In This Newsletter:
Arriving Friday
White Walnut: It’s all about the Energy
New Arrivals
Kelley Fox, Nervi-Conterno, Domaine Champet, Cedric Bouchard, Louis Boillot, Telmo Rodriguez, and more!
Special Collector’s Pre-Arrival
The original Napa Cult Cab… landing soon at Vinopolis
Arriving Friday
White Walnut: It’s all about the Energy
New Arrivals
Kelley Fox, Nervi-Conterno, Domaine Champet, Cedric Bouchard, Louis Boillot, Telmo Rodriguez, and more!
Special Collector’s Pre-Arrival
The original Napa Cult Cab… landing soon at Vinopolis
Arriving Friday
Oregon
White Walnut Estate
It’s all about the energy.
When Chris Mazepink, former winemaker of local favorites Archery Summit, Shea Wine Cellars, and Benton Lane, first encountered the deserted, overgrown Walnut orchard that would soon become his estate, he could feel it was a special place… very good vibrations. Carefully clearing it of bracken by hand (but leaving the walnut trees untouched) he dedicated himself to a full biodynamic makeover and becoming a “conduit of the energies present in the vineyard” in his clonal selections and winemaking.
That energy translates to the glass, too! There is liveliness in these wines: the harmony of minerality and acidity plus a helping of uniquely savory and umami notes that stand them out in any line-up of Oregon wines.
White Walnut Estate Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2023 750ml $41.90 special, 24 bottles available
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 94-96 Points “A barrel sample, the 2023 Chardonnay Dundee Hills is impressively complete even at this early stage. It has pure aromas of poached pears, golden apples, chamomile, beeswax, marshmallow and cashews. The light-bodied palate pairs concentrated, savory flavors with vibrant acidity, and it has a hauntingly long, white blossom and honey-laced finish.”
White Walnut Estate Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2023 750ml $48 special, 12 bottles available
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 94-96 Points “A barrel sample, the 2023 Chardonnay Dundee Hills is impressively complete even at this early stage. It has pure aromas of poached pears, golden apples, chamomile, beeswax, marshmallow and cashews. The light-bodied palate pairs concentrated, savory flavors with vibrant acidity, and it has a hauntingly long, white blossom and honey-laced finish.”
France
hot deal! La Colline Aux Fossiles Chardonnay 2023 750ml $18 special, 36+ bottles available
Winery Note “For a while, we’ve partnered with Jean-Marc Lafage to make a Chardonnay from the coastal plain of the Roussillon, where the Mediterranean brings plenty of freshness to make a varietally pure and expressive style of wine. But that isn’t the only place where Chardonnay grows in the Roussillon. A little further inland and along the Têt river valley, Chardonnay thrives on deep red clay soils with gravels washed down from the surrounding mountains. This is a sterner terroir, warmer and drier than the vineyards near the sea. The wine from these vineyards never quite fit into our other Chardonnay bottling so we realized that this wine needed to be bottled on its own.”
Winery Note “For a while, we’ve partnered with Jean-Marc Lafage to make a Chardonnay from the coastal plain of the Roussillon, where the Mediterranean brings plenty of freshness to make a varietally pure and expressive style of wine. But that isn’t the only place where Chardonnay grows in the Roussillon. A little further inland and along the Têt river valley, Chardonnay thrives on deep red clay soils with gravels washed down from the surrounding mountains. This is a sterner terroir, warmer and drier than the vineyards near the sea. The wine from these vineyards never quite fit into our other Chardonnay bottling so we realized that this wine needed to be bottled on its own.”
New Arrivals
Italy
Nervi-Conterno
Roberto Conterno hard at play
“Roberto Conterno bought Nervi in 2018 and has since raised the bar considerably.” –Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
Founded in 1906, Nervi is the oldest winery in Gattinara, with holdings in many of region’s greatest crus, like Molsino. It is currently owned and operated by Roberto Conterno, heir to the legacy of Barolo greats Giovanni and Giacomo Conterno, his father and Grandfather respectively. However, he shoulders this heavy burden with aplomb… according to his own importer Polaner, Roberto is “the most annoying and perfectionist winemakers we have experienced,” who has “nonetheless taken the winery to even greater heights than his predecessors.”
Nervi Conterno Il Rosato 2023 750ml $28 special, 12 bottles available
VinopolNote “100% Nebbiolo… crisp and lively. Complex and worthy of the Conterno name.”
Nervi-Conterno Gattinara DOCG 2021 750ml $95 special, 6 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 91 Points “The 2021 Gattinara is brilliant and finely cut. In 2021, the Gattinara is a sinewy, tense wine with bright acids and nely sculpted fruit front and center. Sweet red berries, cedar, pipe tobacco and freshly cut owers all grace this expressive Gattinara from Conterno-Nervi. The ethereal finish is sublime.”
