Vinopolis Newsletter 1-13-25

 
 
Germany
 

 

The Nahe is one of Germany’s most compelling regions despite its small size. Combining the heft of the Rheingau with the elegance and minerality inherent in the Mosel, the region offers something no other can boast: winemakers Helmut and Cornelius Dönnhoff. That’s a lot of faith we place on the shoulders of this family, but anyone who knows the wines knows that it is well deserved.
 
Dönnhoff is one of our favorite German producers, and one we stock by the pallet-load. And we’re not the only ones obsessed. So often, folks tell us that a bottle of the humble yet delicious Estate Trocken or the fiercely mineral and refined Oberhauser Brucke Spätlese was THE Riesling that sparked their passion for German terroir. Despite their extensive lineup, there’s rarely a wine made here that isn’t the finest of its type and terroir each vintage.
 
Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2023 750ml $104.50 special, 13 bottles available
James Suckling 100 Points “This dry riesling has a hypnotic beauty that leaves no doubt how this wine redefines what peachy means in the context of this grape variety. As it aerates, a wealth of wild berry and flower nuances develop and expand. Given the mind-bending concentration of this wine, it is staggeringly fresh and absolutely precise. Then comes the finish, which is like a prima ballerina dancing on pointe off into the distance. Drink from release.”
 
Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2023 750ml $49 special, 36 bottles available
Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Spatlese 2023 1.5L $99 special, 3 magnums available
James Suckling 98 Points “When worlds collide. The tension between the cool, dark side (think Darth Vader) and the enormous brightness of the stone fruit (think Luke Skywalker) makes this astonishing riesling Spatlese extremely compelling. The most beautiful pineapple and grapefruit aromas. Fabulous freshness at the stunningly straight and pure finish. Drink or hold.”
 
…and arriving Friday:
 
Donnhoff Roxheimer Hollenpfad Riesling Trocken, Nahe, Germany 2023 750ml $49 special, 24 bottles arriving
Grapelive 94 Points “The Dönnhoff ’23 vintage, especially the dry Riesling collection, like this gorgeous, crisply dry, spicy, delicately aromatic and crystalline Roxheimer Höllenpfad, is simply stunning and while the GGs will get all the major attention there some outstanding values here, as this one also proves. Honestly, it was incredibly difficult to choose a favorite in the samples of these 2023s from Cornelius Dönnhoff, but if I had to pick I would definitely say that the Hermannshöhle GG and the Felsenberg GG were my tippy top wines, while this Roxheimer Höllenpfad Trocken for the money would be one that would stock up on. The pristine and steely medium bodied palate shows of lime blossom, green apple, tart apricot, quince and tangerine, along with quinine, chamomile, almond, herb, flinty mineral spice, wet rock, lemon oil and saline. Zingy and youthfully energetic this Riesling also has the signature purity and elegance you’d expect of a Dönnhoff and it is complex enough to thrill the most jaded of Riesling lovers. There’s more to come with patience I believe and while I might be hard pressed not to enjoy this one right away, there should be extra rewards for those who wait, it should get another few years in bottle to fully express itself.”
 

 
Kruger-Rumpf Weisser Burgunder Trocken, Nahe 2022 750ml $26 special, 11 bottles available
Winery Note “Pinot Blanc has long been one of the winery’s classics. Georg’s grandfather planted the first Pinot Blanc vines in the 1950s. The deep loess soil on which the vines grow gives this wine its special character. When you open the bottle, intense aromas fill your nose, which intensify after a few minutes.”
 
Kruger-Rumpf Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2023 750ml $21.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Skurnik Importer Note “Vineyard: a Cuvee of Kapellenberg and Dautenpflänzer selection of the younger vineyards 15-25 years. Soil Type: Quartz, loess, some red slate. Fermentation & Elevage: stainless steel, fermentation with natural yeasts. Münsterer Kapellenberg – quartz, with some red slate – several sections which are very steep, but similar to Rheinberg where the lower sections have richer soils. Münsterer Dautenpflänzer – loess, subsoil is quartz – Daute means “shoot” and pflänzer means “plant”, an homage to the fact that this was once a nursery. South facing, the older section is steep, and the vineyard is an amphitheater shape.”
 

 
Von Winning Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2023 750ml $24 special, 21 bottles available
Winery Notes “A perfect balance of fruit, depth, and fresh acidity. The flavors of juicy bright peach compliment the slightly spicy finish. A versatile wine that is perfect both for an afternoon cocktail hour as well a great wine for a dinner party.”
 
