Vinopolis Wednesday Newsletter 12/07/22

 In This Newsletter:

 

With a special focus on the Pinot Meunier grape, Serveaux Fils crafts crowd-pleasing and exotically flavored Champagnes to delight any palate. The winery is based in Passy sur Marne, a village on the north bank (Rive Droite) of the Marne River in the Vallée de la Marne. We’ve slashed prices on this fun estate, so stock up on these crowd pleasing cuvees for your holiday parties!

In Stock & On Sale Now:

Serveaux et Fils Cuvee Meunier Blanc de Noirs Brut NV 750ml Was $54.50, Now $48 super special, 14 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “[Reviewed 2017] This small production wine showcases the qualities of Pinot Meunier. It’s rich and smooth, with plenty of white fruit and an intense streak of lime crispness. Having already had time to mature, it hints at toastiness on the finish. Drink now. -Roger Voss”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Serveaux et Fils Carte d’Or Brut NV 750ml Was $41.90, Now $36 super special, 21 bottles in stock now
60% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier, 20% Pinot Noir. Partial malolactic fermentation. 
Winery note “This cuvee with its pale color has a beautifully mature bouquet. In the mouth, the delicacy of the Chardonnay rubs shoulders with the ample, mineral Meunier and the overall impression is enhanced by a structure marked by the Pinot Noir.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Serveaux et Fils Carte Noire Brut NV 750ml Was $41.90, Now $36 super special, 15 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 90 points “[Reviewed 2020] A lithe and mouthwatering Champagne, with a light plushness to the mousse as it carries well-knit notes of melon, raspberry and chopped almond. Hints of chalk and spice play on the lively finish. Disgorged November 2019. Drink now through 2022. 2,000 cases made, 170 cases imported.  –AN”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

 

 

 

The wine industry is overwhelming dominated by white producers. Of the more than 11,000 wineries in the United States less than 1% of them are Black-owned or has a Black winemaker. The intentional exclusion of minority groups has led to a narrow development of the industry, limiting the fullest potential of diverse, creative, and progressive winemaking. The loss is immeasurable. Fortunately the industry is taking steps to create a more equitable system. Various initiatives, some old, others more recently established in response to mass cultural reckonings of systemic racism in 2020, aim to expand opportunities for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) in the wine industry. 

One such initiative is The Urban Grape Wine Studies Award, created in June of 2020. The developmental program combines education, work experience, and mentorship to people of color to advance their careers in the wine industry. The educational component is core to the program, providing recipients with a full scholarship to Boston University’s Certificate Program in Wine Studies. To learn more about The Urban Grape Wine Studies Award, follow this link. 

Other notable organizations actively working to dismantle systemic inequity in the wine industry include
Association of African American Vintners, Black Vines, The Roots Fund, The Hue Society, Sip Consciously, and Soul of Sonoma.

Here is a list highlighting BIPOC producers in stock now at Vinopolis!

Sandhi Wines 

Sandhi Zuni Café Chardonnay Santa Barbara County 2019 750ML $19 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Winery note “If you’ve ever sat at San Francisco’s iconic Zuni Café with a plate of oysters in front of you while you wait for the iconic whole roast chicken, you may have had a glass or two of this collaboration between longtime friends Rajat Parr of Sandhi and Zuni wine director Thierry Lovato.  The wine is a barrel selection from some of Sandhi’s iconic Sta. Rita Hills sites, (think Mt. Carmel, Sanford & Benedict) with enough own-rooted, 1973 Wente selection Bien Nacido Chardonnay blended in to warrant a Santa Barbara County designation.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Salem Wine & Co.

Salem Wine & Co. Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills 2020 750ml $19 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Somm Select “The wine is a glistening yellow-gold, with aromas and flavors of yellow apple, pear, salted lemon, white flowers, fresh cream, almond skin, wet stones, and bread dough. It is medium-bodied but broadens nicely in the glass, with a textured, concentrated mouthfeel well-balanced by citrusy acidity. Pair with roast chicken and you might think you’re in a wine bar in Burgundy!”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Evening Landing

Evening Land ‘Seven Springs Vineyard’ Rose of Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2020 750ml $20.90 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Winery note “The Seven Springs Rosé comes from the young Pinot Noir vines planted up on the vineyard’s East Ridge. These densely planted vines grow in well-drained soils and receive a full day of sunshine during the growing season. This cuvée offers a lively acidity, fresh fruit flavors and subtle floral characteristics.”

