Flash Sale
JL Chave Hermitage Rouge 2011 3L ($1799.95) $1499 Now $1199 special, only 1 3L bottle available
Wine Advocate 96+ points “Tasted from bottle, the 2011 Hermitage sports a ruby/purple color to go with an awesome bouquet of sweet cassis, dried flowers, spice-box, ground pepper and crushed stone. One of the more serious, focused and structured 2011s, it has fabulous concentration, sweet tannin and a seamless texture. Give it 5-6 years and enjoy bottles over the following 2 decades or more.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “A grippy, mouthwatering style, with solid, briary tannins inlaid with finely beaded acidity, all of which meld into the core of anise, blackberry paste and fig sauce flavors. Shows terrific energy on the singed apple wood-filled finish. Should cruise in the cellar. Best from 2016 through 2030.”
Josh Raynolds- Vinuos 94-95 points “This wine was still broken out into five different pre-blended components when I visited in November but should be in bottle by now. #1: Intense red fruit and floral qualities, with a bright mineral underpinning. #2: Wilder and spicier, with zesty red fruit and star anise nuances and a touch of smokiness. #3: More dark and brooding, showing powerful bitter cherry and cassis qualities and strong back-end power. #4: Distinctly mineral-driven, precise red fruit and floral pastille aromas and flavors, with a deeper note of cola in the background. #5: Powerful cassis and bitter cherry aromas and flavors pick up spiciness and floral character with a little air. The most densely packed of these samples but showing surprising finishing vivacity and cut. Jean-Louis thinks that this wine “will be a little strict” for a while after bottling and hopes that people don’t jump too quickly into it simply because 2011 is perceived as an easy vintage.”
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New Arrival Special Feature
Domaines Barons de Rothschild Chateau Duhart-Milon, Pauillac 2009 1.5L ($349.95) $299 special
Robert Parker 97 points “A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot, it displays an inky/blue/purple color as well as a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, forest floor, licorice, lead pencil, cedar and subtle barrique smells. Viscous and full-bodied, it is the most concentrated and broadest example of this cuvee I have tasted in over three decades. It will be ready to drink in 5-7 years and should last for three decades or more. Consumers looking to maximize value should be checking out Duhart Milon, as this may be the single smartest purchase in this great and historic vintage!”RP
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This Week’s New Arrivals
OREGON
Westrey Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($21.95) $17 special
Westrey Reserve Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
Westrey Abbey Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2013 750ML ($44.95) $38 special
These are all the only listings in the USA today!
Ken Wright Cellars ‘Celilo Vineyard’ Chardonnay, Columbia Gorge 2011 750ML ($31.95) $28 special
Wine Spectator 92 points “This taut white is brilliantly focused and layered with mineral and spice notes between pineapple and quince flavors. Persists gently on the lively finish. Drink now through 2020. 1,110 cases made.”HS
Winery note “All the fruit for our chardonnay is sourced from the Celilo Vineyard. The Celilo Vineyard is a unique vineyard situated on a 1,000 foot bluff overlooking the Columbia River in the Columbia River Gorge. It lies on the south face of Mount Underwood, which is currently an inactive volcano. The soil is pulverized basalt, extremely porous and loose, which promotes deep rooting. The vineyard was planted in 1983. Unlike the Chardonnay grown in the hot eastern desert of Washington, this is a much cooler site. As a result, the fruit retains more acidity and the wine displays a clean mineral character with an expansive texture.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Ken Wright Cellars Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Winery note “Pinot Blanc is a lighter-colored natural mutation of Pinot Gris. Our sources for this fruit are a two acre block of Meredith Mitchell Vineyard and a half acre block of Freedom Hill Vineyard. After pressing the fruit, the juice is fermented in neutral French barrels. The neutral casks give us rich textures without imparting new oak that would detract from the bright fruit/mineral/floral profile of the wine. The new wine remains in barrel with the original yeast and is not racked until bottling.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Brick House Vineyards ‘Les Dijonnais’ Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2012 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2012 Pinot Noir les Dijonnais is due to be released this spring. It comes from Dijon clone (113, 114, 115, 667 and 777) and includes 5 percent whole-cluster fruit. Harvested October 6, it sees 40 percent new cooperage. This is much more reserved on the nose compared to the Cuvee de Tonneliere ’12, but displays exquisite delineation with lucid black cherries, dried fig and limestone scents that gain intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and layers of rounded redcurrant, cranberry and pomegranate fruit. There is presence rather than weight here, although I suspect it will benefit from a year in bottle once released, probably more for those with patience. Still, this is another outstanding contribution to the vintage from Brick House.”
