Jump Start October Sale; Domaine Ostertag: Grand Cru Alsace; Domaine Gramenon: Kermit Lynch’s Cult Cote du Rhone; Donnhoff’s Dellchen GG – 2011, 2014 & 2015; New October Sales: Delas Freres; New Low Case Price: Ilurce Rioja; Rare & Classic Bordeaux: Clos Fourtet 2012; Arriving Friday Features: Ramey, Quilceda Creek & Bedrock; Arriving Next Week: Sea Smoke & Foillard; Domaine de Montille 2013; Time to Say Good Buy: Quintessa; Subscriber-Only Sale: Colgin IX Estate Syrah (100 Point Wine!)
Jump Start October Sale
Arriving Friday, October 14th
Montepeloso Eneo Toscana IGT 2011 750ML ($49.95) Was $39, Now $33 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 93 points “A fresh red, boasting plum, black cherry, spice and leather flavors. The harmony and intensity make this enjoyable now, but the wine should continue to develop over the next five years. Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Alicante and Marselan. Drink now through 2022. 1,500 cases made.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Black cherries, raspberry jam, cloves lavender and violets are some of the many notes that take hold of the senses in the 2011 Eneo. This dark, brooding beauty possesses fabulous depth and intensity all the way through to the voluptuous finish. The Eneo is very ripe – in the style of the year – but all the elements are in the right place. The blend is 45% Sangiovese, 35% Montepulciano, 15% Alicante and 5% Marselan.” AG
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is more than 20% higher at $40.97
The average price is more than 33% higher at $45
Don’t miss our three new October sale wines – see the new wines below!
Domaine Ostertag: Grand Cru Alsace
Muenchberg Vineyard
“…true quality is that which succeeds in surprising and moving us. It is not locked inside a formula. Its essence is subtle (subjective) and never rational. “ -André Ostertag in Inspiring Thirst
A pioneer, a revolutionary winemaker, an environmentalist… so many terms can be used to describe André Ostertag, the owner and operator of his family’s 14 hectare Alsacian domaine. After training in Burgundy, he drastically improved estate practices by introducing such grape-growing and winemaking techniques as reducing yields and converting to biodynamic.
André Ostertag does not confine himself to the traditional Alsatian way of treating the varieties he has in his vineyards, producing 3 levels of wines; fruit-driven (Vins de Fruit), terroir-driven (Vins de Pierre) and time-driven. The Vins de Pierre is his most highly revered lineup, known for their extremely age-worthy qualities, and includes single-vineyard bottlings from the Fronholz vineyard, Heissenberg vineyard and the Muenchberg Grand Cru vineyard. The Grand Cru vineyard, Muenchberg, has volcanic soils. Named for the Cistercian monks that were the first to plant vines in the area, the vineyard produces wines of great elegance, purity and depth of flavors. Robert Parker calls Ostertag’s wines “some of the most distinctively delicious and thought-provoking wines in Alsace,” and he is not alone in considering Ostertag’s wines true works of art.
Domaine Ostertag Riesling Muenchberg, Alsace Grand Cru 2013 750ML ($69.95) Was $41.90, Now $39
Wine Advocate 95 points “From 30- to 75-year-old vines on red sandstone and volcanic sediments, Ostertag’s 2013 Riesling Grand Cru Muenchberg shows a clear, very precise and deep, multi-layered bouquet with flinty flavors intertwined with tropical aromas; it is absolutely fascinating in its ripeness and intensity. Very deep, rich and fleshy on the palate, with the dense and juicy texture of ripe Riesling mingled with the precisely mineral taste of pure stones and rocks, this is a firm, very complex, highly elegant and persistent Riesling, still fairly stringent in its mouth-watering and salty finish, but with an aging potential of 20+ years.”
James Suckling 94 points “A dense and rich white with a wonderful clarity and brightness plus flowers, strawberry and sliced apple character. Full body, fresh acidity and a mineral, citrus undertone. Made from biodynamically grown grapes. Dry. Drink now.”
