Monday Newsletter 12-22

Jump Start Sale
Available Here Now

Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label NV 375ML ($31.95) $27 special
Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label NV 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label NV 1.5 LITER ($149.95) $119 special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 90 points “Light gold.  Musky orchard fruits and dried fig on the mineral-accented nose.  Fleshy and broad on the palate, offering smoky pear and nectarine flavors and a hint of honey.  Finishes on a gently spicy note, with very good cling and a touch of bitter lemon pith.  Things have definitely begun to turn around for this bottling, which had been lagging behind the winery’s vintage offerings for some time.”

OREGON
J Christopher Cuvee Lunatique Chardonnay Willamette Valley 2013 750ML($19.95) $16.60 special
J Christopher Cristo Misto White Wine 2013 750ml ($16.95) $11.90 special
J Christopher Lia’s Vineyard Chardonnay Chehalem Mountains 2011 750ML ($34.95) $29 special

J Christopher Pinot Noir Nuages Chehalem Mountains 2012 750ml($39.95) $33 special
J Christopher Olenik Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains 2012 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special

J Christopher Sandra Adele Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 2012 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special
Wine Spectator 93 points “Sleek and polished, this is generous, with cherry, mocha, mint and floral flavors on a supple frame, lingering easily against deftly woven acidity and texture. Best from 2016 through 2022.”

Cameron Clos Electrique Blanc Chardonnay 2012 ($69.95) $66 special
Cameron Nebbiolo 2009 750ml ($79.95) $69 special
Cameron Pinot Noir Arley’s Leap 2012 750ML ($49.95) $39 special

Haden Fig Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2013 375ML ($14.95) $11.90 special

Evesham Wood Le Puits Sec Pinot Noir 2012 1.5LITER ($89.95) $79 special

Belle Pente Belle Pente Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 375ML ($21.95) $17.70 special
Belle Pente Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2011 1.5LITER ($99.95) $89 special

Atticus Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton 2012 750ML ($29.95) $24 special

WASHINGTON
Force Majeure Syrah Collaboration III 2010 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Wine Advocate 97 points “The Collaboration III is made by Mike MacMorran and is 100% Syrah from the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard on Red Mountain. The 2010 Syrah Collaboration Series III is incredible. Aged 20 months in 33% new Burgundy barrels prior to bottling, it gives up totally gorgeous notes of ripe black fruits, smoked earth, crushed rock and bacon fat. Hitting the palate with a full-bodied, elegant and seamless profile, it continues to build in the glass, showing sweet tannin, incredible purity and blockbuster length. It’s the most masculine and mineral-driven in style of the three vintages of the cuvee reviewed here.”

Soos Creek Wine Cellars Artist Series Red Blend, Columbia Valley 2011 (34.95) $24.50 special
Stephen Tanzer 92 points –Vinous “(a 53/47 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc): Bright, dark red. Inviting, perfumed aromas of raspberry, currant, cocoa powder and licorice, lifted by an enticing floral element. Densely packed and broad but light on its feet, offering a fine-grained texture to its sweet berry and aromatic spice flavors. With the energy that comes from a cool year, this wine comes across as voluminous but not at all thick. And with its solid tannic clout and excellent rising length, it has the balance to evolve gracefully in bottle.”

Soos Creek Wine Cellars Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red, Red Mountain 2011 ($39.95) $28 special
Stephen Tanzer 93+ points –Vinous “(42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc): Bright, saturated medium ruby. Brooding, youthfully medicinal aromas of blackberry, licorice and flint, smoky minerals. Dense, sappy and powerful, boasting terrific concentration and grip to its high-pitched flavors of blackberry, blueberry, spices and mint. Terrific texture and depth here but this tightly coiled wine is painfully young today and in need of six to eight years of cellaring. Finishes with a strong tannic spine and urgent cherry and spice intensity. This beauty strikes me as even stronger than the superb 2010 bottling.”
Vinopolnotes– This is the lowest listed price in the USA! The average listed price is $34 / bottle.