Klinker Brick

Klinker Brick Winery Albarino, California 2019 750ml $14 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 88 points “Dry, bracing and light, this nervy wine is powered by crisp fruit acidity and subtle flavors of peach skin and lemon.”

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

Stuart Pigott 98 points “What an amazing nose with devastating, peachy intensity and an overtone of saffron. Staggering concentration and colossal acidity give this incredible Mosel Auslese great tension. Patience will be rewarded by this highly structured, enormously complex wine that might live a century! Only a hint of grape sweetness. Drinkable now, but better from 2024.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Weingut Gunther Steinmetz Wintricher Geierslay ‘Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2019 750ml $49 special, 19 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 98 points “Totally seductive nose with all manner of exotic fruits but primarily pineapple and papaya. Mind-blowing concentration and mineral brilliance on the palate. Just keeps pumping the exotic fruit out at the very long, super fresh finish. Drink or hold.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Weingut Gunther Steinmetz Wintricher Geierslay ‘GW’ Riesling, Mosel 2019 750ml $39 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Stuart Piggot 97 points “This is an amazing dry Mosel with breathtakingly intense minerality and herbal freshness that makes the flavors so vibrant and finely etched. That it’s only medium-bodied makes it even more delightful. Cascading stone fruit and minerals at the super long finish. Drink or hold.”

Weingut Gunther Steinmetz Wintricher Ohligsberg ‘GW’ Riesling, Mosel 2019 750ml $39 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott 97 points “A very striking dry riesling with a wonderfully ripe mini-banana note, but also an intense smoky quality. Full body and enormous concentration, the super-vibrant acidity illuminating all its facets like a spotlight on a huge diamond. Very long, silky finish that makes this Mosel masterpiece delicious right now. Drink or hold.”

Mijita Wine Co.

Mijita Wine Co. Zenith Vineyard Skin-Contact Pinot Gris, Eola-Amity Hills 2021 750ml $26 special, 13 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote: The dark side of skin-contact Pinot Gris, in terms of color at least. This is a beautiful rosy-amber in the glass, evoking flavors of semi-dried rose petals, freshly sliced melons, and lemon zest wrapped around a savory core. 
Decanter Magazine, Micheal Alberty -“Lizzy Esqueda’s first wine for her Mijita label is a skin-contact Pinot Gris aged in neutral oak and old acacia barrels. It is absolutely brilliant juice: I wish Pinot Gris lovers everywhere could taste it.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Mijita Wine Co. Abbey Road Farm Vineyard Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley 2021 750ml $28 special, 31 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote: A shout out to the trending style of Gamay produced by such illustrious and fan-favorite Beaujolais as Anne-Sophie Dubois and Daniel Bouland, who in turn take their inspiration from Burgundy. This is no saccharine fruit-bomb, but a serious and seriously drinkable Gamay that will astound. This, folks, is the wine we’ve been waiting for. It’s exciting, bold, and fresh, with a prickly acidity that lingers on the finish. 

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Kumusha 

Kumusha Pinotage, Swartland 2020 750ml $20.90 special, 9 bottles in stock now
Tasting notes- Uniquely South African wine. A wine with depth, balance, and delicious aromas reminiscent of dark cherries and mulberries on the nose. Notes of ripe plums and hints of spice on the palate with a savory finish. Pairs well with game, turkey, spicy dishes and curries.
Winemaking notes- This wine was made from bush vine Pinotage from the Swartland planted in the early 1990’s and is dryland farmed. 80% was destemmed and 20% left whole bunch through fermentation and maceration. Only gentle actions through fermentation as to not over extract tannins and rather create an elegant and fine example of Pinotage. Aged for 12 months in big French casks and old 500L neutral barrels. No additions and minimal intervention is the philosophy here.”

