April 13th, 2015
Re-Arriving Tuesday
Dom Perignon P2 Plenitude Brut, Champagne 1998 750ML ($399.95) $299 special
Wine Spectator 98 points “Offers precision and finely detailed form, powered by an expansive palate of flavor. The layers of ripe crushed blackberry and glazed apricot fruit complement the saline-tinged minerality and oyster shell notes, graced by hints of pastry, honeycomb and exotic spice. Mouthwatering and persistent on the zesty finish. Drink now through 2030.” WS
James Suckling 97 points “A P2 release indicating it has been matured to the 2nd Plenitude, the middle stage of Dom Perignon’s three-phase life as defined by Richard Geoffroy. This is a wine with some real tension between complexity and freshness that makes for incredibly engaging drinking. The nose offers up a little white peppery edge from the pinot; oyster shell saline freshness, red florals, sweet smelling woody spices and brioche, spiced biscuits and subtle roasted coffee notes – impressively complex. The phenolics register on the palate as a discreetly mineral, saline character, there’s sorbet-like texture through the middle before finishing with comet-like line and length.” JS
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Arriving Tomorrow
Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini has dreamt of living in a vineyard ever since she was little, but life has taken her in other ways. She has worked in entertainment and in the pharmaceutical industry and known the urban stress in Rome. Until 1998, when she purchased the historic Caparzo vineyard in the Tuscan region of Brunello di Montalcino.
Though vines had long stood on the Caparzo land alongside olive trees and forestry, the vineyard itself was established in the 1960’s and spent much of that time passed around owners. In her opinion, Caparzo had strayed from its primary purpose over time and Elisabetta planned to refocus on what she thought the estate does best: Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino. With the help of winemaker Massimo Bracalente, she has renewed technology and invested in quality, hoping to keep the traditional style of Tuscan wine while adding a modern mentality to the winemaking process. The results speak to her advantage. Under Elisabetta, Caparzo has continued to rise in the world of Brunello. As noted by Wine Advocate, “distinguished for their elegance, textural beauty and overall finesse.”
Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 750ML ($49.95) $34.50 special
Case-12 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 750ML ($479.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
James Suckling 95 points “So much dried-lemon and orange-peel character here. Wet leaf, wet earth, stone and lightly smoked meat. Full body, integrated tannins and a savory, tangy finish. Fleshy and yummy. Fabulous deal. Drink or hold on release.” JS
Antonio Galloni 93 points “Bright red cherries, plums, smoke, tobacco, flowers, cedar and spices are all beautifully delineated in the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino. Vibrant and lifted throughout, the 2010 captures the freshness of the vintage in spades. Already soft and accessible, the 2010 can be enjoyed now or cellared for a decade or so.” AG
Wine Advocate 92 points “Caparzo’s 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is a lush and voluptuous wine with soft cherry aromas at the front of spice, dark chocolate and toasted almond. The wine is more approachable in style with a drinking window that can offer pleasure to those too impatient to wait. The tannins are also more evolved and integrated for a more gentle approach. The finish is marked by an evident touch of vanilla from the oak.” WA
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OREGON
Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($19.95) $16 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Penner-Ash Wine Cellars Riesling, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($21.95) $19 special
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “This tastes dry, though the 12.5 g/L residual sugar does round off the mouthfeel. Powerful, juicy fruit flavors of lemon pith, orange peel, pink grapefruit and white peach abound, with a touch of honey in the finish. Two-thirds was sourced from the excellent Hyland Vineyard.” WE
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $24
Soter Vineyards ‘North Valley’ Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 special
J.K.Carriere Glass Willamette Valley White Pinot Noir 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Sineann Pinot Noir 4 Heathens Vineyard 2008 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Sineann Winery Pinot Noir, Oregon 2012 375ML ($19.95) $16 special
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “Peter Rosback’s Oregon bottling combines fruit from numerous sites, and stands in perfect contrast to his numerous single vineyard Pinots. Fruit forward and showing lovely grace notes of leaf and herb, this is drinking beautifully already. Although it needs no further aging, it will certainly keep nicely over the next five years.” WE
Patricia Green Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2013 750ML ($19.95) $16 special
Evesham Wood Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Winery note “The Willamette Valley blend is always our first look at bottled Pinot from the vintage. 2013 was an interesting growing season, starting off early and warm all the way through the summer then hitting a siginificant cool down followed by epic rain. We picked about two-thirds of our fruit before the rain then paused for a week and resumed harvesting after things dried out. Very reminiscent of the 2010, lively and fresh with bright red cherry, cranberry, cinnamon and slight chewiness on the finish. 3,200 cases produced.”
