In This Newsletter:
Envinate Sale
&
Vinopolis Close-Out Featurette: Merkelbach
Envinate:
Leading Light of Spanish Wine
Unlock Your Discount Now
Envinate Sale
&
Vinopolis Close-Out Featurette: Merkelbach
Envinate:
Leading Light of Spanish Wine
Unlock Your Discount Now
The wines of Envínate buzz with energy, capturing the terroir of their respective regions as if by magic. The methods of this group of winemakers, friends Alfonso Torrente, José Ángel Martínez, Laura Ramos, and Roberto Santana, are low-intervention in the winery and ultra-traditional (read: minimalist) in the vineyards. They are one of the forerunners of the “New Spanish” wine movement.
It’s worth emphasizing how profoundly this movement has transformed Spain’s image in the world of wine. Before, Rioja was essentially shorthand for Spanish wine and all other regions seemed to follow suit with big, ripe flavors, high alcohol, and so, so much new oak. In the last couple of decades, an alternative style has arisen, eschewing the fat for finesse.
Though less individually famous than the other leading figures in this new Spanish winemaking movement, such as Ester Nin and Carles Ortiz of Familia Nin-Ortiz, Daniel Landi and Fernando Garcia of Comando G, and Raúl Pérez Pereira of Bodegas y Viñedos Raúl Pérez, the impact of Envínate has been profound.
To quote wine writer Megan Krigbaum of Punch Magazine, “While winemaking driven by these ideals [of old-school and low-intervention management in the vineyard and winery] is commonplace in many parts of Italy and France—where the natural wine movement is manifest—Spain has been slower to adopt a less-is-more aesthetic over the ‘Big Flavor’ (i.e. ripe, excessively oaked) wines that came to define its wine culture. Envínate, for many buyers, is today’s best representation of the alternative. The wines have an undeniable transparency.” Vintage after vintage, this winery’s fame has only grown, and their already world-class quality somehow continues to improve.
Envínate has drawn international praise and attention, with particular notice from Luis Gutierrez of the Wine Advocate and multiple reviewers at James Suckling. Their wines are highly sought-after by collectors for their authenticity and ability to capture the terroir of these two profound regions. These are fascinating, age-worthy expressions of “New Spain” wines that are not to be missed, especially not at these prices.
It’s worth emphasizing how profoundly this movement has transformed Spain’s image in the world of wine. Before, Rioja was essentially shorthand for Spanish wine and all other regions seemed to follow suit with big, ripe flavors, high alcohol, and so, so much new oak. In the last couple of decades, an alternative style has arisen, eschewing the fat for finesse.
Though less individually famous than the other leading figures in this new Spanish winemaking movement, such as Ester Nin and Carles Ortiz of Familia Nin-Ortiz, Daniel Landi and Fernando Garcia of Comando G, and Raúl Pérez Pereira of Bodegas y Viñedos Raúl Pérez, the impact of Envínate has been profound.
To quote wine writer Megan Krigbaum of Punch Magazine, “While winemaking driven by these ideals [of old-school and low-intervention management in the vineyard and winery] is commonplace in many parts of Italy and France—where the natural wine movement is manifest—Spain has been slower to adopt a less-is-more aesthetic over the ‘Big Flavor’ (i.e. ripe, excessively oaked) wines that came to define its wine culture. Envínate, for many buyers, is today’s best representation of the alternative. The wines have an undeniable transparency.” Vintage after vintage, this winery’s fame has only grown, and their already world-class quality somehow continues to improve.
Envínate has drawn international praise and attention, with particular notice from Luis Gutierrez of the Wine Advocate and multiple reviewers at James Suckling. Their wines are highly sought-after by collectors for their authenticity and ability to capture the terroir of these two profound regions. These are fascinating, age-worthy expressions of “New Spain” wines that are not to be missed, especially not at these prices.
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles from Envinate
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles from Envinate
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Thursday, November 7th at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles from Envinate
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Thursday, November 7th at 9 am Pacific.