Soos Creek Wine Cellars Palisade, Columbia Valley 2011 ($29.95) $24 special
Stephen Tanzer 91 points –Vinous “(an 82/18 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon): Bright, dark red. Subdued but pure aromas of dark raspberry, dark chocolate, musky spices and earth. At once broad and juicy, offering savory currant and dark raspberry fruit flavors complicated by licorice and smoky soil nuances. Nicely concentrated wine with a restrained sweetness. Finishes with tongue-dusting, essentially supple tannins.”
Vinopolnotes– This is the lowest listed price in the USA!

Soos Creek Wine Cellars Soleil Red, Columbia Valley 2011 ($29.95) $21.90 special
Stephen Tanzer 90+ points –Vinous “(55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 10% Syrah): Bright, saturated ruby-red. Brooding aromas of dark berries, licorice and violet, accented by black pepper and herbs. Densely packed and classically dry, with a fine-grained texture to the flavors of blackberry, cassis, violet, black pepper and minerals. Finishes with a firm spine of dusty, fine tannins and very good length.”
Vinopolnotes– This is the lowest listed price in the USA! The average listed price is $30 / bottle.

Soos Creek Wine Cellars Sundance Red, Columbia Valley 2011 ($24.95) $18 special
Stephen Tanzer 88 points –Vinous “(38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 15% Syrah and 13% Cabernet Franc): Dark red. Aromas of dark cherry, brown spices and celery seed, plus a lively suggestion of rose petal. A juicy, slightly peppery midweight with a cool-vintage character to its red fruit and spice flavors. On the lean side but nicely aromatic in the mouth, although the nose seemed to shut down in the glass. I’d enjoy this over the next three or four years.”

CALIFORNIA
Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2012 750ml ($59.95) $49 special
Antonio Galloni 88-90 points “Hall’s 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is laced with attractive plum, mocha, licorice, spices and menthol notes. This juicy, highly expressive Cabernet Sauvignon is shaping up beautifully. It should drink well pretty much upon release.”

Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Cabernet 2012 750ML ($249.95) $179 special
Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet 2012 750ml ($249.95) $189 special
Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet 2012 750ML ($249.95) $189 special
Vinopolnotes- All of the Diamond Creek wines are offered here at the lowest listed price in the USA!

FRANCE-CHAMPAGNE
Savart L’Accomplie Brut NV 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special
Savart L’Ouverture Blanc De Noir Brut NV 750ML ($49.95) $37 special
Vinopolnotes- Both Savart wines are offered here at the lowest listed price in the USA!

Dom Perignon Rose Brut 2003 750ML ($349.95) $219 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts in this harmonious version. A delicate bead caresses the mouth, while flavors of currant pâte de fruit, dried apricot, pastry and pickled ginger expand on the palate. Subtly floral, with a fine frame of acidity driving this to the mouthwatering finish of smoky mineral and dried fruit. Drink now through 2030.”
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2003 Dom Pérignon Rosé is another wine that has come together quite nicely over the last few months. Given the exuberance and sheer vinosity of the 2000 and the 2002, along with the ripeness of the year, and the heft of the 2003 Blanc, I expected the 2003 Rosé to be a much bigger wine. Instead, it is surprisingly delicate and medium in body. Dried flowers, crushed raspberries and sweet herbs waft from the glass in a Rosé that is all about sensuality. With time in the glass, the richness of the fruit becomes more pronounced, while the tannin from the red grapes is also noticeable.”
Vinopolnotes– This is the lowest listed price in the USA! The average listed price is over 40% higher at $320 / bottle.

Pierre Peters Cuvee Speciale Les Chetillons 2007 750ML ($149.95) $129 special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “What a pleasure it is to taste the 2007 Cuvée Spéciale Les Chétillons. An absolutely impeccable Champagne, the 2007 is gorgeous today. Crushed flowers, sage, almonds, lemon peel and ripe, juicy pears inform the supple, resonant finish. In 2007, the Chétillons is a model of grace and finesse. This is the first vintage Rodolphe Péters made from start to finish, and he nailed it.”

