New! See our Dirty Dozen archive here on our blog
My oh my, where does the time fly? First, it was the Y2K thing, and now, here comes 2010! As we hitch on to the home stretch of the decade which will never be known as “the oughts” (technically, it will end on December 31, 2010), we look ahead to indoor season. There will be family gatherings and parties with friends coming up soon. No matter how you entertain, grab a Dirty Dozen as there is something in this box for everyone!
Reorder Special !!! 20% off 6 bottles or more of any one regularly priced Dirty Dozen wine! Or 10%/Net Wines – 5%/ Sale Wines
Click here to purchase the Dirty Dozen for $109.
2008 Rosé, Domaine Gournier – $9.69, $7.75 reorder
Whether you bask in the waning sunshine of Indian summer, or work four burners in a hot kitchen, there is always a time and place for a cool, crisp glass of Rosé. Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot are all involved in the blend and the result is pure magic. Complex and spicy, this would be a great wine to serve along side a Thai salad al fresco.
2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Thracian Valley, Vini – $6.98 net price, $6.28 reorder
We try to open new doors for y’all, accessing wine regions that one wouldn’t necessarily seek out. Bulgaria is a beautiful country, with picturesque craggy mountains and vistas, ornate monasteries, sandy beaches, and some of the oldest vineyards in the world. We recently tried some of their wines, and wow! They are a whole new level of wine value. You be the judge. Na’zdravy!
2008 Chenin Blanc, Good Hope – $11.69, $9.35 reorder
Get that passport back out, we’re off to South Africa! Wine has been made here since the 17h century. Maybe it’s the ocean facing vines and decomposed granite slopes that contribute to the goodness of what is in this bottle. Plenty of tropical notes on the nose; stuff like pineapple, apricot, and melons which continue through the palate and finish with a mineral crispness.
2008 Hors Saison, Domaine la Hitaire – $11.79, $9.43 reorder
In Bordeaux, it is common for the cru classé dry whites to be composed of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. This copycat from Gascogne marries the same two varieties, but for much less. Serve it with baked sole, or sand dabs, or halibut.
2006 Montravel Blanc, Chateau Calablre – $5.95 sale price, $ 5.66 reorder
For this month’s taste-off, here’s a similar blend from the outskirts of Bordeaux. Montravel is due east and further up the Dordogne valley from St. Emilion. The white wines from here benefit from the cool nights and temperate daytime temps. Daniel Hecquet blends a little Muscadelle here for added complexity. It goes with any white fish, but it really shines with fish tacos!
2005 Muscat, Rene Mure – $21.99, $17.59 reorder
It is safe to say that this wine comes from a winemaking family. After all, they are on their 13th generation winemakers here. The Muré wines tend to show a strong mineral component to compliment the Alsatian fruit. This Muscat brings all of the blossomy, tropical fragrances typically associated with this grape. Be simple in your pairing here and stay away from garlic.
2006 Cotes du Rhone Cuvée Sabrine, André Brunel – $14.59, $11.67 reorder
We’ve gone on about André Brunel before, but for good reason. A celebrity in the Rhône (and here at The Wine House), Brunel’s wines offer amazing value. We mean it when we say some of his Côtes du Rhônes have the stuffing to be confused with others’ Châteauneuf du Papes. Deep, dark fruit, herbs de Provençe, and earth make it a cinch to pair with an herb encrusted pork roast.
2007 Rossa ‘Scaia’, Tenuta Sant’Antonio – $10.98 net price, $9.88 reorder
Essentially, what we have here is declassified Valpolicella. We bought this wine specifically for the Dirty Dozen as it packs a mountain of quality for its modest price. Zingy cherry/berry fruit with a medium bodied, herbal profile. Terrific pizza wine.
2007 Terre d’Ardoise Carignan, Mas Lavail – $12.59, $10.07 reorder
If you receive our emails, you are familiar with this gem. This wine is the choice of many a chef or winemaker, as we found out by looking over the list of customers who bought it. Old vine Carignan is the grape; the complexity is what keeps ‘em coming back.
2005 Touraine Rouge, Domaine des Corbillieres – $13.49, $10.79 reorder
You may have heard that 2005 was the greatest vintage for Loire valley reds “that anyone can remember”. We concur. This Cabernet Franc got just what it needed to thrive. Ideal weather created a fine balance of ripe fruit with Loire valley Cabernet’s signature herbal woodsiness. A couple of years of bottle age has this uber-bargain in a perfect place. Lamburgers would be nice.
2005 Syrah ‘Numa’, Chateau Guiot – $20.99, $16.79 reorder
The ‘Special One’ of the Dirty Dozen, only a few hundred cases of this wine were made. This is Guiot’s top of the line Syrah. Severe grape selection is employed, and the wine is vinified in new oak for one year before bottling. The result: Dense, rich, concentrated Syrah full of complexity. It can be popped now, and will stand up strong to a juicy steak!
2004 Grenache/Syrah, Mas Carlot – $10.39, $8.31 reorder
This may as well be known as ‘the little wine that keeps giving and giving’, as it has done nothing but please wine loving palates since it was first released. The perfect all-purpose red, it is great on its own, with pasta, hamburgers, or ratatouille.
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Reorder Special !!! 20% off 6 bottles or more of any regularly priced Dirty Dozen wine! Or 10%/Net Wines 5%/ Sale Wines
Click here to purchase all 12 wines for $109!