This week we are heading to South America with an ending in Italy. We will be featuring - TRIVENTO TORRONTES "SELECT" - $10.99 - (Argentina) winemaker notes: Bright golden yellow in color with greenish reflections. Floral and tropical-fruit aromas and hints of citrus. Crisp and well structured, offering flavors of ripe tropical fruit and citrus.

NUTURA CHARDONNAY - $10.99 - (Chile) a fulfilling unoaked, organic wine from the cool Casablanca Valley. This quaffable Chardonnay focuses on pure citrus, grapefruit and peach flavors. There's a touch of natural sweetness but with no oak ther is no butter, fat or flab. Breaks the mold and opens the door to a whole other style of Chardonnay.

PALO ALTO RESERVA RED - $11.99 - (Chile) a mass of black currant and blackberry with a little sprinkling of spice. Full bodied but soft palate with gentle tannins and a warming finish. Not overly complex but a nice food wine. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Carmenere (25%) and Syrah (10%)

CASILLERO del DIABLO CARMENERE - $10.99 (Chile) deep intense violet red. Intense and expressive fruit with leading plum and black cherry notes. Also bitter chocolate, coffee and toast. Good structure and concerntration, smooth and elegant tannins. Ripe fruit makes a comeback, in balance with the wood; long and very pleasant finish. Good with meats, vegetables, pizza and ripe cheeses.

And our stop off in Italy will be PETALO IL VINO DELL'AMORE MOSCATO SPUMANTE - $17.99 - brilliant gold with a fine, persistent perlage. Pronounced scent of roses, with hints of apricot and peach. Pleasantly sweet, characteristic of the Moscato grape, with ripe flavors of apple and peach. This wine is delightful as an aperitif or enjoyed with brunch and desserts such as custards, fruit tarts and ice cream. Maybe we should use it as a toast to spring!

LEONETTI has arrived! Keep that vertical going with a Cabernet, Merlot or Sangiovese.

The new release of BAER is also available.

Some CORLISS RED WINE is also hiding in the back.

Ask Ric about these allocated items.

Start this Saturday off with Brunch at the Des Moines Activity Center. Enjoy a scrumptious Maple-Cinnamon French Toast Souffle. Help support the programs and activities of the center. $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for children under 10.

Highline Community College's Marine Science and Technology (MaST) Center Presents - EIGHT ARMS, THREE HEARTS AND BLUE BLOOD - OCTOPUSES OF THE PUGET SOUND. Join Giovannina Souers Saturday March 7 from 12:00 to 12:45 as she explains the basics of octopus anatomy and behavior and shares stores about octopuses. The MaST Center is located near the Redondo Beach Park. No Charge! A great event for big and little kids. No need to drive to the big city and pay huge fees and parking! Stay right here in Des Moines.

'BOBBY SOX TO STOCKINGS' Des Moines 50th Birthday Party March 21 - a Black Tie Gala at Highline Community College. Dinner, entertainment by Joey Jewell and dancing. Proceeds from this event will help support the 50th Birthday Celebration. Tickets are $75.00 or a table of eight for $560.00.

This week we are featuring two Austrian varietals that are not on the Century Club list.

ROTGIPFLER - white - marginally less noble of the two grapes traditionally associated with the spicy, full wines of Gumpoldskirchen south of Vienna. Rotgipfler, which ripens late, but earlier than Zierfandler, and whose wines are particularly high in extract, alcohol and bouquet.

ZIERFANDLER - white - the more noble of teh two white wine grape varieties traditionally associated with Gumpoldskirchen, the dramatically full bodied, long-lived spicy white wine of the Thermenregion district of Austria. Zierfandler has sufficient nerve to make late harvest wines with the ability to evolve over years in bottle but are usually blended.