We offer twenty-three options from Envinate on sale now, including:
Envinate ‘Linit’ Blanco, Castilla La Mancha 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $34.50, that’s $32.78 at 5% off and $31.05 at 10% off, 24 bottles in stock now
José Pastor Importer Note “100% Pardillo. Vineyard: From a vineyard of centenarian vines at 700m elevation in the Almansa area, which was at one point a shallow sea. Today, the soils are clay with an abundance of pebbles on the surface and a chalk base. Vinification Method: The grapes were harvested by hand and directly pressed, then fermented spontaneously with native yeasts in concrete tanks for 10-15 days without temperature control. After alcoholic fermentation, a part of the wine is moved to neutral 350L barrels. In concrete and barrel the wine goes through malolactic conversion and rests for 8 months before bottling without fining or filtering and with just a small addition of SO2.”
Envinate ‘Taganan’ Blanco, Canary Islands 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 7 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2022 Táganan Blanco has a mellow nose with notes of ripe yellow fruit, dried flowers, aromatic herbs and crushed rocks. 2022 was extremely dry and delivered healthy grapes that were harvested early, and the wine kept a moderate 12% alcohol and very high acidity (7.1 grams) that give it a lively palate with citrus freshness and a very tasty, salty finish. This didn’t go through malolactic fermentation and matured in neutral barrels with lees for nine months. 3,200 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2023.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Envinate Palo Blanco Las Molinas, Canary Islands 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off and $80.10 at 10% off, 4 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-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. In 2021, the grapes from this plot went into the Palo Blanco blend that they bottled in 2022. For the 2022 vintage, they bottled a 1,500-liter oak foudre separately to make this wine, and another 3,500 liters still went to the Palo Blanco blend. This has moderate alcohol, 11.5%, and very low pH and high acidity, unusual parameters for the variety, something that seems to come from the zone. 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. 1,988 bottles and 24 magnums were filled in July 2023.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Envinate ‘Albahra’, Vinos Mediterraneos 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $26, that’s $24.70 at 5% off and $23.40 at 10% off, 23 bottles in stock now
José Pastor Importer Note “About 70% Garnacha Tintorera and 30% Moravia Agria with small quantities of old vine Pardillo and young Garnacha Tinta. Vineyard: From a number of parcels of vines (3 of Garnacha Tintorera near Albacete, 1 of Moravia Agria near Manchuela) planted on calcareous, clay, and sandy soils of up to 900m of elevation. Viticulture is organic, vines are trained en vaso and mostly range from 30-45-years-old. Vinification Method: The grapes were fermented with indigenous yeasts by parcel. 30% to 70% whole bunches are used, and maceration averages around 10 days before pressing with a pneumatic press. Fermentation completes in a mix of used barrels and concrete tanks, and the wine rests on its lees for 8 months. Bottled without fining or filtering, and with only a very small addition of sulfur.”
A Chingao Vineyards & Envinate ‘Albahra Chingao’, Castilla La Mancha 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $31.90, that’s $30.31 at 5% off and $28.71 at 10% off, 24 bottles in stock now
José Pastor Importer Note “100% Garnacha Tintorera. Vineyard: From a single parcel of 30-year-old Garnacha Tintorera vines planted on calcareous soils at 800m elevation. The vines are trained en vaso and the only vineyard treatments are with sulfur. Vinification Method: The grapes were harvested by hand and 20% were destemmed and crushed, while the remaining 80% were left whole cluster. Fermented together with native yeasts in open concrete tanks for 15 days with very gentle pumpovers, then rested in concrete for 8 months. Bottled directly from tank without fining or filtering, and without sulfur addition.”
Envinate ‘Lousas’ Vina de Aldea, Galicia 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $44.50, that’s $42.28 at 5% off and $40.05 at 10% off, 23 bottles in stock now
Envinate ‘Lousas’ Vina de Aldea, Galicia 2022 1.5L Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off and $80.10 at 10% off, 3 magnums in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93-94 points “The sample of the 2022 Lousas Viñas de Aldea was in stainless steel, blended and sulfured and waiting to be bottled in a couple of months. Most 2022s are more immediate than the 2021s, and this is floral, perfumed and expressive, with a juicy and round palate. They now have more vineyards in general, so they compensated the lower yields with more land under vine. The 2022s have turned out fresher and cooler than what the conditions of the year pointed out. There will be some 25,000 bottles of this. Even though it’s a lower-yielding year, they had more vineyards.”
