Anton Bauer Gruner Veltliner Gmork 2011 – $11.99

(100% Gruner Veltliner; Wagram, Austria)

The pantheon of our top wines includes Austria’s Grüner Veltliner. We love to talk about it, we love to sell it, and we love to drink it. This universal white wine matches with everything from asparagus, to salads, to curry, to Asian noodles, to roast chicken. Tony’s dry, delicious, and gluggable Gruner is a fusion of citrus and stone fruit, with a whisper of white pepper. Don’t fear the ümlaut: Austrians speak German, but make dry wines.

Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc 2010 – $14.99

(100% Chenin Blanc; Stellenbosch, South Africa)

“This individual new-wave Chenin was made from low-crop Stellenbosch & Swartland grapes. Eighty one percent of the wine was tank fermented while the remaining nineteen percent underwent natural fermentation in barrel. The wines were matured for five months in a combination of new Hungarian, French and some American oak and used French oak barrels. The wine was then slightly sweetened with Chenin Blanc Noble Late harvest, fined, sterile filtered and bottled.”  - The winery

Chateau d'Oupia "Les Heretiques" Vin de Pays de l'Herault Rouge 2010 - $10.99

(Carignan, Syrah, Grenache; Minervois, France)

Chateau Oupia is located in the appellation of Minervois in the northern hills of the Languedoc above the walled city of Carcassonne. The "Les Heretiques" is their little "bistro" wine. Here's John Rimmerman of Garagiste.com on the 2008: "This wine is a ridiculous value and it’s drinking well now. If you veer toward the elegance of the old-world – elements of earth, underbrush, tobacco and a touch of deep black fruit mixed with tanned hide, this wine could be one of the top buys of the year. It’s lovely texture is an alluring attribute indeed - somewhat of a cross between the South and Vosne-Romanee with sneaky tannins that give more than enough structure. Naturally grown and vinified (I believe it’s 100% organic), I’m not sure there are many values of terroir as sound as this."

Bielsa Garnacha Vinas Viejas 2009 – $11.99

(Garnacha aka Grenache; Campo de Borja)

“Lurid red. Sexy red and dark berries and cherry on the nose, with a hint of anise coming up with air. Deep, chewy and weighty but surprisingly fresh, offering black raspberry flavors and mounting spiciness. Delivers a load of sweet dark fruit for the money and finishes with lingering spiciness and good clarity and grip.” – Stephen Tanzer

Alain Jaume Vacqueyras Grand Garrigue 2009 – $21.99

(60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault; Rhone, France)

"The 2009 Alain Jaume Vacqueyras Grande Garrigue is much more backward, displaying a denser blue/purple color, thicker, richer blue and black fruits, and hints of kirsch, lavender, and garrigue. Still grapy and unformed, but loaded with potential given its depth of concentration and richness, it will benefit from another 2-3 months of bottle age, and keep for 5-8 years." - Wine Advocate