Haden Fig Bjornson Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($29.95) $27 special
Haden Fig Cancilla Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($29.95) $27 special
Haden Fig Croft Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($29.95) $27 special
These are the only listings in the USA today!
Soter Vineyards ‘North Valley’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML ($39.95) $36 special
Wine Spectator 91 points “Supple and sleek, packing red cherry, raspberry and spice flavors into a taut beam. A layer of refined tannins underlines the persistent finish. Best from 2016 through 2020.” WS
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “Vivid red. Fresh red and dark berry aromas are spiced up by white pepper and clove. On the palate, juicy raspberry, floral pastille and licorice flavors are lifted by tangy acidity. Silky and seamless on the incisive finish, which is firmed by taut, fine-grained tannins that fade smoothly into the wine’s juicy fruit. An outstanding effort, especially for an entry-level bottling.” ST
Soter Vineyards ‘North Valley’ Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2012 Pinot Noir North Valley Reserve is sourced 76% from Eola-Amity Hills, 10% Ribbon Ridge, 9% Yamhill-Carlton and 5% Dundee Hills. It includes one-third whole-cluster fruit and aged in 40% new French oak, the remainder used. This barrel selection has an intense nose with black cherry and kirsch, touches of camphor coming through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. This feels lithe in the mouth with fine delineation, very focused, gently building to a lovely tea-leaf tinged finish that lingers long in the mouth.” WA
Rex Hill Jacob Hart Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2012 Pinot Noir Jacob Hart Vineyard was biodynamically certified in 2009. Picked October 8-11, it includes 25% whole-cluster fruit, matured for 12 months in 36% new oak. It has a very precise bouquet that allows the mineralité to show through, very focused and poised with dark cherries, freshly tilled soil, nutmeg and cracked black pepper. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannin married with a keen line of acidity. It gently builds toward a fresh, nervous finish that lingers long in the mouth. Superb.” NM
Belle Pente Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2011 750ML ($44.95) $39 special
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Brilliant ruby-red. Smoke- and spice-accented aromas of blackberry, cherry-cola and fresh lavender, with a hint of spicecake in the background. Silky, seamless and expansive, displaying intense red and dark berry flavors and a hint of allspice. Puts on weigh with aeration while maintaining vivacity. The mineral and floral qualities build on the persistent finish, which is firmed by fine-grained, harmonious tannins.” ST
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2011 Pinot Noir Estate Reserve is a vineyard parcel and barrel selection. It was picked October 27 at 22 Brix and 100% de-stemmed, undergoing 45% new French oak. It has quite a dense bouquet with plenty of raspberry and crushed strawberry fruit that is well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannin. There is plenty of backbone here, but it is very focused and harmonious with superb tension on the finish. This is an excellent contribution to the vintage—one of the best of Belle Pente’s current releases and well worth hunting down.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Colene Clemens Vineyards ‘Adriane’ Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains 2011 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Deep red. High-pitched red berry and floral aromas are given depth by notes of cola and licorice. Bright and lively on the palate, which offers gently sweet raspberry and floral pastille flavors that take on weight with aeration. Silky and penetrating on the nicely persistent finish, which features supple tannins and a lingering floral quality.” JR
Colene Clemens Vineyards ‘Victoria’ Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 93 points
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $64.95
WASHINGTON
DeLille Cellars Harrison Hill Red, Yakima Valley 2010 750ML ($89.95) $66 special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 92 points “(65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot): Cassis, blackberry and a nutty nuance on the nose. Fat, lush and sweet; showing a much more open-knit texture today than the Lot 1 cabernet. Seamless and long, with tannins thoroughly buffered by dark fruit.” ST
Sleight Of Hand Cellars ‘The Conjurer’ Red, Columbia Valley 2013 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
Sleight Of Hand Cellars ‘The Spellbinder’ Red, Columbia Valley 2013 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
These are the lowest listed prices in the USA today!
