Terravecchia Làmia Primitivo Puglia 2007

Auratus Feital

Melville Pinot Noir 2008

Dashe Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006

Casteller Cava

Saint Cosme Gigondas 2008

Saint Cosme Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 (pre-sell only!)

Humus Among Us: Autumn Leaves, Fruit, Roots, and Flowers and the Adventure of Bio-dynamic wine

Thyme, lavender, clove, tart cherry, gripping tannins. Cool, breezy and limpid. A fitting tribute to the Celtic hunt goddess, whose likeness graces the label. It has the ineffable, impossible to account for, realness. I know all wines are "made" in some way, but this wine feels more realer. And it's a sense you rarely find in "cheap" (<$20) wines. Certified biodynamic as of the 2009 vintage, meaning a tremendous amount of attention was paid to the lunar influence on roots, leaves, fruit and flowers in the vineyard and the winery. The grapes underwent a long, unhurried maceration in old 900 liter (?) wood puncheons and fermentation began spontaneously. The wine is a little brittle at the moment. At least it was when I tasted it a few weeks ago. It ought to be signing tonight. It is autumnal Garanacha and it should find its season tonight.

[ &91; 2009 Camino de Navaherreros San Martin de Valdeiglesias Vinos de Madrid DO $15.95

[http://www.thebottleshop.net/products.php?product=Bodega-Bernabeleva-Camino-de-Navaherreros-Garnacha-2009&91;

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Shane will be pouring the above mentioned wine tonight along with a few other lunar/lunatic selections especially :

[ &91; 2008 Dashe L'Enfant Terrible Zinfandel Potter Valley Zinfandel $28

Michael Dashe, winemaker: "If we had one word to describe this unusual wine from a vineyard high in the mountains of Mendocino County, it would be "wow"."

[http://www.thebottleshop.net/products.php?product=Dashe-L'Enfant-Terrible-Zinfandel-Potter-Valley-Zinfandel-2008&91;

[ &91; 2005 Mascarello Barbera d'Alba Scudetto $34

This is cave man, primordial, howl-at-the-moon, Barbera. A sacramental wine for rock heads. Perfect for tonight's howl-at-the-lunar calendar tasting.

[http://www.thebottleshop.net/products.php?product=Mascarello-Barbera-d'Alba-Scudetto-2005-&91;

[ &91; 2007 J Christopher Dundee Hills Cuvee Pinot Noir $33

Lots of people talk the talk, but Jay Sommers walks the walk. These are truly Burgundian Pinot Noir, and, or at least as far as I can remember what real Burgundy tastes like. It's been so long since I could afford anything above Bourgogne AOC level. Forget about 1er Cru.

[http://www.thebottleshop.net/products.php?product=J-Christopher-Dundee-Hills-Cuvee-Pinot-Noir-2007&91;

Melville Viognier Vernas Vineyard 2009 $26

Simply the best American Vee-Oh. That Parker guy thinks so too: "The full-bodied 2009 Viognier Verna's Vineyard Estate continues to showcase this vineyard's ability to produce a Viognier with minerality, wonderful delineation, and abundant complexity as well as freshness. Possibly the finest 100% Viognier being produced in California, its complex aromatics include notes of white peaches, apricots, honeysuckle, wet rocks, and assorted tropical fruits."

Melville Viognier Vernas Vineyard 2009