Vinopolpick 01-26-22

There may be no more ambitious winemaker in the world than Markus Molitor. His determination and drive to make the best possible wines has made him a towering figure in the Mosel, with an impressive, modern winery and holdings in almost every important vineyard in the region. This drive also means there are a lot of different bottlings—Molitor believes that every single sub-parcel and selective pick should be vinified to its utmost potential.

Most winemakers would pick a vineyard once or twice and vinify the lots together—it’s easier and the wines are good. Molitor, though, asks what each parcel and pick would be like on its own—treated as if it were a wine of distinction rather than a blending component. This is a lot of extra work and requires time and space that most winemakers would rather not spend, but the result is a dizzying number of bottlings that all strive toward perfection.

The critical praise backs this up— Markus Molitor’s wines are some of the most celebrated in the world. We have a dazzling selection of Markus Molitor’s wines in stock, and are eager to share them with you. Whether white capsule (dry), green capsule (off-dry), or gold capsule (fruity to nobly sweet), you can’t really go wrong with any of the numerous bottlings. So pick your favorite style and discover for yourself why we insist on carrying so many of these brilliant wines, with select bottlings on sale until Wednesday evening!

In Stock and On Sale Now:

Markus Molitor Erdener Treppchen Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel 2017 375ML ($99.95) Was $89, Now $79 special, 15 half-bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 99 points 
Mosel Fine Wines 97 points .”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Markus Molitor Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett Trocken (White Capsule), Mosel 2018 750ML ($34.95) Was $26, Now $21.90 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 90 points 
Decanter 90 points 
Mosel Fine Wines 90 points 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Markus Molitor Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spatlese Trocken (White Capsule), Mosel 2018 750ML ($37.95) Was $31.90, Now $28 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Decanter 94 points 
Stephen Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Markus Molitor Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese Feinherb (Green Capsule), Mosel 2018 750ML ($44.95) Was $33, Now $29 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott-Jamessuckling 95 points 
Stephen Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points 
David Schildknecht-Vinous 92 points 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Markus Molitor Kinheimer Hubertuslay Riesling Auslese *** (Gold Capsule), Mosel 2017 750ML ($179.95) Was $149, Now $119 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 99 points 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Markus Molitor Kinheimer Hubertuslay Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel 2017 375ML ($99.95) Was $89, Now $79 special, 32 half-bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 99 points 
Mosel Fine Wines 96+ points 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Markus Molitor Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Auslese *** (Gold Capsule), Mosel 2017 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $89 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98+ points 

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today, 
Now it’s even lower!

Markus Molitor Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Kabinett Feinherb (Green Capsule), Mosel 2018 750ML ($29.95) Was $24, Now $21.90 special, 28 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Markus Molitor Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Auslese *** Trocken (White Capsule), Mosel 2017 750ML ($129.95) Was $119, Now $99 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Markus Molitor Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese ** (Gold Capsule), Mosel 2017 750ML ($89.95) Was $79, Now $69 special, 22 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 98 points 

Markus Molitor Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese *** (Gold Capsule), Mosel 2017 750ML ($179.95) Was $149, Now $119 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 99 points 

Shop our complete selection of 116 Molitor wines on our web store now! 