Fidelitas ‘Optu’ Red, Columbia Valley 2012 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “This appealing blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (77%), Merlot (13%), Cabernet Franc (7%) and Petit Verdot offers notes of bittersweet chocolate, dark cherry, herbs, black licorice, floral notes and coffee. It’s power-packed and concentrated with layered dark fruit flavors, with a fine sense of tension between the fruit, acid and tannins. Cellar Selection.” WE
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Betz Family Winery Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2012 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “More Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated, the 2012 Pere de Famille incorporates 6% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Sporting the standard Bob Betz preferred inky-purple color, this knockout effort has masculine, earthy notes of black currants, smoke, graphite, crushed rock and dusty soil to go with a full-bodied, powerful and focused feel on the palate. Give it 4-5 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following decade or two.” WA
Stephen Tanzer 94+ points “Bright red-ruby. Ineffable wild aromas of blackberry, espresso, licorice, pepper, mint tea and cinnamon, complicated by a whiff of game. Boasts an utterly aristocratic texture and great lift but shows little obvious sweetness in the early going. Great incipient complexity to the suave, fine-grained flavors of red fruits, spices, flowers and minerals. More taut and backward on the end than the Clos de Betz but not at all hard, this seriously structured cabernet displays a slow-building, inexorable finish, with tannins buried in flavor. (I also tasted a sample of Betz’s 2012 Le Parrain (“the godfather”) Cabernet Sauvignon shortly before bottling. Made entirely from clone 8 and aged in very expensive Taransaud Quintessence barrels, this beauty offers knockout perfume of black raspberry, blackberry, violet and minerals; a supple, savory, sharply delineated palate with pungent pepper and violet high notes lifting the dark berry, saline mineral and sexy oak flavors; and extremely suave tannins that spread out to saturate the palate on the superb rising finish. This special bottling, previously made in 2005, offers an uncanny combination of density and weightlessness. I rated it 94-96 but note that it will not be released until the autumn of 2015.)”
Betz Family Winery Clos de Betz, Columbia Valley 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 93-95 points “Tasted as a barrel sample and Betz’s take on a right bank Bordeaux, the 2012 Clos de Betz is 67% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Petit Verdot. Inky-purple in color (has anyone seen a Betz wine not inky purple?), if offers impressive cassis, plum liqueur, spring flowers and underbrush-style aromas and flavors to go with a mouth-filling, layered and voluptuous style on the palate. I love the mid-palate here, and the tannin builds through the finish, so, while it should have plenty of up-front appeal, it should also evolve for 15+ years.” WA
Stephen Tanzer 93+ points “(66% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% petit verdot): Dark red-ruby. Aromas of blackcurrant, cocoa powder, bitter chocolate, licorice and burnished oak, lifted by a violet topnote. Densely packed but light on its feet, with perfectly integrated acidity energizing the fine-grained flavors of black raspberry, black cherry, cocoa powder and violet. Boasts a rare combination of bullet-proof, youthfully impenetrable tight grain and outstanding floral, white-peppery lift. Superb noble tannins dust the front teeth on the very young, long, juicy finish. An outstanding 2012 blend built for a long and graceful evolution in bottle. This is the first vintage of this wine to include Merlot from DuBrul Vineyard; incidentally, Betz noted that Merlot on Red Mountain was extremely successful in 2012.”
Sineann Winery Block One Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2013 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
CALIFORNIA
Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County 2012 750ML ($39.95) $36 special
Bucklin Bambino Old Hill Ranch Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley 2012 750 ML ($29.95) $26 special
Bambino is made from young Zinfandel vines, plus others, planted in the style of the historic Old Hill Ranch vineyard that was planted in the 1880s. With 81% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah, 4% Alicante Bouschet, 6% Syrah, Grenache and Carignane, it’s patterned after the field blends of old.
