The first day of summer is officially this Thursday, but anyone who has stepped outside recently is aware that it's getting hot, really hot. Take it from a passionate part of France where it's almost always Summer, and sometimes turns brutally hot, the wine to quaff to quench any thirst is one of the great dry rosés from Provence, the best of which are from Bandol. With first-tier wines from Bandol hovering close to $50 a bottle, for reds and rosés, we were thrilled to rediscover the phenomenal dry rosé from Domaine Gros Noré. Owner Alain Pascal has 16 hectares of vines in a prime sector of the appellation. They have an average age of 30 years. Prior to 1997, Alain's father, Honoré (his name was shortened to 'Noré to give the name to the domaine: Gros 'Noré = "fat Honoré") worked the vineyards but never made his own wine. Instead he sold the grapes to others. This 2006 Gros Noré is destined to be one of the hottest hits this hot summer. $24.97.

Just like Chicago in late June, this is a sure-fire 90! Not yet rated by the major sources (Parker and the Spectator), this is your chance to jump on our allocation of the 2005 Napa Cabernet from Caymus with enthusiasm. Once the reviews start to hit, there's no telling how long this wine will last. Many of the 2005s will be among the finest made in years. Order today. Caymus Napa Cabernet 2005, $69.97 a bottle.

 

Benchmarks are for many of us the personal standards by which everything else is measured. The paradigms. While many of the Chardonnays coming from Napa these days seem destined to win contests of strength with their extraction and oak impact, I can always rely on the elegance of Bob Long's Chardonnay, from high on the slopes overlooking the valley floor, to hit the nail on the head. With great length and subtlety, Long's Chardonnay has always been the style of wine I held up as the benchmark for this variety in Napa. But more than a single glass or one vintage, Long is one of the handful of people I remember fondly from California as one of the most generous and inviting of micro-winery owners. These days, anyone who makes several hundred cases of wine has a private plane and no time for guests. When I first met Long he went out of his way to make sure I understood why his parcel was special and why the Chardonnay he made was different from the blockbusters now found everywhere. Not quite Puligny- or Chassagne-Montrachet, but made with great sensitivity and a deep understanding for what goes into a great white Burgundy, Long remains a benchmark for me. The 2003 Long Vineyards Chardonnay has just arrived and is priced at $32.97.

Wham! Pow! This Bordeaux-style blend from Napa Valley packs a serious wallop. Made by the dynamic duo of Bruce Walker and Wayne Hansen of Starry Night fame (no, Adam West is not involved) and sourced from one of the most extraordinary high-elevation vineyards in Napa Valley, this blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Cabernet Franc blend has it all: the allure of ultra-limited production (only 788 cases produced), the pedigree, and the excitement of being an inaugural release. Meritage of this caliber generally sells for $50 to $100 per bottle. Aged in 100% French oak for one year, this layered, dense & complex wine combines the very best flavor aspects of the Cabernet-family varietals. (Unconfirmed rumor is that the source for the grapes is Viader!)

Bruce Wayne Briana's Blend is deep ruby red in color, full-bodied with rich flavors of cassis, blackberry, black cherry and spicy oak. It opens with deep, rich, dark fruit notes intermingled with very fine tannins and mellows out over the course of a meal to add softer blueberry notes. Well balanced to enjoy now and over the next 10-12 years, it is long and smooth on the finish. Exclusively available in the Chicago area at Schaefer's, it is on sale for only $24.97. Contact us today to order some of this impressive red.

Our Warehouse Sale is coming up next month: Friday and Saturday ONLY, July 20 and 21. We've already started tasting possibilities and we're getting excited. Look for further details as the sale gets closer!

That's all for this week. If we may be of any further service, please stop by our store at 9965 Gross Point Road in Skokie (for directions, click here), visit our website at http://www.schaefers.com, give us a call at 847-677-WINE (9463), 800-833-WINE (9463), or click here to contact us.