Saturday, April 2, 2016
May the Sales Continue: Nikolaihof, Gouges, Hubert Lignier & Franciscan Sales; Wines Arriving in April: Caparzo 2011, Cayuse, Reynvaan, Leonetti, Domaine de Montille and More!; Half-Case/Half-Crazed: Six Packs of Vinsanity!
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Nicking Nikolaihof Sale
Hurry – Limited Stocks!
Now ‘til Midnight Friday
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof im Weingebirge Smaragd Gruner Veltliner, Wachau 2010 1.5L ($149.95) Was $89, Now $79, 3 magnums available
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof im Weingebirge Gruner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2014 750ML ($39.95) Was $33, Now $28, 9 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 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.)”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof im Weingebirge Smaragd Gruner Veltliner, Wachau 2012 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49, 15 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 92 points “An intriguing, ethereal nose suggests iris, ginseng, moss, beet root and a hint of blond tobacco. Beet, turnip and kohlrabi inform a plushly textured, expansive yet for Smaragd amazingly buoyant palate. Alkalinity, stoniness and tincture of iodine lend cut and a certain austerity to a finish that flashes back to the complexity of the wine’s bouquet. Those with a predilection for Nikolaihof wines (such as I) are going to appreciate this bottling more than my score might suggest.”
Was the lowest listed price in the USA today, now even lower!
The next best price is $62.99
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Neuburger, Wachau 2011 750ML ($39.95) Was $33, Now $28, 22 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 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.)”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $40
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling im Weingebirge Baumpresse 2006 750ML ($139.95) Was $115, Now $99, 3 bottles available
Terry Theise notes: “Expensive, yes, but it’s a bottle of history, the reintroduction of the world’s largest still-functioning wooden press. The wine, in fact Im Weingebirge Smaragd, is out of this world. A swollen extravagantly ripe Riesling, ripe in age and in body; massively juicy and vinous and stocky.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling Steiner Hund Reserve Riesling, Wachau 2010 750ML ($89.95) Was $69, Now $59, 15 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 95 points “The nose here fascinates in a distinctively Nikolaihof manner. Elusive suggestions of moss and lichen on wet stone, mothball and salt spray, along with herbal and floral essences introduce a palate performance that adds to their presence roasted peanut, white asparagus, almond and pear for an effect at once satiny and soothing, juicy and subtly piquant. The combination of mouthwatering salinity and mineral intrigue to the nearly endless finish resembles a mouthful of oyster with its green innards and briny liquor. This remarkable libation was bottled in the spring of 2014.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2010 Riesling Steiner Hund is a pure and cool, rather vegetal than fruity flavored Riesling with flinty notes along with aromas of fennel seeds and celery. Still very young, restrained and edgy on the palate, this full-bodied, very pure and mineral wine with its firm and long, tension-filled structure does not show any flesh or juiciness at the moment. However, I wouldn’t call it ascetic, just a little bit drying. This densely woven Riesling is much too rich and too electrifying in the mouth and too long and powerful in the finish to end up as a joyless wine. However, I suppose this promising, firmly structured long-distance runner will never get that round and juicy, but will remain a vital and scraggy (in a positive sense) wine for many years. I would keep it for another 7-10 years before I retaste it again.”
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Steinriesler Riesling, Wachau 2002 750ML ($119.95) Was $88, Now $79, 9 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 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.)”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $91
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Vinothek Riesling, Wachau 1997 750ML ($219.95) Was $199, Now $179, 7 bottles available
Wine Advocate 97 points “Aged for 17 years in a domestic 3,500-liter cask before it was bottled in August 2014, the 1997 Riesling Vinothek is the best part of the regular 1997 Riesling Smaragd Im Weingebirge, which was bottled and marketed in late 1998. The aged Vinothek version offers a fascinatingly clear, bright, deep and multi-layered nose with iodine and ripe as well as intense white-fleshed fruit aromas. Full-bodied, full of finesse and elegant, this dry, transparent and mineral Riesling develops a great intensity, complexity and power on the palate, but never leaves its silky road of purity, finesse and transparency. There is a lot of Spiel and tension here, but the most exciting characteristic trait is the intense and very mineral, almost endless finish. How youthful this wine is! And its further aging potential is still terrific. The wine reminds me of certain sherries, white Riojas and Jura wines, although it is not less oxidative. But it spent a long time in cask and has the freshness, complexity and thrilling taste of those. It’s a great, unique and stimulating wine that was bottled with 12.8% of alcohol, 6 grams of residual sugar and 6.5 grams of acidity.”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 97 points “This successor to the almost supernaturally ethereal and haunting 1995 also has to live up to the reputation of a vintage-of-the-half-century. It manages, though! The bouquet is unearthly in its complex amalgam of bittersweetly floral (iris, gentian, buddleia), pungently nutty, subtly smoky (black tea) and elusively mineral (sea breeze, wet stone, faint fusel oil) components. Considering the secondary development signaled on the nose, a surprising intensity of pure white peach, apple and grapefruit emerges sumptuously on the silky palate. The buoyant finish, more tightly clinging and less ethereal than that of the 1995, represents a long, harmoniously undulating interaction of liquid floral perfume, diverse minerality and succulent fresh fruits. I tasted this shortly before its mid-2014 bottling (a rare exception to the Nikolaihof rule against unveiling wines from cask) and did not review that note before tasting seven months later. My first spontaneous word each time was “unearthly.” And happily, my impressions that followed demonstrated that this wine’s amazing personality, including its aromas and textural allure, had made it to bottle scarcely altered. The source vineyard here, incidentally, is the Im Weingebirge whereas the 1995 was from Vom Stein.”
