In This Newsletter: Please Note: we will be closing at 4pm Monday, September 2nd, for Labor DaySpecial ArrivalChianti to stand the test of timeNew ArrivalsCameron, Marc Colin, Castell’in Villa, Terre Nere, Filipa Pato, and more!Staff PickWhen you make only one wine it had better be good!
Special Arrivals
Castell’in Villa
 Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa, Owner“This historic winery is known for producing some of the most traditionally-crafted, age-worthy wines in the appellation. To illustrate this, they have also kept back an extensive library of older vintages (…) Proprietress Principessa Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa and her husband first saw the estate in 1967 and then bought the property in 1968. At that time, there was just the 13th century farmhouse and outbuildings along with one hectare of vineyards. They quickly set out to expand their plantings and to update the farmhouses. In doing so, they sought the advice of the Chianti consorzio, quickly eliminating the use of white grapes in their wine and soon thereafter switching to 100% Sangiovese. ” –Polaner Imports Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 2019 750ml $31.90 special, 36+ bottles availableVinous 94 Points “The 2019 Chianti Classico has changed dramatically since I last tasted it, either because of more time in bottle, or because this is a later bottling. In any event, the 2019 is dense, ample and resonant in feel. Readers will find a serious, texturally intense Chianti Classico that delivers the goods, big time.” Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 2017 750ml $71.90 special, 24 bottles availableDecanter 95 Points “Unhurried in its reveal, toasted hazelnut, exotic spice, dried flowers and eventually red and black currants trickle out in measured progression. This simmers with intensity yet shuts down in the glass. Upfront structure is composed of compact tannins and steely, linear acidity that slices the palate. Irony minerals and dusty earth poke through the dense, dark fruit core, lingering persistently on the finish.” Vinous 94 Points “The 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva is showing well today. All the textural intensity of the year comes through in this concentrated, full-bodied Riserva. Cedar, tobacco, licorice, dried herbs and incense fill out the layers. This is an especially generous bottle, one that shows the natural richness of the vintage in spades.”
Oregon
Cameron Wines
Vinopolis’ favorite mad-oenologist is back with new treats!
Cameron Winery Reserve Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, USA 2022 750ml $39 special, 27 bottles availableVinopolNote “Each release, Cameron’s Reserve Pinot Noir represents a blend of the best fruit from the best single vineyards of the vintage.”
Lowest Price in the United States!
Cameron Winery Giuliano White, Oregon, USA 2023 750ml $33 special, 12 bottles availableVarietals: Auxerrois, Friuliano, Moscato, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Ribolla GiallaWinery Note “Giuliano is our field blend of 6 Italian varieties from Clos Electrique and Abbey Ridge. The rich palate is loaded with an awesome texture and notes of lemon curd, grapefruit and peaches. This is a nuanced, flavorful and food-friendly white. On the nose and palate, you’ll notice notes of pear, citrus, almond, and kaffir lime with a hint of flintiness and balanced acidity. Drink it with just about anything including sushi, grilled vegetables, chicken, and all sorts of seafood dishes. Only two barrels made, so quite limited.”
Lowest price on the West Coast
Cameron Winery Nebbiolo, Dundee Hills, USA 2020 750ml $41.90 special, 12 bottles available Vinopolnote “Fun fact, outside of Oregon, this is one of Cameron’s most popular wine –it’s currently a big hit in New York and New Jersey Restaurants. You may be asking why a Willamette Valley Nebbiolo is turning so many heads, but the reason is fairly obvious: nobody else in the USA is making such an authentic Alto-Piedmonte Nebbiolo. As is always the case with Cameron’s wines, the difference with his wines is dedication: John Paul actually travelled to Piedmont and learned from the masters how to grow and vinify this wine. Outside of Ghemme or Gattinara, nobody is producing such a wonderfully lithe Nebbiolo with masterfully integrated tannins and bright, fresh fruit flavors. Outstanding.” Cameron Winery Pinot Gris Ramato, Dundee Hills, USA 2023 750ml $31.90 special, 12 bottles availableWinery Note “Cameron Ramato takes its name from the Italian word Rame, which means copper. Our beautiful copper-hued wine is made in the tradition of north-eastern Italy, where Pinot grigio is macerated on the skins for 4-5 hours before pressing. With moderate texture and luscious stone fruit, honey comb, and fennel aromas, the ’23 Ramato pairs beautifully with grilled and even spicy foods.” …also new from Cameron Wines’ assistant winemaker: Sivilli Wine Co. “Poubelle” Rosé of Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2023 750ml $16 special, 24 bottles availableTracy “This is a less austere interpretation of Pinot Noir Rosé than we often see in the Willamette. There is a welcoming whiff of fresh strawberry on the nose, with a soft (but nicely balanced) mouth feel, stone-fruit notes on the palette, and tart raspberry on the finish. This is the bargain Rosé of the summer!” California
Pax Muhle
One of the finest producers of Syrah in the United States, Pax has bucked the old trends of flabby, over-ripened reds in favor of freshness, balance, and savory elements. It is the herbaceous qualities of these syrahs that has made them a favorite around Vinopolis. In particular, they are fantastic with lamb, steak salads, and pretty much anything with grill marks. Delicious!
