Vinopolis Newsletter – Wednesday 12-29-21

California is famous around the world for her Chardonnay with an entire ecosystem of different styles, growing regions and practices. After stunning the world in the 1976 Judgement of Paris, California chardonnay became comparable to white burgundy and has been a measuring rod ever since. In the ensuing decades since this upset, two styles have taken prominence in the State’s output. On one end of the spectrum there is the rich, plush and riper style that made California an icon; and a leaner, mineral and restrained iteration that’s meant to emulate the “French style” of winemaking. 

Mt. Eden Vineyards is a historic estate located in the Edna Valley, with its founding in 1945 making it one of the oldest producers in the region. Farming without irrigation on their estate and sourcing from some of the oldest planted chardonnay in the state, these are benchmark producers of the richer California style in a way that retains freshness. We are lucky enough to feature two labels from their portfolio, both of which feature old vines, French oak barrel fermentation and years of potential age in the bottle. Mt. Eden Vineyards is known for having chardonnays that are still fresh and drinkable even after 15 years, making them a true New World rarity. 

Mount Eden Vineyards Edna Valley Chardonnay 2017 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now 
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 points “This comes mostly from the Wolff vineyard with some fruit from the Middle Ranch vineyard. The 2017 Edna Valley Chardonnay opens with wonderful aromas of honeycomb, orange blossoms, saline, crushed shell and loads of baked apple and quince with an earthy undercurrent. The palate is medium-bodied, satiny and intense, with seamless freshness on the finish, which lingers with honeyed notions.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Mount Eden Vineyards Wolff Vineyard Chardonnay Edna Valley 2018 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2018 Chardonnay Wolff Vineyard from Edna Valley is pure, energetic and fresh this vintage. The nose is lovely, loaded with floral perfume and ripe citrus fruits. The palate is silky and expansive with a shimmering mineral character and a long, pure finish. It improved over the two to three days it was open and will benefit from a long decant. 4,256 cases produced.”    

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Looking for a wine that hits the same notes as Cabernet Sauvignon but with a distinctive Sicilian flair? Nero D’ Avola would like to make your acquaintance. Known also as Calabrese and often called “The Cabernet of Sicily” Nero d Avola was originally brought to the island by Greek settlers in the 8th century. Now commanding a large portion of the island’s red production, you see a tremendous style diversity based on producer, cultivation style and site. 

Overall however you can expect a medium to full bodied red that delivers a spectrum of red, purple and black fruits with layered aromas of botanicals and minerals. Tannin and structure trend towards being robust and bold that rewards food pairings with richer food.
We carry a number of producers in house that demonstrate a snapshot of Nero D’Avola’s character, ranging from the western coast of Marsala, to the eastern village of Pachino and the central breadbasket of Agrigento.  

Located only 12 miles from the ocean, Caruso has been making wine since the late 1800’s. However it wasn’t until the 1990’s did they ever bottle their own wine, previously contracting out to the cooperatives of Marsala. With holdings encompassing almost 300 acres at almost 1000 feet above sea level these are some of the best examples of “New Sicily” winemaking and production. 
The elevation combined with the breeze coming from the Tyrrhenian Sea mitigates the otherwise sweltering conditions and reduces disease pressure. Caruso’s Nero D’ Avola features the classic black cherry, strawberry, star anise, sage and cocoa flavors with a bright acidity that keeps everything medium bodied and fresh. 

In stock now: 

Caruso & Minini Naturalmente Bio Nero d’Avola Sicilia Sicily 2019 ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Kerin O’Keefe Wine Enthusiast 88 points “Made with organic grapes, this has aromas of ripe black-skinned berry, new leather and crushed Mediterranean herb. On the medium-bodied palate, polished tannins accompany ripe Marasca cherry, star anise and a hint of carob. Bright acidity keeps it fresh. Drink through 2022. 