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling vom Stein Federspiel, Wachau 2013 750ML ($39.95) Was $38, Now $33, 22 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2013 Riesling Federspiel Vom Stein offers a clear, ripe and well-concentrated bouquet of white stone-fruit aromas along with some nice terroir notes of herbs and stones. Medium-bodied, fresh and elegant on the palate, this Riesling is full of energy, mineral tension and vibrancy and demonstrates impressively, like great Mosel Rieslings do, that great dry wines do not need high alcohol levels to offer an intense, terroir-driven and stimulating taste. Still very young, this pure, piquant and firmly structured Federspiel reveals a good and piquant finish”
David Schildknecht–Vinous 92 points “Caraway and celery root, apple and lemon, hedge flowers and roses: this smells as though somebody blended in Gewurztraminer. A sappy, silky palate incorporates corresponding complexity, with faintly bitter hints of huckleberry and a bite of radish adding stimulation and a suggestion of oyster liquor saliva-inducement to a sustained, infectiously juicy and (at 11.9% alcohol) strikingly buoyant finish.” DS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling vom Stein Federspiel, Wachau 2014 750ML ($41.95) Was $33, Now $28, 8 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “This is so very young that the yeasty aromas of fermentation still cling on: There is earthiness and some funk—but underneath slumbers ripe stone fruit and wet stone. The palate is textured and tight, with a citric fault line of lemony acidity. The length is pure and thrilling, the body wonderfully light. Think sublimated lemon and you have it.” WE
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling vom Stein Jungfernlese, Wachau 2006 750ML ($59.95) Was $49, Now $39, 32 bottles available
Terry Theise notes: “It means the virgin-vintage, the first crop from young vines. And it’s what the Germans would call Feinherb, and it’s what any sane person would call irresistible! A potion of iris and lavender, spicy and penetrating; very long, seductively earthy, like a really profound Nahe Spätlese, almost the 5-spice and wildflower of Dönnhoff’s Felsenberg.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $62
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling vom Stein Smaragd, Wachau 2011 750ML ($79.95) Was $66, Now $59, 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2011 Riesling Smaragd Vom Stein opens with the ripe charm and winning self-confidence of a warm vintage. Super clear, with ultra-ripe (not overripe though!) and concentrated fruit aromas on the nose along with floral and herbal flavors, there is no cool soul so far, since the baby-fruit takes it all. Full-bodied, rich and powerful on the palate, this is a very juicy but also pure and complex wine still full of finesse, fresh and very, very long. It is a mighty, firmly structured, but nevertheless, refreshing and very mineral as well as elegant Riesling full of energy and vibrancy. The finish is impressively long and filled with tension and the aging potential should be terrific. It’s a great drinking experience today, and I suppose it will always be in the next 20 or 25 years”
Terry Theise notes: “This is gorgeous. Fresh fruit but a cloistery silence around it. Hay and straw, the fresh profile only hinting at its murmury depths; a wine of the brightest morning, with decades ahead of it.”
Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Riesling vom Stein Smaragd, Wachau 2012 750ML ($79.95) Was $69, Now $59, 11 bottles available
David Schildknecht–Vinous 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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Just a reminder about our current shipping specials during this season:
We offer flat rate shipping on any size single order / single shipment
-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California for $25
These rates do not apply to orders held in storage here for any reason.
Multiple orders consolidated into one shipment do not qualify for flat rate shipping.
