Francois Carillon Bourgogne Chardonnay 2007 Bourgogne, France $25
Francois is part of the Carillon family of Puligny-Montrachet (the princes of Puligny, you might say) and we are fortunate to have an exclusive on the first bottling of his new solo label (only fifty cases available for the U.S.). This is no pedestrian Bourgogne blanc : its sublime layers of ripe apple, quince and butterscotch are manifest in a lengthy, viscous mouthfeel that is kept alive by perfectly balanced acidity. In other words, Carillon Bourgogne, we suspect, is Puligny or Meursault in street clothes.

Hinojosa Tempranillo Roble 2006 Mendoza, Argentina $15
As the Malbec frenzy continues unabated, Argentine Tempranillo is frequently, and most undeservedly, overlooked. The high and dry desert of southern Mendoza does well by this noble Spanish varietal by exacerbating its sultry bouquet of black fruit and dark cocoa. While it may lack some of the tannic brawn that has converted many a cabernet drinker to the charms of Toro, Rioja and Ribera del Duero, Hinojosa compensates with a lush and fully intoxicating wine that can be enjoyed straight out of the bottle due to its ripeness and relatively low acidity.