glows with cherry, rose petal, incense, black raspberry, and vanilla.  Long, expressive, layered and exquisite!  And finally, the Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz- or as I like to call it “Mr. T.”  This wine pities the fool that cannot handle its immense intensity, masculinity and density.  A dark palate of chocolate, dark plum, licorice and mint.  This one’s a classic, and many consider the 2004 vintage to be the best in a decade.  It may require smoking a cigar post-drinking so that you can recover.  A perfect ending to the evening.  Now, get this- you can go ahead and google all these wines to see if we’re *really* offering good prices, but I know you won’t be able to beat ’em.  Individually these would cost you about $165- but when you buy the four pack from us- $120!

Here’s an important thing– we *cannot* guarantee walk-in orders on these, especially The Connoisseur pack, because we have limited quantities.  Our E-Wine Club members get priority!  What, you’re not on our e-list??  Well then you’re missing out, and we must change that.  Email us at cellarongreene@gmail.com and just ask to be added, and it’ll be a done deal.  The reason we prefer to do this is, well, it’s easier to keep track of all the different wines we have and what we’re selling- but also it WAY easier for you!  Just email us your order, and as long as you have a credit card on file with us, your wines can be ready in less than 24 hours!  You don’t even have to park your car in our pain in the ass parking lot!  Just pull up by the door- run in- we’ll pull your box- and you’ll be on the way home in no time.  I’m not trying to sound like a salesperson here, but it’s pretty easy and awesome.  So try it!  For many of our regulars, it’s the only way they buy wine and they swear by it.  Happy almost Thanksgiving, and I hope you can enjoy one (or two or three) of these wine packs!

In closing, my wine-blogging assistant wishes you a restful, stress-free holiday season:

I said to myself- “Self?  What should I write about this week?”  How about the most underappreciated wine on our list, my Self answered.  Why yes, I replied.  That sounds good.

This wine has quietly been on our by the glass list for several months, and also hung out at all the wine sales, selling for a mere $9 a bottle- and yet, has gone unnoticed.  Why?  I wondered.  Because it’s from South Africa?  Because it’s so inexpensive that you think it couldn’t possibly be very good?  Because it’s Chenin Blanc and maybe you haven’t heard of Chenin Blanc?  Because the bottle design isn’t the greatest?  (Really, I love this wine, but the label makes it look like it belongs on a cruise ship).  All these forces combine against poor Royal.  It’s also been one of those wines that I periodically forget about- and then I revisit it and remember how awesome it is.

This wine is so vibrant, it’s aromas pretty much fly out of the glass- tropical fruits like pineapple, ruby red grapefruit, lime zest, guava, gooseberries (what is a gooseberry?  kind of like a fuzzy, tart little grape- see below), and a crisp, tangy finish with notes of green apple and honeysuckle.  Fresh, lean, crisp, breezy and charming!  It hints more towards the French Vouvray style of Chenin Blanc than anything else, meaning that it is not over-the-top with it’s fruit characteristic, instead just offering them up gracefully.  You really can’t go wrong with this wine- it’s an amazing value and a perfect end-of-summer sipper that will go nicely with a porch swing and a sunset.  Or a backyard and the smell of cut grass.  Or a dusty parking lot while that September sun beats down as you prepare to watch some Carolina football.  Okay, that was the last comparison- although I could very well go on!

a gooseberry

Suffice to say, you should grab a bottle or two of this before Summer is completely gone!  I’m gonna keep it short for this Friday morning, but stop in to Cellar any time for a quick taste to confirm everything I’ve just said, and then off you go!

Whatever, y’all- I don’t speak French.

I don’t write about French wine all that often.  Not because I don’t like it- in fact, I love it.  It’s just that when I truly LOVE a French wine, it is usually very- you guessed it- expensive!  Of course I could write a blog about amazing wines that I’ve been fortunate enough to try (usually at trade shows or on someone else’s dime) that you, dear average reader with student loan payments, probably cannot afford- but where’s the fun in that?  So that’s why it’s so exciting to me when I find great French wine that is reasonably priced!  So this week I bring you not one but TWO French reds that have colored me truly impressed!

First is the Domaine LaLaurie Marselan, 2007 Vin de Pays.  What on earth, you ask is MARSELAN?  This is the exciting part- Marselan is a true wine baby!  Not just a pretend baby that I like to imagine.  Marselan is a cross between Cabernet and Grenache!  How do they do it?  How do they make wine babies?  I’ve been told that you can literally “marry” grape vines- that is, they’ll grow together somehow… oh, I don’t know- someone told me that and I don’t really get how it works, but that person knew what they were talking about.  But was Marselan more of a test tube baby?  Created in a labratory?  Or did they just leave the Cabernet and Grenache together in a room with a disc full of Lionel Ritchie and lots of candles?  Who knows.

In any case, they did sumpin’ right with this one, because I LOVE this wine!  It has a nice bold nose of cigars, coffee, tobacco, vanilla, cloves, plums and a nice light oak.  It has a pretty finesse, along with that awesome acidic “grip” that I love in a wine.  I don’t know how else to describe it, but I love when a wine really grips the inside of your mouth <insert “that’s what she said” quote here>.

I could sip this one all evening, or enjoy it with food.  It’s pretty versatile- it would stand up to a a steak- maybe a grilled one with a spicy espresso-rub?  That would be nice.  Fall/Winter fare would be great too- roasted root veggies or roasted meats.  Perfect.  Speaking of Fall/Winter fare- IT’S SEPTEMBER!!!  We’re almost there!  The Summer is drawing to a close!  Woohoooooooo!  That might be a little too much enthusiasm for 9:00am on a Wednesday morning, but I guess that ‘s what happens when you taste wine before breakfast.  Oops!!

Okay, I’m getting a little wordy, so let’s move on to Frenchie number two!  Chateau le Breuil Renaissance, 2007 Medoc (which is in the Bordeaux region).  So yes, this is a Bordeaux blend.  This particular one is comprised of 60% Merlot and 40% Cab.  From my experience with our customers, people really WANT to like Bordeaux, they think they SHOULD like Bordeaux… but a lot of times they don’t.  And they feel guilty about it, like maybe they’re missing some crucial element of wine-enjoyment.  After all, wines from Bordeaux are some of the most expensive and sought after wines in the world, right?  So if you fall into that category, have no fear- I believe you will like this one.  It’s friendly, gentle, and pleasant.  Notes of leafy cedar, light stone fruit (ie cherries), a hint of something minty- maybe spearmint, and nice earth.  Despite it’s fairly earthy-crunchy exterior, this wine sips beautifully and has a very smooth, polished finish.

Okay, I’m going to show off my new iPhone app for a minute:  here are the wines, looking sophisticated and edgy:

The Domaie Lalaurie retails for $13, while the Breuil Renaissance comes in at $16. Currently Lalaurie is being poured by the glass, and come tomorrow (Thursday the 2nd) so will the Renaissance!  So that means you can stop by Cellar and ask for a taste any old time you want!  Can’t beat that!  Thanks for reading, happy drinking and HAPPY (almost) FALL!