Monday, August 31st, 2015
New Week, New Arrivals; Staff Picks; Arriving in September; Diamond Creek; Hubert Lignier; Dugat-Py and the 2009 Vintage in Burgundy; 106 Magnums of Wine on the Wall – Sparkling Wine Edition
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New Arrival Special Feature
Domaine de la Grange des Peres Blanc, IGP Pays de l’Herault 2011 1.5L ($259.95) $219 special
VinopolNote: 80% Roussanne 10% Marsanne 10% Chardonnay
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine de la Grange des Peres, IGP Pays de l’Herault 2011 750ML ($119.95) $99 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.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $109.98
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OREGON
Whistling Dog Cellars NSV Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2011 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
“Hints of flowers, spice, and dark cherry on the nose; rich flavors of red and blue berries, spice, caramel, and earth; balance of soft tannins and juicy acids; lingering fruit finish. Only 150 cases produced. The 2011 NSV Estate Blocks Pinot is produced from 100% whole-berry, native yeast fermented, own-rooted fruit from Pommard, Wadenswil, and Dijon Clones; using minimalist winemaking techniques. No chaptalization or concentration techniques needed or used in making this wine, in a vintage when most wineries needed to use these techniques. Eighteen months in barrel, fourteen months in bottle upon release in June 2014.”–Winemaker Notes
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
FRANCE-BURGUNDY
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Les Champlots, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2013 Saint Aubin 1er Cru Champlots has a more austere bouquet compared to Pierre-Yves’s other premier crus: stony, touches of damp moss in an old churchyard. The palate is well balanced with sharp acidity on the entry: sour lemon, hints of apricot with quite an intense saline finish, this is a very well-crafted Saint Aubin that should repay time in the cellar. There’s something enigmatic about this wine.” WA
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey La Chateniere, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($79.95) $69 special
Wine Advocate 92-94 points ‘The 2013 Saint Aubin 1er Cru Chatenière is initially reticent on the nose, but it unfolds with time in the glass with delicate orange blossom and white peach aromas that remain very well defined. The palate is crisp and tensile on the entry. There is a wonderful salinity here, very good persistence in the mouth with a taut, linear finish that begs another sip. Top class.” WA
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Les Combes, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 88-90 points “The 2013 Saint Aubin les Combes has another very expressive bouquet with hints of mango and overripe Satsumas combining nicely with the mineral component. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity, quite refined, although it just eases off a little prematurely on the tapered finish. Otherwise I envisage this slipping down the throat with ease.” WA
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Les Creots, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2013 Saint Aubin 1er Cru les Creots has very fine mineralité on the nose: flint and wet limestone, almost Puligny-like in style. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity, hints of orange zest and lime with a dash of spice to round things off nicely on the finish. It does not quite have the complexity of a top climats, but it is still very well crafted and should offer a decade of drinking pleasure, possibly more.” WA
ITALY – TUSCANY
Argiano Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino jumps from the glass with notable energy and precision. Grilled herbs, smoke, tobacco, rose petal and mint are all beautifully delineated in the glass. Distinctly savory and mineral notes add complexity to the expressive, stone-inflected fruit in a chiseled, pulsating Brunello endowed with considerable energy. The tannins need time to soften, but Argiano’s 2010 is unquestionably a winner.”
ITALY-VENETO
Tommaso Bussola Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008 750ML ($61.95) $46.50 special
Importer note “Tommaso’s first goal every year is to make the best Amarone Classico possible. An incredible Amarone value.”