France- Bordeaux 

Chateau Lagrange Pomerol 1990 750ML ($99.95) $79 special
Case- Chateau Lagrange Pomerol 1990 750ML ($599.95) $449 special, (That’s $74.83 per bottle) 
Case-12 Chateau Lagrange Pomerol 1990 750ML ($1199.95) $869 special, (That’s’ $72.41 per bottle!) 
Wine Spectator 94 points “Big, rustic and chewy red. Dark garnet color. Aromas of berries, leaves and wet earth. Full-bodied, with big, velvety tannins and a long coffee, ripe fruit aftertaste.–1990 Bordeaux retrospective.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Chateau Malescot-St-Exupery Margaux 2014 750ML ($99.95) $59 special
James Suckling 96 points “Dark currants and berries with walnuts on the nose. Follows through to a full body, integrated tannins and a gorgeous finish. Exciting. Wow.“
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “I put the 2014 Malescot Saint Exupery up with the crème de la crème of this vintage and it offers a wonderfully complete, balanced, concentrated style offers loads of class and personality. With loads of blackcurrant and black cherry fruits intermixed with notions of graphite/lead pencil, spring flowers, and damp earth, it’s medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure, layered, and ripe, with sweet tannin and rock-solid underlying acidity. This is a straight up gorgeous, classy, elegant Margaux that’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and shine for 15-20 years.”
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 93 points “The 2014 Malescot Saint Exupéry is powerful, rich and explosive. One of the more exuberant, flamboyant Margaux that readers will come across, the Malescot exudes serious depth and intensity. Black cherry, plum, smoke, licorice and dark spice meld into the deep, succulent finish. The 2014 needs time in bottle, but it is impressive and also highly promising.”
James Molesworth – Wine Spectator 93 points “Alluring, with lapsang souchong notes that weave around the core of gently steeped red and black currant and plum fruit flavors. A strong graphite edge marks the finish, giving this excellent cut and drive. Very suave.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Chateau Leoville Barton Saint-Julien 2015 750ML ($169.95) $149 special 
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “I absolutely loved the 2015 Léoville Barton and this has everything you could want from a Left Bank Bordeaux. Cassis, smoked earth, graphite, tobacco leaf, and thrilling amounts of minerality all emerge from this inky colored, full-bodied, power-packed, brut of a Saint-Julien that holds everything together and stays pure, balanced and elegant on the palate. It has a lot of tannins, yet more than enough fruit. The 2015 is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, brought up in 60% new French oak, and it needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will shine for 2-3 decades. Bravo! Drink: 2026-2056.”
Wine Enthusiast 97 points “Cellar Selection. Rich, generous and elegant, this is a very dense wine but with great black fruits to balance this structure. The elements are already coming together to create another great wine from this property. Drink from 2026.”
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “A dense, powerful wine, the 2015 Léoville-Barton is going to need quite a bit of time to come together, as it is massively tannic and structured at this stage. Drink: 2025-2055.”
James Suckling 96 points “This is a very focused Barton with ultra-fine tannins that are so polished and chalky. It drives through the center palate with currant and berry character. Full-bodied, polished and straightforward with driving tannin. Love the texture. Class. Yes. Drink in 2021.”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 95 points “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Leoville Barton offers up notions of warm red currants, black raspberries and dark chocolate with wafts of cigar box, violets and bay leaves. Elegant, medium-bodied and sporting great freshness, the taut, tightly wound palate of intense red fruits and floral accents is well-framed with firm, grainy tannins, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Drink: 2022-2042.”

l’Hetre ‘La Raison d’Hetre’ Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux 2016 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Julia Harding MW – Jancisrobinson.com “There is a second wine, Raison d’Hêtre, made from the younger vines and lower slopes. It’s a little lighter in body and tasted as if it had a little more of the Cabernets in the blend though the proportions are the same, but this was perhaps just slightly less ripe Merlot fruit.”

Montepeloso A Quo Toscana IGT Tuscany 2018 750ML ($29.95) $20.90 special
Case-6 Montepeloso A Quo Toscana IGT Tuscany 2018 750ML ($179.95) $119 special 
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 92 points “A blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Montepulciano, 15% Sangiovese, 15% Marselan and 5% Alicante Bouschet, the Montepeloso 2018 A Quo is the entry-level expression that unfolds to a rich and sultry display of dark fruit, spice and a touch of charred meat. The blend is quite eccentric, but the basic elements are all there, such as the structure from the Cabernet Sauvignon, the wild character of the Montepulciano and the perfumed intensity of the other grapes. This is a 35,000-bottle production and a terrific value buy.”
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92 points “The 2018 A Quo is rich and explosive in the glass, with superb presence and tons of intensity, but all in the gracious style of the year. Crushed flowers, sweet red berry fruit and spice are front and center. In 2018, A Quo is supremely delicious. Best of all, it remains a tremendous value in artisan wine.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