Gaston Chiquet Blanc De Blancs d’Ay Brut NV 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Pale straw.  High-pitched aromas of lime and lemongrass, with chalky mineral and floral notes adding complexity.  Taut, incisive citrus fruit and mineral flavors show impressive clarity and pick up notes of green apple and honeysuckle with air.  Clean and nervy on the mineral-driven finish.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “A chalky version, with bright acidity and a lively bead framing hints of pineapple, pastry cream, glazed apricot and fresh ginger. Focused and finely knit.  -AN”

Gaston Chiquet Carte Verte Tradition Brut NV 750ML ($49.95) $36 special
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Light yellow.  Suave, floral aromas of poached pear, blood orange, melon and honey.  A dusty mineral quality adds lift to spicy red berry and citrus fruit flavors.  Closes nervy and long, with resonating minerality and a touch of gingerbread.”

FRANCE-BURGUNDY
Roulot Bourgogne Aligote 2012 750ML ($34.95) $29 special

Roulot Meursault Charmes Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($499.95) $449 special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 94 points “Pale, bright silver-yellow color. Sexy aromas of lemon candy and hazelnut complicated by charry, vanillin oak. Rich, silky and sweet, but with lovely harmonious acidity giving punch to the highly concentrated flavors of yellow peach and spices. Conveys a sappy impression of dry extract. Really builds and resounds on the aftertaste. The crop level here was just 24 hectoliters per hectare, according to assistant winemaker Eric Pignal. An outstanding vintage for this bottling.”
Vinopolnotes– This is the lowest listed price in the USA!

Roulot Meursault Perrieres Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($699.95) $599 special
Burghound 92-95 points “Don’t miss! Outstanding.Moderate reduction is enough to suppress the fruit. By contrast there is excellent freshness and the same borderline painful intensity on the chiseled and strongly mineral-driven medium weight flavors that culminate in an equally restrained and tightly coiled finish. This knockout effort has that ‘wow’ factor as it really stains the palate on the hugely long backend. Highly recommended.”
Vinopolnotes– This is the lowest listed price in the USA!

Domaine Leflaive Meursault Le Dos d’Ane Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($179.95) $149 special
Burghound 89-92 points “While there is noticeable reduction it’s not so much that the ripeness of the underlying fruit cannot be seen. The mouth feel of the medium weight flavors is finer than the Puligny villages but not as concentrated and here too there is that lovely sense of tension to the clean, dry, linear and citrus-inflected finale. This will also need a minimum of 3 to 5 years of cellar time before it will begin to display some of its potential.”

Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles Premier Cru 2012 750ML($349.95) $299 special
Stephen Tanzer 92-95 points “Pale, bright yellow.  Ripe, rich aromas of peach fuzz and grilled nuts, plus a distinct cyanic peach pit note.  Offers impressive volume without undue weight, with the fruit currently in the deep background as the malo is in its latter stages.  Best today on the subtle, slowly mounting finish, which displays terrific mineral grip.  This should age gracefully and last well.”

William Fevre Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($139.95) $119 special
Burghound 96 points “There is noticeable if discreet wood on the ripe and intensely floral nose that also reflects notes of pear, mineral reduction, white peach and algae. This is an imposingly scaled wine with its broad and muscular mouth feel that exudes a seemingly endless reserve of minerality on the almost painfully intense finish that delivers flat out amazing length. This is a very powerful wine that is akin to sucking on rocks it is so mineral-inflected. This too is positively brilliant.”

William Fevre Chablis Montee De Tonnerre Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Stephen Tanzer 93+ points “Pale, green-tinged yellow.  Pungent aromas of lime zest, wet stone and saline oyster shell.  Densely packed, creamy and deep, with a combination of strong minerality and lively acidity (4.5 grams per liter) giving cut to the lime, pineapple and oyster shell flavors.  Richer than the Lys but a bit less taut, even if it’s still a bit reduced and in need of patience.  This extremely long wine should enjoy a slow and graceful evolution in bottle.”

