2/17/16
Staff Pick; New Vintage from Maison Roy; Vinopolis Wish-List; Two Deals from Two Hands; Winemaker Profile: Marc Deschamps; 2014 Austrian Vintage Report & New Austrian Reviews; Achaval Ferrer Arriving Friday – Great Score, Best Price!
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Staff Pick
Philippe Pacalet Moulin A Vent 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 35 bottles available
Philippe Pacalet Moulin A Vent 2014 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special, 6 magnums available
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Never patient when it comes to Beaujolais, I drank Pacalet’s intrepid Moulin-a-Vent the very night it arrived at our shop. A simple salmon dish served as accompaniment, and I poured some out into a decanter in order to contrast normal and accelerated evolution of the wine as it aerated. Cherry aromas soared out of the glass, with an immediate flavor profile of goji berries, plum, Bing cherries, and a touch of leather. The fruit bears this intriguing crunchiness, with the acid mingling but never overarching beyond the wine’s overall feel.
There is a playful energy this Beaujolais, which went lovely with the salmon and danced between being a little showy and a bit mellow over the course of four hours. I had fun drinking it, trying not to take it or myself too serious in the process. This cuvee, Pacalet’s first effort within Moulin-a-Vent, will evolve quite nicely; I’m eager to revisit in a few months’ time. As goes with many of my recommendations, though, don’t feel bad if you drink sooner rather than later.
– Tyler
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Maison Roy
New Vintage, New Review
Maison Roy Et Fils Pinot Noir Petit Incline 2014 750ML ($39.95) $29 special
Grapelive 94 points “Even better and more dense than the glorious premier release 2013, the new 2014 Petite Incline from Marc-Andre Roy and Jared Etzel is the real deal with expressive fruit, depth and multi layered texture. The deep color and almost blackberry first impression lead into a rich and decedent Pinot Noir with violets, rose oil, smoky/toasty wood, framboise and mixed spices, briar notes and sweet herbs highlighting a core of cherry and plum fruit. Hints of earth and mineral float well in to background in this well crafted wine, both Marc-Andre and Jared are sons of the founders of Beaux Freres, and yes there are similarities and a pedigree of style that flows in this next generation project. This wine has balance, length, vitality and gorgeous detail and should develop nicely in bottle with smooth ripe tannins, perfectly judged acidity and energy even hard-core Burgundy lovers will be smitten with this new Maison Roy Pinot. The Petite Incline is made from grapes from well established vineyards in the Willamette Valley and oh my is is a great value for the quality, it is much the same in terms of quality and price to St. Innocent and certainly is a wine to hunt for if you like Oregon Pinot. The 2014 vintage in Oregon, like 2008 in style, will be one you want to own, check the new Ken Wright’s, Johan as well as this one, they are all available now and will go fast. Drink the stunning 2014 Petite Incline from Maison Roy from 2017 to 2027, don’t miss out on this rising star.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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27 Wines We’d Acquire Again
If We Could, But We Can’t!
OREGON
Johan Pinot Noir – Nils Reserve Pinot Noir 2008 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 24 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Bright ruby. Black raspberry, cherry-cola and spicecake aromas show very good clarity and a suave hint of fresh rose. Bright and incisive on the palate, offering tangy red and dark berry flavors and a late note of blood orange. Finishes spicy, energetic and focused. This lithe, sexy pinot clocks in at 12.8% alcohol.” JR
From the winery: “The 2008 Pinot Noir – Nils Reserve – is made entirely from estate grown fruit. This is a barrel-‐selected blend made from grapes grown in block 1, 2, 4A, 5B and 7A – a selection of four Dijon clones (114, 115, 667 and 777). The grapes were fermented (both primary and malolactic) using exclusively native yeast, with approximately 50% whole-‐cluster. The wine was aged for 18 months in 100% French oak barrels; 40% were new. In line with the goals of Johan Vineyards, this Pinot Noir is made in a classic style, with a focus on balance, complexity and elegance. It clearly represents the characters and nuances of Johan Vineyards as well as the 2008 growing-‐season. After a cool spring, resulting in natural low yields, this vintage extended deep into October making it possible to let the fruit slowly mature. Rich and concentrated flavors were developed at unusually low sugar levels. 330 cases produced.”
Evesham Wood Cuvee J Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2013 750ML ($49.95) $42.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Winemaker’s note: Again, a six barrel selection from Le Puits Sec, always looking for depth, complexity and structure. Selected for long-term aging (depending on the vintage) it’s often tight as nails, however, the 2013 is surprisingly approachable. Red and black cherry, violet, plum, dried herbs de provence and with a finish that goes on and on. 149 cases produced.
FRANCE-CHAMPAGNE
Andre Clouet Un Jour de 1911… Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 18 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “The NV Grand Cru Cuvee 1911 emerges from the glass with the most haunting of perfumes. Sweet rose petal and jasmine are some of the nuances that emerge over time. Despite recent disgorgement, the purity of the fruit and the extraordinary elegance of the mousse are hard to miss. This is an exceptional, elegant version of the 1911 that should drink beautifully for years to come. The bottle I tasted needed quite a bit of air to open up, so readers should be patient with the wine at this stage.” AG
Vilmart & Cie Coeur de Cuvee Premier Cru Brut, Champagne 2007 750ML ($149.95) $125 special, 29 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “Another gorgeous wine, the 2007 Coeur de Cuvée is rich, ample and totally seductive. In 2007, the Coeur de Cuvée is intensely aromatic and highly expressive, with striking textural resonance throughout. Creamy and spherical through to the finish, the 2007 is a model of elegance and sumptuousness. The 2007 can be enjoyed today for its generous personality or cellared for another decade-plus.” AG
Terry Theise notes “This will continue Laurent’s streak of making the best wine in Champagne from “difficult” vintages, and indeed this is as good as the GREAT 2001—and maybe better. It brings a nettle-y green sting to the magnificent grace and concentration of this ever-improving wine. The length is replete with pepper, leather and verbena; the salt and stocky savor are mindbending—dried porcini, rare duck breast, clove and satsumas, all into a seemingly endless finish you want scoop back out of your mouth and drink again.”
