Wednesday, August 12th, 2015
Mid-Week New Arrivals; Evening Land 2012s Re-Arrival; Domaine de la Grange des Peres; In Search of Perfection
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Mid-West, East & South
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Mid-Week New Arrivals
OREGON
Cameron Winery “Giuliano” White Blend 2014 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Winery’s note: “Cameroni’s blended wine (given the nomer ‘Giuliano’) consists of the grapes Friulano, Pinot bianco, Pinot grigio and Auxerrois with a small bit of Moscato for floral high tones. This wine tends to be finished with higher acidity and given extensive bottle age (often up to a year) for an elegant extremely food worthy wine.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
WASHINGTON
Tenet GSM Grenache – Syrah – Mourvedre, Columbia Valley 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The real superstar in the lineup is the 2013 Tenet GSM, which checks in as a mix of 40% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 25% Mourvedre that spent 12 months in neutral French oak. Ripe, voluptuous and thrillingly textured, this beauty boasts fabulous aromatics of red and black raspberries, melted licorice, pepper and assorted floral characteristics. These all come together nicely on the palate where the wine is full-bodied, has no hard edges, a big, layered mid-palate and blockbuster length. Count me impressed. This Chateauneuf du Pape look-alike will have a decade or more of longevity.” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
FRANCE-LOIRE
Domaine Guion Bourgueil Cuvee Domaine, Loire 2012 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Importer note “Domaine Guion is a family estate created in the fifties. A pioneer, it practices organic viticulture since 1965. It is eco-certified and respects the French charter “Nature and Progress”. After oenological studies, internships in Bordeaux and experiences as cellar master in the Loire, Stephane took after his father in 1994. The domaine is located in the town of Benais, North East of Bourgueil. It extends over an area of 7 hectares. All of Stephane’s vines lie within the Bourgueil appellation, centered on the village of the same name, west of Tours. It is a red wine only appellation which allows only red wine made from Cabernet Franc and a little Cabernet Sauvignon. Stéphane, however, prefers and only uses Cabernet Franc. He only makes two cuvees from his aged vines which range from 35 to 80 years old: the Cuvee Domaine and the Cuvee Prestige Rouge. He only uses indigenous yeasts and does not use any additive, with the exception of very low amounts of sulphur added during bottling to preserve the wine.”
FRANCE-BEAUJOLAIS
Domaine Chignard Fleurie Les Moriers 2012 750ML ($27.95) $16 special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 91 points “Bright ruby-red. High-pitched mineral- and spice-accented aromas of fresh red berries and candied lavender, with a hint of smoked meat in the background. Shows excellent clarity on the palate, offering juicy raspberry and spicecake flavors and a touch of allspice. The fine-grained finish is nicely shaped by gently chewy, harmonious tannins.” JR
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
FRANCE-ALSACE
Domaine Dirler-Cade Sylvaner Cuvee Vieilles Vignes 2013 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
Winery notes “Originally from pieces of land on the Saering and Kessler Grand Cru (Heisse Wanne), this flavourful wine is full-bodied, unctuous and a deep mineral nature. A benchmark in terms of grape variety – 1.9 g/l of residual sugar – sun canopy crusted with nuts and croutons.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
SPAIN
Ladera Sagrada Castelo do Papa Godello, Valdeorras 2014 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Winemaker notes “Precise, high-pitched aromas of lime zest, quinine, jasmine and ginger. Juicy, focused and youthfully tight, with bright acidity adding bite to fresh citrus and orchard fruit qualities. Shows a suave blend of power and vivacity, finishing with lingering floral and lime qualities.”