These are the best prices for these wines on the West Coast!
Pax The Bench Vineyard Syrah, Clements Hills, USA 2022 750ml $31.90 special, 12 bottles availableVinous 92 Points “The 2022 Syrah The Bench Vineyard is a joyous, explosive wine. A burst of dark red/purplish fruit, mocha, lavender and spice saturates the palate. This is an especially forward, juicy style for Pax. There’s gorgeous immediacy here. The 2022 was done with 100% stems and aged in neutral oak.” Pax Sonoma Hillsides Syrah, Russian River Valley, USA 2022 750ml $59 special, 12 bottles availableVinous 94+ Points “The 2022 Syrah Sonoma Hillsides is a blend of several sites. Aging in cement helps retain a good bit of freshness, and that gives this wine quite a different feel from the other Syrahs, all of which are aged in neutral oak. The 2022 doesn’t have the immediacy or flashiness of the very best years, or of the other Syrahs in the range, but readers who can wait will find a wine of magnificent pedigree.” France
Domaine Didier Dagueneau
“Tasting a Dagueneau wine for the first time was a revelation. His Sauvignon Blancs had an unexpected purity and clarity to them. The flavors were intense but nuanced. It wasn’t the fruit that was piercing, as in so many Sauvignon Blancs, but the freshness and the focus. As powerful a personality as he was, his wines did not exalt the stature of the winemaker so much as the beauty of the terroir.” –Polaner Imports Dagueneau Les Jardins de Babylone Sec, Jurancon, France 2019 750ml $99 special, 3 bottles availablePolaner Imports Note “100% Petit Manseng. Dagueneau makes a limited number of bottles of dry wine from these beloved Jurancon hectares. The aim is to produce a wine that brings out the natural minerality of the soil and have balance, harmony and longevity. Concentrated, racy and extremely memorable.” Dagueneau ‘Blanc etc,’ Loire, Vin de France 2019 750ml $99 special, 6 bottles availableThe 2019 bottling of this wine was not reviewed, more recent vintage provided for reference.Vinous 93 Points “The 2020 Blanc etc. is developing into a mellow style with the richness of the vintage showing. It is what the French would call gourmand and, close to three years after being harvested, has entered a delectable stage of its evolution. Yes, it’s still young but has improved and opened up since tasting a year ago. It now offers baked apple, honey and pastry flavors while retaining freshness. It is long and concentrated with a firm sense of structure, doing the mouth equivalent of providing a firm, reassuring handshake, likely due to the clay-flint soils, which make up two-thirds of the blend.” Dagueneau Buisson-Renard, Loire, Vin de France 2019 750ml $149 special, 3 bottles availableVinous 92 Points “The Buisson Renard tends to be a more supple, more aromatically restrained cuvée in the Dagueneau stable, and the 2019 is no different. It’s probably the richer clay soils on this section of the domaine. There’s a delicate savory, herbal and oak-derived nutty character. It is fine and fresh with a supple texture that holds the mouth like a gentle embrace.”
