| In This Newsletter: Sunny Sherries Stellar Schaller Müller? Müller? Müller? The Princes of the Pfalz Mosel Masterpieces by Dr. H. Thanisch Trending Rose  We’re Open for In-Store Shopping! 10AM – 6PM Daily Masks are no long mandatory, but are appreciated! We also offer Curbside Pickup Order Online / By Phone / By Email Sunny Sherries Sherry is one of the most underappreciated wine styles in the entire world, and is one of the best buys in the market as a result! After years of declining acerage being in production, the remaining vineyards are comprised almost entirely of chalk, or albariza as it’s called locally which imparts a distinctive, pervasive and saline minerality to the finished wine. What remains as far as vineyards go are the “Grand Crus” representing less than 25% of the original extent of Sherry country. With the exception of sweeter style of sherry, there is a single grape used in production called Palomino Fino.
Due to the inherent saline minerality that is part of all sherry styles these are incredibly food friendly Sherries. The traditional pairing of paella or charcuterie or even something along the lines of sushi, oysters in half shell or lobster. Given the fortification that Sherry undergoes, it is also perfect suited for slowly enjoying over the course of a week and will continue to evolve in your refrigerator. Sherries in stock now: Emilio Lustau ‘3 En Rama’ Fino de Jerez de la Frontera Sherry Andalucia 2021 ED 500ML ($27.95) $24 special, 27 bottles in stock now Lustau “En Rama” Series, 2021 Edition This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Emilio Lustau ‘3 En Rama’ Fino de El Puerto de Santa Maria Sherry Andalucia 500ML ($27.95) $24 special, 28 bottles in stock now Lustau “En Rama” Series, 2021 Edition This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Emilio Lustau ‘3 En Rama’ Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda Sherry Andalucia 2021 ED 500ML ($27.95) $24 special, 21 bottles in stock now Lustau “En Rama” Series, 2021 Edition This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Rainera Perez Marin ‘La Guita’ Manzanilla Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda 375ML ($14.95) $9 special, 26 half-bottles in stock now Lustau “En Rama” Series, 2021 Edition A.R. Valdespino Coliseo Amontillado VORS Sherry Andalucia 375ML ($249.95) $179 special, 4 bottles in stock now Wine Advocate 99 points “The NV Amontillado Coliseo VORS, is an extremely old (much older than the 30 years certified by the VORS classification) and concentrated wine. It is unique, as its origin is from Sanlucar de Barrameda, mainly from the Pago Miraflores, which produced very sharp wines. Dark mahogany colored, with a bright green border, is very aromatic, balsamic and complex, with wild herbs, candied orange rind, spices and dates. The palate is extremely concentrated, dry, and intense but it has no edges, with lively acidity and an eternal finish. It’s an extreme wine, some might find it too much, but it’s certainly unique and among the greatest wines in the world, to be sipped slowly and in tiny quantities. One of the greatest Amontillados in existence today. Drink 2013-2025.” WA This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Stellar Schaller Schaller is in the process of converting to organic farming methods with the majority of their fermentations taking place in steel and used oak in the case of Premier and Grand Cru bottlings. If that wasn’t enough they also do a champagne-method sparkling under the Cremant de Bourgone appellation, comprised of a blend of Chardonnay, Aligote and Pinot Noir. With the characteristic high acidity and tertiary salinity of Chablis juxtaposed against a delightfully refreshing Bosc pear and hazelnut character. Also present is a Subtle floral note against red fruit, Golden Delicious apple, Lemon peel with beeswax. As a Champagne-Alternative the cremant is refreshing and light with similar notes to classically styled champagnes. In a nutshell: is delightful and fun, perfect for summer! Schaller wines in stock now: Domaine Camille et Laurent Schaller Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Burgundy NV ($29.95) $26 special, 32 bottles in stock now 55% Pinot Noir, 33% Aligote, 12% Chardonnay. Methode Traditionelle. 6.8 g/L dosage. This is the only listing in the USA today!
This is the only listing in the USA today!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Camille et Laurent Schaller Chablis Vieilles Vignes Burgundy 2020 750ML ($34.95) $29 special This is the only listing in the USA today!