Elk Cove Vineyards ‘Clay Court’ Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Elk Cove Vineyards ‘Mount Richmond’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Ken Wright Cellars ‘Abbott Claim Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Winery note “Floral and spice focused. Tart cherry, pomegranate and grapefruit with notes of cardamom, anise and fresh cut pine.”
Ken Wright Cellars ‘Canary Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Winery note “Fruit focused. Modest structure, light tannins and bright acidity. Red and blue fruit – juicy red plum, pie cherry, and marionberry.”
Ken Wright Cellars ‘Carter Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Winery note “Fruit focused. Moderate tannins and acidity. Blue and black fruit, black cherry, blueberry, blackberry and plum skin.”
Ken Wright Cellars ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Winery note “Floral and Spice Focused. Brighter acidity than most sedimentary sites. Red Fruits, lush mouthfeel, juicy strawberry, watermelon with hints of leather and fresh-turned Earth qualities.”
Ken Wright Cellars ‘Guadalupe Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Winery note “Floral and spice focused. Very forward and attractive in its youth with a depth of flavor – raspberry, black cherry, mulberry and five spice.”
Ken Wright Cellars ‘Savoya Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Winery note “Floral and spice focused. Black cherry, cranberry, pomegranate with earthy cola and saddle leather notes.”
Ken Wright Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Vinopolnote- a blend drawn from Ken’s Single Vineyard wines
Ken Wright Cellars ‘Carter Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2010 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 90 points “Located in the Eola Hills very near and planted at the same time as his own Canary Hill site, though at lower elevation, Wright’s 2010 Pinot Noir Carter is strikingly complex and intriguing in aroma, featuring pit-accented cherry; pungent citrus oils, peat, and dried green herbs; as well as mushroom, all of which reconvene on a zesty, bright, tart, firm palate, carrying into a finish of vibratory intensity. There is more than enough primary juiciness here to banish any sense of drying that might otherwise have been induced by the wine’s firm tannins. And here I feel on pretty confident footing in predicting at least the better part of a decade of interest.”
WASHINGTON
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
CALIFORNIA
Talley Vineyards Estate Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley 2012 375ML ($17.95) $14 special
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Buttered sourdough toast and a slight nuttiness kick off another excellent Chardonnay from the ever-reliable Talley. The palate is greeted with minerality that fades into an apple butter flavor alongside a pinch of cinnamon, culminating in a graceful vanilla finish.”
FRANCE-BORDEAUX
Chateau Latour, Pauillac 2010 1.5L ($3,999.95) $3,599 special
Robert Parker 100 points “One of the perfect wines of the vintage, Frederic Engerer challenged me when I tasted the 2010 Latour at the estate, asking, “If you rate the 2009 one hundred, then how can this not be higher?” Well, the scoring system stops at 100, (and has for 34 years,) and will continue for as long as I continue to write about wine. Nevertheless, this blend of 90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.5% Merlot, and .5% Petit Verdot hit 14.4% natural alcohol and represents a tiny 36% of their entire production. The pH is about 3.6, which is normal compared to the 3.8 pH of the 2009, that wine being slightly lower in alcohol, hence the combination that makes it more flamboyant and accessible. The 2010 is a liquid skyscraper in the mouth, building layers upon layers of extravagant, if not over-the-top richness with its hints of subtle charcoal, truffle, blackberry, cassis, espresso and notes of toast and graphite. Full-bodied, with wonderfully sweet tannin, it is a mind-boggling, prodigious achievement that should hit its prime in about 15 years, and last for 50 to 100.” RP
FRANCE-BURGUNDY
Domaine des Heritiers du Comte Lafon Macon Milly-Lamartine 2011 750ML ($31.95) $28 special
Wine Advocate “The 2011 Macon Milly-Lamartine comes from two high altitude climats, “Montague” and “Heux d’Arbeaux” and was raised in two-thirds foudres and one-third in puncheons. It offers a minerally, slightly saline bouquet with hints of grilled walnuts that emerge with aeration. It seems a little “contained” at the moment. The palate is crisp and taut on the entry. It has a citric thread of acidity, although the finish is missing just a little weight and presence though it unfurls nicely with aeration.”
Domaine des Heritiers du Comte Lafon Macon-Uchizy Les Maranches 2011 750ML ($37.95) $31.90 special
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2011 Macon-Uchizy Les Maranches has a tightly wound bouquet with lovely limestone and citrus scents, touches of dried flowers emerging with time. The palate is very well-balanced with fine tannins, a fresh elegant mid-palate with lovely poise toward the precise finish.”