William Fevre Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru 2012 750ML($119.95) $99 special
Burghound 96 points “This is arguably the most elegant wine in the range with its ultra-pure aromas of quinine, oyster shell, mineral reduction and floral elements that are also trimmed in just enough wood to warrant commenting on it. There is a caressing, even seductive mouth feel to the beautifully well-delineated and concentrated medium-bodied flavors that possess an almost delicate quality before culminating in a nearly startlingly explosive finish that just goes on and on. This bone dry effort is an exercise in harmony and grace, or otherwise expressed, a classic Preuses. In a word, brilliant.”

Gouges Nuits St Georges Chenes Carteaux Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
Antonio Galloni 90-92 points “Blue and purple fruit, smoke, licorice, violets and cloves flesh out in the 2012 Nuits St. Georges Les Chênes Carteaux. This is an especially round, supple Chênes Carteaux with tons of near and medium-term appeal. The round, silky finish is polished and beautifully resonant, all of which suggest the 2012 will drink better earlier than some of the other wines in this range.”
Stephen Tanzer 90-92 points “Bright, full red.  Red cherry and smoke on the nose.  Juicy, vinous and fine-grained but also with good volume to the sweet red fruit flavors.  Lovely peppery acidity gives lift to the wine.  Finishes with pliant tannins and excellent saline persistence.  Nicely concentrated wine from the south side of the village.”

Gouges Nuits St Georges Les Pruliers Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Antonio Galloni 93-96 points “Gouge’s 2012 Nuits St. Georges Les Pruliers is less immediate than some of the other wines in the range. Here it is the crystalline purity of the aromas and flavors that stands out most. Violets, plums, licorice, sweet spices and tar are all woven together in a wine that shows the finesse Nuits can at times achieve. The tannins are firm yet also impeccable in their silkiness. Structurally quite classic, the 2012 will reward cellaring.”

Louis Jadot Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($219.95) $179 special
Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques has a fragrant bouquet: floral at first with touches of violet, later revealing a stony scents, hints of chalk dust and flint surfacing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins and impressive focus. It feels composed in the mouth with good matiere, yet it remains sophisticated and tense right to the finish. There is nothing flash here, just pure quality.”

Jadot Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2012 75OML (359.95) $279 special
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2012 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a richer, more tropical-scented bouquet compared to the Bienvenue. The palate is smooth and rounded, rich and mellifluous in the mouth with a long, seductive finish that needs just a little more tension and poise.”
Vinopolnotes– This is the lowest listed price in the USA! The average listed price is $315 / bottle.

Jadot Bonnes Mares Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($419.95) $349 special
Wine Advocate 93-95 points, Wine Spectator 93-96 points “The 2012 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, which underwent a tardy malolactic fermentation, is surprisingly well behaved on the nose strict at first and preferring to unfold in piecemeal fashion to reveal saturnine black fruit laced with inkwell and Indian spice scents. The palate is very well balanced packed full of dense black fruit and struck through with a keen, almost racy acidity. The finish is very solid and structured for Bonnes-Mares that I suspect will age extremely well. In its youth, I suspect this will be impressive more than pleasurable…at least for the first decade of its life.”

Jadot Chambertin Clos De Beze Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($479.95) $399 special
Wine Advocate 95-97 points “The 2012 Chambertin Clos-de-Beze Grand Cru, which like the Chapelle-Chambertin is domaine-owned, has a more voluminous, multi-faceted bouquet with engaging incense and mineral notes infusing the beautifully defined black fruits. The palate is very well balanced on the entry with more tension and nervosite than the Chambertin, building effortlessly towards a quite regal, sophisticated finish whose mineralite lingers long in the mouth. Outstanding.”

