Wine buying for Labor Day weekend parties is made easy with the Miguel Torres Las Mulas 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

The Torres family has been making wines in Spain for 140-years. In 1979, they became the first foreign wine company in Chile when they purchased a small winery in Curico. Over the next 30 years, the Miguel Torres wine company expanded that initial 250-acre purchase to 1,100 acres of vineyards.

Part of the expansion was the acquisition and development of a 100-acre certified organic vineyard named San Luis de Alico. Mules are used at San Luis de Alico, giving rise to the wine label name, Las Mulas.

With its arrival in 1979, Miguel Torres was the first wine company to employ temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for fermentation. The 2009 Las Mulas sauvignon blanc and 2008 cabernet sauvignon wines are made in this manner. After fermentation, the sauvignon blanc develops in the tanks for seven months before bottling. And the cabernet sauvignon is aged for six months in older French oak barrels then bottled.

Without exposure to oak barrel, the 2009 sauvignon blanc has preserved its pleasing lemon-thyme aroma and a delightfully fresh citrus and sage flavor. A clean, dry finish makes this a refreshing wine.

The 2008 cabernet sauvignon is also well-made. Bright cherry color and a mild herbaceous nose are combined with ripe black cherry flavor and soft tannins. Its good balance and tasty finish will satisfy every red wine drinker.

Labor Day party menus can start with the Las Mulas 2009 sauvignon blanc as an aperitif. Partner it as well to crab and shrimp appetizers, seafood salads, and grilled chicken and white fish. A glass of the Las Mulas 2008 cabernet sauvignon will enhance servings of hamburgers, pork chops, steaks, and tuna.

The price of both wines will make Labor Day truly effortless.

The Miguel Torres Las Mulas 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon retail for approximately $11.