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136 Bottles of Gouges on Our Wall…
Sale Ends Friday at Midnight
Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 2011 750ML ($69.95) Was $49, Now $39, 10 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 87-89 points “Good bright, deep red. Strong animal reduction along with black and red fruits on the nose. Silky and supple for a Nuits villages owing to ripe acidity, with a lovely restrained sweetness to its dark fruit flavors. Finishes with suave tannins and good breadth and length. Very nicely balanced.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $60
Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 2012 750ML ($69.95) Was $59, Now $49, 12 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 89-91 points “The 2012 Nuits St. Georges is utterly exquisite. Sweet floral and spice notes lift out of the glass, followed by a host of blue/black fruits, spices, mint and licorice. The flavors are classic Nuits but the villages is surprisingly weightless, aromatic and polished. I especially like the freshness of the finish.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $63
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($99.95) Was $79, Now $59, 1 bottle available
Stephen Tanzer 89-91 points “Bright medium red. Precise aromas and flavors of blackberry, violet, licorice, minerals and musky chocolate. Juicy and sharply delineated, with noteworthy intensity of flavor. Spreads out nicely and vibrates on the long, firm finish.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($89.95) Was $79, Now $59, 12 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 89-91 points “Beams of bright acidity and minerality run through the 2012 Nuits St. Georges Les Chaignots. Freshly cut flowers, mint, dark raspberries and chalk flow effortlessly. This is a decidedly vertical Nuits built on energy. The style is a bit compact, but pretty all the same.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $79
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chenes Carteaux, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($89.95) Was $79, Now $69, 14 bottles available
John Gilman 92 points “The 2010 Chênes Carteaux from the Gouges family is a beautiful example of this underrated terroir and the 2010 version should prove to be one of the finest ever produced here by the domaine. The nascently complex bouquet is still youthful, but all the inherent elegance of the vintage are very much in evidence here, as the wine delivers a lovely, vibrant mélange of black cherries, pomegranate, saddle leather, a touch of stems, venison, nutskin, a beautiful base of soil tones and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and sappy at the core, with very suave, ripe tannins, great focus and grip, blossoming complexity and a very long, classy finish. This will be a very elegant vintage of Chênes Carteaux in the fullness of time, but this wine still needs at least another eight to ten years of bottle age to really start to hit on all cylinders. 2023-2060.” JG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $76
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chenes Carteaux, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($79.95) Was $69, Now $59, 19 bottles available
Burghound 89-92 points “A discreet touch of wood surround the ripe and well-layered mix of red berry fruit scents that are liberally laced with earth and underbrush nuances. There is good ripeness to the suave, even seductive middle weight flavors that possess really lovely depth on the persistent, balanced and harmonious finish. This is really quite good and worth considering.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chenes Carteaux, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($89.95) Was $69, Now $59, 3 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 90-92 points “Blue and purple fruit, smoke, licorice, violets and cloves flesh out in the 2012 Nuits St. Georges Les Chênes Carteaux. This is an especially round, supple Chênes Carteaux with tons of near and medium-term appeal. The round, silky finish is polished and beautifully resonant, all of which suggest the 2012 will drink better earlier than some of the other wines in this range.” AG
Stephen Tanzer 90-92 points “Bright, full red. Red cherry and smoke on the nose. Juicy, vinous and fine-grained but also with good volume to the sweet red fruit flavors. Lovely peppery acidity gives lift to the wine. Finishes with pliant tannins and excellent saline persistence. Nicely concentrated wine from the south side of the village.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $71
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Pruliers, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($99.95) Was $69, Now $59, 19 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Bright medium red. Reticent high-toned aromas of slightly jammy red fruits and earth. Sweet and ripe; richer and deeper than the Porrets Saint-Georges, with silky red cherry, currant and spice flavors enlivened by pungent peppery acidity. Nicely balanced, round wine with good buffering extract.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Clos des Porrets Monopole, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($89.95) Was $59, Now $49, 25 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “Bright medium red. Liqueur-like aromas of cherry and raspberry. Sweet red fruit and spice flavors are lifted by notes of rose petal, herbs and pepper. Has the freshness and balance to give early pleasure. Finishes with lingering pepper-and-spice perfume and very good length.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($99.95) Was $89, Now $79, 21 bottles available
John Gilman 92 points “I did not have a chance to really taste the 2010 Chaignots out of barrel in November of 2011, as the wine was quite reduced and in need of a racking at the time of my visit. A year later, I was very happy to revisit the wine out of bottle and see that it was very promising, offering up a youthful and classy bouquet of black cherries, gamebirds, woodsmoke, a beautiful base of soil and a fine topnote of fresh herbs. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure, with laser-like focus, a sappy core of fruit, tangy acids and a very long, suavely tannic and still very closed finish. This will want most of the decade to blossom in bottle, but it is destined to be a great vintage of Chaignots from the Gouges family. 2020-2070.”
Stephen Tanzer 91+ points “Palish red. Redcurrant, cherry, spices, minerals and a whiff of game on the nose. Sweet, silky and fairly deep, offering a fine-grained texture and very good energy and intensity to its red fruit flavors. This juicy, bright premier cru relies as much on its acids as on its tannins for balance and structure. Finishes subtle and long. Half of these vines were replanted in 1986 following the 1985 frost, and so this wine has been getting better and better in recent vintages, noted Gregory Gouges.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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The Good Lignier Sale
Ends Friday at Midnight
Domaine Hubert Lignier Gevrey-Chambertin 2012 750ML ($99.95) Was $79, Now $66, 14 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!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis Tres Girard 2012 750ML ($99.95) Was $79, Now $49, 9 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!
Domaine Hubert Lignier Les Chaffots, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($219.95) Was $179, Now $119, 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) Was $299, Now $249, 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
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Sale Price Good through Friday
Franciscan Estate Cuvee Sauvage Chardonnay, Carneros 2012 750ML ($37.95) Was $24, Now $19, 36+ bottles available
Case-6 Franciscan Estate Cuvee Sauvage Chardonnay, Carneros 2012 750ML ($159.95) Was $119, Now $99, 7 six-packs available (that’s only $16.50/bottle!)