France- Languedoc 

Domaine Lafage ‘Nicolas’ Grenache Noir Vieilles Vignes IGP Cotes Catalanes 2019 750ML ($21.95) $19 special
Case-12 Domaine Lafage ‘Nicolas’ Grenache Noir Vieilles Vignes IGP Cotes Catalanes2019 750ML ($249.95) $208 special,  
Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points “All Grenache brought up in demi–muids and aged on lees for 8 months, the medium ruby/purple hued color of the 2019 Cuvée Nicolas is followed by a killer bouquet of kirsch liqueur, savory spices, cured meats, and peppery garrigue. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and gorgeously textured, it has wonderful richness with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It’s another insane value from this team.”

Spain- Rioja 

Granja Nuestra Senora de Remelluri ‘Lindes de Remelluri Vinedos de San Vicente’ Rioja DOCa  2014 750ML ($34.95) $26 special, 7 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Some richer, darker and deeper fruit character with plums, blackberries and a dark, earthy streak. The tannins are more upright, more elevated, and the fruit is richer and darker than in the Labastida. This has real presence, grip and energy. Try from 2021.”
Grapelive 94 points “Telmo Rodriguez, one of the most iconic and best winemakers of his generation…. has accomplished himself as a champion of terroir over varietal and employs artisan craftsmanship in the cellar, with his wines hardly ever showing overt oak or aggressive alcohol, they always show distinctive purity and a sense of place, and these secondary wines known as Lindes de Remmelluri are magnificent expressions of Rioja, they are richly flavored and soulful wines crafted from old vine purchased fruit from vineyards that prior had got into the family’s main wine. These two vineyard select wines, Labastida and this San Vincente, coming from vineyards that used to go into the Remelluri Reserva are now separated into these two new single vineyard bottlings that are absolutely stunning values, especially in this 2014 vintage….The beautiful and deep Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de San Vicente 2014, a field blend of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Garnacha, was fermented using all native yeasts in cool stainless steel tanks and then raised in barrel, 100% French oak, for 12 months before bottling where it is rested a good amount of time as well. San Vincente in the Rioja Alta just to the east of Haro is at about 50 meters up, but hotter than the higher sites at Labastida and at the main Remelluri estate located in Rioja Alavesa which are much cooler, making this wine seem more lush, riper in satiny tannin and with a softer acidity. Grown on hardened clay and calcareous limestone over a firm core of bedrock from organic vines that average at least 40 years of age this wine shows warm dark fruits, blackberry, cherry and plum lead the way along with hints of earthy mulberry and cranberry along with lilacs, cedar/sandalwood, a touch of vanilla and a subtle array of spices. 2014 was a slightly cooler year and that really helps this wine feel alive on the opulent and full bodied palate and it lingers on and on with a echoing aftertaste that is highly impressive. Telmo’s wines are always polished and textural, but distinctly authentic with terruño character and delivering substance along with some flair, which this one shows, it should age well too, I can imagine at least another decade plus with this 2014 San Vincente.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Italy- Alto Adige 

