Saturday, June 13th, 2015
Flash Sale; Cases; Lopez de Heredia; The Case of Vinsanity has Spread; Delas Freres; Brovia; Toro Albala, Cayuse
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Mid-West, East & South
Summer Shipping Saver
Whisk your wine through warmer weather!
Now for the summer season we are offering UPS Three Day Select Service for the price of UPS Ground for shipments normally travelling 4 or more business days.
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Featured Sale
Cayuse Vineyards ‘Widowmaker’ En Chamberlin Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley 2010 750ML ($249.95) $199 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 points “A silky, supple and downright sexy 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2010 Widowmaker En Chamberlin Vineyard offers up notes of sweet red and black currants, leaf tobacco, mulled spices and cedar to go with a full-bodied, rich and gorgeously textured and polished palate. Already approachable and surprisingly civilized, with a core of sweet fruit and ripe, polished tannin, it nevertheless holds up beautifully with air and drank well for the three days I had the bottle open. Enjoy it over the coming 12-15+ years. Drink now-2025+.” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Don’t miss the other Cayuse new arrivals below!
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New Weekend New Arrivals
CALIFORNIA
Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noirs NV 750ML ($24.95) $16 special
Case-12 Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noirs NV 750ML ($249.95) $156 special (that’s only $13/bottle!)
“Floral raspberry aromas lead to crisp and appealing citrus, spice and cherry flavors, with a lively finish. Drink now.” Wine Spectator
FRANCE-BORDEAUX
Chateau la Reverence, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2010 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
James Suckling 93-94 points
Chateau L’Ecuyer, Pomerol 2010 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Case-12 Chateau L’Ecuyer, Pomerol 2010 750ML ($549.95) $419 special (that’s only $34.92/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 92 points “Creamy and inviting, with dark raspberry, blackberry coulis and steeped plum fruit gliding along, carried by licorice snap, Lapsang souchong tea and singed apple wood notes. Fleshy but well-defined, driven to the finish by embedded structure. Best from 2015 through 2025. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $44
Chateau Mongravey, Margaux 2010 750ML ($49.95) $28 special
James Suckling 92 points, Wine Spectator 91 points “An aromatic red, with lilac and warm cherry confiture notes giving way to flavors of crushed plum, blackberry coulis and roasted alder wood. Features good grip through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2020.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $34.99
FRANCE-LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON
Le Loup Blanc “Le Regal” Minervois Rouge 2012 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Case-12 Le Loup Blanc Regal Minervois Rouge 2012 750ML ($199.95) $149 special (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
VinopolNote: Grenache 50%, Carignan 40%, Syrah 10%. Soil: Clay and limestone. Age of vines: 25 to 50 years. Ageing: 12 months in concrete tank
SPAIN
Bodegas Hermanos Pecina Senorio de P. Pecina Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2009 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2009 Senorio de P. Pecina Crianza feels much older and has the profile of old-time traditional Rioja, with notes of tobacco, leather, camphor, raw meat, incense and a core of macerated cherries. The medium-bodied palate shows great acidity (especially for a warm vintage), clean flavors and enough persistence. Highly recommended for fans of old-time Rioja at a great price. Drink 2014-2016.” WA
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Highlight New Arrival
Lopez de Heredia
“Perhaps no winery in the world guards it’s traditions as proudly and steadfastly as López de Heredia does,…it is paradoxically a winery in the vanguard, its viticulture and wine-making a shining, visionary example for young, forward-thinking producers all over the world…At López de Heredia, there is serenity that comes with adherence to core principles…” – Eric Asimov
When speaking of R. López de Heredia, nothing comes to mind more than ‘tradition’. As with other regions around the world, many winemakers have chosen to abandon traditional methods in favor of more modern approaches and techniques in order to please the average consumer. With almost no change at all and for over 137 years, three generations of the López de Heredia family have continually devoted themselves to producing some of Rioja’s most interesting wines, and of superlative quality.
