Red, Rose or Bubbly with Braised Lamb Shanks?

TIP: When shopping for wine, tell the wine person what you're planning on pairing. It's their pleasure to be your personal sommelier. Also, let them them know your price range. Have no shame. An excellent wine shop will have a wide variety of options to choose from. I do the same when talking to a wine sommelier or wait person at a restaurant. "I'm thinking of something like this wine, what do you think?" is what I say, pointing to the wine and price in the menu. If a wine professional cannot provide helpful answers, ask someone else or shop somewhere else. You want a thoughtful expert.

In cool weather, try:

Chateau Feuillet Fumin 2005, Valle d Aosta  $36.99
Have you had your minimum daily requirement of Fumin today? This, deep dark, spicy, violet and pepper scented Rhone-ish variety from the steep mountain vineyards of Val d’Aosta provides 100% of the following vital elements: Intense  Raspberry Fruit, Smoky, Meaty Depth, Exotic Anise and Spice Aromatics and The Sheer Joy of Discovery. It is also sure to be a hit with lovers of the zestier end of the Syrah, Grenache or zinfandel spectrum. Hit it with something hearty and watch the smiles bloom....

Gabbas Cannonau di Sardegna Lillové  2005  $23.99
Giuseppe Gabbas just lets his granite soiled vineyards speak for themselves: old vine fruit gets a 20 day maceration for extra oomph then is fermented in large old wooden casks to preserve that precious funk. Both are 100% Cannonau (the Sardo clone of Grenache) with the Dule coming from older vines and getting a longer maturation in wood (they used to put Merlot and Cab in it but they are feeling better now and have returned to their roots). These deserve at least a leg of lamb if not a whole roast pig....Mangia!

Jaun de Alzate Graciano 2006, Rioja Alavesa  $23.99
Graciano is a plump, meaty and juicy variety that is usually blended into Rioja to up the bumptuality factor. Some of you may have unwittingly consumed some when you bought a bottle of Sardegnan Cagnulari here and it may even be closely related to our beloved Tintillia from Molise. At any rate, on its own, it is a fun alternative to Syrah / Montepulciano / Zin whenever some hungry man food needs a hand at the table.

In warmer weather (which can happen in December here! [Santa Monica is in Los Angeles]) I'd go with:

L. Aubry Premier Cru Brut Rosé à Jouy-les-Reims   $58.00
We agree heartily with the importer’s assertion that “I love pink Champagne and sometimes even wonder how seductions ever proceed without it”. The NV is made with 60% Chardonnay for superb finesse and drinkability then given a firm kick in the ass by Pinot Noir left on the skins for color, heft, verve and flavors ranging from ripe peaches and blackberries through menthol and pine into a rich biscuity finish. Superb!

Cà Nova Colline Novarese Nebbiolo, Rosato Aurora 2006, Piemonte  $21.99
If you think of rosé as thin and wishy washy, try this one on for size: 100% Nebbiolo (the variety they make Barolo out of!) gorgeous color, deep berry flavors and violet perfumes backed by good acidity, it could easily take the place of a mid level Pinot at your table in a pinch. Ten cases only, get yours before it’s gone.