Vinopolis Monday Newsletter 12/19/22

 In This Newsletter:

Sometimes a little bottle goes a long way. Who wouldn’t be happy to find a fun sized bottle in their stocking this year? 

Here’s a selection of 375ml bottles we have in stock now at Vinopolis.

Sparkling 

Guy Charlemagne Reserve Brut Blanc de Blanc Grand NV 375ml $28 special, 31 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “This Champagne is made exclusively from the Charlemagne holdings in grand cru vineyards of the Côte des Blancs. With the classic steely edge that is balanced by a softer dosage, the wine is both fruity and structured. The bottling is ready although it is sure to develop some delicious mature flavors. -Roger Voss”
Winery note “The Reserve Brut cuvée is from the Le Mesnil sur Oger and Oger, Côte des Blancs terroir, both with their limestone soils. This brut champagne is made solely with Chardonnay from our 100% Grand Crus. A champagne where lightness and finesse play the lead role, made from a reserve wine blend and light dosage at around 8 grams per litre. This gives it longevity and subtle aromas. Vinified in thermo regulated stainless steel and matured between two and three years in our underground cellars, the Cuvée Reserve Brut is a harmonious wine, wholesome, full-bodied with very mineral aromas. It possesses an elegance and vivacity which will allow for the best pairings but it will be particularly appreciated as an aperitif. Pale yellow color, steady stream of fine bubbles, bright. Very citrusy nose, where acacia and rose water balance each other out. Creamy mouth with an exceptional length, the citrus notes (lime and pink grapefruit) give it freshness before melting into notes of fresh hazelnuts and yeasty brioche. This wine will be appreciated both during aperitif or with an appetizer of warm oysters.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

R. Dumont & Fils Tradition Brut, Champagne NV 375ml $20.90 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Importer note “The Dumont Brut NV is a blend of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay. The grapes from their vineyard have qualities that seem less aggressive and more sumptuous than those from the northern districts. In addition, vinification of whole berries at low temperatures enhances this quality of soft elegance. The NV is a blend of vintages typically between two and five years old. It is aged for two years on the lees before disgorgement. Dosage is 9 grams.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Nicolas Maillart Platine Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 375ml $24 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 93 points “I was recently introduced to the exciting Champagne of Nicolas Maillart with his lovely Brut Rosé, but this extremely precise and exceptional Platine Extra Brut really hit my sweet spot and went gloriously with a selection of briny fresh cool water oysters, making a perfect way to end a warm summer celebration. I am in particular fond of Extra Brut… and this Maillart has wonderful balance with plenty of depth and richness on the palate to with the crisp and mineral detail. It also has a luxurious mousse and multidimensional mouth feel. There are hints of white blossoms, racy lemony citrus, leesy/yeasty roundness, clove spice, salty chalk and lingering stone and apple fruit. Everything is alive and brisk without being severe or austere, but there is a fine Pinot Noir based structure here in Maillart’s Extra Brut that delivers the goods. Again this is exactly what I was hoping for in a Champagne, stylish and with real substance, this is well worth searching out and very much priced right. I’ll be enjoying this label and this wine more often in the future. This wine comes from vines in Villers Allerand 1er Cru, Ecueil 1er Cru and Bouzy Grand Cru, all are set on ancient calcareous soils with a vine age over 30 years on average, giving concentration and plenty of terroir influence!”
Importer note “2017-base. 57% Pinot Noir, 28% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier. 50% 2017 + 50% reserve wine.”
Winery Note “Golden in colour with a fine, lingering bead Nose: Intense with notes of fruit and hazelnuts and a slight toastiness Palate: The initial impact is wonderfully fresh and vinous, followed by great finesse. Slow, gentle pressing using gravity-flow techniques. Vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and a period in the barrel for a certain volume of reserve wines. Average two-year maturing period in the bottle. Disgorged by hand and laid down for at least three months before sale.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Delamotte Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne NV 375ml $38 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 93 points “The latest rendition of Delamotte’s NV Brut Blanc de Blancs is drinking very well out of the gates, offering up aromas of crisp orchard fruit and citrus zest mingled with hints of fresh bread and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and precise, with bright acids and chalky grip, concluding with a dry finish, this is a classy, seamless wine that will offer a broad drinking window.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “A crisp blanc de blancs in an aperitif style, with a racy streak of acidity creating a mouthwatering frame for tangerine, glazed apricot, lemon thyme and minerally chalk and smoke notes as they ride the lacy mousse. Drink now. –AN”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Louis Roederer Collection 243 Brut, Champagne NV 375ml $31.90 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “The NV Champagne Collection 243 Brut is the third release and is based on the 2018 vintage, with the addition of 30% of the perpetual reserve started in 2012 and 10% reserve wine that has been aged in oak. It is ripe and balanced, with yellow flowers, honeycomb, and plum, and it has elegant concentration and underlying tension, precise mousse, and rich salinity, with lingering notes of croissant and delicate smoke. This will be an exciting wine in the range to follow. Drink 2022-2037.”
Wine Advocate 92 points “Based on the 2018 vintage and complemented by reserve wines from a solera established in 2012, as well as younger foudre-aged reserve wines, Roederer’s newly released NV Brut Collection 243 is a pillowy, enveloping Champagne evocative of crisp stone fruits, honeycomb, white flowers and buttery pastry. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and generous, with an ample core of fruit, bright acids and a saline finish, it will offer demonstrative drinking on release.”
Wine Spectator 92 points “A vibrant Champagne that’s fine and creamy on the palate, almost plush, but bright and well-balanced throughout. Reveals a chalky base note that underscores layers of ripe pear and nectarine fruit, mandarin orange peel, oyster shell and chamomile. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. Drink now. 40,000 cases imported.”

Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne NV 375ml $26 special, 14 bottles in stock now
Wine & Spirits 93 points “Youth­fully bright and subtle, this blanc de blancs starts from a scent of caramel and apples, expanding into fresher directions of zesty mint and fennel. The texture is supple, the flavors succulent and appetite inducing. You could take it in the direction of langoustines or roast veal.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Jose Michel & Fils Tradition Brut, Champagne NV 375ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Importer note “The non-vintage Brut is a blend in which the 70% Pinot Meunier forms the base and 30% Chardonnay adds complexity and finesse. In addition to the base vintage (typically 2 years old), the NV Brut benefits from being blended with reserve wines that are often 4 or 5 years old. The champagne is typically 2+ years “sur lattes” and carries a dosage of 9 grams.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Red

Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 375ml $28 special, 36+  bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino lives up to the impeccable reputation garnered by this estate over the years. This is a profound and beautifully rendered Sangiovese that delivers bold and luscious fruit quality with black cherry and spicy plum at the start. The bouquet follows through with mild oak notes of smoke, tar and toasted nut. There is another aromatic component that includes crushed stone and dried herb or mint. This Brunello shows elegant evolution in the glass and promises a very long aging future ahead. Some 200,000 bottles were made, so it should be easy to locate this excellent wine.”
Decanter 96 points “The harvest date returned once more to that of tradition, commencing on 23 September – whereas these days it usually begins around 3 September. This could therefore be considered a fresh if not cool vintage, yet the long growing season helped the extraction of velvety tannins, concentrated on the mid-palate. The structure, combined with bright cassis notes, a core of cherry and crystallised violet, and savoury minerality on the finish, will keep the wine in good shape for the long haul. Drinking Window 2019 – 2043.”
Vinous 95 points “Bright red. Pure, refined red cherry and wild strawberry aromas and flavors complicated by sweet spices and aromatic herbs. Deep and multilayered, the wine boasts polished tannins and a harmonious acid spine that lifts and extends the red fruit on the long, suave finish. An essence of Sant’Angelo in Colle with bigger body and palate weight than, for example, the Brunellos of Montosoli, but still sleek and refined as the best wines of Sant’Angelo in Colle can be. The cool-climate-styled 2013 vintage is precisely the type of year in which Il Poggione excels: this lovely, focused wine is the best classico Brunello from Il Poggione in years. Superb.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Emmanuel Darnaud Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Chenes, Rhône 2019 375ml $16 special, 5  bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 92 points “Shows a sappy, dense fruit core, with kirsch and plum paste flavors rolled together, while licorice snap, sweet tobacco and a tarry streak assert themselves through the finish. Drink now through 2030. 1,600 cases made, 150 cases imported. “
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2019 Crozes Hermitage Les Trois Chênes features attractive aromas of cassis and blueberries on the nose, a broad, expansive feel in the mouth and a long, softly dusty finish. Full-bodied, concentrated and intense, it avoids any sense of heaviness despite its size, while at the same time interweaving complex notes of dark chocolate, coffee and dried herbs. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.”
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “The 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Chênes sports a deep purple hue as well as a great bouquet of ripe darker berry fruits, violets, and peppery herbs. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has terrific purity of fruit, a solid spine of acidity, and the balance to evolve gracefully for 10-12 years. It’s another impressive, rock-solid wine from this talented winemaker.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Continuum Proprietary Red, Oakville 2017 375ml $119 special, 13  bottles in stock now
Wine Advocate 97+ points “A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 9% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple 2017 Proprietary Red soars out of the glass with notions of baked blueberries, plum preserves and blackcurrant cordial, backed up by nuances of chocolate mint, wild sage, violets and pencil shavings, plus an earthy hint of Chinese five spice. The rich, seductive, full-bodied palate is jam-packed with spicy black fruit preserves, framed by wonderfully plush tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and opulent.”
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “The 2017 Proprietary Red Wine Sage Mountain Vineyard comes across as remarkably primary. Bright red-toned fruit and floral notes give the 2017 striking freshness as well as nuance. Deep and layered on the palate, with superb depth, the 2017 Continuum is easily one of the wines of the year. Even in the early going, it is truly magnificent.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