Ian D’Agata – Vinous 93 points “Medium yellow. Aromas of fresh peach, orange zest, lemon verbena and flint. Big, fat and broad, with concentrated stone fruit, lime, brown spice and honey flavors. Conveys an element of oiliness buffered by musky herbs and minerality. Finishes long, spicy and honeyed; very Muenchberg! Still very youthful; I’d suggest cellaring it for at least another four years before pulling the cork.”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $48.99
The average price is $51
Domaine Gramenon
Kermit Lynch’s Cult Cote du Rhone
What happens when a mother and son collaborate to make southern Rhone reds and whites from their young- and old-vine estate? Organic and biodynamic viticulture combine with family dedication, and the esprit of youth, to create beautifully fragrant and pure Rhone wines, without over-use of sulphur. A lot of heart goes into Gramenon’s wines and we’re proud to carry them in our shop:
Domaine Gramenon Cotes du Rhone La Sagesse 2014 750ML ($37.95) $27 special
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Vivid ruby-red. Potent, mineral-laced red berry liqueur and cherry aromas are complicated by suggestions of peppery spices and garrigue. Lively and alluringly sweet, offering juicy black raspberry and lavender pastille flavors that become deeper with air while maintaining vivacity. Fine-grained tannins build slowly on an impressively long, penetrating finish, which leaves behind suave spicecake and kirsch notes.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Gramenon Cotes du Rhone Sierra du Sud 2014 750ML ($34.95) $24.40 special
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Deep ruby. A complex bouquet evokes musky red and dark berries, cherry pit, olive, dried flowers and pungent herbs. Chewy and focused on the palate, offering gently sweet raspberry, boysenberry, violet pastille and spicecake flavors that become livelier as the wine opens up. Pliant tannins give shape to a very long, spicy finish that features a lingering blue fruit note.”
Wine Advocate 91 points “A smokin’ southern Rhone is the 2014 Côtes du Rhône la Sierra du Sud, which is 100% Syrah, from 15- to 35-year-old vines, that was destemmed and aged in a combination of tank and barrels. Ground pepper, wild herbs, black cherries and the essence of blackberry fruit all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, ripe, layered and beautifully textured 2014. It has more depth and richness than most in the vintage and will keep for upwards of a decade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $30
Donnhoff’s Dellchen Grosses Gewächs
Dry Riesling Heaven
Robert Parker calls Helmut Donnhoff “unquestionably one of the stars” in the world of German Rieslings. Situated between the villages of Niederhausen and Schlossbockelheim in the middle Nahe, the Dönnhoff family has been making wine since 1750, with Helmut Dönnhoff in charge of winemaking at the estate since 1971.In 1999 Helmut was awarded Gault Millau and Feinschmecker Winemaker of the Year, and in 2005 was named Wine Personality of the Year by Wine Advocate. Helmut’s Dellchen GG bottling is one that captures the very essence of the vineyard: salty and minerally with a captivating flinty aroma. The vineyard is in a small hollow between two steep, rocky cliffs. It is sheltered from harsher weather and typically sees high levels of ripeness. These GGs are some of the longest aging dry wines from the estate.
Dellchen Grosses Gewächs Available Here Now:
Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2011 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “Juicy white peach and its kernel, crabapple and its pit, tartly and piquantly mark the Donnhoff 2011 Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, which displays a shimmering sense of transparency to vibrant crystalline and stony (as well as the aforementioned piquant) nuances. Saliva-inducing saline savor and an invigorating sense of piquancy and tactile mineral impingement render the finish here profound and provocative (above all, of the next sip!). I would look for at least a decade of stimulation.”
Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2014 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 19 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “Coolish, very clear, subtle but multi-layered on the highly elegant, finesse-full and flinty nose starts the 2014 Riesling Dellchen GG. This is a full-bodied, pure, very elegant, highly complex and frisky Riesling of great finesse and lots of salt. The wine is bone dry, but so intense, pure and mineral… so fine and so intense. This is probably the finest Dellchen I have tasted. Extraordinary! “We have picked the Dellchen earlier than we used to do in former years, when we tended to wait and to wait…” says Helmut Dönnhoff. “In 2014, botrytis forced us to pick earlier and now we are very happy with the result because we aim for clarity and precision.”
