2004 Vavasour Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand

Leaning toward a burgundian style, with some perfumed aroma, refreshing acidity with sour-cherry fruit, integrated wood, moderate intensity and good length. Close-out price $17; regular price $23.
Rating: Good ++

2002 Carneros Creek Pinot Noir, Los Carneros Reserve, Carneros

Reliably made in an appealing California style: aromatic aroma, warm raspberry/cherry fruit without sweetness, good acidity, light wood, with some depth and good length. Compares well to versions from other years. Close-out price $18; regular price $24.
Rating: Very Good

2002 Rüdesheimer Klosterlay Riesling Kabinett, Josef Leitz, Rheingau

Reliably good producer with a well-known vineyard. Good riesling aroma and taste, Kabinett-level sweetness, moderate intensity and length. This one is just a bit less than I expect from Leitz. Close-out price $11; regular price $15.
Rating: Good ++

2007 Niersteiner Findling Pinot Meunier trocken - Weissherbst, Weingut Franz Karl Schmitt, Rheinhessen

A rosé of some substance, dry, good acidity, good intensity and length. Probably better than the equivalent red wine. A great deal at a close-out price $8; regular price $12.
Rating: Good ++

2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (blanc), Domaine du Père Caboche, France

A wine with some depth, weight and good intensity, dry without austerity, good acidity, some complexity and a long taste. Wood is well-integrated. Close-out price $21; regular price $30.
Rating: Very Good

2003 Mönzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Kabinett, Emrich-Schönleber, Nahe

Despite the hot 2003 vintage, this wine has admirable acidity to go with lovely riesling bouquet and taste. Kabinett-level sweetness. Still tastes fairly young, with moderate length. Could use just a bit more intensity.
Great buy at a close-out price $8; regular price $16 (someone else noticed and grabbed the rest).
Rating: Good ++

2006 Beaujolais Blanc, Château du Chatelard, France

Made from old vines, so that held promise. The label includes "chardonnay" to help the consumer. Although there is good acidity, it doesn't do enough to lift the wine out a bit of heaviness. The intensity is good, and some wood to give it weight, but the flavors somewhat unfocused. Moderately long taste.
Close-out price $12; regular price $18.
Rating: Good +

2006 Luigi Bosca Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, Maipu Mendoza, Argentina

Made in a weightier style, perhaps with chardonnay in mind. It doesn't work. There is no freshness, the acidity is down, and there's the burden of some wood. Medium-bodied, with a moderately long taste.
Close-out price $13; regular price $19.
Rating: Good

2003 The Four Graces Pinot Noir Reserve, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Fairly full-flavored and dark, with some structure and PN character. Mild tannins and sufficient acidity; fairly long taste. Not your elegant burgundian type.
Close-out price $22; regular price $43.
Rating: Good ++

2007 Bechtoldsheimer Petersberg Gewürztraminer Spätlese, Weingut Ernst Bretz, Rheinhessen

Interesting labeling - the front label says only "Gewürztraminer Spätlese"; the year, village and vineyard are all on the back label in small print. No matter, this is a surprisingly good wine. Good varietal character with sweetness somewhere between Kabinett and Spätlese. There is also good acidity, unusual for a gewürztraminer. Moderate intensity and length. A great deal for the price.
Close-out price $6; regular price $11.
Rating: Good ++

2006 Chablis, J. Moreau & Fils, France

Fairly undistinguished. Mild chardonnay character, moderate intensity and length, with none of the flintiness and austerity one would expect from a Chablis. Just in case you don't know, they put "chardonnay" on the label.
Close-out price $15; regular price $23.
Rating: Good

2004 Saint-Joseph, L'Élouède, Les Vins de Vienne, Cuilleron-Gaillard-Villard, France

With the second wine from this group of producers, a house style is starting to emerge. This one, like the Saint-Peray, tends toward full-bodied, with some fatness and reduced acidity. It doesn't have quite the flavor interest and depth of the Saint-Peray. It has a golden color and a fairly long taste.
Close-out price $19; regular price $30.
Rating: Good ++

2003 Châteauneuf du Pape, Les Sinards, Perrin & Fils, France

Not a powerhouse, flavorful with some firmness and tannin; it does not display the softness or low acidity of the hot year. Moderate intensity with some depth, with a touch of complexity and a fairly long taste. It will probably profit from some more age.
Close-out price $23; regular price $33.
Rating: Very Good -

2006 Côtes du Rhône, Réserve Grand Veneur, Alain Jaum & Fils, France

Flavorful, with some softness and only mild tannin; for easy drinking with some character. Moderately long taste.
Sale price $13.
Rating: Good +

