Jump Start October Sale: Produttori 2011 Barbaresco; Sparkling New Arrivals; German Auction Action: New 98 Point Review; Staff Pick: Ayres; Wine Spectator’s High Praise for Domaine Serene’s Chardonnay; October Sales Countdown; The Final Case for 99 Point Wines: 12 Bottles Each Remain of Spottswoode Estate Cab; Newly Arrived: Antoniolo; Mongeard-Mugneret: New October Sales on 2012s & New Offers on 2014s; 2015 Rieslings from Heymann- Löwenstein; German Auction Recap; October Sales Recap; Late Breaking News: 2016 Wine of the Year: Opus One 2013
Jump Start October Sale
Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, Piedmont 2011 750ML ($37.95) Was $29, Now $26
Wine Spectator 93 points “Marked by ripe cherry, strawberry, floral and tar flavors, this red is graceful and detailed, with the fruit intensity persisting on the finish. This is well-integrated, and just needs time for the tannins to soften. Excellent length. Best from 2018 through 2030.” WS
We’re up to 50 wines on sale
Don’t miss the other newest sale wines in our Mongeard-Mugneret feature
For the full list of sale wines, see the bottom of the newsletter!
Also Available from Produttori del Barbaresco:
New Arrival
We’re bubbling with excitement over these sparkling new arrivals!
Piper-Heidsieck Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($49.95) $36 special
Wine Spectator 91 points “Dry and smoky, with a streak of salinity accenting glazed apricot, toasted raisin bread, lemon meringue and hazelnut flavors. A firm and focused Champagne that should do well as an aperitif or paired with food.”
Domaine Carneros by Taittinger, Estate Brut Cuvee, Napa Valley 2011 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special
Winery note “2011 was a cold late vintage; the long slow summer helped concentrate the flavors in our vineyard. It was yet another low yielding harvest of very fine quality. A wonderful array of aromas including white flower, pear, golden apple, honeycomb and brioche create a bouquet for the nose. The palate flavors are true to the aromas and are enhanced by a texture that is creamy, full and elegantly structured. The long finish hints of the wines aging potential.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
German Auction Action
New Review from Mosel Fine Wines
Wine Arriving January 2017
Since 1910, the German association of top wine estates (VDP) has hosted wine auctions. These are not your typical wine auctions; instead they offer German wine fans and collectors a unique opportunity to experience wines that will not make it to the regular market. Each estate can submit their best wines from the best vintages (all strictly unchaptalized) exclusively to the auction directly from their cellars.
We’re thrilled to offer our first foray into the exciting world of German auction wines. These are highly exclusive wines only available to auction winners and bids must be placed by authorized wine brokers. Each wine was hand-selected by our German wine insider.
We’re offering eight wines arriving in January. Below is a newly reviewed bottling from Dr. Crusius:
Dr. Crusius Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Beerenauslese Goldkapsel 2015 375ML ($179.95) $149 pre-arrival special, ETA January 2017
Mosel Fine Wines 98 points “Harvested at a full-on 153° Oechsle (i.e. sugar levels technically qualifying for TBA), this auction BA starts off on the primary and discreet side at first before rapidly exhibiting huge finesse, complexity and depth with honeyed notes of apricot, pineapple, mango, vanilla cream and other exotic fruits. The botrytis gives the wine a great exotic, luscious and unctuous texture with plenty of juice, creamy viscosity and smoothness on the palate. The wine is, of course, still very sweet at this stage (it has no less than 229 g/l of residual sugar), but the interplay with some gorgeously playful acidity makes for a superbly clean and focused feel in the long finish. The only drawback of this little masterpiece of a BA is that it is still a good decade away from maturity. Patience is required! 2030-2085.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
For the complete list of German Auction Wines arriving in January, see the bottom of this newsletter!