SPAIN
Valdespino Solera De Su Majestad Oloroso VORS Sherry, Andalucia 375ML ($219.95) $149 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The NV Oloroso Solera de su Majestad VORS produced from Palomino grapes from the Carrascal vineyard, has aged in a solera for over 30 years. It has a bright mahogany color and a subtle nose of noble woods, walnuts, aromatic herbs, and a touch of brandy. The palate is quite gentle for a VORS. Very polished and round, with a pungent, intense feeling, it feels extremely old. One of the best Olorosos around, it’s old enough to have that extra complexity, but not to be too aggressive, as Olorosos can easily get when they’re very old. Drink 2013-2017.” LG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $179.95
Valdespino Ninos Pedro Ximenez VORS Sherry, Andalucia 375ML ($219.95) $179 special
Wine Advocate 98 points “The NV Ninos Pedro Ximenez 30 Anos VORS is again a monumental wine, redolent of its sibling, Moscatel Toneles, as often the extremely old wines have so many similarities that even the grape and the origin is diminished. This beast of a wine has 470 grams of sugar. It’s believed to average 50 years of age, and shows a dark mahogany, almost black color. Being extremely concentrated, is not just power, it has finesses and balance. Curry, spices, coconut, balsamic notes (eucalyptus), tar, Cuban cigar, and nutmeg can be identified in its nose. The palate is velvety, dense, thick, long, and intense, with pungent acidity but at the same time it feels smooth. Again, choosing between Ninos and Toneles might be purely academic. Drink 2013-2035.” WA
Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Planetes de Nin’, Priorat DOCa 2012 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “I was thoroughly impressed by the 2012 Planetes de Nin, a bright ruby-colored, fragrant Garnacha-based red with some 30% Cariñena from the Planetes vineyard in Porrera. It has a beautiful floral nose of violets and lilies, with showy aromas of blood orange peel, wild berries and oriental spices in a Vosne-Romanée way, very Burgundian overall and truly captivating. The palate is ultra-sleek, silky with very refined tannins and a subtle minerality that adds to the freshness and makes the wine very focused and precise. This is so different from previous vintages, so much more elegant and focused, pure and elegant. This should age in bottle nicely, but it will be very difficult to resist. And it’s a very good value. 9,000 bottles.” WA
Familia Nin-Ortiz ‘Nit de Nin’, Priorat DOCa 2012 750ML ($109.95) $89 special
Wine Advocate 97 points “If the Planetes was impressive, wait for the 2012 Nit de Nin, which is a similar wine but at two levels of intensity, depth and elegance above. It’s also a single-vineyard wine from a very old plot in Porrera in the Mas d’en Caçador vineyard at some 500 meters altitude on an impressive slope planted with very old vines on slate soils. It’s approximately 60% Garnacha Peluda (which is a different strain producing lighter-colored wines with higher acidity than the regular Garnacha) and the rest Cariñena. The wine is pure, perfumed, intoxicating even, floral and spicy, intense and captivating.The palate is highly refined, with pure flavors, great freshness, completely focused, nothing blurry at all in there, generous but fine at the same time. It ends very tasty, with a saline minerality. I had the chance to visit the vineyard on my last night in Priorat, and when you see it you understand that it HAS to produce great wine. Simply superb. Drink or keep. 4,000 bottles were filled in March 2014.” WA
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus ‘Laurel’, Priorat DOCa 2012 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2012 Laurel is a blend of 70% Garnacha, 20% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine had a different élevage as it matured in a combination of used barriques, 20-hectoliter oak vats, cement vats and 700-liter amphorae. This is a very savory vintage of Laurel with pungent, almost saline flavors. The wet slate and black fruit that I link to Gratallops are present but the wine is much fresher than anticipated for a warm and especially dry vintage in a hot village like Gratallops. There is a balsamic twist in the background, but the place comes through stronger than grapes or process. I also tasted the 2013 a couple of weeks before bottling and it showed even better than the already great 2012. 9,000 bottles produced.” WA
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 93 points “(75% garnacha, 20% syrah and 5% cabernet sauvignon; aged in a combination of wooden upright vats and two- to four-year-old French oak barrels): Opaque ruby. Powerful smoke- and mineral-accented black and blue fruit aromas show very good clarity and pick up suave floral and spicecake elements with air. Fleshy and broad in the mouth, offering ripe blackcurrant and mulberry flavors sharpened by a peppery flourish. The floral note comes back strong on the finish, which clings with excellent tenacity and youthfully chewy tannins. In a broader-shouldered style than its Clos Erasmus sibling; this one should age well but offers plenty of immediate appeal as well. In the context of high-end Priorats there’s remarkable value here.” JR
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus, Priorat DOCa 2012 750ML ($219.95) $169 special
Wine Advocate 98 points “After no 2011 was produced, the 2012 Clos Erasmus comes with renewed energy, a much fresher approach and a more transparent wine while keeping the slate typicity of Gratallops even in a tiny-yielding vintage. Part of the wine aged in 700-liter clay amphorae and the rest in Burgundy barrels that added a spicy patina to the nose, yet very much respected the wet slate character of the vintage. Contrary to previous vintages, the core of fruit is red rather than black; the 2013 that I tasted (not in bottle) followed pretty much this same direction. The palate shows power, elegance and a special mineral savoriness akin to licking stones. There is more Garnacha in the blend (there’s only 15% Syrah) which gives a Mediterranean juiciness. A new life for Erasmus, very much recognizable as Priorat, Gratallops and Erasmus, but with a more elegant haircut. Only 2,000 bottles produced.” WA
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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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Staff Pick
Mas Cal Demoura “L’infidele” 2010 750ML ($31.95) $27 special
“I have no shame in loving the rough-and-tumble wines of southern France. When the yields are kept in check and the wine’s development isn’t stunted by efforts of standardization, the resulting wines can be at once charming and startling. These sorts of blends have a broader appeal than I think we allow – I’d bet a day’s wages, for one, that you could get a Napa Cab guy and a Loire geek to agree on some gems of the Languedoc.
