In This Newsletter:
New Arrivals
Paolo Scavino
Languedoc Roussillon
Rosé Sale Underway
Collector’s Corner
New Arrivals
Italy
Terrazze dell’Etna Cirneco Etna, Sicily 2011 750ml $29 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “This is Terrazze dell’Etna’s top-shelf wine. A pure expression of Nerello Mascalese, the 2011 Etna Rosso Cirneco represents a selection of the estate’s oldest vines. This has made for an elegant and softly contoured wine with delicate aromatic layering and evident complexity. You get wild berry, pressed flowers, crushed mineral, licorice and garden herb. The finish shows dry tannins and the kind of lingering sophistication you only get with pre-phylloxera vines. Each plant is rigorously pruned to allow for only two clusters per vine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
This is truly a super deal! The next best price listed in the USA is $39.99.
Castello di Volpaia Balifico, Tuscany 2018 750ml $79 special, 26 bottles available
Vinous 96 points “The 2018 Balifico, Volpaia’s Sangiovese/ Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is fabulous. Rich and inky, the 2018 offers up a compelling mélange of dark berry fruit, dark spice, licorice and espresso. I especially admire the wine’s textural richness. I imagine the 2018 will drink well for many, many years to come. In this tasting it is a total knock-out.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Alluring violet, black currant and black cherry fruit introduces this seductive red, with firm, pointed tannins and vivid acidity providing structure as this glides to a lingering, detailed finish. Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2037.”
Feudo Montoni Passito Rosso Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily NV 375ml $39 special, 14 bottles in stock
Vinous 94 points “Bright deep red with an orange rim. The nose really opens with aeration to offer sweet red plum, dehydrated red cherry, cinnamon and raisins. Then similar flavors to the aromas lifted by juicy, harmonious acidity. Finishes very long and suave with saline nuances and repeating notes of raisins. Lovely, light on its feet dessert wine that seems less sweet than it really is thanks to its piercing acidity. One of the best sweet wines I have tasted so far this year. This is a blend of air-dried Nero d’Avola and Perricone aged in wood barrels for seven months and then twelve months in bottle prior to going on sale.”
Luigi Baudana ‘Baudana’, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $84.50 special, 6 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 94 points “With fruit from Serralunga d’Alba, the 2018 Barolo Baudana is a very different wine when compared to the other single-vineyard expressions from this estate. This has to do with site and soil, and in the case of this celebrated subzone, the wines are always more powerful, more structured and mineral-driven. Dark fruit is followed by rusty notes of iron ore and crushed clay. This wine offers good substance both in terms of finish and texture. Cascina Adelaide does a great job with the Baudana”.
Wine Spectator 94 points “Rich, exuding cherry, raspberry, plum and floral notes, with iron, tobacco and tar accents lending complexity. Shows terrific balance and depth, with a tightly wound structure that bodes well for future development. Best from 2025 through 2043.”
Vinous 93 points “The 2018 Barolo Baudana offers lovely creaminess and depth in the mid-weight style of the year. Sweet red cherry, blood orange, plum, pomegranate and sweet floral notes all meld together in this racy, inviting Barolo. There’s lovely depth and texture throughout. The Baudana is the most forward and immediate of the Baudana Barolos.”
Luigi Baudana Cerretta, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $79 special, 6 bottles in stock
Vinous 93 points “The 2018 Barolo Cerretta is a potent, searing wine, its mid-weight structure notwithstanding. Scorching tannins wrap around a core of dark red/black fruit, gravel, smoke, crushed rocks, menthol, licorice and game. The 2018 is going to need a number of years to come around and for those formidable tannins to soften.”
James Suckling 92 points “Bright red fruit and a nut-cream note on the nose. Medium-bodied with very fine, firm tannins and a long, intense finish. Solid and focused. Try from 2024.”
Luigi Baudana Serralunga, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $51.50 special, 12 bottles in stock
Vinous 91 points “The 2018 Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba is redolent of savory and ferrous notes woven into a core of dried red cherry fruit. Spice, mint and tobacco develop later, adding pretty shades of nuance. Readers will find a super-classic Serralunga Barolo, but one that won’t need more than a few years to be at its best.”
Wine Advocate 91 points “The Luigi Baudana 2018 Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba is redolent of red fruit and sweet cherry that is especially prominent this vintage. The cherry is a dominate force. But earth, iron ore and blood orange also appear at the back, giving this wine a better sense of depth and nuance. The fruit used in this blend comes from Baudana, Cerretta and Costa Bella.”
Castello di Volpaia ‘Prelius’ Cabernet Sauvignon Maremma Toscana, Tuscany 2020 750ml $21.90 special, 36 bottles in stock
Castello di Volpaia Prelius Vermentino Maremma Toscana, Tuscany 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock
France
Clau de Nell Anjou Cabernet Franc, Loire 2018 750ml $49 special, 17 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2018 Anjou Cabernet Franc is from sandstone and red silex soils and opens with a deep, intense and concentrated dark berry and cherry aroma intertwined with iodine and some plummy notes with crystalline sugar notes and baked blueberry aromas. Silky, rich and intense on the palate, this is an elegant, deep, refined, long and complex Cab Franc with a tight tannin structure, and kumquat and somewhat brutish aromas. The wine has great aging potential, but it’s very individual, with dense fruit but ripe and elegant tannins.”
Vinous 90 points “The 2018 Anjou Cabernet Franc is serious and structured, showing the ripeness of this vintage in its breadth, ripe fruit and slightly heady aromas. Produced from 45-year-old vines that yield 35–40hl/ha, this is soft and tender on entry, but the tannins build like a square frame, leaving a structured finish. Integrated use of oak is evidenced by a hint of vanilla from a small percentage of new barrels (less than 10% new). The finish is fragrant with lingering violets and savory notes; there is a question over the light barnyard element and the slightly drying finish. At this early stage, it’s a little awkward and needs some time – or if you don’t have time, a little air.”
USA
Illahe Estate Tempranillo Rose, Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $15 special, 24 bottles in stock
Winery Notes “This Willamette Valley tempranillo is crisp and juicy with notes of strawberry, lemon, watermelon, daffodil, and narsissa. The wine is a beautiful pale coral pink hue from gentle whole cluster pressing immediately after picking and is fermented in acacia puncheons, neutral oak and stainless.”