Wine Enthusiast 91 points “A classic Napa Valley Chardonnay, this is smooth, rich, balanced and well composed. Flowery aromas of honeysuckle open the way for lemon curd and ripe apple to compete with a depth of crème brûlée character that provides plenty of complexity, with additional accents of honey and spice.”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $29.99
The average price is $35
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April Wines
Arrives Next Week:
2011 Brunello – Another Critically Acclaimed Year for Brunello
Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2011 750ML ($39.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2011 750ML ($419.95) $359 pre-arrival special (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino is a terrific wine for the year. Sweet red cherry, plum, tobacco, mint, sweet spices and orange peel are all front and center. This is a gorgeous 2011 Brunello that represents everything the vintage can be; open-knit, accessible and polished. I don’t expect the 2011 will be a long-term ager, but it is exceptionally beautiful and delicious today.”
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High scoring Washington reds arriving this month:
Arriving April 6th
Cayuse Vineyards Bionic Frog Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2006 750ML ($349.95) $319 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 99 points “All of Christophe’s 2006 were stunners, and the 2006 Syrah Bionic Frog excels for its massive core of fruit, smoked herbs, chocolate, licorice and meaty aromatics. Brooding, backward, meaty and a little bloody, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness and big structure, yet always stays balanced, pure and layered. It’s a joy to drink today, but will cruise for another 10-15 years.(6/2015)”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $351
Cayuse Vineyards Bionic Frog Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2007 750ML ($349.95) $299 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 99 points “The 2007 Bionic Frog Syrah surrenders a splendid aromatic array of forest floor, herbs, olives, bacon, underbrush, blueberry, and black cherry. This is followed by a voluptuous wine with gobs of succulent fruit, impeccable balance, enough fine-grained tannin to evolve for 5-7 years, and a lengthy, seductive finish. Give it 5-7 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2015 to 2027.”
Cayuse Vineyards Bionic Frog Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2009 750ML ($299.95) $225 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 97+ points “Like the 2009 Cailloux, the 2009 Syrah Bionic Frog was closed aromatically, yet offered incredible depth, richness and purity on the palate. Reluctantly giving up lots of dark fruits, chocolate, mineral and roasted herbs, as well as more exotic notes of blood orange and mint, this inky colored, full-bodied, beautifully concentrated Syrah should be forgotten for 3-4 years, yet will have 20 years or more of overall longevity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $245
Cayuse Vineyards Bionic Frog Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2010 750ML ($359.95) $319 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 100 points “This insanely good 2010 Syrah Bionic Frog offers incredible notes of blood orange, liquid violets, cassis, seared meats, licorice and crushed rocks to go with full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannic structure, perfectly integrated acidity and a blockbuster finish. Raised in roughly 20% new demi-muids and foudre, this is a heavenly Syrah that couldn’t get any better. Give it 2-4 years in the cellar and enjoy bottles through 2030.”
Cayuse Vineyards Bionic Frog Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2011 750ML ($299.95) $225 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2011 Syrah Bionic Frog is another rocking Syrah from Christophe that does everything right. Creme de cassis, blackberry, smoked earth, toasted spice and violets emerge from the glass, and it flows onto the palate with full-bodied richness, beautiful purity of fruit and brilliant length. Gaining more minerality with time in the glass, it will continue to flesh out nicely with another handful of years in the cellar, and have two decades of ultimate longevity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $265
The average price is $271
No Girls La Placiencia Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2011 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “In the same mold, with the buzzwords being finesse and elegance, the 2011 Syrah La Paciencia Vineyard offers textbook pepper, olive tapenade, smoke and crunchy berry fruits in its medium to full-bodied, seamless and beautifully textured profile. Showing impressive complexity and already hard to resist, I-d lean towards drinking bottles over the coming decade as well.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Arriving April 8th
Reynvaan Family Vineyards Foothills in the Sun Vineyard Viognier Estate White, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Winery note “This hillside vineyard is one of the most densely planted and highest elevation sites in the State of Washington. With vineyard density, the vines seek out water and nutrients, become stronger and produce clusters of small berries with intense concentration. A southwest facing hillside vineyard at this elevation has several advantages: maximum exposure to the sun; substantial temperature variation between day and night; and beneficial wind patterns. The vineyard currently is planted in two red varietals: Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon; and one white: Viognier. Working with the highest quality Walla Walla grapes grown meticulously in our own vineyards allows the family to control virtually every aspect of farming and wine production and ultimately to respect the natural expression of the soils of the vineyards.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Reynvaan Family Vineyards In The Rocks Viognier, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘The Classic’ Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley 2013 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “First made in 2012, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon The Classic comes from vines planted in 2008 and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in 40% new French oak, it sports an inky purple color to go with awesome notes of cassis, jammy blackberries, wild herbs and graphite. Full-bodied, fresh and elegant, yet with rocking concentration, this is a serious Cabernet that has the class to drink nicely in its youth, yet the balance, depth and structure to evolve for upward of two decades.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Arriving April 15th
Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley 2013 750ML ($119.95) $108 pre-arrival special
Winery note “Dark and brooding, our 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon has a beautiful nose of blackberries, blue fruits, spices, and black tea, perfectly framed by a light touch of toasted French oak. As a warm year in the Walla Walla Valley, Cabernet truly shined and yielded deliciously generous wine with a long, pure finish. Classic Leonetti Cabernet from a remarkable vintage. We are so blessed to have four incredible vineyards which all contribute unique characteristics to our Cab and its remarkably consistent quality.”