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

Kumusha Cabernet Sauvignon – Cinsault, Slanghoek 2021 $19.90 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Winemaking notes- “76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Cinsault. Handpicked grapes. Destemmed into open top fermenters; Cinsault in cement and Cabernet Sauvignon in old oak casks. Cinsault (of which 25% is wholebunch) spontaneously fermented for 10 days after which it is pressed and racked to concrete tank. Cabernet Sauvignon underwent extended maceration in the oak casks for 30 days after which it was pressed and the wine returned to the oak casks for 8 months. After the 8 month period the two components were blended and rested for a month before bottling and rested in bottle for another 4 months.”
Tasting notes- “Ripe cherries and plums flavours, with hints of pomegranate and strawberry. Complements all types of juicy red meat dishes, especially slow cooked ones. Drinks best for up to 10 years.”

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

Sun Goddess

Sun Goddess Pinot Grigio Ramato Friuli, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2019 750ml $11.90 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Falstaff- “Restrained fruit aromas on the nose followed by hints of ripe apple and pear as well as honeydew melon and citrus plus papaya and a fine herbal spiciness. On the palate rather broad with soft acid and hints of ripe pome fruit and citrus. Medium-long mineral finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Sun Goddess Sauvignon Blanc Friuli, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2019 750ml $9.90 special, 27 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 90 points “A white with dried-lemon and mineral character, as well as some sliced green apple. It’s medium-bodied. Crisp and bright at the finish. Drink now.”
Falstaff- “Enticing fruity-fresh bouquet with notes of ripe apple and pear, citrus fruit, apricot as well as white flowers and a dash of caramel. On the palate fresh acidity, light and filigree with ample yellow fruit, apple, apricot and citrus nuances. Long finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

 

France- Bordeaux

Chateau Saint-Pierre, Saint-Julien 2018 750ml $79 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available 
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2018 Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien) is a powerful, muscular wine. Black cherry, gravel, dark spice, menthol, licorice and espresso add to an impression of brooding intensity. Saint-Pierre was so compelling from barrel. It is all that and more from bottle. The tannins are going to need a number of years to soften, but there is so much to look forward to here. Readers should expect a virile, imposing Saint-Julien.”
Jane Anson 95 points “Creamy blackberry and loganberry fruits with touches of brioche, and flaky pastry. Young, needs time, still in the plump early fruit phase, more exuberant than a young Saint Pierre in most vintages, but this will close back up as there are plenty of tannins. I suggest giving it the full ten years to really show just how good this wine is. Layers of bitter chocolate, charcoal, liqourice, grilled cedar, smoked caramel. Great stuff, with a mint leaf finish. 50% new oak, harvest September 20 to October 1.”

France- Burgundy

Philippe Colin Les Combes, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru 2017 750ml $59 pre-arrival special, 36 bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 points “A sleek, supple white, with a velvety texture complementing the white peach, lemon tart, pastry and vanilla flavors. Harmonious and long, this ends with subtle, woody tannins and toast and spice elements. Fine intensity. Drink now through 2025. 225 cases made, 50 cases imported. “

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Bret Brothers La Soufrandiere Pouilly-Vinzelles, Maconnais 2019 750ml $49 pre-arrival special, 12 bottles available
William Kelley- Wine Advocate 90 points “A cuvée of declassified Les Quarts, the 2019 Pouilly-Vinzelles offers up aromas of sweet orchard fruit, meadow blossom and clear honey. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, with fine concentration and bright acids, it’s charming and expressive.”

Bret Brothers La Soufrandiere Pouilly-Vinzelles Climat Les Longeays, Maconnais Maconnais 2019 750ml $59 pre-arrival special, 12 bottles available
William Kelley- Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2019 Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Longeays opens in the glass with notes of pear, almonds, white flowers, mint and citrus zest. Medium to full-bodied and textural but tightly wound, with a sweet core of fruit and lively acids, it has turned out well.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