Müller? Müller? Müller? The Princes of the Pfalz Müller-Catoir is a star in the world of German Riesling and is on their way to becoming the face of the Pfalz wine scene as a whole. Founded in 1744 their family holdings fall on some of the most premium terroir in the area, encompassing 5 different “Grand Cru” level holdings and giving them access to the entire spectrum of Pfalz terroirs. These terroirs include multiple types of sandstone, fossilized shell limestone, gravel and loess, allowing for a dizzying spectrum of Riesling to be made across the Prädikatswein spectrum. The “House style” is characterized by minimal intervention in the cellar with extended lees aging to emphasize crisp minerality, aromatic complexity and a refreshing salinity British wine critic and writer Jancis Robinson describes the Pfalz as “One of Germany’s most exciting regions” and it’s clear to see why!
Müller-Catoir in stock now: Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten ‘Im Breumel’ Riesling Grosses Gewächs Pfalz 2018 750ML ($79.95) $49 special James Suckling 97 Points Very floral with pretty herbal undertones, ranging from coriander to dill to mint. The flowers range from jasmine to honeysuckle to almond blossom. Understated and elegant from the outset. The palate has a very chalky feel to the texture with overlapping, firm lines of acidity and dainty citrus fruit. Immaculately ironed-out edges and well-defined, linear crease. Drink now or hold. Winery Note “The age-worthy Riesling wines from this prime section of the Haardt Bürgergarten are characterised by the optimal balance between a concentrated Riesling fruit, lingering minerality, a delicate elegance and an elaborately interwoven, long finish – Riesling to perfection.” This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten Riesling Spatlese, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($49.95) $29 special, 26 bottles in stock now Stuart Pigott – Jamessuckling 95 Points “Stunning nectarine, peach and papaya character, together with lovely succulence and enormous vitality, make this a breathtaking sweet Spätlese with a finish that’s straight as a laser beam and super-clean. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.” This is the only listing in the USA today!
Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($49.95) $29 special, 25 bottles in stock now Stuart Pigott 94 Points “Effusive aromas of apricots and lemon zest with hints of summer flowers. At once succulent, graceful and finely nuanced on the palate, then very long and filigree at the finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.” Grapelive 93 Points “The Burgergarten in the Haardt vineyard as used by the famed Mueller-Catoir, or hill garden, is a Premier Cru site that is composed of weathered yellow sandstone interspersed with layer of loess and clay giving the perfect conditions to make a lush, but crisply dry Riesling of refined elegance and with a concentrated underlying power, which in 2017 is incredible and joyously perfumed. ….The 2017 Burgergarten Trocken [has] exotic tropical fruit and floral aromas with plumeria, jasmine, dried pineapple, gingery/peppery notes and grilled citrus leading the way on the racy palate, this Riesling feels a bit like Trimbach’s Cuvee Frederic Emile, adding layers of wild peach, while cherry, tangy apricot and zesty lime notes along with loads of tannin like structure, zippy acidity, chalky stones and a Chablis like steely edge! Air brings more body out and clears the touch of reduction that easily blows and this Riesling becomes in fact more white Burgundy like in some ways, while also gaining hints of spearmint, chamomile and verbena, which clearly are Riesling influences and it is strikingly impressive for keeping its tension , clarity and severity, like a firm GG should…This area can produce monumental dry Riesling, as witnessed here with this Erste Lage Trocken from Mueller-Catoir….Terry Theise, Mueller-Catoir’s famous importer, says the estate produces wines of outstanding transparency and density, and remains emblematic of Riesling at its most sophisticated, and I totally agree, these are amazingly pure wines that are both wildly entertaining in expression and wines of remarkable class and finesse…. This Burgergarten grows on you with every sip and should get even more intriguing with 3 to 5 years more are on it, patience I think will be well rewarded, and I hope I get to revisit it a few more times.” Stephen Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92+ Points“From yellow-colored sandstone soils, the 2017 Riesling Bürgergarten “VDP. Erste Lage” is intense yet fine and pure on the slightly salty/stony, very elegant nose with its ripe and concentrated yellow-fleshed fruit aromas. The palate is pure and salty, very long and intertwines weathered terroir aromas with an airiness and lingering, very stimulating salinity. The wine is less textured than the Haardter but even more pure, deep, finessed and salty. Bone dry, with less than three grams of residual sugar, this is a concentrated yet still young Riesling that will shine in five years. Tasted in Haardt, December 2019.” This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Muller-Catoir Gimmeldingen Riesling, Pfalz 2017 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special, 27 bottles in stock now Stuart Pigott-Jamessuckling 93 Points “Ripe white and yellow peaches and just enough acidity to lift the medium-full body and give the long finish some real drive. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.” This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Muller-Catoir Haardter Muskateller Trocken Pfalz 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 12 bottles in stock now Stuart Pigott-Jamessuckling 92 Points “Wonderful pink-grapefruit and muscat nose that bowls you over. So joyful and really rather subtle for a seriously aromatic grape variety. Very bright finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.” Muller-Catoir Haardter Riesling Trocken Pfalz 2017 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special Stuart Pigott-Jamessuckling 94 Points “A stunning, bone-dry riesling for this moderate price level! Fine nose of sliced pears and honeysuckle. Stunning freshness and purity on the medium-full palate. The finish is subtlety reminiscent of Mosel. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.” Grapelive 92 Points “The 2017 Müller-Catoir Haardt Trocken is exotic and highly aromatic with lovely fruit and mineral intensity, it is a wonderful and crisply dry Riesling that reflects the vintage and its remarkable Pfalz terroir.… the talented Martin Franzen [is] running the cellar here. Franzen, who in the past ran the operations at Schlossgut Diel, employs a strict program with a move to organic practices and severe selections in the vineyards, where everything is worked and picked by hand now and focuses on ultra-transparency in the wines with a reductive approach, with every wine getting a hand crafted attention to detail. The Haardt, a village bottling is a pure example with expressive bright flavors and a heavenly floral perfume, while being brisk, tangy and dusty dry on the light framed palate. Müller-Catoir does a gentle crush and gives the juice plenty of time on the skins before a slow and soft pressing before an stainless steel fermentation and aging, all to preserve vibrancy and purity, the wines are always stylish and evocative.…The Haardt Riesling Trocken is all from organic grapes that were grown on standstone soils, which gives this wine its pretty nose and steely form, and this 2017 is absolutely seducing with a complex array of sensations that ranges from tropical essences to flinty wet stones, it is clear and with a tiny hint of sunshine in the glass. In the mouth this calcareous influenced Riesling shows jasmine, oyster shell, peach, tart apricot, green apple and saline notes, adding guava/papaya, rosewater and hint of zesty lime.…this one itself is fabulous and a true value offering from this great estate. I am glad I got a few bottles of Müller-Catoir from 2017, they are looking like classics. This is a great Summer refresher, but serious enough to hang out with haute cuisine, it gets more intriguing with matching food, it can go with a wide variety of foods from fresh shellfish, spicy prawns, sushi as well as cured meats, picnic fare, street tacos and Moroccan lemon chicken even. This vivid and zippy young Riesling is a quality white that makes for a nice alternative for Chablis, Kiwi Sauv Blanc and or Albarino, drink it over the next 3 to 5 years.” Stephen Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 90 Points “From younger vines and partly from sandier soils than the regular, yellow-colored Buntsandstein, the 2017 Riesling Haardt is deep, fine and ripe on the elegant and balanced nose. Full-bodied, lush and intense on the palate, this is a deep, dry, well-balanced and textured Riesling with a ripe but salty-mineral acidity and a long, well-structured and slightly salty finish with nice bitters and citrus flavors. This is an excellent vin de terroir that slowly opens up. It’s an impressive wine in the lower/medium price range. Tasted in December 2019.” This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Muller-Catoir Haardt Scheurebe Pfalz 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 12 bottles in stock now Stuart Pigott-Jamessuckling 93 Points “The whiff of smoke gives the cassis nose of this wine an extra dimension. Concentrated and racy with a dangerous amount of energy. So juicy and vibrant with a long and very clean finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.” Muller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten Riesling Auslese Pfalz 2015 375ML ($39.95) $31.90 special, 7 half-bottles in stock now Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2015 Riesling Auslese Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten is super pure and fine on the nobly concentrated, stony nose with its honey and bright fruit aromas. Rich, sweet, lush and piquant on the palate, this is an excellent Auslese with great finesse and a lingering piquancy. Despite its sweetness, this is a very stimulating and pure Auslese with great ageing potential.” This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Muller-Catoir Haardter Mandelring Scheurebe Trocken Pfalz 2017 750ML ($59.95) $33 special Stuart Pigott-Jamessuckling 95 Points “Why drink a dry white called scheurebe? Here’s the answer. An enormously complex nose of grapefruit, cassis and pineapple, then breathtaking purity and elegance on the palate and a totally uplifting and super-long finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.” Grapelive 93 Points “I love Scheurebe and this Mueller-Catoir is one of, if not the, best dry version, with this ripe and expressive 2017 showing everything the grape has to offer, it delivers intensity and aromatic quality. It’s a thrilling German white wine from one of the most admired wineries in the Pfalz. This vintage is bursting from the glass with jasmine, liquid roses and spearmint lifting to the nose while the light to medium bodied palate delivers tangy grapefruit, white peach, quince, sour apple and pineapple fruits along with chalky mineral, saline, clove spice, wild fennel and the crisp, lip smacking finish keeps things severe and refreshing.