FRANCE-BURGUNDY
Domaine Faiveley Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2008 750ML ($129.95) $99 special, 36+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92-94 points & Burghound 91-93 points “Palish medium red. Medicinal red cherry, minerals, crushed stone, violet, rose petal and white pepper on the noble nose. Wonderfully silky and pure, with ineffable flavors of red fruits, spices, flowers and minerals. This is wonderfully delicate, and not a fleshy wine, yet saturates every square millimeter of the palate with flavor. The long, sweet, rising finish offers terrific cut and floral lift. Should make a worthy successor to the outstanding 2007, which also transcends its village. Hervet says that this will be bottled by hand, without filtration.”ST
Domaine Leroy Pommard Les Vignots, Cote de Beaune 2011 750ML ($599.95) $399 special, 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2011 Pommard Les Vignots was bottled December 2012. It has a complex, slightly earthy bouquet with subtle marine influences, defined and focused with hints of black olive emerging with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine focus, imbued with an Oriental edge (hoisin) which is folded into a fine silky finish. Drink now-2020.” NM
Burghound 89 points “There is a soft touch of wood to the notably ripe yet cool and airy aromas of plum, cassis and wet stone. There is excellent volume and mid-palate concentration to the medium-bodied flavors that brim with dry extract on the detailed finish that exudes a fine minerality. This balanced effort delivers fine depth and length for its level.” BH
Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Cailles, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($139.95) $99 special, 36+ bottles available
Burghound 92-94 points “As complex as the Pruliers is, the Les Cailles ratchets it up yet another notch with its spicy and pure blend of cassis, plum, violet and distinct iron-infused earth. There is excellent richness to the cool and equally pure medium-bodied flavors that possess excellent focus on the explosively long finish. The tannins are dense but quite fine and this offers outstanding upside development potential.” BH
Domaine Henri Boillot Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2011 750ML ($299.95) $249 special, 10 bottles available
Burghound 94 points “This is also notably ripe but the aromas do not run to the exotic as the honeysuckle, apricot, white peach and subtle spice notes are entirely classic. There is an appealing succulence to the delicious, intense and strikingly fine medium-bodied flavors and while there is certainly a sense of focused power present on the long, clean and refined finish, this is essentially a Bienvenues of finesse.”BH
Mischief and Mayhem Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2011 750ML ($29.95) $16 special, 15 bottles available
Case-6 Mischief and Mayhem Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2011 750ML ($149.95) $89 special, 6 half-cases available (that’s only $14.83/btl!)
Importer notes “Hard work amongst the vines, fine vintage conditions and superb Pinot Noir vineyard sites with an average vine age of 45 years, all combine to produce this classic Bourgogne Pinot Noir. Beautiful pure, ripe fruit, so typical in 2011, light barrel treatment and élevage in stainless steel tank, all integrate to produce a wine of real purity, ripe fruit character, structure and finesse. Aroma: Complex nose of strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant and violets, with notes of vanilla and cinnamon spice. Taste: Lovely texture, good grip, yet supple and round with ripe tannins and soft acidity. Delicious red fruit notes, including juicy raspberry and red cherry with hints of blackberry, mocha, dark chocolate, spice and sandalwood. Soft, pure, and focused finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
FRANCE-BORDEAUX
Chateau Guiraud, Sauternes 2009 750ML ($99.95) $55 special, 30 bottles available
Chateau Guiraud, Sauternes 2009 375ML ($59.95) $49 special, 36+ half-bottles available
Wine Spectator 96 points, ‘Highly Recommended’ – “This is a bird of a different feather, with an exotic, vibrant aroma of toasted coconut, followed by an almond cream note that gives way to the core of green fig, papaya, Cavaillon melon and honey. There’s stunning richness and mouthfeel, with the power to be one of the longer-lived wines of the vintage. Very impressive. Best from 2015 through 2040.”WS
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FRANCE-LANGUEDOC
Domaine de la Grange des Peres, IGP Pays de l’Herault 2011 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 36+ bottles available
Domaine de la Grange des Peres, IGP Pays de l’Herault 2011 1.5L ($249.95) $219 special, 4 magnums available
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
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The next best price is $103!
