Going Deep

Today’s Friday List is deeper than what we usually offer, and it’s going to make my life easier! First up, whenever we have Rayas on deck, I have that sense of dread of who I must share the bad news with that we won’t be able to fill their order. Today’s not that day since we have a lot of Rayas – from the entry level Côtes du Rhône to the Reserve Châteauneuf du Pape.  Critics, collectors, and drinkers agree: Rayas has emerged as the MVP of CDP.. While credit for the rise of Rayas is often attributed to Jacques Reynaud (and it’s hard not to love the wines that he crafted), we think the Château is in its brilliant era with his nephew Emmanuel at the helm.

Second in our line-up of all stars today is Aubert’s highly rated Pinots and Chardonnays. Mark Aubert started off his illustrious career working for Helen Turley at Peter Michael, which ultimately led to stops at other cult producers like Bryant, Colgin, Futo and Sloan.  Together with his wife and co-proprietor Teresa and formerly the late, great vineyard manager Ulises Valdez (the UV of the UV vineyard), he has stewarded consistently outstanding Pinot and Chardonnay from Napa and Sonoma’s best vineyards, with each bottling uniquely reflective of its namesake property. We are lucky to have a deep selection ready for current drinking or further cellaring.

We close with an exceptional assortment of highly rated 2009 Bordeaux. From classifieds like Duhart-Milon, Montrose, Palmer, and Pontet Canet to classics you should not miss like Pape-Clement, Smith-Haut-Lafitte, or Domaine de Chevalier, there is a lot to love here.  And for Burgundy lovers, there is a slew of terrific values here, spanning a wide assortment of producers we rarely offer – so snap these up before they disappear.