… Scheurebe grows best in Calcareous soils, with Muller-Catoir’s Pfalz version regarded as maybe the greatest expression of this grape, in particular their Trocken single Cru Haardter Mandelring example. The full range of wines at this property are amazing from the thrilling dry wines to the finely balanced sweet wines, everything at Mueller-Catoir is class, when it comes to the Pfalz, this and Von Winning are must try wines….Müller-Catoir has gone holistic in recent years and farm mostly organic, but remain very practical with absolute quality demanded of the grapes here, there is no compromise at this place, they focus on purity and terroir. The vineyards in Haardt, where this wine comes from, are composed of primary rock (urgestein) and sandstone, with an increasing proportion of gravel lower on the slopes. This estate and the region has a long history of winegrowing with the Burgergarten site being first planted close to 700 years ago, and, as the winery notes. Mueller-Catoir which has a tradition of reductive winemaking implementing a gentle crush, a long skin contact, slow gentle pressing, and then ferments at warmer, according to the winery again, than customary fermentation temperatures in stainless steel to promote transparency, which this lovely Scheurebe shows, drink it over the next 3 to 5 years.” This is the only listing in the USA today!
Mosel Masterpieces by Dr. H. Thanisch Weingut Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch Erben Thanisch is a classic German Riesling producer. Without being hyperbolic they have garnered as many awards as their name has syllables. Named after the widow (wwe being the German abbreviation) who inherited the estate in the 19th century, Thanisch has been producing wine since 1636. As one of Germany’s most exceptional producers, Thanisch was one of the first estates invited to join the VDP Consortium in 1910, has continued to pursue excellence ever since. Thanisch holds the crown for highest price ever fetched at auction for a German producer thanks to working entirely with old vines and some of the most lauded vineyards in the Mosel. The wine in question? A bottle of 1921 Berncastler Doctor Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese that had been secretly hidden in their underground cellar for decades. It was sold in 1986 for over $16,000. When one thinks of extreme vineyards, most point to the Northern Rhône, Liguria, or the Canary islands. But the verdant slopes of the Mosel hide some of the most dangerous and challenging sites in the world. Any slope over 30 degrees makes mechanized assistance nearly impossible, further exacerbating backbreaking work for farmhands. Wwe Dr. Thanisch wines in stock now: Wwe Dr. H. Thanisch Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett Mosel 2016 750ML ($34.95) $24 special, 22 bottles in stock now David Schildknecht – Vinous 91 points “Ripe pear and apple dominate on the nose as well as on a silken, buoyant palate, supported by subtle sweetness. Mouthwatering salinity and transparency to crystalline stony nuances give the long, refreshingly juicy finish a fascinating and delightful sense of shimmer.” Mosel Fine Wines 90 points “The 2016er Badstube Kabinett was harvested at 88° Oechsle. It offers a delicately ripe nose of pear, earthy spices, slate and smoke. The wine comes to life on the palate as acidity peps up some succulent pear right into the long finish and gives it a gorgeously lively and well-balanced side. The after-taste is elegantly playful. 2026-2041” This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Wwe Dr. H. Thanisch Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese Mosel 2019 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 14 bottles in stock now Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points ” Vinified in old fuder vats until May and bottled at the end of August this year, the 2019 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese is clear, precise and elegant on the flinty and crunchy nose. On the palate, this is a perfectly round, textured, finessed and stimulatingly salty Spätlese of great elegance and finesse. I tried to spit it three times and always failed. There is this very rare reflex that you can’t avoid, and before you even think about it, you want to swallow it. Gorgeous. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.” Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “The 2019er Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese is a sweet wine with a refined and floral nose of whipped cream, vineyard peach, smoke, herbs, orange blossom, and fine spices. It proves gorgeously playful and creamy on the palate and leaves a great feeling of energy and finesse in the finish. This is a great and juicy Spätlese in the making. 2029-2049.” This is the only listing in the USA today!