Germany
Weingut Donnhoff Roxheimer Hollenpfad Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2021 750ml $41.90 special, 11 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2021 Roxheimer Höllenpfad Riesling trocken is very clear, refined and coolish on the stony and flinty yet tender, beautifully balanced and spicy nose that reveals perfectly ripe and elegant Riesling fruit with rosemary and salty, darker-toned terroir notes. Lush and refined on the palate, this is a dense and complex, firmly structured but elegant, smooth-flowing and persistently saline Höllenpfad with a long, saline and juicy finish. A gorgeous Riesling that is outstanding again. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”
Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2021 750ml $54.50 special, 20 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Pure, precise and bright on the nose, with delicately flinty and spicy aromas, the 2021 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese is a fabulously piquant and stimulating Spätlese with mineral intensity, complexity, grip and tension, as if there were electric wires in this wine. It’s enormously vital and stimulating. 8.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2021 750ml $59 special, 20 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “From the southeast-facing part of the vineyard, the 2021 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese is very clear, pure and flinty on the concentrated nose. Sweet, refined and very elegant on the palate, this is a weightless, saline and filigreed, playful Spätlese with great balance and delicacy. Not dramatic but quiet and in beautiful balance. 8% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Nahe 2021 750ml $99 special, 4 bottles in stock
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Nahe 2021 375ml $59 special, 9 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 98 points “Picked a few days before the GG, the 2021 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Auslese is based on highly ripe Riesling berries and opens with a clear, lemony, pure, fresh and finely concentrated bouquet with grapefruit, lime and slate aromas. Basket pressed, this is a lush and generous, pure, saline and piquant Auslese with a long, intense and highly stimulating finish with very fine bitters. The Hermannshöhle was picked with the highest must weight and acidity level and represents the most complex and generous yet also precise Auslese of the vintage. 8% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”
Weingut Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Nahe 2021 750ml $99 special, 6 bottles in stock
Weingut Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Nahe 2021 375ml $49 special, 10 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 96 points “Pressed with whole bunches in a basket press for about five hours and vinified in a single halbstück (650 liter), the 2021 Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Auslese is one of the rare botrytis wines of the vintage, and it opens with a clear, precise and aromatic bouquet with candied pink grapefruit aromas. Lush and round on the palate, this is an intense, generous and salty, piquant and delicate yet also rich and sweet but light and lifted Auslese with great balance and elegance. A fabulous, delicate and fine, juicy and filigreed Auslese. 8% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”
Spain
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ml $59 special, 17 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2010 Viña Tondonia Reserva has all I expect from a Reserva from Tondonia, complexity, elegance and evolution, a developed nose with notes of forest floor and wild berries, herbs and flowers, a touch of iodine, brick dust and very fine, polished tannins. It has the seriousness and elegance of Tondonia. This is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho (they use the masculine form of the name of the grape) and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo that fermented in the ancient oak vats from when the winery was created 144 years ago and matured in well-seasoned, American oak barrels for six years. It has 13% alcohol, a pH of 3.4 and 6.6 grams of acidity. 260,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2017.”
Tim Atkin MW 94 points “The Tondonia red may not quite hit the sublime heights of the white, but it’s still a special wine in its own way. Featuring the time-honoured blend of Tempranillo with 20% Garnacha and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo for extra structure and longevity, it has notes of black cherry and black olive, racy acidity, very little apparent oak and tannins that wouldn’t look out of place in a Barolo. 2023-32.”
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Cubillo’ Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2013 750ml $28 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92+ points “2013 was a very tough vintage when they had to discard up to 100,000 kilograms of grapes and production of most of the wines was lower; it’s also the year when their father died, and they were very encouraged to make very good wines. The 2013 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza is the entry-level red from that year, the cooler of the shortlist of 2013, 2014 and 2015 I tasted next to each other. The wine is more austere even within the style they say is their wine for the by-the-glass market. It’s classical and developed with a polished palate after three years in barrel. It overdelivers for the conditions of the year. 90,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2019.”
Argentina
Altos Las Hormigas ‘Appellation Gualtallary’ Malbec, Tupungato 2019 750ml $41.90 special, 18 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2019 Malbec Appellation Gualtallary comes from specific soils, two small three-hectare plots in the Cerros del Jaboncillo, where they find more caliche and limestone in Tupungato Winelands. They believe this place transmits the maximum expression of limestone to Malbec, giving a structured wine with fine-grained tannins with the wilderness from Gualtallary. It fermented in small concrete vats with indigenous yeasts at some 26 degrees Celsius for 20 days. Eighty-five percent of the volume matured in untoasted 3,500-liter French oak foudres for 20 months while the rest was kept in concrete. They sell it a little later than the Altamira because they feel Gualtallary needs a little more time in bottle; therefore, they are now offering the 2019 vintage, a very balanced wine that talks about the place where it was born. This is vibrant and expressive, with a complex nose and especially a lively palate with effervescent acidity and very fine-boned with elegant but firm tannins (they say “Serralunga-like” tannins). I find the recurring iron-like note of blood and fresh meat here too, intermixed with the wild flowers, herbs and spices. This has depth and complexity, and if Altamira is Barbaresco, Gualtallary is Barolo… 10,000 bottles were filled in January 2022.”
Re-arrival
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Bosconia’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ml $41.90 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The fresh and balanced 2010 Viña Bosconia Reserva is a textbook example of the wine, perhaps the successor of the great 2006, a powerful blend of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha and 5% between Graciano and Mazuelo. It matured in used American oak barrels for five years and is clean and complex with a nutty and mushroomy nose, polished tannins and good acidity. 80,000 bottles were filled in May 2017.”
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie l’Alchimiste, Beaujolais 2021 750ml $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie l’Alchimiste, Beaujolais 2021 1.5L $79 special, 3 bottles available
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie Les Labourons, Beaujolais 2021 750ml $39 special, 36+ bottles available
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie Les Labourons, Beaujolais 2021 1.5L $89 special, 2 bottles available
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie Les Labourons, Beaujolais 2021 3L $199 special, 2 bottles available
Paolo Scavino
Languedoc Roussillon
Rosé Sale Underway
Collector’s Corner
New Arrivals
Italy
Terrazze dell’Etna Cirneco Etna, Sicily 2011 750ml $29 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “This is Terrazze dell’Etna’s top-shelf wine. A pure expression of Nerello Mascalese, the 2011 Etna Rosso Cirneco represents a selection of the estate’s oldest vines. This has made for an elegant and softly contoured wine with delicate aromatic layering and evident complexity. You get wild berry, pressed flowers, crushed mineral, licorice and garden herb. The finish shows dry tannins and the kind of lingering sophistication you only get with pre-phylloxera vines. Each plant is rigorously pruned to allow for only two clusters per vine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
This is truly a super deal! The next best price listed in the USA is $39.99.