Ehlers Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2012 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
FRANCE-CHAMPAGNE
Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2000 1.5L ($519.95) $449 special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The first thing that is evident about the 2000 Brut Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill is its finesse and total silkiness. The 2000 is a rich, creamy and deeply expressive Winston Churchill. I don’t see the 2000 being an especially long-term ager, but it is wonderfully radiant and open today. Hints of pastry, spice, apricots and succulent ripe pears blossom on the expansive, broad-shouldered finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030.” AG
FRANCE-BORDEAUX
Chateau Lanessan, Haut-Medoc 2003 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
“Always one of the better values and ageworthy wines from the Haut-Medoc, Lanessan’s 2003 possesses lots of cedarwood, creme de cassis and forest floor notes, outstanding ripeness, low acidity, and a round, generous mouthfeel with no desiccation or flaws.”–Wine Advocate
Vinopolnote- Lanessan is an outstanding property, neighboring Saint Julien appellation.
Chateau Val de Roc, Bordeaux Superieur 2011 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
FRANCE-BURGUNDY
Albert Bichot Savigny-les-Beaune 2012 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special
Case- 12 Albert Bichot Savigny-les-Beaune 2012 750ML ($319.95) $219 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Francois Gay et Fils Chorey-les-Beaune 2012 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine de L’Arlot Les Petits Plets, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($99.95) $79 special
Antonio Galloni 91-93 points “Another vibrant, focused wine, the 2012 Nuits Saint Georges Cuvée Les Petit Plets, the estate’s young-vine cuveé from Clos des Forets, bristles with energy and tension. Dark cherry, smoke, new leather, cloves and tobacco are some of the many nuances that are alive in the glass. The breadth and power of Clos des Forets are both present, but also very nicely measured in a wine that is all about balance.” AG
Domaine de L’Arlot Clos L’Arlot, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($149.95) $109 special
Antonio Galloni 93-95 points “A huge, boisterous wine, the 2012 Nuits Saint Georges Clos de L’Arlot hits the palate with waves of dark, balsamic-inflected fruit. The 2012 is deep and vertical, with superb depth and tons of pure power. Readers will need to be patient, as the 2012 is built for the cellar. There is plenty of underlying structure, but the fruit is so rich, the tannins are nearly buried by the sheer richness of the fruit. In a normal vintage the Domaine has 10-12 barrels of the Clos de L’Arlot. In 2012 there are 5.” AG
Domaine de L’Arlot Clos des Forets Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($149.95) $109 special
Stephen Tanzer 92-95 points “Deep, bright, saturated red. Knockout nose combines black cherry, sage, licorice and leather; smells strong! Then thick and silky but almost magically light on its feet, showing extraordinary complexity and eclat to its flavors of brambly black fruits, menthol, mint, fresh blood and rocky minerality. Really splendid intensity here–“a concentration that comes from the grapes, not from the winemaker,” says Devauges. The horizontal finish saturates the entire palate without leaving any impression of weight, thanks to utterly suave tannins and pungent minerality. A great vin de terroir in the making: this wine reminded me of the stunning 1991 version of this wine.” ST
Domaine de L’Arlot Clos des Forets Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Wine Advocate 93-95 points “The 2010 Nuits St. Georges Clos des Forets St.-Georges is striking. Freshly cut flowers, spices and red berries are some of the many notes that are woven together. Though deceptively understated at first, the Forets St-Georges has plenty of underlying Nuits structure. A crystalline, totally pure finish laced with rose petals, spices and licorice wraps around the palate in stunning style. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030.” WA
Domaine de L’Arlot Romanee-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2012 1.5L ($1,499.95) $1,099 special
Stephen Tanzer 94-97 points “(just 3-1/2 barrels made, the single new 350-liter cask was “rinsed” by vinifying a lesser wine in it first; not yet racked): Bright dark red. Medicinal black raspberry and cocoa powder aromas are lifted by an urgent crushed stone note. Dense and sappy, with powerful minerality giving the palate a remarkably penetrating character. Wonderfully fine-grained grand cru with a magically light touch and outstanding lingering perfume. Devauges expects to rack this wine for the first time just three weeks before bottling it in June.” ST
