My favorite thing about the end of the year is reminiscing. I love to think about what the year meant to me. I like reading magazines with their yearly round ups. There is something romantic about looking at the past. I thought it might be fun and fulfilling to look back at my favorite wines of the year. I have tasted everything in the store. Every wine is well made and serves a purpose. However, there are a few wines that really speak to me. Like a modern day Alice in Wine-derland, I find little notes attached to some bottles that say “Drink Me!” Since I really hate to disappoint, I often indulge. I might not fall down any rabbit holes, but I sure do fall in love with some of these bottled gems.

2009 Bonny Doon, Albarino,Santa Cruz (Biodynamic): I have to say this is one of the most exotic white wines we have in the store. Mandarin, lime zest, thyme, tarragon, and almond aromas just tease your senses. The mid-palate is tangy, crisp, and briny. This white will be perfect accompanying oysters, sashimi, Asian noodles or spicy shrimp dishes. $12.00

2008 Silvio Jermann, Pinot Grigio,Venezia, Italy (Organically Grown): A sexy white that will make you think twice about Pinot Grigio being a simple wine, considering it so beautiful you might just stare at it for some time, what with its intense straw yellow and delicate shade of rose coloring. The bouquet is ample, fruity and intense with apple, melon, and banana aromas. These tropical fruit aromas lead to a full body that is mellow and well balanced, with plenty of fruit and an orange peel and pie tart aftertaste. This wine would be perfect with mushrooms, fish soup, and Crayfish sauce. $25.50

2009 Domaine de la Garreliere, “Cinderrillon”, Touraine (Biodynamic): An unusual blend for this area, but an unusual treat for us. The estates best Sauvignon Blanc blended with 15% barrel-fermented Chardonnay. A mature wine (I don’t mean older, I mean educated and smart) with aromas of floral and herbal notes and mouth watering Meyer lemon and mango flavors. The mouth-feel is fat, and reminiscent of a perfectly aged Chardonnay. The finish….oh the finish is so perfect, it makes me drool (like Homer Simpson). A torrent of lemon peel, grapefruit, honeysuckle flowers, mustard seed, dill and oregano, it makes you want to eat a big plate of roasted chicken with collard greens and roasted potatoes. $22.00

2009 Lioco, Chardonnay,Sonoma County (Natural Wine): This is a gift from Mother Nature. Crushed quartz, lemon curd and pear skins swirl around the glass. The mid-palate presents lemon verbena herb, salt, talc and some soft smoky earth notes. A seductive wine with great depth, I would serve this wine with green papaya salad, crab cakes, and fig pizza. $20.99

2009 Colli di Murgio “Erbaceo”, Italy (Organically Farmed and Biodynamic): This white is a blend of Fiano Minutolo and Greco. With wildly aromatic flavors such as pear, honey, fig, vanilla, peach, and nectarine with a dash of spice, it is intense and delicious at the same time. Can you say “Italian Conundrum”? Pair it with broccoli rabe and pasta with aged ricotta. $13.99

NV Champalou, Vouvray, Brut, Loire (Biodynamic): Everyone needs a house sparkling; I have two. Both imported by Kermit Lynch. NV Patrick Bottex Bugey-Cerdon “LaCueille” is one. But the Champalou Brut is my go to with food. It is perfumed and creamy at the same time. You will find yourself just taking whiffs of it all night. It is sexy and shy with notes of flint, apricots, lemon cream, sea salt and cream. The creaminess lingers. It is one the best food wines, it will elevate any meal. I’ve waited all year to bring this wine in and the holidays were my secret excuse. $22.50

2009 Clos du Tue-Boeuf, “La Gravotte”, Cheverny (Organically Grown, & low sulfites): This is not only one of my favorites, it is a staff favorite. A truly natural wine made with indigenous yeasts and very little manipulation. This is a very pure, red-fruited Pinot. It’s bright, earthy, light but concentrated with a citrus tanginess to it. It’s 100% Pinot Noir from old, old vines, with very little sulfites added. Enjoy with roast duck or rack of lamb and wild mushrooms. $32.99