White


Domaine Rolet Pere & Fils Arbois Vin Jaune, Jura, France 2012 375ml $39 special, 7  bottles in stock now
Importer note “Remarkable wine indeed! Vin Jaune is made exclusively with Juras Savagnin grapes in a way which defies the most elementary oenological laws: 6 years in three quarter filled oak barrels without ouillage (topping up) so that nothing disturbs the thin surface film, a veil of live yeasts, responsible for the yellow colour of the wine. The wine is then bottled in Clavelins holding 62cl, which corresponds to 1 litre of the wine harvested 6 years earlier. At this point the wine is almost indestructible and will age for 100 years or more. Rolet’s vins jaune are benchmark classics, uncorked in advance and served at a temperature of 15 degrees, it develops inimitable, subtle green walnut flavours.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Beerenauslese, Nahe 2015 375ml $138 special, 11  bottles in stock now
John Gilman 95 points “The 2015 Hermannshöhle BA is still a baby and was in its primary stage of development, but this will clearly be a great wine as well. The bouquet offers up scents of baked apple, tangerine, a touch of papaya, gentle smokiness, orange oil and honey. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, bright and very, very deep, with great focus and grip, a very long, perfectly balanced and nascently complex finish. This will of course be approachable from the moment that it is released, but I would strongly suggest giving it at least four or five years in the cellar to allow it to start to really blossom and show some of the secondary layers of complexity that will come with bottle age. 2016-2075+.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Weingut Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Auslese, Nahe 2020 375ml $38 special, 22  bottles in stock now
James Suckling 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.”
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.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

 

 

We’re in the spirit of giving this holiday season so we’ve decided to extend our rosé sale prices for a limited time.
 
10% off 750ml rosé & 15% off large format rosé
 
Discount will not display online, we will adjust before charging your card.
Sale valid on non-sparkling rosé and ends Thursday 24th at 6 PM Pacific
 
Shop our picks below!

 
Clement & Florian Berthier l’Instant Pinot Noir Rose 2020 750ml $17.95 $10.90, 17 bottles in stock now
Vinous 89 points “Shimmering orange. Spice-accented tangerine and raspberry aromas pick up a floral nuance with air. Chewy and focused on the palate, offering juicy red berry and orange zest flavors that show a refreshingly bitter edge. Finishes taut and dry, with a repeating floral note and a jolt of spicy white pepper.”
Weygandt-Metzler Import note “Pinot Noir. Sustainable. Clay & limestone. Tasting note: Fresh red berries and cherry, candied orange peel and strawberry. Medium body with a long finish.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

 
Thibaud Boudignon Rose de Loire 2021 750ml $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Vinous 92 points “Limpid orange. Vibrant, mineral- and spice tinged strawberry and orange zest aromas show fine definition and a building floral nuance. Shows firm tension and cut on the palate, offering intense citrus fruit and red berry character and a suggestion of botanical herbs. Finishes very long and precise, with the floral and mineral notes repeating. “
Importer note “While Thibaud has (rightly) become a superstar for his world-class Chenin Blancs, many insiders have discovered one of his best kept-secrets: rosé. Made from a plot of Cabernet Franc and Grolleau in Anjou that he simply could not pass up the opportunity to work with, this is one of the most saline and mineral rosés we have ever come across. 80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Grolleau. Shallow soils of grey schist and rhyolite (volcanic soil) and clay. Indigenous yeast fermentation. No malo. Direct press rosé. Aged in stainless steel. A noble, supremely saline rosé. Delicate texture. Made like a white wine to preserve salinity and structure.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

 
Domaine Collotte Marsannay Rose, Cote de Nuits 2021 750ml $19 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Vinous 91 points “Vivid orange-pink. Fresh red berries, candied rose and a dusty mineral nuance on the fragrant nose. Gently chewy and tightly wound on entry, then more fleshy in the mid-palate, displaying juicy cherry and tangerine flavors that turn sweeter on the back half. The floral note repeats on a long, focused finish that leaves a refreshingly bitter suggestion of cherry pit behind.”
Weygandt-Metzler Import note “Pinot Noir. Sustainable. Clay & limestone.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

 
Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermennig Herrenberg Rose Trocken, Mosel 2021 750ml $29 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Mosel Fine Wines 89 points “The 2021er Niedermenniger Herrenberg Rosé Trocken is made from fruit picked on what was planted by the Webers as Spätburgunder 25 years ago but which the authorities now say is a mutation and not legally Spätburgunder. It offers a very playful nose of pomegranate, cooked raspberry, and spices. The wine is still quite tart and firm on the palate and leaves an almost white wine feel in the long finish. Now-2024.”
 
Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg Cistercien Rose, Niederosterreich 2021 750ml $18 special, 35 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Rosé on the estate is not seen as a secondary product to red wine. So we are not doing ‘saignée’ in order to concentrate the reds, but we are working our vineyards in order to get the perfect Gobelsburg Rosé–style, which is somehow closer to a white wine than towards a red wine style. We are seeking a nice and elegant aroma, fresh and lean texture and a acidity for pure drinking pleasure.”
 
Continue browsing our full rosé section here