Celler Cecilio Black Slate Gratallops, Priorat DOCa 2013 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Robert Parker 95 points “Another unbelievable wine from 65-year-old vines planted in the schist soils of this area of Priorat. The 2013 Gratallops shows sensational aromatics of spring flowers, licorice, crushed rock, black currants and blackberry notes that all soar from the glass of this lush, seamlessly constructed full-bodied, opulent wine that is just a mind-boggling effort. It is a blend of 50% Grenache, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Carignan and 10% Syrah aged six months in barrel, as well as concrete tanks. Purity and presence of this wine in its aromatics and flavors are just remarkable. The average age of the vines that went into this cuvée are 65 years. Drink it over the next 5-7 years.” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
La Antigua Classico Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Case-12 La Antigua Classico Crianza, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($249.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 90 points “(70% tempranillo, 20% graciano and 10% garnacha; aged for two years in French and American oak): Brilliant red. Pungent aromas of ripe red fruit, vanilla and coconut, with a note of cedary oak that gains strength with air. Fresh and lively, with intense raspberry and cherry-vanilla flavors and a zesty cracked pepper note adding lift and cut. Juicy, appealingly sweet and broad, with good energy and mineral bite to its gently tannic finish.” JR
Bodegas La Cartuja, Priorat DOCa 2011 750ML ($21.95) $17 special
Case-12 Bodegas La Cartuja, Priorat DOCa 2013 750ML ($219.95) $179 special (that’s only $14.92/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 90 points “(70% garnacha and 30% carinena; aged for six months in French oak): Bright violet color. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes dark berries and fresh flowers, with a spicy nuance gaining strength with air. Juicy and energetic on the palate, showing a silky texture and juicy blackberry and cassis flavors. The smooth, smoky finish shows very good clarity and a whisper of fine-grained tannins.”
Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat, Priorat DOCa 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Wine Advocate 90 points “Bottled one week before my tasting in February 2015, the entry-level 2014 Camins del Priorat is the only wine that contains French grapes and is more or less 50% Garnacha, 15% Cariñena, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah and 5% Merlot. The grapes are sourced from vineyards in many different villages, fermented in stainless steel, oak and cement vats with indigenous yeasts and aged in barriques and oak vats for six months. This ultra young, jovial wine is a commercial success in the thirsty local restaurant market. It is really affordable too, considering that it bears the signature of Álvaro Palacios. It is bottled at different phases, released already because 2012 and 2013 were short vintages, and this lot is the first bottling with around four months in barrel; the last lot is kept in large oak and cement vats so all lots are more or less four months in barrels. Ripe, juicy and somewhat balsamic, it shows a Priorat character that is highly drinkable with fine tannins and pungent flavors. It is a wine to enjoy at the table. I missed the 2013 because this wine sells like hot cakes. Very good wine at a very good price.” LG
Alvaro Palacios ‘Les Terrasses’ Velles Vinyes, Priorat DOCa 2013 750ML ($44.95) $31.90 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2013 Les Terrasses Velles Vinyes, from a rainy year and a late harvest that resulted in perfect ripeness and low yields, is a blend of 55% Garnacha and 45% Cariñena. You might find labels and literature referring Cariñena to as Samsó, something that is wrong and creates confusion since Samsó is the Catalan name for Cinsault. The grapes are sourced from different villages (Gratallops, La Vilella Baixa, Bellmunt, El Lloar, El Molar, Porrera, Scala Dei, Torroja and Poboleda) all of them grown on schist llicorella soils, fermented in a combination of oak and cement vats with natural yeasts and matured in barrique for one year. It has a meaty nose with aromas that transported me to the Northern Rhône, showing smoky bacon intermixed with violets and really well-integrated oak resulting in a very fine and elegant impression. It seems more refined than other vintages of Les Terrasses, lighter and more elegant with none of the volatility or oak of yesteryear. It is really fine, polished and is without edges. Somehow within the Atlantic vintage you can see the Mediterranean character. Awesome Terrasses and good value for Priorat. 95,500 bottles produced.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Evening Land
Special Re-Arrival
Evening Land Silver Label ‘Seven Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 re-arrival special
Wine Spectator 96 points “Sleek and silky, brimming with raspberry, blackberry, pear and licorice flavors that come together seamlessly on the long, polished finish. This has depth and presence. Drink now through 2022.” WS
Evening Land Gold Label ‘Seven Springs Vineyard – La Source’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2012 750ML ($179.95) $149 re-arrival special
Wine Spectator 98 points “Seductive, silky and supple, this red layers its gorgeous currant, plum, blueberry and spice flavors on a lithe frame, coming together harmoniously on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2022.” WS
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Domaine de la Grange des Peres
Arriving August 26th
From the importer: “Attaining cult wine status is not an easy feat, and certainly not when the odds are stacked against you. Laurent Vaillé has achieved what others thought impossible. Having spent his early career training under such masters as Jean-François Coche-Dury (Meursault), Gérard Chave (Hermitage), and Eloi Durrbach (Domaine Trévallon, Provence), he settled in the l’Hérault of the Languedoc and purchased his own land in 1989, near Aniane. In this area of the region, where the limestone is hard and abundant and the soil poor, no one thought he would ever have any success planting a vineyard on his plot of choice. Though it took dynamite and bulldozing to clear twice the amount of limestone, boulders, and glacial scree that is found in neighboring vineyards, he found a great terroir for his grapes. He did not have to look far to find ideal bud wood, either. He sourced his Syrah, Marsanne, and Roussane cuttings from Gérard Chave and his Cabernet from Domaine Trévallon. Laurent’s South-facing vines get very low yields, normally from twenty to twenty-five hectoliters per hectare. All are pruned in the gobelet style. The simultaneous restraint and power of his wines makes them ideal for aging. As for the skeptics, they are currently eating their words. His area of the Languedoc has since become known to produce some of the greatest wines in the region, with the new appellation of Terrasses du Larzac, of which he is technically part, reaping attention and praise. In his words, ‘Nature gave us a partition of land. It is up to us to interpret it.’”