In 1877, founder Don Rafael López de Heredia discovered Rioja Alta’s ideal combination of soil and climate, offering the perfect environment for what would eventually become world-famous wines. Since the beginning, López de Heredia has continued to produce 100% estate, single vineyard wines from their four vineyards; Viña Tondonia, Viña Bosconia, Viña Zaconia and Viña Cubillas.
Bodegas López de Heredia is one of the few family-run bodegas regulated by the Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja – DOC. The winery is now currently operated by Don Rafael’s great-grandchildren; Maria José, Mercedes, and Julio César Lopez de Heredia. Each succeeding generation has adhered to the founder’s philosophy: “old vines, low yields and careful, gentle handling.”
One of the many ways R. López de Heredia maintains their tradition is by continuing to use their own cooperage. Fermentation takes place in their 72 large oak vats, some of which are 139 years old, followed by the aging process in the hand-crafted American oak barrels. Extended barrel aging plays an important role in the development of the wine’s distinctive bouquet, creating a particular silkiness and a complex range of aromatic nuances, flavors and impressive lengths. This iconic producer expresses their traditions and cherishes their heritage in some of the most well respected ways. We encourage you to take the opportunity to try these iconic wines of incredible value. Cheers!
Lopez de Heredia – New Releases – Here Now
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Bosconia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2004 750ML ($47.95) $38 special, 11 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2004 Vina Bosconia Reserva is a blend of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho and the remaining 5% Mazuelo and Graciano aged for five years in used barrels, racked twice per year and fined with egg whites before being bottled unfiltered. Dark ruby-colored, with notes of beef blood, iron, antique shop, incense, blood orange and a touch of volatile acidity, the palate is very fresh, with good concentration, clear flavors and enough grip and fruit to age gracefully. A perfumed and feminine great Rioja. The Bosconia vineyard wines are the only ones from Lopez de Heredia bottled in Burgundy bottles. Drink now-2024.” WA
R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2003 750ML ($47.95) $38 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2003 750ML ($499.95) $399 special, 4+ cases available (that’s only $33.25/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 91 points “Cigar box, cedar and balsamic notes frame cherry, raisin and licorice flavors in this lean, firm red. Displays grip and focus. A traditional style. Drink now through 2023.”
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Just a reminder about our current shipping specials during this season:
For the Mid-West, East, and South during the summer season we are offering UPS Three Day Select Service for the price of UPS Ground for shipments that would normally travel four or more business days to their destination.
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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Delas Freres
Charles Audibert and Philippe Delas founded the company in 1835. Henri and Florentin Delas married two women of the Audibert family, uniting the families through marriage. When Henri and Florentin took over in 1924, they renamed the house Delas Freres. They subsequently expanded the company into Chateauneuf-du-Pape and expanded vineyard holdings in Hermitage. In 1960, Michel Delas took over the company and purchased vineyards in Côte Rôtie and Condrieu. The Lallier-Deutz family (owners of Champagne Deutz) purchased Delas Freres in 1977 and both were purchased by the Roederer House in 1993.
The estate is managed autonomously by Fabrice Rosset and the head winemaker is oenologist Jacques Grange. Since taking over in 1993, Rosset has revitalized the winery and cellars. The large fermentation vats were replaced with smaller tanks to allow smaller parcels to be fermented separately. The winery was converted to gravity-fed to ensure gentle handling of the wines and the old 2,500 hl barrels for aging were replaced with barrels from one of the top coopers in the world, Francois Freres of Burgundy.
The house endeavors to highlight the diversity and character of each of its vineyards: the grapes, vines, soils and microclimate of each individual area. Today, the company has 30 hectares of vineyards and contracts with growers established to continually emphasize quality over quanity. The grapes are hand harvest and fermented in open vats after three days of cold maceration. Twice daily pigeages and pumping over are performed before the wine is transferred to oak barrels to undergo malolactic fermentation. Wines are aged for 12-24 months in oak, an average of which is 10% new.