Domaine Lafouge Auxey Duresses Le Climat du Val Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Burghound 89 points “An elegant and beautifully complex nose displays aromas that are the pure extract of red pinot fruit that also reflect hints of stone and iron-infused earth. There is a lilting mouth feel to the supple, round and utterly delicious middle weight flavors that possess fine delineation on the mildly austere but balanced, harmonious and attractively persistent finish.”
Louis Jadot Chambolle-Musigny 2012 750ML ($79.95) $66 special
From the winery “Louis Jadot produces a deeply coloured wine which develops a red berries fruits – and undergrowth aromas when older. Full bodied, delicate this wine has a silky finish. The soil is responsible for Chambolle Musigny’s exceptional delicacy and a character not possessed by any other wine of the Côte de Nuits. It will perfectly match with delicate dishes, not too spicy like red meat, game and quite strong cheeses.”
Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Lavaux Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($399.95) $179 special
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 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($499.95) $259 special
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 special
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
FRANCE-OTHER
Champ Divin Pinot Noir Cotes du Jura 2013 750ml ($29.95) $21.90 special
Domaine Labet Cotes du Jura ‘Fleur de Savagnin’ 2012 750ML $(29.95) $24 special
Domaine Labet Cotes du Jura La Reine Chardonnay 2011 750ML ($39.95) $28 special
ITALY-PIEDMONT
Guido Porro Vigna l’Pari Dolcetto d’Alba 2013 750ML ($21.95) $16 special
Guido Porro Vigna S. Caterina Barbera d’Alba 2013 750ML ($21.95) $16 special
ITALY-TUSCANY
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
SPAIN
Bodegas Avancia Cuvee de O, Valdeorras 2012 750ML ($19.95) $11.90 special
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Light, bright yellow. Expressive nose displays scents of fresh pear, yellow peach and honeysuckle, along with a smoky undertone. Rich, layered and expansive, with sappy pit fruit and spice flavors lifted by harmonious acidity. Really coats the palate with spice-accented fruit on the long, seamless finish. Broad and fleshy without coming across as heavy, and delicious right now.”
GERMANY
JJ CHRISTOFFEL Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese ‘Kranklay’ *** 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Terry Theise notes: “We’re making a change in labeling. When we did stars – 1-star, 2-star, 3-star – it tended to create a false hierarchy, and led buyers to suppose they had to have the “best” one or the bullies would kick sand in their faces. So now we’re going to use the actual micro-parcel name, because the wines do in fact hail from single small pieces of land. It’s more informative, more truthful. This parcel is way up in the most forbidding terraces, and its wines have a kind of para-sensual slate expression, a sonnet of the rocks. It’ll buzz your fillings, this wine. ”
Von Winning Deidesheimer Kalkofen Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2013 750ML ($99.95) $79 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “Bright and pale green in color, the 2013 Deidesheim Kalkofen Riesling trocken GG from predominantly old vines on limestone/marl soils offers noble upfront fruit aromas of nectarines and yellow plums. Medium to full-bodied it is the mixture of purity, piquancy, juiciness of ripe fruit and the lovely salty texture that makes the tightly woven Kalkofen one of the finest Rieslings of the 2013 vintage in Germany. Fermented in 500-liter barrels, it can age for ten or more years.”
Von Winning Forster Ungeheuer Riesling Grosses Gewachs Trocken 2013 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “At this early stage, the citrus colored 2013 Forster Ungeheuer Riesling trocken GG (with lime green reflections) seems to be von Winning’s most impressive Riesling of the vintage. Intense, ripe and piquant fruit aromas of limes and grapefruit on the nose lead to a very juicy and salty palate where an almost perfect amalgam of minerals and fruit juice gives a very elegantly structured, medium to full-bodied wine. Then comes a delicious finish followed by a persistent and piquant length. This is a great, bright and energetic wine, whereas the Pechstein and Kirchenstück are still very closed at the moment.”
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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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Gaston Chiquet Champagne
“I think if you asked me to sum up Chiquet’s wines in one pithy phrase, I’d have to say either “delicious and articulate” or “articulate and delicious” depending on wh
ich you preferred. . . . I myself tend to peg Nicolas Chiquet’s wines as “innately lovable” and so it always surprises me to rediscover just how focused and precise they are, as if the prose of E. B. White were rendered in the form of Champagne. They taste effortless, tactful, yet attractive.”