Leonetti Cellar Merlot, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($99.95) $88 pre-arrival special
Winery note “Placing one’s nose into a glass of this year’s Merlot results in an immediate smile. It leads with a gorgeous pure fruit nose of compote reduction and graham cracker that jump from the glass. It is so rich, lush, and pure. It is a positively delicious wine that I cannot help but drink more of today, but will easily age 10+ years for those of you who enjoy cellaring wines. This is everything Merlot wants to and can be in Washington State.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $96
Leonetti Cellar Reserve, Walla Walla Valley 2013 750ML ($199.95) $169 pre-arrival special
Winery note “Our goal every year with Leonetti Reserve is to produce the single monumental bottle representative of Washington State and the beloved Walla Walla Valley. This year’s Cabernet dominant blend has a stunning nose of tar, iron minerality, cassis, and dried flowers ~ especially lavender. On the palate, the wine is powerful and pure, repeating the note of cassis liqueur and black olive compote. All the elements of fruit, acidity, and tannin are perfectly balanced, ensuring a lengthy cellaring life if you have the patience to hide it in your cellar.”
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Montille Madness
Domaine de Montille Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2013 750ML ($219.95) $189 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 91+? points “Bright pale yellow. Pear, lime and crushed and wet stone on the nose, plus a suggestion of lavender that carries through onto the palate. Densely packed and tactile, with strong acidity and stony minerality giving this wine a distinctly austere, slightly disjointed impression. The tannins reminded me of a red wine. No easy sweetness here, but this is built to age.”
Burghound 90-93 points “Once again the nose is quite reduced and impossible to assess. In the same fashion as the Perrières there is a lovely sense of tension and complexity to the slightly denser and more powerful flavors that exude a note of green apple on the dry but not really austere finale. This too should benefit from a few years of cellar time to better harmonize but it should be worth the wait.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2013 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, which comes from south-east facing vines, has a well-defined, slightly resinous bouquet (candle wax and pithy pear) that demonstrates good intensity and perfume. The palate is well balanced with lemon peel and white peach notes the segue into quite a terse, almost aloof finish. I would like to see just a little more cohesion by the time of bottling, but there is certainly potential here.”
Domaine de Montille Les Grands Epenots, Pommard Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($149.95) $133 pre-arrival special
Burghound 87-90 points “This is earthier than the Péz and not quite as elegant with its aromas of plum, red currant, forest floor and softly oaked nose. There is a sleek, round and velvety mouth feel to the medium-bodied flavors that terminate in a moderately austere and dry finish that may round out but that is far from clear.”
Domaine de Montille Les Pezerolles, Pommard Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($149.95) $133 pre-arrival special
Burghound 88-91 points “This is the first wine to this point to exhibit any appreciable wood influence though it’s not so much as to mask the otherwise fresh, spicy and layered plum and black currant aromas. There is a really lovely mouth feel to the tension and mineral-inflected medium weight flavors that also display just a touch of backend dryness. Still, my sense is that this should mature nicely even if the balance is unlikely to be ideal.”
Domaine de Montille Les Rugiens, Pommard Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($199.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 91+ points “(completely destemmed): Healthy deep, bright red. Very expressive, slightly metallic perfume of red berries and iron. Delivers a stimulating combination of sweet, almost candied fruits and penetrating acidity, with an herbal element contributing to the impression of inner-mouth lift. This very savory, intense Rugiens finishes a bit tough; in fact, it went into a shell in the glass.”
Burghound 90-92 points “A subtle hint of wood serves as a backdrop to the very fresh, spicy and ripe nose of exotic tea and black fruit liqueur aromas. There is a lovely sense of tension to the stony, intense and tautly muscular middle weight plus flavors that possess notably better balance and length on the complex finish.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 88-90+ points “The 2013 Pommard 1er Cru les Rugiens was completely destemmed after around 50% of the crop had survived the travails of poor flowering and hail. It was raised in 40% new oak and finished its malolactic very late during the 2014 harvest. Consequently the aromatics are not expressive at the moment, however the palate appears to show more fruit and flesh than the Pezerolles and may well turn out to be the better of the two Pommards.”
Domaine de Montille Le Cailleret, Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($199.95) $159 pre-arrival special
Burghound 91-93 points –Outstanding—“Here there is no such reduction as the expressive nose is composed of acacia blossom, pear and lemon zest. As with all of the whites in the de Montille stable there is an intense minerality to the citrusy medium-bodied flavors that possess the best concentration in the range, all wrapped in a well-balanced, complex and strikingly persistent finish. Patience will of course be required but this should be excellent in time.”