Guerrieri Gonzaga Tenuta San Leonardo ‘San Leonardo’ Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT Trentino-Alto Adige 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
Case-6 Guerrieri Gonzaga Tenuta San Leonardo ‘San Leonardo’ Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT Trentino-Alto Adige 2015 750ML ($479.95) $389 special, (That’s only $64.83)
Case-12 Guerrieri Gonzaga Tenuta San Leonardo ‘San Leonardo’ Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT Trentino-Alto Adige Dolomiti 2015 750ML ($959.95) $745 special, (That’s only $62.08) 
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 97+ points “The 2015 San Leonardo pours forth with a beautiful velvety appearance and sultry dark garnet color. This wine shows a lot of life and dark fruit purity with black plum, blackberry, cassis and tarry prune. There is a delightful note of black pepper that is specific to this warm and sunny vintage. The fruit shows softer and richer concentration compared to past vintages and more pulpy density that gives this edition a bigger profile in terms of mouthfeel. Production is 75,000 bottles. San Leonardo is a wine made for long aging, but the nice thing about this vintage is that the bouquet remains quite accessible at this young age. Nevertheless, I’d still suggest keeping this bottle in your cellar so that it can calmly finish its evolution.”
Decanter 96 points “San Leonardo is the iconic wine of the estate, and one of the most celebrated Bordeaux blends of Italy with its cool climate profile. The warm 2015 vintage doesn’t differ from the leaner style of the wine (compared to other Bordeaux blends), which is a good benchmark to understand the sense of elegance here. The nose sees purity of fruit (cassis) typical of Trentino Alto Adige, finely melted with leather and green pepper aromas. If you dislike wines with a slightly herbal aroma is understandable but here this touch adds another layer and the wine on the palate shines with silky, super elegant tannins. Refreshing and amazingly savoury, it plays well even with brasato or other powerful dishes of red meat. Drinking Window 2020 – 2040.”
Eric Guido-Vinous 95 points “The 2015 San Leonardo is a classic in the making. The bouquet is wonderfully perfumed with peppery florals, mixing tart cherry and blueberry with white smoke, hints of graphite and shaved cedar. Silky textures race across a core of juicy acids and minerals, making for a ripe yet cool-toned and pleasurably tactile expression. Youthful tannins slowly make themselves known toward the close. Long, structured and spicy, the 2015 finishes with a crescendo of tart blue and black fruits, tapering off to notes of subtly sweet spice. As good as this is today, it will only get better over time. That said, it doesn’t appear that this is going to shut down anytime in the immediate future, so it’s certainly worth checking on a bottle or two before forgetting the rest in your cellar.”

Germany – Mosel

Markus Molitor Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Auslese Trocken Mosel  *** WK 2018 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2018 Riesling Ockfener Bockstein Auslese *** (White Capsule) is pure yet intense and concentrated on the coolish, flinty/slatey nose that displays a super ripe and elegant bouquet with fine phenols, great precision and fine mirabelle and raisin aromas. Intense and juicy on the palate, with a stony-mineral grip, this is a concentrated, rich and powerful yet still reductive and yeasty Bockstein with a tight, still somewhat astringent phenol structure and not much length and finesse. Difficult at this stage. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
David Schildknecht-Vinous 93 points “A Muscat-like amalgam of orange blossom and mint segues into a more diffuse, greenhouse-like sense of flowers and foliage typical of Molitor 2018s and here present also as prominent inner-mouth fragrance. The polished palate delivers juicy apple, cherry and hints of orange cream, with piquant accents of apple seed and cherry pit morphing into an impressive glow to accompany the lusciously lingering, bell-clear finish, whose touch of mint lends appealingly cooling contrast. For a wine registering 12.5% alcohol, this evinces a surprising not to mention welcome sense of buoyancy.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “The 2018er Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Auslese *** (White Capsule) delivers a beautiful nose of freshly cut apple, grapefruit, lime, herbs, mint, and spices. Zesty fruits and a kick of acidity give the wine a rather lean yet focused side on the light-footed and refined palate. The finish is focused, fresh and lively. This dry Riesling may prove already quite enjoyable now, but it will prove even more attractive in a few years, when it has developed presence. 2023-2038.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Italy- Piedmont

Parusso Armando Bussia Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “Marco Parusso’s 2016 Barolo Bussia brings together all the best elements of his style and year in a wine that is simply brilliant. Sweet floral notes, dark red fruit, mint, blood orange and spice infuse the 2016 with myriad layers of complexity. A bold, dramatic Barolo made from Rocche and Munie fruit, the 2016 is going to need a number of years to be at its best.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “This is one of the most important single-vineyard expressions from Marco and Tiziana Parusso, a formidable brother and sister team whose winery is located at the edge of Monforte d’Alba on the road to Castiglione Falletto. Their 2016 Barolo Bussia is a dark and brooding expression with some of those aromas of Nebbiolo stems and skins that give extra power and density to the wine. I’d suggest a pairing of succulent red meat, but you definitely need to put this wine aside for more time. This classic vintage is especially well suited to cellar aging. The structure of this Bussia is a tiny bit more pliant and approachable compared to the more astringent Mosconi.”
James Suckling 95 points “Wild strawberries and plums with spices, dried flowers and hazelnuts. It’s full-bodied, yet tight, fine and focused with lovely balance and finesse. Drink or hold.”