John Gilman 94+ points “The 2014 Dellchen GG is another really stunningly focused young wine, with superb aromatic and flavor precision to go along with excellent structural elements and impeccable balance. The bouquet is a mix of grapefruit, tart orange, wild yeasts, plenty of smokiness, a fine base of slate and again, a distinct topnote of lemongrass. On the palate the wine is pure, fullbodied and rock solid at the core, with lovely focus and balance, racy acids and a long, refined and utterly seamless finish. Outstanding juice this year. 2022-2060+.” JG
Terry Theise notes “All of these had remarkable aspects and potentials but none of them was ready to rock. Felsenberg has tremendous aroma, almost fiercely smoky, with lemon and Indonesian peppers. Dellchen is fleshier but also, as is its wont, more inscrutable. Hermannshöhle was still on its first lees but was already showing depth and fragrance. If my “plusses” matter to you, and if I let myself prognosticate, it’s two for Felsenberg and Hermannshöhle and one for Dellchen. The wines will surely make a fool of me.”
Dellchen Grosses Gewächs Arriving Fall 2016
Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2015 750ML ($69.95) $57 pre-arrival special
Weingut Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Nahe 2015 1.5L ($149.95) $125 pre-arrival special
Terry Theise note “The wine always seems to be pure umami, pure inference; it’s often riddlesome, and always hard to “write a note” about. But this ’15 is atypically open. It’s the most phenolic wine yet in the sequence but nothing (yet) has been “done” to it; it’s drawn directly off the gross lees in cask. Relatively inscrutable, it goes a little wild in the glass and shows a high-pitched mineral sparring with a bone-brothy mid-layer typical of Dellchen.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $64.99
New October Sales: Delas Freres
Delas Freres Hermitage Les Bessards 2004 750ML ($199.95) Was $149, Now $119, 24+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 94 points “Ruby-red. Very pungent, deep aromas of tobacco- and underbrush-laced red and blackcurrant. Powerful and rich, showing impressive sweetness to its potent cassis and blackberry flavors. Really stains the palate, finishing with exceptional purity and mineral tones. Whatever tannins are here (and you know there are plenty) are completely absorbed by the sheer fruit mass.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $165
Delas Freres Hermitage Les Bessards 2013 750ML ($249.95) Was $199, Now $179, 9 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 95 points “(aged in 70% new oak for 18 months): Inky ruby. Sexy, highly perfumed aromas of ripe dark berries, cherry liqueur, peppery spices and fresh flowers, backed by a hint of olive. Supple and appealingly sweet, offering intense, deeply concentrated blackberry and violet pastille flavors and a suggestion of star anise. Finishes pure, sweet and energetic on the penetrating finish, showing outstanding focus and slow-building tannins.”
Wine Advocate 94+ points “Closed, tight and backwards, the 2013 Hermitage les Bessards is a big, full-bodied, burly wine that offers first rate purity in its black raspberry, ozone, liquid rock, and creosote-like bouquet. It has plenty of material and density, but will need 7-8 years of bottle age to become approachable. As normal, it comes all from the “Bas de Coteau” portion of the Bessards lieu-dit, was completely destemmed and saw 18 months in 30% new French oak.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Delas Freres Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes-Marquise de la Tourette 2013 750ML ($119.95) Was $89, Now $69, 18 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “One of the gems in the vintage is the 2013 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes, which comes from both the Bessards and Grandes Vignes lieux-dits on Hermitage Hill. Completely destemmed, then vinified in stainless steel and concrete tanks, the wine is aged 18 months in 30% new French oak; it offers terrific notes of dark fruits, graphite and ample minerality in a full-bodied, layered, ripe profile. It’s more approachable than the Les Bessards, yet will still have three decades of longevity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
We’ve cut prices on 44 wines for the month of October.
See our full list of sale wines at the bottom of the newsletter!
Our Current
Shipping Promos:
Welcome to the club, Colorado!
