In This Newsletter:
All New Arrivals: Nanclares, Envinate, and Comtes de Lefon
-also-
Our Summer Roses are in Bloom
-and-
Are You Ready for Vietti?
New Arrivals
All New Arrivals: Nanclares, Envinate, and Comtes de Lefon
-also-
Our Summer Roses are in Bloom
-and-
Are You Ready for Vietti?
New Arrivals
SPAIN
Alberto Nanclares y Prieto.
Some of the world’s greatest investments are happy accidents… just ask winery owner Alberto Nanclares. An economist who loved the sea, he moved with his wife to Castrelo, a small town near Spain’s Atlantic Coast, and began to take an interest in the Albarino vines planted on his new property. Interest turned to love which turned to obsession and in 1997 he decided to found his own winery.
While he began as a garagiste, his production expanded over time and he eventually hired his friend Silvia Prieto, a technician and enologist as a consultant, but she soon became an equal partner in the operation. The duo has become a phenomenon in the Spanish wine world, producing high quality Albarinos with the capability of aging beautifully for years. The essence of their approach is reverence for the vineyards, which includes a commitment to organic farming and native yeast fermentation.
Dandelion is an Albarino from a collection of top plots throughout Rias Baixes. The waves of flavor hit in waves: stony, salty, citrusy, tangy. The result is a true meal for the senses. This is top notch stuff.
Nanclares y Prieto ‘Dandelion’ Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain 2022 750ml $28 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91 Points “The 2022 Dandelión shows mellow, round and polished, with integrated acidity, a classical profile and varietal notes. It’s vibrant and fresh, with the classical salty twist in the finish.”
That’s not all! We have more wines from Nanclares y Prieto to peruse on our webstore including their beauitiful and wholly unique Crisopa Orange wine and their only red wine.
While he began as a garagiste, his production expanded over time and he eventually hired his friend Silvia Prieto, a technician and enologist as a consultant, but she soon became an equal partner in the operation. The duo has become a phenomenon in the Spanish wine world, producing high quality Albarinos with the capability of aging beautifully for years. The essence of their approach is reverence for the vineyards, which includes a commitment to organic farming and native yeast fermentation.
Dandelion is an Albarino from a collection of top plots throughout Rias Baixes. The waves of flavor hit in waves: stony, salty, citrusy, tangy. The result is a true meal for the senses. This is top notch stuff.
Nanclares y Prieto ‘Dandelion’ Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain 2022 750ml $28 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91 Points “The 2022 Dandelión shows mellow, round and polished, with integrated acidity, a classical profile and varietal notes. It’s vibrant and fresh, with the classical salty twist in the finish.”
That’s not all! We have more wines from Nanclares y Prieto to peruse on our webstore including their beauitiful and wholly unique Crisopa Orange wine and their only red wine.
We love these wines. And judging from the response to these newsletters, you do too! What Los Bermejos did for Natural sparkling wines in Spain, Envinate did for Spanish still wines… among other revolutionary producers like Comando G and Nanclares y Prieto, they have brought natural wine to the highest echelons of quality.
As our resident Envinate evangelist raves:
“Back in 2019 when I first tasted the wines of Envinate I was impressed but cautious with my enthusiasm. I told myself that these spicy, exotic red and white wines from the Canary Islands and smaller appellations in Spain would be a temporary moment in the zeitgeist of wine trends. A blip on the timeline for new wave wines coming out of Spain. I was wrong. These wines have continued to improve vintage after vintage and now represent the revolutionizing wine movement in Spain as its foremost exciting producer. The 2022 releases are profound with incredibly elegant acidity, smoky red & white fruits, and unbeatable food pairability.”
As our resident Envinate evangelist raves:
“Back in 2019 when I first tasted the wines of Envinate I was impressed but cautious with my enthusiasm. I told myself that these spicy, exotic red and white wines from the Canary Islands and smaller appellations in Spain would be a temporary moment in the zeitgeist of wine trends. A blip on the timeline for new wave wines coming out of Spain. I was wrong. These wines have continued to improve vintage after vintage and now represent the revolutionizing wine movement in Spain as its foremost exciting producer. The 2022 releases are profound with incredibly elegant acidity, smoky red & white fruits, and unbeatable food pairability.”
Enjoy these new bottlings of Envinate!