Parusso Armando ‘Perarmando’ Barolo DOCG 2017 750ML ($64.95) $54.50 special
Case-12 Parusso Armando ‘Perarmando’ Barolo DOCG  2017 750ML ($699.95) $599 special
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2017 Barolo Perarmando is a wine Marco and Tiziana Parusso made to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first vintage bottled by their father, Armando. It is a blend of the estate’s vineyards, approximately 50% Bussia, 30% Mosconi and 20% Mariondino. Absolutely stellar from the very first taste, the Perarmando is compelling. Sweet rose petal, mint, sage and red berry nuances lift from the glass. A touch of whole clusters add character without overpowering the wine’s balance, which is magnificent. This is such a glorious Barolo and one of the wines of the vintage.”
James Suckling 96 points “Very exotic Parusso Barolo as always, with dried fruit, strawberries and tangerines. Full-bodied with chewy tannins and a powerful, intense finish. This is really structured. Needs four or five years to soften. Try in 2025.”

Italy – Tuscany 

Principe Corsini Marsiliana Maremma Toscana IGT Tuscany  2015 750ML ($47.95) $36 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “Described as the “grand vin” of this estate, the 2015 Marsiliana is remarkable for its precision and definition. This limited-release Tuscan red is a well-structured blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The forest and floral notes are some of the fine details mirroring the vineyards of limestone earth nestled among the Maremma pines. Black fruit is matched seamlessly to savory nuances. The vintage is still young, as this wine is built for the long haul.”
James Suckling 94 points “Beautiful clarity on the nose with tangerine peel, citrus, licorice, herbs and Chinese spices. Full-bodied and tight. Yet, there are caressing tannins and a mineral finish which carries itself long and succulent. Drink in 2020.”

Italy- Montalcino

Fornacina Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Tuscany 2016 750ML ($54.95) $39 special
James Suckling 96 points “This is a ripe and full red with complex aromas of cedar, cloves, tobacco and dried mushrooms. Distinct, earthy quality underneath ripe plums and licorice. Layers of chocolatey tannins. Black truffles, too. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2024.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “The Fornacina 2016 Brunello di Montalcino opens to a darkly saturated appearance and toasted aromas of roasted nut backed by dark blackberry fruit. Made with organic fruit, this Brunello is fermented in stainless steel and aged in large oak casks in a traditional and straightforward manner. Production in this vintage is 10,000 bottles. There is lot of intensity here, and the wine draws its power not only from the fruit, but also in large part from the oak aging. Indeed, its fruit-driven aromas share equal billing with campfire ash and smoked cedar or mahogany.”
Eric Guido-Vinous 91 points “The 2016 Fornacina is a dark and earthy expression of Brunello di Montalcino. Ashen soils, crushed stone and animal musk dominate its bouquet, with hints of black cherry buried deeply beneath. It’s silky and pliant, casting an array of black fruits and exotic savory spices across a medium-bodied frame. Balance is well maintained, and there’s a blending of sour citrus and nervous tension here that keeps you coming back to the glass. The Fornacina is quite unique yet highly enjoyable, and it won’t require much time to come fully into focus.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Sassetti Livio Pertimali Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Tuscany 2015 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
James Suckling 98 points “There’s something ethereal in the nose with flowers, cherries, strawberries and shitake mushrooms. Full body. This grows on the palate with super tannin and fruit structure. So much berry flavor and round, caressing tannins that fill your mouth. Tight at the end. This needs four to five years to show its true greatness. Try after 2023.”