Marc Colin
Domaine Marc Colin et Fils Bourgogne Aligote, Burgundy, France 2022 750ml $28 special, 24 bottles availableVinopolNote “This Aligote is effervescent, crisp, with lots of juicy citrus and orchard fruit. It is sharp, with good weight and mineral driven backbone. The touch of salinity makes this a great wine to pair with seafood!” Domaine Marc Colin et Fils Santenay Vieilles Vignes, Cote de Beaune, France 2022 750ml $45 special, 12 bottles availableVinopolNote “Floral and berry aromas. Delicate fruity notes, bright acidity and soft tannins. Goes great with poultry and oven roasted veggies.” …also available form Marc Colin (close-outs): WAS $799Domaine Marc Colin et Fils Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France 2021 750ml NOW $699 special, just 1 bottle availableWilliam Kelley-Wine Advocate 93-95 Points “The 2021 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru unwinds in the glass with aromas of pear, confit orange, lemon zest, white flowers, crisp green apple and buttery pastry. Full-bodied, satiny and multidimensional, it’s rich but chiseled, with chalky structuring extract and a long, expansive finish.” Only Listing in the United States WAS $1699Domaine Marc Colin et Fils Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France 2019 750ml NOW $1,599 special, just 1 bottle availableJasper Morris 96-99 Points “The 2019 production consists of one normal 228l barrel and one of 285 litres neither, brand new. There are some toasty notes from the wood while the detailed elements of fruit remain covered by the intensity. This wine is sitting back on its haunches, really promising. There is a huge sweetness of fruit through the middle, a very proper toastiness, a fine acidity. This massive Montrachet still retains enough lightness on its feet despite the majesty of the vineyard. Long too. Of course!
Only Listing in the United States
Domaine du Bagnol
Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Rose, Provence, France 2023 750ml $26.50 special, 12 bottles availableImporter Note “While offering appealing notes of citrus, it is the crystalline and saline aspects that mark this wine’s profound expression of Cassis’s terroir and Mediterranean essence. A wine that offers quintessential pairings with the traditional cuisine of Provence.” Italy
Tenuta delle Terre Nere
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco, Sicily, Italy 2023 750ml $26 special, 24 bottles availableVinous 92 Points “Honeyed florals, candied ginger, hints of fennel and crushed green apples form a spicy and inviting bouquet as the 2023 Etna Bianco opens in the glass. This plays depths of ripe orchard fruit against a core of salty minerals and savory spices as a wave of stimulating acidity completely resets the palate. The 2023 tapers off perfumed and long, leaving a pleasantly sour tinge of citrus that puckers the cheeks.”
Portugal
Filipa Pato & William Wouter
A collaboration between a Portuguese chemical engineer/winemaker and a Belgian restaurateur/Sommeliar. Together, these two have created something magical, easily more than the sum of its parts. Their philosophy? Authentic wines without adulteration. Focusing on indigenous varietals and biodynamic farming these are fantastic food pairing wines for thanks to William and are in the top echelons of quality and cutting edge wine technology. In fact, Filipa was elected Winemaker of the Year in Portugal by the “Revista de Vinhos” in 2020, a true rarity as she is the first woman to earn the title in 30 years! Filipa Pato & William Wouter 3B Metodo Traditional Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature, Beiras, Portugal NV 750ml $19.50 special, 36 bottles availableWine & Spirits 90 Points “The crisp lines of this sparkler carry scents of lemon thyme, Macintosh apples and fresh quince. The brisk salinity and limestone acidity take this from simple bubbles to something delicious, especially with oysters.” Winery Notes “70% Bical, 23% Maria Gomes and 7% Cercial, from chalky clay soil. Primary fermentation in tank with wild yeast, second fermentation in bottle with 9 months sur-lie aging. No dosage and practicing Biodynamic (Demeter)! Filipa Pato & William Wouter 3B Metodo Traditional Xbrut Rose, Bairrada, Beiras, Portugal NV 750ml $19.50 special, 12 bottles availableWine & Spirits 92 Points “A 75/25 blend of red-skinned baga and white bical, this is a rich sparkler that brings to mind a shellfish broth with its vibrant salinity and a raspberry mousse with its supple, refreshing fruit flavors. It’s creamy, with plenty of acidity and bubble to finish on a lovely, clean fragrance. Pour it with grilled langoustines or other rich shellfish.”
…also available from Filipa Pato:
Filipa Pato & William Wouter Nossa Calcario Baga, Beiras, Portugal 2021 750ml $44.50 special, 8 bottles availableJancis Robinson 17/20 Points “Organic. Deep crimson. Deep-flavoured and subtle. And so appetising that for the first time in this massive tasting I’m tempted to swallow this! Tannins are like the most luxuriously polished soft leather.”