“One such gem comes from Mas Cal Demoura, situated not far from Montpelier along the slopes of the Cévennes mountain range. These wines are soulful, playful – reverent, even, as they’re not shy to display the seemingly-paradoxical traits of their terroir: bold, fresh, mineral-laden, layered, dynamic…“L’Infidele” integrates all five varietals of the domaine each vintage: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Carignan.
“Each varietal is fermented separately and then blended to the vintner’s liking. One grape may account for 3% one year and 18% another; this makes the process of tasting year after year particularly interesting. The resultant wine, for 2010, is soil-driven and linear with open-ended red fruit and all-over-the-place aromatics in a good sort of way. I love it.”
-Tyler
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Arriving in September!
Arriving September 4th
Kaiken Terroir Series Corte Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Petit Verdot, Mendoza 2012 750ML ($19.95) $14 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Kaiken Terroir Series Corte Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Petit Verdot, Mendoza 2012 750ML ($219.95) $149 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 93 points “This is beautiful and sexy with lots of dark fruits, dark chocolate and hints of vanilla bean. Cappuccino too. There’s lots of new wood showing but it’s integrated and delicious. Cabernet sauvignon, malbec and petit verdot. Drink now.” JS
Arriving September 17th
Thomas Pico Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis 2013 750ML ($31.95) $28 pre-arrival special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $32.85
Thomas Pico Domaine Pattes Loup Cote de Jouans, Chablis Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 89 points “Bright pale yellow. Rather austere aromas and flavors of apple skin, menthol, caraway seed and crushed stone. Juicy and nicely delineated, showing firm dusty minerality for the vintage. The apple note carries through on the tactile, brisk finish. Not as rich as the superb 2012 version but quite supple and light on its feet.” ST
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Thomas Pico Domaine Pattes Loup Les Beauregards, Chablis Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 90 points “Pale straw-yellow. A bit more exotic on the nose than the Côtes de Jouan, offering scents of orange oil, yellow peach and spices. Sweeter and fruitier on the palate, with a flavor of orange zest complemented by a trace of honey. More typically 2013 in style than the Côtes de Jouan and richer on the aftertaste.” ST
Thomas Pico Domaine Pattes Loup Les Butteaux, Chablis Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 91 points “Bright, light straw-yellow. Subtle spice and mineral aromas on the lively nose. Rich, saline and dry on the palate, offering a distinctly saline, tactile quality to the flavors of citrus fruits, spices and stone. Lovely texture and mineral-driven persistence here. At once concentrated and energetic, and tightly coiled for the vintage, this wine shows more vineyard than vintage character and should evolve nicely.” ST
Opus One Overture, Napa Valley NV (2012) 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
From the winery “In keeping with the tradition of many great Bordeaux estates, Opus One produces a fine second wine called Overture. Since 1993, Overture has been crafted as a part of our relentless pursuit of quality for Opus One. Every acre of our estate vineyard is farmed with the attention to detail and singular focus required to produce Opus One. As part of the highly selective blending process, some lots, despite showcasing the amazing Oakville terroir of our estate, are not chosen for the final blend of Opus One. These lots are afforded additional time in barrel, in combination with blending across multiple vintages, to achieve a final non vintage wine of remarkable elegance and complexity that captures the essence of our estate vineyard over time. This is Overture. Aged in French oak, Overture is composed of the same five varietals that define Opus One: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet France, Petit Verdot and Malbec.”
