Vinopolis Newsletter 1-17-25

 
 

 

“Here is one of the hidden gems among La Morra Barolo producers. Nicola Oberto, an energetic, affable vintner, manages this winery, situated on the road amidst the Rocche dell’Annunizata and Torriglione vineyards in Annunziata […] If you want a clear representation of what a Rocche dell’Annunziata Barolo is all about, the offering from Trediberri is a wine you need to seek out.” -Tom Hyland, Forbes
 
Rare Wine Co. “Berri, is the westernmost MGA in the entire Barolo appellation, and the soils are younger than those in La Morra’s better-known eastern crus. Here, the limestone bedrock is punctuated by outcroppings of sandstone, and the resulting soils have lots of pebbles mixed into the heavy clay. The trio replanted their 5ha parcel in 2007 and began vinifying its grapes with the 2010 vintage.”

Trediberri Barolo Berri 2020 750ml $59 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 97 Points “This wine opens with aromas of dark cherries, as if they’ve been gently stewed in their own juice. This fruit core is subtly warmed by an infusion of mixed spices and the delicate astringency of tea leaves. Wildflowers weave through the profile, introducing a sweet, spicy floral aspect. The tannins are fine and well-integrated, providing structure without overwhelming the palate. Drink 2025 – 2045.”
Vinous 96 Points “Nicola and Stefania Oberto may very well put Berri on the map with their 2020 Barolo Berri. What a wine a deep, soaring and wonderfully expressive, the 2020 is stunning in its beauty. Dark red/purplish fruit, orange peel, cinnamon, rose petal and lavender are all amplied in a vertical, soaring Barolo of magnicent intensity. Silky, polished tannins round things out in style. The 2020 is pure and sensual to the core – a total pleasure bomb.”

 

Oregon
 

 
Kelley Fox Durant Vineyard Chardonnay 2023 750ml $39 special, 36 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2023 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard Lark Block, matured in concrete amphorae, is pure, energetic and reminiscent of Chablis. It has pure aromas of yellow apples, quince, toasted brioche, saline and seashell. The light-bodied palate is electric, the faintest kiss of texture drawing out its salty flavors, and it has a very long, nuanced finish. 551 cases were made.”
 
 
Italy
 

 
Terre Nere Bianco Superiore Salice 2023 750ml $46.50 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “This super white is really focused, featuring a linear line of salty fruit with apple and lime undertones. Full but tight, it has great length and presence. Drink now or hold.”
 
Terre Nere Etna Bianco Calderara Sottana 2023 750ml $54.50 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 97 Points “The phenolic tension and focus spreads on and on across the integrated palate. Medium- to full-bodied, this is flavorful with sliced apples and light pie-crust. Fermented and aged in a 10-hectoliter cask. Great finish. Drink or hold.”
 
Terre Nere Bianco Contrada Montalto 2023 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 96 Points “Limes, lemons and grapefruit with white flowers. Medium- to full-bodied, this has a solid core of fruit, a mineral intensity and a tight, integrated mouthfeel. Long and flavorful. The high-altitude vineyard stands at 950 meters. Drink now.”
 
Terre Nere Bianco Santo Spirito 2023 750ml $46.50 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 95 Points “This has beautiful freshness and honey character with sliced apples and pears as well as lemons and honey. Medium- to full-bodied, it has depth of fruit, minerals and a long finish with cement undertones. Drink or hold.”
 

 
Castello di Volpaia Citto Rosso Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy 2021 750ml $18 special, 24 bottles available
Importer’s Note “In the Tuscan dialect Citto means “young boy.” As from the land in comes from Citto is the young boy of Volpaia. As in the French tradition of the great Bordeaux Chateaux Chateau Mouton Rotschild has Mouton Cadet and Chateau Cheval Blanc has Petit Cheval, the same way Castello di Volpaia has his Citto. Citto is made from a selection of the best grapes from vineyards in the Chianti Classico and Maremma areas. Vivid ruby color. Generous and silky wine with fruity aroma and intense berry taste.”
 
 
Hungary
 
Royal Tokaji Dry Furmint, Tokaj, Hungary 2019 750ml $16 special, 25 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 91 Points “This medium straw-colored wine has aromas of lemon curd and gooseberry. It is well balanced in the mid-palate with flavors of lemon curd and bright lemon pith. It has nice minerality and a crisp finish.”
 