Envinate ‘Taganan’ Parcela Margalagua, Canary Islands, Spain 2022 750ml $89 special, 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98 Points “There’s a little more ripeness in the 2022 Táganan Parcela Margalagua, a jump in complexity and depth from the regular Táganan. It has fruit, elegance and a medium body with very fine tannins. It’s very harmonious and with an ethereal quality to it. It has a combination of dry flowers, crushed rocks, herbs and always a marine whiff that makes it quite distinct. It’s a very regular vineyard, but this is now a certified single-vineyard wine from the new Islas Canarias. – Tenerife appellation.”
Envinate ‘Palo Blanco’ Las Molinas, Canary Islands, Spain 2022 750ml $89 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98+ Points “The 2022 Palo Blanco Las Molinas is a new white from Los Realejos, a large plot of some 1.2 hectares of vines … It’s fresh, floral and expressive with just a spicy twist. It has a vibrant palate and a long, tasty, almost salty finish. There is a plus of complexity and finesse here.”
Envinate ‘Lousas’ Parcela Seoane, Galicia, Spain 2022 750ml $99 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96-97 Points “This is a specific plot in the village of Doade with gneiss and quartz. It has the expressive nose of the zone, serious and mineral, but with a perfumed nose too, with a note of blood orange and the faint volatility that lifts up the nose. There’s a lot of energy here; it excels in 2022. It comes from very old vines planted in the 1930s.”
Envinate ‘Lousas’ Parcela Rosende, Galicia, Spain 2022 750ml $59 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96-97 Points “This is a specific plot in the village of Doade with gneiss and quartz. It has the expressive nose of the zone, serious and mineral, but with a perfumed nose too, with a note of blood orange and the faint volatility that lifts up the nose. There’s a lot of energy here; it excels in 2022. It comes from very old vines planted in the 1930s.”
Envinate Lousas ‘Doad,’ Galicia, Spain 2022 750ml $59 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94-95 Points “The 2022 Doad Lousas is the second vintage of the village red. It comes from gneiss and schist soils from the traditional zone of the Sil and is warmer and riper, a textbook example of ripe Mencía fruit, an earlier zone with juicy wines.”
Wine Advocate 98 Points “There’s a little more ripeness in the 2022 Táganan Parcela Margalagua, a jump in complexity and depth from the regular Táganan. It has fruit, elegance and a medium body with very fine tannins. It’s very harmonious and with an ethereal quality to it. It has a combination of dry flowers, crushed rocks, herbs and always a marine whiff that makes it quite distinct. It’s a very regular vineyard, but this is now a certified single-vineyard wine from the new Islas Canarias. – Tenerife appellation.”
Envinate ‘Palo Blanco’ Las Molinas, Canary Islands, Spain 2022 750ml $89 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98+ Points “The 2022 Palo Blanco Las Molinas is a new white from Los Realejos, a large plot of some 1.2 hectares of vines … It’s fresh, floral and expressive with just a spicy twist. It has a vibrant palate and a long, tasty, almost salty finish. There is a plus of complexity and finesse here.”
Envinate ‘Lousas’ Parcela Seoane, Galicia, Spain 2022 750ml $99 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96-97 Points “This is a specific plot in the village of Doade with gneiss and quartz. It has the expressive nose of the zone, serious and mineral, but with a perfumed nose too, with a note of blood orange and the faint volatility that lifts up the nose. There’s a lot of energy here; it excels in 2022. It comes from very old vines planted in the 1930s.”
Envinate ‘Lousas’ Parcela Rosende, Galicia, Spain 2022 750ml $59 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96-97 Points “This is a specific plot in the village of Doade with gneiss and quartz. It has the expressive nose of the zone, serious and mineral, but with a perfumed nose too, with a note of blood orange and the faint volatility that lifts up the nose. There’s a lot of energy here; it excels in 2022. It comes from very old vines planted in the 1930s.”
Envinate Lousas ‘Doad,’ Galicia, Spain 2022 750ml $59 special, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94-95 Points “The 2022 Doad Lousas is the second vintage of the village red. It comes from gneiss and schist soils from the traditional zone of the Sil and is warmer and riper, a textbook example of ripe Mencía fruit, an earlier zone with juicy wines.”
FRANCE
The Lafon Family.
“There are few growers anywhere in the world more committed to improving his vineyards with the aim of making ever better wine than Dominique Lafon. He tirelessly questions his and others’ methods, always looking to improve.” —Daniel Johnnes, Sommelier and writer.
Domaine des Comtes Lafon has a history of excellence dating back to 1865. Dominique Lafon took over in 1985. Dominique also began his own winery separate from the family’s other holdings in 2008.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Lafon family and their wines, well… you had better get working on that because you are missing out on one of Burgundy’s great visionaries and most scrupulous farmers.