Opus One Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 2010 1.5L ($899.95) $779 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 97 points “One of the highlights among the more recent releases, the 2010 Opus One is flat-out gorgeous. Dark cherries, plums, graphite, cassis and pencil shavings are all woven together in a fabric of notable class and elegance. The 2010 stands out for its exceptional minerality, tension and pure power. Readers will have to be patient. This is a picture perfect rendering of this great Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon vintage.” AG
Opus One Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 2012 ($279.95) $249 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Opus One Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 2012 ($1499.95) $1349 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 97 points “Glorious purity of fruit here with blackcurrants, blueberries, dark chocolate, fresh herbs and forest floor. Hints of mint. Full body, seamless tannins and wonderful balance. Tight and compacted tannins with beautiful fruit and great length. Hazelnut and chocolate. Goes on for minutes. One of the best Opus in years. Compacted and beautiful. Hard not to drink now but better in 2018. October 2015 release. This is 79% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc, 6% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 2% malbec. (4/21/15)”
Antonio Galloni 96 points “Rich, powerful and seductive, the 2012 Opus One blossoms in the glass with superb textural richness and volume. Dark red and black fruit, smoke, cedar, new leather and tobacco all meld together as the 2012 shows off its personality. Fine, silky tannins support the huge, creamy finish. The 2012 has just been bottled, but it is superb. I expect the 2012 will offer a long and broad drinking window of pure pleasure. Drink: 2018-2032. (Dec 2014)”
Spottswoode Vineyard Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon, St Helena 2012 ($89.95) $71.90 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Bold, intense and racy, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Lyndernhurst wraps around the palate with supple fruit, expressive aromatics and a silky, inviting finish that gives the wine so much of its immediacy and pure appeal. The style is round and succulent to the core; in other words classic 2012. Dark red stone fruits, spices, new leather and mint meld into the generous finish in this pretty Cabernet from Spottswoode.”
Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena 2012 750ML ($199.95) $159 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 96+ points “The opaque purple-hued 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a glorious bouquet of crème de cassis, spring flowers, a Pauillac-like lead pencil note, and background new oak. The overall impression is one of restraint combined with richness. This full-bodied effort possesses good acidity and ripe tannin. It has been crafted for the long-term. The hallmarks of great Spottswoode wines are their purity and elegance combined with serious power. The 2012 has that in abundance. This youthful, reserved Cabernet will benefit from 3-5 years of cellaring, and will keep for two decades or more.”
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon comes across as surprisingly medium in body and not as explosive as I had expected, perhaps a reflection of its recent bottling. Today the 2012 shows the more suave, silky side of the year, with considerable early appeal and pure radiance, but less in the way of structure. Hints of mocha, spices and crushed flowers add nuance on the finish. All things considered, today the 2012 performs in line with the vintage, but does not appear to be the overachiever it has been in recent years.”
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Diamond Creek
Al Brounstein and his wife founded Diamond Creek in 1968 on the tranquil Diamond Mountain just south of Calistoga. Planting Bordeaux varietals – with a particular affinity for Cabernet Sauvignon – they’ve grown to be among the most celebrated producers in the country. As pioneers of California winemaking, their efforts helped to establish the state as a force to be reckoned with worldwide.
The story has humble beginnings – Mr. Brounstein was initially a drug salesman in Southern California whose drink of choice was cheap rosé. He enrolled in a wine-appreciation course at UCLA for kicks and, as we say, caught the bug. He bought the land which would become his winery in ’68 for just over $100k from someone who had the initial intention to construct a small golf course. Enamored with Bordeaux, he smuggled vine cuttings from France via Mexico in so that he wouldn’t have to have them quarantined.
The rest, in short, is history.
Renowned by their concentration and intensity, the wines show surprising restraint in terms of alcohol levels – the 2010’s topped out at 14.1% during a hot vintage, and 13.5 follows for 2011 and 2012. Tannin roars through the layers of the Cabernets; these are considered to be some of the most age-worthy wines in the country.