Castello di Volpaia Balifico, Tuscany 2018 750ml $79 special, 26 bottles available
Vinous 96 points “The 2018 Balifico, Volpaia’s Sangiovese/ Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is fabulous. Rich and inky, the 2018 offers up a compelling mélange of dark berry fruit, dark spice, licorice and espresso. I especially admire the wine’s textural richness. I imagine the 2018 will drink well for many, many years to come. In this tasting it is a total knock-out.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Alluring violet, black currant and black cherry fruit introduces this seductive red, with firm, pointed tannins and vivid acidity providing structure as this glides to a lingering, detailed finish. Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2037.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Feudo Montoni Passito Rosso Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily NV 375ml $39 special, 14 bottles in stock
Vinous 94 points “Bright deep red with an orange rim. The nose really opens with aeration to offer sweet red plum, dehydrated red cherry, cinnamon and raisins. Then similar flavors to the aromas lifted by juicy, harmonious acidity. Finishes very long and suave with saline nuances and repeating notes of raisins. Lovely, light on its feet dessert wine that seems less sweet than it really is thanks to its piercing acidity. One of the best sweet wines I have tasted so far this year. This is a blend of air-dried Nero d’Avola and Perricone aged in wood barrels for seven months and then twelve months in bottle prior to going on sale.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Luigi Baudana ‘Baudana’, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $84.50 special, 6 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 94 points “With fruit from Serralunga d’Alba, the 2018 Barolo Baudana is a very different wine when compared to the other single-vineyard expressions from this estate. This has to do with site and soil, and in the case of this celebrated subzone, the wines are always more powerful, more structured and mineral-driven. Dark fruit is followed by rusty notes of iron ore and crushed clay. This wine offers good substance both in terms of finish and texture. Cascina Adelaide does a great job with the Baudana”.
Wine Spectator 94 points “Rich, exuding cherry, raspberry, plum and floral notes, with iron, tobacco and tar accents lending complexity. Shows terrific balance and depth, with a tightly wound structure that bodes well for future development. Best from 2025 through 2043.”
Vinous 93 points “The 2018 Barolo Baudana offers lovely creaminess and depth in the mid-weight style of the year. Sweet red cherry, blood orange, plum, pomegranate and sweet floral notes all meld together in this racy, inviting Barolo. There’s lovely depth and texture throughout. The Baudana is the most forward and immediate of the Baudana Barolos.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Luigi Baudana Cerretta, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $79 special, 6 bottles in stock
Vinous 93 points “The 2018 Barolo Cerretta is a potent, searing wine, its mid-weight structure notwithstanding. Scorching tannins wrap around a core of dark red/black fruit, gravel, smoke, crushed rocks, menthol, licorice and game. The 2018 is going to need a number of years to come around and for those formidable tannins to soften.”
James Suckling 92 points “Bright red fruit and a nut-cream note on the nose. Medium-bodied with very fine, firm tannins and a long, intense finish. Solid and focused. Try from 2024.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Luigi Baudana Serralunga, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $51.50 special, 12 bottles in stock
Vinous 91 points “The 2018 Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba is redolent of savory and ferrous notes woven into a core of dried red cherry fruit. Spice, mint and tobacco develop later, adding pretty shades of nuance. Readers will find a super-classic Serralunga Barolo, but one that won’t need more than a few years to be at its best.”
Wine Advocate 91 points “The Luigi Baudana 2018 Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba is redolent of red fruit and sweet cherry that is especially prominent this vintage. The cherry is a dominate force. But earth, iron ore and blood orange also appear at the back, giving this wine a better sense of depth and nuance. The fruit used in this blend comes from Baudana, Cerretta and Costa Bella.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Castello di Volpaia ‘Prelius’ Cabernet Sauvignon Maremma Toscana, Tuscany 2020 750ml $21.90 special, 36 bottles in stock
Castello di Volpaia Prelius Vermentino Maremma Toscana, Tuscany 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock
France
Clau de Nell Anjou Cabernet Franc, Loire 2018 750ml $49 special, 17 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2018 Anjou Cabernet Franc is from sandstone and red silex soils and opens with a deep, intense and concentrated dark berry and cherry aroma intertwined with iodine and some plummy notes with crystalline sugar notes and baked blueberry aromas. Silky, rich and intense on the palate, this is an elegant, deep, refined, long and complex Cab Franc with a tight tannin structure, and kumquat and somewhat brutish aromas. The wine has great aging potential, but it’s very individual, with dense fruit but ripe and elegant tannins.”
Vinous 90 points “The 2018 Anjou Cabernet Franc is serious and structured, showing the ripeness of this vintage in its breadth, ripe fruit and slightly heady aromas. Produced from 45-year-old vines that yield 35–40hl/ha, this is soft and tender on entry, but the tannins build like a square frame, leaving a structured finish. Integrated use of oak is evidenced by a hint of vanilla from a small percentage of new barrels (less than 10% new). The finish is fragrant with lingering violets and savory notes; there is a question over the light barnyard element and the slightly drying finish. At this early stage, it’s a little awkward and needs some time – or if you don’t have time, a little air.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
USA
Illahe Estate Tempranillo Rose, Willamette Valley 2022 750ml $15 special, 24 bottles in stock
Winery Notes “This Willamette Valley tempranillo is crisp and juicy with notes of strawberry, lemon, watermelon, daffodil, and narsissa. The wine is a beautiful pale coral pink hue from gentle whole cluster pressing immediately after picking and is fermented in acacia puncheons, neutral oak and stainless.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Germany
Weingut Donnhoff Roxheimer Hollenpfad Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2021 750ml $41.90 special, 11 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2021 Roxheimer Höllenpfad Riesling trocken is very clear, refined and coolish on the stony and flinty yet tender, beautifully balanced and spicy nose that reveals perfectly ripe and elegant Riesling fruit with rosemary and salty, darker-toned terroir notes. Lush and refined on the palate, this is a dense and complex, firmly structured but elegant, smooth-flowing and persistently saline Höllenpfad with a long, saline and juicy finish. A gorgeous Riesling that is outstanding again. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”
Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2021 750ml $54.50 special, 20 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Pure, precise and bright on the nose, with delicately flinty and spicy aromas, the 2021 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese is a fabulously piquant and stimulating Spätlese with mineral intensity, complexity, grip and tension, as if there were electric wires in this wine. It’s enormously vital and stimulating. 8.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2021 750ml $59 special, 20 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “From the southeast-facing part of the vineyard, the 2021 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese is very clear, pure and flinty on the concentrated nose. Sweet, refined and very elegant on the palate, this is a weightless, saline and filigreed, playful Spätlese with great balance and delicacy. Not dramatic but quiet and in beautiful balance. 8% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Nahe 2021 750ml $99 special, 4 bottles in stock
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Nahe 2021 375ml $59 special, 9 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 98 points “Picked a few days before the GG, the 2021 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Auslese is based on highly ripe Riesling berries and opens with a clear, lemony, pure, fresh and finely concentrated bouquet with grapefruit, lime and slate aromas. Basket pressed, this is a lush and generous, pure, saline and piquant Auslese with a long, intense and highly stimulating finish with very fine bitters. The Hermannshöhle was picked with the highest must weight and acidity level and represents the most complex and generous yet also precise Auslese of the vintage. 8% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Nahe 2021 750ml $99 special, 6 bottles in stock
Weingut Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Nahe 2021 375ml $49 special, 10 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 96 points “Pressed with whole bunches in a basket press for about five hours and vinified in a single halbstück (650 liter), the 2021 Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Auslese is one of the rare botrytis wines of the vintage, and it opens with a clear, precise and aromatic bouquet with candied pink grapefruit aromas. Lush and round on the palate, this is an intense, generous and salty, piquant and delicate yet also rich and sweet but light and lifted Auslese with great balance and elegance. A fabulous, delicate and fine, juicy and filigreed Auslese. 8% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Spain
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ml $59 special, 17 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2010 Viña Tondonia Reserva has all I expect from a Reserva from Tondonia, complexity, elegance and evolution, a developed nose with notes of forest floor and wild berries, herbs and flowers, a touch of iodine, brick dust and very fine, polished tannins. It has the seriousness and elegance of Tondonia. This is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho (they use the masculine form of the name of the grape) and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo that fermented in the ancient oak vats from when the winery was created 144 years ago and matured in well-seasoned, American oak barrels for six years. It has 13% alcohol, a pH of 3.4 and 6.6 grams of acidity. 260,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2017.”
