Vinopolis Newsletter 11-1-24

 New Arrivals
 

 
Champagne
 

 

Founded in 1947, this winery has been passed down for generations. Taking over for his father Rene in 2005, third-generation Champenois Frederic Savart has brought this estate to new heights in the Grower Champagne era. Frederic’s first love was football and his wines have both the brash, experimental confidence of an adrenalin junkie balanced with the craft and subtlety of a vigneron with generations of accumulated skill and wisdom at his disposal.
 
Savart L’Ouverture Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru Brut, Champagne, France NV 750ml $69 special, 28 bottles available
Importer’s Note “L’Ouverture is Fred Savart’s entry level Champagne but it is far from one-dimensional. It is 100% Pinot Noir all from the village of Ecueil, half of which was fermented in mostly neutral barrel with the other half is fermented in stainless steel. The wine only sees partial malolactic fermentation. Fred doesn’t guide the malolactic fermentation, instead it is the inclusion of reserve wine that goes through  malolactic fermentation because it has gone more temperature swings. The wine is in equal parts a blend of three successive vintages and aged under cork, not crown cap. Dosage is 7g/L.”
 
 

 
Tarlant Saignee Des Tempetees Brut Nature, Champagne 2015 750ml $119 special, 12 bottles available
Audrey Frick-Jeb Dunnuck 93+ Points “The first release of this cuvée, the 2015 Champagne Saignée Des Tempetée Brut Nature Rosé is 100% Pinot Noir, macerated on the skins for 16 hours and disgorged in March 2021. A deep salmon/garnet hue, it offers a very expressive, savory profile, with notes of blood orange, candied roses, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied with a pillowy mousse, it opens to notes of fleshy ripe apricot, which is followed by a long-lasting finish. It’s ripe with generous fruit and has no harsh edges to it. It is a very attractive wine to add to the range. Drink 2024-2034.”
 
Tarlant Zero Brut Nature, Champagne, France NV (2015) 750ml $69 special, 24 bottles available
James Suckling 94 Points “Already in the nose this Brut Nature makes a bold statement with full aromas of quince and spice. Powerful and seriously structured with stacks of candied citrus and dried pear character on the ample palate. Complex autumnal finish. From vineyards in the villages of Oeuilly, Boursault, Celles-les-Conde and Saint-Agnan, a blend of 2015 and reserve wines matured in oak.”
 
Tarlant ‘Le Triumvirat’ Brut Nature Millesime, Champagne, France 2009 750ml $119 special, 12 bottles available
 
 
France
 

 
“Over the years, I have been fortunate to taste these wines, the reds in particular, with bottle age, which is when they truly blossom. The Rouge is a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. It is without question one of the world’s great reds.” -Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Cult wine alert, don’t miss out! Heavily allocated and very, very rare.
Domaine de Trevallon, IGP Alpilles, France 2021 750ml $99 special, only 2 bottles available
Not reviewed, 2017 review provided for reference
Antonio Galloni “The 2017 Alpilles Rouge is flat-out delicious. Ripe, plummy and forward, the 2017 offers tremendous immediacy. If I didn’t know how well Trévallon ages, I would be tempted to set an earlier drinking window, but the best is clearly yet to come. Next to other vintages that display a good bit of ripeness, the 2017 remains medium in body and silky. Sweet red berry fruit, flowers, cedar and earthy notes lead into the vibrant, translucent finish. I hope I can capture just how captivating the 2017 is.”
Winery Notes “Trévallon is known for its long aging process, more than 2 years for its reds. Racking is kept to a strict minimum, the lees found at the bottom of the barrels continue to nourish the wine during the aging process.”
 
 

 
Although technically from Gigondas, the AOC does not permit winemakers to bottle white wines under the Gigondas name.
Chateau de Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone Hominis Fides Blanc, Rhone, France 2022 750ml $59 special, 24 bottles available
Winery Note “Limestone sand from the Miocene sea, in the ‘Hominis Fides’ named vineyard. Fermentation in used casks and ageing on fine lees for 10 months. Gunflint, anise, pear and quince. The young massal selection vines in Hominis Fides are growing, developing, putting down deep roots and producing beautiful fruit. Every year, we can see the identity of the vineyard asserting itself and differentiating itself from Le Poste. It is true that the Miocene sea sand offers a truly remarkable foundation both for Grenache and Clairette. We prune the vines as bush vines and lift them on stakes so that we never have to top the shoots in spring. I am against the use of topping in a Mediterranean climate – it makes no sense to use this mini-pruning technique and force vines to grow secondary buds just when they need their fruit to flower.”
 
 

 
Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Reservee, Rhone, France 2021 750ml $79 special, 22 bottles available
Stuart Pigott-James Suckling 95 Points “This has so much power and meaty depth for the 2021 vintage, also stacks of healthy tannins that give it great intensity at the very long and complete finish. It’s packed with licorice, tar and stony character that makes it hard to pull yourself away from its compelling hold. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.”
 
