We take our “Green’s Winery of the Year” accolade quite seriously. Every year for the past 15, we have tasted through hundreds of samples in our search for a winery that meets the following criteria:
1) Produces consistently excellent wine throughout its product line.
2) Sets its retail prices in a range that we feel represent good value when compared with its peers.
3) Makes wine in sufficient quantities so they don’t have to be allocated.
Lyeth has met the Green’s standard. This is a California winery whose history really began in Bordeaux. Chip Lyeth established the winery in 1981 after touring the region. He was so impressed by the complexity achieved by blending Cabernet Sauvignon with the other major Bordeaux varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot), now known as the Meritage style, that he started his winery based on making “Bordeaux style” California wine. He was also a founding member of the Meritage Association, established to promote California wines made from these types of grape varieties. Sadly, Mr. Lyeth died in an airplane accident in the late 1980s, however, Bill Arbois, the current and only Lyeth winemaker, was there in 1981 to help found Lyeth and carry on Chip’s vision. Now that’s what you call continuity!
Winemaker Bill Arbois
While excellent wine, relatively few of us have heard of the term “Meritage.” Beginning in 2003, the winery decided to introduce a varietally branded wine, L de Lyeth, at a lower price to showcase the winery’s name with more familiar wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. To put it simply, these wines are a steal! All are priced at $10-$13, and the quality is comparable to wines that sell for twice the price.
WINES TO TRY
(Tasting notes by Michael Bishop unless otherwise noted.)
L De Lyeth Merlot Sonoma County 2007 Green’s Cash Price: $9.99
Cash Bottle Sale Price When
Purchased in a Mixed or Solid Case: $8.99 + Tax
Ever since the character Miles muttered the famous disparaging comment about Merlot in the 2004 movie Sideways its sales have declined while, predictably, the quality has gone up. Let me explain. Merlot had been hot in the 1990s and the early 2000s. Consequently, Merlot vines were sometimes planted in places they shouldn’t have been to keep up with demand. Well, with the demand in decline, those days are gone. (Perhaps those Merlot vines are being ripped and replaced by Miles’ favorite wine, Pinot Noir!) I have been finding delicious Merlot on the market over the last year or two for a “song.” L de Lyeth Merlot is one such find. From a great vintage in California’s Sonoma County, 2007, this wine has an aromatic black cherry and chocolate bouquet. Lush, with a rich dark fruit mid palate, it has a long, smooth finish. What a delight!
L De Lyeth Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2007 Green’s Cash Price: $9.99
Cash Bottle Sale Price When
Purchased in a Mixed or Solid Case: $8.99 + Tax
One heck of a Cab! All the fruit for this wine is sourced from selected Sonoma
County vineyards. As stated before, the 2007 vintage was superb. Winemaker Bill Arbois had 26 years of experience under his belt to take full advantage of the great fruit nature gave him. Everything about this wine is polished and full of Cabernet character. Again, all at only $9.99! “Here’s a big, fruity, jammy Cabernet. It shows ripe, candied flavors of cherries, raspberries and chocolate, with polished tannins and a dry, spicy finish…” —The Wine Enthusiast
L De Lyeth Chardonnay Sonoma County 2008 Green’s Cash Price: $9.99
Cash Bottle Sale Price When
Purchased in a Mixed or Solid Case: $8.99 + Tax
This wine is produced entirely from fruit harvested from Sonoma County—that’s awfully “high cotton” for a $10 wine. The critics have raved about this wine: “There’s delicate aromas of lime, flint and flowers in this medium- to full-bodied white, with green apple, pear and lime notes that are trim and focused.” —The Wine Spectator
“Doesn’t seem to have much, if any, oak on it, but it doesn’t matter, because the underlying wine is so good, at such a nice price. Crisp and steely, it shows rich flavors of pineapple, apricots, tangerines, and pears…Editor’s Choice…” —The Wine Enthusiast
Fleur De Lyeth Red 2008 Green’s Cash Price: $9.99
Cash Bottle Sale Price When
Purchased in a Mixed or Solid Case: $8.99 + Tax
This wine represents the first blend put together by winemaker Bill Arbois that is not sourced from Sonoma County. Instead, it is made from selected vineyards around California. Fleur is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec. Taste-wise, this is a dead ringer for a Bordeaux. It possesses tobacco and cassis aromatics and a medium bodied, smooth, dark fruit flavor. Delicious for drinking today and at an everyday price.
