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Finger Lakes, N.Y., $16
Consider this a double review: I am thrilled that Red NewtCellars, one of my favorite Finger Lakes wineries, has becomeavailable in the Washington area. That happened only about a monthago, so the wines are not yet widely available. Easiest to find iswhat the winery calls its Circle Riesling 2009, so dubbed becausethe label is in the form of a circle. It is delicious and fairlysweet, and it retails for an appealing $11. Even better, however, isthe 2009 Dry Riesling. It captures the new style of dry Rieslingemerging in the Finger Lakes, especially around Seneca Lake: limezest, talc and a bracing acidity that energizes the palate.Retailers have been reluctant to stock it because dry Rieslingdoesn't sell well. So while you pick up a bottle of the CircleRiesling to try this terrific winery's work, overcome your fear ofdry Riesling and ask your retailer to order that as well. The Circleis good; the dry is special.
Potomac Selections: Circle Riesling is available in the Districtat Ace Beverage. Available in Maryland at Calvert Wine & Spirits inHunt Valley; Cranberry Liquors in Westminster; Fairgrounds DiscountBeverages in Timonium; Grand Cru, Wine Market and Wine Source inBaltimore; Wine Cellars of Annapolis; Wine Seller of Ellicott City;Wine World Beer & Spirits in Abingdon; Wishing Well Liquors inEaston. On the list at Pure Wine Cafe in Ellicott City. Available inVirginia at Kybecca in Fredericksburg, Out of Site Wines in Vienna,River City Cellars in Richmond (also the dry Riesling); TwistedVines Bottleshop in Arlington.
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Waiheke Island, New Zealand, $20
This blend of merlot (42 percent), cabernet franc (27 percent),malbec (19 percent) and cabernet sauvignon (12 percent) is a stylishexample of what New Zealand can accomplish with Bordeaux redvarieties: It's fresh, rich and big, with green tea and oliveflavors.
Nice Legs: Available in the District at Cork & Fork. Available inMaryland at Cork & Fork in Bethesda, I.M. Wine in Fulton. Availablein Virginia at Kybecca in Fredericksburg, Market Cellars in Reston,the Vineyard in McLean; the Wine House in Fairfax; on the list atNorthside Social Coffee & Wine in Arlington.
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Columbia Valley, Wash., $30
Winemaker Joel Waite went to high school in Northern Virginia andworked as a private chef in the District before joining his parents,retired defense contractors, at their winery in Walla Walla, Wash.The malbec leads a lineup of excellent reds (including a deliciousbarbera) with its rich body and blueberry fruit. At the food andwine festival, when chef Vincent Albisu of BLT Steak was smoking upthe exhibition hall with his steak au poivre, I ran back to the CAVUCellars booth for another taste of this malbec.
Wines by Raz/Prestige: Available in the District at Cairo Wine &Liquor. More wines from CAVU will arrive in this market in mid-March.
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Cotes du Rhone, France, $17
This is a terrific 50-50 blend of grenache and syrah, with richdark-fruit flavors, earthy tannins and impressive length. Availableonline from a quirky but quality-minded importer.
FirstVine.com: Internet sales only.
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Slovenia, $16
The husband-and-wife team of Ted and Kathleen Kuker decided todevote their retirement to importing wines from the Balkans, whereTed's family originated. They launched their company in October;these are decidedly niche wines, but it's a niche worth exploringand expanding. The Pullus sivi pinot is pinot grigio like you'veprobably never tasted: gorgeous apricot and peach flavors, as thoughyou're munching a just-picked, perfectly ripe fruit on the hottestday in August. It's nothing at all like the insipid pinot grigiothat defines the genre. Pullus also has an excellent sauvignonblanc. The portfolio also includes a nice Slovenian cabernetsauvignon from the Mansus winery and an enticing white from Croatia,the Enjingi 2009 Grasevina, a slightly off-dry welschriesling withappealing apricot and peach flavors.
T&K Distributors: Available in the District at Cairo Wine &Liquor. On the list in Virginia at the Cosmopolitan Grill inAlexandria.
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Marlborough, New Zealand, $15
This tasty sauvignon blanc offers some of the edginess we've cometo expect from New Zealand, but it isn't overly aggressive. Rather,there's lots of citrus here, with red grapefruit and passion fruitflavors steeled by refreshing acidity.
Nice Legs: Available in Virginia at Cork & Fork in Gainesville,Kybecca in Fredericksburg, Unwined in Alexandria and Belleview, theVineyard Table in Herndon, the Wine House in Fairfax; on the list atBilbo Baggins in Alexandria, Screwtop Wine Bar in Arlington.
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