ITALY-PIEDMONT
Falletto di Bruno Giacosa ‘Falletto’, Barolo DOCG 2005 750ML ($249.95) $149 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate & Stephen Tanzer 94 points “The 2005 Barolo Falletto offers up a gorgeous bouquet of red cherries, flowers, spices and menthol. This is a relatively delicate, elegant Barolo Falletto yet it offers gorgeous balance, tons of inner perfume and a long, refined finish. It is one of the overachievers in 2005. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.”WA
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Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2008 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 15 bottles available
Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2008 1.5L ($219.95) $199 special, 15 magnums available
Antonio Galloni 96+ points “The 2008 Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja is utterly magnificent in this vintage. Usually a powerhouse, the 2008 is incredibly refined to the point it seems to literally hover on the palate. It is a wine of exquisite grace and beauty. All the elements are in place. I could describe the aromas and flavors, but that would be doing this majestic Barbaresco a huge disservice. Ultimately, the 2008 Rabaja, is all about textural finesse and pure elegance. This is another breathtaking wine from the Produttori. A king among kings. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2048”
Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Serra’, Barbaresco DOCG 2012 750ML ($39.95) $29 special, 33 bottles available
James Suckling 93 points “This is very silky and refined with chocolate, meat and coffee aromas and flavors, but it’s so refined and beautiful. Impressive for its delicate complexity. Drink now or hold.” JS
ITALY-TUSCANY
Azienda Agricola Ceralti Scire Bolgheri Rosso, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($29.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles available
VinopolNote: Tucked away in the medieval village of Castagneto Carducci near Tuscany’s seaside, is the historical Ceralti estate. The family once sold its grapes to Ornellaia and Sassacaia. Recently, they have begun producing their own estate wines, which offer supreme value. Their 9 hectares of vineyards are located mostly on the hills surrounding Castagneto and Bolgheri. The grapes are grown using traditional methods to encourage low, concentrated yields and are hand-picked during harvest. The family is currently expanding its farm, planting olive trees for experimental cultivations and new vineyards using local grape clones. The Scire is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot grown in soils rich in clay. The winery describes it as having an intense fruit flavor with good balance and soft, sweet tannins. When we tasted the wine in store, we found it to be a well-balanced, medium bodied Bordeaux-style blend with good tannins. It opens with notes for red cherries and cranberries. There is a streak of woody herbs and underbrush, with a hint of campfire smoke on the finish.
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Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2004 750ML ($119.95) $79 special, 36+ bottles available
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino is awesome. This finessed, regal Brunello flows onto the palate with seamless layers of perfumed fruit framed by silky, finessed tannins. The wine remains extremely primary at this stage, and its full range of aromas and flavors have yet to emerge, but the sheer pedigree of this Brunello is unmistakable. The elegant, refined finish lasts an eternity, and subtle notes of menthol, spices, licorice and leather add final notes of complexity. The estate’s 2004 Brunello is a wine to buy and bury in the deepest corner of the cellar. Brunello is never inexpensive, but this is the real deal, and in relative terms, it is one of the world’s great values in fine, cellar worthy wine. Incredibly, there are 18,000+ cases of the 2004 Brunello, so it should be fairly easy to source in various markets. The Brunello is made from four vineyards ranging from 250 to 400 meters in altitude, all in Sant’Angelo in Colle. The wines from the various vineyards were aged separately in French oak casks prior to being assembled and bottled.” AG
Brovia Garblet Sue Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2011 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, 21 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2011 Barolo Garblèt Sue’ is remarkably polished and sophisticated, two qualities that are rarely found in this Castiglione Falletto site, where the wines tend to be much more sinewy and virile. White pepper, pomegranate and sweet red cherries are some of the notes that open up in the glass. The flavors remain bright, focused and beautifully delineated in the glass. I very much like the sense of energy here, although I have to admit, the softer edges of 2011 are incredibly alluring.” AG
ITALY-SICILY
I Vigneri I Custodi delle Vigne dell’Etna ‘Pistus’ Etna Rosso 2013 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 25 bottles available
Case-6 I Vigneri I Custodi delle Vigne dell’Etna ‘Pistus’ Etna Rosso 2013 750ML ($129.95) $99 special, 4 six-packs available (that’s only $16.50/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 90+ points “I Custodi’s entry-level red is the beautiful 2013 Etna Rosso Pistus with fruit sourced from various points on the north side of the volcano. The blend is a traditional cut of 80% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Nerello Cappuccio and the wine sees no oak aging. I loved the vibrant freshness and fruity concentration of this wine. It opens to a luminous dark ruby color and an ambitious bouquet with bramble, spice, wild fruit, licorice and dark mineral. There is little fruit as most of the bouquet is occupied by ethereal volcanic tones. Stylistically speaking, this wine shows austerity and a masculine approach with tight, firm tannins. Pistus is a stubborn, but ultimately charming Etna Rosso.” ML
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Tenuta delle Terre Nere ‘Feudo di Mezzo’ Etna Rosso 2012 750ML ($47.95) $41.90 special, 15 bottles available
James Suckling 94 points “I love the dried-strawberry, chocolate, nut and plum character to this. Full body, dusty tannins and a juicy, fresh finish. Excellent acidity, too. Better in 2016.”
SPAIN
Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Blanco, Rioja DOCa 1981 750ML ($249.95) $189 special, 10 bottles available
Neal Martin – Wine Advocate 95 points “The 1981 Vina Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva has a complex bouquet of barley sugar, candle wax, dandelion and a touch of melon. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity, dried honey and a touch of lemongrass than lends it edge. The finish is bone dry, beautifully defined and persistent in the mouth. Drink now-2030+”
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 93 points “The richly-colored 1981 1981 Viña Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva captures the essence of this house’s wines. It is a wine of great complexity as well as contrasts. At once mature yet seemingly ageless, full-bodied yet somehow also miraculously delicate, it displays evolved sensations of earthiness, smoke, roasted nuts and dried apricots in a more oxidative style with great persistence on the palate and enough acidity to make me think it will drink well for at least another ten or so years.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 93 points “True gold, but remarkably youthful for its age. W ild, complex bouquet of pungent flowers, succulent herbs, orange peel, violet, vanilla, toasted nuts and baking spices. Rich, deep and beautifully concentrated, with surprising energy to the ripe pear and poached apple flavors complemented by marzipan and vanilla. This actually tightens up on the finish, showing a lingering exotic, spicy character. You could drink this right now or even hold it for a few more years.”