Australian wine critic James Halliday once remarked that Diamond Creek had “the subtlety and finesse of a Panzer tank brigade.” A more helpful remark would be that the wines are best with food, and certainly benefit from time spent in the bottle. Times have changed, too, for Robert Parker dubbed a 1978 bottling “among the greatest Cabernet-based wines I have tasted from anywhere in the world”, only to rip the domaine to proverbial shreds in the late 80’s. Come the mid-2000’s, his opinion shifted back, awarding 95+ and 96+ to certain cuvées.
The domaine covers a mere 20 acres, but with three extremely distinct soils. When he and long-time employee Sergio Canchola were clearing the land, they noticed that their clothes were covered in starkly different hues as they emerged from working each plot. From there onward, each was worked and vinified separately. Volcanic Hill is warmest, with iron-rich soils which makes big, surly, but ultimately approachable wines. Gravelly Meadow is cooler, with quick drainage forcing the vines to struggle to find moisture; these wines are marked by fine minerality and structure. Red Rock Terrace is warmer and supplies the most fruit-forward wines.
Diamond Creek Wines Available Here Now
Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2012 750ML ($249.95) $169 special, 11 bottles available
James Suckling 97 points “Aromas of dark fruits such as blackcurrants as well as chili spices. Maybe some tar. It’s full-bodied with wonderful depth and intensity. It starts slowly and grabs your attention. Voluptuous fruit style to this. Better in 2020.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2011 750ML ($219.95) $149 special, 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 96 points “Dark raspberries, plums, smoke, mocha, licorice, tar and lavender notes burst from the glass in Diamond Creek’s 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace. Pliant, juicy and expressive, the 2010 covers every corner of the palate with gorgeous depth and pure richness. Layers of fruit built to a deeply resonant, generous finish marked with expressive, perfumed aromatics. Right now, the Red Rock Terrace is showing a little more French oak influence in its flavors and textures, but all the elements are beautifully balanced.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $198
Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2012 750ML ($249.95) $189 special, 9 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.”
Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2011 750ML ($219.95) $149 special, 6 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill is soft, pliant and nicely resonant in the glass. Plums, black cherries, mocha, spices and new leather are all laced together. This is a distinctly forward, supple Volcanic Hill to drink now and over the next 15-20 years, give or take.”
Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2012 750ML ($249.95) $189 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 98 points “Blackberries, blackcurrants and minerals. Full body and tight tannins. Powerful and long. Amazing depth and structure. Muscular. Classy tannin structure. This needs a few years to soften but amazing. Try in 2018.”
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Hubert Lignier
The Lignier estate has been passed down from father to son for five generations. The property in Morey-Saint-Denis, within the Cote d’Or, makes Pinot noirs of stunning depth and a refreshing amount of transparency. Beginning with just two different bottlings, their efforts have extended to include 24 distinctive cuvees.
Importer Neal Rosenthal began his company’s involvement with the domaine in 1978 with two bottlings. As the relationship developed, additional cuvees were bottled and sold under the family’s label instead of being sold off earlier on to negociant. All of Lignier’s plots are now farmed, vinified, and bottled under the Lignier name, with holdings including some stunning Grand Cru and Premier Cru efforts.
The family’s holdings are predominantly shallow clay and limestone soils, for which they employs only organic compost and abstain from the use of herbicides and lab yeasts. Prior to fermentation, winemaker Laurent Lignier prefers to allow a five-day cold soak in order to allow for additional extraction.
Fermentation then takes place over 15-20 days in open-top cement vats in order to allow manual pigeage. New oak is used judiciously, with village-level wines spending 18 months in barrel and Premier and Grand Crus resting for 20-24 months. Cellar work is done by gravity, not pumped, and the wines are neither fined nor filtered. The resulting wines are profound at the very least – age-worthy and elevated, an absolute must in terms of what is available within their pocket of the world.
