Vinopolis 2-7-25

 

 
 

 

Weingut Fidesser
 

“Siblings Rudi and Sophie Fidesser come from 700 years of winemaking in Platt, a tiny village in the Weinviertel, just a stone’s throw from the Czechia border, surrounded by hundreds of hectares of farmland. Weinviertel is Austria’s biggest growing region and over half of the Grüner Veltliner grown in Austria is planted here. It’s bordered by the more famous regions of Lower Austria (Wachau, Kamptal, Kremstal) in the south, Czechia and Slovakia to the north and east respectively, and the Waldviertel (cooling forests) to the west.
 
“Rudi and Sophie’s parents grew up in farming and winemaking and were the first to become certified organic in 1993. They have a modest 18 hectares planted to vines and another 90 for grains and open farmland, and after many years of working their land organically, they converted fully to biodynamics in 2014. While they don’t raise any cattle on their farm, they do trade grains with a neighbor in exchange for cow manure for the vines. They also sell grains to winemaking friends who happen to brew beer, trying to keep a little bit of their good work within their wine community” -Delicious Wines, Importer

Fidesser ‘Platter’ Gruner Veltliner, Weinviertel DAC 2022 750ml $18 special, 12 bottles available
Fidesser Platter Zweigelt, Niederosterreich, Austria 2022 750ml $18 special, 12 bottles available
 
 
Germany
 

 
The first time I told my Aunt and Uncle, both longtime wine drinkers, about an Orange wine that I had recently enjoyed, they responded with equal parts curiosity and horror, “What kind of oranges do they use to make wine?”
 
While Orange wines represent an ancient form of winemaking (at least 5,000 years in Georgia, where they are known as “Amber wines”) they have lagged behind other styles in terms of recognition until recently.
 
With a mix of floral and fruit flavors, coupled with bristling acidity, this wine is a perfect introduction for people new to the style.
 
Muller Ruprecht Orange, Pfalz 2024 750ml $18 special, 24 bottles available
Importer Notes “The Orange in 2023 is Huxelrebe, Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay with 10 days contact with the skins, aged in large used wooden barrel. No Filtration or fining–it is intentially cloudy with yeast which gives a little texture to the very low alcohol wines (just 10.5%!).”
 

 
Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2023 750ml $119 special, 6 bottles available
Stuart Piggott- JamesSuckling.com 98 Points “The gigantic smoky and crushed rock nose of this astonishing dry riesling is an announcement of intent and determination. Incredibly complex candied and fresh citrus fruit slowly emerges from within this masterpiece, but the whole composition never changes its fundamental shape or direction. Either you’re strong enough for this radical wine, or it’s stronger than you. Drink from release.”
 
Emrich-Schonleber Fruhtau Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2023 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles available
Stuart Piggott- JamesSuckling.com 94 Points “Complex and expressive, but also packed with a wide spectrum of citrus fruit and just a touch of papayas. This emphatically dry Nahe riesling is concentrated and focused, with terrific stony and dried herb complexity in the long, compact finish. Drink or hold.”
 
Emrich-Schonleber Halgans Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2023 750ml $49.95 special, 12 bottles available
Stuart Piggott- JamesSuckling.com  95 Points “Fabulous interplay of refined peachy fruit and racy acidity. Compact, concentrated and extremely minerally on the medium-bodied palate, the wine expanding as it shoots over your palate with the brightness of a lightning strike. Drink or hold.”
 
Emrich-Schonleber Neiderberg Riesling Kabinett, Nahe 2023 750ml $44.50 special, 12 bottles available
Stuart Piggott- JamesSuckling.com 95 Points “The aroma of this wine is like a beautifully ripe white peach, but its freshness is closer to that of an Amalfi lemon. Very crystalline and pure, with terrific mineral acidity that drives it over the medium-bodied palate at a very brisk clip. I love the zestiness and succulence at the bold and subtle finish. Drink or hold.“
 
Emrich-Schonleber Estate Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2023 750ml $28 special, 12 bottles available
Stuart Piggott- JamesSuckling.com 92 Points “Still very youthful with plenty of leesy character and a touch of flint, this is very mineral for an entry-level dry riesling. A wide spectrum of red-apple, white-peach and mandarin-orange aromas on the sleek, medium-bodied palate. With aeration some floral nuances develop. Long, focused, stony finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.”
 

 
Very rare! Donnhoff extends the same level of excellence to their sparkling wines as their still Rieslings, making this an incomparable, stand-out. We get so little of this wonderful wine each year and it’s a steal for the price.
 Staff Pick  Donnhoff Riesling Sekt Brut, Nahe 2019 750ml $59 special, 6 bottles available
 

This is the only listing in the USA!