Bodegas Breca ‘Breca’ Garnacha Old Vines, Calatayud 2012 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Case-12 Bodegas Breca ‘Breca’ Garnacha Old Vines, Calatayud2012 750ML ($179.95) $149 special
(Our last delivery arrives Friday!)
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
Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2003 750ML ($47.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2003 750ML ($499.95) $359 special, 5 cases available (that’s only $29.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Bright ruby-red. Ripe cherry, vanilla and floral pastilles on the smoky, oak-spiced nose. Sweet and supple on the palate, offering pliant red fruit and spicecake flavors with suave mocha and vanilla bean nuances. Quite lively and fresh for a wine from a hot vintage, and showing no excess fat. Finishes sweet, toasty and very long, with smooth tannins making a late appearance.”
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.
Bodegas Muga Seleccion Especial Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($59.95) $39 special, 30 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Tight as a drum on the nose, this rambunctious Rioja is throbbing with blackberry, plum and floral aromas. Intense and staunch on the palate, with plum, raspberry, cherry, herb and chocolate flavors, this runs long on the finish, with power and acidity to spare. Hold until 2017, then drink through 2035. Cellar Selection.” WE
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “(70% tempranillo, 20% garnacha, 7% mazuelo and 3% graciano; fermented in large oak vats and aged for 28 months in small French and American oak barrels of varying age): Inky purple. Flamboyant aromas of ripe berries, incense, potpourri, smoky oak and pungent minerals. Lush, fleshy and alluringly sweet, offering intense black and blue fruit flavors that coat the palate. Smooth, seamless and impressively concentrated but also lively, with sneaky tannins giving shape to the long, spice-accented finish.” ST
Bodegas Muga Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2011 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Bodegas Muga Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2011 750ML ($299.95) $236 special, 10 cases available
Wine Advocate 91+ points “The 2011 Reserva is mostly Tempranillo complemented with some 20% Garnacha, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo. There are no stainless-steel vats at Muga, so everything is fermented in oak vats and this wine is then aged for one year in new French oak barrels and a further year in used ones (three to six years old), fined with egg white and bottled. It is a Rioja that mixes the traditional and modern character with ripe fruit and contains oak aromas that are quite spicy and have some toast and smoke that should integrate with a bit of time in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied, has clean flavors that are balanced with sweet tannins. This is easy to drink, pleasant but not banal, and delivers a lot for its price. An impressive half-million bottles are produced of this wine, which is sold as Crianza in Spain and as Reserva in the rest of the world. Year after year, one of the most reliable and affordable Reservas.” LG
GERMANY
Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2008 750ML ($44.95) $38 special, 16 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The Prums’ 2008 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese is less obviously rich but even more remarkably delicate than the corresponding Zeltinger Sonnenuhr. Here too, we have creaminess of texture allied to refreshing brightness. Iris, buddleia, apple, and pineapple are tinged with enticing salinity, and one is drawn back infectiously for the next sip, as this wine’s intrigue and understated charm work their magic. Over the next three decades, I predict that this will remain the most intimate and delicate of the vintage’s Prum Spatlesen.” WA
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “($44) Apricot pit, lime zest and clove on the nose. The delicate nectarine fruit and creamy texture are held aloft by nutmeg and mineral salts. Finishes bright, lively and satisfying, with a spicy character provided by the slate.” ST
AUSTRIA
Weingut Emmerich Knoll Ried Kellerberg Riesling Smaragd, Wachau 2013 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 19 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “Grapefruit, lemon and green tea flavors, along with hyacinth notes on the nose, welcome you to the 2013 Dürnsteiner Riesling Smaragd Ried Kellerberg, another monument in the Knoll portfolio. Pure, rich and elegant on the palate this enervating mineral, vibrant and complex Riesling reveals a great elegance and lingering salty finish. Purity and terroir in the Wachau? It really exists! This Kellerberg Riesling is long!” WA
F.X. Pichler Durnsteiner Liebenberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2012 750ML ($69.95) $55 special, 18 bottles available
Joel Payne-Vinous 93 points “Ripe pear, snap pea and soft herbal spices on the beautifully nuanced nose. Steely and aristocratic on the palate, showing darker fruits and more acidity than the Loibenberg, with concentrated green mango, yellow plum and celery flavors over a layer of flinty slate. Despite its impressive opulence, this is subtle, precise and pure, probably due to the extreme age of the vineyard.”
Falstaff 92-94 points “[translated] Medium greenish yellow. Attractive yellow tropical fruit, delicate pineapple and peach, with fresh wild herbs and delicately highlighted with orange zest. Powerful, a fine touch of honey, sweet extracted core, subtle acid structure, mineral reverberation, yellow fruity finish, a hint of opulence.”
Wine Advocate 90 points “A sweetly ripe tropical fruitiness of pineapple and pink grapefruit marks the F. X. Pichler 2012 Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Liebenberg, to which a positively sizzling impingement of citrus zest, pineapple core and white pepper lends counterpoint. There is a faintly soapy texture, and the aforementioned sizzle is reinforced in the finish by slightly noticeable (even though analytically only 13.5%) alcohol. Some terroirists (like myself) might anticipate a cooling and dynamic influence from the active lime in this vineyard’s soil, but it isn’t forthcoming. My explanation is that the tendency toward slight shriveling of berries in this site – also, of course, arguably a terroir factor – counteracts any such chalk influence, as well as resulting in a diminished sense of juiciness. All in all, this rich, rather static wine is likely to appeal most before 2017.”