The winery is highly esteemed by critics for its quality and distinctly bottlings, many of its single-vineyard wines achieve scores of 96 and above.
Delas Freres Available Here Now
Delas Freres Ventoux, Rhone 2013 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Delas Freres Ventoux, Rhone 2013 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 3 cases available (that’s only $9.92/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 88 points –Best Values–“A racy, juicy version, offering mouthwatering damson plum, loganberry and red licorice notes, studded with hints of pepper and tobacco. A briary hint adds range on the finish. Drink now.” WS
Delas Freres Côte Rôtie Seigneur de Maugiron 2010 750ML ($89.95) $69 special, 37 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 points “Packed with lots of dark ganache, tapenade, tobacco, blackberry compote and freshly sliced plum fruit flavors, this really courses along with noticeable energy, while bramble, singed bay leaf and charcoal stud the finish dramatically. Best from 2015 through 2027.”
Delas Freres Côte Rôtie La Landonne 2010 750ML ($269.95) $219 special, 3 bottles available
Robert Parker 98+ points “Flirting with perfection, the 2010 Cote Rotie La Landonne offers up scents of black truffles, incense, smoked game, creosote, spring flowers and black fruits. Full-bodied with mouth-staining tannin as well as mouth-saturating extract and richness, this powerful, strikingly intense 2010 is young and unevolved, but it is filled with potential. Interestingly, Jacques Grange told me this cuvee was made from 100% destemmed fruit. Forget this wine for 4-5 years, and drink it over the following three decades.”
Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette 2009 750ML ($149.95) $99 special, 13 bottles available
Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette 2009 1.5L ($279.95) $249 special, 7 magnums available
Robert Parker 98 points “The magnificent 2009 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes boasts a black/purple color as well as a wonderful nose of creosote, incense, charcoal, blackberry jam, acacia flowers, white chocolate and a hint of espresso roast. Full-bodied and unctuously textured with low acidity and magnificent density, this 2009 can be drunk in 5-6 years or cellared for 30-50 years.”
Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette 2010 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 33 bottles available
Robert Parker 96 points “One of the finest Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes I have ever tasted is the 2010, which comes close to rivaling their prodigious 2009. A wine of great intensity, it possesses an inky/purple color, plenty of creme de cassis, licorice, lead pencil shavings, camphor, flint and barbecue smoke characteristics, and a thickness and viscosity that eclipse that of the 2009. Full-bodied and powerful with sweet tannins, a striking floral/mineral component in the mid-palate, and a huge, massive finish, this brilliant Hermitage should be consumed between 2018-2035.”
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The Case of Vinsanity Has Spread!
We offer over 80 diverse, deeply discounted case prices, such as:
FRANCE-CHAMPAGNE
Case-12 Deutz Brut Rose, Champagne NV 375ML ($259.95) $228 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $19/bottle!)
Deutz Brut Rose, Champagne NV 375ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ half-bottles available
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The NV Brut Rosé is fabulous. A sweet, open bouquet leads to expressive fruit in this rich, textured wine. The Deutz Rosé is a serious wine that can be enjoyed as an aperitif, but it also has more than enough power in reserve to drink well at the dinner table. Floral notes reappear to round out the finish. The blend is 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay. This is Lot LA111D31410.”
Wine Spectator 91 points “Firm and fresh, this is lightly chalky in texture, displaying a delicate mesh of white cherry, wild strawberry and white peach fruit, with notes of ground ginger, smoke and blanched almond. Elegant, with a lasting finish. Drink now through 2018.”WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
FRANCE-RHONE
Case-12 Vignobles Brunier Domaine La Roquete Chateauneuf-du-Pape Clos La Roquete Blanc, Rhone 2013 ($449.95) $376 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $31.33/bottle!)