Antonio Galloni 94-96 points “The 2012 Romanée Saint Vivant captures the essence of this great site. Aromatically lifted and precise, the RSV is all about detail. Small red berries, flowers, mint and slate emerge over time, but the Romanée Saint Vivant is first and foremost a wine of head spinning textural beauty. The generous, inviting finish makes the 2012 accessible today, but it will be even better in another few years. There is plenty of underlying structure, but the classic Romanée Saint Vivant style is implied rather than stated.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
FRANCE-RHONE
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Saint-Joseph 2009 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Mulled plum, fig and boysenberry fruit is still a bit compact at the core, while anise, briar and singed wood spice notes sit atop. The finish has mouthwatering acidity and a long, smoldering charcoal thread for added intrigue. Should stretch out nicely in the cellar. Best from 2014 through 2024.” WS
Jean-Louis Chave Selection Hermitage Farconnet 2010 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
Wine Spectator 93 points “A dense, dark style, with notes of licorice root, fig paste and blackberry pâte de fruit forming the core, all coated in loamy tannins and rumbling through the tarry-edged finish. Still has some unwinding to do. Best from 2016 through 2026.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $74.89
FRANCE-LANGUEDOC/PROVENCE
Clos Sainte Magdeleine Cassis Blanc 2012 750ML ($34.95) $28 special
“Light yellow color bright and clear. Delicate nose with hints of toast, minerals, spice. Pepper and white flowers. To taste, the start is lively and opulent with a mellow and unctuous evolution. End with flavours of honey and a light of bitterness.”–Winery notes
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine de la Tour du Bon Bandol, Provence 2010 750ML ($.95) $27 special
Case-12 Domaine de la Tour du Bon Bandol, Provence 2010 750ML ($.95) $279 special (that’s only $23.25/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 92 points “Brooding and intense, with notes of raw meat, singed alder and dried bay leaf out front, followed by steeped black currant and plum fruit. Accents of iron, mesquite and wine-soaked rosemary line the finish. Still has some serious grip to shed. Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan. Best from 2017 through 2026.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $29
The average price is $31/bottle
Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Chateau Peyrassol’ Rose2014 750ML ($31.95) $27 special
ITALY-OTHER
Marco Felluga Collio Friulano, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2012 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
SPAIN
Jorge Ordonez & Co Nisia Verdejo – Old Vines, Rueda 2013 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Case-12 Jorge Ordonez & Co Nisia Verdejo – Old Vines, Rueda 2013 ($179.95) $149 special (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Nisia Old Vines Rueda Light yellow-gold. Musky, mineral-laced orchard and citrus fruit aromas are complicated by hints of jasmine, green tea and quinine. Sappy and precise on the palate, offering bitter pear skin and Meyer lemon flavors that put on weight with air. Closes fleshy and long, with supple pear and melon qualities and very good clarity.” JR
Ameztoi Txakoli di Getaria Hondarribi Zuri, Getariako Txakolina 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
AUSTRIA
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling Steiner Hund Reserve Riesling, Wachau 2010 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
Terry Theise notes: “Among all the Rieslings I know, this one has the most esoteric mélange of herbs and minerals, like if you took a Geigercounter to the soil programmed to register complex terroir, the damn machine would blow apart in your hands. The ’10 is curious and cunning. It has the oxidative note these have recently had, along with the firm smoky adamance of ’10, and that chartreuse-y herbal thing and the arcane vineyard-geology thing, and ’10’s mulish length, getting almost fiercely spicy with five minutes in the glass.”
Nikolaihof Riesling Baumpresse 2006 750ML ($139.95) $115 special
Terry Theise notes: “Expensive, yes, but it’s a bottle of history, the reintroduction of the world’s largest still-functioning wooden press. The wine, in fact Im Weingebirge Smaragd, is out of this world. A swollen extravagantly ripe Riesling, ripe in age and in body; massively juicy and vinous and stocky.”
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Just a reminder about our current shipping specials during this season:
We offer flat rate shipping on any size single order / single shipment
-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California for $25
These rates do not apply to orders held in storage here for any reason.
Multiple orders consolidated into one shipment do not qualify for flat rate shipping.
