It really pays to have great neighbors. Château Béhèré is an extraordinary Pauillac micro-property that totals 6 acres facing first-growth Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. In fact, part of the Béhèré vineyard lies in the middle of the Mouton vineyards. This tiny production is entirely hand harvested. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. If there were ever a case for greatness rubbing off this is it. With Parker and the rest of the wine press anointing 2005 as the greatest recent vintage in Bordeaux (and much of the rest of the world), this is a smart lay-down for anyone serious about what they're going to be enjoying 5+ years from now. Highly recommended!

 

CHATEAU BEHERE 2005, Pauillac, Bordeaux $49.97 (regular $54.95)

This little Cotes de Blaye 2003 is anything but little and anything but a household name. But you'll be amazed at its fruit and velour-lined personality. At 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon you can expect a soft, easy swallow. But the 2003 vintage, a hot one with record extraction levels, has pumped extra vigor into this out-of-the-way gem. The one year in new French oak has added depth as well. Don't miss this. 

 

CHATEAU PEYREDOULLE 2003, Premieres Cotes de Blaye, Bordeaux, $13.95 regular, $150.60 / case ( = $12.55) - Buy now and save 10%

Pietra Santa is a newish winery just east of California's Monterey Bay with some vines that go back to the turn of the twentieth century. What's amazing, given the illustration on the label, is that the winery sits in a valley that is equally split by the San Andreas fault. Pietra Santa, "sacred stone", is devoted to a number of varieties their Italian winemaker is comfortable with, and is named for the granite and limestone found throughout the valley. But at the end of the day, their blended red just may be the best value they make by a mile. Rhone-like in style, it's a balanced concoction of Syrah, Carignan, Grenache, Sangiovese and Zinfandel. Two thumbs up!

 

SACRED STONE MASTER'S RED BLEND, California, $11.95 regular, $129.00 / case ( = $10.75) - Buy now and save 10%

Play the currency game? Invest in a reliable white from Bordeaux when the dollar's still taking it on the chin? I don't think so. If you like the racy lean dryness of a lovely little cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc without the over-the-top grassiness of some Kiwi whites, here's your wine. Angeline is a label developed in 2003 by the Martin Ray winery. Unlike other California value brands, they make the effort to source fruit from the best spots, here the fog-shrouded Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. A real winner!

 

ANGELINE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2006, Russian River Valley, California $12.97 (regular $15.95)

Castelinhos is a wonderful, flavorful cow's milk cheese produced on Terceira Island in the Azores near Portugal. Castelinhos is named for the castle in the medieval town of Fiera where it has been produced for almost a century using traditional Portuguese methods. Castelinhos is one of the best cheeses we have tasted. Really. The cheese has been brine-washed, is semi-soft, ivory in color and silky smooth. It is creamy and pleasantly milky with a subtle, complex flavor. It seems mild at first bite though fruity and a little grassy with a long lasting finish. Castelinhos is great served by itself, really good for the cheese course, but our favorite way to enjoy this terrific cheese is the way they do in Portugal, sliced and spread on a warm piece of wheat bread slathered with butter for breakfast! What a way to start the day! Enjoy it. (mary)

 

CASTELINHOS, Portugal $13.97 / lb (regular $15.99 / lb)

Since the 1980s, the passion for making great beer has been a big part of ski nut Richard Squire's makeup. Living in Breckenridge, in the heart of one of Colorado's dream ski towns, Richard could ski all he wanted. But as he started getting more and more serious about making great craft beers another of his dreams took shape. Now responsible for almost 30,000 barrels of handcrafted fresh ales and beers sold in 25 states, we're excited to offer this great intro-pack of twelve bottles of Breck Brew. Give it as a gift or keep it stowed in the fridge, you'll be glad you did!

 

Due to shipping limitations, we are unable to sell this item online, but you can order it via email and we will hold it for you to pick up in our store.

 

BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY SAMPLER 12-PACK, Breckenridge, Colorado $19.99 / 12-pack

Summer vacation is over and it's time to get back to our Third Thursday Wine Classes. We're continuing in this year's theme of examining specific grape varieties and this month we'll really be heading back to school, with a focus on some less familiar grapes. Join us as we experiment - Torrontes, Petit Verdot, Carmenere, Viognier and more!

 

The food department will, of course, offer some appropriate snacks - please remember, if you would prefer a vegetarian tasting plate, let us know when you register. As always, reservations in advance are required so call or e-mail now because space is limited.

 

09/18 THU - 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., $20 for CAP members (and you will become a CAP member). Contact Schaefer's at 847-677-WINE (9463) or by email to sign up. 

 

Stop by for our FREE Saturday Tasting, 11-5. Celebrate harvest Sonoma-style, with a special visit from Rob Wetzel and his family's great Alexander Valley Vineyards wines! Of course we'll also have a great lineup of fall beers and snacks from the deli. Don't miss this! See you here!

 

World's greatest red declared, and we have the 2005

 

Two new wine board games just in time for fall parties

 

2008 harvest under way in Bordeaux

 

Responsible tailgating gets heavy hitter support

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.