Along with Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California,
we now offer flat rate shipping to Colorado! Here’s the scoop:
Single orders of any quantity of wines qualify for the flat rate;
this does not apply to orders held in storage for any reason
or multiple orders consolidated into one shipment.
The flat reach for each state is, as follows:
-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California & Colorado for $25.
Take Advantage of the Flat Rate!
New Low Case Price!
Case-12 Bodegas Ilurce Rio Madre Graciano, Rioja DOCa 2014 750ML ($149.95) $99 special (That’s only $8.25/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Josh Raynolds 90 points “Brilliant violet color. Intensely perfumed dark berry and floral pastille scents, along with suggestions of anise, violet and pipe tobacco. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering sappy black and blue fruit flavors that put on weight with air. Shows very good energy and power on the long, gently tannic finish, leaving behind notes of blueberry and peppery spices.”
Rare & Classic Bordeaux:
Clos Fourtet 2012
If you’ve driven to the town of St. Emilion you’ve probably seen Château Clos Fourtet, its rose bush-ended vineyard rows, and the classic château itself. Built in 1790, the stone manor sits atop one of Bordeaux’s best limestone-hewn cellars. And ever since Philippe Cuvelier purchased Clos Fourtet in 2001, the wines laid down in that cellar have only been better: the 2009 Clos Fourtet garnered 100 points from Robert Parker. Few vintages deliver like 2009, but 2012 was kindest to Merlot, which constitutes 86% of this Premier Grand Cru Classé (the rest being 10% Cab Sauvignon, 4% Cab Franc): a decidedly Right Bank year. Praised by critics from the USA, France, and the UK, the 2012 Clos Fourtet is drinking well now, but has a long life ahead still. Collectors take note: Just as the château cannot be missed when approaching St. Emilion, the 2012 Clos Fourtet should not be overlooked either. – Daniel
Clos Fourtet, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Wine Spectator 94 points –#9 Wine of the Year in 2015–“Gorgeous, with a pure, unadorned violet aroma giving way to very ripe and stylish plum, boysenberry and blackberry fruit. Offers a suave mouthfeel, with anise and tobacco hints filling the background. A finely stitched chalk note extends the finish. Not shy on depth, and sneakily long.”
Robert Parker 95 points “Having just had the 2003 and 2005 from my cellar, I can attest to the magnificent turnaround in quality this famous estate on the eastern side of St.-Emilion has achieved. All of it is attributable to its dynamic proprietor, Philippe Cuvelier. The 2012 Clos Fourtet (usually 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc) has beautiful blackberry and blueberry fruit and an inky purple color. With flawless integration of acidity, tannin, wood and alcohol, a full-bodied mouthfeel and stunning richness, this is impressive and certainly one of the vintage’s top wines. It should evolve beautifully for 15-20 years, and be drinkable in 3-4. Yields were a modest 32 hectoliters per hectare with the alcohol at 14%.” RP
Arriving Friday Features:
Ramey, Quilceda Creek & Bedrock
Ramey
After working through various positions in wineries as diverse as Lindeman’s in Australian and Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux, David Ramey decided to found his own winery where his education began: in the heart of California’s winemaking areas of Napa and Sonoma. He contracted with grapegrowers in the Larry Hyde vineyard and produced a scant 260 cases a year for his first two harvests. His reputation for high quality wine spread and so did the contracts: he added two blocks of old vine Wente Clone Chardonnay from the Rudd’s vineyards in Oakville.
Today the winery is known for producing high quality Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux styles blends and Syrahs. For David, this begins with using some of the finest vineyard land in California. He sources from vines near the winery in Healdsburg. The Westside Farms (Chardonnay), Woolsey Road (Wente Clone Chardonnay) and Ritchie Vineyards (Wente Clone Chardonnay) are in the Russian River Valley. The Platt (Chardonnay), Cole Creek and Rodgers Creek Vineyards are in the Sonoma Coast. Rodgers Creek and the Cole Creek Vineyards are the source of the Syrah and 5% Viognier that are co-fermented. Pedregal Vineyard is in Oakville; the vineyard is red soil with 85% basalt rock. It was planted in 1990 mostly with Cabernet and a touch of Petit Verdot. Hyde and Hudson vineyards are in Carneros and are planted with mostly Wente Chardonnay.