FRANCE-RHONE
JL Chave Mon Coeur Cotes Du Rhone 2011 750ML ($19.95) $16 special
Wine Spectator 89 points “Offers a lush feel, with plum sauce and warm linzer torte aromas and flavors, followed by a smoldering charcoal note and hint of roasted chestnut on the finish. Solid for the appellation. Drink now..”
Vinopolnotes– This is the lowest listed price in the USA! The average listed price is 25% higher at $20 / bottle.

ITALY-TUSCANY
Ceralti Scire Bolgheri Rosso 2012 ($29.95) $14 special
Vinopolnotes- This is the lowest listed price in the USA! The average listed price is $17 / bottle.

ITALY- SICILY
Planeta Santa Cecilia Noto 2009 750ML ($44.95) $28 special
Case-12 Planeta Santa Cecilia Noto 2009 750ML ($419.95) $299 special (that’s only $24.92 per bottle!)**
James Suckling 94 points “A decadent wine with hints of jam but then goes firm and racy. So refined. Full with firm tannins and a fresh finish. A beauty. Best Nero d’Avola in years from Sicily.”
Vinopolnotes– This is the lowest listed price in the USA! The average listed price is over 25% higher at $36 / bottle.

ITALY- VENETO
Tedeschi Amarone Della Valpolicella 2009 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella opens to a dark, midnight color and spicy aromas of old spice, Middle Eastern bazaar, waxed furniture, honey-roasted ham, cured meat, caramelized sugar and dark road pavement. The wine shows impossible extraction and concentration that will make it difficult to match foods that don’t involve a hearty piece of red meat. Despite the bulk, there is beauty here and the wine will surely appeal to die-hard Amarone enthusiasts. Drink 2015-2025.”
Vinopolnotes– This is the lowest listed price in the USA! The average listed price is 21% higher at $51 / bottle.

Aubry is one of the very few producers in Champagne to use the region’s indigenous varieties; Arbanne, Petit Meslier, Fromentea (Pinot Gris), and Enfumé, (a supposed mutation of Pinot Meunier).  The estate’s plantings of these rarely used and somewhat forgotten grapes were completed in 1989, coincidentally marking the Aubry family’s 200 year anniversary of cultivating grapes.  Blended with the more familiar Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, these wines have been a major factor in putting Aubry on the map with the use of these seldom seen varieties allowing their originality to really shine.

Following a philosophy of discipline, respect for tradition and creativity, twin brothers Phillipe and Pierre Aubry have carried the family tradition and are now the current proprietors.  Descendants of a long line of winemakers, the brothers celebrate the tradition by bringing back these varieties their ancestors once used.  They have worked together to express beautiful interpretations of these ancient grapes that impart unique flavors and textures to the different blends.  Located in the village of Jouy-lès-Reims, in the western sector of the Montagne de Reims, the Aubry estate sits on the harmonious hills of Petite Montagne.  All vineyards are Premier Cru, with the soils consisting of a deeper type of clay and sandy topsoil, bringing a slightly less austere character to the wines and showing more purity of fruit.   Aubry truly expresses the originalities of a ‘grower Champagne’, full of individuality and incomparable character.

L. Aubry Champagne Brut Premier Cru NV 750ML ($41.95) $33 special
L. Aubry Champagne Brut Premier Cru NV 1.5 LITER ($119.95) $89 special
Case-12 L. Aubry Champagne Brut Premier Cru NV 750ML($449.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92 / bottle!)**
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Bright straw.  Pungent aromas of Meyer lemon, pear and fig, with a gingery accent adding lift.  Sappy, penetrating citrus fruit and floral flavors are given a refreshingly bitter character by notes of pear skin and peach pit, with a waxy note coming up on the back half.  A smoky nuance lingers on the finish, which shows very good clarity and length.”

L. Aubry Champagne Brut Rose NV 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “(45% chardonnay, 40% pinot noir and 15% still pinot meunier, all from 2010; disgorged in June, 2013):  Pale orange.  Powerfully scented aromas of cherry pit, raspberry and potpourri, with exotic Asian spice and incense qualities building in the glass.  Wound up and tightly focused, with spicy red and dark berry flavors and tangy citrus zest and floral pastille qualities gaining power on the long, mineral-driven finish.  There’s a very low 3 g/l dosage here.”