Staff Pick
Daniel:
Ayres Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2015 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
As you might remember, last year was hot, the hottest on record for the state of Oregon. The mere thought of it induces thirst. But the heat of 2015 also gave the potential to produce some delicious entry-level Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, and Ayres Winery took advantage. Rather than over-ripe or cooked, this wine offers a fresh Pinot fruit profile and a pleasant tartness. Savory notes mingle with a hint of salinity, and a well-judged sense of balance carries the wine through to a succulent finish. Even after being open overnight, the wine stays consistent like last year’s 90-degree temps. It drinks well today, could enjoy several years in bottle, and comes in for under twenty bucks: A nice way to dream of summer heat this winter, and a fine way to douse next year’s too-warm weather.
Shipping Season Has Arrived
Don’t miss out!
If you have wine being held for cooler weather, please contact us to arrange shipping at this time. Email or call today!
Domaine Serene Chardonnay
Incredible New Wine Spectator Review
Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2014 750ML ($59.95) $46 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Focused and expressive, this is layered with wet stone, tangy citrus, pear and green guava flavors that swirl through an expansive finish, gaining momentum and extra dimension with each sip. Drink now through 2024.”
October Sales Countdown
10 Days Remaining
We’re up to 50 wines on sale through the month of October!
Cadence Winery Tapteil Vineyard Red, Columbia Valley 2012 750ML ($54.95) Was $44, Now $36, 33 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 93+ points “Bright ruby-red. Red berries, cocoa powder and licorice on the nose. Tightly wound and youthfully imploded, conveying an impression of density without weight. Dark fruit and mineral flavors show terrific lift but are extremely backward in the early going. “Drink this with a big steak or hold it for four years,” suggests Ben Smith, adding that the 1999 Tapteil is great right now. Finishes with a firm tannic spine and outstanding subtle length and lift. This wine was aged in 40% new oak and was racked a total of just three times. Incidentally, I also got an early look at the 2013 Tapteil, and that impressively intense wine may need even longer aging than the ’12, due in part to its higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2012 Tapteil Vineyard is elegant and complex, with lots of minerality in its red plums, blueberry and floral bouquet. Full-bodied, mouth filling, layered and pure, with lots of tannin on the mid-palate and finish, it needs short-term cellaring and will be another 2012 from Ben that will see its 20th birthday in fine form. The blend here is 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc, all of which spent 18 months in 40% new French oak.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $46
Delas Freres Hermitage Les Bessards 2004 750ML ($199.95) Was $149, Now $119, 30 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 next best price is $139
The average price is $165
Felsina Berardenga Maestro Raro Toscana IGT 2012 750ML ($59.95) Was $49, Now $44, 36 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “Fèlsina’s 2012 Maestro Raro (Cabernet Sauvignon) is a real head-turner, although it is also an infant and in need of considerable cellaring. A bold, dark wine, the 2012 is vivid in the glass, with remarkable detail for such a big wine and exceptional overall balance. The 2012 is sweeping and dramatic in style, with plenty of that year’s exotic fruit and opulence, along with plenty of sweet tobacco, rosemary, sage and cedar notes that add nuance. The 2012 needs time to fully meld together, but it is fabulous, even today.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $48.89
Giovanni Corino Barolo Vigna Giachini, Barolo DOCG 2010 750ML ($59.95) Was $47, Now $38, 30 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 points “Focused, juicy and long, this red is packed with cherry, floral, tobacco and underbrush flavors. Still a bit tight now, but stays long. The sweet fruit returns on the finish. Best from 2018 through 2030.” WS
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $53
Bodegas Hacienda Monasterio, Ribera del Duero 2012 750ML ($44.95) Was $36.60, Now $33, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 94 points “The current vintage for the crianza is 2012. The 2012 Crianza, from a dry vintage, resulted much fresher than expected, fresher than 2009 and 2011 in fact. The vines are dry-farmed and were planted some 22 years ago, and you might say they have matured by now. The approximate mixture of grapes in their vineyards is mostly Tempranillo with some 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 2% Malbec, and it’s more or less the blend in this wine. The Cabernet works well, providing finesse and some acidity to the Tempranillo….The wine matured in 20% new French oak barrels for some 20 months. There are no traces of the barriques and the nose took me to the Riberas of yesteryear, with some subtle rusticity; it’s ripe without excess and there’s good balance between fruit, spices and perhaps something earthy. The palate is extremely balanced, medium-bodied with very fine tannins, tasty, approachable and long. This could very well be the best crianza ever produced at Monasterio. This has to be one of the bargains of the vintage in Ribera, given the quality it deliver.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
We’ve cut prices on 50 wines for the month of October.