Nervi-Conterno Gattinara Vigna Molsino 2020 750ml $159 special, 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 93 Points “The 2021 Gattinara Molsino is dense, creamy and expansive. Dark toned fruit, leather and spice open first, followed by exotic floral overtones that build over time. There’s gorgeous density and resonance here, if not quite the dynamic, layered complexitiy of the very best vintages.”
Oregon
Winery Note “Beautiful pale lemon yellow in appearance, this Chardonnay is brilliant and transparent in the glass. The nose has hints of vanilla along with creamy tropical fruits, mixed citrus, and soft minerals. These delicious fruits are perfectly balanced by its fresh acidity. The mouth mirrors the nose, and the texture and finish are silky and pleasing. I hope you enjoy this Chardonnay as much as I do!”
Kelley Fox Chardonnay Willamette Valley 2023 750ml $26 special, 24 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 93+ Points “The 2023 Chardonnay Willamette Valley is more savory than sweet, with crushed almonds and yellow florals accentuating green apples. This is sweetly spiced with silken textures and ripe orchard fruits, all offset by a tinge of saline minerals and sour citrus. Depths of lemony concentration linger as this finishes with tremendous length. The 2023 is just a baby today and seems to evolve further with each tilt of the glass. This is fabulous.”
France
Domaine Champet
“The Champet estate was started when grandfather, Emile Champet, purchased two small parcels in 1935. Today, the domain is famed as perhaps the champion of the great La Viallière cru in Vérenay, at Côte Rôtie’s northern edge. They are equally revered as stewards of Côte Rôtie’s classical winemaking style. The brothers tend their vines sustainably, and use no artificial fertilizers or herbicides in the vineyards. They leave a cover crop each year to maintain soil freshness and biodiversity.” –Rare Wine Co.
Domaine Champet Cote Rotie La Vialliere 2023 750ml $74.50 special, 6 bottles available
(Not yet reviewed, 2020 review provided)
Vinous 95 Points “Glistening ruby. A highly perfumed nose evokes an array of fresh, mineral-accented red and dark fruits, exotic spices and pungent flowers, along with suggestions of olive and incense. Offers palate-staining and energetic cherry, cassis and floral pastille flavors that show superb energy and a smoky mineral quality that builds with air. Finishes on a youthfully tannic note, with lingering sweetness, spice and dark berry notes.”
Importer’s Note “Only estate grapes from La Viallière are used. Average vine age is 40-50 years, though some dated to the 1930s. Up to 5% Viognier can be included in the f inal blend. Whole bunches are fermented for ~1 week and then macerate for an additional 15-20 days with the cap submerged by nets. The wine is moved to a mix of foudre, piéces, and 228l barrels for malolactic fermentation and a year of aging. Anywhere from 0% to 15% can be new wood, depending on vintage volume. ~2,000 cases”
Cedric Bouchard
“Of course, if Bouchard is the leading producer of the Côte des Bar, he also doesn’t really “belong” here, or anywhere: he’s simply making his wines, his way, with vineyards that, 20 years ago, no one had heard of; and surely the region’s comparative obscurity, and thus the absence of expectations, contributed to the creative freedom that’s essential to his way of working.” –William Kelley, Wine Advocate
Bouchard Roses De Jeanne Le Creux D’enfer Rose 2020 750ml $699 special, 1 bottle available
(Not reviewed yet, 2018 review provided for reference)
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 97 Points “The fruit of a 24-hour maceration, the 2018 Rosé de Saignée Le Creux d’Enfer bursts with notions of cherries, blood orange, potpourri, licorice and spices. Full-bodied, broad and fleshy, it’s layered and textural, with an enveloping core of fruit, a pillowy mousse and a long, exotically spiced finish.”
Louis Boillot
“The wines that Louis made—and Clément now makes—from his priceless old vines remind us of what Burgundy used to be: gentle, subtle, pure, precise, and highly nuanced; their complexity and sensuality growing with age. And, starting in 2014, Louis and Clément brought their patient, balanced approach to the Beaujolais region. Eschewing flash or dazzle, Clément aims to slowly refine the wines and traditions of these terroirs just as his father did in Burgundy over the preceding 20 years.” -Rare Wine Co, Importer
Louis Boillot Beaune Les Epenotes 2022 750ml $59 special, 6 bottles available
Neal Martin-Vinous “The 2022 Beaune Les Epenotes 1er Cru has a pretty nose that might miss a little complexity and nuance, but it displays pure red fruit and an attractive floral scent. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip. It is rounded in texture with fine balance, even if the end lacks some mineralité and nuance.”
