Only hours away!

Arriving next week for the first time in Texas!

Beginning in the early 1990′s, Alain Labet began experimenting with site specific and barrel select Chardonnays. Essentially, taking the quality first mentality and terroir driven philosophy of the great producers of Burgundy and transplanting it to the Jura. Thus the “Fleur” series was born. While the price tag may seem high for a Chardonnay from Jura, considering the quality is on par to a 1er or Grand Cru Puligny Montrachet, it’s a steal. Deep, rich with notes of red apple, roasted nuts, deep minerals and clay with a vibrant acidity. You will be hard pressed to find a better bargain in Chardonnay than those from Domaine Labet.

$49/$39

Tucked away in the remote village of Maury, just west of Rivesaltes, north of Perpignan on the A9 in the French Pyrenees, lies this groundbreaking estate founded in the early 19th century. Known for both dry table and dessert wines of all shapes and sizes. From their massive AOC Maury, to non-vintage Muscat de Rivesaltes to cask and bottle aged Banyuls, Mas Amiel produces the essence of the Roussillon with age old techniques and modern flavor profiles and packaging.

Mas Amiel’s 2009 le Plaisir rosé is 100% Grenache with faint pink color in the glass, an intense but balanced red-berry fruit profile, structuring tannins and acid and a touch of fresh cracked pepper and minerality.

Friday is the big day!

Block 7 will be receiving only a couple cases of a complete vertical from 2003-2006 of one of the most highly sought after and critically acclaimed Priorats in existence. Furthermore, we are offering a once-in-a-lifetime bargain price of $80 btl/$70 btlx4!

That’s $60-$70 off our normal price!

Clos Mogador was founded in 1982 in Gratallops, and is owned by René Barbier, one of the Priorat´s Renaissance pioneers. René was the first one to believe in Priorat wines when he came to settle in Gratallops at the end of the 70’s, with the idea of reviving the Priorat vineyards and its wines. It took a few years, some hard work and the production of rare and exceptional wines to result in promoting Priorat a DOC, the highest wine category in Spain. Manyetes is a tiny production of a 1000 case of wines made from old and younger vines all indigenously grown.

A very interesting fact about the Clos Mogador wines is that the grapes are pressed in an olive press. The reason being that an olive press only extracts half the quantity that a normal wine press will produce. The wine is therefore highly concentrated; especially since Priorat wines are by essence highly concentrated.

Clos Mogador winery covers 13 hectares. Six hectares are made of 80 years old Cariñena, two hectares of 6 years old Cabernet-Sauvignon, three hectares of 6 years old Garnacha and 2 ha of 6 year old are Syrah. The cellar produces 1000 cases of Manyetes wine on a 10 ha surface. It is very difficult to produce more quantities of Manyetes wine due to the quality of the soil. The vineyards of Clos Mogador grow in one of the poorest schist soils, Licorella, of the Priorat DOC.

80 btl/ 70 btlx4

Normally $140!

by Whitney Seng

Here’s something you don’t see every day: a rosé out of Napa produced from the same fruit that makes some of the most limited and highly acclaimed red wines in the country. What may seem like an eccentric decision within the context of chic, high-dollar Napa Cabs is a blessing for the savvy wine drinker at Block 7. The 2009 Kapcsandy rosé is stands alone in the domestic rosé market. Considering where and from whom it comes, we are very excited to offer it.

The Kapcsandy family’s State Lane Vineyard sits on a superlative, geologically unique piece of land in Yountville. Helen Turley helped to develop and plant their vineyard, and to top it off, Denis Malbec from Chateau Latour, the First Growth from Pauillac, is enrolled as their sole winemaking consultant. With the State Lane Vineyatd, and the assistance of Helen Turley and Denis Malbec, the Kapscandy family is endowed with a winemaker’s all-star trifecta.

The 2009 rosé is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. The juice was separated from the skins saignée style (pumping juice out of red wine must after brief skin contact), then fermented and matured in stainless steel. Malolactic fermentation also adds complexity and a rich mouth feel to the wine.

This medium weight rosé is crisp and bursting with flavors of ripe strawberries, blueberries, melons, fresh flowers, and minerals. Best of all, it pairs well with most dishes on our menu. The weight and the acid stands up to dishes like our smoked pork tenderloin, plus the minerality of this wine complements our seafood dishes, like our house smoked salmon. Try it today for $50 (bottle price), or $45 (4-pack “case price�).

ing a selection from one of the most ambitious and illuminating winemaking projects in the world.

by Charles Kirkwood, Wine Operations Manager

While Westrey was quickly becoming one of the Pacific Northwest’s darlings several years back, and shortly thereafter a rock star in California – the great state of Texas for whatever reason missed the boat and proprietor David Autrey pulled the brand over 5 years ago. Since then the wine has made splashes from coast to coast and is quickly becoming the face of the new expression of Oregon Pinot Noir – more to the likes of Volnay that Russian River.