 
Italy
 

 
Il Poggione is a traditionally minded Brunello producer from Sant’Angelo in Colle, which crafts surprisingly approachable yet boldly natured and age-worthy wines. Their house style offers a harmonious balance of rich fruit and complex aromatics, without the weighty influence of new oak. Their combo of quality and affordability makes Il Poggione a standout choice in the Brunello region.
 
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 2018 750ml $69 special, 20 bottles available
Eric Guido- Vinous 96 Points “Impressing from the first tilt of the glass, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino makes itself known, with a heady burst of exotic spice and crushed ashen stone giving way to dried black cherries and grilled herbs. This combines the energy of the vintage with the dark balsamic-tinged fruits of Montalcino’s southern reaches, as zesty acidity maintains balance throughout, and flinty minerals saturate toward the close. It finishes long, savory and structured, yet its tannins are more rounded than anticipated, creating both a classic feel, but also leaving a mouthwatering sensation that tricks the taster back to the glass for more. Easily one of the top wines of the vintage, the 2018 is not to be missed.”
 

  
 staff pick  Cappellano Barolo Chinato Vino Aromatizzato, Piedmont, Italy 2016 750ml $99 special, 6 bottles available
Vinopolnote “You’ve tried Barolo, but have you tried Barolo Chinato? This delicious herbaceous digestif is perfect for unwinding after a large meal with good friends and great cigars. The finish goes on and on.”
Importer’s Note “One cannot say much, certainly not enough, about the Chinato from Cappellano since the production and recipe are closely held secrets within the family. Suffice it to say that the family has produced an iconic version of this wine infused with spices, herbs and other earthly elements that make for a ravishing sensory experience! We use the Cappellano Chinato in cocktail recipes, but also while cooking to deglaze or to marinate, and it has proved to add fascinating savoury aspects to a growing list of dishes … another way to add this elixir to your life-style.”
 
 
New Zealand
 
Certified Organic. From Kim and Erica Crawford— winners of Wine Enthusiast’s New World Winery of the Year Award 2016.
Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2022 750ml $14.50 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Spectator 90 Points “Offers lime, pear and lemon zest notes that are elegant, but not shy on power, with accents of matcha, lemon thyme and a touch of crunchy sea salt on the juicy finish. Drink now. 35,000 cases imported.”
 

Lowest Listed Price in the United States
Average Price $22

 

” …Now that most of the wines have been released, the early promise of 2021 is no longer a question of potential but of reality. These are vivid, exceptionally beautiful wines that show the heights Nebbiolo can reach.” -Antonio Galloni, “Barbaresco: The Stellar 2021s & Surprising 2022s,” Vinous Media
 
Giulio and Luciana Grasso, along with daughters Federica, Paola, and Valentina are the 4th generation owners of Ca del Baio who with simple, non-interventionist farming and winemaking, have shepherded their estate into one of the 21st century’s most accessible Barbaresco houses. The Grasso family weaves their Nebbiolos into a lovely tapestry of tannin, fruit, and flowers providing outstanding quality and value from this producer. Highly recommended!
 

Ca’ del Baio ‘Asili’, Barbaresco DOCG, Italy 2021 750ml $41.90 special, 24 bottles
James Suckling 96 Points “Strawberries, watermelon, pomegranate, fresh violets and a lot of orange peel. Then the full-bodied palate shows pinot-like elegance, almost silky tannins and great concentration of fruit, with rhubarb notes, fierce tannins that are elegant and ripe, refreshing acidity and a long, precise, polished aftertaste. Drink or hold.”
Antonio Galloni –Vinous 95 Points “The 2021 Barbaresco Asili shows all the pedigree of this great site. Crushed flowers, bright red-toned fruit, mint, cinnamon and rose petals soar from the glass. Medium in body yet wonderfully deep, the Asili has so much to offer. What a pretty and expressive wine it is. Give it a few years in bottle.”
 
Ca’ del Baio ‘Autinbej’, Barbaresco DOCG, Italy 2021 750ml $28 special, 24 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 91 Points “The 2021 Barbaresco Autinbej is bright, vibrant and effusive. A blend of mostly Marcarini with some fruit from Ferrere and Montersino, the Autinbej offers up scents of pipe tobacco, cedar, mint, dried flowers and licorice, all in a deceptively mid-weight style that is quite appealing. There’s lovely energy and focus here. The 2021 opens beautifully with a bit of air.”
 
Ca’ del Baio ‘Vallegrande’, Barbaresco DOCG, Italy 2021 750ml $34.50 special, 24 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 93 Points “The 2021 Barbaresco Vallegrande is a complex, dynamic wine. Spice and floral inflections fill out the layers, giving this Barbaresco notable amplitude. Macerated dark cherry, leather, tobacco, dried flowers and incense develop later, adding layers of nuance. There’s certainly plenty to like, starting with the wine’s substance and overall palate presence.”
 