Hubert Lignier Wines Available Here Now
Domaine Hubert Lignier Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2013 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 3 bottles available
Domaine Hubert Lignier Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes 2012 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni “The 2012 Chambolle-Musigny is soft, racy and succulent from start to finish. Sweet red berries, plums, spices, mint and raspberries all flesh out in the glass. The style is racy, supple and perfumed throughout. The tannins are a bit firm, but another few years in bottle should do the trick. This is a gorgeous wine from Lignier”
Domaine Hubert Lignier Gevrey-Chambertin 2012 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 15 bottles available
Antonio Galloni “Moderately saturated pale red. Diffuse red fruits, earth and white truffle on the nose. Then spicy, supple and sweet in the mouth; easygoing and rather slight, with round, accessible flavors of strawberry and raspberry dominating. Finishes with sweeter tannins than the Gevrey La Justice.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $85
Domaine Hubert Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis Tres Girard 2012 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Advocate 88-90 points “The 2012 Morey-Saint-Denis Tres Girard comes from a parcel behind the winery close to the cemetery. It has a light but fragrant, well-defined, pretty bouquet that some might argue is missing a little vigor. The palate is medium-bodied with chalky tannins on the entry. Nicely balanced with good backbone on the finish that carries the 20% new oak well. Fine.” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $83.99
Domaine Hubert Lignier Les Chaffots, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($219.95) $179 special, 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93-95 points “The 2012 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Chaffots is more backward and coy than the La Riotte out of barrel, but it unfurls with a little coaxing to reveal some lovely, broody black fruit infused with forest floor aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a crisp, mineral-rich opening. At its core is structured, tertiary black fruit but it displays impressive intensity before leading you down a dark alley on the introspective finish. This will require several years to spring open. Cellar this whilst enjoying the La Riotte.” WA
Domaine Hubert Lignier Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($399.95) $299 special, 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 92-94 points “The 2012 Charmes-Chambertin (from Mazoyères) comes across as a bit raw and not fully formed just yet. Still, there is plenty to admire in the focused, direct flavors. Dark red and black fruit, violets, dried rose petals, spices and licorice are all woven together in a resonant, expressive Burgundy. This is surprisingly open for a young Mazoyères, which makes me think the 2012 will drink well with minimum cellaring.” AG
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Dugat-Py and the 2009 Vintage in Burgundy
The renowned Dugat-Py estate is currently operated by 12th- and 13th- generation family members; the family has included winegrowers within Gevry-Chambertin since the 17th century. Occupying a mere 10 hectares, the family works tirelessly to make the most of their land. The result is nothing short of remarkable; vines are 50-100 years old and the whole domaine looks like something out of a tourism pamphlet, much as that may cheapen the beauty.
The domaine has been farmed organically since 2003, resulting in rounder, silkier wines according Bertrand (the 12th generation). Dugat-Py has been known for its concentrated, muscular interpretation of Pinot noir; constant pruning, plowing by horse, and low yields enable the Dugat family to be in constant contact with their land.
2009 at Dugat-Py was just shy of divine – weather in Burgundy prior to harvest was near-ideal, with a fine balance between rain and dryness achieved. Some vineyards got their predicted hailstorms, but Dugat-Py remained unscathed. March was cold, April was wet, and May kicked off a dry and warm spell. Fruit began to develop rather uniformly in early June, leading into a cloudless though temperate summer. July and August were quite accommodating, and harvest began on September 10th at the domaine.
Certain vignobles in the region were concerned by the rapid ripening, harvesting early out of fear for losing acidity. The vintage boasts consistency and charm; Jancis Robinson stated that her only concern is that the wines “may be too charming for their own long-term good,” as the wines were released with great enthusiasm and bought up quickly. Acidity was an initial concern, though tastings in the ensuing months and years have solidified the vintage as a banner year for many producers, Dugat-Py notwithstanding.
Many of these wines deserve a few years of cellaring; checking in on various cuvees throughout the years will prove to be quite the educational – never-mind pleasurable! – endeavor.
Dugat-Py Wines Available Here Now
Domaine Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2009 750ML ($159.95) $99 special, 7 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes shows more freshness and elegance than the 2010. Ripe red berries, flowers and mint come together nicely in this supple, pliant Gevrey. Floral notes reappear on the finish, adding brightness and lift. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.”
Burghound 90 points “This is very ripe yet fresh with the stems contributing a distinct floral influence to the pure black pinot fruit, earth and wet stone aromas. There is excellent richness to the dense and very serious medium-bodied flavors where the underlying structural elements are notably ripe. One aspect of this that I very much like is that despite the high level of ripeness, there is good energy and freshness. A fine villages that could be drunk young.”