Germany
Von Winning Riesling Sekt Extra Brut, Pfalz, Germany NV 750ml $24 special, 36+ bottles available(No reviews for the current disgorgement. Recent review provided for reference.)David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 Points “Based largely on vintage 2016 and on grapes from Ruppertsberg (especially Linsenbusch), this offers a mouthwatering and remarkably Chablis-like evocation of salted, herbed chicken stock and oyster liquor. Walnut and peach kernel piquancy stimulate further on a brightly lemony, buoyant palate. The mousse is admirably fine, the long finish both cheek-pinching and saliva-inducing, irrepressibly juicy and loaded with animal as well as mineral savor.”
Austria
Heidi Schrock
Natural wine alert!
“In 2003 Heidi was awarded “Falstaff Vintner of the Year”, making her one of only a handful of women to obtain this distinction. She re-introduced historic varietals such as muscat-lunel and furmint from Hungary while continuing to work with more classic Austrian varietals such as Grauburgunder, Weissburgunder, and Welschriesling … Heidi is now joined by her twin sons, Johannes and Georg, who, like their mother, continue to produce classic [Austrian] wines, while experimenting with other varieties and winemaking styles on the side.” –Skurnik Importers Heidi Schrock & Sohne Furmint, Burgenland, Austria 2023 750ml $31.90 special, 7 bottles availableWinery Note “Natural fermentation in Acacia then 10 months in 1500L and 2000L Acacia.” Heidi Schrock & Sohne Weissburgunder, Burgenland, Austria 2023 750ml $24 special, 6 bottles availableVinopolnote “100% Pinot Blanc!” Nikolaihof
Nikolaihof Vinothek Riesling, Wachau, Austria 2002 750ml $199 special, 12 bottles availableWine Enthusiast 97 Points “A teasing, flinty whiff of reduction beckons from the glass before the taut, fresh, poised but juicy palate hits you. The flavor is reminiscent both of baked and fresh apple, with a smooth lanolin tone. This is not only and elixir but a whole fountain of youth, a full-flavored jewel of a wine. Still slender, still vivid and like balm for the soul. If only we could age so gracefully.”
Bernard Ott
Weingut Bernhard Ott Feuersbrunner Spiegel Gruner Veltliner Erste OTW Lage, Wagram, Austria 2021 750ml $79 special, 12 bottles availableAnne Krebiehl Mw-Vinous 94 Points “The 2021 Grüner Veltliner Spiegel was picked on well-ventilated terraces of loess on top of calcareous, iron-rich Danubian gravels. On the nose, yeast blends into the gentle woodland scent of moss, edged with just a little pepper. The palate is rounded, with a heightened sense of pepper on a very airy, smooth, almost ethereal body. Soaring towards the sky, this is fresh and bright, all reaching upwards. At once light-footed and sprightly yet profound, the entire wine is vivid with white pepper. (Bone-dry).” Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ Points “The 2021 Ried Spiegel 1ÖTW Feuersbrunn Grüner Veltliner opens very clear, precise and intense on the nose, with intense and dense white, ripe fruit aromas. On the plate, this is a very rich and textural Veltliner with remarkable and vital acidity. The wine is very complex and long, revealing a long and aromatic as well as intense, powerful and stimulating saline finish. 13% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted in August 2023.”
Staff Pick
Coe Cellars
Aaron Coe, owner and winemaker at Portland’s Coe Cellars, makes just one wine: a single vineyard Sangiovese from Walla Walla’s Mission Hill is made form 100% Sangiovese Grosso, the clone first cultivated by Biondi-Santi and the only allowable grape in Brunello di Montalcino.
One of my biggest problems with domestic Sangiovese, including Walla Walla’s famed Leonetti, is that they taste and feel too much like domestic Cabs. This wine, however, aged in used Burgundy barrels with well-integrated tannins and lifted tart cherry notes, feels distinctly old world in flavor and character.This new bottling is fresher and lighter than Coe’s sold-out 2020 vintage– a Pinot Noir drinker’s Sangiovese through and through.Coe Cellars Mission Hills Sangiovese, Walla Walla Valley, USA 2021 750ml $26.50 special, 36+ bottles available
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