Notes from the Cellar... Join us Aug. 8&9 from 3-6  as we sample some new French selections in each color – red, white and rosé. ’13 Chinon ‘Messanges Rosé’, Domaine de Pallus, Loire Valley, France -Made from 100% organically farmed Cabernet Franc in the Chinon appellation. The wine shows wonderful tangy, tart fruit elements, balanced with mineral and stone fruit tones. The finish is clean and crisp with subtle fruit flavor and crisp acidity. Truly a wine for all occasions – sip on its own or pair with grilled fish, raw fish and shellfish, or soft, pungent cheeses. $14.99 ’12 Saint-Veran ‘En Messie', Domaine Daniel Pollier, Burgundy, France – Saint Veran can produce some of the most stunning Chardonnay in Burgundy’s southern Mâconnais region, often overshadowed by the more well- known neighboring Pouilly-Fuissé appellation. This offering displays a subtle nose of nuts, dried fruit, with hints of pineapple and melon. The palate is lively and fresh, with good acidity and medium richness. Pair this wine with sweet shellfish such as lobster, shrimp, or crab. $15.99 ’07 Haut-Médoc, Château Larose-Trintaudon, Bordeaux, France – 60% Cabernet Sauvignon/40% Merlot. In the gravelly soils of Bordeaux’s Médoc region, 2007 was considered a very ripe year with low yields and many wines approaching early maturity. Here we have a spicy nose of black pepper and menthol framed by black currant and blackberry fruit. It is a homogenous wine showing roundness on the palate with ripe fruit and tannic structure. Try this wine with lamb shanks or a marinated flank steak. $18.99

Cheers!