France- Rhone

Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Petite Chapelle – La Maison Bleue, Rhone 2019 750ml $59 pre-arrival special, 36+ bottles available
Joe Czerwinski- Wine Advocate 94-96 points “Even richer, darker and more powerful than the 2018 version, the 2019 Hermitage La Maison Bleue offers up some lifted, minty notes to accent its potent cassis fruit. Dark, dense, and Port-like without being overly heavy or dense, this full-bodied effort is long, intense and concentrated, with softly dusty tannins on the finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle, Rhone 2019 750ml $199 pre-arrival special, 36+ bottles available
Joe Czerwinski- Wine Advocate 98-100 points “Might this be the next vintage of La Chapelle to crack triple digits? Knockout aromas of crushed stone, violets, blueberries, and cassis mark the nose of the 2019 Hermitage La Chapelle, while the full-bodied palate is undeniably more intense and powerful than the more elegant 2018. Rich and velvety, it coats the mouth with dark fruit and creamy-textured espresso, yet retains remarkable length and licorice-derived peppery freshness on the finish. Wow!”

Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Imperiale, Rhone 2019 750ml $79 pre-arrival special, 18 bottles available
James Suckling 96 points “Deep, spicy and fragrant, this is a very concentrated and elegant Chateauneuf-du-Pape with remarkably fine tannins and floral delicacy alongside its earthy primacy. Mainly produced from grenache vines planted in 1901 and 1902. From Demeter-certified biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95+ points “The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Impériale is almost all Grenache (there’s 5% of other varieties), and it’s another gorgeous wine from this estate. Reminding me of a great Gevrey-Chambertin with its darker red and black fruits, peppery herbs, earth, and flowery incense, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness and has ripe tannins, wonderful balance, and a great finish. This pure, unadulterated, incredibly compelling Grenache needs 2-4 years of bottle age and will deliver the goods for upwards of two decades”

Italy – Tuscany

Rocca di Castagnoli Stielle Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ml $49 pre-arrival special, 36+ bottles available
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Stielle is a beautiful and distinctive wine, but it also needs time to come together. Sangiovese bristles with energy and cut as this nervy, tightly wound wine shows off its personality. The combination of a high altitude site and whole clusters in fermentation yields a Chianti Classico endowed with notable power and intensity.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Vecchie Terre di Montefili ‘Vigna Vecchia’ Gran Selezione, Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2016 750ml $49 special, 36+ bottles available
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Stielle is a beautiful and distinctive wine, but it also needs time to come together. Sangiovese bristles with energy and cut as this nervy, tightly wound wine shows off its personality. The combination of a high altitude site and whole clusters in fermentation yields a Chianti Classico endowed with notable power and intensity.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Petrolo Torrione Valdarno di Sopra, Tuscany 2019 750ml $28 pre-arrival special, 36+ bottles available
James Suckling 95 points “Very perfumed with sweet-berry and fresh-flower aromas that already show brightness and beauty. Perfumed. Full-bodied with very well-integrated tannins and pure, vivid fruit at the finish. This is all in finesse and depth. Drinkable now, but better in a couple of years.”

Germany- Mosel

Markus Molitor Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese, Mosel  ** GK 2019 750ml $49 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available 
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The golden-yellow colored 2019 Graacher Domprobst Auslese ** (Golden Capsule) is intense yet very clear and fresh with lemon juice aromas  and dark-toned notes of crushed flint stone. Lush and refined on the vivacious and remarkably finessed palate, this is a light, round and fleshy, textured and mouth-filling Domprobst with very fine tannins, delicate mineral acidity and lingering salinity. Promising and with stimulating, crystalline grip but still far too young. Tasted from AP 92 20 in May 2021.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Markus Molitor Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Mosel ** GK 2019 750ml $59 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96+ points “The yellow-golden 2019 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese ** (Golden Capsule) is brilliantly clear yet also intense and concentrated on the pure, fresh, finely raisined and herbal (rosemary), slightly honeyed nose that is complex and ambitious. Dense and juicy, with a vivacious purity and great finesse, this is a concentrated, vibrantly fresh and tightly structured Auslese with a remarkably digestible finish. There might be some percentage of botrytis that gives this Auslese a lush texture that is otherwise terribly clear and vital. I’d keep it for at least 7 years and up to 40, if only I could. Attention, though, the wine has serious acidity. Tasted from AP 39 20  in May 2021.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Markus Molitor Kinheimer Hubertuslay Riesling Auslese, Mosel, *** GK 2019 750ml $119 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt- Wine Advocate 97+ points “The 2019 Kinheimer Hubertuslay Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) is utterly intense as well as refined on the subtle, finely slatey and crunchy nose. Piquant and fresh on the first attack, this is a crystalline, finely grippy and lingering salty Auslese with great tension, finesse and terroir expression. This is an Auslese to keep for another 5-10 years. This is very precise and piquant and still grippy, but it will smoothen with time. Tasted in May 2021. Drink: 2028-2070.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese, Mosel, *** GK 2019 375ml $66 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt- Wine Advocate 98 points “Filled in 375-milliliter bottles, the 2019 Bernkasteler Badstube Auslese *** (Golden Capsule) opens with a fascinating, refined and aromatic bouquet of broken slate and botrytized raisins. Lush and fresh, with very fine grip, this is an utterly finessed and aromatic Auslese that is as rich and intense as it is weightless, frisky and salivating. Surely a picture-book Auslese from the Badstube. Tasted in May 2021.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Germany- Nahe