Louis Boillot Gevrey-Chambertin Champonnets 2022 750ml $149 special, 3 bottle available
Neal Martin-Vinous 91-93 Points “The 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin Champonnets 1er Cru has much more fruit intensity than the Evocelles: Morello cherries, wild strawberries and touches of rooibos. Lovely. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled tannins. Elegant and tensile. A heartwarming sense of sapidity and sensuality on the finish draws you back for another sip. This is very promising.”
Louis Boillot Volnay Les Angles 2022 750ml $99 special, 15 bottles available
Neal Martin-Vinous “The 2022 Volnay Les Angles 1er Cru, the first fruit to be picked as usual, is well-defined on the nose: red berry fruit and crushed limestone scents, a less exotic style than before. The palate is well-balanced with succulent black fruit, black pepper and a touch of marmalade. With fine length on the finish, this is far improved on the 2021.”
Louis Boillot Volnay Les Grands Poisots 2022 750ml $71.90 special, 9 bottles available
Neal Martin-Vinous 90-92 Points “The 2022 Volnay Les Grands Poisots is now the last parcel to be picked to avoid rusticity. It has dark berry fruit on the nose, pastilles-like but with tertiary notes bubbling up with time. The palate is medium-bodied with blackberry, redcurrant and brown spices. With fine depth, taut and fresh on the finish, this is a definite improvement from last year’s wine.”
Spain
Telmo Rodriguez Pegaso Granito 2018 750ml $54.50 special, 18 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 95 Points “It’s always interesting to compare the 2018 Pegaso Granito from the one produced with grapes from schist-rich soils, especially when they are from one of the finest vintages in Gredos in recent times. It fermented in stainless steel and oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in 500- and 600-liter French oak barrels for 18 months. This has very good ripeness but without excess and is a little closed and austere. It has the cold sensation of the granite. It’s very balanced and should develop nicely in bottle. This is one step up from the previous years. 3,872 bottles were filled in July 2020.”
Telmo Rodriguez Pegaso Granito 2019 750ml $64.50 special, 12 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2019 Pegaso Granito ripened thoroughly and has 15% alcohol, a little higher than the Pegaso Pizarra from slate soils, but keeping a low pH of 3.35. The grapes from the vines at 800 meters in altitude fermented in stainless steel and oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in 500- and 600-liter French oak barrels for 18 months. It feels like this wine behaves better in less warm years, when it ripens slowly. This is tasty and effervescent, with grainy granite tannins. 2,693 bottles were filled in July 2021.”
Arriving Next Week…
The Eagle is Landing!
The Eagle is Landing!
California
The original cult Napa winery, Screaming Eagle’s quality was already a poorly kept secret among oenophiles before a perfect 100 point review by Robert Parker launched its reputation into the stratosphere!
Screaming Eagle Cabernet 2022 750ml $2,199 special, 3 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 95-97 Points “While I wasn’t able to taste the 2021s, the 2022s from Screaming Eagle are undeniable successes. Tasted from multiple barrels, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon has medium to full-bodied, richness, beautiful purity of fruit and ripe, building tannins, as well as a good spine of acidity. This estate did an incredible selection, and it certainly shows in all the samples I was able to taste.”
This is the lowest listed price in the United States
Average price is 2,491
Average price is 2,491
…and if you just can’t wait for their legendary Cabernet to land, we have several bottles of their Bordeaux blend in stock today:
Screaming Eagle The Flight 2019 750ml $999 special, 3 bottles available
James Suckling 99 Points “Extremely floral and aromatic with violets and lavender throughout. Black olives, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, very fine-grained tannins that run the length of the wine. Goes on for minutes. A greenish undertone comes out at the end with some spearmint, green tea and green olive. About two-thirds merlot. Best after 2028, but already stunning.”
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 97 Points “The 2019 The Flight, the estate’s Merlot-based wine, is dark, powerful and brooding in demeanor, almost shockingly so. The natural concentration of a year with low yields and small berries is very much in evidence. A rush of black cherry, plum, graphite, lavender and blue/purplish fruit builds as this virile, explosive wine shows off its arresting beauty. In a word: impressive.”
Screaming Eagle The Flight 2020 750ml $919 special, 5 bottles available
James Suckling 98 Points “Aromas of blackberries, red and black currants. Green olives, too. Dark roses and perfume. Medium-bodied with super crunchy energy and brightness. Very fine tannins. Elegant and precise. So subtle and complex, it’s really something. A blend of 64% merlot and 36% cabernet sauvignon. Needs four to five years to open and come together.”