In the winery, he employs several methods to create balanced, rich wines with depth and complexity. The wines undergo full malolactic fermentation, fine lees stirring and aging, minimal to no filtration and a balanced approach to oak aging: wines see new oak aging depending upon the wine and vintage. He uses natural yeast fermentation and partial destemming.
Ramey Wines Arriving Friday, October 14th
Ramey Wine Cellars Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay, Carneros 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2013 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is one of the richest, most powerful Chardonnays in the range. Here it is the wine’s phenolic and sense of vertical structure that stand out most. Even with all of its obvious richness and heft, the Hyde preserves remarkable freshness. Dried herbs, orange peel and buttery notes add nuance on the large-scaled, ample finish.”
Ramey Wine Cellars Platt Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Robert Parker 96 points “The 2013 Chardonnay Platt Vineyard, under the well-known Sonoma Coast terroir, offers elegant white currant, quince and stony notes with hints of apple blossom, lemon oil and a touch of orange rind. This medium-bodied wine should drink nicely for 3-4 years.”
Ramey Wine Cellars Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2013 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard stands out in this range for its striking aromatics. Sweet floral notes open up first. The Ritchie is just as subtle and nuanced on the palate. Classy and polished throughout, the Ritchie is all about finesse. It should drink well for the better part of the next decade.”
Ramey Wine Cellars Woolsey Road Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2013 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is one of the most expressive and complete wines in David Ramey’s range. Apricot, peach, smoke, crushed rocks and dried herbs all blossom in the glass. The Woolsey captures a gorgeous stylistic middle ground that balances richness with nuance. The 2013 finishes with great texture that points to a brilliant future. Woolsey Road was planted by the Martinelli family for David Ramey from clonal material taken from Platt.”
Quilceda Creek
Arriving Friday
Quilceda Creek ‘CVR’ Red Wine, Columbia Valley 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Winery note “The 2014 Quilceda Creek “CVR” Columbia Valley Red Wine is a blend of declassified lots that did not make it into our flagship wines. Having this strict selection allows our best wines to compete at the highest level on a global scale. The resulting wine is filled with satisfying black and red fruits, smoke, spice and minerals. The “CVR” is an exciting preview into the 2014’s which are historic wines in the making. This blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec will best be enjoyed over the next 15 years. From the Champoux, Palengat, Tapteil, and Wallula Gap Vineyards. Aged in 100% French Oak.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $71
Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain 2013 750ML ($219.95) $179 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 98 points “An utterly prodigious effort that would most likely be the wine of the vintage if not for its big brother, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Galitzine Vineyard comes all from Red Mountain and was raised in 100% new French oak. Revealing a healthy ruby/purple color and classic notes of sage brush, graphite, black cherries, currants and chocolate, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness; building, present, yet ripe and polished tannin; perfect integration of its fruit, alcohol and oak; and awesome length. This is a powerhouse Cabernet Sauvignon that still holds onto a sense of elegance and finesse. Forget it for 4-5 years and drink bottles over the following two decades.”
Bedrock
Arriving Friday
Morgan Twain-Peterson’s winemaking career began at the age of 5 when he began making small lots of Pinot Noir at Ravenswood Winery, founded by his father, Joel Peterson. He continued making this wine (named Vino Bambino) until left for college in 2001. By then he’d secured places for it on the wine lists of several famous restaurants including Blue Hill, Gramercy Tavern, and Delmonico’s. In 2007, Twain-Peterson founded Bedrock in what was once a 550 square foot chicken coop. He eventually convinced his best friend Chris Cottrell to move from New York to become a partner in the winery. Today, the duo cultivates strong bonds with growers throughout Sonoma and the North Coast, creating exquisite, expressive wines.