Tim Atkin MW 94 points “The Tondonia red may not quite hit the sublime heights of the white, but it’s still a special wine in its own way. Featuring the time-honoured blend of Tempranillo with 20% Garnacha and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo for extra structure and longevity, it has notes of black cherry and black olive, racy acidity, very little apparent oak and tannins that wouldn’t look out of place in a Barolo. 2023-32.”
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Cubillo’ Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2013 750ml $28 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92+ points “2013 was a very tough vintage when they had to discard up to 100,000 kilograms of grapes and production of most of the wines was lower; it’s also the year when their father died, and they were very encouraged to make very good wines. The 2013 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza is the entry-level red from that year, the cooler of the shortlist of 2013, 2014 and 2015 I tasted next to each other. The wine is more austere even within the style they say is their wine for the by-the-glass market. It’s classical and developed with a polished palate after three years in barrel. It overdelivers for the conditions of the year. 90,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2019.”
Argentina
Altos Las Hormigas ‘Appellation Gualtallary’ Malbec, Tupungato 2019 750ml $41.90 special, 18 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2019 Malbec Appellation Gualtallary comes from specific soils, two small three-hectare plots in the Cerros del Jaboncillo, where they find more caliche and limestone in Tupungato Winelands. They believe this place transmits the maximum expression of limestone to Malbec, giving a structured wine with fine-grained tannins with the wilderness from Gualtallary. It fermented in small concrete vats with indigenous yeasts at some 26 degrees Celsius for 20 days. Eighty-five percent of the volume matured in untoasted 3,500-liter French oak foudres for 20 months while the rest was kept in concrete. They sell it a little later than the Altamira because they feel Gualtallary needs a little more time in bottle; therefore, they are now offering the 2019 vintage, a very balanced wine that talks about the place where it was born. This is vibrant and expressive, with a complex nose and especially a lively palate with effervescent acidity and very fine-boned with elegant but firm tannins (they say “Serralunga-like” tannins). I find the recurring iron-like note of blood and fresh meat here too, intermixed with the wild flowers, herbs and spices. This has depth and complexity, and if Altamira is Barbaresco, Gualtallary is Barolo… 10,000 bottles were filled in January 2022.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Re-arrival
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Bosconia’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ml $41.90 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The fresh and balanced 2010 Viña Bosconia Reserva is a textbook example of the wine, perhaps the successor of the great 2006, a powerful blend of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha and 5% between Graciano and Mazuelo. It matured in used American oak barrels for five years and is clean and complex with a nutty and mushroomy nose, polished tannins and good acidity. 80,000 bottles were filled in May 2017.”
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie l’Alchimiste, Beaujolais 2021 750ml $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie l’Alchimiste, Beaujolais 2021 1.5L $79 special, 3 bottles available
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie Les Labourons, Beaujolais 2021 750ml $39 special, 36+ bottles available
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie Les Labourons, Beaujolais 2021 1.5L $89 special, 2 bottles available
Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie Les Labourons, Beaujolais 2021 3L $199 special, 2 bottles available
Paolo Scavino
“The Scavino family (Enrico and his daughters Enrica and Elisa) carry forth an important family legacy with a wide range of cru-specific wines that brilliantly exhibit individual styles.” – Wine Advocate
You can taste the dedication in Paolo Scavino wines. The family run winery has been operating since 1921 and head winemaker Enrico Scavino has been working full time since he was ten years old. He has committed his life to this winery. These superior wines communicate his passion to the craft and are truly special.
Explore our inventory of this iconic producer:
Paolo Scavino Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2018 750ml $39 special, 7 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 93 points “The Paolo Scavino 2018 Barolo is a pretty wine with sweet primary intensity that appears as tart cherry and dried raspberry. With Enrico Scavino’s signature on the front label, this is a classic package with silky tannins and a long, polished mouthfeel. Fruit comes from multiple vineyard sites across the appellation, and an ample 38,000 bottles were made.”
James Suckling 93 points “Vivid aromas of red berries and roses follow though to a medium-bodied palate, where fine tannins provide a lightly firm bed for fresh fruit. The lighter, brighter style of this is true to the character of the vintage, but here it’s been well-handled. All in balance. Try from 2024.”
You can taste the dedication in Paolo Scavino wines. The family run winery has been operating since 1921 and head winemaker Enrico Scavino has been working full time since he was ten years old. He has committed his life to this winery. These superior wines communicate his passion to the craft and are truly special.
Explore our inventory of this iconic producer:
Paolo Scavino Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2018 750ml $39 special, 7 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 93 points “The Paolo Scavino 2018 Barolo is a pretty wine with sweet primary intensity that appears as tart cherry and dried raspberry. With Enrico Scavino’s signature on the front label, this is a classic package with silky tannins and a long, polished mouthfeel. Fruit comes from multiple vineyard sites across the appellation, and an ample 38,000 bottles were made.”
James Suckling 93 points “Vivid aromas of red berries and roses follow though to a medium-bodied palate, where fine tannins provide a lightly firm bed for fresh fruit. The lighter, brighter style of this is true to the character of the vintage, but here it’s been well-handled. All in balance. Try from 2024.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Paolo Scavino Bricco Ambrogio, Barolo DOCG 2017 750ml $59 special, 21 bottles in stock
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “Located in Roddi, the 2017 Barolo Bricco Ambrogio is marked by perfume of chalky earth, violets, and kirsch. The palate moves into dark fruits, with ripe currant, sweet tobacco, and tannins that emerge on the finish. Hold for 2-4 years and drink 2024-2042. Helmed by fourth generation winemaker Elisa Scavino, the estate owns and manages 30 hectares spanning eight of the 11 communes of the Barolo region and is based in Castiglione Falletto. Since 2007, they have implemented the use of a netted, submerged cap cylindrical system developed by Elisa’s father, Enrico, which achieves a delicate extraction during fermentation. They have moved to slower, longer fermentation periods, and as of 2018 will only be utilizing large casks. In the vineyard, there is great attention to the compression of the soils, creating a healthy ecosystem rich in oxygen and microorganisms and a sustainable approach.”
