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Wine of the Week

MINUTY ROSE' COTES DE PROVENCE, FRANCE If Whispering Angel - our best selling rose' wine for three straight years - is the standard of a rose' from the Provence area, Minuty is a close second. This wine is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah grapes, typically light and dry, with hints of peach and orange fruits. Pairing: salads, fish and shellfish dishes. A rose' to be enjoyed year-round. NB: a rose' should be consumed within 2-3 years.


NOBILO SAUVIGNON BLANC MARLBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND One of our best selling Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand. It is very food friendly, typically and boldly fruit-forward, with aromas and flavors of peach, pineapple, citrus, tomato leaf, and grassy overtones. Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand continue to be among our best selling wines.

Wine of the Week

DOMAINE DE PELLEHAUT ROSE' GASCONY, FRANCE (south-west on the Atlantic coast, on the Spanish border) 30% Merlot, 10 Syrah, 10 Malbec, 5 Pinot Noir, 25 Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 Tannat, all vinified separately in stainless steel vats to ensure freshness and lightness of body; that's a lot of different varietals just for a rose' wine, but the result is very satisfying; fruit-forward, dry, with aromas and flavors of cherry, strawberry, and mineral. Serve as an aperitif or with the lighter fare of Summer.


LOUIS LA TOUR POUILLY FUISSE MACON REGION, FRANCE May be considered as a White Burgundy (100% Chardonnay); fermented and aged in stainless steel vats to ensure freshness of flavors; medium-bodied, with aromas and flavors of peach, citrus, and mango; elegant, with a long, smooth finish; you can be sure of the quality of a wine if it comes from the Macon Region.  

Wine of the Week

CHATEAU MONTAUD COTES DE PROVENCE ROSE', FRANCE. A blend of 40% Cinsault, 50 Grenache, 5 Syrah, 5 Tibouren (a little known, but highly regarded wine grape, which imparts an earthy, floral aroma). One of our most popular rose' wines in the Provence style: fresh, light, dry, with hints of fruit: melons, citrus, and strawberries.

MUGA ROSE' (ROSADO), SPAIN. A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Viura (a little known white wine grape, used to introduce a slight nutty flavor). This wine exhibits aromas and flavors of citrus, green apples, and apricot. Unlike 99.9% of rose' wines worldwide, Muga Rose' spends a brief period of time in used* oak barrels.


*USED as opposed to new oak barrels which would be too interactive, and introduce characteristics (heaviness, tastes of butter and vanilla, and texture) not desired in a rose'.

Wine of the Week

The Rose' Grand Tasting held on June 10th was a huge success. Nearly 50 rose' wines from all corners of the world were tasted. We at Harney's hope that you have found your favorites. Enjoy them throughout the Summer and beyond; rose' wines are not just for the Summer.

CHATEAU DE L'AUMERADE ROSE' PROVENCE, FRANCE made from a blend of Syrah, Cinsault, and Grenache grapes, which is typical of the style in the Provence area, the style of choice now in the United States. Crisp and dry, with aromas and flavors of peach and nectarine. Very refreshing.


HOOK & LADDER CHARDONNAY, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY, CALIFORNIA is a traditional California oaked Chardonnay. The style now is toward a lighter and drier Chardonnay, similar to a French Chardonnay, but I enjoy both styles, depending on what I'm eating. Europeans, generally speaking, drink wine with food. A pasta with cream sauce or chicken/seafood in a butter sauce pairs perfectly with an oaked, creamy, and buttery Chardonnay, such as Hook & Ladder; lighter summer fare pairs well with an unoaked or partially-oaked Chardonnay. But, to each his/her own, we like something because we like it, period. This Chardonnay exhibits aromas and flavors of apple-butter, lemon, and pear, with a presence of vanilla (from the oak). A smooth mouthfeel and long finish.

Wine of the Week

VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO, TUSCANY, ITALY. My favorite Italian white wine. San Gimignano is a walled town set on a hill, a fortress really, as so many towns in Tuscany are, located about 9 miles south-east of Siena (my favorite city in Tuscany). It's not true when people say that I would drink Tuscan dishwater and enjoy it, but it's close to the truth. I fell in love with everything Tuscan: the landscape, monuments, manners, the food, and the wine.

The Vernaccia white wine grape, a somewhat obscure grape, was referred to as early as 1487; also, it is mentioned by Dante in The Divine Comedy; so, it is an ancient grape. The wine is dry, medium-bodied, with an oily mouthfeel, exhibiting aromas and flavors of citrus, and with - in what I consider the best vintages - a hint of almond.

Just as Torrontes (Argentina) and Albarino (Spain) are the signature white wines of their countries, Vernaccia di San Gimignano is the signature white wine of - I won't say all of Italy - but certainly, Tuscany. The three of them are truly distinctive wines. Taste and see!


ESTANDON ROSE', COTES DE PROVENCE, FRANCE. One of our most popular rose' wines for the last three years. It is a good example of the Provence style - the most popular style right now: light, dry, crisp, with hints of strawberry and citrus. The grapes typically used in the Provence region are Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah. Just the wine for sipping on the deck, by itself or with the lighter fare of the summer.

Wine of the Week

Continuing to feature select Rose' wines, so that you can experience the range of styles. Right now the Provence, France, style is the most popular: light, dry, with hints of fruit (usually strawberry, peach, citrus). The longer the fruit juice remains with the skins, seeds, and stems, the deeper the color and the more pronounced the aromas and flavors.

FLEUR DE MER ROSE' (France) Done in the Provence style, this rose' exhibits aromas and flavors of raspberry, strawberry, citrus, and herbs, especially lavender, owing to the vast number of lavender plants in the region. As with all rose' wines, it was fermented in stainless steel tanks, which guarantees lightness and freshness; oak would give the wine a heavier body, and impart aromas and flavors not normally associated with a rose' wine, such as butter, cream, and vanilla.


LA CREMA PINOT NOIR ROSE' (California) As with all of La Crema wines - among the most popular wines at Harney's - this rose' is elegant; it is soft, with aromas and flavors of watermelon, cherry, and citrus, with a note of minerality on the finish.