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Domaine Armand Rousseau 2011
Arriving April 17th
Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 2011 750ML ($199.95) $99 pre-arrival special, 6 bottles
available
Burghound 88-91 points “There is a touch of reduction to the nose that takes out the top part of the red berry fruit and earth aromatic profile. There is a restrained character to the cool and pure flavors that are supported by notably fine-grained tannins on the clean, balanced and ever-so-mildly austere finish.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $113
The average price is $141
Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Lavaut Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($399.95) $179 pre-arrival special, 6 bottles available
Burghound 89-91 points “This is also reduced and here it’s enough to render the nose unreadable. There is plenty of energy and precision to the intensely mineral-tinged medium-bodied flavors that possess an elegant mouth feel on the youthfully austere finish. A classic Lavaut that should reward 8 to 10 years of cellar time.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $199
The average price is $256
Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($399.95) $199 pre-arrival special, 4 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer & Burghound 89-92 points “(two-thirds from Mazoyeres): Good full medium red. Expressive nose melds redcurrant, mocha, rust, minerals and flowers, plus a suggestion of game birds. Sweet, smoky and nicely concentrated, with a musky quality to the complex flavors of redcurrant, smoky minerality, mocha and game. Finishes with supple tannins and excellent length. Very Gevrey.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $215
The average price is $289
Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($499.95) $259 pre-arrival special, 6 bottles available
Burghound 91-94 points “An overtly spicy and very earth nose of red currant, plum and wet stone scents. There is lovely richness to the round, full-bodied and highly energetic medium-bodied flavors that exhibit firm tannins on the saline-infused finish. This is excellent and should reward mid to longer-term cellaring.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $285
The average price is $329
Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($499.95) $279 pre-arrival special, 6 bottles available
Burghound & Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Mild reduction removes the top notes of the otherwise complex and distinctly earthy mix of red and dark fruit aromas. There is excellent power and punch to the lightly mineral-tinged middle weight plus flavors that possess plenty of underlying tension before culminating in a markedly animale finish. This is very Mazis in basic character.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $299
The average price is $346
2011 Domaine Armand Rousseau Wines Already Arrived from Wildman:
Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Clos Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($799.95) $469 special, 10 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 96 points “Rousseau’s 2011 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St. Jacques is flat-out gorgeous. Waves of blue/purplish fruit hit the palate in an intense, explosive Burgundy loaded with pure class and pedigree. This is another 2011 that is going to need considerable time in bottle to come around. Today, the Clos St. Jacques impresses for its richness, power and depth.”
Burghound 94 points “Discreet wood sets off ultra-fresh and airy aromas of red currant, blue berries and plum that are trimmed in hints of wet stone and earth. There is a wonderfully refined mouth feel to the mineral-tinged middle weight flavors that possess an appealing verve along with superb detail on the harmonious and exceptionally persistent finish. This very firm effort is textbook Clos St, Jacques.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $485
The average price is $537
Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2011 ($1,499.95) $899 special, 3 bottles available
97 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): “With the addition of another parcel of Chambertin that arrived with the 2009 vintage (sufficient to provide another five piéces to the estate’s production), Domaine Rousseau now owns fully 2.55 hectares of vines in this magical grand cru, and I cannot think of better hands to have this much Chambertin in! The 2011 is utterly brilliant, soaring from the glass in a stunning blend of red plums, cherries, blood orange, cocoa powder, grilled meats, a gloriously complex base of soil and a suave framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, very pure and sappy at the core, with stunning transparency, great structural elegance, very suave tannins and superb length and grip on the focused and still very young finish. This is really not far off the magical quality of the 2010! 2025-2075.”
95-98 points Fine Wine Review: “I asked Eric what effect the new acquisition of the vines of Adrien Belland had on the Chambertin, and Eric replied that they added concentration to the wine. The nose is more animal than that of the Clos-de-Bèze, and the mouth is tighter, more focused and harder with good minerality to the fruit, which is not as dark as that of the Clos-de-Bèze, and this wine is less broad and more linear. It is a fine expression, albeit a trifle short of the very greatest that can come from Rousseau at Chambertin.