Tenuta Fanti Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Tuscany 2015 750ML ($49.95) $33 special
James Suckling 95 points “There’s a beautiful interplay between bright, primary florals, such as rose petals and tulips and dust, hay bale and dried raspberries. The palate suggests a ripe, powerful persona with chewy, juicy tannins and a fine line of pretty acidity. Best ever. Drink in 2022.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

San Polino Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Tuscany 2016 750ML ($79.95) $66 special 
James Suckling 97 points “Attractive aromas of cherry, dark mushroom, bark and walnut follow through to a full body with lots of ripe cherry and berry character in the center palate. Firm, chewy tannins draw you down the palate. Extremely long. From organically grown grapes. Better than the superb 2015? Drink after 2023 and onwards.”

 

You know the Maresh family for their stunning examples of old-vine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In the spirit of experimentation Jim decided to launch a separate label, named Tan Fruit, in order to craft Oregon Chardonnay completely untethered. After blowing us away during a visit to the shop and sweeping Wine Advocate’s 2021 Oregon Chardonnay awards, there’s something special going on! Jim noted that his goal was “to explore outside of the Dundee Hills.” In future vintages, he will continue to explore, sourcing from a mixture of vineyards, new sources, and even new regions within Oregon.

He began Tan Fruit to “experiment and play around with techniques” for crafting Chardonnay, but the essentials for making Oregon Chard great in the winery will always be in his mind to pick early, age in a combination of steel and oak, and to ferment bone dry. He said that he loves Chardonnay. It’s his “favorite to drink and favorite to make.”

Sourcing from vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley, these represent dry-farmed artistry at its finest. These Chardonnays exhibit a complete and unique showing of Oregon’s terror as well as the varietals reputation for being a “winemaker’s grape”. Regardless of vineyard location, vine age and élevage these are both delightfully accessible now and yet demand further bottle age.

We also can’t get enough of Jim’s winemaking in the estate lineup, with the critics agreeing with us! Consistently one of the top scoring Oregon Chardonnay’s on the market, you’d be hard pressed to find a dry-farmed chardonnay of this caliber and price point anywhere.  

Newly Arrived Direct from the Winery:

Tan Fruit Dux Vineyard Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2019 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 98 points “The aromas of the 2019 Chardonnay Dux Vineyard are alluring and savory, with ripe peach layers, beeswax, roasted almonds and pastry. The palate has a singular satiny texture and impressive concentration, enlivened by tangy acidity and streaks of graphite and finishing with tremendous length and energy. Wow!”
 
Tan Fruit Maresh Vineyard Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2019 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2019 Chardonnay Maresh Vineyard comes from Dijon clones planted in 1991, and it was matured in about 35% new oak. This vintage is pure and tensile, with scents of tarragon and fragrant herbs, beeswax and almonds, with plush white peach fruit. The palate combines intense ripe fruit with a spine of tangy, tense acidity, and it finishes with tremendous length. Allow it another 3-5 years in bottle.”

Tan Fruit Oak Grove Vineyard Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills 2019 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2019 Chardonnay Oak Grove Vineyard has a unique personality that combines powerful exotic fruit with tangy energy and a shimmery saline quality, derived from a year’s maturation in barrel and then stainless steel. Guava, peaches, lilac and beeswax aromas burst from the glass, and the textural palate, which continues to change and evolve as it spends time in the glass, demands your attention with its rich but precise fruit. This unabashedly hedonistic Chardonnay has the intensity and energy to age well, but that youthful, gregarious fruit is hard to resist!”

Tan Fruit “Tank Fruit” (Oak Grove Vineyard) Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills 2019 750ML ($79.95) $64.50 special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 99 points “The Chardonnay Tank Fruit comes from the same Oak Grove fruit as that vineyard designate, but was aged a bit longer, with 12 months in oak and another 12 months in stainless steel. It is pure, ultra perfumed, intense and layered, with alluring white peaches and lilac interwoven with cashews and honeycomb on the nose. The palate derives incredible energy from the push-pull of those deeper tones with salty, energetic acidity, and it finishes with extraordinary length.”