Lyeth Meritage Sonoma County 2007 Green’s Cash Price: $12.99
Cash Bottle Sale Price When Purchased in a Mixed or Solid Case: $11.69 + Tax
This wine is the classic, the original vision Chip Lyeth had after visiting
Bordeaux in the 1970s. A blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petite Verdot, it is made from fruit grown entirely in Sonoma County vineyards. Chip came to believe what the Bordelais had known for centuries, that through blending, you could produce a beautiful, distinctive wine, resulting in characteristics often very different from the varietals from which it is created. “A very good, everyday Bordeaux style blend, based on Cabernet Sauvignon, and made in a large quantity… it offers attractive flavors of cherries, blackberries, currants and cedar.” —The Wine Enthusiast
The most popular feature in our stores! You'd be amazed, at what, a lot of effort and 37 years of tasting wine professionally, I can find at this modest price point. I probably have more fun finding wines for the Green's 25 Great Values for $10 or Less than any other regular project I do. Well…perhaps tasting Grand Cru Bordeaux is a little more fun. Be that as it may, you'll see wines from all over the globe below. All selected for their quality and none over 10 bucks. -Michael Bishop, Green's Wine Buyer
10% Case Discount (Mixed or Solid)
Argentina
Tilia Bonarda Mendoza 2008 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $8.99
Made from Bonarda, Argentina's “other” grape variety. It is thought to be originally from Italy's Piedmont region. This was the most prolific grape variety in Argentina, but was recently surpassed for the number one spot by Malbec.
Red fruit and anise aromatics, the flavor presents dark fruits and a hint of chocolate, with good acidity in the aftertaste. This food friendly wine would match well with pasta, pizza, burgers, and all red meats. -Green's Wine Buyer
Tamari Torrontes Reserva 2009 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $9.99
“Clean, light, tropical aromas draw you in, and there's also some tangerine and melon on the nose. The palate is fresh and pure, with honeydew, kiwi and lychee flavors. There's no excess here, and thus the dry, melony finish is just right. A correct and appealing Torrontes…88 points.”-The Wine Enthusiast
Australia
De Bortoli Chardonnay S.E. Australia 2009 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $7.99
“Light and pretty, displaying floral apple and lime flavors that sing…”
- The Wine Spectator
California
Kenwood Vintage Red Tabel Wine 2007
Regular Price: $6.99 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $4.99
A blend of: 85% Zinfandel, 8% Petite Sirah, 4% Syrah, 2% Pinot Noir, and 1% Merlot, it is aged for 16 months in French and Americam oak) “…dry and brisk, making it a pretty good everyday quaff. Shows flavors of cherries, berries and spices.”-The Wine Enthusiast
Pennywise Petite Sirah California 2008 Green’s Cash Sale Price: 9.99
This hearty, full-bodied red possesses sage, and spicy oak in the bouquet and black fruit blended with dill and oak on the palate. Made to match with burgers, steak, or any hearty fare, it is the perfect “Wednesday night” everyday red wine.-Green's Wine Buyer
Deloach Chardonnay Heritage 2009 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $8.79
This is exhibit A of the California wine glut. I can't believe I can find Chardonnay of this quality at this price! Apply aroma, it is fresh, with soft fruit and creamy texture on the palate. Citrus and spice notes add complexity. Just delicious!-Green's Wine Buyer
The fruit for this wine was sourced from Sonoma Coast, an area renowned for its superb, but expensive, Chardonnay. This source is “high cotton” for a wine selling at $8.99! All pears, both in its aroma and flavor, there is good underlying acidity to keep it balanced and refreshing.-Green's Wine Buyer
Hahn Chardonnay Monterey 2009 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $9.99
Loaded with ripe tropical fruit flavors, with a vanillin undercurrent, this flavorful Chardonnay is refreshing in the finish. If you like a little smoky oak in your wine this is for you. Hahn produces some of the most consistent value wines around. -Green's Wine Buyer
Concannon Cabernet Sauvignon Conservancy
Livermore Valley 2007 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $8.99
Sourced from protected land in California's Livermore Valley, these vineyards formed the original property of Concannon, dating back to 1883. This is one of California's oldest wineries. Black fruit and coffee in the bouquet, this wine shows amazing depth, and complexity for a wine under $10.