Von Winning Ungeheuer Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2022 750ml $79 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 Points “The intensely yellow-colored 2022 Forster Ungeheuer Riesling GG VDP. Grosse Lage opens with a rich and intensely fruity as well as oaky bouquet with sur lie or brioche notes as well as fresh lemon aromas. Full-bodied, intense and fresh on the palate, this full-bodied, creamy-textured yet also vital and elegant Riesling is still reminiscent of von Winning’s Sauvignon Blanc 500 in terms of style. In any case, it’s a peculiar Ungeheuer in the Pfalz context due to the prominent use of oak. The astringency, however, is positive, and the wine will probably benefit from bottle age. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in July 2024.”
 
Von Winning Kirchenstuck Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2022 750ml $145 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 Points “The yellow-golden colored 2022 Forster Kirchenstück Riesling GG VDP.Grosse Lage combines ripe and almost tropical (mango) fruit with delicate oak and fresh phenolic as well as lemon aromas. Full-bodied, rich and very dense on the palate, this is an intense and powerful yet fine and elegant Riesling that doesn’t have the drive and drama of the Pechstein but the richness and solemness of a great, refined and persistently salty wine. This is an impressive Kirchenstück that combines power and intensity with finesse and rejuvenating salinity. 13% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in July 2024.”
 
 
France
 

 
“Pascal Roblet can trace his roots in Volnay to the 1600’s on his mother’s side and four generations on his father’s side. Most of Domaine Roblet-Monnot’s holdings are in Volnay, 15 acres, and one in Pommard. Pascal’s conversion to biodynamic viticulture in 1997 along with his high density planting and very low yields, roughly 2.5 tons per acre, are part of what has transformed his domaine into one of the leading sources of wine from these communes. His several premier cru cuvees and a few villages bottlings are produced in his small cellar, in the tiny hamlet of Bligny-les-Beaune.” –The Sorting Table, Importer
 
Roblet-Monnot Pere et Fils Les Brouillards, Volnay Premier Cru 2020 750ml $199 special, 12 bottles available
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92-94 Points “The 2020 Volnay 1er Cru Les Brouillards is exceptional, wafting from the glass with aromas of wild berries and plums mingled with rose petals and raw cocoa. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it’s deep and vibrant, concluding with an intensely perfumed finish.”
 
Roblet-Monnot Pere et Fils Volnay Saint Francois, Cote de Beaune 2021 750ml $119 special, 12 bottles available
(not reviewed yet, 2019 review provided for context)
William Kelley- Wine Advocate 90-92 Points “The 2019 Volnay Saint François is superb, mingling notes of cherries, raspberries and cassis with nuances of rose petals, dark chocolate, baking spice and violets. Medium to full-bodied, bright and mineral, it’s deep and layered, with a vibrant, elegantly enveloping core of fruit. This cuvée is a blend derived from Roblet’s holdings in Sur Roches, Famines, Buttes and Pasquiers.”
 
 
Oregon
 
Kelley Fox Wines Gruner Veltliner, Willamette Valley 2023 750ml $26 special, 12 bottles available
Erin Brooks- Wine Advocate 93 Points “The 2023 Grüner Veltliner has pure, layered scents of quince, honey, radicchio and alpine herbs. The medium-bodied palate offers concentrated, mouth-coating, honeyed flavors. Its generosity is foiled by vibrant acidity, and it has a very long finish. 336 cases were made.”
 
Kelley Fox Wines ‘Mirabai’ Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2023 750ml $41.90 special, 11 bottles available
Erin Brooks- Wine Advocate 93 Points “Despite its modest price point, the 2023 Pinot Noir Mirabai (a barrel selection) comes from some of the top vineyards in the Dundee Hills. Fifty-two percent comes from own-rooted vines in the Weber Vineyard planted in 1983; 28% comes from Stater Vineyard, where vines were planted on rootstock in 1990; 11% comes from own-rooted vines planted in 1974 and 1984 in Durant Vineyard; and 9% comes from own-rooted vines planted from 1970 to 1988 in the Maresh Vineyard. It was fermented with around 15% whole clusters, and the wine was matured for 10 months in used French oak. It has ringing aromas of rhubarb, blackberry, raspberry, lavender and Angostura bitters, offering botanical undertones as it airs in the glass. The light-bodied palate is vibrant and expressive with wonderfully perfumed fruit, chalky tannins and a long, tremendously layered finish.”
 
Kelley Fox Wines Stater Vineyard Pinot Blanc, Dundee Hills 2023 750ml $36 special, 12 bottles available
Erin Brooks- Wine Advocate 93 Points “The 2023 Pinot Blanc Stater Vineyard has layered aromas of apricot, cereal milk, roasted almonds and flint. The medium-bodied palate features concentrated tree fruit flavors made more intense by its textural grip. Its power is foiled by refreshing acidity, and it has a very long, honeyed finish. I would love to drink this with 3-5 years of bottle age. 108 cases were made.”
 