Domaine de la Grange des Peres
Arriving August 26th
Domaine de la Grange des Peres Rouge, IGP Pays de l’Herault 2011 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Domaine de la Grange des Peres Rouge, IGP Pays de l’Herault 2011 1.5L ($249.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 91 points “A distinctive red, this has dried red berry and meaty notes supported by a tangy acidity. With lightly chewy tannins, this shows savory spice, bitter herb and fresh earth flavors on the finish. Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Counoise. Drink now through 2017. 165 cases imported.”
La Revue du Vin de France 18/20
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $109.98
Domaine de la Grange des Peres Blanc, IGP Pays de l’Herault 2011 1.5L (259.95) $219 pre-arrival special
La Revue du Vin de France 17/20
This is the only magnum listing in the USA today!
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In Search of Perfection
Below are the fourteen 99-point wines and the eleven 100-point wines we offer!
WASHINGTON
Cayuse Vineyards En Cerise Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2008 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2008 En Cerise Vineyard Syrah offers up a remarkably complex, sexy perfume that leaps from the glass. Exotic spices, a velvety texture, and a succulent richness on the palate are sublime. It, too, can be enjoyed for a decade or more.”
Wine Enthusiast 98 points “A subtle, complex, utterly distinctive mix of flavors, with opening streaks of butter cookie, then mushroom broth, tightly wound berry fruit, earthy coffee grounds and even darker streaks of espresso and smoke and licorice. It is deeply layered with flavors that just keep piling on. Amazing wine.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “Rich and round, yet amazingly transparent as the cherry, mineral, tar and sassafras flavors expand over the long, expressive palate. This has richness and depth balanced with vibrant acidity, finishing with intensity. Best from 2012 through 2020. 355 cases made.”
CALIFORNIA
Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2012 750ML ($249.95) $189 special, 11 bottles available
James Suckling 99 points “Impressive aromas of clay, dust and blueberries. Lots of blackcurrants, too. Pure fruit. Full body, velvety and soft cashmere-textured tannins. It’s very structured. Need at least five to six years to come together but a fabulous wine. Greatest Red Rock ever? 506 cases made.”
Dominus Estate Christian Moueix, Napa Valley 2012 750ML ($29.95) $199 special, 16 bottles available
Robert Parker 99 points “Flirting with perfection, the 2012 Dominus is composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Five thousand cases were produced, a relatively modest amount from this large vineyard’s big crop. Christian Moueix told me that there was plenty of heat in 2012, but there were no excessive hot spells that can plague Napa Valley vintners during the growing season and harvest. This wine’s opaque plum/purple color is accompanied by a beautiful nose of sweet crème de cassis, a touch of background oak (only 40% new oak is used), spice box, cedarwood, black cherries and a hint of spring flowers. The complex, intense aromatics are followed by a deep, opulent, multidimensional, full-bodied wine with not a hard edge to be found. Everything is seamlessly crafted in this beauty and the vintage’s abundant richness is well-displayed. This 2012 can be drunk in its exuberant youthfulness or cellared for another 20-25 years.” RP
Colgin Cellars IX Estate Syrah, Napa Valley 2010 750ML ($499.95) $359 special, 3 bottles available
Robert Parker 100 points “The 2010 IX Estate Syrah is one of the most compelling Syrahs ever made in California. It ranks alongside some of the perfect Syrahs from Sine Qua Non in Santa Ynez and the Santa Rita Hills. Tasting like liquified steak au poivre with blackberry and blueberry sauce, this amazing wine reveals staggering aromas of flowers, bouquet garni, melted asphalt, licorice, pepper and meaty notes. It should drink well for 15+ years assuming you have that much patience.” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Kapcsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard Roberta’s Reserve, Napa Valley 2008 750ML ($599.95) $399 special, 4 bottles available