Burghound 96 points “This is completely different from the Bèze aromatically speaking as here the nose is brooding and recalcitrant and only aggressive swirling liberates fresh scents of spice, wet stone, game and dark berry fruits. There is outstanding richness to the powerful and impressively scaled flavors that possess an abundance of dry extract that imparts a velvety quality to the mid-palate while also buffering the tightly wound core of firm tannins on the driving mineral-inflected and hugely persistent finish. This is a stunner of a wine and one of the great wines of the 2011 vintage.” BH
96+ points Stephen Tanzer “Healthy medium red. Reticent aromas of redcurrant, black cherry, raspberry and smoky minerality. Hugely concentrated and sweet, but in a distinctly cooler and less expressive style than the Clos de Bèze. Sappy, saline wine with an incredible whiplash of a finish that leaves the palate saturated. Showing more red fruits than black in the early going, this is still an infant..”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $925
The average price is $1,119
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Staff Picks
Owen Roe ‘Eola – Amity Hills’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills (Sojourner Vineyard) 2012 750ML ($49.95) $39 staff pick special, 11 bottles available
“Owen Roe’s Eola-Amity Pinot Noir is sourced completely from the Sojourner Vineyard. It opens with a light toasty aroma backed by heady notes of iris and rose. There are fine, grippy tannins on the palate with nice acidity that hints at a long aging potential. On the finish are notes of bourbon vanilla, tart red raspberries and a smoky-savory note suggestive of bacon. Good now for lovers of richer Pinots, and great with burgers, grilled herby chicken or a nice sunset.”
-Suzy
Owen Roe Chapel Block Syrah, Yakima Valley 2011 750ML (59.95) $49 staff pick special, 4 bottles available
“A top notch Syrah from the Yakima Valley. The Chapel Block is aged for nearly 12 months in 100% French Oak (35% new). Full bodied and layered with notes of blueberry, strawberry, ripe cherries, and hints of spice and chocolate. Very smooth with supple tannins, showing great length on the finish. Nicely done.”
-Troy
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Soos Creek Wine Cellars
This small family winery was founded in 1989 with the goal to highlight the world-class potential of Eastern Washington’s wine. David Larsen founded the winery and makes the wines with his wife, Cecile. He takes his inspiration from the classic Bordeaux style: good tannic structure, balance and ageability. He first began working with Champoux Vineyard fruit, and now works closely with eight other vineyards, too. Winemaking is very hands-on: he uses small fermenters and punch down the caps two to three times a day by hand to allow close monitoring of the wine’s development. The wines are aged in French oak, with about 40% total new barrels every year.
Soos Creek Wines Arriving April 17th
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Sundance Red, Columbia Valley 2012 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 Soos Creek Wine Cellars Sundance Red, Columbia Valley 2012 750ML ($249.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Winery note “50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot,and 25% Cabernet Franc. Delicious purity of fruit with cornucopia of flavor nuances.”
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Champoux Vineyard Red, Horse Heaven Hills 2012 750ML ($37.95) $33 special
Winery note: “From the best Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in the state, this blend is 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, and 6% Cab Franc. Aristocratic and long-lived.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $40
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red, Red Mountain 2012 750ML ($37.95) $33 special
Winery note “This beauty is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Cab Franc, and 14% Merlot. Balanced, concentrated and age-worthy.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $40
Soos Creek Wines Available Here Now
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Soleil Red, Columbia Valley 2011 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special, 36 bottles available
Case-12 Soos Creek Wine Cellars Soleil Red, Columbia Valley 2011 750ML ($259.95) $219 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $18.25/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 90+ points “(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.” ST
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Artist Series #11 Red Blend, Columbia Valley 2011 750ML ($34.95) $24.50 special, 35 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 92 points “(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.” ST
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Soos Creek Wine Cellars Palisade, Columbia Valley 2011 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 36 bottles avaialble
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 91 points “(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.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Soos Creek Wine Cellars Sundance Red, Columbia Valley 2011 750ML ($24.95) $18 special, 5 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 88 points “(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.” ST