Vignobles Brunier Domaine La Roquete Chateauneuf-du-Pape Clos La Roquete Blanc, Rhone 2013 ($47.95) $34.80 special, 30 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 points “Rich, racy and very pure, with a gorgeous medley of yellow apple, star fruit, fennel, white peach, honeysuckle and wet stone notes that all ripple through the bright, mouthwatering finish. Long and well-cut. This has quietly become one of the appellation’s top whites. Drink now through 2020.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
FRANCE-ALSACE
Case-12 Meyer Fonne Vignoble de Katzenthal Riesling, Alsace 2012 750ML ($349.95) $219 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
Meyer Fonne Vignoble de Katzenthal Riesling, Alsace 2012 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Spectator 90 points “Minerally, with mouthwatering acidity and expressive flavors of star fruit, dried papaya, lemon curd and smoke. Lightly floral and vibrant. Drink now through 2020. 25 cases imported.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
FRANCE-LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON
Case-12 Clos Canos Rouge, Corbières 2012 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $9.92/bottle!)
Clos Canos Rouge, Corbières 2012 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special, 31 bottles available
50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 20% Carignan
This is the only listing in the USA today!
ITALY-TUSCANY
Case-12 Mazzoni Bianco di Toscana IGT 2012 750ML ($179.95) $89 special, 3 cases available (that’s only $7.41/bottle!)
Mazzoni Bianco di Toscana IGT 2012 750ML ($17.95) $8.50 special, 36+ bottles available
Importer Note “Color: Straw yellow. Aroma: Ripened pears and apples, with a mineral component and a spicy note. Taste: On the palate it is fine, elegant, savory, harmonious, with the right acidity and the structure that recalls its Tuscan origin.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $14
Case-12 Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($279.95) $239 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $19.92/bottle!)
Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 30 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 89+ points “The 2012 Chianti Classico is a great introduction to the wines of Felsina. Deeply varietal and expressive to the core, the 2012 graces the palate with the essence of Sangiovese from the southern part of the Chianti Classico zone. Sweet tobacco, underbrush, menthol, licorice and black cherries flow through to the finish, but it is the wine’s sheer balance that impresses most of all. This is a gorgeous mid-weight Chianti Classico to drink over the next decade plus.” AG
Case-12 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2010 750ML ($479.95) $359 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $29.08/bottle!)
Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2010 750ML ($49.95) $34.50 special, 25 bottles available
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
Case-12 Bodegas Breca ‘Breca’ Garnacha Old Vines, Calatayud 2012 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 7 cases available (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
Bodegas Breca ‘Breca’ Garnacha Old Vines, Calatayud 2012 750ML $149 ($17.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles available
Robert Parker 91 points “The 2012 Breca from Calatayud is 100% old-vine Garnacha (from vines planted between 1925 and 1945) made from yields of less than one ton of fruit per acre. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and then transferred to new to 3-year-old French oak casks for 21 months, this outstanding red is the poor man’s Priorat. Mineral notes of wet slate and gun flint are intermixed with blackcurrant, black cherry and cassis fruit in this dense, full-bodied, pure, lavishly rich, intense Spanish red. It is hard to believe what one can get at this price point if the importer and wine producer are committed to high quality.” RP
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Brovia
“Brovia remains one of the most impressive estates in Piedmont. Even after a string of impressive recent vintages, the wines remain less well known than quality would suggest. The 2011s will give Brovia fans plenty to enjoy while the epic 2010s rest in the cellar. The Brovia Barolos remain quite classic in style.” — Antonio Galloni
Giacinto Brovia found the Brovia estate in 1863 in the village of Castiglione Falletto. In 1953, the grandchildren of Giacinto, brothers Giacinto and Raffaele, took over the winery and brought it back up the full production after the trials of phylloxera, war and economic difficulties that rocked Italy.