Dominique Lafon Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France 2021 750ml $44.50 special, 13 bottles available
Vinopolnote “A fantastic entry point for newcomers or an old standby for Fans de Lafon. This is a field blend of vines from Dominique’s Meursault “Les Grandes Coutures” and Puligny-Montrachet “Les Femelottes” lieu-dits. With an average vine age of 20-50 years, this is a wonderfully complex wine for a fantastic price.”
Dominique Lafon Volnay, Cote de Beaune, France 2021 750ml $95 special, 4 bottles available
Vinopolnote “A cool weather expression from the village-level lieu-dit of ‘Les Lurets.’ “
Domaine des Comtes Lafon Volnay Santenots-du-Milieu, Volnay Premier Cru, France 2020 $219 special, 8 bottles available
Vinous 92-94 “The 2020 Volnay Les Santenots-du-Milieu 1er Cru is very well defined on the nose with blackberry, boysenberry, crushed violets and light incense aromas, opulent yet controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with some oak to be subsumed on the entry, modest depth, sleek and sensual with a spicer finish than the Champans. Likewise, it will require 4-6 years in bottle before it is at full flight.”
Domaine des Comtes Lafon has a history of excellence dating back to 1865. Dominique Lafon took over in 1985. Dominique also began his own winery separate from the family’s other holdings in 2008.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Lafon family and their wines, well… you had better get working on that because you are missing out on one of Burgundy’s great visionaries and most scrupulous farmers.
Dominique Lafon Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France 2021 750ml $44.50 special, 13 bottles available
Vinopolnote “A fantastic entry point for newcomers or an old standby for Fans de Lafon. This is a field blend of vines from Dominique’s Meursault “Les Grandes Coutures” and Puligny-Montrachet “Les Femelottes” lieu-dits. With an average vine age of 20-50 years, this is a wonderfully complex wine for a fantastic price.”
Dominique Lafon Volnay, Cote de Beaune, France 2021 750ml $95 special, 4 bottles available
Vinopolnote “A cool weather expression from the village-level lieu-dit of ‘Les Lurets.’ “
Domaine des Comtes Lafon Volnay Santenots-du-Milieu, Volnay Premier Cru, France 2020 $219 special, 8 bottles available
Vinous 92-94 “The 2020 Volnay Les Santenots-du-Milieu 1er Cru is very well defined on the nose with blackberry, boysenberry, crushed violets and light incense aromas, opulent yet controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with some oak to be subsumed on the entry, modest depth, sleek and sensual with a spicer finish than the Champans. Likewise, it will require 4-6 years in bottle before it is at full flight.”
Begin your education here… we have 7 more Lafon wines to choose from here!
New Rosé Arrivals
Our Summer Rosé Selection is Blooming
Aphillanthes Cotes du Rhone Rose 2023 750ml $14 special, 24 bottles available
Winemaker Notes “The 2023 Domaine Les Aphillanthes Cotes du Rhone Nymphea Rose offers refreshing summer aromas, from a bouquet of ripe strawberries, to sweet cherries, with just a hint of citrus zest, all intertwined by delicate floral notes. On the palate, it’s elegantly crisp and refreshingly dry, offering a silky texture and balanced acidity, leading to a clean, lingering finish. An exquisite summer sipper that epitomizes finesse.”
Domaine La Bastide Blanche Bandol Rose 2023 750ml $26 special, 12 bottles available
Winemaker Notes “An intense rose color, between salmon and pomelo. Complex nose, mixing floral and spicy notes of lemon, Sichuan pepper and dried apricot. Ample, dense and structured mouth with complex aromatics (pomelo, peony, pepper).”
Grands Bois Cotes du Rhone Rose 2023 750ml $16 special, 24 bottles available
Winemaker Notes “The epitome of quality & value in the Côtes-du-Rhône, Marc Besnardeau’s wines are ripe, vibrant & delicious! Direct press only, 20 days low temperature fermentation in stainless steel tank. Lychee color and peach/lychee bouquet. Very fresh on the pallet with peach and fruit drop flavors.”
Domaine du Vissoux Beaujolais Rose Griottes 2023 750ml $19 special, 24 bottles available
(Not Reviewed yet, 2020 review provided for reference)
Vinous 90 Points Josh Raynolds “Translucent orange-pink. Lively and sharply focused on the nose, presenting ripe red berry and floral scents and a hint of botanical herbs. Smooth and broad on the palate, offering bitter cherry, red currant and candied rose flavors that firm up and become spicier with air. Closes long and silky, with resonating floral and spice notes and strong cling.”
