Hanging With Harley B:
Provence In A Glass

I had a lovely dream the other night where I was roaming through fields of lavender in Provence. My parents are always talking about its beauty and I just love the idea of trotting through purple lavender fields with visions of yellow flowers adorning the countryside. My parents like Provence so much they even planted a butterfly garden in front of our house as an ode to its glory.

But then after I woke up, I thought, nah.

Sorry Provence, I absolutely love Cape Cod!

I don't mean to be cheeky to Provence. They probably really like boykins over there. And it certainly doesn't mean I can't appreciate wines from this region. My parents would be so mad if I ignored them. This is the land of their beloved rosés, as well as some fascinating reds and whites you won't find anywhere else.

I guess I haven't paid too much attention to wines from Provence yet because the red and white wines are somewhat rare and tend to be expensive and we all know I'm a value-driven puppy. At least that's the job I've been assigned by Mom and Dad. When I'm not out retrieving I love spending my time studying and writing about wine.

Well, at least when I'm not doing my second favorite activity -- digging. It drives Mom and Dad crazy when they find holes in the yard, but I've learned to channel my digging skills into unearthing new wines!

Today I'm thrilled to inform you I've unearthed two gems which are so far off the beaten path I had to look really hard and keep super focused on my mission.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a gold star for this discovery. You see, not only are these wines absolutely delicious, they're made by a veteran superstar in the Rhône Valley, Yves Cuilleron, who is widely known for his Condrieu, Cornas and Côte-Rôtie wines (if you're not familiar with these wines they're all heavy-hitting wine appellations with hefty price tags).

Yves Cuilleron

And now for the wines. Usually any wines you'll find from Yves Cuilleron will set you back a pretty penny but not today and definitely not from this bouncing boykin!

Domaine des Masques Essentielle Chardonnay 2015

Domaine des Masques is located a few kilometers from Aix-en-Provence in a unique natural environment, 550 meters above the sea level, at the foot of the Sainte Victoire mountain. It was here that Paul Cezanne, in his time, painted many of his most famous paintings.

The Essentielle Chardonnay is 100% Chardonnay in a fresh, bright and crisp style, tasting of citrus and white-fleshed fruit. It has lovely underlying minerality and what I really like is that it's really balanced. Amazing for its modest price, this wine is quite elegant with great finesse.

Basically, it's an excellent alternative to the finer wines from Burgundy and it's easy on the wallet.

Drink it with sushi, grilled fish, roast poultry, seafood terrines, shellfish and soft cheeses such as brie and Camembert.

Domaine des Masques Essentielle Red 2014

This super tasty red wine is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Marselan and 10% Syrah. The grape varieties are processed separately and cold-macerated prior to fermentation for optimum extraction before alcoholic fermentation. They're blended in springtime after being aged in stainless steel tanks for six months and then bottled immediately.

This wine has lovely red berry aromas, as well as those of black currant and blackberries, along with spice notes. It's well rounded and will pair great with red meats, poultry and cheese.

Each of these wines is $14.99/bottle or $143.90/12 pack case ($11.99/bottle) or just $11.99/bottle in a mixed case of wine.

Location 4550 State Highway North Eastham, MA 02651 (Next to the Royal Thai Restaurant in the Town Center Plaza) Tel: 508 255 3660 Fax: 508 255 6736

Early Autumn Hours Mon-Thurs: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fri-Sat: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday: 10 to 7 p.m.   We're open year round. Closed only on Memorial Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.