-Green's Wine Buyer
France
Les Acanthes Viognier VDP Oc 2009
Green’s Cash Price: $7.99
Tasty Viognier for only $7.99! Flowers and white fruits in the bouquet, very aromatic, it has that soft rich flavor and texture that this varietal is renowned for. It’s the perfect summer quaff and a great match with fish or chicken.-Green’s Wine Buyer
Menuts Bordeaux Blanc 2008 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $9.99
This white Bordeaux is a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Semillon. Figs,
peaches, and melons in the bouquet, the wine has a rich texture in the mouth
with lively acidity for balance. A fine example of the area at such a low price.
-Green's Wine Buyer
Les Roches Blanches Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie 2009 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $9.99
This delightfully crisp white wine comes from the village of Le Pallet ,in what is known as
the “Garden of France”, the Loire Valley. Fresh and bone-dry, it is the perfect fish wine.
Excellent aperitif too.-Green's Wine Buyer
Chat. Roc de Minvielle Bordeaux Rouge 2009 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $9.99
This will be your first opportunity to taste red Bordeaux from this fabulous vintage. Made
from 58% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, the bouquet displays fruit
with a touch of herb. Some complexity in the flavor, there is chocolate, tobacco, smoke,
and soft fruit in a medium-bodied format.-Green's Wine Buyer
Les Acanthes Cotes du Rhone 2009 Green’s Cash Price: $9.99
Be the first on your block to taste a 2009 vintage of Cotes du Rhone. The Wine Spectator reviewed this vintage by saying, “…a scintillating harvest...” I can tell you from my own experience from tasting southern Rhones this past January that 2009 is going to give the recent great years, 2007 and 2005, a run for their money. This wine has a pretty strawberry/ cherry bouquet. It's a flavorful wine, but not heavy, delicious for drinking even at this early stage.-Green's Wine Buyer
Chat. Larmevaille Entre-Deux- Mers 2009 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $9.99
1/3 Muscadelle (an unusually high amount for Bordeaux), 1/3 Sauvignon Blanc, and 1/3 Semillion are used to make this white Bordeaux. From the Entre-Duex-Mers (Between the two Seas) district, it is not exactly between two seas but two rivers: Dordogne and Garonne. Musky white fruit, flowers, and honey in the bouquet, this fresh white wine displays citrus, herbs, and honey on the palate. A delightful wine! - Green's Wine Buyer
Germany
Dr. Fischer Classic Riesling 2004
Regular Price: $14.99 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $9.99
From a top estate in Germany's Saar Valley, this crisp, light bodied white wine is a refreshing quaff. Very good varietal flavor. Serve alone or with light dishes.-Green's Wine Buyer
Yellow fruit, smoke, and ripe apricot bouquet, this medium-dry Riesling is from one of the Rheingau's best estates.-Green's Wine Buyer
Paul Anheuser Schlossbockelheimer Konigsfel Riesling Kabinett 2002
Regular Price: $15.99 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $9.99
It is difficult to find a mature Riesling. This one is 8 years old and at the top of its game. The first thing you notice in the glass is its beautiful gold color. In the bouquet you get fragrant honey, petrol and peach aromatics. Medium-dry, the entry is all ripe yellow fruit, but still displaying good acid, the reason it has matured so well over the last 8 years. I found this on a close-out list. You're not likely to find this wine- period-as the vintage is old, and certainly not at $9.99! - Green's Wine Buyer
Spain
Venta Morales Tempranillo La Mancha 2009 Green’s Cash Price: $5.99
“100% Tempranillo raised in stainless steel. Deep crimson-colored, it emits aromas of spice box and fragrant black cherry. On the palate licorice and other black fruits emerge leading to a finish with no hard edges…87 points.”-The Wine Advocate
Almira Los Dos Grenache/ Syrah Campo de Borja Old Vines 2008 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $7.99
“Black cherry, black pepper, licorice and cola notes mingle in this juicy red, supported by modest but firm tannins. The floral, fruity finish lingers nicely.”-The Wine Spectator
Vinos Sin Ley Afinus G2 Garnacha 2007
Regular Price: $11.99 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $7.99
“…sourced from 60 year old vines in Montsant…it offers an expressive perfume of cherry
and raspberry leading to a wine with ripe fruit, savory flavors, and a spicy finish…88
points.”-The Wine Advocate
Nolia Garnacha Catalunya 2009 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $9.99
Another Green's “there's no such winery” find. As with our other wines in this category, (Angel's Landing, Park Lane, and Snowline for instance), this wine comes from an excellent source that we can't disclose. Due to the Great Recession there is a glut of wine on the market. Suppliers are hesitant to discount their brands, fearing it will permanently debase the image. However, if you know where to look, and we do, they will sell it under a fictitious name at a fraction of the price. Nolia is one such fantasy. Same wine, lower price! Fragrant cherry and spice bouquet, it is very Grenache-like in the mouth. Spicy, with mild cherrylike flavors it has a refreshing finish.-Green's Wine Buyer