Envinate Lousas Doad, Ribeira Sacra 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-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. As with the rest of the 2022s, I tasted the wine after it had been blended and the sulfur adjusted, waiting in stainless steel to be bottled in a couple of months. It has the textbook floral and perfumed nose, quite fruit-driven, juicy and tasty, with some fine tannins that need a bit of time in bottle to get polished. They expect to fill some 3,300 bottles from a number of barrels of different sizes.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Envinate ‘Lousas’ Parcela Seoane, Galicia 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 4 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 96-97 points “I also had the chance to taste the still-unbottled 2022 Lousas Parcela Seoane that had already been taken out of barrel, put in stainless steel and the sulfur was adjusted, so it’s pretty close to what the bottled wine should be. 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. There will be around 2,000 bottles that they expect to fill around November 2023.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Envinate La Santa de Ursula, Ycoden-Daute-Isora 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $54.50, that’s $51.78 at 5% off and $49.05 at 10% off, 34 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2022 La Santa de Úrsula is balsamic and reveals notes of rose petals and talcum powder. The fruit is darker (riper), and it has a juicy palate with fine tannins and a long, lingering finish. 8,000 bottles and 100 magnums produced. It was bottled in July 2023.”
Envinate ‘Taganan’ Tinto, Canary Islands 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $54.50, that’s $51.78 at 5% off and $49.05 at 10% off, 32 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94+ points “The just-bottled 2022 Táganan Tinto is juicy and primary but with very good balance and no excess. It has less reductive character and is sapid and balanced. They did slightly shorter macerations and used a little more full clusters for this wine. It’s a very good vintage for this bottling. It was bottled in July 2023. 94+, drink 2025-2030.”
Vinopolis Close-Out Sale Featurette:
Merkelbach
“Should we all buy more Merkelbach? Yes, of course!” – Mosel Fine Wines
We adore the wines of Weingut Alfred Merkelbach, irrationally and perhaps more than any other grower in the Mosel. They set the curve for the term “old-school,” having made their wines in similar style for almost 70 years. These wines capture the delicacy and etherealness of Riesling like few other wines we’ve tried. Terry Theise, when importing the wines for Skurnik, described their wines as “like VAPING Mosel Riesling.”
The estate is owned by two brothers, Alfred and Rolf. With no descendants to hand off the estate to, they quietly continued their work following decades of experience, practice and dedication to traditional methods of winemaking.
The resulting wines are some of the most haunting expressions of the Mosel. They have a charm and an energy that’s unlike almost any other wine we’ve tasted. In fact, their closest comparison might not be in the Mosel at all, but rather with Jacky Truchot’s wines in Burgundy—another producer who managed to create unbearably delicate, ethereal wines that bottles sunshine and joy.
It was no secret that the brothers planned to retire. It’s one of the many reasons that we feel a painful tugging at the heart when we mention their wines to our readers. That announcement came with the 2018 vintage, the last they produced on their own.
As longtime lovers of these profound wines, we stocked up as much as we could in recent releases despite how bittersweet it felt to do so. We knew our readers would want to stash away some of these tremendous last vintages. Enjoy the wines now, enjoy them years from now; these wines could well outlast us all.
In Stock Now:
Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Auslese #12 2018 750ml Was $33, Now $29, 17 bottles in stock now
John Gilman-A View From the Cellar 93+ points “The AP #12 Rosenberg Auslese is a bit more glazed in personality than the AP #1 version, but it is really a pristine coating of botrytis and one could not ask for better! The beautiful bouquet wafts from the glass in a blend of pear, white grape, lavender, violets, bee pollen, a lovely touch of minerality and a whiff of apple blossoms in the upper register. On the palate the wine is vibrant, fullish and complex, with zesty acids, excellent focus and grip, a superb core and a very long, filigreed and extremely classy finish. This is a beautiful wine in the making. 2026-2065. 93+.”
