A funny thing has happened since we’ve been making some special buys and offering them to you – people have been giving us first dibs on some special sales.

Most recently we got a call letting us know of an opportunity to pick up the end of the vintage of the 2008 Quinto do Feital Auratus, a Portuguese white. We jumped on the offer because this wine appeals to a broad range of palates and always sells like crazy when we open a bottle. Though it drinks almost like an unoaked chardonnay, with a crisp and clean palate with beautiful aromatics like peach nectar and ripe apples, the grapes are traditional Portuguese – Alvarinho and Trajadura. Alvarinho, known in Spain as Albarino, is thought to be related to Riesling. Though the Alvarinho grape would normally make a vivacious summer sipper with lively acidity – like in our Bouza do Rei Albarino 2008 ($20.00) – the addition of the Trajadura grape gives the Auratus an appealing richness and balance.

Normally $17.50 on the shelf, our special buy allows us to offer it to you for $13.50 – almost 25% off. And for 12 bottles or more, the price goes down to $12.15 a bottle – 30% off. We’ve only got a little over seven cases in stock. When this wine is gone, we’re on to the 2009 vintage. To order, call (718) 797-9463.

If we have any left, we’ll open the Feital Auratus 2008 tomorrow, Friday June 25 from 5-7pm along with the Bouza Do Rei Albarino so you compare these two wonderful versions of the Alvarinho/Albarino grape.