Washington
14 Hands Hot to Trot Pinot Gris & Chardonnay 2009 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $9.49
This white wine blend (Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Roussanne) is from
Washington State. Pleasant fresh fruit character in both the bouquet and palate,
this lively white wine presents a smooth flavor that matches a wide range of dishes.-
Green's Wine Buyer
Mazzocco Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley 2007 Green’s Cash Price: $19.99
This gold medal winning Cabernet (at the prestigious Sonoma County Harvest Fair) is the best buy in a California Cabernet Sauvignon since the Angel's Landing Stag's Leap 2007 we offered last year. Intense cassis and smoke in the bouquet, the flavors in the mouth are complex and powerful. First, you experience a rich, lush mouth feel, quickly followed by black fruit, smoke, and balsamic (that's a good thing), with good grip. This wine is perfectly ready to drink now, but will hold several years. If you liked Angel's Landing, you'll love this!
-Green's Wine Buyer, Michael Bishop
Mazzocco Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2007 Green’s Cash Price: $19.99
From Dry Creek Valley, the veritable epicenter of quality Zinfandel in the world. The history of winemaking here goes back 135+ years, making it one of the longest cultivated areas in California. No other wine producing district can match the quantity and quality of their old vine Zinfandel. So take this superb fruit and combine it with the extraordinary dedication Mazzocco shows to the production of Zinfandel, and you have the recipe for extraordinary results. Berry, tar, and licorice aromatics, on the palate it has a soft berry entry, followed by a brawny, spicy flavor in the mid-palate and finish. Very good, it is everything Zin is supposed to taste like.
Green's has done it again. We've found the best wholesaler close-out wines in the business, and are passing the savings onto you. You won't believe the superb quality wines we found at distressed prices, starting with the ones listed just below.
Chateau Montelena
That's right; close-outs from the winery that help put California wines on the map in the Judgment at Paris held in 1976. Chateau Montelena made the Chardonnay that routed the best white Burgundies the French could throw against it in a blind tasting that proved that American wines could compete with the very best. You may have seen this story in the movie Bottle Shock.
So, if it's so good, why is it on sale, you may ask? It was the end of someone's fiscal year is the answer. Inventory had to be moved. Sometimes the price of gems like these gets slashed just to please the accountants. That's where Green's comes in. We have the knowledge and the buying power to pick through long tedious lists and pick out not only diamonds in the rough, but beautiful cut diamonds such as these as well.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay Napa Valley 2006
Magnum Size
Regular Price: $89.99 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $59.99
“Montelena's non-malolactic Chardonnay hasn't changed in more than 30 years, and they certainly deserve credit for that. It rarely sees more than 20% new oak, and in certain vintages can age remarkably well. The 2006 Chardonnay has slightly more honeyed apple notes and hints of freshly squeezed orange juice
and lemon zest. The wine is incredibly consistent from year to year, seemingly regardless of vintage conditions, and the 2006 seems to be just slightly more evolved and forward than the 2005. I'm sure
it will still be humming along 10 or more years from now…91 points.”-Robert Parker
Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2004
Magnum Size
Regular Price: $254.99 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $199.99
“The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, all from their old vineyards in Calistoga. This is a dense, ruby/purple-tinged wine with full body, and despite the softness of the general vintage, Montelena has plenty of structure. Like nearly every vintage of their top Cabernet Sauvignon, it will last for 25 or more years. The wine has sweet tannin in a broad, flavorful, concentrated style with plenty of black currant, licorice, and spice. The wine is beautifully textured, slightly more forward than most Montelena Cabernets tend to be. It is another beauty from probably the most consistent winery for Cabernet Sauvignon over the last three decades…94+ points.” -Robert Parker
Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 2007
Regular Price: $22.99 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $14.99
I have a difficult time figuring out why this made a close-out list. For starters, Alama Rosa was founded by Richard Sanford, founderof (you guessed it) Sanford winery in 1981. This is a new project for him. The wine is made from 100 acres of certified organic vineyards in the prestigious Santa Rita Hills area of California's Central Coast area. This is ground zero for quality California Pinot Noir.