Tan Fruit Vojtilla Vineyard Chardonnay, Chehalem Mountains 2019 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 97 points “Vojtilla is a small, four-acre vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains that sits at around 500 to 600 feet in elevation and, says Jim Maresh, is influenced by the nearby Willamette River. Harvested in October this vintage, the 2019 Chardonnay Vojtilla Vineyard comes from Dijon clone vines planted in 1991, and it was matured in about 25% new Damy barrels. It has a stunning perfume of quince paste and mushrooms, pastry and flowers, and the palate is satiny, plush and pure, with a seamless tangy streak and long, powerful finish.”

In the Western outskirts of Florence lies a sleepy estate, blanketed in oak and olive trees with a castle and a story. Castello Del Trebbio, the ancestral seat of power for the Pazzi Banking family was founded in the 15th century and served as their base of operations against the legendary Medici family. 

Approved but not endorsed by the current Pope at the time, the Pazzi family sought to kill Lorenzo and Giuliano D’Medici in order to depose their extensive influence in both banking and the Signoria (The merchant republic predating the unification of Italy). The Pazzi Conspiracy as it’s now known was a monumental failure, resulting in Lorenzo d’Medici erasing the entire family from public eye and confiscating their assets.

In the resulting decades the Castello was used primarily as an agricultural operation, with the current generation of owners bringing the estate in to the current millennium. Needless to say they’ve been much more successful as a winemaking operation than conspiracy startup, farming biodynamically with no synthetic inputs. Everything at the estate is done with as little disturbance to nature as possible with this philosophy also guiding the winemaking.

Castello Del Trebbio wines in stock now: 

Castello del Trebbio Chianti Superiore DOCG Tuscany 2018 750ML ($24.95) $14 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Falstaff 92 points “Sparkling ruby red. Intense and appealing nose with notes of cranberries and cherries. Good consistency on the palate, opens with fine-meshed, well-integrated tannins, clear fruit in the final.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Castello del Trebbio De’ Pazzi Toscana IGT Tuscany 2014 750ML ($34.95) $21.90 special, 36+bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 92 points “This rich red has mellowed, offering black cherry, blackberry and plum fruit, accented by leather, tobacco and herb hints. The chalky tannins are integrated. Should become even more supple with time. Drink now through 2023. 1,280 cases made, 350 cases imported”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

 

Understanding how a family’s tie to their land can influence their wines is terribly important when tasting and appreciating old-world producers. When the family’s ownership over their vineyards predates their country’s unification, you start to understand their grasp of the nuances that can be squeezed out of 42 acres of Italian hillsides.

The Elia family purchased their vineyards in 1796. From atop the hill where the winery sits, you can overlook the two main vineyard sites and understand the difference in microclimate, soil type and techniques for farming. The Bricco di Nieve side of the hill is steep, breezy and has beautiful older vines that produce the gorgeous sori Paitin Barbaresco. The other side of the hill has the looser iron rich soil that is the Serra vineyard. Tasting the two Barbaresco side by side is a lesson in site location and the unique qualities that can be shown, just a stone’s throw away.

Secondo Pasquero-Elia and his two sons, Giovanni and Silvano have enlisted enologist Dante Scaglione (Bruno Giacosa) to draw even more from such an amazing site. The results offer a glimpse into the future of the winery and the wines to come. The wines are solid, deep, and built to last – echoing the family and their tie to their home and spectacular vineyards. These wines were already great values before our recent price drop. Now they’re no-brainers for fans of traditionally made Nebbiolo.

Paitin wines arriving Friday, February 4th:

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Basarin’ Barbaresco DOCG 2018 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “The Paitin 2018 Barbaresco Basarin, which spends two years in large oak barrels, pours to a lean appearance and a dark ruby hue. The wine is subtle and fine, prizing the delicate and ethereal nuances of the grape, with dried cherry, crushed flowers, campfire ash and iron ore. Crushed white pepper also appears. The Basarin cru in Neive is one of the most beautiful in the appellation, located on a hill that rises high enough to enjoy the surrounding panorama of tightly planted vineyards. The tannins are especially polished in this vintage.”