Giacinto studied as an oenologist and oversees the production of the wine. Raffaele, an agronomist, oversaw the vineyards until his passing in 2011. His daughters, Cristina and Elena, have stepped into his role and assist generally with the estate. The estate’s vineyards are located in the village and the neighboring village of Serralunga d’Alba and include holdings in the Rocche, Villero, Garblet Sue and Brea vineyards. They farm organically without certification and use techniques to limit yields such as pruning and thinning excess grapes during the summer. The wines are lightly crushed before fermentations that can last up to a month or more depending upon grape variety. The wines are aged in barrel for an average of two years before being bottled unfiltered. The wines are aged in bottle for 18-24 months before release.
Brovia Wines Arriving Late June
Brovia Sori del Drago Barbera d’Alba 2013 750ML ($31.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Brovia Sori del Drago Barbera d’Alba 2013 750ML ($349.95) $289 pre-arrival special (that’s only $24.08/bottle!)
“Perennially, this is my favorite Barbera I represent. These 70 year old vines are from the famed “Garblet Sué” parcel (more commonly referred to as “Bricco del Fiasc”) in Castiglione Falletto. Any other estate would have long since cashed in by planting Nebbiolo. This vineyard is planted at almost 1,000 feet elevation which is about as high as Falletto gets. As always, juice is fermented at a relatively brisk temp and then racked into stainless steel for 18mos. Simple, perfect Barbera. 120 cases imported to the USA.” –Importer note
Brovia Valmaggione Nebbiolo d’Alba 2012 750ML ($37.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Brovia Valmaggione Nebbiolo d’Alba 2012 750ML ($419.95) $349 pre-arrival special (that’s only $29/08/bottle!)
“Sorry to double down with the superlatives, but for me, this is the most exciting wine the Brovia family bottles. It is the cheapest, lowest abv%, highest elevation, most northerly, most north facing Nebbiolo bottling in the family’s lineup — and the most limited production wine they make. Always a huge winner for me. “Valmaggione” (the actual name of the vineyard is ValmaggioRe, but the printer misspelled the label during the first vintage and the Brovia family decided to stick with it as a joke) is a parcel in Vezza d’Alba that produces some very expensive and sought after wines by more modernist producers like Sandrone. Super steep, sandy soils with great drainage that make for a wine with pronounced freshness and lift. No oak, no extended élevage. Pure, great wine.”–Importer Notes
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Brovia Barolo DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Brovia Barolo DOCG 2011 750ML ($619.95) $519 pre-arrival special (that’s only $43.25/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 90-92 points “The 2011 Barolo is sumptuous and expressive, with all of the immediacy that is so typical of the year. Dark red cherry, plums, hard candy, spice and tobacco are all woven into a layered finish graced with soft contours and fabulous overall balance for a straight Barolo. As Brovia fans know, the straight Barolo is 70% young-vine fruit from Brea (above 20 years of age), plus the wine that is left over when the single-vineyard Barolos go into cask.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Brovia Wines Available Here Now
Brovia Valmaggione Nebbiolo d’Alba 2011 750ML ($37.95) $31.90 special, 18 bottles available
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Brovia Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 20 bottles available
James Suckling 91 points “This is spicy, with meat, chocolate and dried-fruit character. Medium body, dense fruit and chewy tannins. Needs two years to soften: better in 2016.”
Brovia Garblet Sue Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 8 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 96 points “Firm tannins support a core of bright red fruit, freshly cut flowers and crushed rocks in the 2010 Barolo Garblèt Sue’. Today some of the ferrous notes typical of this site are less obvious, as the fruit is incredibly rich and intense. Over time, though, it is the wine’s pure energy that stands out most, another typical Garblèt Sue’ characteristic. This is one of the more polished vintages of the Garblèt Sue’ I can remember tasting. Iron, smoke, dark red fruit and a host of ferrous notes round out the huge, explosive finish.”