Robert Parker 99 points “The 2008 Robertas Reserve State Lane Vineyard is virtually perfect. This offering is just as strong as the 2007, but slightly more forward and irresistible than the backward 2007. It boasts a dense inky/purple color as well as an extraordinary nose of blackberry liqueur intermixed with cocoa, forest floor, graphite and subtle hints of smoke as well as camphor. The wine reveals fresh acids, laser-like precision and an extraordinary plump, fleshy mouthfeel. Already approachable, it should evolve for 20-25 years.” RP
Sine Qua Non Atlantis Fe203 Syrah 1A, Central Coast 2005 750ML ($799.95) $579 special, 1 bottle available
Robert Parker 100 points “The perfect 2005 Syrah Atlantis Fe 203-1a,b,c is a blend of 93% Syrah, 5% Grenache, and 2% Viognier, with 25% whole clusters. Whereas the Ode to E is all from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard, this cuvee is a combination of 43% from the estate vineyard, 28% from the White Hawk Vineyard, 21% from the Alban Vineyard, and 8% from the Bien Nacido Vineyard. The good news is there are nearly 1,500 cases of this recently released offering. An extraordinarily flowery nose interwoven with scents of blueberries, blackberries, incense, and graphite soars from the glass. Although not the biggest or most concentrated Syrah Krankl has made, it is one of the most nuanced, elegant, and complex. It remains full-bodied, but builds incrementally on the palate, and comes across as elegant and delicate, especially when compared to many California Syrahs. Nevertheless, the intensity is mind-boggling, and the finish lasts for nearly a minute. Drink this amazing effort over the next 10-15+ years.” RP
Sine Qua Non Atlantis Fe203 Syrah 1B, Central Coast 2005 750ML ($799.95) $579 special, 1 bottle available
Robert Parker 100 points “The perfect 2005 Syrah Atlantis Fe 203-1a,b,c is a blend of 93% Syrah, 5% Grenache, and 2% Viognier, with 25% whole clusters. Whereas the Ode to E is all from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard, this cuvee is a combination of 43% from the estate vineyard, 28% from the White Hawk Vineyard, 21% from the Alban Vineyard, and 8% from the Bien Nacido Vineyard. The good news is there are nearly 1,500 cases of this recently released offering. An extraordinarily flowery nose interwoven with scents of blueberries, blackberries, incense, and graphite soars from the glass. Although not the biggest or most concentrated Syrah Krankl has made, it is one of the most nuanced, elegant, and complex. It remains full-bodied, but builds incrementally on the palate, and comes across as elegant and delicate, especially when compared to many California Syrahs. Nevertheless, the intensity is mind-boggling, and the finish lasts for nearly a minute. Drink this amazing effort over the next 10-15+ years.” RP
Sine Qua Non The 17th Nail in My Cranium, Sta Rita Hills 2005 750ML ($1,499.95) $1,299 special, 1 bottle available
Robert Parker 100 points “The 2005 Syrah The 17th Nail In My Cranium, a blend of 96.5% Syrah and 3.5% Viognier which is aged 38 months prior to bottling. (I always wonder what Marcel Guigal would think of a wine like this which seems to tip its hat in the direction of Cote Rotie and then goes into high gear and clearly says, “I’m just something very different, but thanks for even thinking of that appellation while smelling and tasting me.”) Black as a moonless night, the 2005 17th Nail reveals a stunning nose of spring flowers intermixed with creme de cassis, blackberries, charcoal, graphite, and hints of lard and barbecue spices. Dense, with an endless (and I mean endless) finish, remarkable purity, and layer upon layer of flavor, but no sense of heaviness or flabbiness, this prodigious Syrah should evolve for 15 or more years.” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $1,449
FRANCE-CHAMPAGNE
Bollinger R.D. Extra Brut 2002 750ML ($399.95) $333 special, 4 bottles available
James Suckling 99 points “Super fresh, this is striking given the 10 years in the cellars; it has a fine citrus nose – plenty of lemon, grapefruit, yellow chalky notes, some lighter floral elements too. The palate is super dry (dosage at 3-4g) and there’s a silky, sherbet-like texture, smooth, fine and long. The citrus flavours give way to the driving surging acidity, thunderous acidity, really driving and powerful. The finish twists very slowly through to light-toasted cashew fruit flavours, but lemon citrus prevails. This is thrilling Champagne.” JS
