2003 Jacqueson Rully 1er Cru "Gresigny"  was $34, now $25
White Burgundy. Need we say any more? Premier Cru may be one step below in classification from Grand Cru vineyards, but the secret is that one can find exceptional wines for great prices. These officially designated vineyards have produced some of France's best wines for hundreds of years. As always, we keep a hawk-eye out for selections like this, because they aren't around for long. (And we bought all the rest of this that was available.) This is truly Chardonnay at its best. The town of Rully is in the Côte Chalonnaise, which tends to get less world attention because it contains no Grand Cru vineyards and only a few Preimer Cru designated sites. The Jacqueson estate is run by a father and son team who have been making wine together for over 70 years. The wines tend to be less ageworthy but are exceptional, so when the time comes to drink up, we can grab some exceptional values here. Lovely toasted almond and apple aromas lead to pear, lemon, and apple notes smoothed out beautifully by honey tones. Drink this soon.
Pairing Suggestions: Get a high quality chicken or Cornish hen, and bake traditionally, rubbing the skin with herbs and garlic. Be sure to stuff the cavity of the bird with some sort of fruit to keep the meat moist; this usually increases the cooking time (less air to circulate within the bird), but is well worth the wait.

2004 Selection Laurence Feraud Gigondas  was $32, now $20
Gigondas, located in the heart of the Rhone growing region, has sometimes been referred to as "Chateauneuf Jr." This does not refer to any lesser quality for Gigondas is cabaple of producing strikingly powerful and elegant wines. Coming from the Latin "Jocunditas" (think "jocund" here) meaning "a place to enjoy oneself," the region was supposedly a recreation area for Roman soldiers. Vines have likely been part of the landscape of the area for thousands of years. This wonderful selection from Laurence Feraud shows off the deep flavors commonly associated with the Gigondas style, but also maintains delicacy in its delivery. Plum and full blackberry dominate the main body with hints of molasses, finishing with notes of dark coffee. Definitely let this breathe for at least 30 minutes to allow the complexity to emerge. This wine can actually evolve significantly over the course of several hours, so opening a bottle early is a good idea.
Suggested Pairings: Braised rabbit, medallions of beef, and grilled vegetables, especially eggplant.

2006 Gundlach-Bundschu Napa Cabernet  was $44, now $26
Planted by Bavarian immigrant Jacob Gundlach in 1858, the Gundlach-Bundschu vineyards in the heart of Napa valley could be considered one of the originators of the classic California wine style. They have always been "old school" in their methods, preferring to keep the red wines bold, strong, and well-placed with tannins to allow for longer lasting wines. The 2006 Napa Cabernet contains 85% Cabernet Sauvignon for the main body, and is blended with 9% Syrah and 6% Petite Verdot. This provides exceptional complexity and structure with some pretty good tannins, and therefore the wine is suitable for aging. Delightful floral notes mix with licorice and currant liqueur; the main body is powerful and elegant, delivering cassis, blackberry, and chocolate. Finishing with bitter coffee and slightly earthy tannins, the fruit returns and lingers nicely. California Cabernet as it should be.
Pairing Suggestions: a typical array of red meat dishes would pair beautifully with this, but venturing to more exotic flavors such as boar, sausage, or lamb would be divine.