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New Releases of Very Old Wines
Toro Albala – Vintage PX
Toro Albala is the world’s only source of aged vintage Pedro Ximenez. High-density PX is subjected to a decades-long reduction process, in which casks are topped exclusively with wine of the same vintage while suffering an annual 3% volume loss. Toro Albala’s youngest aged vintage, Don PX Gran Reserva, is released after a minimum of 25 years in cask. Amontillado is released with a minimum of 35 years’ age.
New Releases Arriving Late June
Bodegas Toro Albala Marques de Poley Amontillado Seleccion 1951 750ML ($279.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “My favorite of the two Amontillados is the 1951 Amontillado Selección a rare, single-vintage Amontillado produced with Pedro Ximénez grapes as is the norm in Montilla-Moriles. It’s a bright mahogany color with an amber-green tint that reveals pharmaceutical notes and balsamic, with roasted, charred aromas and a sweetish palate that retains the sharpness expected in this kind of wine. It is lacking a bit in the mid-palate before ending with a slightly bitter, tarry finish. This is completely different to an Amontillado from Jerez.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Reserva Especial 1965 750ML ($299.95) $249 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 97 points “Small lots of old vintages are released following no apparent logic, like this 1965 Don PX Selección, which is produced with white Pedro Ximénez grapes but it’s black rather than white, bottled in June 2014 with 290 grams of residual sugar. It has a nose of pure curry, aromas of an Indian restaurant, very balanced, not as sweet as others, in fact it’s more bittersweet than sweet, combining the spices with bitter chocolate and with very good acidity that makes it relatively easy to drink.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento 1955 750ML ($379.95) $299 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 98 points “One more single-harvest, old sweet wine, the 1955 Don PX Convento Selección was bottled in September 2014 and it had been aged slowly in very old American oak barrels and getting thick and concentrated through evaporation. Its 320 grams of sugar are (partially) compensated by 6.5 grams of acidity. It has a nose and palate of chocolate-covered candied orange, spices, molasses. I’d say the dominant aromas in the nose are dark chocolate. It’s very dense, developing notes of very concentrated licorice and balsamic, mint, camphor and evolving notes of petrol with time. Complex, rare and unique.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento 1929 750ML ($459.95) $359 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The extreme 1929 Don PX Convento Selección is a thick, dense and unusual, rare sweet beast. It is very dark with a green border, dense, oily and serious full-bodied palate with the profile of a PX from Jerez. With 500 grams of residual sugar per liter, it is a little monolithic, a little heavy and not so easy to drink. Still it is an impressive, very sweet wine that is really unique”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Toro Albala Available Here Now
Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Reserva Especial 1949 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 2 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 points “The 1949 Don PX Reserva Especial differs from the other old wines from the winery as it is less dark, it even has a (very dark) translucent tone compared with the others, maybe because it has 2% more alcohol. It feels incredibly elegant and balanced, fresher in comparison than the beasts from 1962 and 1946, medicinal, full of spicy notes of cinnamon, cloves, a touch of ash, and the smell of an antique shop. The palate is fluid, sweet and fresh. Putting a drinking window to these wines feels a bit silly. You should drink it whenever you have the occasion. Drink 2013-2040.” WA
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A Bionic Frog Walks into a Room…
Cayuse
Cayuse Vineyards God Only Knows Armada Vineyard Grenache, Walla Walla Valley 2007 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Adovacate 96 points “The Rhone-style offerings begin with the 2007 Grenache God Only Knows. According to Baron, it is a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% “God only knows”, hence the name. It was aged in puncheons (500-liter barrels) from Cote-Rotie producer Rene Rostaing. Dark ruby-colored, it sends up a sensational aromatic array of mineral, underbrush, truffle, bright cherry and raspberry aromas. Incredibly intense, vibrant, and lingering on the palate, this superb effort will surely evolve as well as any great Chateauneuf-du-Pape.” WA