-Terry Theise
It has been 8 generations since Nicolas Chiquet planted his first vine back in 1746. Gaston Chiquet registered the company in 1935 and expanded the property with land in Aÿ, Cumières and Hautvillers. The vineyards slope down steeply to the village by the Marne River, and the best locations are just over the town, sheltered from the wind and with maximum exposure to the sun. In 1919, born and bred winemakers and brothers Fernand and Gaston Chiquet came together to create their house, Chiquet brothers, and took the initiative to keep their grapes, make wine and sell their own wine, qualifying them as a ‘small grower’ Champagne.
Fast forward to present day, and it is still owned and operated within the family. Claude Chiquet and his sons, Antoine and Nicolas, ensure continuity by complying with the family rule: “Our primary goal is to maintain the quality standards of our heritage.” While the techniques have greatly improved over the years, the family tradition remains the same.
Today, the two brothers along with the next generation, Marion Chiquet (Antoine’s daughter) work 23 hectares of vineyards situated primarily in the precious perimeter of Dizy, Aÿ, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and Hautvillers, cultivating 50% Chardonnay, 30%, Pinot Meunier, and 20%.Pinot noir.
All of the fruit comes from Premier and Grand Cru grapes and the wines see no oak aging, believing that concentration, fruit maturity and malolactic fermentation impart enough body and texture to make aging in barrel unnecessary.
The Chiquet’s make some of the best small grower Champagne and at an incredible value. They best describe their philosophy with the following; “From generation to generation our family has produced Champagne by combining time-honored tradition with the latest oenological innovations.
We take great pride in expressing the special character of the terroir and cepages of our region. “
Gaston Chiquet Champagne Available Here Now
Gaston Chiquet Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs d’Ay Brut 2005 1.5L ($179.95) $149 special, 5 magnums available
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Green-tinged gold. Exuberant pear, white peach and honey on the nose, with anise, cherry pit and mineral qualities adding complexity. Zesty mineral-accented orchard and pit fruit flavors show very good depth and clarity, picking up a smoky element with air. Finishes sappy, broad and long, with repeating minerality and a hint of smokiness. Disgorged in October, 2013 and bottled exclusively in magnums.” JR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Gaston Chiquet Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs d’Ay Brut NV 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 6 bottles available
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.” ST
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 Premier Cru Brut Tradition NV 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special, 5 magnums available
Gaston Chiquet Carte Verte Premier Cru Brut Tradition NV 375ML ($27.95) $24 special, 6 half-bottles available
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.” ST
These are the lowest listed prices in the USA today!
Gaston Chiquet Premier Cru Brut Rose NV 750ML ($59.95) $44 special, 8 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Light pink. Exotically perfumed scents of redcurrant, strawberry and potpourri, with a dusty mineral quality adding energy. Suave, silky red berry flavors are pure and precise, with energetic blood orange and buttered toast qualities appearing with aeration. Sappy and focused on the nervy finish, with the floral and mineral notes repeating.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Gaston Chiquet Special Club Grand Cru Brut 2007 750ML ($89.95) $59 special, 4 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous Media 92 points “Vivid yellow. Suave, expansive aromas of Meyer lemon, yellow peach and smoky minerals, plus a slow-building, toasty lees quality. Sappy and precise on the palate, offering intense citrus and pit fruit flavors that are given lift and spine by bright minerality. Smoothly melds depth with energy, finishing with very good mineral grip and lingering smokiness.” JR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Some Some Summertime
Chillin’ While You’re Grillin’
J.K.Carriere Glass Willamette Valley White Pinot Noir 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Peyrassol Cotes de Provence ‘Chateau Peyrassol’ Rose, Provence 2014 750ML ($31.95) $27 special
Everybody Should Eat More Fish
Clos Sainte Magdeleine Cassis Blanc, Provence 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
Spend on the Steaks – Save on the Wine
Trentadue La Storia Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 2012 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Case-12 Trentadue La Storia Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 2012 750ML ($239.95) $199 special
“Our 2012 La Storia Cabernet is a wine worthy of aging, showing abundant varietal aromas and flavors of blueberry, blackberry and black licorice, with a hint of herbs and ripe olives.The predominately French oak aging contributes aromas of cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa dust and slight smokiness. The mouth feel is fresh and juicy with balanced acidity and very soft tannins for a young wine. Due to the relatively lower sugar at harvest the alcohol content is modest and the acidity is relatively high and that will extend the longevity of this wine. Age 4 – 7 years.” Winery Notes
Mo’ Better Burger Wines
Bodegas Castano Solanera Vinas Viejas, Yecla 2012 750ML ($19.95) $16 special
Case-12 Bodegas Castano Solanera Vinas Viejas, Yecla 2012 750ML ($219.95) $179 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “Even more remarkable is the 2012 Solanera Vinas Viejas, a blend of 70% Mourvedre, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Grenache aged 10 months in a combination of French and American oak. A custom cuvee that is only available through importer Eric Solomon, this amazing red wine displays notes of lead pencil shavings, acacia flowers, black raspberries, blueberries and black currants. This full-bodied, intense 2012 tastes like it should cost three to five times as much. Full-bodied, stunningly pure and textured, it should last for 4-5 years, possibly longer.” WA
Owen Roe Sharecropper’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2013 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
From the winery “Always a crowd favorite, the 2013 vintage proves to be another great attempt at creating a fruit forward, yet bold Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine exudes juicy aromas of pomegranate, blackberry and tobacco spice. Flavors of jalapeno, hints of eucalyptus and mint and a balanced mouth-feel finish with bright acidity and firm tannins. We recommend opening this wine now and enjoying it at a young age, however, this will age well for 4-6 years when properly cellared.”