 
California
 

 
Snowden Vineyards ‘Brothers Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2022 750ml $109 special, 12 bottles available
Antonio Galloni- Vinous 93 Points “The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Brothers Vineyard is a super-elegant, classy wine. Spice, leather, tobacco and cedar lead into a core of blue/purplish fruit. This opens beautifully on the mid-palate and finish, showing terrific depth and poise throughout.”
 
Snowden Vineyards ‘The Ranch’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2022 750ml $69 special, 12 bottles available
Winery Notes “From the surprisingly wonderful 2022 vintage, this is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot.  The 2022 growing season was idyllic until a heatwave in the fall quickly ripened the grapes and gave us a unique balance between the flavors developed through the temperate summer and the approachability and silky tannins coming from the heat boost in September.  Winemaker Diana Snowden Seyesses calls the ’22 Ranch “a slurper(!), offering a bright bouquet of cedar and blackberries …”
 

 
Ridge Vineyards Grenache Blanc, Paso Robles, USA 2023 750ml $36 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 93 Points “Brilliant acidity backs up subtle, savory and fresh citrus flavors in this full-bodied and well-balanced Rhone-style white. Aromas like a hay field, lanolin and dry earth meet tangy apricot, lime zest, mineral and almond flavors on a broad but lively texture. Includes 14% picpoul and 2% roussanne grapes. Drink now or hold.”
 
Ridge Vineyards Pagani Ranch Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley, USA 2022 750ml $46.50 special, 12 bottles available
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2022 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch is a blend of 82% Zinfandel, 9% Alicante Bouschet, 5% Petite Sirah and 4% Mataro. It has layered scents of blueberry preserves, yellow peach, toasted coconut and floral perfume. The palate combines generous, layered, fragrant flavors with silky tannins and bursts of mouthwatering acidity, and it has a long, expressive finish.”
 
 
Italy
 
Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2019 750ml $33 special, 24 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 94 Points “The 2019 Chianti Classico has changed dramatically since I last tasted it, either because of more time in bottle, or because this is a later bottling. In any event, the 2019 is dense, ample and resonant in feel. Readers will find a serious, texturally intense Chianti Classico that delivers the goods, big time.”
 
Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Gran Seleccion DOCG, Italy 2021 750ml $54.50 special, 24 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 95+ Points “The 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Rancia is the first vintage in which Rancia moves from Riserva to Gran Selezione. More importantly, Fèlsina appears to be back on track after two years, during which Rancia underperformed because of the inclusion of a parcel that did not work in the blend and contributed a slight vegetal character. The 2021 marries power and finesse in the way only Rancia can. Black cherry, leather, game, spice, licorice, tobacco and grilled herbs are all finely knit in a brooding yet elegant Gran Selezione that delivers the goods. Superb.”

 

 
 

 

Earlier this year Masters of Wine from around the world convened at VinExpo Paris to judge the best winemakers on the globe. With talent from every wine producing region in the world gathered in one spot, who would have guessed that a Napa winemaker would take the top honor? Well, when that winemaker is Christopher Carpenter of Cardinale, La Jota, Lokoya, and Mt Brave fame it should be no surprise at all!
 
Chris is a very busy man, yet he never sacrifices quality. How does he do it? Each of his wineries begins with fruit from the very best vineyards in Napa and a unique purpose. With Caladan, his most recent wine project, he is bringing a previously unseen level of excellence to Cabernet Franc, pulling grapes from Diamond Mountain, Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, and Spring Mountain. These four mountainous appellations help to create a level of purity and focus previously unseen in Napa Cabernet Franc.
 
We are proud to present this wine to you for the lowest price in the United States! Elsewhere this wine could cost you up to $225!
 
WAS $219
Caladan Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley, USA 2017 750ml $199 special, 12 bottles available
Lisa Perotti Brown-Wine Advocate 97 Points “Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cabernet Franc is a little closed to begin, slowly revealing redcurrant jelly, blackberry pie, boysenberries and mulberries with nuances of Ceylon tea, raspberry leaves, tilled soil, pencil shavings and underbrush. The palate is wonderfully elegant with a medium to full body and very fine-grained tannins supporting perfumed cherries and black berries layers, finishing long and energetic.”
Wine Enthusiast 96 Points “A top bottling of the variety, this small-production wine is structured and strong, opening reductively, with elements of tobacco leaf, oak and sage. The savory character persists in the form of leather and black pepper, allowing just a touch of sharp red fruit to enter and complement. This wine has further secrets to be revealed; enjoy best from 2027–2032.”