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Bright gold-tinged yellow. Refined, soil-inflected aromas of crushed stone, menthol, noble herbs and sexy brown spices, with fruit in the deep background. Juicy and penetrating, boasting terrific inner-mouth perfume and saline minerality to the concentrated flavors of yellow fruits and spices. Finishes with excellent rocky length and dusty, spicy grip. The crop level here was a solid 40 hectoliters per hectare: “Puligny was generous in 2013,” noted Etienne de Montille.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2013 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru les Caillerets has a very elegant bouquet with dried white flowers and jasmine scents, not so far from the Meursault Perrières in style. The palate is well balanced with touches of bitter lemon and orange rind, plenty of finesse and tension, especially on the finish that feels long in the mouth. This is a well-crafted Caillerets to enjoy over the next decade.”
Domaine de Montille Les Malconsorts Cuvee Christiane, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($699.95) $599 pre-arrival special
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 94-96 points “The 2013 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru les Malconsorts “Christianne,” which I asked to taste directly alongside the regular Malconsorts, has more delineation and precision, more mineralité coming through on the nose, veins of wet limestone and sea spray emerging with time. The palate is also noticeably different with greater tension and focus, a sense if coiled-up energy that is uncommon in this vintage. This surely illustrates the profound effects of terroir: a serious 2013 that should age with style.”
Stephen Tanzer 92-95 points “Bright, deep red. More discreet on the nose than the “regular” Malconsorts, showing ineffable floral lift. A step up in fruit intensity and pungency, but with powerful crushed-stone minerality keeping the wine under wraps today. Conveys a very strong impression of extract and stuffing but very closed in on itself today. Brisk acidity contributes to the impression of energy. The wine’s sophisticated tannins spread out horizontally to saturate the palate on the sappy, very firm finish. Great incipient complexity here but this will require serious patience.”
Burghound 92-95 points –Outstanding—“As is often the case this is aromatically quite similar to the regular cuvée except that it is ever-so-slightly spicier and perhaps with a bit more floral influence. There is fine volume, power and punch to the big-bodied and robust flavors that retain a refined mouth feel as the tannins are once again dense but fine plus they are well-buffered by the copious dry extract that imparts a velvety texture to the strikingly long finale. One aspect where this does depart from the normal pattern is that this is noticeably more structured and will thus require a few more years of cellar time. In sum, this is impressive juice with terrific development potential.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine de Montille Les Malconsorts, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($349.95) $299 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer 94+ points “(vinified with two-thirds whole clusters and aged in 50% new oak): Bright, dark red. Knockout musky but backward nose combines raspberry, flinty minerality and truffley earth. Very concentrated, mineral-driven wine with a restrained sweetness and complex soil tones to its pungent flavors of red cherry and raspberry. Suave and juicy but a bit youthfully imploded, finishing with serious, noble tannins. Already quite smooth but it would be criminal not to lay this down for at least a few years.”
Burghound 92-94 points –Outstanding—“This is less obviously floral in character though this element is still quite prominent on the discreet spicy aromas of plum, dark raspberry and sandalwood nuances. There is an equally sleek mouth feel to the broad-shouldered and muscular flavors that possess an exquisite sense of underlying tension and plenty of minerality, all wrapped in a firm, cool, linear and built-to-age finale. I very much like the complexity and the persistence is most impressive.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2013 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru les Malconsorts appeared very closed and unresponsive on the nose, a little subdued when compared to the Corton Clos du Roi ’13 alongside. Then it begins to wake up with blackberry, cranberry and raspberry preserve that blossoms with each encouraging swirl. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, supple and rounded in the mouth, exerting a gentle grip and a long finish that belies the backbone. This is very fine, although as I remarked at the time, I feel that there is a clear difference between this and the “Christianne” cuvée this year.”