FRANCE-BORDEAUX
Chateau Troplong Mondot, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2009 750ML ($249.95) $199 special, 6 bottles available
Robert Parker 99 points “It boasts an inky/purple color along with a gorgeous bouquet of mocha, chocolate, blackberry and cassis fruit, an unctuous texture, a full-bodied, viscous mouthfeel and a skyscraper-like, multilayered finish. This spectacular wine is nearly overwhelming in its richness, thickness and intensity. Once all its baby fat falls away, the terroir characteristics and additional nuances will emerge. This blockbuster, fabulous Troplong Mondot will benefit from 10-15 years of cellaring and keep for three decades or more. It is not shy either, bouncing over the palate with 15.5% natural alcohol. The 2009 Troplong Mondot will provide plenty of competition for the 2010, 2005 and 2000. It comes closest in style to the prodigious 1990 that proprietress Christine Valette produced 22 years ago. A phenomenal effort, it unquestionably justifies its relatively new Premier Grand Cru St.-Emilion status. Readers should keep in mind that the 1990, which probably has lower acidity and not the level of concentration found in the 2009, is drinking incredibly well at age 22 and reveals no signs of falling apart.”
Chateau L’Evangile, Pomerol 2009 750ML ($599.95) $379 special, 3 bottles available
Robert Parker 100 points “An astonishing effort from the Rothschild family, the 2009 l’Evangile may be the reference point offering from this estate for decades to come. A blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc aged in 100% new oak, with 15% natural alcohol, it exhibits a sumptuous bouquet of caramels, black raspberry liqueur, blackberries, violets, graphite and truffles. Thick, viscous flavors are reminiscent of such super-ripe vintages as 1982, 1959, 1949 and 1947. The striking aromatics, massive, full-bodied mouthfeel and multilayered palate that resembles a skyscraper in the mouth offer an abject lesson in great winemaking, extraordinary terroir, and the ability to combine power with precision, elegance and freshness. This is unquestionably a huge wine, but it also possesses mindboggling complexity and finesse. Because of its sheer extract and velvety personality, it will be drinkable in 4-5 years, and will keep for four decades or more where well-stored. The most profound L’Evangile ever made?” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Chateau Latour, Pauillac 2010 1.5L ($3,995.95) $3,599 special, 1 magnum available
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-RHONE
Clos Saint-Jean Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Combe des Fous 2006 750ML ($299.95) $169 special, 1 bottle available
Robert Parker 99 points “Shockingly, the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Combe des Fous is almost as good. From a vintage that flies under the radar, it boasts a classic Clos Saint Jean profile of kirsch liqueur, ripe black raspberries, ground herbs and sweet garrigue to go with full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. Always slightly more elegant and silky than the more powerful Deus ex Machina, this thrill ride of a Chateauneuf will continue to drink well for another decade.” RP
Clos Saint-Jean Deus-Ex Machina Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006 750ML ($299.95) $169 special, 2 bottles available
Robert Parker 99 points “The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus ex Machina was flirting with perfection on this go around, and was open, layered and sexy. Possessing rock-star kirsch, blackberry liqueur, incense, spice, garrigue and ground pepper, it’s a full-bodied, incredibly textured 2006 that has thrilling concentration, sweet tannin and a finish this just keeps going. If forced to pick one of these bottles for current drinking, it’s showing spectacularly.” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Meal Rouge 2010 750ML ($319.95) $299 special, 1 bottle available
Robert Parker 99 points “From the warmest site of these three vineyards, the 2010 Ermitage Le Meal has sweet creme de cassis, blackberry, bacon fat and a meaty, bloody steak component to its richness. It has good acidity, but is clearly the most voluptuous and succulent of this quartet of monumental wines from one of the greatest appellations for wine in the world, Hermitage. This wine needs a good decade of cellaring and should continue to evolve for 40-50+ years.”WA