Domaine Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvee Coeur de Roy Vieilles Vignes 2009 750ML ($249.95) $129 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin Coeur du Roi is a dark, inward wine. It shows serious weight and density in its dark fruit and sensual personality. A blast of smoke, licorice and menthol informs the long, beautifully delineated finish. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2039.”WA
Domaine Dugat-Py Pommard La Levriere Vieilles Vignes 2009 750ML ($229.95) $149 special, 10 bottles available
Burghound 89-92 points “A very ripe nose features nose of plum, cassis and warm earth aromas that lead to rich, full-bodied and very serious big-bodied flavors that possess excellent mid-palate concent
Domaine Dugat-Py Vosne-Romanee Vieilles Vignes 2009 750ML ($249.95) $149 special, 8 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90-93 points “The 2009 Vosne-Romanee Vieilles Vignes is a sweet, sensual wine graced with exquisite depth in its spiced dark red fruit. Mineral notes add to a sense of thrust as the wine works its way through to the intense, textured finish. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $220
Domaine Dugat-Py Champeaux, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($429.95) $289 special, 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 93-96 points “The 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Champeaux is one of the richest, darkest wines in this lineup. The Champeaux is a decidedly opulent wine that emphasizes sheer extract of fruit over aromatic complexity. There is plenty of underlying tannic material, but the tannins are totally buried by the sheer depth of the fruit. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2039.”WA
Domaine Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Vieilles Vignes 2009 750ML ($399.95) $299 special, 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91-94 points “The 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru is a totally seamless, opulent wine that caresses the palate with layers of intense fruit. Full-bodied and rich to the finish, the 1er Cru is flat-out beautiful. This authoritative Burgundy will require patience, but it is striking in is harmony. In 2009 the 1er Cru is made from parcels in Les Corbeaux and Les Perrieres, as Dugat made the decision to vinify and age the Fontenys separately in this vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2039.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Dugat-Py Petite Chapelle, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2009 750ML ($429.95) $339 special, 4 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92-95 points “The 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin Petite Chapelle opens with a sensual, exotic bouquet. Layers of crisp, nuanced fruit follow effortlessly as this seductive wine shows off its pedigree. Full-bodied and supple on the palate, the magnificent Petite Chapelle conquers all of the senses. The finish is breathtaking and eternal. This is a dazzling effort from Dugat-Py. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2039.”WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $359
Visit our web store to view the 40 other 2009 Red Burgundies we offer!
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106 Magnums of Wine on the Wall
Celebrate in Style!
Below is a selection of Champagnes and Sparkling Wines we offer in Magnums
SPAIN
Ameztoi Txakolina Hijo de Rubentis Rosado 2013 1.5L ($69.95) $59 special, 3 magnums available
Ameztoi Txakolina Hijo de Rubentis Rosado 2013 750ML ($34.95) $29 special, 12 bottles available
Importer note “Bright pink grapefruit color with fine and persistent bubbles. Floral aromas with notes of red fruit and raspberries on the nose. The wine is cheerful, fresh, elegant and persistent with a hint of red fruit. Méthod champenoise. Aged on the lees for 14 months. Disgorged on June 26, 2015 with 4.5g/L dosage.”
FRANCE-CHAMPAGNE
Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2000 1.5L ($519.95) $449 special, 11 magnums available
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The first thing that is evident about the 2000 Brut Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill is its finesse and total silkiness. The 2000 is a rich, creamy and deeply expressive Winston Churchill. I don’t see the 2000 being an especially long-term ager, but it is wonderfully radiant and open today. Hints of pastry, spice, apricots and succulent ripe pears blossom on the expansive, broad-shouldered finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030.” AG
A. Margaine Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Brut 2006 1.5L ($159.95) $137 special, 1 magnum available
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Light gold. White peach, pear, smoky minerals and buttered toast on the sexy, highly perfumed nose. At once rich and lithe, with crackling minerality giving lift and verve to the wine’s intense pit and orchard fruit flavors. Sappy, fine-grained and pure, finishing long and precise, with hints of licorice and iodine.”