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VinopolScoop:
Arriving Mid-April
Wind Gap Woodruff Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains 2014 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 92+ points “The 2014 Chardonnay Woodruff is one of the most distinctive wines in the Wind Gap range. Candied lemon, white flowers, mint and a subtle hint of reduction are some of the signatures in this precise, crystalline Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay. The 2014 needs a few years to come into its own, but it is undeniably attractive and full of potential.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Wind Gap Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2014 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2014 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) is deep, pliant and incredibly inviting, with a fabulous combination of pliant fruit, expressive aromatics and superb persistence. Rose petal, mint, savory herbs and game add the closing shades of inflection. There is something (a lot) to be said for the wisdom of blending fruit from different sites to make a complete, balanced wine. Wine Gap’s appellation-level wines often prove that point eloquently, as is very much the case here.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Wind Gap Woodruff Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains 2014 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 91+ points “The 2014 Pinot Noir Woodruff Vineyard is wonderfully lifted and aromatic, as it so often is. A pretty citrus/blood orange note leads to white pepper, sweet dried cherry and mint, all of which give the Woodruff an exotic, perfumed personality that is compelling. Gracious and light on its feet, this feminine Pinot will drink well for the better part of the next decade. The Woodruff was done with 100% whole clusters. In this vintage, the Woodruff is a touch compact, perhaps owing to the heavy fog that is often present. If the wine fleshes out in bottle, it could turn out to be even better than this note suggests.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Wind Gap Old Vine Red Soif 2015 750ML ($34.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 90-92 points “The 2015 Old Vine Red Soif is a bit darker and richer than the 2014 tasted alongside it, but it captures the same energy and vibrancy. Dark red cherry, plum, licorice and spice meld together in a racy, voluptuous wine. There is so much to like here. The 2015 includes all three barrels of the Bedrock Mourvèdr that in the past has been bottled separately, along with dollops of Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and Carignane.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Wind Gap Nellessen Vineyard Syrah, Russian River Valley 2014 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2014 Syrah Nellessen Vineyard is a much more typical wine for Wind Gap. A range of dark red cherry, plum, spice and lavender give the 2014 much of its sensual, inviting personality. Expressive floral and savory notes give the 2014 a kick of freshness on the finish.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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New World/Old World
Unique Argentinian and Spanish Wines Arriving Late April
Superuco Calcáreo Coluvio de Altamira, Uco Valley 2013 750ML ($49.95) $37 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Superuco Calcáreo Coluvio de Altamira, Uco Valley 2013 750ML ($479.95) $399 pre-arrival special (that’s only $33.25/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2013 Calcáreo Coluvio de Altamira is closed and tight, feeling the most austere and chalk-driven of the three reds I tasted form the Calcáreo line. The grapes are selected from a small part of the vineyard where the calcium carbonate is seen in the surface. It’s a serious, balanced and terribly salty and mineral red with the violets of Malbec intermixed with crushed rocks and even a marine feeling to it. Complex, subtle, elegant… terrific! And very affordable too. 3,000 bottles produced, the content of the amphora.”
Superuco Calcáreo Río de los Chacayes, Uco Valley 2013 750ML ($49.95) $35 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Superuco Calcáreo Río de los Chacayes, Uco Valley 2013 750ML ($449.95) $379 pre-arrival special (that’s only $31.58/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2013 Calcáreo Río de los Chacayes is sourced from the Chacayes zone of Tunuyán on top of Vista Flores towards the mountains. It has a riper, spicier, floral, and aromatic profile with notes of thyme and rosemary. It is the most extroverted of the three, and also feels quite polished. The palate, however, is more serious, with the austerity of the rocks, a very fine thread of subtle acidity and a long, long, long finish with sweeter tannins. Its a rolling stone covered in chalk and surrounded by thyme. Awesome! 3,000 bottles were produced.”
Aires de Vendimia Mencia de Valtuille, Bierzo 2012 750ML ($44.95) $38 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 91+ points “I was quite impressed with the 2012 Aires de Vendimia, especially for a warm vintage. It’s old-vine Mencía which fermented with 50% full clusters in an oak vat with indigenous yeasts and aged for 11 months in contact with the lees in 225- and 300-liter oak barrels. It’s still a bit marked by the oak, clean, good-quality oak, with faint notes of vanilla and other spices over a core of violets, red cherries and blueberries; it is quite harmonious and aromatic but with certain restraint. The palate is medium-bodied, supple with juicy fruit, focused, with good freshness developing a licorice final note.”
Winery note “An assemblage from some of the best old-vine parcels of the estate. Aged on fine lees in French oak barrels (225L and 300L). Not topped off.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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A Half-Case of Vinsanity!
We have 23 case-six deals in stock
Below is a selection of ten of our bestsellers!
Case-6 Franco Pacenti Canalicchio Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2009 750ML ($259.95) $169 special, 3 six-packs available (that’s only $28.17/bottle!)
Franco Pacenti Canalicchio Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2009 750ML ($49.95) $31.90 special, 14 bottles available
Ian D’Agata–Vinous 93 points “Bright red. Captivating aromas of ripe red berries, red cherry, marzipan and strawberry jelly, nicely complicated by a fresh violet note. Bright and vibrant on the palate, with suave red fruit flavors lifted by harmonious acidity, which provides wonderful clarity and cut and extends the flavors at the back. The extremely long finish features noteworthy minerality and precision. Outstanding pure Brunello: one of the year’s ten best.” ID
Case-6 Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino ‘Vigna dei Dardi’, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($319.95) $249 special, 2 six-packs available (that’s only $41.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino ‘Vigna dei Dardi’, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($579.95) $469 special, 1 case available (that’s only $39.08/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino ‘Vigna dei Dardi’, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($59.95) $46 special, 31 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2010 Barolo Cascina Dardi Bussia hits all the right marks with a beautiful sense of elegance and grace that is immediately apparent. The aromas dangle in front of you, delicately and seductively, with ethereal layers of spice, blue flower, almond paste, anisette and dried cherry or wild berry. The workmanship here reflects an attention to the minute details offered by Nebbiolo. The tannins are silky and long with deeply polished texture. Barolo Cascina Dardi Bussia is a fine, poised and super-confident expression. Drink: 2016-2026.” WA
Case-6 M. Chapoutier Hermitage Chante-Alouette 2012 750ML ($549.95) $259 special, 3 six-packs available (that’s only $43.17/bottle!)
