Vinopolis Newsletter – Wednesday 1/3/2024

 

Average national price is $35!

 

These are the only listings for these wines in the USA!

 

Chateau de Rouanne, Vinsobres AOC Rouge, Rhone Valley, 2019 750ml $24 special, 36+ bottles available
Grapelive 94 Points “The very dark fruited and deeply hued Vinsobres Rouge by the sister property of Saint Cosme, Chateau de Rouanne, was crafted in this vintage from 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre grown on sandy, iron rich soils set on a limestone marl base with some clay and was, as noted above, all co-fermented mostly with whole cluster and all indigenous yeasts in concrete tanks, where it was also aged. The wine rested in the cement vat for 18 months, which allows the wine to show absolute purity in its final form and gave it time to fill out before bottling. The 2019 echos the 2018, I last tried, with a full bodied palate of black raspberry, damson plum, boysenberry compote, anise/licorice, creme de cassis and cherry fruit along with whole bunches influences highlighted with peppercorns, violets, earthiness and herbs de provence, along with a nice tannic structure, but beautiful textural quality. Anyone who’s had Louis Barruol’s wines will find the level of quality and comfort or pleasure here on par with the more famous Saint Cosme lineup, especially the Gigondas and Chateauneuf du Pape bottlings and I’m sure this Chateau de Rouanne Vinsobres will aged at least another 5 to 7 years if not 10! This deep purple/gsarnet wine definitely wants some protein rich cuisine to go with it, with lamb roast a natural pairing, but BBQ ribs, grilled steak, and or a winter meaty stew being good choices too.
 
The Chateau de Rouanne is another awesome project by Louis Barruol, owner of the famed Chateau de Saint Cosme in Gigondas, in Vinsobres, making a wine that is a classic Rhone red that is a co-fermentation of Barruol’s old vine Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Louis Barruol has long used fruit from this remote area far to the northwest of Chateauneuf du Pape and has recently added this estate to his lineup as a separate label within the Saint Cosme family, which makes sense as Vinsobres has been recognized as its own appellation, and an upgrade from a generic Cotes du Rhone. I would argue was long over due, to make this area its own AOC since this a cooler climate and high quality terroir that is unique and deserves to be more widely known, as this wine certainly proves. Louis Barruol has coveted this site for years, he notes that, like his famous Chateau de Saint Cosme, Chateau de Rouanne was first founded during Gallo-Roman times, probably dating back to the 1400s. Barruol adds that, most of Rouanne’s vineyards date from the 1960s and are massale selections (special old clones) that offer substantial genetic diversity and low yields that shows in the wine, giving it concentration and depth, while the elevation and soils allow for natural acidity and heightened aromatics. Bargain hunters should chase the Chateau de Rouanne Vinsobres 2018 and 2019 vintages down, as they can be found at exceptionally good prices, about 25 bucks, but I look forward to seeing the new vintages, and even at a few dollars more a bottle, they will certainly be worth it!”

 

 

Staff Pick

Szechuan Pairing Edition
 

I never ever thought I would find a red wine to quaff while eating classic Szechuan dishes like Dan Dan Noodles, Mapo, and “Ants Climbing A Tree.” I had all but given up.

You see, for years now the traditional New Year’s Day feast for my family has been a dozen or so cartons of spicy Szechuan from the best local spot that happens to be taking orders for the holiday. An off-dry Kabinett or Spatlese Riesling is the standard for spicy foods for good reason, but there’s always a few people at our table who refuses to drink anything but red wine. With ripe fruit, no oak, good acidity, and almost no discernable tannin, this is great at overcoming the heat of Chili oil and the numbing of Mala pepper. – Tracy

Maitia ‘Aupa Pipeno’, Maule Valley 2022 750ml $14 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 92+ Points “I tasted a bottle of the 2022 Aupa Pipeño that had been in bottle for only one week. In 2022, David Marcel achieved a little less ripeness and alcohol (again 13%) and achieved a primary wine with very tender aromas with hints of tangerine peel, herbs and a serious mouthfeel with fine-grained tannins. It has 80% País and 20% Carignan that is expressive and easy to drink. 2022 was a small crop, but he produced around 70,000 bottles of this wine. Great value.”