Bedrock Wine Co. Cuvee Karatas White Blend, Sonoma County 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blend
Bedrock Wine Co. Evangelho Vineyard Heritage Red, Contra Costa County 2015 750ML ($39.95) $36 pre-arrival special
Winery note “Own-rooted on forty foot deep banks of beach sand alongside the Sacramento River Delta, Evangelho is a totally unique site. Planted in the 1890’s the vineyard is viticultural survivor- wedged between a PG and E plant, a Burger King, and a motel that rents rooms by the hour. A field-blend of Zinfandel, Carignane, Mourvedre, and others the wines are fresh, bright, and typically have some of the lowest pH’s of any of the Bedrock wines.”
Bedrock Wine Co. ‘The Bedrock Heritage’ Wine, Sonoma Valley 2015 750ML ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Winery note “Planted 1888: Always the wine closest to my heart, the Bedrock Vineyard Heritage Wine comes my family’s old vineyard in the heart of Sonoma Valley. Planted between 1888 and 1895 and composed of over 22 interplanted varieties, the Bedrock Vineyard Heritage Wine is the wine that I started the winery to make. The piece of rock strewn red clay soils produced a wine of citrus-tinged red fruits and spice. I hope this wine speaks as much to the vineyard as to the varieties from which it is composed- which of course is the point. Composed of roughly 55% Zinfandel, 30% Carignane, with the balance being the many other varieties scattered throughout the vineyard.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Bedrock Wine Co. Lorenzo’s Heritage, Dry Creek Valley 2014 750ML ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2014 Lorenzo’s Heritage Wine exudes Dry Creek intensity, with searing tannin and vibrant acidity that support a core of blue and purplish-hued fruits. This powerful, virile wine needs time in the bottle, as it is raw and not fully formed today. Still, I find it absolutely compelling.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Bedrock Wine Co. Griffin’s Lair Syrah, Sonoma Coast 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2014 Syrah Griffin’s Lair Vineyard is dazzling. Remarkably sculpted for such a big wine, the Griffin’s Lair possesses remarkable depth and intensity from start to finish. Dark red cherry, plum, rose petal and violets are given an extra kick of aromatic lift from the 60% whole clusters. The flavors are so vivid and pure. Still, readers should plan on giving the 2014 at least a few years in bottle. Even today, though, the Griffin’s Lair is a knock-out.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Arriving Next Week
Sea Smoke
Sea Smoke Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills 2014 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special, 6 bottles available
Winery note “The grapes for this wine come from loamy, well-drained soils on our estate vineyard. Dijon and Wente clones are fermented in stainless steel as well as in French oak foudres and demi-muids. This is an elegant chardonnay with a focused mid-palate and the refreshing cool climate acidity characteristic of Sea Smoke Vineyard.”
Sea Smoke Southing Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills 2014 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special, 2 bottles available
Winery note “Southing refers to the south-facing hillside bluffs found on our estate vineyard. Each year, our goal for this wine is to create the ideal marriage of complexity and elegance. Southing is a true expression of the terroir of Sea Smoke Vineyard: seductive flavors and fine tannins complimented by cool climate acidity.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $78
Sea Smoke Ten Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills 2014 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special, 3 bottles available
Winery note “Ten is named for the ten Pinot Noir clones found on our estate vineyard. Our most masculine wine, it is brooding and intense, with firm, mature tannins and a long, velvety finish. Ten is not for the faint-of-heart and has been known, on occasion, to convert even the most fanatic Cabernet lover.”
Sea Smoke Sea Spray Blanc de Noirs Brut, Sta. Rita Hills 2012 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special, 3 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Hailing from one of the appellation’s most celebrated vineyards, this ever-so-slightly pink wine delivers high and tight aromas of pink grapefruit, bubblegum and yeast. The creamy fizz shows ripe nectarine at first, then alkalinity, lime zest and grapefruit pith show up to keep the party in order.”