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Magic Montille
Arriving Friday 24th
Domaine de Montille Meursault Les Narvaux du Dessous 2012 750ML ($99.95) $79 special
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Pale straw with a yellow tinge. Attractive lift to the peach and spicy aromas. Purer and more expressive than the Poruzots from Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet, with brisk, well-integrated acidity and a penetrating stony quality intensifying the stone fruit and brown spice flavors. Finishes long and firm. This is excellent.” ST
Domaine de Montille Les Perrieres, Meursault Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($179.95) $149 special
Burghound 90-92 points “Here too strong sulfur and reduction render the nose impossible to assess. As one would reasonably expect this is intensely mineral-driven with an excellent sense of energy and tension to the saline-inflected flavors that display only moderate depth on the otherwise wonderfully long and well-balanced finish. My range offers the benefit of the doubt that more depth will develop with age.” BH
Domaine de Montille Le Cailleret, Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($199.95) $179 special
Stephen Tanzer 93+ points “Straw-yellow. Ripe, leesy, deep aromas of stone fruits and smoky minerality complicated by an exotic suggestion of orange. Rich, fat and sweet, boasting excellent density to its concentrated, seamless flavors of stone fruits and crushed rock. Almost massive for this cuvee and in need of four or five years of bottle aging to express itself more fully.” ST
Domaine de Montille Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($199.95) $179 special
Stephen Tanzer 94+ points “Bright, pale straw-yellow. Knockout high-pitched aromas and flavors of white peach, lavender, fleur de sel and mint. Sweet, tactile and superconcentrated, boasting superb floral lift and inner-mouth perfume. Finishes adamantly dry, tight and extremely long, with outstanding energy and verve. I would not be surprised if this wine merited an even higher rating seven or eight years down the road.” ST
Domaine de Montille Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($449.95) $369 special
Burghound 91-94 points “This is also quite firmly reduced at present. There is good verve and plenty of underlying tension to the unusually big-bodied flavors that display an abundance of both mouth coating dry extract along with ample amounts of the hallmark minerality that helps to shape the intensely saline and beautifully persistent finish. This is quite dry and exhibits slightly better overall complexity than the Corton-Charlemagne.” BH
Domaine de Montille Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($219.95) $179 special
Antonio Galloni 93-96 points “The 2012 Corton Clos du Roi is a model of delicacy and finesse. Dark raspberries, wild flowers and savory herbs all meld together gracefully in a wine that is all about transparency, nuance and detail. Texture and a total sense of polish are some of the signatures that are impossible to miss. Dried herbs, crushed flowers and anise are all woven together nicely through to the finish.” AG
Domaine de Montille Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($279.95) $249 special
Antonio Galloni 93-95 points “A deep, structured wine, the 2012 Clos Vougeot boasts superb intensity to match its expressive, layered personality. Blue and black-toned fruit, cloves, leather and violets. Next to the Corton, the ClosVougeot is dense and resonant, with multiple dimensions that slowly reveal themselves with time. Today, the 2012 is massive and imposing, yet I find a level of purity in the fruit that is absolutely striking.” AG
Domaine de Montille Pommard Les Cras 2012 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
Domaine de Montille Les Grands Epenots, Pommard Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Burghound 89-92 points “A deft application of wood sets off an agreeably fresh nose that features notes of black raspberry liqueur and just turned earth nuances. There is an appealing vibrancy to the velvet-textured medium-bodied flavors that possess very fine volume and mid-palate weight before terminating in a lingering finish. Here too there is just a trace of dryness but the supporting tannins appear to have the requisite phenolic ripeness such that it should dissipate with a few years of bottle age and my predicated range offers the benefit of the doubt.” BH
Domaine de Montille Les Pezerolles, Pommard Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($179.95) $149 special