 
Best Price on the West Coast

 
FRANCE
 
Domaine Du Tunnel Cornas, Rhone 2018 750ml WAS $79 NOW $69 special, 29 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 95-97 Points “Readers looking for the essence of Cornas would do well to pick up a case of the 2018 Cornas. Deep purple, with a heavenly bouquet of blueberries, raspberries, crushed violets, olives, ground pepper, and gamey meats, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a balanced, classy texture, building yet polished tannins, and a great finish. It’s a winner.”
 
Duclaux Cote Rotie Maison Rouge, Rhone 2018 750ml WAS $79 NOW $69 special, 36+ bottles available
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 96 Points “From arguably the most famous lieu-dit in the southern portion of the appellation, the Duclaux brothers’ 2018 Cote Rotie Maison Rouge is a showstopper. Scents of violets, stone fruit, anise-like spice and mixed berries combine to create a complex nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is concentrated yet supremely silky, smooth and charming, ending long and elegant. It’s a superb example of the generally softer, more elegant style found around Tupin et Semons.”
 
Monteillet Condrieu Chanson, Rhone 2018 750ml WAS $69 NOW $59 special, 10 bottles available
Decanter 96 Points “Fresh, keen and tense, with lime marmalade and touches of bubblegum. There’s delicious richness and real depth to the fruit, delivering great concentration and lovely acidity. From lieu-dit Chanson and aged for 22 months in oak on the lees, Stéphane Montez explains that a long élevage like this helps to decrease alcohol levels, is better for ageing, stimulates complex tertiary flavours and means you can decrease sulfite levels as the wine is protected from oxidation by the lees.”

Remoissenet Chapelle Chambertin, Burgundy 2011 750ml WAS $249 NOW $219 special, 6 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93+ Points
 
Vieux Telegraphe CDP La Crau Rouge, Rhone 2018 1.5L WAS $199 NOW $179, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 96 Points “Traditionally dominated by clairette (45%) and grenache blanc (30%), then roussanne and bourboulenc. The vines average 50+ years and there’s a very restrained nose with dialed-back white-pear and chalk aromas with dried flowers, too. The palate has a super fresh, zippy feel and a long, juicy and attractive core of fresh, salty minerals. The balance is innate and very fluid.”
 
GERMANY
 
Emrich-Schonleber Fruhtau Riesling Trocken 2020, Mosel 750ml WAS $41.90 NOW $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 Points “The 2020 Monzingen Riesling trocken Frühtau comes from younger vines in the Frühlingsplätzchen and opens with a clear, fine and reductive bouquet with coolish stony and herbal notes. Crystalline and very elegant on the palate, this is a tight, straight and still challenging, very mineral dry Riesling that will benefit from longer bottle aging. The finish is long and enormously salty. A wine to keep.”


Emrich-Schonleber Halenberg TBA Riesling 2018, Mosel 375ml WAS $299 NOW $249 special, 21 Bottles Available
Wine Advocate 98+ Points “The 2018 Halenberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese is incredibly pure and aromatic on the nose where super ripe but clear peach aromas are displayed. Extremely rich and refined on the palate, this is a ripe, terribly sweet but refined, fresh and salty-piquant TBA with a stimulating finish. A fabulous wine.”

Karlsmuhle Kaseler Nies’ Chen Auslese LGC 2017, Mosel 750ml WAS $41.90 NOW $33 special, 22 bottles available
James Suckling 93 Points “Stand back as this riesling fireball arrives! Full of energy with a dynamic interplay of citrusy acidity and aromatic sweetness, which ranges from peaches and blackcurrants to mint. With more length, this would have been rated even higher. Drink or hold.”

Molitor Ockfener Bockstein Spatlese, Mosel WK 2018 750ml WAS $31.90 NOW $28 special, 32 bottles available
93 Points Decanter “Here we jump to an iconic Saar site, defined by Devonian slate, greywacke, some quartzitic sandstone and steepness. Wet stone, white currant, yellow apple and some lemon combine in a lovely vision of freshness. This is bright but even in this iconic Saar vineyard the warmth of 2018 is apparent. Yet the stoniness cuts through and leaves us with that lovely, racy zestiness we all crave from Riesling. These citrus notions linger and will you to take another sip. Wonderful.”
 
Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten  Auslese**  Trocken, Mosel 2017 750ml WAS $69 NOW $49 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 96+ Points “Bottled with moderate 11% alcohol, the 2017 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese ** (White Capsule) is crystalline and super precise on the clear and flinty nose that exhibits crunchy, iron-rich stone and lime zest aromas. It is lean and fresh but dense and intense on the palate, with ripe, round and concentrated Riesling fruit, some sweetness and refined acidity. This is an elegant, highly finessed and stimulating Würzgarten with a lingering, salty-piquant finish. This wine pairs its moderate alcohol level with great complexity and mineral tension.”
 