Reverdy Sancerre Rose Terre de Maimbray 2023 750ml $24 special, 36 bottles available
St Damien Gigondas Rose 2023 750ml $26 special, 12 bottles available
Winemaker Notes “Organically farmed. From the lieu dit “La Moutte” this tiny production rosé is from mostly 45 year old Cinsault planted in 1970, and 10-15 year old Mourvèdre and Syrah. Cold maceration for 6 hours in the press and slow pneumatic pressing. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks with occasional lees stirring. Rose petal, honeydew melon, lychee, pineapple and garrigue. Surprisingly rich mouth feel. Hint of pepper and crushed rock on the finish.”
Winemaker Notes “The 2023 Domaine Les Aphillanthes Cotes du Rhone Nymphea Rose offers refreshing summer aromas, from a bouquet of ripe strawberries, to sweet cherries, with just a hint of citrus zest, all intertwined by delicate floral notes. On the palate, it’s elegantly crisp and refreshingly dry, offering a silky texture and balanced acidity, leading to a clean, lingering finish. An exquisite summer sipper that epitomizes finesse.”
Domaine La Bastide Blanche Bandol Rose 2023 750ml $26 special, 12 bottles available
Winemaker Notes “An intense rose color, between salmon and pomelo. Complex nose, mixing floral and spicy notes of lemon, Sichuan pepper and dried apricot. Ample, dense and structured mouth with complex aromatics (pomelo, peony, pepper).”
Grands Bois Cotes du Rhone Rose 2023 750ml $16 special, 24 bottles available
Winemaker Notes “The epitome of quality & value in the Côtes-du-Rhône, Marc Besnardeau’s wines are ripe, vibrant & delicious! Direct press only, 20 days low temperature fermentation in stainless steel tank. Lychee color and peach/lychee bouquet. Very fresh on the pallet with peach and fruit drop flavors.”
Domaine du Vissoux Beaujolais Rose Griottes 2023 750ml $19 special, 24 bottles available
(Not Reviewed yet, 2020 review provided for reference)
Vinous 90 Points Josh Raynolds “Translucent orange-pink. Lively and sharply focused on the nose, presenting ripe red berry and floral scents and a hint of botanical herbs. Smooth and broad on the palate, offering bitter cherry, red currant and candied rose flavors that firm up and become spicier with air. Closes long and silky, with resonating floral and spice notes and strong cling.”
Reverdy Sancerre Rose Terre de Maimbray 2023 750ml $24 special, 36 bottles available
St Damien Gigondas Rose 2023 750ml $26 special, 12 bottles available
Winemaker Notes “Organically farmed. From the lieu dit “La Moutte” this tiny production rosé is from mostly 45 year old Cinsault planted in 1970, and 10-15 year old Mourvèdre and Syrah. Cold maceration for 6 hours in the press and slow pneumatic pressing. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks with occasional lees stirring. Rose petal, honeydew melon, lychee, pineapple and garrigue. Surprisingly rich mouth feel. Hint of pepper and crushed rock on the finish.”
Ok Vietti, I have an honest question… how do you do it?
Vietti is simply one of the top producers in all of Piedmont if not all of Italy. Like 2019, 2020 is already proving to be an absolutely incredible vintage, with Barolos that display classic pedigree and endless ageability.
Perhaps the key to Vietti’s success has been their mastery over both modern and traditional approaches in winemaking. Rather than rest on the assumption that the old ways are best, or be seduced by the notion that new is always better, Vietti has chosen its own path. The wines are given traditional extended maceration in the winery to extract plentiful tannin and complex aroma from the Nebbiolo grape skins before they’re matured in a combination of both barrique and large oak vessels. The approach is never heavy handed but always done to achieve the perfect balance between finesse, aromatic intensity, and ample structure.
There isn’t a single bottle of Vietti that I’ve opened which hasn’t been a pleasure to drink. And trust me, the bottle doesn’t last long once it’s opened.
Vietti is simply one of the top producers in all of Piedmont if not all of Italy. Like 2019, 2020 is already proving to be an absolutely incredible vintage, with Barolos that display classic pedigree and endless ageability.
Perhaps the key to Vietti’s success has been their mastery over both modern and traditional approaches in winemaking. Rather than rest on the assumption that the old ways are best, or be seduced by the notion that new is always better, Vietti has chosen its own path. The wines are given traditional extended maceration in the winery to extract plentiful tannin and complex aroma from the Nebbiolo grape skins before they’re matured in a combination of both barrique and large oak vessels. The approach is never heavy handed but always done to achieve the perfect balance between finesse, aromatic intensity, and ample structure.