Arriving Next Week
2014 Foillard Morgon Corcelette
Small-production Beaujolais from one of the region’s most conscientious winemakers: Jean Foillard makes some tasty Morgon. He eschews sulphur, never fines or filters, and farms organically. The results sing of Gamay’s and Beaujolais’ place in the wine world: minerality, spice, and brilliant fruit, all wrapped together in a wine that carries a sense of place, terroir, and Foillard’s careful signature.
Domaine Jean Foillard Morgon Cuvee Corcelette, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Brilliant ruby. Spicy, mineral-tinged cherry and red berry scents show very good clarity and pick up a suave floral nuance with air. Silky raspberry and bitter cherry flavors are lifted and sharpened by an emphatic mineral element and a suggestion of peppery spices. Sappy, incisive and subtly sweet on the penetrating and strikingly long finish, which is firmed by smooth, harmonious tannins.”
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2014 Morgon Cuvee Corcelette has a wonderful bouquet with wild strawberry and raspberry scents married with cold, flint-like notes tucked in underneath. Wonderful definition here. The palate is fresh and vibrant with crisp tannin, very pure and harmonious, a touch of spice infusing the dark berry fruit towards the minerally finish. So much energy is wrapped up into this Morgon, a Beaujolais that should easily give a decade’s worth of drinking pleasure.”
Arriving October 21st
Domaine Arlaud Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 95 points “A powerful, dense version, evoking cherry, currant and spice flavors, with underlying accents of mineral and tobacco. Tight and chalky on the finish, but showing promise. Best from 2020 through 2040.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $161
Arriving October 21st
2013 Domaine de Montille
The Côte de Beaune hardly hosts a better-known name than de Montille. It’s as if the family of archetypical Burgundian vignerons arose from the earth of Volnay centuries ago. The late Hubert de Montille helped make the domaine famous for its classic style of age-worthy Burgundy, and now his son and daughter make the wines. Low yields and partial whole-cluster fermentation remain the norm, but the modern de Montille reds have softer tannins, are more aromatic, and they don’t require as much cellar time as before. Few other wines from Beaune, Pommard, and Volnay speak of their terroir and of Burgundian culture like de Montille wines do. Luckily for everyone, the domaine acquired vines in the Cote de Nuits, hence the Nuits-Saint-George Premier Cru and, most notably, the Vosne Malconsorts: Cuvée Christiane has become a contender for one of Vosne’s foremost Premier Cru bottlings. Consider all of these de Montille wines very fine, and hard to find, red Burgundy.
2013 Domaine de Montille – Arriving October 21st
Domaine de Montille Les Greves, Beaune Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($99.95) $79 pre-arrival special
“There is enough reduction present to push the underlying fruit to the background. By contrast there is good freshness and verve to the moderately scaled and intense medium weight flavors that exude a fine bead of minerality on the dusty and punchy finish that displays a very mild hint of dryness. As with several wines in the range, the balance isn’t perfect but the complexity and mid-term cellaring potential help.”-Burghound
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine de Montille Les Sizies, Beaune Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Burghound 89-91 points “An expressive and relatively deeply pitched nose is composed by notes of dark currant, earth, violets and forest floor. There is solid density and intensity to the vibrant, detailed and lightly mineral-inflected medium weight flavors that exhibit only a touch of austerity on the finish. The tannins are angular but ripe and this should reward mid-term cellaring.”
Domaine de Montille Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Saints Juliens 2013 750ML ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Burghound 88-91 points “A subtle application of wood frames the attractively floral suffused nose of earth, sauvage and plum aromas. There is fine mid-palate concentration to the delicious and robust middle weight flavors where the supporting tannins are mildly rustic, all wrapped in a long, serious and balanced finish. This is a relatively big Nuits villages that should amply reward up to a decade of cellaring.”
Domaine de Montille Aux Thorey, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2013 Nuits St Georges Aux Thorey, which is two-thirds whole-cluster fruit and 50% new oak, has a more modern, opulent bouquet compared to the Volnay and Pommard ‘13s previously: quite lush blackcurrant and iodine scents coming through with aeration. The palate is rounded and supple in the mouth, the new wood adroitly assimilated with the fruit and lending weight toward the harmonious finish. There is also an attractive spicy, lemongrass note on the aftertaste. This is showing great potential.”