Demarne-Frison Goustan Brut Nature NV 1.5L ($149.95) $99 special, 5 magnums available
Distributor note “50% pinot noir from Les Clos de la Cote, 50% Chardonnay from Les Cotannes, and all from 2007. As the bulk of a tiny production from a new producer Goustan is a superb first effort, showing a hearty core with vibrant acidity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Deutz Blanc de Blancs 2007 1.5L ($159.95) $139 special, 1 magnum available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Light, bright straw. Lemon zest, green apple and chalky minerals on the fragrant nose. Dry and precise, offering energetic citrus and orchard fruit flavors that pick up anise and honeysuckle nuances with air. Closes stony and long, with lingering floral and iodine notes.” ST
Deutz Brut 2007 1.5L ($129.95) $109 special, 1 magnum available
Wine Spectator 91 points “A sleek, minerally version, creamy in texture, with hints of chalk and smoke underscoring the subtle lemon meringue pie, crushed black currant and graphite notes. Drink now through 2022.”WS
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Deutz Brut Rose NV 1.5L ($99.95) $88 special, 2 magnums available
Case-12 Deutz Brut Rose NV 375ML ($259.95) $228 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $19/half-bottle!)
Deutz Brut Rose NV 375ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ half-bottles available
Deutz Brut Rose NV 750ML ($59.95) $41.90 special, 36 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
The magnum and half-bottles are available at the lowest listed prices in the USA today!
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
Guy Charlemagne Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru Reserve Brut NV 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special, 14 magnums available
Guy Charlemagne Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru Reserve Brut NV 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 30 bottles available
Guy Charlemagne Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru Reserve Brut NV 375ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 16 half-bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “(made with fruit from the Cote de Blancs, mostly from Mesnil-sur-Oger; LRGC11): Light yellow. Vibrant lemon, orange zest, jasmine and mineral scents are complemented by deeper notes of anise and buttered toast. Spreads out nicely on the palate, offering lively citrus and orchard fruit flavors and a touch of bitter quinine. Closes smooth and long, with echoing minerality and a touch of bitter pear skin. There’s very good depth here, as well as verve.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Pierre Gimonnet et Fils Blanc de Blancs Cuis Premier Cru Brut NV 1.5L ($149.95) $119 special, 1 magnum available
Pierre Gimonnet et Fils Blanc de Blancs Cuis Premier Cru Brut NV 375ML ($37.95) $26 special, 7 half-bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “80% 2010 wine, 10% 2009, 4% 2008, 5% 2007 and 1% 2002; disgorged in May, 2013 after 30 months on its lees): Green-tinged yellow. Intense, mineral-accented aromas of orange zest, pear and white flowers, with an iodiney quality building in the glass. Chewy in texture and nicely concentrated, offering precise citrus and bitter quinine flavors and a strong topnote of dusty minerals. Finishes clean, bright and very long, with lingering chalkiness. This would make a superb match with fresh oysters or crab.” ST
Rene Geoffroy Extra Brut Millesime 2002 1.5L ($319.95) $279 special, 2 magnums available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous Media 94 points “Light, bright gold. Peach nectar, poached pear, passion fruit, smoky lees and white flowers on the perfumed nose. Chewy orchard and pit fruit flavors are broad and palate-staining, with a late note of Meyer lemon adding lift and cut. Finishes with lingering honey, lees and vanilla notes and excellent clarity.” JR
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2002 Extra Brut Millesime is a rich, broad shouldered wine graced with tons of fruit. Vinification in French oak barriques gives the wine considerable depth, volume and spiciness. Layers of ripe, expressive varietal fruit flow from this rich, dramatic Champagne. A caressing, multi-dimensional finish rounds things out in style. As good as this is – and it is outstanding – I prefer Geoffroy’s wines made in steel. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Meunier, with 2 grams per liter of dosage”WA
Vilmart & Cie Grand Cellier d’Or Premier Cru Brut 2007 1.5L ($299.95) $239 special, 3 magnums available
Wine Spectator 94 points “A skein of ground spice unravels through flavors of black cherry coulis, crème de cassis, honeycomb and brioche in this elegant version. Mouthwatering acidity and a lightly chalky texture push through to the lasting finish. Drink now through 2025.” WS