Weingut Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Auslese, Nahe 2020 750ml $66 pre-arrival special, 36 bottles available
Stuart Pigott 98 points “Very intense, candied yellow-grapefruit nose. Super-concentrated, but the most important thing about this Auslese is the incredibly tight focus on the palate and the purity of the dried apricot and mango. Super-succulent and vibrant finish that doesn’t want to stop. Drink or hold.”
John Gilman 95 points “The 2020 Halenberg Auslese from Frank Schönleber is a gorgeous wine and fully underscores just how great the smattering of Auslesen can be in this vintage. The wine has a touch of botrytis, but is inherently delicate in nature and utterly refined on both the nose and palate. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a celestial blend of ripe pear, fresh apricot, just a hint of the mango to come, a gorgeous base of slate, lilacs, iris blossoms and violets. On the palate the wine is bright, medium-full and supremely elegant in profile, with a lovely core, fine soil undertow, bright acids and a very, very long, complex and utterly seamless finish. This is simply beautiful wine. 2022-2085.”
Stephan Reinhardt- Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2020 Halenberg Auslese is intensely aromatic, precise and fresh on the nose that reveals tropical (passion) fruit aromas intertwined with flinty notes. Lush and generous but precise and elegant on the palate, this is a very dangerous (digestible) Auslese that is so generous but also so precise and crystalline that it is impossible to spit out. A gorgeous Halenberg. Tasted at the domain in July 2021. Drink: 2021-2070.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Germany- Pfalz

Muller-Catoir Haardt Sauvignon Blanc Trocken, Pfalz 2020 750ml $26 pre-arrival special, 36 bottles available
Winery note “The Haardt Sauvignon Blanc is focussed on soft aroma, completely without obtrusiveness. The bouquet has elements of cassis and freshly cut hay. The taste is impressive with a rich and multi-layered woven body and a delicate finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Muller-Catoir Haardter Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2020 750ml $24 pre-arrival special, 36+ bottles available
Stuart Pigott 94 points “Still a bit closed, but beautifully proportioned. With aeration, this medium-bodied dry Pfalz riesling develops so many delicate spicy and floral notes. Compact structure and a long, tight finish suggest this has quite some aging potential. Drink or hold.”
John Gilman 93 points “The 2020 Haardt Riesling Trocken AP #3 from Weingut Müller-Catoir includes older vines in its constituent components than the Gimmeldingen bottling, as the oldest vines in this bottling are nearly forty-five years of age. It is just a touch lower in acidity as well, coming in at 6.9 grams per liter and carries 4.4 grams per liter of residual sugar and an octane level of 12.5 percent. The wine delivers a refined aromatic constellation of apple, sweet grapefruit, tart orange, a beautifully elegant base of minerality, a touch of wild yeasts, spring flowers, lemongrass and just a hint of beeswax in the upper register. On the palate the wine is vibrant, full-bodied and nascently complex, with an excellent core, superb soil undertow, zesty acids, laser-like focus and a long, zesty and extremely promising finish. This is more refined in personality than the slightly more powerful Gimmeldingen, though qualitatively, they are certainly equivalent. Fine juice in the making. 2028-2065.”