The estate is owned by two brothers, Alfred and Rolf. With no descendants to hand off the estate to, they quietly continued their work following decades of experience, practice and dedication to traditional methods of winemaking.
The resulting wines are some of the most haunting expressions of the Mosel. They have a charm and an energy that’s unlike almost any other wine we’ve tasted. In fact, their closest comparison might not be in the Mosel at all, but rather with Jacky Truchot’s wines in Burgundy—another producer who managed to create unbearably delicate, ethereal wines that bottles sunshine and joy.
It was no secret that the brothers planned to retire. It’s one of the many reasons that we feel a painful tugging at the heart when we mention their wines to our readers. That announcement came with the 2018 vintage, the last they produced on their own.
As longtime lovers of these profound wines, we stocked up as much as we could in recent releases despite how bittersweet it felt to do so. We knew our readers would want to stash away some of these tremendous last vintages. Enjoy the wines now, enjoy them years from now; these wines could well outlast us all.
In Stock Now:
Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Auslese #12 2018 750ml Was $33, Now $29, 17 bottles in stock now
John Gilman-A View From the Cellar 93+ points “The AP #12 Rosenberg Auslese is a bit more glazed in personality than the AP #1 version, but it is really a pristine coating of botrytis and one could not ask for better! The beautiful bouquet wafts from the glass in a blend of pear, white grape, lavender, violets, bee pollen, a lovely touch of minerality and a whiff of apple blossoms in the upper register. On the palate the wine is vibrant, fullish and complex, with zesty acids, excellent focus and grip, a superb core and a very long, filigreed and extremely classy finish. This is a beautiful wine in the making. 2026-2065. 93+.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Auslese #1 2018 750ml Was $33, Now $29, 5 bottles in stock now
John Gilman-A View From the Cellar 93 points “The 2018 Rosenberg Auslese AP #1 from Alfred and Rolf Merkelbach is a beautiful wine in the making. The complex nose offers up a constellation of passion fruit, a hint of the yellow plum to come, incipient notes of honeycomb, salty minerality, violets, lavender and a gentle glaze of very clean botrytis. On the palate the wine is fullish, pure and nascently complex, with a lovely core of fruit, fine mineral undertow, bright acids and lovely length and grip on perfectly balanced and very promising finish. I have the impression this was made from very lightly botrytized fruit. It will want some bottle age before it really starts to blossom, but it will be a lovely bottle when it start to get rolling! 2026-2065.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Spätlese #1 2017 750ml Was $28, Now $24, 3 bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Vinous 91 points “Very ripe Bartlett pear garlanded in honeysuckle features both on the nose and in the mouth. The midpalate combines delicacy and animation – appropriate to the inner-mouth florality and fruit juiciness on display – with creaminess and glossiness of texture. A squeeze of lime adds to the liveliness of a subtly sweet, buoyant, stone-lined and satisfyingly sustained finish. Water-color-like in its alliance of transparency with slight diffusion, this lovely Spätlese offers a delicate wash of flavors.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Spätlese #2 2017 750ml Was $28, Now $24, 9 bottles in stock now
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “The 2017er Kinheimer Rosenberg Spätlese AP 2 was harvested at 88° Oechsle. It exhibits beautifully complex and refined aromatics blending floral elements with vineyard peach, grapefruit and spices. The wine is slightly reductive at first on the palate as it displays quite some racy acidity wrapped into a straight and pure structure. Notes of grapefruit, orange zest and spices emerge in the finish and lead to a slightly herbal and freshly tart feel in the after-taste. This is packed with quite some elements and only needs a couple of years to fully shine. 2025-2037.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
We offer 245 wines on our Close-Out Sale in stock now.
Shop the sale on our webstore now!
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
Gobelsburg
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles from Gobelsburg
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles from Gobelsburg
Alto Adige
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles from Alto Adige
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles from Alto Adige
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Gobelsburg sale ends Tuesday, November 5th at 9 am Pacific. Alto Adige sale ends Tuesday, November 5th at 9 am Pacific.