Gulfi represents the best of Sicily’s new generation of winemakers, and is a champion of indigenous Sicilian varietals and growing practice. This is exemplified by his work with Nero D’Avola, which he farms without any chemical input, mechanized farming or even irrigation! Exclusively using the Sicilian bushvine for production and biodynamic farming practices, Gulfi is critically undervalued to say the least. Across their portfolio of Nero D’Avola, there is a pervasive minerality, clean aromatics and nuanced finishes to each wine that is unlike anything you experience in an example from Marsala or Agrigento. This is on account of the protection and shadow provided by the Iblei Mountains of Southeastern Sicily, which encourages a phenolic driven course of ripening. 

Gulfi Wines in stock now: 

Gulfi Nerobaronj Sicilia IGT Sicily 2016 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata – Vinous 93+ points “Good full medium red. Riveting high-pitched perfume of raspberry, blood orange and violet, lifted by hints of lemon and talc. Clean, focused, and well delineated, with strong minerality and fresh spices lifting the raspberry fruit and very floral flavors. Easygoing and very drinkable already, this expresses a very silky texture. Finishes vibrant and very long, with subtle perfume of strawberry and violet. A pretty wine.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Gulfi Nerobufaleffj Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT Sicily 2016 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Gulfi Nerobufaleffj Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT Sicily 2016 ($299.95) $237 special, (That’s only $39.50 per bottle!) 
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 96+ points “Luminous deep red. Aromas of red cherry, minerals, Oriental spices and vanilla on the refined nose. Then luscious, rich, deep and multilayered with spices, herbs and aromatic oak notes dominating the underlying red and spicy flavors beneath. Finishes long but with less than the usual nectar-like quality that typifies this cru; undoubtedly, a much more elegant version of Nerobufaleffj, a wine that often reaches Amarone-like levels of richness and lusciousness. This very young wine is a potential knockout; still brooding and folded upon itself; it’s a beauty that requires time in your cellar, and watch it develop into something special.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Gulfi Neromaccarj Sicilia IGT Sicily 2016 750ML ($49.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Gulfi Neromaccarj Sicilia IGT Sicily 2016 ($249.95) $189 special, (That’s only $31.50 per bottle!) 
Ian D’Agata – Vinous 93 points “Deep ruby. Amazing floral and spicy nose of black fruit, herbs and grilled steak. Then rich and tactile, but vibrant and energetic, with well delineated flavors similar to the aromas. Finishes long with mounting but relatively polished tannic bite.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Gulfi Nerosanlore Sicilia IGT Sicily  2011 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 34 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata – Vinous 94 points “Fully saturated ruby-red. Super-ripe aromas of black cherry, raspberry jelly, incense and coriander are very typical of the Sanloré site. Then surprisingly light on its feet, offering vibrant flavors of red and black cherry, tar, licorice and pomegranate liqueur. The finish is bright and juicy and features a lingering saline nuance. Knockout Sanloré that manages to be at once powerful and graceful, the latter a quality not always evident in wines from this site, which are usually known for their richness and size.”
Wine & Spirits 94 points “This dark and brooking wine comes from 40-year-old vines rooted in reddish-brown sand and clay soils; it grows half a mile from the sea and just 30 feet above sea level, where the temperature doesn’t change much between day and night. Savory notes of black olive and roasted mushroom saturate the wine’s dark plum flavors, intensified by a trail of salinity so intense it feels almost gritty, yet the wine is brightened by mouthwatering acidity. The contrast is extreme, and it works.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Gulfi Nerosanlore Sicilia IGT Sicily 2016 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 97 points “Luminous red. Precise, brooding aromas of ripe red cherry, flint, orange rind, cinnamon, lavender and violet, complicated by iodine and earth. Silky and sappy with refined but very concentrated extract, this smothers the taste buds but stays vibrant and not at all heavy, offering lovely definition and lift to the red cherry, raspberry, floral and mineral flavors. Finishes extremely deep and long, with ultra-suave tannins, mesmerizing inner-mouth perfume and extreme refinement; very Barolo-like. A lovely multilayered wine showcasing the elegant side of Nero d’Avola that very few producers ever manage to showcase.”

Simply put, Feudo Montoni is exceptional. Beyond their first mentioning in the 1590’s it’s rare to find a producer whose wines reflect terroir, varietal character and quality farming practices across their entire portfolio. Sourced from the oldest part (120+ years) of their organic, 80 hectare estate in Agrigento, Vrucara is grown in the traditional Sicilian bushvine from original rootstock.