L. Aubry Nombre D’or Campanae Brut 2008 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2008 Brut Le Nombre d’Or Campanae Veteres Vites is beautifully open, expressive and resonant today. Here the aromas show gorgeous breadth and volume. Pastry, brioche, dried flowers and mint all jump from the glass. The style is boisterous and intense, yet all the elements are in the right place. Nombre d’Or Campanae Veteres Vites incorporates all six of the grape varieties allowed in Champagne. The blend is 25% Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc, 20% Pinot Noir, 20% Petit Meslier, 15% Chardonnay, 15% Arbanne and 5% Pinot Meunier. The Chardonnay was done in oak while all the other grapes were fermented in tank. This bottle was disgorged in March 2013. Dosage was 3 grams/liter.”

L. Aubry Nombre d’Or Sable Blanc de Blancs 2007 750ML ($89.95) $79 special
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “made from 30% chardonnay, 30% petit meslier, 20% arbanne and 20% pinot blanc, with a very low dosage of 2 g/l; disgorged June, 2012):  Light yellow.  Intensely perfumed bouquet of orchard fruits, tangerine, chamomile and anise, along with a suggestion of ginger and a mounting floral element.  Firm and dry in the mouth, with chewy pear skin and citrus flavors giving way to deeper peach and nectarine on the back half.  Shows a suave blend of richness and energy, finishing very long, with lingering spiciness and minerality.”

L. Aubry Nombre D’or Sable Blanc De Blancs 2008 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
Vinopolnotes– Made from the rarely seen Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau. The Sablé refers to the fact that there are less bubbles in the wine – it has a more gentle mousse. Dry, delicate with citrus, yeasty and floral aromas.

L. Aubry Nicolas Francois Sable Rose 2008 750ML ($89.95) $77 special

Tenuta delle Terre Nere represents over 30 years of craftsmanship, with organically cultivated vineyards lying in the northern slopes of Etna ranging from 50-100 years old. Calderara Sottana is the stoniest cru in the appellation, with many parts covered by ‘fist sized’ black volcanic pumice.  Of all the crus, Calderara Sottana displays the widest spectrum of flavors and nuances ranging from floral delicacies to spice and leather.  The highest in elevation are the vineyards of Guardiola, consisting of very poor soils of volcanic sand mixed with basaltic pebbles and traces of ash.   Due to the steep slopes and tightly terraced vineyards, all labor is performed manually and the wines express a leaner, more focused approach with elegance.  Although lying adjacent to Guardiola, the two vineyards in Santo Spirito have extremely different soils consisting of jet black, deep volcanic ash with a
texture reminiscent of fine, talcum powder.  The Etna Rosso Prephylloxera ‘La Vigna di Don Pepino’, aptly named for the vigneron who meticulously cultivated this parcel with his delicate hands for over 70 years, is what the winery calls the “heart and soul of this volcanic terroir.”  Without his tenacity and incomparable care for this vineyard (pictured right), it may have not survived the tumultuous natural conditions occurring in this region and certainly would not display the vigor and health that it does today. With their estate at the base of Mount Etna, Tenuta delle Terre Nere wines are all composed of Nerello Mascalesse and Nerello Cappuccio. Revered for its bright, fresh red wines produced from their high elevation, old vine vineyards, Tenuta delle Terre Nere produces classic Sicilian wines every vintage. 2012 was an extraordinary and extreme year, prompting winemaker Calogero Statella to coin it “a one in fifty year vintage,” producing powerful wines bursting with intense, exotic fruit character.

Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco Le Vigne Niche 2012 ($39.95) $33 special
Winery notes “As opposed to my other Etna Bianco, which is a field blend of five varieties, Vigne Niche is 100% Carricante. Vigne Niche is barrel fermented and aged in large oak barrels. It is bottled roughly 12 months after harvest, then released after six more months of bottle age. A shy, late blooming wine of unusual complexity and great longevity, it will reward you for your patience with a rare, noble beauty. Have it with leek, pumpkin or onion soup, lobster bisque, risotto, oven baked fish, poultry, braised rabbit.”

