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The Entertainer

Three bottles of Reserve wines - $75

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Six bottles of Reserve wines -$145.00

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Miner Viognier Simpson Vineyard 2007, California

Beautifully complex and aromatic, with citrus and honeysuckle notes on the nose and a plush feel on the palate, the Miner Viognier consistently displays a fine balance of natural acidity and intense concentration. Sourced from John Simpson's low-yielding vineyards in Madera, this lovely food wine was whole cluster pressed and stainless steel fermented to allow the vibrant, tropical and stone fruit characteristics of this varietal to shine. The full body, low acidity, and exuberant fruit of Viognier begs for herbed poultry and pork dishes, while delicately complementing seafood, cheese, and lighter fare.

Château la Bienfaisance St. Emilion Grand Cru 2005, Bordeaux

A stunning effort from this property in St.-Christophe des Bardes, this 25-acre vineyard is planted with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Made in a flamboyant style for the vintage, it reveals a dense purple color along with an expressive, ostentatious nose of sweet cherry liqueur intermixed with creme de cassis, toast, spring flowers, incense, melted licorice, and chocolate. Full-bodied with high but sweet, velvety tannins, it is already approachable, but promises to develop more nuances over the next decade. It should last for 20+ years. Kudos to the proprietor and his wine consultant, Stephane Derenoncourt. 92 points, Wine Advocate

Convento Ribera del Duero 2005, Spain

The winery is located near the town of Peñafiel, and its name Oreja (ear) comes from the fact that Convento is located on a bend in the Duero river. This exagerated bend/oxbow is referred to as an oreja or ear shaped. Owner Antonio Vaquero lives and works in Madrid, but hails from Peñafiel, where he has been managing family vineyards. Recently, Antonio and a small group of associates decided to build their own winery, hence Convento de Oreja. Convento de Oreja does not own winemaking facilities, but supervises the vinification in the super modern facilities of Bodegas Resalte in Peñafiel. The vines are 10-15 years old except for a small plot of 40 year old vines. The wines of Convento de Oreja are all 100% Tempranillo. “This plush red offers ripe flavors of cassis and blackberry, with accents of coffee and spice. The tannins are firm yet fresh. Mineral and sanguine notes add depth. Drink now through 2015.” - Wine Spectator (Sept 2008), 90 pts