2008 X-winery, Red Blend, California (Sustainable and Organically Grown): A staff and customer favorite for two reasons; One it tastes great and two, it holds it flavor for more than 3 days. An enticing bouquet of rich berries, cherry, blackberry and pepper open on an inviting nose and complement the beautiful ruby red hue. Good structure from the Tempranillo and gentle sweetness and a fleshy mouthfeel imparted by the Grenache fruit create a well balanced wine with moderate spiciness and softer notes of vanilla on a smooth finish. Enjoy Red X with burgers, pizza, pasta, or a juicy steak – this wine will hold up. $14.99  

2006 Wild Hog Cache Creek Vineyard, Petite Sirah, Lake County (Organically Farmed): A late arrival to our collection this year, but it has proven to be an impressive one. It has an inky color and a delightful, warm friendly nose with hints of vanilla. Full-bodied and round, with ripe flavors, it maintains a deep dark fruit flavor (think bing cherry and blackberry), with chocolate and a hint of smoke yet smooth with gentile tannins. this is a Petite Syrah to drink now and enjoy, considering how big, bold, and wonderfully balanced it is. Mmm …. Delicious! (Just keep in mind this wine is young and must breathe for a bit.) $18.00  

2006 Domaine Rivaton, “Gribouilles” Cotes du Roussillon Villages: (Practicing Organic) Old Vine Carignan with a small amount of Syrah and Grenache. I have to say, I love Carignan. I’ve had 4 different bottlings in the store this year. This bottling is the best. Un-filtered with complex herbal wild fruit flavors and some bacon notes. The wine is rustic, but still manages to have a perfumed palate. Weighty and rich, the tannins are firm, but not bitter. Overall, a great wine for roasted meats, complex stews and a cold winters night. $32.98

2008 L’Aventure, Optimus (Biodynamic Farming Practices and & Dry Farmed): The best Cabernet Blend in the store! It is soooo delicious, I can hardly handle selling it as I want to keep it ALL for myself. The wine is a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Syrah, 24% Petit Verdot and 100% of lusciousness. Integrated aromas of fir, graphite, and acacia make an excellent nose. A focused attack of crushed flowers, geranium oil, cherries, black currant, and plums wash over the palate, yet the finish is velvety and lingers with notes of orange peel and toast. Really the best Cabernet Blend in the store. $55.50

2009 Stolpman “ La Coppa” Sangiovese, (Biodynamic Farming Practices): An amazing wine that will make any Italian wine fan think twice about Chianti. Dried cherry fruit balanced with silky tannins, it is the most elegant new world Sangiovese benefitting from aging 30 months in French Oak Puncheons. Blood orange and pomegranate flavors hang on the periphery of the lifted, elegant cherry fruit. With such small yields in 2007, the Estate will go fast. The soft, integrated fruit profile maintains a food friendly finish. (Only 333 cases produced.) $22.99

2007 Paul Dolan Pinot Noir, Mendocino (Biodynamic): This was not only my favorite value priced Pinot Noir this year, it was loved by the whole staff. Delicate with scents of rose, turned earth and strawberries. The flavors were long, savory and bright. It was like a bottle of springtime. But, like spring, it too has to end. We only have 2 bts left. Our distributor is Sold Out! Hopefully the 2008 will be awesome. $18.00

2008 Radio Coteau “Le Neblina” (Biodynamic): Spanish for “fog,” la neblina rolls in from the Pacific Ocean to blanket and cool the coastal Pinot Noir vineyards of western Sonoma County helping produce an amazing red worth every penny. Pinot fan’s beware, there is no turning back. This garnet colored gem is aromatic and generous.   Perfumed with black cherry, moist earth, cinnamon, and clove notes, it is a youthful wine that shows great maturity early, while balanced with blackberries, raspberries, oak and subtle tones of truffle. It’s drinking well now, but it will continue develop for 5 years. Only 1338 cases produced. $52.50