Terre Nere Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana 2012 750ML ($47.95) $39 special
Terre Nere Etna Rosso Fuedo Di Mezzo 2012 750ML ($47.95) $39 special
Terre Nere Etna Guardiola 2012 750ml ($47.95) $39 special
Terre Nere Etna Rosso Santo Spirito 2012 750ML ($47.95) $39 special
Terre Nere Prephylloxera La Vigna di Don Peppino 2012 750ML ($109.95) $89 special

Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso 2013 ($24.95) $20.90 special
Winery notes “Made from very fine Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio from low yielding vineyards (35 Hl. Per hectar), both young and old. The grapes are macerated until the end of fermentation. The wine then continues its life in wood until bottled roughly one year after harvest. Even young it is a distinguished wine. Fresh, fragrant, beautifully slender and with a fine grip, it has a natural polish, a stage presence, as it were. And, in aging, as its weave gathers into rich complexity, it is a wine for gentlemen. It is an aristocratically liberal wine: enjoy it with whatever food you wish, as long as its properly cooked.”

Terre Nere Etna Rosato 2013 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Josh Raynolds 89 points (100% nerello mascalese): ” Light orange-pink.  Spice- and mineral-laced citrus fruit and red berry aromas show good clarity and a subtle floral nuance.  Dry and sharply focused, displaying good heft to its bitter cherry and blood orange flavors.  Finishes clean and tangy, with lingering pepper and spice notes”

Terre Nere Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana 2010 750ML ($49.95) $34.50 special
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2010 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana is a lovely introduction to the vintage at Terre Nere. Pine, menthol, red cherries and wild flowers all take shape in the glass. Firm tannins provide the backbone in this finely sculpted, chiseled Nerello Mascalese. Savory notes reappear to frame the bright, high-toned finish. If opened today, the 2010 will benefit from a few hours of air. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.”

Terre Nere Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana 2011 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Stephen Tanzer & Wine Spectator 90 points “(14.5% alcohol):  Bright red.  Pungent red berry, flint and floral aromas on the perfumed nose.  Then much sweeter and richer on the palate, with smooth red cherry and spice (cardamom, cinnamon, white pepper) flavors.  Full and long, with a strong mineral quality.”

Terre Nere Etna Guardiola 2011 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Stephen Tanzer 92 (+?) points “Good full, deep red. Captivating, nuanced nose offers red cherry, redcurrant, brown spices, roast coffee, rose petal and licorice.  Sweet and subtle on the palate, with a wonderful aromatic character over a firm, smoothly tannic spine.  The long finish shows a lightly balsamic quality and hints of dried herbs and flinty spices.  This is bigger, richer and deeper than Santo Spirito, but needs time in the cellar thanks to high but harmonious acidity.”

Terre Nere Etna Rosso Fuedo Di Mezzo 2011 ($49.95) $39 special
Wine Spectator 92 points “A pretty version, with expressive floral, wild strawberry, crushed raspberry and red licorice notes, wrapped in juicy acidity and tightly knit yet integrated tannins. A tar-tinged streak of minerality underscores the palate, while accents of underbrush and spice box build on the finish. Drink now through 2026. 500 cases made”

Domaine Faiveley Chambertin Clos De Beze Grand Cru 2011 750ml ($329.95) $219 special
Stephen Tanzer 94 (+?) points “Medium red.  Highly nuanced yet quite primary on the nose, offering scents of raspberry, underbrush, dried rose, ginger and smoky oak.  Juicy, saline and quite dry, with dark berry and strawberry flavors complicated by an earthy perfume.  Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and excellent length.  With 24 hours in the recorked bottle, this beauty showed a silkier texture and chewy, deep flavors of raspberry and spices that saturate the palate without leaving any impression of weight.  A great effort for the vintage.”