Wwe Dr. H. Thanisch Bernkastel-Kues Alte Reben Mosel 2019 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 17 bottles in stock now Mosel Fine Wines 90 points ” The 2019er Bernkastel-Kues Riesling Alte Reben is a barely off-dry wine (with 12 g/l of residual sugar) made from grapes harvested from 40-year-old vines in the Kueser part of the city. It offers a superbly complex and refreshing nose of anise, pink grapefruit, orange peel, tangerine, mint, lead pencil, and smoke. The wine proves hugely enjoyable thanks its animating presence on the palate and leaves a precise and dry-tasting feel in the long finish. The wine develops more weight and presence with airing, but retains a great sense of grip and playfulness in the animating and beautifully balanced after-taste. Now-2034.” This is the only listing in the USA today!
Wwe Dr. H. Thanisch Bernkasteler Graben Riesling Grosses Gewächs Mosel 2019 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 23 bottles in stock now Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 91+ points “The 2019 Bernkasteler Graben Riesling GG is adjacent to Thanisch’s Doctor parcel yet a bit less warm. From 60- to 70-year-old-vines, this is a smoky, intense and elegant Riesling with very fine, precise and crunchy gray slate aromas. Medium-bodied, intense and complex on the palate, this is a tight, long and structured dry Graben Riesling with a refreshing lemon aroma on the concentrated and refreshing finish. This is complex but very promising and currently pretty closed, although the bottle was opened two days earlier. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.” This is the only listing in the USA today!
See the complete list of wines in stock now from Thanisch on our web store. While you’re there, browse other classic Mosel producers such as Max Richter, Merkelbach, JJ Prum and more! Trending Rose Bandol rosé has taken the world by storm and for good reason: it’s delicious! Bandol became famous as a source for dense reds from Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Cinsault. Today, the rosé revolution has commandeered the lion’s share of production, now commanding almost 3/4s of total production. To exemplify the richer style we can’t think of a better example than Domaine de la Bastide Blanche, who delivers a harvest basket full of blood orange, sorbet, mandarin orange, fresh raspberry, hibiscus, lavender and sage that’s all underscored by a chalky minerality. Made from a minimum of 75% Mourvèdre, Bastide Blanche is considered a benchmark producer of Bandol rosé, with the estate being originally founded to compete with the best of Châteauneuf-du-Pape to the north. Also known for being one of the few roses that benefits from bottle age, the texture of the wine becomes almost tea-like on the finish with the fruit also softening as well. Bastide Blanche is a “red wine drinker’s rosé.” In Stock Now: Domaine de la Bastide Blanche Bandol Rose Provence 2020 1.5L ($69.95) $59 special, 24 bottles in stock now Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “Limpid orange-pink. Expressive red berry, blood orange and pit fruit aromas are accompanied by building mineral and floral nuances. Taut and energetic in the mouth, offering sappy strawberry, orange zest and lavender flavors braced by a spine of chalky minerality. Finishes silky and impressively long, with repeating mineral and floral notes.” Weygandt-Metzler Import note “Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette. Organic. Clay, limestone & cailloux. Tasting note: Dense cherry and raspberry fruit with citrus and stone flavors. Full body with a perfectly balanced and long finish.” Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rose Provence 2020 750ML ($37.95) $31.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now Rosenthal Wine note “The Bandol Rosé from Pradeaux is perhaps the most serious wine in this category. Robust, rich, and complex with an ability to age gracefully, this wine is based on Cinsault (50%) and Mourvèdre (50%), taking its slight orange tint from the latter cépage. The younger vines of the domaine (average age: 25 years) are utilized to produce a rare rosé with staying power and exceptional complexity. The Rosé is vinified by a direct pressing for 24 hours followed by fermentation in cement tanks at a controlled temperature of 18 degrees Celsius for about 15 days; the malo-lactic fermentation is blocked and the wine is usually bottled in mid-April of the following year. Chateau Pradeaux ‘Vespree’ Rose Vin de France 2019 750ML ($47.95) $39 special, 25 bottles in stock now Rosenthal Wine note ““Vespree,” meaning evening in Provençal and Occitan, presents a full, swaggering nose of quince paste, white pepper, and coarse-ground Indian spices, and the big, richly textured palate possesses a structural tension that heavily underlines its potential for aging—though it is fresh, tense, and very delicious right in its youth. It is exceedingly difficult to find rosé of this caliber and character, even from Bandol—and, in a twist of irony, this wine which is so purely and deeply Bandol to its very core was denied appellation status on three separate occasions, and is thus labeled a “Vin de France.” But, in an appellation that has seen production shift from 70% red wine to 85% rosé over the years in response to market trends, this is perhaps more depressing than surprising. In any event, we are proud of the wine, and proud to work with such a courageous and iconoclastic family—and we know “Vespree” will delight those who appreciate Pradeaux’s ruggedly uncompromising sensibility.” |
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