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Two Hands Winery
Two Great Deals
Two Hands Wines Sexy Beast Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale 2013 750ML ($34.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Spectator 91 points “Firm in texture, this savory style wraps a moderate grip of tannins around orange peel—accented black fruit and tar flavors, coming together on the focused, expressive and seductive finish. Drink now through 2020.”
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Two Hands Wines Bella’s Garden Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2013 750ML ($79.95) $47 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-6 Two Hands Wines Bella’s Garden Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2013 750ML ($349.95) $249 special, 5 half-cases available
Wine Advocate 94+ points “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2013 Shiraz Bella’s Garden has wonderfully pure black and blue fruit notes of crushed blackberries, wild blueberries and cassis with nuances of black pepper, star anise, tar and cumin seed. Big, rich and concentrated in the mouth, the full-bodied palate bursts with peppered blackberry flavors supported by firm, grainy tannins and lively acidity, finishing with great persistence.”
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Marc Deschamps
Small-Town Guy, World-Class Wines
Under the tutelage of Paul Figeat – vigneron and longstanding mayor of Pouilly Sur Loire – Marc Deschamps learned his hand at winemaking. Over the course of a decade, he familiarized himself with the terroir of the domaine, situated along the mineral-rich northern banks of the Loire River. Ideally located within the Pouilly-sur-Loire AOC, interpreting both the land climate became instinctual, with Figeat and Deschamps crafting wines from individual vineyard parcels.
Upon Figeat’s untimely death, Marc Deschamps took the reins of the 8.5 hectare estate, which has operated under his name since 1991. His winemaking style falls somewhere between hands-on and obsessive; harvest is done manually with native-yeast fermentation in both stainless steel and cement cuves. Prolonged lees aging is a signature of Deschamps’ wines, imbuing texture and secondary elements to both the wines’ aroma and taste. Malolactic fermentation is rare at the estate, with light fining and filtration taking place before later-than-normal bottling.
Monsieur Deschamps produces benchmark Pouilly Fumé – powerful though not lacking grace, with surprising depth and a mineral-rich, lengthy finish. We’re proud to carry a range of the estate’s wines, all listed below.
Marc Deschamps Wines Available Here Now:
Marc Deschamps Pouilly-Fume Vinealis 2012 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “In the best of vintages Marc Deschamps isolates the grapes from the oldest vines in the Champs de Cri vineyard (60+ years of age) for the Vienalis. These plants root deep in classic kimmeridgian marne soils and Deschamps vinifies the small crop of his selection in barrels. Both fermentation and élevage (with extensive lees contact) occur in small oak barrels of 1 to 5 years of age. The nose of the 2012 Pouilly-Fumé Vinealis certainly picks up the oak, but if you dedicate this bouquet just some minutes of your time – and believe me it’s worth to do so, all the more so if you managed to snatch one of the rare bottles – you discover the real character of this beautiful elegant Fumé. Lovely Physalis, peaches and nectarine aromas in the beginning are enriched with freshly stewed wild mushrooms served with flat-leaf parsley on a washed stone with a dash of citrus. Suddenly, the oak fades away and you discover a pure, highly elegant, and noble-structured and philosophic wine that might eliminate you from your environment and drag you in total into its matter. “Don’t just drink me, detect me,” the wines seems to say when you are already fully absorbed. Although this powerful wine is highly rich and complex it is a hymn to the freshness, elegance and balance of Pouilly-Fumé, whereas the intensity and length of fruit and minerality of the broad, rich and persistent 2012 is absolutely unique. I don’t think I had any better wine from this appellation and the wine was even more fascinating a week after I opened the bottle and put it back into the cool store.” SR
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Marc Deschamps Pouilly-Fume Les Champs de Cri 2012 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2.3-hectares parcel Champs de Cri in Les Loges produces the most complex, elegant and long-lived Fumé of the estate. From vines about 55 years old, the pale golden 2012 Pouilly-Fumé Champs de Cri was kept on the lees for several months more than the other cuvées of the domaine and it is released later. It is a very complex and tightly woven wine, which was totally closed but extremely promising when I tasted it in early August 2014. The nose disclosed most of all the extreme deep mineral foundation of this Fumé with subtle hints of citrons, bitter orange, straw, jasmine and elder flowers. On the palate this is a full-bodied, rich, concentrated and multilayered Pouilly-Fumé of great elegance and expression. It’s an aristocratic, extremely well-balanced, fresh and lingering monolith of natural beauty.” WA
Marc Deschamps Pouilly-Fume Les Porcheronnes 2011 750ML ($31.95) $26 special, 2 bottles available
Importer note: “This cuvée is a blend of wine from several sites scattered on the hilltop of Les Loges, specifically “La Cote”, and “Les Griottes”. These are some of the younger vines of the estate, now (2012) averaging 20 years of age. Combined this is a two hectare site on clay-limestone soil. This is the most elegant and sprightly of the quartet of Pouilly Fumés produced by Deschamps.”