Antonio Galloni 92-94 points “The 2012 Pommard Les Pézerolles is a beauty, but it is going to require serious time to fully come together. The interplay of dark red fruit, acidity and minerality is simply dazzling. Vibrant and nuanced to the core, the 2012 boasts fabulous tension and pure power. There is so much to look forward to here.” AG
Domaine de Montille Les Rugiens, Pommard Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($199.95) $159 special
Antonio Galloni 91-93 points “Savory herbs, wild flowers, mint and black fruit all take shape in the 2012 Pommard Les Rugiens. The aromatics are nicely lifted, while there is plenty of vintage 2012 fruit and tannin to fill out the wine’s frame. Here it is the wine’s balance that impresses most of all.” AG
Domaine de Montille Les Sizies, Beaune Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
Domaine de Montille Les Greves, Beaune Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Burghound 90-92 points “An intensely floral nose that is both attractively fresh and ripe offers up notes of primarily dark currant and earth. There is good verve to the somber but rich and solidly well-concentrated medium-bodied flavors that exude a fine bead of minerality on the moderately austere and persistent finish. The comparatively firm tannic spine is well-buffered by the abundant dry extract that imparts a velvety palate impression to the finale.” BH
Domaine de Montille Les Champans, Volnay Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Burghound “Here the intensely earthy nose is also quite somber and reserved with its array of various dark berry fruit and discreet humus aromas. There is good volume and a sleek muscularity to the mineral-inflected middle weight flavors that possess that lovely sense of underlying tension yet culminates in a mildly austere and dry finish. This is likely to add depth and flesh out somewhat with bottle age but I’m less certain that the balance is going to improve with time and my suggested initial drinking window reflects this concern.” BH
Domaine de Montille Les Mitans, Volnay Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Stephen Tanzer—Vinous 91 points “Medium red. Aromas of redcurrant, plum and spices. Plush, rich and velvety; very concentrated and open-knit, showing lovely sweetness without coming across as heavy. This fat Volnay is almost too much of a good thing, but I’m not complaining. I’d enjoy this over the next year or two or hold it until early next decade.” ST
Domaine de Montille Les Taillepieds, Volnay Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($179.95) $149 special
Stephen Tanzer—Vinous 90-93 points “Reduced aromas of cherry and licorice. Supple, broad and densely packed, with musky cherry, spice and herb flavors deepened by saline minerality. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and excellent breadth. The longest of these 2012s to this point.” ST
Domaine de Montille Les Malconsorts, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($399.95) $319 special
Stephen Tanzer—Vinous “(13% alcohol; 60% new oak): Bright medium red. Very ripe aromas of black raspberry, smoky minerality and dried flowers. Plush, highly concentrated, outsized wine, combining grand cru volume with a surprisingly airy texture. Finishes with wonderfully suave tannins that saturate the entire palate and give shape to the wine’s fruit. Really outstanding soil-driven depth here.” ST
Domaine de Montille Les Malconsorts Cuvee Christiane, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($699.95) $619 special
Stephen Tanzer—Vinous 94-96 points “(100% vendange entier; the yield here was 32 hectoliters per hectare, according to de Montille): Good dark red-ruby. Another dimension of ripeness on the nose, with raspberry and cherry fruit complicated by cardamom, coriander, peony and graphite. Superb acidity gives cut to the dark cherry and spice flavors without detracting from the wine’s utterly spherical texture. Great depth and building length here, with the finish featuring invisible tannins. This beauty leaves the mouth perfumed.” ST
Altare Elio
Arriving Friday 24th
Elio Altare Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML (79.95) $61.90 special
92 POINTS ANTONIO GALLONI “The 2010 Barolo wraps around the palate with plums, mocha, smoke, menthol, spices and new leather. This is an unusually dark, muscular style for a straight Barolo. The shoulders are broad, but at the same time, there is more than enough richness to balance the tannins. The 2010 should drink well pretty much upon release, as it is packed with fruit, supple in personality and full of near-term appeal. Altare sources fruit from La Morra, Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga for his Barolo.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $65
The average price is $75