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The 2017 Barolo Bricco Ambrogio is laced with succulent black cherry, mocha, licorice, dark spice and lavender. The Bricco Ambrogio is usually a bit juicier, while the 2017 is decidedly on the lighter side.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Paolo Scavino Bric del Fiasc, Barolo DOCG 2017 750ml $88 special, 22 bottles in stock
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “The 2017 Barolo Bric del Fiasc is another gorgeous wine in the line up from the Scavino family. Readers will find a Barolo that is more nuanced and less bombastic than in the past. Bric del Fiasc has plenty of power on its own, so this style works so well. Dried rose petal, mint, spice, kirsch and iron all blossom with a bit of coaxing. I can’t wait to see how it ages.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2017 Barolo Bric Del Fiasc has pure aromatics of stony graphitic earth, licorice, violets, and cherry liqueur. The palate is balanced, with a full structure, noted by dried apricot, blood orange, and cinnamon. The Bric del Fiasc has both floral lift as well as noble structure and has a refreshing nature. Drink 2024-2046.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Aromatic, this red offers rose, plum, cherry, licorice, leather and spicy tobacco notes. Firm, yet surprisingly open and balanced at this stage. Remains fresh and long on the savory finish. Best from 2024 through 2038.”
Paolo Scavino Cannubi, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $89 special, 7 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 95 points “Packaged with a black label, the Paolo Scavino 2018 Barolo Cannubi (with 3,000 bottles released) opens to a delicate and luminous appearance with lifted aromas wild rose, lilac, wild berry and crushed stone. The wine shows great depth and complexity compared to some of the more subdued wines found in this vintage. This is one for the cellar.”
James Suckling 95 points “Very floral nose with bright red berries, some cedary oak and and an exotic hint of musk. Medium-to full-bodied with intense, spicy fruit flavors against a backdrop of lightly firm and lightly grainy tannins that together produce surprising length. Well poised and showing good pedigree, despite the difficult vintage. This will age nicely, but is great to taste now. Try from 2025.”
Paolo Scavino Carobric, Barolo DOCG 2017 750ml $66 special, 23 bottles in stock
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2017 Barolo Carobric is one of the standouts in this range, as it often is. It has an extra dimension of depth and volume that works so well here. Sweet red cherry, cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, anise and brambly notes build as this striking, expressive Barolo shows off its considerable charm. What a pretty wine it is.”
Paolo Scavino Carobric, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $69 special, 8 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 94+ points “Made with fruit from Rocche di Castiglione, Cannubi and Bric dël Fiasc, the Paolo Scavino 2018 Barolo Carobric needs a few moments to open before the aromas come into full view. Sweet cherry, earth, licorice and rusty nail rise from the top, and on second nose, you might recognize truffle essence as well. I like the vibrant, lifted character of this wine. This is a 5,800-bottle production.”
James Suckling 93 points “A little reticent on the nose for now, showing only some oak-induced dry spice. But it opens up on the palate to reveal a bright, focused core of fresh red berries and firm, fine-grained tannins. Well structured for a 2018, but lacks the inner depth and warmth of happier vintages. Try from 2024.”
Paolo Scavino Monvigliero, Barolo DOCG 2017 750ml $66 special, 23 bottles in stock
Antonoio Galloni 94 points “The 2017 Barolo Monvigliero is classy and polished right out of the gate. Sweet dark cherry, rose petal, mint and cinnamon are some of the nuances that open in the glass. Even with all of its immediacy, the 2017 has plenty of tannin. I would prefer to cellar it for at least a few years. The 2017 is undoubtedly an attractive wine, but its best days lie ahead.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “From the northern MGA within Verduno, the 2017 Barolo Monvigliero is soft and floral, with crushed violets, ripe black raspberry, and licorice candy. The palate is drying, with cherry pit, sweet herbs, and turned earth. Ripe yet balanced, drink or hold 2022-2040.”
Paolo Scavino Prapo, Barolo DOCG 2017 750ml $69 special, 34 bottles in stock
Antonio Galloni 95+ points “The 2017 Barolo Prapò is yet another stellar wine in this range. Dark and brooding in the glass, the Prapò expresses all of the natural weight of this Serralunga cru, but with more overt fruit and a bit less tannic heft than is often the case. That should make the 2017 a real pleasure to drink, with just a handful of years in the cellar. Succulent black cherry, licorice, menthol, gravel and cured meats build into the heady finish.”
Paolo Scavino Ravera, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ml $69 special, 6 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 94 points “Here is another rookie in the lineup for Paolo Scavino. The Ravera vineyard was purchased in 2015, at 2.7 hectares and about 360 meters in altitude. It is their highest vineyard and the last to be harvested every year. This east-facing parcel is never too hot, always showing cooler-climate conditions than the others, with fine tannins and a good dose of acidity. The 2015 Barolo Ravera is a very tight and and precise wine, with notes of exotic tea that follow blackberry, dried cherry and licorice. This is a great new addition to the Scavino portfolio at this time of important changes for the winery.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Paolo Scavino Ravera, Barolo DOCG 2017 750ml $69 special, 23 bottles in stock
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2017 Barolo Ravera is dazzling. Deep, potent and virile, the 2017 has a lot to say, but it won’t be ready to drink anytime soon. Black cherry, graphite, licorice, smoke, game, lavender and licorice convey a real impression of gravitas that is reinforced by the wine’s overall feel. This powerhouse Barolo is magnificent today in a sort of old-school meets new-school style.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Paolo Scavino Ravera, Barolo DOCG 2018 750ml $69 special, 24 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 93 points “Moving over to Novello, the Paolo Scavino 2018 Barolo Ravera is slightly more simplistic in this vintage with a tart cherry element that opens loud over the bouquet. You might also notice crushed white pepper, salty limestone and crushed earth. The wine remains subtle in texture with silky tannins and medium weight. Some 6,500 bottles were made.”
James Suckling 93 points “Compact and really focused, with red berries, dried porcini and brighter floral notes. Medium-bodied with a relatively light but firm tannin framework. The flavors remain enticing and fresh. The lighter overall structure reflects the vintage, but there’s room for expansion here, given time. Try from 2024.”
Paolo Scavino Rocche dell’Annunziata Riserva, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ml $199 special, 9 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2013 Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata Riserva was released in January of 2019, and once again it looks to be a top prize. Licorice and flowers dominate the bouquet, and its beautiful red fruit is generous throughout. This wine has always been a beauty and consistently has had a high price tag to reflect that quality, going back to the first vintages of the 1990s. It has regularly sold for about $200 every year for the last decade. These vines are old, some of them very old (reaching the ripe age of 60 years old in 1990s, when many of them were replanted with carefully selected clones), producing an elegance and concentration that brings intensity and a high standard of aromas. This Barolo without a doubt shows its pedigree and a quality of noble perfumes that demonstrate characteristics of the greatest Nebbiolo vintages, all delivered with excellent concentration. The magic lingers on the palate, right up to the finish.”