Lowest Listed Price on the West Coast
 
We have 7 total wines from Ca Del Baio available on our webstore.
Click here to shop for them all

 

 

 
 

 

 
“Established in 2011 by Ksenija and John House, Ovum was founded in hopes of producing Oregon wines that are honest reflections of time and place.  Our low intervention production method is a commitment to letting the vintage and vineyard shine, not the vintner. Fruit comes first – our top priority is finding farmers that share our beliefs, and then getting out of the way so their hard work can be tasted.” -Ovum Winery

 

Ovum Rare Form ‘Day Moon’ Sparkling, Dundee Hills, USA NV 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles available
Wine & Spirits 94 Points “From a vineyard in the Dundee Hills, this is organically grown riesling fermented in amphorae and aged in old barrels for a year, then two years in bottle. It’s a thought-provoking wine, subtle in a variety of ways—subtle lees notes, subtle oxidative notes, the flavors hinting at lemon, apple, Georgian savor. This stayed fresh for five days despite the intentional low pressure of its bubbles. It’s a wine to ponder with a grand plateau.”
 
 

 
Christian Madl is making revolutionary Sekt that dazzles the senses, offering a refreshingly unique take on champagne-method wines.
 
These are all vintage-dated Estate wines, featuring hand harvested fruit only. Then, they only use the first part of the must, ensuring focus and purity. The wines are then bottle aged in his Cellar and hand riddled for up to 8 years before disgorgment. His wines, obviously take their inspiration Champagne, but they tell an Austrian story featuring grapes like Gruner Veltliner and Riesling in addition to more traditional grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
 
It is no surprise then that Falstaff, Austria’s most trusted Wine Journal, has voted them Best of Austria on five occasions!
 
WAS $49
Madl Brut Nature, Weinviertel, Austria 2018 750ml $44.50 special, 3 bottles available
Falstaff Magazine 92 Points “Light greenish yellow with silver reflections and a delicate, fine bubbly mousse. A hint of tobacco underpins aromas of yellow apple and pear fruit, meadow herbs and lime zest. Medium complexity on the palate, with green apple and some pineapple fruit, fresh acidity, a fine minerality and a lemony touch on the finish. Typical Grüner Veltliner nuances and a pleasant aperitif.”
Winery Note “Unsulfured! For lovers of a puristic style, smells like a fluffy brioche, rustic, markedly dry, bready on the palate. 100% Grüner Veltliner on lees since 2019.”
 

Lowest Listed Price on the West Coast

 
WAS $59
Madl Cuvee Special Brut, Niederosterreich, Austria 2015 750ml $49 special, 5 bottles available
Falstaff Magazine 93 Points “Pale green yellow, silver reflections, lively, fine mousse. Yellow tropical fruit, zest, some baked goods, nuances of red berries, a hint of currants, a multi-faceted bouquet. Juicy, good complexity and mineral nuances, delicately fruity, saline nuances, balanced, delicate sweetness on the finish, has length and development, certain ageing potential.”
Winery Note “White bread and brioche, rich and corpulent with depth, fine mousseux, creamy with a straight substance. Méthode Traditionnelle. Chardonnay 53 % & Pinot Noir 47 % on lees since 2016.”
 

Only Listing in the USA!

 
WAS $69
Madl Onothek ‘Von den Weissen’ Sekt Brut, Niederosterreich, Austria 2014 750ml $59 special, 6 bottles available
A blend of Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner, Riesling with over 60 months en tirage.
Review is for the early release version of this wine, not the extended tirage:
Falstaff Magazine 93 Points “Light yellow green, silver reflections. Lively, fine mousse, delicate yeasty note, white fruit nuances of peach and fresh apple, some blossom, and backed by lime zest. Taut, tightly meshed, fine sweet fruit, integrated acidity, finely radiant and very youthful, with a mineral finish. It is a stimulating aperitif.”
 

Only Listing in the USA!

 
WAS $49
Madl ‘Von den Weissen’, Niederosterreich, Austria 2016 750ml $44.50 special, 3 bottles available
Winery Note “Fine-aromatic hay flowers meet elegant pear. Méthode Traditionnelle. Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner & Riesling on lees since 2017.”
 

Only Listing in the USA!

 

 
We’re down to the last few bottles of this iconic German producer’s Blanc de Noirs style sparkling wine… get it while you still can!

WAS $69
Weingut Donnhoff Pinot Brut, Nahe, Germany 2016 750ml $59 special, 2 bottles available
Decanter 94 Points “With 51 months on the lees, this is a serious wine. Disgorged in summer 2021, it is subtle in every way – as you would expect from this family. An initial nose of Red Delicious apple signals mellowness and merges seamlessly into creaminess. The mousse is superfine and the apple flavours on the palate are more tart, more slender. A wonderfully elegant and fine Blanc de Noirs, made from Pinot Noir grown on a steep site of red sandstone, as exacting in its nature as the Rieslings from this legendary producer. Taut, vivid, light yet creamy and so, so elegant. This will make a most enticing aperitif but will also work with fine charcuterie or hot-smoked fish. Wonderful. (Drink between 2022-2030).”
 

Lowest Listed Price in the USA!