Elio Altare Vigneto Arborina, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($119.95) $89 special95 POINTS ANTONIO GALLONI “Altare’s 2010 Barolo Arborina bristles on the palate with striking energy and finesse. Freshly cut flowers, mint, sweet spices, licorice and rose petals all meld together in a layered, impeccable Barolo loaded with class. The flavors are bright, chiseled and beautifully nuanced. The 2010 finishes with marvelous freshness and tons of saline-infused nuances.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $104
Elio Altare Brunate, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($219.95) $179 special
98 POINTS ANTONIO GALLONI “The 2010 Barolo Brunate is a wine for the Gods and Goddesses. Dark, layered and brooding, the 2010 covers every inch of the palate with intense dark fruit and a seemingly endless mélange of powerful, balsamic-inflected notes. The finish is long, intense and superbly layered. Today the 2010 is huge, explosive and flat-out great. Hints of rose petals and violets leave a lasting impression. This is a monumental Barolo from the Altare family. Sadly, 2011 is the last vintage.” AG
Elio Altare Cerretta Vigna Bricco, Barolo DOCG 2008 750ML ($129.95) $99 special
96 POINTS ANTONIO GALLONI “The 2008 Barolo Vigna Bricco Cerretta shows the muscle of Serralunga within the context of the year. Dark red fruit, flowers, licorice and tar are some of the nuances that emerge from this refined Barolo. There is plenty of density in the glass. The 2008 is rich, deep and muscular all the way through to the finish. There is plenty of Serraluga character here.” AG
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The next best price is $115.95
The average price is $130
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Springtime Sales Review
Grand Cru Burgundy – Repricements!
Sale Ends on All Spring Specials April 30th at 11:59pm
Louis Latour Chateau Corton Grancey Grand Cru 2008 750ML ($119.95) Was $89, Now $79, 11 bottles available
Burghound 89-92 points “Mild wood influence does not compromise the transparency of the fresh and earthy red pinot fruit nose that exhibits a slight sauvage character that can also be found on the energetic, detailed and tautly muscled middle weight flavors that possess good richness and more refinement than usual on the serious, long and linear finish where a touch of austerity can also be seen.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $105
Louis Latour Chateau Corton Grancey Grand Cru 2005 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $89,
Burghound 90-93 points “A very subtle touch of wood frames a spicy red berry fruit nose that dissolves into rich, full, well-muscled and sweet flavors that possess a good deal more volume and while the mid-palate is supple and round, the finish has the firmness that one expects from a big Corton. There is much better balance here and this should age well.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $101
Labet & Dechelette Chateau de La Tour Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($139.95) Was $109, Now $99
Burghound 91-94 points “Subtle wood influence sets off notably ripe and dense aromas of violets, plum, earth and various floral nuances. There is excellent richness and power to the big-bodied, intense and well-delineated flavors that enjoy an impressive reserved of mouth coating dry extract, all wrapped in a very firm but impeccably well-balanced finish. This impressive effort should amply reward 12 to 15 years of cellar time.”BH
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The next best price is $145.25
Domaine Maillard Pere et Fils Corton Renardes Grand Cru 2002 750ML ($139.95) Was $119, Now $99, 1 bottle available
Wine Spectator 90 points “Gamy and untamed, with a core of cherry and mineral backed by a firm structure. A traditional style, with little, if any, new oak. Ripe and unevolved; wait for the charms to be revealed. Best from 2007 through 2015.” WS
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Frederic Esmonin Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2012 ($159.95) Was $138, Now $119
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “Good deep red with ruby highlights. The nose began tight and oaky but opened with air to show enticing scents of dark raspberry, cherry liqueur, violet and licorice. The richest and sweetest of this set of 2012s, showing noteworthy concentration and breadth to the captivating flavors of berries, flowers and stony minerality. Wonderfully stuffed for an Esmonin wine but with no excess weight–and not a hint of rusticity. Finishes very long and perfumed, with utterly fine-grained tannins. Showing remarkably well following the recent bottling; in fact, I may well be underrating it today.”