Nestled on a high elevation site on Mt. Cammarata this features a dramatically cooler season than others in production, contributing to some of the most layered and nuanced iterations of Nero. From the first pour there are exuberant aromas of oregano, anise, ripe strawberry, redcurrant and blackberries intermingled with a lingering copal resin and myrrh element that fills the glass. Full of verve, and whipsawing fruit character that begins in black raspberries before a metamorphosis into spiced Italian plums and espresso.

Vrucara features incredible depth at play with high tannins and acid that hollows the palate with a long finish of rosemary and Mexican chocolate. It’s rare to find a wine this multidimensional and storied for less than $100, let alone under $50. Highly ageworthy and will reward decanting or extensive cellaring.

In Stock now: 

Feudo Montoni ‘Vrucara’ Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT Sicily 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “Tasted from magnum, the 2015 Sicilia Nero d’Avola Vrucara is a dark and penetrating wine with a chiseled and pungent side that delivers dried cherry and blackberry preserves. There is a point of ripeness, maybe even jammy cherry with lots of inky dark fruit. I knocked off a point or two compared to the previous edition because I am less a fan of that ripeness. You get cherry liqueur or cherry syrup sweetness on the close. However, this remains one of the benchmark bottles for Sicily’s banner grape Nero d’Avola.”
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 93+ points “Good full ruby-red. Aromas and flavors of red/dark berries, plum, smoke, coriander and herbs. Juicy, taut and precise, with musky notes that extend onto the long, very smooth back end.”

Love Sicilian wine? We carry over 25 examples available now on in-store and online 

Benoît Marguet is a fast-rising star in the Montage de Reims if not in the entire Champagne region…” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate

Benoît Marguet is one of the hottest names in Champagne. A young grower who is one of the leading voices for organic and biodynamic farming, his single-parcel wines have attracted attention of Michelin starred restaurants across Europe. These are wines that are rich across the palate yet incredibly mineral and precise in their flavors. The latest releases have yet to be reviewed, but once they are we expect fireworks.

“One of Champagne’s most passionate advocates of biodynamic viticulture and aromatherapy since he undertook his family estate’s biodynamic conversion in 2009, Benoît Marguet farms just over seven hectares in Ambonnay, as well as small holdings in Bouzy, which he complements with purchased organically farmed grapes from the Côte de Blancs. Working with indigenous yeasts and minimal sulfites—indeed, increasingly, with no sulfites whatsoever—Marguet’s vins clairs are vinified in wood and see long élevage before tirage. These days, disgorgement is without dosage. Framed by a delicate patina from their time in oak, these are concentrated, intense and beautifully balanced Champagnes that are invariably precisely defined by site—and, moreover, revolutionary in their ambitions. I have followed Marguet’s wines since my student days, and it is clear that Benoît is well on his way to realizing all his ambitions.” –William Kelley, Wine Advocate

Marguet Pere & Fils Avize & Cramant Grand Cru Champagne 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Importer note “Demeter certified. 100% Chardonnay.”
Peter Liem note “[Writing on the 2011 release] This comes from two chardonnay vineyards, both farmed organically: Les Chantereines in Avize and Les Fourches du Levant in Cramant. It combines breadth and finesse in the inimitable style of the northern Côte des Blancs, with a pinpoint texture and a racy, elongated structure.”


Marguet Pere & Fils ‘Shaman #17’ Grand Cru Extra Brut Champagne NV 750ML ($64.95) $51.90 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Marguet Pere & Fils ‘Shaman #17’ Grand Cru Extra Brut Champagne NV 3L ($319.95) $279 special, 2 double magnums in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 91 points “Scents of pear, waxy citrus rind, mandarin orange, peach and buttery pastry, Marguet’s NV Shaman 17 is medium to full-bodied, pillowy and vinous, with bright acids and chalky grip. It was disgorged in September 2020. As readers will remember, the “17” denotes the base vintage, which is complemented by reserve wines from a solera established in 2010.”