ARGENTINA
 
Vaglio Blanco, Tupungato 2020 750ml WAS $16  NOW $14 special, 36 bottles available
Vaglio Blanco, Tupungato 2020 Case of 12 750ml  WAS $169  NOW $149 special, 4 cases available
Brazos Wine Importer Note “This is a blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Semillon from El Peral in the Uco Valley, Mendoza. The nose is lively and bright with notes of green apple, pear, whites flowers, and a little green pea. The palate is well balanced with dense fruit and crisp acid.”
 
Vaglio Chacra Malbec, Agrelo 2018 750ml WAS $16 NOW $14 special, 36+ bottles available
Vaglio Chacra Malbec, Agrelo 2018 Case of 12 750ml bottles WAS $169 NOW $149 special, 2 cases available
James Suckling 93 Points “A dense, compact malbec with intense, blackberry and wet-earth character. Full body. Creamy texture. Tangy and delicious on the finish. Ends with green tobacco and tar. Excellent.”
 
Vaglio Temple Malbec, Anchoris 2018 750ml WAS $16 NOW $14 special, 36+ bottles available
James Suckling 93 Points “This is always a delicious red with lots of crushed-berry and walnut character. Full-bodied, dense and juicy. Lots of old-vine character. Succulent.”

 

 
Have you ever had a Perfect scoring, 100 Point wine? If not, you owe it to yourself at least once. Take a gander at our selections, you’re bound to find something in your style and your price range.
 
It’s the New Year. Treat yourself.

FEATURING:
 
Chateau Canon, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2015 750ml $349 special, 12+ bottles available
#1 Wine of the Year – James Suckling
Antonio Galloni 100 Points “From the very beginning, the 2015 Canon has made an eloquent case for itself as one of the wines of the vintage. Multiple tastings from bottle only confirm what several early tastings hinted at: the 2015 Canon is simply extraordinary in every way. Sumptuous and exotic, with no hard edges and exceptional balance, the 2015 grabs hold of all the senses and never lets up. A rush of red fruit intermingled with floral notes, spice and smoke notes effortlessly runs up the wine’s vertical structure as the 2015 thrills with every twist and turn. The 2015 Canon is a rare wine that is both hedonistic and intellectual – well, maybe it is a bit more hedonistic-leaning. It doesn’t matter. Don’t miss it. This 2015 is masterpiece from General Manager Nicolas Auderbert and his team at Canon.”
Neal Martin 100 Points “The 2015 Canon was a benchmark wine that seemed to revitalize this historic estate. I was crossing my fingers that it would not disappoint in bottle and I am glad to say that it delivers the goods. It has a very intense bouquet (just as it showed out of barrel) with laser-like precision offering wild strawberry, raspberry preserve, wet limestone and hints of truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, clean and fresh with pure black and red fruit whose every atom appears infused with minerals. The mouth is tingling long after the wine has exited and your brain is thinking…when is the next sip coming? It is frankly heads and shoulders above almost every Saint Émilion this vintage, to reaffirm, a benchmark for this historic estate that will give pleasure to many over the coming years. Astonishing.”
James Suckling 100 Points “Seductive. The nose draws you in deep: It’s like staring into a well of pristine dark cherries, dark plums, blackberries and mulberries. All the oak is perfectly subsumed. The palate’s flawless with immense depth and power and it’s so balanced as to appear to float. Immaculate fresh dark-berry and plum flavors. Silky and deep, ribbon-like finish. Perfect. Best from 2022.”
 
AUSTRALIA
 
Bond Estates St. Eden, Napa Valley 2015 750ml $699 special, only 1 bottle available
Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points “Moving to the 2015s tasted from bottle, this is an incredible vintage for this estate and there are two perfect wines in the lineup. First up, the 2015 St. Eden, from a hillside of red volcanic soils near Oakville, boasts a saturated purple color and heavenly notes of blackcurrants, scorched earth, lead pencil shavings, and huge crushed rock-like minerality. It’s full-bodied, deep, and layered on the palate, with incredible concentration, yet it stays seamless, pure, and perfectly balanced. It’s a magical wine to drink over the coming 2-3 decades.”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 99 Points “Bottled in early 2018, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 St. Eden springs from the glass with exuberant blueberry pie, potpourri and spice cake scents followed by a black raspberry, cassis and preserved plums core plus a touch of wild sage. Full-bodied, plush and decadently fruited, it completely packs the palate with layer upon layer of black fruit preserves, finishing very long with those spices coming through.”
 
