Dear Rhone Lover,

Have you been searching for an absolutely delicious, crowd-pleasing, totally affordable, food friendly (did we mention yummy??) wine to stock your cellar with?!  Tercero by wine maker Larry Schaffer should be right at the top of your list.  Recently named "Winemaker to Watch" by the San Francisco Chronicle, Larry is the assistant winemaker at Fess Parker and Epiphany Cellars in Los Olivos, while simultaneously launching Tercero as his own brand. Larry has chosen to focus on Rhone varieties with Tercero because he believes that they offer fantastic complexity but can be enjoyed at a young age.  We couldn't agree more, as we had the opportunity to preview his yet-to-be-released 2007 reds.  These wines have more than enough structure for mid-term aging, yet so much lush fruit character that a measure of self-control becomes very necessary. To top it off, these wines are incredibly well priced (especially with the mixed case discount) so they are a perfect candidate to serve at your next dinner party - pleasing wine enthusiasts and novices alike! Purchase a mixed case of the wines highlighted below and receive 10% off!!

Tercero Grenache Blanc Camp 4 Vineyard 2008 ~ $18
Purchase a mixed case (12 bottles) or more and receive 10% off! ($16.20/bottle)
Staff Favorite!  Easy sippin' next to the pool on a hot summer day immediately comes to mind.  Notes of honey, wet rocks, white flowers and dried apricots tickle your nose.  The party continues with the first sip - sweet honey and nectarines take center stage,  nice acidity carries the finish with hints of minerals and roasted nuts.  Complex yet accessible, at $18 this wine is the definition of Price/Quality Ratio (QPR)!  Act fast on this one, we were lucky enough to get the last few cases from the winery!

Tercero Syrah Thompson Vineyard 2007 ~ $28
Purchase a mixed case (12 bottles) or more and receive 10% off! ($25.20/bottle)
Big nose of sweet vanilla oak and dusty bing cherries.  This wine is undoubtedly young on the palate - mouth-filling structure, yet not overwhelming with fine grained tannin.  Creamy texture of red fruits and vanilla, with some smoked meat in the background.  Great concentration and plenty of acid to balance the entire package.  A fun drink right now, we expect this to settle down with a year or two of age and show increased complexity.

Tercero Cuvee Christie 2007 ~ $28
Purchase a mixed case (12 bottles) or more and receive 10% off! ($25.20/bottle)
Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre blend, this is all about balance!  Dusty minerals, lavender and red fruits fill the air.  Well-structured, mouth filling chalky tannin texture.  Big red fruits dominate, quickly followed by a complex mélange of sage, pepper, and wet rocks.  Nice acidity and spiciness complete the picture.  This walks the line perfectly between crowd-pleasing fruit and enough complexity to keep things interesting.

Cheers!  Whitney/Kari/Mike ~ 707-255-3500  sales@benchmarkwine.com  www.benchmarkwine.com

Other California gems that are currently available:

Alban Vineyards Grenache Estate 2003 ~ 1 @ $140 WA95, WS93
Alban Vineyards Grenache Estate 2006 ~ 1 @ $144 WA96, WS96
Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Estate 1997 ~ 1 @ $128 WA92
Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Estate 1999 ~ 1 @ $135 WA90, IWC90
Alban Vineyards Syrah Seymour`s Vineyard 1999 ~ 1 @ $185 WA91, IWC92chipped wax capsule
Andrew Murray Esperance 2005 ~ 1 @ $22
Andrew Murray Syrah 2005 ~ 1 @ $20
Andrew Murray Syrah Brave Oak Vineyard 2005 ~ 1 @ $17
Andrew Murray Syrah Oak Savana Vineyard 2005 ~ 1 @ $26
Andrew Murray Syrah Roasted Slope 2005 ~ 1 @ $28 WA90, IWC90
Andrew Murray Syrah South Slope 2005 ~ 1 @ $26
Andrew Murray Syrah Zee Clones 2005 ~ 1 @ $31
Arnot-Roberts Syrah Griffin`s Lair 2005 ~ 1 @ $49 IWC92, WA91
Arnot-Roberts Syrah Griffin`s Lair 2007 ~ 2 @ $60 IWC94
Arnot-Roberts Syrah Hudson Vineyards North Block 2005 ~ 2 @ $59 WA93, IWC91
Arnot-Roberts Syrah Hudson Vineyards North Block 2007 ~ 2 @ $60 IWC93
Arrowood Syrah Cote de Lune 2002 ~ 1 @ $65 WA90
Arrowood Viognier Saralee`s Vineyard 2003 ~ 1 @ $30 WA91
Artiste Rendezvous 2006 ~ 1 @ $58
Astrale e Terra Syrah 2001 ~ 1 @ $20
Beckmen Cuvee Le Bec 2005 ~ 1 @ $14
Big Basin Vineyards Syrah Fairview Ranch 2005 ~ 7 @ $51
Carlisle Syrah Dry Creek 2005 ~ 2 @ $54 IWC91
Clos Mimi Grenache Hommage a Henri Bonneau 2003 375ml ~ 6 @ $39 IWC92
Copain Syrah Les Voisins 2006 ~ 1 @ $32
Copain Viognier Catie`s Corner 2004 ~ 6 @ $30
Crystal Valley Cellars Syrah 2005 ~ 1 @ $15
Dehlinger Syrah Goldridge Vineyard 2003 ~ 1 @ $52 WA90
Dehlinger Syrah Russian River Valley Estate 2000 ~ 2 @ $50
Dehlinger Syrah Russian River Valley Estate 2003 ~ 3 @ $41 WA91, IWC90
Dehlinger Syrah Russian River Valley Estate 2004 ~ 2 @ $74 WA93, IWC91
DuMol Syrah Eddie`s Patch 2004 1.5L ~ 1 @ $162 WA93+, IWC91
Dutton Goldfield Syrah Cherry Ridge Vineyard 2005 ~ 11 @ $29 
Enkidu Syrah Odyssey Syrah 2004 ~ 1 @ $24
Eric Kent Syrah Dry Creek Valley 2005 ~ 1 @ $34
Eric Kent Syrah Dry Stack Vineyard 2005 ~ 1 @ $34
Eric Kent Syrah Kalen`s Big Boy Blend 2005 ~ 1 @ $37
Foxen Syrah Morehouse Vineyard 2000 ~ 1 @ $25
Garretson White The Reliquary 2002 ~ 12 @ $29 cracked wax capsules
Holdredge Syrah 2006 ~ 4 @ $19 IWC90
JC Cellars Syrah a la Cave 2004 ~ 2 @ $32
JC Cellars Syrah California Cuvee 2001 ~ 2 @ $24
Joseph Laurence Charbono Shypoke Vineyard 2003 ~ 1 @ $40
Joseph Phelps Syrah 2000 ~ 4 @ $23
Justin Syrah Paso Robles 2005 ~ 1 @ $21
Kongsgaard Roussanne Viognier 2001 ~ 3 @ $99 WA93
Kongsgaard Syrah Hudson Vineyard 2002 ~ 5 @ $122 WA95, IWC94
Kongsgaard Syrah Hudson Vineyard 2003 ~ 1 @ $84 WA94, IWC94
Kosta Browne Syrah Amber Ridge Vineyard 2004 ~ 2 @ $58 WS90
Kosta Browne Syrah Amber Ridge Vineyard 2005 ~ 1 @ $54
Lagier Meredith Syrah Mount Veeder 2006 ~ 20 @ $45 WA92
Lewis Cellars Syrah 1997 ~ 1 @ $67 WS93depressed cork
Lewis Cellars Syrah 1998 ~ 2 @ $68 WS93slight bin stained label
Lewis Cellars Syrah 2002 ~ 4 @ $125 WS97
Linne Calodo Nemesis 2006 ~ 1 @ $65 WA94
Linne Calodo Rising Tides 2005 ~ 1 @ $45 WA93, IWC93
Linne Calodo Rising Tides 2006 ~ 1 @ $59 WA94
Linne Calodo Syrah 2002 ~ 3 @ $39
Longfellow Syrah Dry Creek Valley 2001 ~ 1 @ $25 nicked label
Martinelli Syrah Terra Felice 2003 ~ 1 @ $50
Melville Syrah Estate 2003 3L ~ 1 @ $95 WA90 3cm
Meyer Family Syrah 2004 ~ 4 @ $28
Miller Wine Works Grenache Shannon Ridge 2006 ~ 3 @ $17
Miller Wine Works Syrah Sage Canyon 2005 ~ 1 @ $25