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Serraboella’ Barbaresco DOCG 2018 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “This wine draws its fruit from across the Serraboella vineyard in Neive with vines of various ages. The 2018 Barbaresco Serraboella has a broad reach, thanks to its balanced aromas of wild berry, dried cherry, crushed roses and violets. The wine spreads cleanly over the palate, thanks to the extra volume offered by its earthy and delicately mineral flavors. Like other releases from Paitin, the standout feature here is the silky nature of the mouthfeel.”

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Sori Paitin Serraboella’ Barbaresco DOCG 2018 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special 
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “The family that owns the Paitin estate lost its patriarch, Secondo Pasquero Elia, as this wine was being readied for release, and he would have been proud of the way this turned out. The 2018 Barbaresco Serraboella Sorì Paitin is glossy and polished with a super fine and delicate quality of fruit. It just glides over the palate as if it were on skates. That beautiful forward momentum is driven by light cassis, dried cherry, iron skillet, candied orange peel and crushed flowers. The finish is exceptionally smooth and elegant. Complimenti.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “A beefy red, this offers tar, cherry, plum and resin flavors, backed by dense tannins. This is compact and dry on the long finish, but there’s ample fruit. Best from 2024 through 2040. 530 cases made, 130 cases imported.  –BS”   

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Sori Paitin Vecchie Vigne’ Barbaresco DOCG 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The Paitin 2016 Barbaresco Serraboella Riserva Sorì Paitin Vecchie Vigne is a gorgeous wine. The bouquet is especially redolent of dried rose and potpourri, and the dark fruit offers highlights of baked cherry or peach. This amazing crescendo of new releases from Paitin goes one impressive step further, pushing the boundaries with this promising and cellar-worthy new release. There is a point of bitter almond on the close, but the mouthfeel is otherwise silky and very fine in texture.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “A fresh, spicy style, whose cherry, tar, iron and tobacco flavors are framed with a light toasting of oak. It’s all focused by the vibrant structure, with refined tannins lining the finish. Shy and austere, yet nicely balanced and long. Best from 2025 through 2042. 440 cases made, 116 cases imported. — BS”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Serra’ Barbera d’Alba Piedmont  2019 750ML ($24.95) $20.90 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 92 points “You get tremendous value from the Paitin 2019 Barbera d’Alba Serra, which is fruity and bright but beautifully elegant as well. Barbera is known for its rich black fruit flavors and accessible personality, so it’s a real treat to taste a wine that puts so much emphasis on the smaller details offered by the grape. These include tart blueberry, white cherry, exotic spice and crushed stone. There is some softness on the close, but the wine will be remembered for the linear and pristine nature of its fruit.”
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2019 Barbera d’Alba Serra is fresh, floral and fruity, all of which make it an excellent choice for drinking over the next handful of years. Short aging in cask really exalts the fruit in this translucent, classically built Barbera. Red berry fruit, blood orange, mint, spice and orange peel linger.”

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Bonina’ Langhe Freisa Piedmont 2019 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2019 Freisa Bonina is a nervy, focused wine. Bright red berry fruit, white pepper, mint, crushed rocks and dried herbs give this classically austere Freisa terrific aromatic brightness and energy. The 2019 will appeal most to readers with classically leaning palates.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia Ca Veja Nebbiolo d’Alba Piedmont 2018 750ML ($24.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2018 Nebbiolo d’Alba Ca’ Veja is a gorgeous introduction to the vintage at Paitin. Freshly cut flowers, mint, lavender and red/purplish berry fruit give this bright, effusive Nebbiolo tons of charm. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this gem. Sandy soils yield a Nebbiolo with striking aromatic presence. The 2018 spent 18 months in cask. Think of it as a Barbaresco-level wine at a Nebbiolo d’Alba price.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!