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2014 Austrian Vintage Report
New Reviews from David Schildknecht
“At several stages, the 2014 growing season in Austria’s Riesling and Grüner Veltliner-dominated growing regions offered a near mirror image of conditions in 2013. Yet, each ended up delivering wines higher in dry extract and acidity and low in alcohol. The deviations from the norm in 2014, though, were extreme. And only very selectively could growers achieve ripeness and depth of flavor—not to mention aromatic and textural allure—that could be compared with the norms of downright sensational 2013.” -David Schildknecht
The 2014 growing season in Austria bore much similarity to 2013. It surprised many winemakers with the results: despite heavy rain during the season (one of the highest on record), it began early, allowing phenolic ripeness and higher than expected must weights. The rain helped buffer the acidity that was developing from the cooler vintage, resulting in surprising balance in the wines after careful sorting. The thicker skins and faster maturation period for Gruner helped it overcome the effects of rain (a potential to burst from excessive water or to develop rot). Producers that managed the crop by careful pruning and sorting and paid attentive care in the winery were left with significantly reduced production but with wines of a quality similar to 2013.
Newly Reviewed Austrian Wines Available Here Now
Schloss Gobelsburg Steinsetz Gruner Veltliner Reserve Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 10 bottles available
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 92 points “This product of mid-November picking represents another of the small wonders of vintage 2014, inasmuch as it holds its own against its illustrious 2013 predecessor. Piquant green herbal aromas complement crab apple, fennel, lima bean and turnip on a polished, buoyant, brightly juicy palate. There are salivary-gland-tugging mineral elements here that defy naming but suggest oyster liquor as well as crystalline stoniness, and set up a dynamic, sustained finishing interplay with the wine’s fruit and vegetable elements.”
Schloss Gobelsburg Lamm Gruner Veltliner Reserve Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal 2014 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 8 bottles available
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 92 points “Scents of acacia, mint, honeydew melon and earthy beet also inform the expansive palate, where the piquancy and minerality of chard is introduced, along with a cucumber-like sense of crunchy invigoration and refreshment more familiar from lighter-weight and less texturally rich examples of this grape. Smoky pungency suggests toasted buckwheat, and Madagascar peppercorn teams intriguingly with crushed stone in the long finish.”
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Schloss Gobelsburg Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg Riesling, Kamptal 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 30 bottles available
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 88 points “Issuing, like its eponymous Grüner Veltliner counterpart, entirely from Kamptal fruit, this generic cuvée sold principally in the US market delivers its usual charm and value. Scents of lily and heliotrope mingle with intimations of apple and white peach, the latter migrating to a satin-textured and expansive yet not weighty palate. Hints of quince, tangerine oil and brown spices suggest background botrytis, thankfully only slightly detracting from the clarity and refreshment that characterize the corresponding Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg bottling of Grüner Veltliner. (The impressive generic bottlings incorporating purchased fruit that are familiar from American markets under the “Gobelsburger” label have been rechristened “Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg” because, in keeping with recent legislation, the old designation will now be reserved for anyone who chooses to name for its commune of origin a wine grown in Gobelsburg the village.)”
Weingut Leo Alzinger Muhlpoint Gruner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2014 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 20 bottles available
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 89 points “Reflecting a full percentage point more in potential alcohol than the corresponding Frauenweingarten, this bottling with its palpably high glycerol and dry extract has surprising stuffing for a Federspiel of its vintage. Nonetheless, it remains buoyant, while bringing to bear enhanced textural polish, clarity and follow-through. Fresh lima beans are drizzled with lime juice and seasoned with green herbs, the crunch and piquancy of dark leafy greens adding to the grip and invigoration of a sustained finish.”
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Weingut Leo Alzinger Loibner Steinertal Gruner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 8 bottles available
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 90 points “Smoky site-typical notes segue into a mouthwateringly saline, bacon-like savor that delightfully complements lentil and fresh green bean. Dark leafy greens, pungent green herbs and incisive black pepper add intrigue and stimulation to a lingering and delightfully juicy finish. “This was harvested late,” explains Alzinger Junior, “at the end of October, in fact, but at 12.7% alcohol, which we rounded down on the label to 12.5% [thus qualifying for Federspiel]. It displays the clarity and elegance that we associate with Steinertal, but also with Federspiel. If we’d waited any longer we’d have had to contend with botrytis.”
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Weingut Leo Alzinger Loibner Loibenberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau 2014 750ML ($69.95) $57 special, 3 bottles available
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 93 points “Infectious juiciness, poise and seamless polish are on splendid display along with the cool crunch of lettuce, snap pea and barely-ripe pear. Tang of pear skin, piquancy of pea tendril and bite of pepper cress and mustard greens add mouth-tingling exhilaration to a superbly sustained finish. Picked at the end of October and weighing in at 13.1% alcohol, this reflects the sort of cool vintage that Alzinger Junior thinks best displays the virtues of fast-warming, loess-covered parcels in Loibenberg, “whereas in warmer years the wine can be hefty [mächtig] and voluminous.” (Not that I can recall ever having attributed those two adjectives—which many growers would take as compliments—to any Alzinger wine.)”
Weingut Leo Alzinger Durnsteiner Riesling Federspiel, Wachau 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 5 bottles available
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 92 points “This displays a remarkable degree of peachy purity and of transparency to mineral and herbal nuances. At only 11.8% alcohol, it is delightfully buoyant. Fresh lime and tomato contribute refreshing brightness, while salad crunch, lavender pungency, Szechuan peppercorn bite, and a lick of mouthwatering salt add to the lusciously lingering, refreshing finish. “Normally this bottling comes almost entirely from parcels at the foot of the Loibenberg,” explains Alzinger, “but this vintage includes fruit from Steinertal, Höhereck and Liebenberg that we had to harvest earlier due to encroaching stem rot”—which would have caused clusters to fall to the ground. Only from 2014 can I recall a Wachau Riesling at all like this, and seldom does Federspiel get any better (or offer any better value)!”