 
Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2023 750ml $39 special, 24 bottles available
James Suckling 96 Points “Very juicy and very animating, this is a beautiful riesling Spätlese that’s light years removed from the cliches for this category. I love the delicacy of this very concentrated, yet light-footed wine that delights and fascinates as it dances its way over your palate and off into the distance. Drink or hold.”
 
Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2023 1.5L $145 special, 3 magnums available
Anne Krebiehl MW-Vinous 97 Points “The 2023 Riesling Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Spätlese, grown on shale, has equal notions of moss and lemon. More air makes this smell simply of wet stone. The palate carries gentle sweetness but is absolutely precise and slender. Citrus frames everything with the clearest precision. Everything is serene, zesty, tender, yet so very serious. The 2023 is glorious in its lightness and disarming in its elegance. (Sweet) (Drink between 2034-2070).”
 
Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Nahe 2023 750ml $69 special, 6 half-bottles available
Anne Krebiehl MW-Vinous 96 Points “The 2023 Riesling Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Auslese was selected at the same time as the Spätlese. Dönnhoff says that for him, Auslese is merely a more concentrated Spätlese. He notes that passerillage also plays a part here. Slight smoke and Reine Claude plum compote on the nose continue straight to the palate, edged with beautiful lemon brightness. The 2023 shows gorgeous depth, deep lemon and gentle sweetness. A touch of herbal tisane adds a minty edge, exquisitely light, precise and sweet. This wine is a paradigm of lightness and elegance. (Sweet).”
 
 
France
 

 
Thanks to its unique history (aka being handed back and forth from Germany to France no less than 4 times in under a hundred years) Alsace has always been trapped between two styles.
 
Since 2005 when she took over daily operations of her family’s winery, Agathe Bursin has brought a Burgundian level of finesse and precision to the 5.5 Hectare estate. Westhalten, in the south of Alsace is home to such Grand Cru vineyards as Zinnkoepflé, where “the terroir markers are peonies, verbena and menthols as well as liquorice. The wines have a natural vanilla-hint and present a slightly smoky, salty and progressively delectable side” according to Vinsalsace.com.
 
These are balanced vivacious wines with excellent lift and fantastic length. When exploring her wines, think of the fullness and richness of varietals like Riesling and Pinot Blanc paired with the elegance of Burgundy.
 
Agathe Bursin Pinot Blanc Parad’Aux, Alsace 2022 750ml $26 special, 12 bottles available
Anne Krebiel- Vinous “The 2022 Pinot Blanc Parad-Aux is half Pinot Blanc, half Auxerrois, from two parcels on calcareous marl, harvested on the same day, co-pressed and cofermented. The nose smells of damp earth and opens into gently ripe Reine Claude plum fruit on the palate. This is light, rounded, smooth, and dry.”
 
Agathe Bursin Riesling Bollenberg, Alsace 2023 750ml $28 special, 12 bottles available
(not reviewed yet, 2022 vintage review provided for reference)
Anne Krebiel- Vinous “The 2022 Riesling Bollenberg is from parcels that face east on Jurassic oolitic limestone. Crushed lemon balm and spruce needles rise from the glass before chalk and apple appear. The palate is light-footed, bright, almost skipping along with freshness, highlighted with the scent of balm and spruce. The finish is clean-cut, chalky and bright with just a touch of yogurt. (Bone-Dry)”
 
Agathe Bursin Riesling Zinnkoepfle, Alsace Grand Cru 2023 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles available
(not reviewed yet, 2022 vintage review provided for reference)
Anne Krebiel- Vinous “The 2022 Riesling Zinnkoepe Grand Cru opens with a tender scent that unites petrichor and iron oxide. The palate is light, dancing on tip-toe along lemon juice and zest, bathing everything with exquisite limestone coolness in this hot year. There is ripe Mirabelle fruit at the core but enclosed in total freshness for now. Wait for it to appear. What a cool, poised wine, so translucent, fresh and stony. This sings with coolness and freshness. (BoneDry)”
 

 
Pascal Doquet ‘Arpege’ Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ml $66 special, 5 bottles available
Kristaps Karklins-Wine Advocate 91 Points “Disgorged in December 2023 without dosage, Doquet’s NV Blanc de Blancs Arpège untites the flesh and texture of the clayey sites in Vertus with the mineral profile of Le Mont-Aimé and Villeneuve. With two-thirds of reserve wines dating back to 2012 and the remaining 33% from the 2019 vintage, it soars from the glass with scents of jasmine, grapefruit, nectarine and plums. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with a compact and taut profile, elegant mousse, incisive acidity and a long, penetrating finish. Vinified in used oak barrels (one-third) and enameled steel. It’s the most chiseled of the three non-vintage blends.”
Importer’s Notes “The Chardonnay for Arpège comes from Vertus, Villeneuve and Mont Aimé—the grapes that are not in the Coeur de Terroir series. There is substantial reserve wine in the blend, preserved in enamel tanks to maintain freshness. Aromas of spice, black tea and pear dominate the flinty-silex soils from the Mont Aimé and lend smokiness and depth to the structure.”
 