This is on the dark, rich side of Pinot Noir. Dark cherry and plums in both the bouquet and flavor, it is soft and delicious for drinking now. It's got plenty of fruit concentration on the palate too. Perhaps the best $14.99 bottle of California Pinot Noir I've ever had!
-Green's Wine Buyer (Limited Availability-At Buford Store Only)
Chateau de la Maltroye Bourgogne Rouge 2006
Regular Price: $29.99 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $19.99
From one of the top domains in the Cote de Beaune, this wine is just lovely. Pure cherry aromatics and an elegant red fruit flavor, it is delightfully refreshing on the palate. One of the best Pinot Noir experiences you'll find at $20!-Green's Wine Buyer
“Aromas of currant and strawberry, with hints of flowers, follow through to a full body, with a solid core of fruit and tannins and a long finish…89 points.”-The Wine Spectator
Chateau Larrivet Haut Brion Blanc 2005
Regular Price: $59.99 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $29.99
“2005 is an excellent vintage possessing high acidity as well as impressive levels of weight, richness, and texture…90 points.” -Robert Parker (Limited Availability-At Buford Store Only)
Helfrich Riesling “Steinklotz” Grand Cru 2005
Regular Price: $24.99 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $19.99
“Wonderfully varietal aromas of lime peel and gravel are steely, and the very essence of Alsace. Superb balance in the face of intense minerality and freshness; flavors of lemon and wet stone with a pleasing peach note lifting the close. A steal for the
"A strapping, robust Malbec, with chewy flavors of dark plum and bittersweet chocolate. Finishes with iron and spice..." -The Wine Spectator
Chateau Duhart Milon 2006 Green’s Cash Sale Price: $49.99
I did my due diligence on *Wine-Searcher.com and found that I have the second lowest price in the entire country on this wine. I believe, with Robert Parker, that Duhart Milon represents one of the great values in Grand Cru Bordeaux today. His notes on this wine are below:
"It is no longer an insider's secret that the investments made by the Rothschild family (of Lafite) in Duhart Milon are paying big dividends. A shrewd Pauillac lover's delight, it possesses exceptional quality, yet the price remains fair. This blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, only 50% made it into the final blend, displays some of Lafite's classic notes of lead pencil shavings, cedar, and black currants along with more earthy, roasted herb, and spice box characteristics. Rich, full-bodied, dense, and already approachable, it should evolve easily for two decades. Good value...92 points."
*The world’s number one search engine of wine stores, winery, and wine auction, price lists and catalogues. Up-to-date, with 3,891,059 offers from the price lists of 17,643 wine merchants, all refreshed (on average) three times a week.
Please welcome our newest Buford Highway Wine Consultant,
Julia Basin.
Julia is an Atlanta native with a Bachelor's in Business Administration from the University of Georgia. After college, she decided to follow her passion for food and wine. Beginning her wine career as Assistant Wine Director at one of Food and Wine Magazine’s best US Wine Bars, she subsequently worked for a boutique distributor, specializing in estate bottled wines from Burgundy. Julia recently completed the Wine and Spirit Education Trust Diploma, which is a rigorous two year certification program for wine professionals. Julia says, "I want my customers to be as excited about the world of wine as I am! I love helping them find the perfect wine to match with dinner or any occasion." When Julia is not tasting or researching wine, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two cats.
Our Green’s Wine Consultants have years of experience in helping customers with wine and food combinations and figuring out the quantity of wine and other beverages needed to supply a party.
Please don’t hesitate to use our expertise.
For help call:
BUFORD HIGHWAY STORE:
404-321-6232 extension 312
Ask for Julia Basin or James Nichols
PONCE DE LEON STORE:
404-872-1109
Ask for Leonard Irish
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