James Suckling 95 points “Aromas of white truffles and dried red cherries here with an earthy nuance that makes for a complex and compelling nose. The palate has a deep and dense shape and delivers a wide array of rich cherry and plum flavors. Some handy spice here, too. Drink or hold.”
Languedoc Roussillon
Did you know that the Languedoc Roussillon is the largest producer of organic wines in France? This is an incredible region with a great value for money ratio. See for yourself!
Here are our top recommendations from this region in stock now at Vinopolis
An incredible value in biodynamic wine that drinks like a baby Gigondas!
Chateau de la Liquiere Tutti Frutti Rouge VDF 2020 750ml $12.75 special, 25 bottles in stock now
Importer note “Cuvee vinified each year at Chateau de la Liquiere by cofermenting five grapes from the estate (organic certified): 20% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Cinsault, 20% Mourvèdre, and 20% Carignan. Grown organically on schist soils, high elevation in Faugeres, Languedoc. Owned by the family Vidal-Dumoulin for several generations.”
Les Vignerons de Tautavel Cotes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel Silex 2017 750ml $24 special, 16 bottles in stock
Case-6 Les Vignerons de Tautavel Cotes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel Silex 2017 750ml $136 special (that’s only $22.66/bottle)
Case-12 Les Vignerons de Tautavel Cotes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel Silex 2017 750ml $259 special (that’s only $21.58/bottle)
Jeb Dunnuck 93-95 points “The 2017 Cotes Du Roussillon Villages Tautavel Silex might end up matching (or even surpassing) the 2016. The same 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Carignan brought up in tank, it offers a ripe, medium to full-bodied, straight-up sexy style to go with complex notes of kirsch, black olives, black licorice, and dried garrigue. It’s a powerful yet elegant red that has tons of potential.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “A blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Carignan from old vines, the 2017 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel Silex is partly aged in barrel and part in tank. It delivers just enough cedar on the nose to let you know there’s barrel influence, without overwhelming the terroir-derived hints of crushed stone or the varietal notes of dark berries. Full-bodied, concentrated and supple, it’s a terrific bottle of Roussillon wine, with a long, elegant finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine du Clos des Fees Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2015 750ml $54.50 special, 15 bottles in stock
Case-6 Domaine du Clos des Fees Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2015 750ml $299 special (that’s only $49.83/bottle)
Wine Advocate 96 points “Eighteen months in new French oak barrels has given the 2015 Côtes du Roussillon Villages le Clos des Fées a certain tightness and discipline lacking in the Vieilles Vignes bottling. There’s still massive fruit and buried complexity, full body and rich tannins, but there’s also firmness of structure that shows the serious, age-worthy side of Bizeul’s winemaking. Vanilla and baking spices accent deep, dark cherries and plums, ending in a long, velvety finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Gilles Troullier Cotes du Roussillon Tandemv 2015 750ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 92-94 points “Another terrific looking barrel sample is the 2015 Cotes Catalanes Tandem. Based on Grenache and Syrah brought up in demi-muids, it’s loaded with notions of blueberries, plums, violets and spring flowers. Full-bodied, structured and tannic, yet with thrilling purity, give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy through 2027.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Chateau d’Angles La Clape Grand Vin Rouge, Languedoc-Roussillon 2016 750ml $28 special, 18 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2016 La Clape Grand Vin is a blend of 55% Mourvèdre, 25% Syrah and 20% Grenache. The Mourvèdre and Syrah are aged in second use barrels, while the Grenache ages in tank. The bouquet combines attractive notes of raspberries and blueberries, tying them together with strands of rosemary and bay leaf. Full-bodied and concentrated, it frames the ripe fruit with supple tannins and a briny edge on the finish.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
M. Chapoutier Domaine de Bila-Haut Cotes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde R.I. Rectificando Invenies 2015 750ml $99 special, 29 bottles in stock
Wine Advocate 98 points “As always, the 100% Syrah 2015 Cotes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde Rectificando Invenies (Ri) shows more minerality than the VIT release and offers blockbuster styled aromas and flavors of blackcurrants, crushed rocks, toasted bread and chocolate. Made in a voluptuous, pedal-to-the-metal style, with huge fruit and texture, it has building tannin and an uber sexy, incredibly layered and decadent palate. Drink it anytime over the coming decade. This cuvee was completely destemmed and aged 18 months in demi-muids.”
Rosé Sale Underway
We have the best rosé selection around! Why wait for spring?
We’re having a huge sale on Rosé throughout the entire month of February.
Sale Began at 4pm on Friday, January 20th
Sale Ends at 6pm on Tuesday, February 28th
5% off 6-11 bottles and/or large format rosés.
10% off 12 or more bottles and/or large formats of rosés.
Discount will not display online, we will adjust your invoice before charging your card.
Discount does not apply to pre-arrival wines or to case discounts.
This is first come / first served and limited to stock on hand.
Buying a case-6 unlocks an additional 5% discount on 1-5 additional bottles of rosé purchased. Buying a case-12 unlocks an additional 10% discount on all additional bottles of rosé purchased.
This sale applies to ALL rosé wines. That’s over 85 wines and thousands of bottles discounted! Here are a few recommendations to get you started.
Ameztoi Rubentis Rosado, Getariako Txakolina 2021 750ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock
Vinous 91 points “Pale orange. Finely etched red berry, citrus zest and floral aromas, along with building herb and mineral flourishes. Taut and nervy in the mouth, offering sappy strawberry, cherry and tangerine flavors that show fine delineation and spicy lift. Closes firm and right, with persistent red fruit notes and a refreshingly bitter edge.”
De Maison importer note “The iconic Ameztoi Rubentis rosé is a field blend of the local, indigenous hondarrabi zuri and hondarrabi beltza varieties, grown on traditional trellises high on the slopes rising above Getaria, an ancient Basque fishing village on Spain’s rugged northern coast. In the 2000s, when almost all of the other local wineries gave up on the indigenous red hondarrabi beltza vines, the Ameztoi family retained their old vines, in turn, lending their rosé such exceptional vibrancy and complexity. Rubentis, the region’s first pink wine, was inspired by the historic claret style wines which were once produced in the area long before the current global craze made rosé famous. The backbone of the blend comes from an old hondarrabi beltza vineyard planted in 1840, preserved by the Ameztoi family for generations. Ameztoi Rubentis is an authentic original, a wine that is often imitated but never replicated.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Vetriccie Rose, IGP Ile de Beaute 2021 750ml $16 special, 15 bottles in stock
Importer note “Fine and persistent spicy nose with peach, cherry and redcurrant aromas. Soft and balanced palate, with a nice freshness. Pleasant and harmonious wine. Grape varieties : 50% Sciaccarellu, 40% Grenache, 10% Niellucciu. Located in the town of Aghione, on the Costa Serena, the Vetriccie estate bought by the Barcelo family in 1966 expresses all the attributes of a premium Corsican wine. It spreads over 120 hectares in the heart of the appellation AOP Vin de Corse. The well-orientated soils are located between sea and mountain. The harmonious blend of international and native varietals on this recognized terroir makes elegant and flavoured wines with strong potential. Daniel Barcelo, the current owner, strengthened by his wine experience in the new world, has resolutely committed himself to a viticulture in harmony with the Corsican nature.”