Weingut Leo Alzinger Loibenberg Riesling Federspiel, Wachau 2014 750ML ($44.95) $36 special, 5 bottles available
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 92 points “Honeydew melon, apricot, lime, lettuce and green herbs make for yet another crunchy, cooling and refreshing exemplar of the 2014 vintage, and one that does not lack nuanced complexity. Crushed stone and white pepper add invigoration to a ringingly clear, mouthwateringly salt-tinged and infectiously juicy finish. This is another instance where a 2014 Riesling (or, for that matter, Grüner Veltliner) tastes like a Riesling-Grüner Veltliner hybrid. “We had a big problem with drought stress in these parcels early in the year,” explains Alzinger, who is inclined to attribute the wine’s eventual low alcohol as much to that stress as to the effects of subsequent rain and cool weather. “This comes from an early culling just like we performed in our other top Riesling sites, but here there was enough fruit to justify a site-dedicated bottling.”
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling vom Stein Federspiel, Wachau 2014 750ML ($41.95) $33 special, 8 bottles available
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 90 points “Pungent lemon-zest notes in the nose lead one to anticipate lemony brightness on the palate. It’s there, but quite discreetly, with the sustained impressions being above all of polish, lift, cooling herbal suffusion, and a subtle interaction with crystalline, stony elements.”
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Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling vom Stein Smaragd, Wachau 2012 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 11 bottles available
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 92 points “Bottled in April 2015, this lives up to its name with a stony, alkaline undertone. There is a faintly reductive hint of machine oil that, along with whiffs of gentian and iris, complements fresh and spirituous expressions of apple. The palate impression is fresh, juicy, and buoyant, with floral, mineral and herbal-spicy nuances. It’s a delightful example of the vintage paradox that despite high must weights and advanced flavor ripeness, the best 2012s can be elegant and light-footed. Coriander and fennel seeds add appeal to the sustained finish.”
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The average price is $63
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling Steiner Hund Reserve, Wachau 2012 1.5L ($179.95) $149 special, 3 magnums available
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 95 points “Prominent lemony brightness and underlying alkalinity do not convey an immediate impression of such a ripe, sunny vintage as this was. Aromatically alluring sea breeze, fennel pollen, and green and black tea persist in the mouth, where this wine also grabs hold of the palate and salivary glands in an outpouring of lemon-drenched oyster liquor. The combination of polish and clarity on display is similarly striking, though by no means unusual in an installment of what is in effect the Nikolaihof’s iconic offering. The long, vibrant finish displays kaleidoscopic flavor interactions no less memorable or mesmerizing for their being nuanced and understated; nor is there any let-up in the onrush of marine salinity. The Saahs family bottled this wine in April 2015 and released it just as stocks of its 2010 counterpart were running low, leaving the 2011 behind in cask for now.”
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Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Steinriesler Riesling, Wachau 2002 750ML ($119.95) $88 special, 9 bottles available
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 96 points “The third such Riesling Vom Stein of Federspiel weight to be given an élevage formerly reserved for Smaragd-weight “Vinothek” offerings, this was only bottled in April 2015. There are refinements and complexities of aromatics, flavor and texture here that go far beyond those found today in the lovely “regular” 2002 Federspiel Vom Stein (tasted alongside and also covered in this report). Moreover, this wine tastes fresher, which may seem less surprising if one thinks for a moment about the difference in size between a bottle and a cask. Moss, lichen, forest floor and flor mingled on the nose with fresh apple and plum. Caressingly silken and buoyant, this spreads a midpalate carpet of incredibly intricate and subtle design as well as irresistible juiciness. A soaringly sustained finish introduces smoky, crystalline and stony elements along with a mouthwateringly saline savor reminiscent of clam juice. (The name “Steinriesler”—strangely but truly coined by yours truly—alludes to a 19th-century name for Riesling that survived as an affectionate nickname well into the 20th. I happened to spot “Riesler” on some very old Nikolaihof price lists they shared with me at precisely the time when the Saahs family was trying to decide what to call their first extremely-extended-élevage Federspiel.)”
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Newly Reviewed Austrian Wines Arriving Late February
Schloss Gobelsburg Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg Gruner Veltliner, Kamptal, Austria 2014 750ML ($21.95) $16 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 89 points “Lentil and wax bean drenched in fresh lime and crab apple juices characterize this buoyant, polished, zingy bottling, which is more refined texturally as well as clearer and juicier in finish than the corresponding generic sold in European markets under the name “Domäne Gobelsburg” (and also reviewed in this report). Inner-mouth aromas of green herbs and nips of lime zest and white pepper complement the wine’s appealing succulence. (The impressive generic bottlings incorporating purchased fruit that are familiar from American markets under the “Gobelsburger” label have been rechristened “Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg” because, in keeping with recent legislation, the old designation is now reserved for wine grown in Gobelsburg the village.)”
Schloss Gobelsburg Zobinger Heiligenstein Riesling Reserve Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal 2014 750ML ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 92 points “Bittersweet, subtly musky scents of iris and peony complement hints of honey and spice borne of botrytis. Silken-textured and expansive, the palate here delivers quince and ripe white peach enveloped in billowing floral perfume and set against a background of wet stone, leading to a soothingly lingering yet tinglingly citric and crystalline finish. This doesn’t display the degree of animation, complexity, salinity or primary juiciness of the remarkable corresponding Gaisberg, but still represents a superb success, especially in the context of its vintage.”