 
Italy
 
Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2019 750ml $119 special, 11 bottles available
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 97 Points “Alessandro Mori’s wines are easy to spot in a blind tasting thanks to the soaring intensity and vibrant Sangiovese aromas they display. They are truly one of a kind. A wine that sees a relatively short and hot fermentation, the Il Marroneto 2019 Brunello di Montalcino respects local winemaking tradition and remains true in spirit. The steep verticality of the bouquet evokes almost-carbonic or lifted aromas of bright cherry, strawberry shortcake, lilac and heritage rose. You get straight to the heart of Sangiovese. The tannins are extremely fine and powdery and the freshness of the fruit is beautifully intact. This wine really pops in 2019. Drink: 2025-2048.”
Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points “The bright ruby 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is another stunning 2019 on the nose, with bright, intense aromatics of rosewater, redcurrants, wild Mediterranean herbs, macchia, incense, anise, potpourri – it’s so distinctive yet always moving in the glass. Medium-bodied, with beautiful purity, it has ripe, fine tannins, is long on the palate for days, and has a weightless feel. This impeccable wine is phenomenal now, but it’s only going to improve over the coming 15-20 years. Drink: 2024-2044.”
 

 

 
Arnaud Lambert ‘Breze’ Saumur Rouge Clos Mazurique, Loire 2022 750ml $21.90 special, 24 bottles available
Importer Note “There are few wines in the world that carry this level of class, sophistication and low price. Straight out of the gates this Cabernet Franc overflows with perfumes of red and dark cherry, persian mulberry, persimmon, mandarin orange, strongly-scented red and white flowers, gravel, wet forest and minerals. Yes, this little guy is extremely complex!”
 
Lambert Chateau De Breze Cremant Rose, Loire  NV 750ml $21.90 special, 26 bottles available
Winery Note “100% Cabernet Franc.”
Becky Wasserman Note “Vine Age: Planted in 1981. Terroir: Lower part of the Clos du Midi, silty sand soil on 1 meter of soft Turonian limestone bedrock. Viticulture: Organic (certified). Vinification: Indigenous yeast fermentation, traditional Champagne method. Aged for 24 months.”

 

The Rhône to Perfection
 
Southern Rhône Edition

 
Saint Cosme Gigondas Hominis Fides Rouge 2020 750ml $128 special, 7 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 97-100 Points “At the moment, the 2020 Gigondas Hominis Fides looks to be the standout of the three single vineyards, although all three are beautiful wines in the making. It certainly offers the most power and concentration, with lots of ground pepper, Provençal garrigue, violets, and loamy soils notes, as well as a darker cassis and berry-driven core of fruit. It builds beautifully on the palate, with ample structure, incredible balance, and a great, great finish.”
 
Pegau Chateauneuf De Pape Cuvee Reservee 2021 750ml $79 special, 10 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.”
 
Raymond Usseglio Chateauneuf Du Pape Imperiale 2020 750ml $69 special, 10 bottles available
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 96-98 Points “Tasted from the concrete tank, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Imperiale is reassuringly on form, with intricate herbal nuances overlaid on ripe purple raspberries and black cherries. Full-bodied, silky and plush, with soft tannins cushioning the lengthy finish, this should be a real beauty to enjoy over the course of two decades.”
 
Grand Veneur Chateauneuf Vieilles Vignes 2017 750ml $75 special, 12 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 97+ Points “The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is a bigger, richer, more opulent wine. Beautiful notes of blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, and crushed violets, all flow to a full-bodied, Châteauneuf Du Pape that has a voluptuous, sexy texture, brilliant depth of fruit, fine tannins, and a purity of fruit that’s hard to find in this vintage. It’s a thrill a minute, and while it’s approachable today, it will keep for 15-20 years.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 97 Points “Another fine showing, from a wine that has seemingly yet to go through a closed phase, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes—45% each Grenache and Mourvèdre, plus 10% Syrah—exudes scents of chocolate, mocha and dark fruit. Full-bodied, concentrated and velvety in the mouth, it’s nonetheless deceptively easy to drink, finishing long and mouthwatering.”
 
Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf Du Pape 2021 750ml $95 special, 17 bottles available
Decanter 96 Points “A deep, quite herbal expression, with liquorice and crushed blueberries to the cassis fruit. Full-bodied, powerfully fruited, dense and deep. Really mouthcoating, intense fruit. The tannins are ripe, fine and plentiful, all saturated in blackberry juice on a long finish. Certainly one of the more successful Châteauneufs this year. Will age well. A Mourvèdre-led expression of Beaucastel – it contains more than usual, at least 35% and probably more. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudre.”