M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 2010 750ML ($399.95) $349 special, 4 bottles available
Robert Parker 100 points “Tasting like the concentrated blood from an aged and grilled strip steak, the 2010 Ermitage Le Pavillon boasts a black/purple color along with creme de cassis, camphor, pen ink, white flower and lead pencil shaving characteristics in its massive, full-bodied personality. It almost defies description because of its ethereal concentration and off-the-charts extract levels. This is not for the faint of heart, or those who lack patience, as it will require 10-15 years of bottle age, and, as previously stated, will keep for 50 or more. There are just over 1,000 cases of the 2010 Le Pavillon, another perfect wine in the constellation of profound wines produced by Michel Chapoutier.” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas 2010 1.5L ($699.95) $599 special, 1 magnum available
Robert Parker 100 points “Eclipsing even the 2009, the 2010 Cornas achieved one of the highest natural alcohol levels (14%) ever recorded at Clape. This complex, inky/purple-colored effort boasts abundant notes of charcoal, licorice, blackberries and blueberries intermixed with a hint of scorched earth (or is it charcoal embers?), a full-bodied mouthfeel, a seamless personality and a crushed rock-like minerality. The tannins are so sweet it will be drinkable in 2-3 years, and should keep for 25 or more. It is a tour de force in what Syrah can achieve in this hallowed appellation. Kudos to the Clape family, especially Pierre-Marie.” RP
ITALY-PIEDMONT
Bartolo Mascarello Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($399.95) $299 special, 11 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 99 points “The 2010 Barolo is one of the most striking, hauntingly beautiful wines I have ever tasted here. Mysterious and slow to show its cards, the 2010 impresses for its inner perfume, sweetness and exceptional overall balance. Today the striking fruit and classic, austere elements of the vintage take turns in dominating the wine’s balance. The 2010 was always magnificent in barrel. It is equally spectacular from bottle. Readers who can find the 2010 should not hesitate. Ideally I wouldn’t dream of touching a bottle until age 15 or so, although I doubt I will personally have the discipline to follow my own advice!” AG
ITALY-TUSCANY
Casanova di Neri Cerretalto, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2006 750ML ($279.95) $219 special, 2 bottles available
James Suckling 99 points “Aromas of ripe strawberries, sandalwood, and flowers follow though to a full body, with soft tannins and a fruity finish. This is so long and gorgeous, with intense fruit and a defined and beautiful structure. Amazing fruit at the finish. Gorgeous now, but will age beautifully. The palate builds and show such depth. So wonderful now, but better in 2015.”
GERMANY
Weingut Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Beerenauslese, Nahe 2007 375ML ($199.95) $179 special, 2 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 points “The over-ripe pear and quince featured in other nobly sweet wines of this collection are very much present in Donnhoff’s 2007 Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Beerenauslese, along with aromas of distilled gentian, gardenia, lemon oil, freshly baked bread, and white truffle. The intensity of inner-mouth perfume here – orchard fruit, floral, and herbal distillates – is nearly beyond belief. Pear nectar, quince preserves, apple jelly, liquid gardenia, brown spices, and a certain saline and smoky suggestions of things mineral inform a finish of trance-inducing duration. This amazing elixir – harvested largely in the Turmchen section of the site – should be worthy of 40 years cellaring. When Donnhoff laughingly referred to this as the year of Felsenberg, he was not in fact kidding, nor was he referring just to the sheer number of bottlings!”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
SPAIN-SHERRY
Alvear Pedro Ximenez de Anada, Montilla-Moriles 2011 375ML ($79.95) $47 special, 16 bottles available
Case-12 Alvear Pedro Ximenez de Anada, Montilla-Moriles 2011 375ML ($999.95) $479 special, 3 cases available (that’s only $39.92/bottle!)