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Weingut Hirsch Kammerner Heilegenstein Gruner Veltliner Erste OTW Lage, Kamptal 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 88 points “Piquant phenolics lend stimulation to a lean and firm but felicitously juicy performance in which lemon-laced apple and fresh green bean dominate. At just 11.9% alcohol, this is ideally poised to finish with both levity and refreshment. (From vintage 2015, this bottling’s misleading label allusion to “Heiligenstein” as a Grosslage will be replaced by the communal designation “Kammerer.”)”
Weingut Hirsch Zobing Riesling, Kamptal 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 89 points “Bittersweet, iris-like perfume wafts all the way through this exuberant performance of pronounced yet bracing phenolic piquancy and infectious, bright juiciness. Lean and long, this cuvée gained a delightful sense of mineral interplay over the course of its first six months in bottle.”
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Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Hefeabzug Gruner Veltliner, Wachau 2014 750Mml ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Hefeabzug Gruner Veltliner, Wachau 2014 1.5L ($79.95) $66 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 89 points “Scents of clover and hay lead into a cooling, crisp and juicy palate of cucumber, celery stalk and green herbs. This finishes with nuanced diversity and mouthwatering salinity. I won’t be surprised if it becomes more interesting and alluring after a couple of years in bottle.”
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof im Weingebirge Gruner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2014 1.5L ($89.95) $76 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 90 points “Like its Hefeabzug counterpart, this delivers a delightfully crunchy, juicy impression of lettuce and cucumber salad with green herbs and fresh lime. Pinot Blanc-like inner-mouth suggestions of corn shoot add to the intriguing complexity of this nuanced bottling. Its buoyant finish, however, surprised me for being more caressing than invigorating and delivering less focus than nose and palate led me to anticipate. Make no mistake, though: this is lovely stuff that will merit extended employment at table and following from bottle. (Another, roughly 12.5% alcohol lot of 2014 Grüner Veltliner Im Weingebirge remains in cask and will probably be bottled as Smaragd.)”
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling vom Stein Smaragd, Wachau 2012 1.5L ($149.95) $125 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 92 points “Bottled in April 2015, this lives up to its name with a stony, alkaline undertone. There is a faintly reductive hint of machine oil that, along with whiffs of gentian and iris, complements fresh and spirituous expressions of apple. The palate impression is fresh, juicy, and buoyant, with floral, mineral and herbal-spicy nuances. It’s a delightful example of the vintage paradox that despite high must weights and advanced flavor ripeness, the best 2012s can be elegant and light-footed. Coriander and fennel seeds add appeal to the sustained finish.”
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Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling Steiner Hund Reserve, Wachau 2012 750ML ($89.95) $69 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 95 points “Prominent lemony brightness and underlying alkalinity do not convey an immediate impression of such a ripe, sunny vintage as this was. Aromatically alluring sea breeze, fennel pollen, and green and black tea persist in the mouth, where this wine also grabs hold of the palate and salivary glands in an outpouring of lemon-drenched oyster liquor. The combination of polish and clarity on display is similarly striking, though by no means unusual in an installment of what is in effect the Nikolaihof’s iconic offering. The long, vibrant finish displays kaleidoscopic flavor interactions no less memorable or mesmerizing for their being nuanced and understated; nor is there any let-up in the onrush of marine salinity. The Saahs family bottled this wine in April 2015 and released it just as stocks of its 2010 counterpart were running low, leaving the 2011 behind in cask for now.”
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Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Neuburger, Wachau 2011 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 89 points “This soft and (at only 12.5% alcohol) full-feeling rendition of Neuburger emphasizes that grape’s inherent nuttiness, though the usual resemblance to white asparagus still applies. A faintly smoky piquancy adds an intriguing counterpoint to an otherwise soothing finish. (Not only is this wine still for sale, but so is the 2012. The 2013, says Nikki Saahs, was the first vintage ever to be sold out within a year of bottling and before he could even set aside stock for the family table and library, which explains why I missed out on tasting it, as well as why a decision has been made to replace with Neuburger 500 vines of Chardonnay, whose 2014 performance was as usual uninspiring.)”
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Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Gewurztraminer, Wachau 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
David Schildknecht—Vinous Media 90 points “Striking and unusual among wines from this grape for its bright sense of acidity, lean texture and (despite dryness) buoyancy of mere 12% alcohol, here is a mouthwatering Gewürztraminer that genuinely refreshes. Its dominant aromas and flavors are in no way fruity, but rather of bacon and celery seed. Nutty piquancy complements the carnal savor and saliva-inducing salinity of a long finish. “Not long after I took over from my dad,” relates the younger Nikolaus Saahs, “I told him I didn’t much like our Gewürztraminer and wanted to rip out the vines.” Based on this year’s results, both of them are happy, as am I, that a reconciliation and reprieve were negotiated!”
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Vinopolis First Annual Quimera Sale
Wine Arriving Friday
Achaval Ferrer Quimera, Mendoza 2012 750ML ($34.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Achaval Ferrer Quimera, Mendoza 2012 750ML ($349.95) $159 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 93 points “There’s a minerality and intensity to this wine with limestone and salt. Full-bodied yet so refined. Sexy and beautiful. Mostly malbec with cabernet franc, merlot and a bit of petit verdot. Drink or hold.”
Stephen Tanzer – “50% Malbec, 24% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot): Dark red-ruby. Ripe aromas of blackberry, blueberry and bitter chocolate. Dense and fine-grained, showing attractive spicy lift to its dark berry flavors. Ripe, harmonious acidity gives this wine a seamless quality. Classy juice.”
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The average price is $32
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