Cayuse Vineyards God Only Knows Armada Vineyard Grenache, Walla Walla Valley 2008 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 94 points “Baron’s 2008 Grenache Armada Vineyard God Only Knows displays delectable scents and luscious palate presence of lightly-cooked strawberry and plum laced with nut oils and shadowed by plum and herb distillates. Seamlessly polished, almost velvety and glycerol-rich as well as sweetly ripe, this, nonetheless, projects a torrent of primary fruit juiciness along with levity and energy. Saliva-inducing salinity along with piquant fruit pit, and iodine accents add riveting counterpoint to a finish of prodigious length that manages to simultaneously sooth and stimulate. I would expect this to reward attention for at least another decade.” WA
Cayuse Vineyards Cailloux Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2009 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Spectator 96 points “Polished, effortless and juicy, with blackberry, currant, black olive and tar flavors, beautifully balanced to rotate all its facets as the finish keeps spinning. Harmonious and expressive. Drink now through 2019.” WS
Cayuse Vineyards Cailloux Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2010 750ML ($149.95) $125 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 97 points “As usual, the Cailloux is co-fermented with Viognier. The oldest of the Cayuse vineyards, it’s really coming into maturity, delivering a tour de force performance in this new vintage. Aromatically explosive, it opens with floral and citrus—notably orange peel—then fills out with a lush palate bursting with cherry fruit, and the winery’s characteristic, savory.” WE
Wine Advocate 96 points “The only one of Christophe’s Syrahs to be co-fermented with Viognier, the 2010 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard (90% Syrah, 10% Viognier) shows the least amount of Cayuse funk and has classic northern Rhone-like aromas and flavors of black raspberry, black pepper, edgy minerality, spring flowers and hints of bacon fat. Gaining additional complexity and nuances with air, it is silky and polished on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a seamless, elegant texture and remarkable persistence and length on the finish. One of those wines that delivers incredible amounts of fruit and texture without ever seeming heavy, it is a brilliant wine that will benefit from a handful of years in the cellar and shine for 10-15 years. Drink now-2025.” WA
Cayuse Vineyards En Chamberlin Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2008 750ML ($219.95) $179 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2008 En Chamberlin Vineyard Syrah offers up notes of tar licorice earthy minerals blueberry and blackberry. Dense and powerful on the palate this appears to be Baron’s take on Hermitage.”WA
Wine Spectator 94 points “Dark and brooding youthful and vibrant with plum currant dried tomato and fresh leather flavors picking up stony notes as the finish persists impressively. This has richness minerality and depth. Drink now through 2018.”WS
Cayuse Vineyards Armada Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2009 750ML ($199.95) $169 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98 points “From his high-density 2001 planting, Baron’s 2009 Syrah Armada Vineyard leads with a high-toned, penetrating nose that one can scarcely avoid calling Côte Rôtie-like: bacon fat, fresh cherry, kirsch, framboise, and violet. But there are also black tea, caramel, and a penetrating note of sealing wax that’s reminiscent of mature Bordeaux. Around one quarter of the 600-liter barrels in which this was raised (following fermentation in a mixture of cement and wood) were new. Dense, fine-grained but more evident tannins than in most of the present collection appear on a palate whose savory salinity and saliva-inducement, however, are utterly Cayuesque. The interplay of flavors here is kaleidoscopic and at the same time almost eye-squintingly bright. What’s more, as the wine opens to the air, a real layering and interplay emerges of diverse carnal elements alone: smoked meat, game, bloody roasted red meat, marrow and bone meal. This Syrah’s phenomenal sense of energy as well as of sheer, sappy, expansive presence, make for a finish whose vibratory intensity shakes-up my entire mouth. A truly awesome effort, it will surely be worth following for at least 15 years”
Stephen Tanzer 92+ points “Good deep red with ruby highlights. Distinctly decadent aromas of superripe plum, dried berries, mocha and smoked meat. Extremely dense, lush and thick, offering sweet, wild flavors of black raspberry, mocha and brown spices. Finishes very long, with big, ripe tannins. This large-scaled, mouthfilling, saline syrah will need time in bottle to express itself.”ST