Robert Parker 100 points “Alvear’s 2011 Pedro Ximenez de Anada is the most amazing Pedro Ximenez I have ever tasted. It may also be one of the first to be vintage-dated. The grapes were hand-harvested in September, then allowed to dry in the sunshine until they began fermentation, which is ultimately arrested by the addition of spirits. The wine spent six months in large American oak prior to being bottled. It is an amazing effort that looks like molasses. Notes of macerated figs, chocolate and caramelized tropical fruits emerge from this full-bodied, unctuously-textured wine. While sweet, it has enough acidity to balance out its richness. This astonishing 2011 Pedro Ximenez will last as long as any reader of this newsletter.” RP
A.R. Valdespino Cardenal Palo Cortado VORS Sherry, Andalucia NV 750ML ($299.95) $279 special, 1 bottle available
A.R. Valdespino Cardenal Palo Cortado VORS Sherry, Andalucia NV 375ML ($169.95) $133 special, 2 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 points “The NV Palo Cortado Cardenal VORS, like the whole VORS collection from Valdespino is outstanding. It is fed from the solera of the Palo Cortado C.P. where the Palomino grapes come from the Macharnudo Alto vineyard, fermented in American oak botas. It’s 22% alcohol and has nine grams of (undetectable) residual sugar which makes it very drinkable. It’s a monumental wine of dark mahogany color with a green edge, a complex, ever-changing, concentrated, clean and delineated nose of spices, dark chocolate, Cuban cigar and balsamic notes of incense, and a sharp, saline palate. It is highly concentrated, powerful and clean, with an eternal, lingering aftertaste. Deciding between Coliseo and Cardenal might be splitting hairs, and as much as I love Coliseo, I felt Cardenal was just one notch above. At the quality helm of Palo Cortado. Drink 2013-2025.” WA
Peter Liem– “Its palo cortado counterpart is the Cardenal, a wine of similar age and equally multi-faceted complexity, although, with its richer girth and more velvety texture on the palate, it comes off as less forbidding. It essentially represents the ultimate conclusion of Valdespino’s expression of the Marcharnudo vineyard.”
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A.R. Valdespino Coliseo Amontillado VORS Sherry, Andalucia NV 375ML ($249.95) $179 special, 5 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 99 points “The NV Amontillado Coliseo VORS, is an extremely old (much older than the 30 years certified by the VORS classification) and concentrated wine. It is unique, as its origin is from Sanlucar de Barrameda, mainly from the Pago Miraflores, which produced very sharp wines. Dark mahogany colored, with a bright green border, is very aromatic, balsamic and complex, with wild herbs, candied orange rind, spices and dates. The palate is extremely concentrated, dry, and intense but it has no edges, with lively acidity and an eternal finish. It’s an extreme wine, some might find it too much, but it’s certainly unique and among the greatest wines in the world, to be sipped slowly and in tiny quantities. One of the greatest Amontillados in existence today. Drink 2013-2025.” WA
Peter Liem–“A complex demanding wine averaging over 60 years of age. This actually originates as a manzanilla, spending 15 to 20 years in Sanlucar before being blended and aged in Jerez. The result is an amontillado of tremendous finesse, balancing its vivid concentration with a stelly, racy structure”
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A.R. Valdespino Toneles Moscatel Sherry, Andalucia NV 375ML ($299.95) $219 special, 2 half-bottles available
Wine Advocate 100 points “The NV Moscatel Toneles has reached a mythical status locally in Spain. It’s an extremely old, concentrated and powerful sweet wine that was long forgotten, because there was no market for it. The color is dark brown, almost opaque with amber-green edges. The ever-changing nose is an explosion of spices (curry and cinnamon) and noble woods, and from the sheer concentration it displays a myriad of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, balsamic herbs and even a note of coconut. After some time in the glass the roasted orange notes of Muscat come back intermixed with very spicy incense notes. Give it more time and it smells of camphor. It’s fascinating to smell it over the course of a few hours? even days. The palate is immensely concentrated, with the alcohol perfectly integrated and the extreme sweetness compensated by a piercing acidity that reminds me of some century-old Madeiras. It ends with an acute coffee note. The aftertaste is eternal. It is exceptional that such an old wine (it could be over 80 years of average age) keeps the freshness and balance, but when this happens, the wine is exceptional. A world-class sweet wine that shows what aged Muscat is able for. With its 430 grams of residual sugar, this wine is indestructible, but only 100 bottles are withdrawn and bottled yearly from a single, large cask. Drink 2013-2034.” WA
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100 Point Tuscan Wine Arriving Late August
Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 750ML ($219.95) $169 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 100 points “The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova is a protagonist of the vintage. The fruit is deep and dark with rich levels of extract, intensity and flavor. It goes far beyond your standard cherry and blackberry to include plum cake, spice bread and bacon-wrapped prune. Nothing is obvious or monochromatic about this wine. Everything is nuanced and ethereal. Tenuta Nuova is also distinguished by the linear mineral notes that are characteristic of this single-vineyard site. In 2010, those traits are especially well-defined and pronounced. The tannins reach a level of suppleness that is almost impossible to find in the sometimes prickly and acidic Sangiovese grape. If there is one thing Giacomo Neri has mastered, it is harvesting at optimal ripeness: He knows his property and his vines better than most and it shows. Collectors will want to put this wine aside ten years or longer.” WA