2005 Fantinel Borgo Tesis, Cabernet Sauvignon, Friuli Grave, Italy 12.99/139.00
With their overwhelming emphasis on power, extraction and flavor authority, few Cabernet Sauvignon wines showcase the noble grape’s elegant, food-friendly side. Northeastern Italy’s Friuli region has a long and successful history with Bordeaux varietals, and is thankfully still fashioning wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc that show depth and character while still retaining a sense of grace, deftness and transparency. Casting a beautiful purple-ruby robe, Fantinel’s Borgo Tesis Cabernet opens with old-school aromas of cedar, cassis, tobacco and stony soil. On the palate, the wine’s transparent kernel of red currant and red plum fruit is accented by complex notes of cigar tobacco, menthol and a subtle hint of underbrush. The Borgo Tesis finishes long and elegant, with its gravelly terroir playing in harmony with its red fruit purity and complex leafy undercurrents. This is honest, soil-driven Cabernet Sauvignon that will bring a flutter to the hearts of Cab lovers who relish the varietal’s natural, elegant and food-versatile side. Enjoy this now and over the coming five years with roasts of beef, lamb, pork and duck, as well as mild cheeses.

2007 Domaine de la Pepière, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie, Loire Valley, France 11.99/128.00
Marc Ollivier, the affable, hard-working genius behind the Domaine de la Pepière, has crafted the greatest Muscadet value in years. We have been strong proponents of Muscadet for many years, and each year we eagerly await the releases of all the Domaine de la Pepière’s wines. Ollivier is something of an anachronism in the modern, machine-driven region of Muscadet. He uses only natural yeasts, harvests by hand, bottles without filtration and uses only heirloom cuttings of the Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet) grape. 2007 is showing itself as a splendid, classically chiseled Muscadet vintage, and this newly released selection is an amazing display of balance between ripeness and searing acidity. The limpid, green-inflected pale straw color and bouquet of crushed stones and melon is the prelude to a crunchy palate of gooseberries, lemons, limes and assorted minerals. The finish sports eye-wincing acidity, which counters perfectly the Muscadet’s green melon and citrus fruit. Pair with fresh oysters, pan-roasted shellfish dishes, baked halibut, clams, mussels and seafood stews.

2007 Château Soucherie, Anjou Blanc, Loire Valley, France 15.99/171.00
Chateau Soucherie produces some of the finest wines in Anjou. Their Savennières Clos des Perrières is hors classé, and their range of sweet Côteaux du Layons are exemplary. At the affordable end of their portfolio is this impressive Chenin Blanc, grown on the mineral-rich schist soils that lends its perfume to the Anjou. Pale straw-gold in color, the Soucherie Anjou blanc casts aromas of pears, crisp apples, quince and minerals. Crisp on the attack yet waxy and resinous mid-palate, Soucherie’s Anjou blanc alternates waves of citrus acidity, wet minerals, and pear, apple and lemon fruit. Bright, focused and showing more energy than Enron ever controlled, this is both a superb introduction to dry Chenin Blanc in the Anjou style and a lovely cellar saver for those who wish to keep their hands off their young Savennières. Enjoy now and over the coming decade with freshwater fishes in a beurre blanc sauce, poached halibut, blanquette de veau, and other richly sauced preparations in need of acidic cut.

2007 Altara, Viña de la Tierra de Extremadura, Spain 8.99/96.00
The Extremadura is in central-western Spain bordering Portugal. This is warm, arid country, which makes this lovely, refreshing low alcohol blanco so interesting and compelling. The grapes are Montúa 60%, Cayetana Blanca 30% and Pardina 10% – all indigenous to the region – and all contributing to the splendidly refreshing nature of this beauty. Straw-gold with brilliant lime-green accents, the Altara opens with notes of hay, almonds and muskmelon. Crisp and zippy on the attack, the Altara balances bright, citric acidity with a juicy melon fruit expression, notes of dusty, arid soil and hints of lime zest, kiwi and honeydew. Simply refreshing and delicious way beyond its ridiculously low price tag, this is a gorgeous wine to finish the dog days of summer and take us into autumn. Enjoy now, well-chilled, by itself or as a complement to trout, halibut, octopus, squid, clams, paella, and seasonal vegetable preparations.