M. Chapoutier Hermitage Chante-Alouette 2012 750ML ($99.95) $49 special, 2 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “A wine reviewed last year, the 2012 Hermitage Chante Alouette comes from three separate parcels on Hermitage Hill; Meal, Les Murets and Chante Alouette. I rated it identically this go around, but it’s such a fabulous wine I decided to include it again. White peach, white flowers, honeysuckle, brioche and tropical notes all emerge from this stunning white, and while it’s not cheap, it represents a smoking value. Don’t miss it.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $75.89
The average price is $91
Case-6 Tenuta di Collosorbo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 750ML ($319.95) $259 special, 1 six-pack available (that’s only $43.17/bottle!)
Tenuta di Collosorbo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 17 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 points –#43 Top 100 in 2015–“Coffee and chocolate aromas signal this exotic and fragrant red. The cherry and plum notes are almost afterthoughts, while spice, leather and tobacco flavors come to the fore, with vivid acidity through the lingering finish. Best from 2019 through 2035.” WS
Case-6 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT 2011 750ML ($499.95) Was $376, Now $299, 3 six-packs available (that’s only $49.83/bottle!)
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT 2011 750ML ($89.95) Was $66, Now $55, 36+ bottles available
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT 2011 1.5L ($159.95) Was $133, Now $119, 3 magnums available
James Suckling 95 points “Aromas of currant, bark and orange peel. Nutmeg powder. Full body and chewy tannins. Savory, with balsamic and nuts. I love the juicy, decadent character to this. Drink or hold.” JS
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “Isole e Olena’s 2011 Cepparello is remarkably silky, polished and refined, especially considering the challenges of the vintage. Dark red stone fruits, wild flowers, menthol and sweet spices all meld together gracefully in the glass. Voluptuous and racy but also an impeccably balanced wine with phenomenal length and a super-expressive finish. The 2011 will offer a wide window of drinking pleasure pretty much upon release. Drink: 2017-2026.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Case-6 Hartford Family Winery Hartford Court Stone Cote Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast 2012 750ML ($319.95) $259 special, 2 six-packs available (that’s only $43.17/bottle!)
Hartford Family Winery Hartford Court Stone Cote Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast 2012 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 12 bottles available
Robert Parker 93-95 points “The 2012 Chardonnay Stone Cote Vineyard (a block within the Durell Vineyard planted on gravelly riverbed soils) is 100% barrel-fermented and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Made from a combination of Old Wente clones and some of the newer Chardonnay clones, it exhibits a terrific wet rock/powdered stone-like minerality along with beautiful aromas of exotic fruits (mangoes and tangerines), great intensity, full body, terrific acidity, and 14.8% alcohol. This beautiful Burgundian-styled Chardonnay should be enjoyed over the next 7-8 years.” RP
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Case-6 Mischief and Mayhem Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2011 750ML ($149.95) $89 special, 5 six-packs available (that’s only $14.83/bottle!)
Mischief and Mayhem Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2011 750ML ($29.95) $16 special, 13 bottles available
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!
The average price is $22
Case-6 Tyrus Evan Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Claret, Columbia Valley 2010 750ML ($199.95) $99 special, 3 half-cases available (that’s only $16.50/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Tyrus Evan Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Claret, Columbia Valley 2010 750ML ($39.95) $18 special, 27 bottles available
The vineyard Ciel du Cheval lies in the heart of the tiny Red Mountain American Viticultural Area (AVA) in southeast Washington. Initially planted to just three acres in 1975, the vineyard now encompasses 120 acres and provides outstanding fruit to 26 wineries in the northwest. As owner Jim Holmes puts it, “This is a hobby that has gone crazy.” Blend breakdown: 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit Verdot
Case-6 Two Hands Wines Bella’s Garden Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2013 750ML ($349.95) $249 special, 3 six-packs available (that’s only $41.50/bottle!)
Two Hands Wines Bella’s Garden Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2013 750ML ($79.95) $47 special, 36+ bottles 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.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $49.75
Case-6 Castello di Ama ‘San Lorenzo’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2011 750ML ($259.95) $233 special, 3 six-packs available (that’s only $38.83/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Castello di Ama ‘San Lorenzo’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2011 750ML ($57.95) $41.90 special, 24 bottles available
Case-12 Castello di Ama ‘San Lorenzo’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2011 750ML ($549.95) $432 special, 12 cases available (that’s only $36/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
James Suckling 96 points “This has a dusty character on the nose with soil, dried fruit and blueberry. Flowers too. Full body, firm tannins and a fresh finish. Tight and structured. Shows wonderful depth of fruit and beauty. Chewy. Better in 2016.” JS
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Have a wonderful weekend!