 
France
 
Arnaud Lambert Breze Clos David Saumur Blanc 2021 750ml $41.90 special, 20 bottles available
Importer’s Note “The wine starts out aromatically expressing the magic that limestone seems to impart to its wines. Pure and striking fruits, like sweet lime, meyer lemon with lemon curd, exotic spice and flint dart out of the glass and into the nose. If you can manage to keep it in the glass for a couple of hours of slow observation and drinking, the wine will take you on a rollercoaster of highs that seem only to climber higher with every passing minute. Acidity? More than you can imagine but somehow it presents itself gently on the finish after a somewhat overwhelming initial attack from the first sip.”
 
Arnaud Lambert Breze Clos Tue-Loup Saumur Rouge 2021 750ml $34 special, 12 bottles available
With proper aeration this wine will overflow with high-toned, fresh red and black fruits, followed with rich, red flowers and softer notes of black earth, gravel, meat and iodine. It’s raised in old oak barrels to keep the savory earth and pure fruit notes fully intact. During fermentation, it was extracted a mere three times, a strong move to further encourage the purity and precision of the wine. In typical Brézé fashion, the acidity reigns over the tannic structure. Indeed, the tannins are present but they are smoothly polished and serve as a supporting role for the wine’s striking and refined acidity. Clos du Tue-Loup lands squarely in the ethereal department of Cabernet Franc, and while there are many examples of this grape that try to make up for their lack of noble terroir, Arnaud works to let Brézé do most of the speaking for the wine.

 

 
 

 

If Mourvèdre is outlawed, only outlaws will drink Mourvèdre.
 
Well. This wine is produced from 100% Mourvèdre in a region of the Languedoc that does not allow the growing of Mourvèdre. So the winery went underground, bottling this wine as a “Pays d’Oc.”
 
Olivier Coste Mourvedre ‘Illegal’ 2023 750ml $16.50 special, 24 bottles available

 

 
 

 
You know them as soon as you see them… dark, sturdy bottles with rugged white text. Like their bottle design, Kopke’s wines are a perfect marriage of elegance and power that that have made Kopke’s wines so timeless and age-worthy.
 
When you purchase a bottle of Kopke you can be sure that it will be worth it— no matter its age. We are proud to offer a wide range of vintages and styles from Kopke.
 
Is tonight the night you bring home a wine that’s 68 years young?
 
Kopke 30 Year Tawny 750ml $119 special, 4 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 Points “A very inviting, open style, with butterscotch and caramel notes framing the core of glazed pear, caramelized peach, golden raisin and warm fig flavors. The lush finish lets crème brûlée and ginger cream details hang, showing a flash of honeysuckle for lift. Drink now. 200 cases imported.”
 
Kopke 50 Year White Port 375ml $79 special, 4 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 Points “A very inviting, open style, with butterscotch and caramel notes framing the core of glazed pear, caramelized peach, golden raisin and warm fig flavors. The lush finish lets crème brûlée and ginger cream details hang, showing a flash of honeysuckle for lift. Drink now. 200 cases imported.”
 
Kopke Colheita Tawny 1957 750ml $489 special, 5 bottles available
Harriet Kininmonth-Iwsc 98 Points “Still showing elegance and incredible complexity when considering the age. Soft and mellow, loaded with ripe soft stone fruit. Harmonious yet still has austere delights to savour. Still has development to come.”
 
Kopke Colheita Tawny 1967 750ml $249 special, 3 bottles available
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 95 Points “The 1967 Colheita Tawny Port comes in with 142 grams per liter of residual sugar. This is a nice step up compared to the younger parts of the lineup, elegant and focused, with a precise finish, a fresh feel, little discernible brandy and a long, long finish. The classic old tawny flavors of molasses and caramel wash over the palate. This isn’t big and thick, but some may very well prefer its elegant and brighter feel. In many ways, it is fresher than the 1981 or 1999 reviewed this issue, and it is better balanced than the 1937. It is very pretty.”
 
Kopke Vintage Port 2016 750ml $89 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 96 Points “This is a luscious wine, with tannins that are cushioned by the ripe plum and prune fruits. That doesn’t mean it is likely to develop too quickly, but is ready to take its time, bringing out the opulent character of the wine as well as its structure. Drink from 2028.”