Domaine de Montille Les Grands Epenots, Pommard Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($149.95) $119 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 Champans, Volnay Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Burghound 89-92 points “A ripe, spicy and elegant nose presents notes of plum, cassis and warm earth. There is both good volume along with fine detail to the delicious and nicely concentrated medium-bodied flavors that also exude a fine bead of minerality before culminating in a dusty, cool and refined finale. Though there is some youthful austerity present there is no dryness and thus the overall sense of balance is more complete.”
Domaine de Montille Les Mitans, Volnay Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 89-92 points “(the only one of these 2013s that was vinified with 100% whole clusters; these degenerating vines produce tiny berries that are usually very ripe): Dark, full red. Seductive aromas of redcurrant and rose petal. Delivers lovely inner-mouth perfume, with flavors of raspberry, smoke and minerals lifted by peppery spices and flowers. Intense premier cru with enticing sweetness and excellent precision. Finishes with firm but fine-grained dusty tannins and noteworthy grip. Just 50% of normal production in 2013.”
Domaine de Montille Les Taillepieds, Volnay Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer-Vinous 91 points “Bright, dark red. Much riper on the nose than the Beaune Grèves but still with a medicinal aspect to the complex aromas of black cherry, crushed rock and flint. Plush, dense, savory wine with excellent purity and lift, conveying strong mineral cut to the raspberry and redcurrant flavors. There’s something Vosne-like in this wine’s salinity. The slatey finish features suave, well-integrated tannins; really glistens and rises on the aftertaste. This has turned out very well.”
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2013 Volnay 1er Cru les Taillepieds, which is one-third whole cluster and raised in 30% new oak, has the most elegant bouquet of de Montille’s Volnays with mineral rich red and black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a keen thread of acidity and superb salinity toward the marine-influenced finish. Probably the pick of the Volnay wines from the domaine in 2013, and possibly the most complete, even if it cuts off a little abruptly.”
Domaine de Montille Les Malconsorts Cuvee Christiane, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($599.95) $469 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-Vinous 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.”
Time to Say Good Buy
October Sale: Quintessa
Quintessa Proprietary Red Wine, Rutherford 2013 750ML ($189.95) Was $169, Now $138 special
Robert Parker 96 points “The 2013 Proprietary Red Wine has always been good, but I think they have re-positioned themselves at a much higher pinnacle with the 2013. This is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend but has important component parts such as Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot from their gorgeous vineyards just off the Silverado Trail in Rutherford. The wine has a dense bluish/purple color and a beautiful nose of black raspberries, blueberries, lead pencil shavings, and touches of oak and spring flowers. The complexity of the fragrance is followed by a wine with terrific body, stunning purity, wonderful balance, and great depth and richness. This is certainly the most profound Quintessa made to date and should evolve gracefully for at least 20-25 years.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $149.99
The average price is $185
Subscriber-Only Sale!
For Them $619 / For You $579
Wine Arrives Late October
Colgin Cellars IX Estate Red, Napa Valley 2013 750ML ($699.95) Was $619, Now $579 subscriber-only sale!
Robert Parker 100 points “Another perfect wine from Ann Colgin and her winemaking team is the 2013 IX Proprietary Red Estate, a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. An absolutely compelling wine, with notes of lead pencil shavings, spring flowers, blueberry, blackberry and cassis, it has the full smorgasbord of black and blue fruits, wonderfully integrated, toasty oak, acidity and tannin, a floral note that is unmistakable, and great richness, density and purity. It is an utterly exceptional wine and a tribute to not only a great vineyard, but impeccable winemaking and upbringing. It should drink well for 30+ years as well.”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
The next best price is $750
That’s costing somebody $171 more per bottle!!
Subscriber-only discount will not appear in online shopping cart
We will apply it here before charging
October Sales Recap
Read reviews and browse the full selection of sale wines by searching for “October Sale” on our web store – we’re also happy to talk you through the offerings if you email us at info@vinopoliswineshop.com or call 503-223-6002.