There isn’t a single bottle of Vietti that I’ve opened which hasn’t been a pleasure to drink. And trust me, the bottle doesn’t last long once it’s opened.
Vietti Brunate, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $219 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 97 Points “Harmonious and seductive with endless counts of aromas in good depth. Strawberries, crushed raspberries, fresh lavender, tile, mineral and mild spices. Medium to full body with chalky, powerful tannins. Bright and tense at the center with extensive development with sour cherries, mineral, white pepper and grapefruit. The lengthy finish is focused, precise and taut.”
Vietti Cerequio, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $219 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 94 Points “Racy and focused. I like the aromas of lavender, violet and white roses alongside strawberry, cranberry and stone. Medium body, with firm and fine tannins that are long and succulent. It’s fine and polished.”
Vietti Lazzarito, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $219 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 96 Points “There is a little more savoriness here, showing contained power. Tar and dark minerality. Plenty of forest berries, dried orange peel, frozen grapefruit and raspberries. Very structured and full-bodied, with firm, chewy tannins rendering the bold austere quality to the wine. But at the end, this is focused and taut, with a crunchy, spicy finish full of length.”
Vietti Monvigliero, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $219 special, 9 bottles available
James Suckling 99 Points “One of the palest and most perfumed Barolos from Vietti with a transparent, ruby-orange hue. This is a super nuanced, elegant, expressive and ethereal Monvigliero that grows on me, with enchanting notes of grilled grapefruit, thyme, frozen raspberries and mineral. A subtle splash of white pepper and mezcal-like smokiness … a big wow that deserves attention. Vegan. Best with a Burgundy glass. Can drink now or from 2027.”
Vietti Ravera, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $219 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 96 Points “Perfumed, composed and agile with notes of cherries, wild strawberries, white pepper, frozen raspberries, dried flowers and some stones. Full-bodied with fine, chalky tannins and crisp acidity. Bright and vertical with controlled power throughout. Textural and subtle. Great tension and energy on the mid-palate and onto the long, focused finish.”
Vietti Rocche di Castiglione, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $219 special, 9 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 96 Points “The 2020 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a magical wine from a magical site. It marries finesse and volume to a degree that is not found in most of the other wines in this range. Castiglione Falletto is the center of the Barolo production zone, literally and figuratively, the place where many different soil types meet. As a result, the wines often possess mind-blowing balance, which is very much the case here.”
James Suckling 97 Points “Harmonious and seductive with endless counts of aromas in good depth. Strawberries, crushed raspberries, fresh lavender, tile, mineral and mild spices. Medium to full body with chalky, powerful tannins. Bright and tense at the center with extensive development with sour cherries, mineral, white pepper and grapefruit. The lengthy finish is focused, precise and taut.”
Vietti Cerequio, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $219 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 94 Points “Racy and focused. I like the aromas of lavender, violet and white roses alongside strawberry, cranberry and stone. Medium body, with firm and fine tannins that are long and succulent. It’s fine and polished.”
Vietti Lazzarito, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $219 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 96 Points “There is a little more savoriness here, showing contained power. Tar and dark minerality. Plenty of forest berries, dried orange peel, frozen grapefruit and raspberries. Very structured and full-bodied, with firm, chewy tannins rendering the bold austere quality to the wine. But at the end, this is focused and taut, with a crunchy, spicy finish full of length.”
Vietti Monvigliero, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $219 special, 9 bottles available
James Suckling 99 Points “One of the palest and most perfumed Barolos from Vietti with a transparent, ruby-orange hue. This is a super nuanced, elegant, expressive and ethereal Monvigliero that grows on me, with enchanting notes of grilled grapefruit, thyme, frozen raspberries and mineral. A subtle splash of white pepper and mezcal-like smokiness … a big wow that deserves attention. Vegan. Best with a Burgundy glass. Can drink now or from 2027.”
Vietti Ravera, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $219 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 96 Points “Perfumed, composed and agile with notes of cherries, wild strawberries, white pepper, frozen raspberries, dried flowers and some stones. Full-bodied with fine, chalky tannins and crisp acidity. Bright and vertical with controlled power throughout. Textural and subtle. Great tension and energy on the mid-palate and onto the long, focused finish.”
Vietti Rocche di Castiglione, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2020 750ml $219 special, 9 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 96 Points “The 2020 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a magical wine from a magical site. It marries finesse and volume to a degree that is not found in most of the other wines in this range. Castiglione Falletto is the center of the Barolo production zone, literally and figuratively, the place where many different soil types meet. As a result, the wines often possess mind-blowing balance, which is very much the case here.”