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The average price is $141
Nicolas Potel Maison Roche de Bellene Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($199.95) Was $159, Now $119
Stephen Tanzer 92-94 points “Good bright yellow. Pure, perfumed aromas of lime, pineapple, spearmint and crushed rock. Juicy, steely and dense, with penetrating citrus and mineral flavors complicated by a saline quality that contributes to the wine’s savory, tactile mouth feel. Very dense, clean, precise and persistent wine that avoids austerity thanks to its touch of sweetness.” ST
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Domaine Maillard Pere et Fils Corton Renardes Grand Cru 2005 750ML ($199.95) Was $149, Now $119
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The next best price is $124.99
Domaine Maillard Pere et Fils Corton Renardes Grand Cru 1996 750ML ($199.95) Was $149, Now $119
Wine Spectator 90 points “Gorgeous fruit. Black raspberries, cherries and spice comingle in this elegant, silky ’96. Everything is there in the right proportions, including ripe, fine tannins and a lingering finish. Very forward and accessible.” WS
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Frederic Esmonin Mazy-Chambertin Grand Cru 2012 ($159.95) Was $138, Now $125
Wine Advocate- Neal Martin 94 points “The 2012 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru comes from a small 0.15-hectare parcel on red soils planted between 1949 and 1959 that produced just two barrels this year. Like many wines from this grand cru, it has a vivacious, captivating bouquet with violet-tinged black and red fruit, hints of forest floor and iodine that makes it compelling. The palate is very pure, blackcurrant pastille-infused entry, but this is more about its satin-like texture and harmony. It simply glides across the mouth with a seamless finish that carries the 100% new oak with style.”
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The average price is $157
Geantet-Pansiot Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2008 750ML ($199.95) Was $179, Now $149
Burghound 93 points “A reserved but fresh and very pretty nose of primarily red berries cut with hints of earth and oak that complements well the rich, full-bodied and powerful broad-schouldered flavors that are supported by a firm tannic spine and excellent dry extract levels that coat the palate on the beautifully long finish. This is head and shoulders above the rest of the range but note that patience will be required.” BH
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Thibault Liger-Belair Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($199.95) Was $166, Now $149
Stephen Tanzer 92-94 points “Bright, dark red-ruby. Vibrant aromas of blackberry, licorice and wild herbs, along with a smoky carbon suggestion. Densely packed and highly concentrated, with a firm tannic spine giving shape and definition to the fresh dark berry flavors. Plenty of stuffing here for balance but this very closed wine will probably need up to a decade of bottle aging to blossom.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $179
Labet & Dechelette Chateau de La Tour Clos de Vougeot Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($219.95) Was $179, Now $159
Burghound 92-95 points “Deep ruby. Here the wood is relatively generous and less well-integrated though the aromatic profile of the ever-so-slightly riper nose is otherwise quite similar. There is more size, weight, power and concentration to the imposingly constructed flavors that are both supported and shaped by the tightly wound and extremely firm tannins, all wrapped in a mouth coating and hugely persistent finish. This displays terrific potential but it is a wine to buy only if you have the wherewithal and patience to wait.” BH
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The next best price is $170
Domaine Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($249.95) Was $189, Now $179
Burghound 92-94 points “Here too the wood treatment is quite deft which allows the cool Granny Smith apples, pear, wet stone and spice scents to shine. There is also a seductive mouth feel to the broad-shouldered, supple and round flavors that brim with dry extract before displaying plenty of power and punch on the seriously long finish. This is easily the most backward wine in the range at present yet the impression is unusually fine, both in the context of the appellation but also in the context of this wine in general as it’s usually more robust. Be all of that as it may, this is very, very promising.”BH
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The next best price is $199.98
Laurent Ponsot ‘Domaine & Selection’ Echezeaux Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($249.95) Was $219, Now $199
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Domaine Robert Groffier Pere & Fils Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($319.95) Was $279, Now $199
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “(vinified with one-third whole clusters; aged in one-third new oak): Bright ruby-red. Complex, expressive aromas of black raspberry, cassis, mocha, game, brown spices and underbrush. Silky on entry, then thick but alive in the middle, with harmonious acidity framing the flavors of black fruits and exotic flowers. An incredibly thick and ripe 2011 with explosive fruit. Finishes with seamless tannins, lovely length and very good peppery lift. Drink now or in ten years. These 2011s are undeniably rich and thick, with adequate acidity, but I miss the ineffable treble notes the best examples of the vintage can offer.” ST
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The average price is $255
Louis Jadot Le Musigny Grand Cru 2011 750ML ($599.95) Was $479, Now $419
Stephen Tanzer 94-97 points “Medium red. Reticent but pristine aromas of cranberry, raspberry and clove oil, plus an exhilarating suggestion of candied fruit. Superconcentrated, silky and utterly seamless; wonderfully spherical wine with great fruit intensity and complexity and a pungent crushed stone element. Combines a texture of liquid velvet with an almost magically light touch. Finishes with noble tannins and great length and grip. Even sweeter on the finish than the Amoureuses. Great wine in the making.” ST
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The next best price is $479
Laurent Ponsot ‘Domaine & Selection’ Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2009 1.5L ($799.95) Was $699, Now $599
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The next best price is $900!!
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