The wines for our Saturday afternoon wine tasting have been very carefully selected with our Fourth of July in mind. Of course, we have to honor the United States with perhaps the best domestic Sauvignon Blanc we've ever tasted, and we're making that our "paid-tasting" wine. For you history buffs, who know the critical role the French played in the American Revolution, we're featuring a trifecta of wines from France - a shimmering summer fruity rosé, the current vintage of our best-selling Chardonnay and the most impressive yet of the seemingly non-stop parade of southern Rhône wines. And, of course, what would the Fourth of July be without a wine from Italy? We've selected a Nebbiolo from the Piemonte to provide a segue to our special wine program on Sunday on wines from that region of Italy.

            2010 Domaine Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône "Les Champauvins" ($19.99). The beat just goes on and on with each new Rhône wine better than the last. From Robert Parker in The Wine Advocate (92 points): "The single-vineyard Cotes du Rhone, the 2010 Les Champauvins, is a smaller cuvee made largely from Grenache (70%) and the rest Syrah and Mourvedre. This is the poor person's Chateauneuf du Pape, with notes of garrigue, lavender, black cherry jam, licorice, and a hint of blacker fruits. Rich, full-bodied, ripe, with sweet tannin and lots of concentration, this is a beauty to drink over the next 8-10 years - it is that rich and concentrated."

            2010 Marcarini Nebbiolo "Lasarin" ($19.99 / $15.99 case special). Here's the poor person's Barolo. From Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Bright red.  Pungent aromas of red cherry, thyme and rosemary.  Lively, intense and aromatic in the mouth, with red fruit and fresh herb flavors dominating.  Finishes with firm tannins and lingering perfume."

            2010 Novellum Chardonnay ($14.99 / $11.99 case special). Novellum Chardonnay has been one of our all-time best-selling Chardonnays, so we decided to give you a taste of this latest vintage we have in stock to see if you'd like to continue your love affair with this fabulous value from France. Actually, the best value Chardonnay in the High Country, if not the world.   From The Wine Advocate (89 points): "Nearly over-ripe apple and musk melon on the nose and a generously juicy, succulently sappy, lees-enriched, creamy yet somehow at the same time tart-edged palate are tinged with brown spices and hazelnut. The combination here of creaminess with refreshment and levity illustrates a virtue more usually associated with Pinot Blanc. This will prove delightfully versatile over the next 12-18 months."

            2010 Le Poussin Rosé ($13.99). One of our best-selling Rosés - Great Value! The "Pink Chick" is a delicate, pale pink blend of 95% Grenache/5% Syrah. It has floral, rose petal scents and a dry well- balanced palate of supple summer fruits. Guys, this wine is for you, too, regardless of the name!

            Our featured wine Saturday is the 2011 Grey Stack Sauvignon Blanc ($36.99). Our $5 tasting fee for this wine will benefit the Avery County Humane Society, and if you buy a bottle of this wine, we will credit back to you your $5 contribution. This marvelous wine features candied lemons, guava, tropical flavors and ripe honeydew melon.