In fact, this direction only makes sense for Westrey, as Mr Autrey is a contemporary of winemakers such as Dominique Lafon, Jean-Pierre de Smet of Domaine de l’Arlot, et al. His wife and co-winemaker, Amy Wesselman was formally the head of the venerable International Pinot Noir Celebration, and Mr. Autrey for years spent his summers and off seasons exchanging ideas with the great winemakers of Burgundy. Additionally, both he and Amy formally worked at Domaine Dujac and l’Arlot, which is again evident in his wines.

Block 7 exclusively carries 3 of their wines. 2007 Westrey Reserve Pinot Noir – which is a blend of barrels that Mr. Autrey determines to be extra-special. The wine is made up of 20% Justice Vineyard, 40% Oracle Vineyard, 20% Abbey Ridge Vineyard, and 20% Momtazi Vineyard. Only 247 cases were produced.

As well known as Westrey’s reds are, Mr. Autrey’s talent is always most forcefully displayed in his whites. We carry their 2008 Reserve Chardonnay and 2009 Pinot Gris. The ’08 Chardonnay is an anomaly of the Willamette, where a whopping 64% of the fruit was sourced from 31 year old Chardonnay vines from Westrey’s estate vineyard Oracle, with the balance coming from Justice Vineyard. The ‘09 Pinot Gris displays an exceptional balance of ripe tree fruit with stunning acid balance.

In a land of increasing homogenization, Westrey continuously stands out as unique above all other Domestic Pinot’s. They exemplify a style reminiscent of the old country with finesse and balance, while standing true to classic Willamette fruit profile. True terroir in the New World – who thunk it?

Up through the early 1980′s, father Michel sold this Domaine’s fruit off to the region’s most important and notable negociants. It took another 20 years or so for son Stephane to take control and become one of the Northern Rhone’s most celebrated and covoted winemakers. Based in Cote Rotie, the reds of Ogier are among the most Burgundian in style of Cote Rotie, opting for a more elegant and finesse driven style, with rounded black fruit and profound secondary notes. Their top end wine, Belle Helene (also in Block 7′s inventory), is year in/ year out one of the most sought after wines of the region, garnering high accolades across the board.

Stephane’s Viognier de Rosine comes from vineyard plantings from mostly within the appellation of Condrieu and some just outside, requiring Ogier to declassify the wine to Vin de Pays. That being said, the wine drinks anything but a usual VdP. With succulent, ripe stone fruit, tropical notes, citrus, honeysuckle, mouth coating texture and a finish that seems endless – this simple VdP drinks more like true Condrieu, yet with just half the price!

65/55

by Whitney Seng, Sommelier

We are very excited to have the 2001 Helfrich Gewürztraminer back in stock. A dry Gewürztraminer from Alsace’s northernmost Grand Cru vineyard. It is vinified in a traditional style and is a steal at $40 (per bottle), $28 (at the 4 pack “case price�). Light bodied and very expressive, the Helfrich offers aromas and flavors of ripe peaches, white flowers, petrol, and toasted nuts that are as defined and precise as a laser beam. It truly is a wine as unique as the area is comes from.

The area of Alsace is one of the most contested pieces of land in Europe. It has gone back and forth between German and French possession for centuries. Now, speaking both German and French, and growing primarily German grape varieties, the Alsatians routinely produce world-class wines. Wines like the Helfrich are the reason kings built castles and defended vineyards.

by Charles Kirkwood, Wine Operations Manager

With all the hoopla going on around ’09 Burgundy and previously ’05 Burgundy, the vintages in-between have somehow been overlooked. Whether it’s the Cotes de Nuits or Beaune, ’07 and ‘08 red and white Burgundy are certainly softer and more elegant and meant for early consumption – which will work out well for those who have ‘05’s in the cellar, or better yet ’02 which are even still a couple years out.

2007 & 2008 Cote Burgundies are definitely the Burgundy drinker’s vintage. They are more about purity of fruit and terroir expression than overwhelming structure and dark fruit. They will not over impress the novice or the New World Pinot Noir drinker. Furthermore, due to the press panning the vintages upon harvest, the wines are an amazing value. Critic after critic are coming back to the vintages and reassessing their initial judgments. These are great wines!

What all this equates to is value. The red’s of ’05 or ’09 are not any better than ’07 or ‘08– they are different. They reflect a warmer climate and the power, fruit and structure reflects that, and so does the price. ‘07/’08’s are considerably less expensive, which allows the general consumer who would not normally be able to enjoy these wines of a greater vintage the chance to see what Burgundy is all about.

Block 7 has an impressive selection of Burgundy from ’07 as well as ’05. We also have a great selection of ‘08’s coming down the line from many of the most important producers of Burgundy, such as Meo-Camuzet, Faiveley, DRC, Emmanuelle Rouget, Chateau de La Maltroye, Domaine Leflaive and more! Few retailers have the access to as much great Burgundy as Block 7!