2004 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Les Narbantos, Mongeard-Mugneret, France

One of the better red burgundies that I've come across: firmness, very good acidity and some tannin to go with cherry/sour-cherry fruit. Some depth and a long taste. By comparison, a 2004 Acacia Pinot Noir seemed a bit unfocused, and just a touch chemical.
Close-out price $19; regular price $38.
Rating: Very Good +

2002 CL Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Finally opened this bottle, which had been around for a number of years. Californian in aroma and taste, with raspberry/cherry fruit and some depth, as well as a fairly long taste.
Regular price $22, less 20% discount.
Rating: Very Good

2002 Opolo Pinot Noir, Paso Robles

Tastes like a battle between a high-extract zinfandel and a pinot noir. Deep and dark, lots of blackberry fruit, and 14.5% alcohol, but it does have the perfumed pinot noir character too. Intense flavor, with a long taste. There's some tannin, but it's not intrusive; a bit more acidity would help. A big, powerful wine that could overwhelm lots of food; no burgundian elegance here.
Close-out price $16; regular price $23.
Rating: Very Good -

2002 Viré-Clessé, Climat "La Verchère", Bret Brothers, France

My concern that this might be too old was unwarranted. The color was a deep gold. A true white burgundy with intensity and some body, but also the good acidity to carry it. Long taste. Great accompaniment to broiled salmon.
Close-out price $12; regular price not known, although a previous sale price was $22.
Rating: Very Good +

Red-tag close-out sales this month:

Whites:

2006	Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, Luigi Bosca, Maipu - Mendoza, Argentina	($13, orig. $19)
2008	Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand [Surprisingly low sale price - people are not buying bottles of wine in restaurants]	($20, orig. $??)
2006	Sancerre, Domaine Cherrier et Fils, France	($14, orig. $21)
2006	Chablis, J Moreau & Fils, France	($15, orig. $23)
2006	Chablis, J Moreau & Fils, France	($15, orig. $23)
2005	Pouilly-Vinzelles, La Soufrandière, Bret Brothers, France	($24, orig. $32)
2005	Viré-Clessé, Climat "La Verchère", Bret Brothers, France	($25, orig. $40)
2006	Beaujolais Blanc, Château du Chatelard, France	($12, orig. $18)
2004	Saint-Joseph, L'Élouède, Les Vins de Vienne, Cuilleron-Gaillard-Villard, France	($19, orig. $30)
2003	Dhronhofberger Riesling Spätlese, Grans-Fassian, M-S-R	($14, orig. $28)
2003	Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Kabinett, Emrich-Schönleber, Nahe	($8, orig. $16)
2002	Serriger Schloss Saarsteiner Riesling Spätlese, Schloss Saarstein, M-S-R	($17, orig. $25)
2001	Pfaffenberger (Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Spätlese), Schloss Schönborn, Rheingau [Top-of-the-line wine gets its own name]	($20, orig. $28)
2000	Dürkheimer Nonnengarten Rieslaner Trockenbeerenauslese, Kurt Darting, Pfalz [How often does one find a discounted Trockenbeerenauslese?]	($30, orig. $60) 500 ml
2007	Bechtoldsheimer Petersberg Gewürztraminer Spätlese, Weingut Ernst Bretz, Rheinhessen	($11, orig. $6)

Reds:

2006	Main Divide Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand [Second label for Pegasus Bay]	($14, orig. $21)
2006	Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand [A new name - let's try it]	($17, orig. $25)
2004	Isabel Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand [Apparently had a great reputation before 2005]	($20, orig. $30)
2004	Vavasour Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand	($17, orig. $23)
2005	Lazy River Vineyard Pinot Noir, The Lumpkin Family, Yamhill Carlton District, Oregon [Another new name - let's try it]	($16, orig. $23)
2005	Patz & Hall Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast	($32, orig. $45)
2006	Dutton Estate Pinot Noir, Karmen Isabella, Russian River Valley	($29, orig. $40)
2005	Pinot Noir Reserva, Luigi Bosca, Maipu-Mendoza, Argentina	($16, orig. $23)
2000	Lamezia Riserva, Cantine Lento, Italy	($13, orig. $26)
2006	Morgon, Jean Descombes, Georges Duboeuf, Frnace	($11, orig. $??)
2007	Niersteiner Findling Pinot Meunier trocken - Weissherbst, Weingut Franz Karl Schmitt, Rheinhessen [A rosé, vinified dry]	($8, orig. $12)
2007	Tavel, "La Dame Rousse", Domaine de la Mordorée, France [As a rosé it's pricy, but the 2006 was extremely good]	($19, orig. $30)