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Springtime Sales Review
Our Spanish & Argentinian Repricements & Best Prices
Sale Ends on All Spring Specials April 30th at 11:59pm
SPAIN
Bodegas Campillo Reserva Selecta, Rioja DOCa 2001 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 24+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 91+ points “The 2001 Reserva Selecta is 100% Tempranillo also aged for 24 months in oak. It offers a similar personality but with more succulent fruit. Give it another 3-4 years of cellaring and drink it from 2013 to 2026.” WA
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “Deep red. Smoky cherry-vanilla and candied dark berry aromas are underscored by baking spices and cured tobacco. Fleshy and sweet, with the cherry and vanilla flavors repeating. The supple tannins gain strength on the finish but the fruit seems capable of keeping pace. This is concentrated enough to suggest some ageability, but it’s pretty seductive right now.” JR
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Dominio do Bibei MT Mouraton, Ribeira Sacra 2008 750ML ($59.95) $39 special, 12 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “(100% mouraton, a rare native variety): Bright violet color. Aromatic, high-pitched nose evokes fresh blackberry, lavender and Asian spices. Sweet and sharply focused, offering energetic flavors of black raspberry, spicecake and floral pastille, all lifted by a mineral element. Finishes spicy and very long, with impressive cling and clarity.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $54.99/bottle
Dominio do Bibei Lacima, Ribeira Sacra 2009 750ML ($74.95) $49 special, 12 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “(a blend of 85% mencia and 15% brancellao): Vivid red. More deeply pitched than the Lalama, offering fresh cherry and black raspberry scents with hints of smoky minerals, violet and licorice. Zesty mineral and peppery spice notes add bite to sweet dark fruit flavors, which pick up a blood orange nuance with air. Closes sappy, spicy and long, leaving a sexy floral note behind.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $66.99/bottle
Recaredo Reserva Particular Brut Nature Cava 2001 750ML ($139.95) $119 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2001 Reserva Particular de Recaredo was sourced from the estate’s oldest vines and is composed of 60% Macabeu and 40% Xarel-lo with the latter fermented in cask for added structure and elegance. It spent over 100 months on lees and was finished with zero dosage. Light gold in color with beautifully refined and complex aromatics, in the glass it shows greater evolution and elegance than its cousins as well as a sense of proportion and great length.” WA
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Recaredo Turo d’en Mota Cava 2002 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96 points “The outstanding 2002 Turo d’en Mota is pure Xarello from a single vineyard of vines planted in 1940 in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia. The first fermentation was done in oak casks where it remained for 45 days with lees stirring and underwent 8 years and three months aging before disgorgement on December 12, 2011. The bouquet is more like a dry white Burgundy than a Cava, with hints of honeysuckle, dried apricot, lemon peel and a touch of jasmine. It is beautifully defined and very complex. The palate is very well-balanced with superb delineation and focus, drawing you in with subtle notes of orange peel, tangerine, beeswax and honeycomb. Long in the mouth and utterly harmonious, one has to ask if this is the “Clos d’Ambonnay” of Cava? Drink now-2016+”WA
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AUSTRALIA
Two Hands Wines Bella’s Garden Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2011 750ML ($79.95) Was $49, Now $39, 18 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Dark ruby. Spicy cherry and dark berry aromas are complemented by an exotic Indian spice quality. Chewy, round and nicely concentrated, with sweet, focused black and blue fruit compote flavors lifted by tangy acidity. Appealingly sweet on the youthfully tannic finish, which leaves allspice, blueberry and bitter chocolate notes behind. Shows the best traits of this difficult Barossa vintage and might surprise with its ability to age.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $66/bottle
ARGENTINA
Achaval Ferrer Finca Mirador Malbec, Maipu 2011 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Spectator 96 points “This pure, racy red exhibits a dark side, with layers of spice, graphite and maduro tobacco to the crushed raspberry, blackberry and concentrated cassis fruit. Needs time in the cellar. Best from 2015 through 2022.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $122/bottle
Achaval Ferrer Finca Bella Vista Malbec, Perdriel 2010 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Spectator 95 points #10 Top 100 2012 “Dark and powerful, yet elegant, with a delicious core of crushed raspberry, blackberry and damson plum notes tightly woven with silky tannins. The minerally finish lingers on with layered flavors of wildflowers, melted licorice and spice box. Drink now through 2020.”WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $122/bottle
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