Evening Land ‘Seven Springs Vineyard’ Rose of Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2020 750ml $20.90 special, 7 bottles in stock
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.”
Domaine de Fenouillet Ventoux Rose, Rhône 2020 750ml $16.60 special, 5 bottles in stock
Rosenthal Wine Merchant note “Ventoux Rosé: This Rosé: is vinified partially by direct press and partially by “saignée”, the juice is naturally clarified after a cold “débourbage” of 24 hours, the wine ferments at temperature that never exceeds 16 degrees Celsius and then it is aged on the fine lees for four to six months before bottling. It is a blend of 50% Cinsault, 40% Grenache and 10% Syrah, all of which is planted to soils of clay, limestone and silex. Production is limited: we import approximately 6000 bottles per annum for the US market. Certified organic.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Hope Well ‘Tuesday’s Child’ Pinot Noir Rose, Eola Amity Hills 2021 750ml $44 special, 5 bottles in stock
Mimi Casteel’s note “Tuesday’s Child spent 48 hours on skins, a longer infusion, at ambient temperature (which was cool, not cold) before going to the press. At 48 hours she was a completely different child than her sister, spice and bramble in her hair. Alcohol 13.6%”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Collector’s Corner
Coche Dury Pommard Hospices de Beaune “Cuvée Chaudron” 2019 750ml $899 special, 1 bottle in stock
Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2015 750ml $399 special, 12 bottles in stock
James Suckling 100 points “This is black as pitch in the glass and, yes, there’s a light, tarry edge to the super-concentrated prune, date and currant fruit. But even more interesting are the complex notes of bitter-orange liqueur, aged balsamic, fresh roasting herbs, cinnamon, roasted chestnuts, black tea and licorice. The more you decant in advance, the more nuances will emerge. It’s full-boded with huge concentration and lots of chewy tannin that is managing to hold the fruit back for now. This needs plenty of time to develop in the bottle. Just superb. One of the greatest Dal Forno’s ever.”
Wine Advocate 97 points “The ultimate statement wine from northern Italy is the 2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta. The Dal Forno family skipped over the 2014 vintage, and this sunny vintage is worth the wait. Monte Lodoletta is always incredibly high in terms of fruit weight and tannins, but this edition from 2015 appears more integrated in terms of concentration and softer in terms of structure; it’s not that the wine is more accessible. It will hold the line for years and decades to come and promises to age gracefully. This vintage is instead more fleshed out and open-knit. The bouquet peels back with thick layers of black fruit, spice, campfire embers and toasted coffee bean. It’s an expensive bottle for collectors, but you get lots of bang for your buck.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “A rich red, with good tension and energy, displaying tightly meshed flavors of blackberry preserves, fig cake, espresso crema and singed sage coiled around a core of dense but fine tannins. Tea leaf, smoky earth and mineral notes chime on the long and chewy finish. Corvina, Rondinella, Oseleta and Croatina. Best from 2025 through 2045. 1,350 cases made, 250 cases imported.”
Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2012 750ml $379 special, 14 bottles in stock
James Suckling 97 points “A decadent nose of treacle tart, chocolate, tar, tons of black fruit such as blackberries and mulberries and even ash and licorice. A dense, layered mouthfeel makes for a full-bodied palate that’s explosive yet somehow so refined and pretty all at the same time. The finish goes on and on. Incredible now, but better to wait for this giant to settle well into 2020.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is a beautifully complete wine, even at this young stage in its life. You feel the youth of the wine in the tightness of the tannins and in the finely knit texture of its concentrated flavor profile. The big surprise is the wine’s fresh acidity that has been carefully safeguarded despite the heat of the vintage and the drying process so deftly executed at this landmark estate. The wine shows no sign of oxidation or evolution, not yet. There is intricate fruit layering with cherry, blackberry, spice and mesquite delivered with such precision, that level of detail defies the very bold and opulent essence of the wine. It has only just started its evolutionary journey.”
Decanter 96 points “Romano Dal Forno took control of his family’s 25ha in 1980, aged 22, quickly turning to Amarone maestro Giuseppe Quintarelli for advice and tutorship. Dal Forno focussed on a dramatic reduction of yields, replacing the oxidation-prone Molinara grape with the rare Oseleta, and set about introducing a system of manual sorting to remove less than perfect grapes. It takes nine vines to create one bottle of Dal Forno’s Amarone, with a drying period of three months leading to 15 days of fermentation in temperature-controlled steel tanks. Ageing takes place in new oak for 36 months, followed by another 24 months in bottle. It’s a blend of 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Croatina and 10% Oseleta. Michael Garner: Exuberant, dense and chewy with peppery black fruit flavours, while showing some delicacy of aroma. Intense and will develop further, perhaps offering more power than grace. Andrew Jefford: It’s not showy on the nose but is super-attractive, and it just grows more so the more time you spend with it. On the palate it’s rich, deep, magnificently tannic and long – an absolutely unbridled Amarone, yet at the same time of extraordinary resonance, authority and subtlety. An Amarone masterclass! Monty Waldin: Its evident concentration really comes through on the palate, with a mix of smooth and slightly more savoury, drier tannins that mingle amicably under some ripely sweet red fruit, while finishing with a distinct brightness.”
Vinous 96 points “There is a massive amount of pleasure to be found in the 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta. It blends elegance with power while contrasting rich dark fruits against sweet herbal tones and spices to create a seductive expression from start to finish. Cherry and plum sauce, lavender, mint and sage can all be found upon first pour, yet it’s the developing notes of rum cake, mocha and licorice that complete the picture perfectly. This is velvety and pliant in texture yet not weighty, all balanced by juicy acids, tart fruits and just a hint of grippy tannins. Dark chocolate mixed with salty minerals under an air of sweet violet florals resonates throughout the finale. All of that said, the endnote here is remarkably fresh, as the 2012 never becomes tiring. This is firing on all cylinders yet with medium-term cellaring potential – but good luck keeping your hands off of it today.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “A velvety, full-bodied version, loaded with blackberry coulis, baked black cherry and tar-tinged smoke flavors that ripple across the palate. Offers lovely accents of dried mint, tobacco, iron and anise that echo on the firm finish. A powerhouse, with plenty in reserve. Best from 2022 through 2032. 250 cases imported.”
Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2011 750ml $369 special, 6 bottles in stock
Decanter 99 points “The strongest wine in my selection, yet this magnificent Amarone’s alcohol is barely visible thanks to its astonishing depth, texture and sumptuousness. Pressed black fruits seep with fruit essences; smoke and cinders; herbal complexities; teasing floral notes, all engraved into a palate that expresses creamy finesse but without a trace of superfluous fat, heat or obviousness. Beautifully crafted, as dignified as any grand Barolo.”
Vinous 95+ points “Fully saturated ruby. Very deep, intense aromas of blackcurrant, plums macerated in alcohol, soy sauce, coffee and underbrush on the complex nose. Rich, dense and balanced, with nicely focused flavors of dark berries and aromatic herbs that have a noteworthy savory tang. The long finish features repeating hints of soy sauce, espresso and underbrush. Dal Forno’s is the recognized master of a uniquely powerful, ripe, and concentrated style of Amarone.”
Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2015 750ml $399 special, 12 bottles in stock
James Suckling 100 points “This is black as pitch in the glass and, yes, there’s a light, tarry edge to the super-concentrated prune, date and currant fruit. But even more interesting are the complex notes of bitter-orange liqueur, aged balsamic, fresh roasting herbs, cinnamon, roasted chestnuts, black tea and licorice. The more you decant in advance, the more nuances will emerge. It’s full-boded with huge concentration and lots of chewy tannin that is managing to hold the fruit back for now. This needs plenty of time to develop in the bottle. Just superb. One of the greatest Dal Forno’s ever.”
Wine Advocate 97 points “The ultimate statement wine from northern Italy is the 2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta. The Dal Forno family skipped over the 2014 vintage, and this sunny vintage is worth the wait. Monte Lodoletta is always incredibly high in terms of fruit weight and tannins, but this edition from 2015 appears more integrated in terms of concentration and softer in terms of structure; it’s not that the wine is more accessible. It will hold the line for years and decades to come and promises to age gracefully. This vintage is instead more fleshed out and open-knit. The bouquet peels back with thick layers of black fruit, spice, campfire embers and toasted coffee bean. It’s an expensive bottle for collectors, but you get lots of bang for your buck.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “A rich red, with good tension and energy, displaying tightly meshed flavors of blackberry preserves, fig cake, espresso crema and singed sage coiled around a core of dense but fine tannins. Tea leaf, smoky earth and mineral notes chime on the long and chewy finish. Corvina, Rondinella, Oseleta and Croatina. Best from 2025 through 2045. 1,350 cases made, 250 cases imported.”
Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2012 750ml $379 special, 14 bottles in stock
James Suckling 97 points “A decadent nose of treacle tart, chocolate, tar, tons of black fruit such as blackberries and mulberries and even ash and licorice. A dense, layered mouthfeel makes for a full-bodied palate that’s explosive yet somehow so refined and pretty all at the same time. The finish goes on and on. Incredible now, but better to wait for this giant to settle well into 2020.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is a beautifully complete wine, even at this young stage in its life. You feel the youth of the wine in the tightness of the tannins and in the finely knit texture of its concentrated flavor profile. The big surprise is the wine’s fresh acidity that has been carefully safeguarded despite the heat of the vintage and the drying process so deftly executed at this landmark estate. The wine shows no sign of oxidation or evolution, not yet. There is intricate fruit layering with cherry, blackberry, spice and mesquite delivered with such precision, that level of detail defies the very bold and opulent essence of the wine. It has only just started its evolutionary journey.”
Decanter 96 points “Romano Dal Forno took control of his family’s 25ha in 1980, aged 22, quickly turning to Amarone maestro Giuseppe Quintarelli for advice and tutorship. Dal Forno focussed on a dramatic reduction of yields, replacing the oxidation-prone Molinara grape with the rare Oseleta, and set about introducing a system of manual sorting to remove less than perfect grapes. It takes nine vines to create one bottle of Dal Forno’s Amarone, with a drying period of three months leading to 15 days of fermentation in temperature-controlled steel tanks. Ageing takes place in new oak for 36 months, followed by another 24 months in bottle. It’s a blend of 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Croatina and 10% Oseleta. Michael Garner: Exuberant, dense and chewy with peppery black fruit flavours, while showing some delicacy of aroma. Intense and will develop further, perhaps offering more power than grace. Andrew Jefford: It’s not showy on the nose but is super-attractive, and it just grows more so the more time you spend with it. On the palate it’s rich, deep, magnificently tannic and long – an absolutely unbridled Amarone, yet at the same time of extraordinary resonance, authority and subtlety. An Amarone masterclass! Monty Waldin: Its evident concentration really comes through on the palate, with a mix of smooth and slightly more savoury, drier tannins that mingle amicably under some ripely sweet red fruit, while finishing with a distinct brightness.”
Vinous 96 points “There is a massive amount of pleasure to be found in the 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta. It blends elegance with power while contrasting rich dark fruits against sweet herbal tones and spices to create a seductive expression from start to finish. Cherry and plum sauce, lavender, mint and sage can all be found upon first pour, yet it’s the developing notes of rum cake, mocha and licorice that complete the picture perfectly. This is velvety and pliant in texture yet not weighty, all balanced by juicy acids, tart fruits and just a hint of grippy tannins. Dark chocolate mixed with salty minerals under an air of sweet violet florals resonates throughout the finale. All of that said, the endnote here is remarkably fresh, as the 2012 never becomes tiring. This is firing on all cylinders yet with medium-term cellaring potential – but good luck keeping your hands off of it today.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “A velvety, full-bodied version, loaded with blackberry coulis, baked black cherry and tar-tinged smoke flavors that ripple across the palate. Offers lovely accents of dried mint, tobacco, iron and anise that echo on the firm finish. A powerhouse, with plenty in reserve. Best from 2022 through 2032. 250 cases imported.”
Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2011 750ml $369 special, 6 bottles in stock
Decanter 99 points “The strongest wine in my selection, yet this magnificent Amarone’s alcohol is barely visible thanks to its astonishing depth, texture and sumptuousness. Pressed black fruits seep with fruit essences; smoke and cinders; herbal complexities; teasing floral notes, all engraved into a palate that expresses creamy finesse but without a trace of superfluous fat, heat or obviousness. Beautifully crafted, as dignified as any grand Barolo.”
Vinous 95+ points “Fully saturated ruby. Very deep, intense aromas of blackcurrant, plums macerated in alcohol, soy sauce, coffee and underbrush on the complex nose. Rich, dense and balanced, with nicely focused flavors of dark berries and aromatic herbs that have a noteworthy savory tang. The long finish features repeating hints of soy sauce, espresso and underbrush. Dal Forno’s is the recognized master of a uniquely powerful, ripe, and concentrated style of Amarone.”
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