Miller Wine Works The Works Red Rhone Blend Kimberly`s Selection 2005 ~ 5 @ $25 
Novy Syrah Santa Lucia Highlands 2004 ~ 2 @ $27
Oberschulte Mountain Wines Syrah Monte Rosso Vineyard 2004 ~ 1 @ $27
Ojai Syrah 1998 ~ 5 @ $35 dusty bottles
Ojai Syrah Lot EH Roll Ranch 1998 1.5L ~ 1 @ $125 WA92
Ojai Syrah Melville 2001 ~ 2 @ $70 WA95
Ojai Syrah Melville 2004 ~ 1 @ $39 WA94
Ojai Syrah Thompson Vineyard 2001 ~ 2 @ $55 WA94
Ojai Syrah Thompson Vineyard Special Bottling 2000 ~ 3 @ $82 WA95
Paloma Syrah Spring Mountain 2002 ~ 4 @ $59 WS93, WA92
Paloma Syrah Spring Mountain 2003 ~ 1 @ $48
Paloma Syrah Spring Mountain 2004 ~ 2 @ $50
Palomita Syrah 2005 ~ 2 @ $50 WS91
Paradise Ridge Syrah Garrod Ranch 2002 ~ 1 @ $28
Pax Cuvee Moriah 2004 ~ 1 @ $55 WA92-94
Pax Cuvee Moriah 2005 ~ 2 @ $50 WA92, IWC92
Pax Cuvee Moriah 2006 ~ 5 @ $44 IWC92
Pax Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard 2002 ~ 3 @ $57 WA95, IWC94 cracked wax capsules
Pax Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard The Terraces 2002 ~ 1 @ $88 WA95, IWC94
Pax Syrah Castelli Knight Ranch 2003 ~ 1 @ $80 WA96 cracked capsule
Pax Syrah Majik Vineyard 2006 ~ 2 @ $42
Peay Vineyards Syrah La Bruma 2004 ~ 1 @ $47 IWC90
Peay Vineyards Syrah La Bruma 2005 ~ 1 @ $39 IWC93
Pride Mountain Viognier 2000 ~ 3 @ $40
Pride Mountain Viognier 2001 ~ 3 @ $32
Pride Mountain Viognier 2003 ~ 3 @ $40 WE92
Ramian Estate Viognier Babcock Vineyard 2005 ~ 2 @ $28 signed
Richard Perry Syrah Perry Vineyards 2004 ~ 1 @ $50 WA92
River Road Syrah Vanessa`s Vineyard 2004 ~ 2 @ $16
Robert Pecota Syrah 2001 ~ 2 @ $22
Rusack Grenache Ballard Canyon Estate 2005 ~ 1 @ $37 IWC90
Rusack Grenache Ballard Canyon Estate 2006 ~ 2 @ $35 WS92, IWC90
Rusack Syrah 2005 ~ 2 @ $24
Sean Thackrey Syrah Orion Old Vines 2007 ~ 1 @ $124 WA98+ nicked label
Sine Qua Non Grenache Atlantis Fe203 2a, b & c 2005 ~ 2 @ $260 WA98
Sine Qua Non Grenache Ode to E 2004 ~ 2 @ $410 WA96-100
Sine Qua Non Grenache Raven Series 2006 ~ 5 @ $210 WS97, WA96, IWC95
Sine Qua Non Grenache The Inaugural 2003 ~ 1 @ $775 WA99 No Wax Capsule, Exposed cork
Sine Qua Non Syrah Ode to E 2004 ~ 3 @ $410 WA97-99+
Sine Qua Non Syrah Raven Series 2006 ~ 3 @ $225 WS97, WA96, IWC95
Stolpman Roussanne l`Avion 2006 ~ 1 @ $24 WA94, IWC92
Stolpman Syrah Angeli 2004 ~ 1 @ $57 WA95, IWC93
Stolpman Syrah Angeli 2005 ~ 2 @ $57 IWC93, WA91
Stolpman Syrah Estate Grown 2004 ~ 2 @ $29 WA93, IWC93
Stolpman Syrah Estate Grown 2005 ~ 2 @ $28 WA93, IWC91
Stolpman Syrah Hilltops 2004 ~ 2 @ $45 WA95
Stolpman Syrah Hilltops 2005 ~ 1 @ $29 WA93, IWC93
Summerland Syrah Paradise Road Vineyard 2005 ~ 1 @ $24
Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc 2005 ~ 1 @ $26 WA93, IWC92
Tablas Creek Roussanne 2005 ~ 1 @ $20 IWC92, WA90
Tablas Creek Syrah 2004 ~ 1 @ $32
Thompkin Cellars Grenache 2006 ~ 2 @ $32 lightly nicked labels
Tor Syrah Old Clones 2004 ~ 12 @ $35
Tor Syrah Rock 2004 ~ 3 @ $35

Is your cellar still too full? Visit our sell wine page or contact appraisals@benchmarkwine.com. Whether you are liquidating an entire cellar or thinning out wines you no longer enjoy to make room for your new passions, we are here to help. Plus, we pick up for free within the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

For more New Acquisitions visit our website: www.benchmarkwine.com.

Cheers!  Whitney/Kari/Mike ~ 707-255-3500  sales@benchmarkwine.com  www.benchmarkwine.com