Standish The Standish Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2018 750ml $149 special, 6 bottles available
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 98-100 Points “The 2018 The Standish Shiraz (a sample blend from barrel) is a bit stalky (it’s about 50% whole cluster), but it’s gorgeously perfumed, with hints of herbal tea, raspberries, blackberries and licorice. It just exudes complexity, while also being full-bodied, plush and creamy, with a long, elegant finish. This seamless beauty is a candidate for perfection.”
 
CHILE
 
Clos Apalta, Colchagua Valley 2017 750ml $149 special, 5 bottles available $46.50 special,
James Suckling 100 Points “What a stunning nose of crushed berries, fresh flowers, sandalwood and light vineyard dust. Black olives, too. Very complex. Full-bodied with a beautiful, dense palate of blackberries, chocolate, walnuts and cigar box. Fantastic length and composure. The tannin just rolls over the palate. Very structured. The most classically structured wine ever from here. Goes on for minutes. Outrageous and so polished. A blend of 48% carmenere, 26% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Try after 2025.”

SPAIN
 
Bodegas Muga Aro, Rioja DOCa, Spain 2019 750ml $349 special, only 3 bottles available!
Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points “Pure magic, the 2019 Aro is 70% Tempranillo and 30% Graciano from a plant by plant selection of the Muga family’s oldest vines of Tempranillo, blended with a substantial portion of Graciano. This dense purple behemoth has a primordial bouquet of pure cassis, graphite, crushed stone, lead pencil, new leather, and hints of spring flowers. Building incrementally on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a huge mid-palate, and ripe, velvety tannins, this is one heavenly Rioja that deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will age like a First Growth from Bordeaux. Hats off to the team at Muga for another incredible wine. Drink 2029-2059. (06/13/22).”
 
FRANCE
 
Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle, Rhone 2019 750ml $199 special, 17 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!”
 
ITALY
 
Casanova di Neri Cerretalto, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, 2016 750ml $399 special, 7 bottles available
James Suckling 100 Points “Wow. Incredible purity and transparency with cherries, bark, mushroom, flower and slate/stone on the nose. Full-bodied yet agile and fresh with a fine tannin structure that runs the length of the wine and goes on forever. The polish, elegance and grace is breathtaking. Power with agility. A revelation for the 2016 vintage in Brunello. Drink in 2024 and onwards but wonderful to taste now.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 98 Points “Here’s an important keepsake from a classic vintage. The Casanova di Neri 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto needs time to open, especially if you plan to drink the wine earlier than is recommended (you’re best off waiting five years or more). This powerful wine is packed tight with black fruit, plum and summer ripe cherry. Those dark fruit tones segue to spice, baked clay, balsam herb and gardening soil. The oak is always more apparent in the Cerretalto (which is released one year later, as if it were a Riserva) compared to the Tenuta Nuova. The vineyard used makes a big difference, giving this wine more textural weight and thicker fiber. It’s all a question of taste, but if you want power (with 15% alcohol), richness, sensuality and voluptuousness in your Brunello, Cerretalto is the bottle at the end of the rainbow.”
 
ARRIVING IN MARCH:
 
Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ml $289 special, 18 bottles available
Decanter 100 Points “Brooding dark fruits on the nose, super-ripe without any jamminess or overt oakiness. Splendid attack, with power and tension. The firm tannins are much more pronounced than in Chambertin, and provide a lot of grip. Truly adolescent and shouldn’t be broached for years. The fruit is currently submerged beneath the assertive structure – this has 13.7% alcohol without any chaptalisation, hence the power. It may well overtake the more elegant Chambertin in 20 years, but who knows?”
Burghound 98 Points “Deeper-pitched and more carnal than the Chambertin, Rousseau’s 2019 Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru mingles aromas of cherries, cassis and raspberries with hints of Asian spices, incense, smoked tea, rich soil tones and grilled duck. Full-bodied, sumptuous and enveloping, it’s bright and lively, with a fleshy core of concentrated fruit, succulent acids and powdery structuring tannins. Long and perfumed, this is a sensual Clos de Bèze in the making.”