See our full list of sale wines at the bottom of the newsletter!
The Final Case for 99 Point Wines
Spottswoode 2012 & 2013
When Robert Parker remarks that Spottswoode is “truly a Napa first-growth estate,” any serious Napa connoisseur will take note. Purchased by the Novak family in 1982 and meticulously run by them ever since, Spottswoode has risen from great to stellar. Part of their success rests on the ancient river bed soil, a mix of clay, loam, and gravel that composes the estate’s 37-acre monopoly vineyard. Organic farming over the last thirty years has allowed the vines to thrive, and the mesoclimate around St. Helena is world-known for its first-class quality. Furthermore, Spottswoode has found one talented winemaker after another over the decades.
All of these factors, and more, combine to raise Spottswoode above the average Napa winery, putting them in the A class. This, of course, means that Spottswoode can be hard to come by, not to mention spendy. But the savvy collector knows to jump on a good Spottswoode offer when one appears. And here’s a chance. We’ve got the 2012 and 2013 Spottswoode Cabernet (both 99-point Parker wines, by the way) at prices designed to help fill cellars with some of California’s finest wine.
Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena 2012 750ML ($219.95) $199 special, 12 bottles available
Robert Parker 99 points “With the lowest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in of any of the wines from this vertical, the 2012 final blend was 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Production across the board in 2012 was high, and reflected in the 3,977 cases made at Spottswoode. This is a dramatic, flamboyant, modern-day version of the 2002. Dramatic blueberry, black raspberry and blackcurrant fruit, along with camphor, charcoal, white flowers and foresty notes all emerge from the impressive aromatics that soar from the glass. The intense, explosively rich, full-bodied palate is layered with beautiful purity, stunningly sweet, silky tannins and terrific presence and complexity. This is a gorgeous wine on a relatively fast evolutionary track, I suspect, but certainly it has 30 years of upside left.”
Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena 2013 750ML ($219.95) $179 special, 12 bottles available
Robert Parker 99+ points “Yields continued to increase in 2013, with just over 4,000 cases of wine from a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. This is another killer effort from Spottswoode. Inky bluish purple to the rim, it has hints of violets intermixed with sweet foresty notes, blackcurrants, chocolate and a touch of subtle smoke and earth. It is dense, with higher acidity and more noticeable structure than the 2012, but is as concentrated, dense and promising. Some patience is warranted in 2013, and I would suggest waiting another 5-6 years before pulling the cork on one. It is a 50-year wine at the very minimum and a great classic.”
Newly Arrived
From Antoniolo
Along the foothills of the Alps in the northern reaches of Piedmont is the tiny DOCG of Gattinara, an oft-overlooked and highly underappreciated source of Nebbiolo wines. Founded in 1949, the estate of Antoniolo is one of the first to bottle single-vineyard wines in the region and is the only estate to work exclusively with the notoriously fickle Nebbiolo. Rosanna Antoniolo, with the assistance of her son, Alberto, and daughter, Lorella, produces estate grown wines from 14 hectares of vineyards.
The standards for aging are the same here as for Barolo (three years total with at least two years in wood). The soils here are more acidic and the weather cooler, resulting in more elegant and delicate wines than their southern neighbors of Barolo and Barbaresco.
We’re offering three single-vineyard selections as well as the Gattinara DOCG, a blend from 45-55 year old vines. The Osso San Grato vineyard (planted in 1960) is the most robust and age-worthy, the Castelle is a ripe and forward wine, while the San Francesco is the most delicate, sourced from 55 year old vines.
Antoniolo Gattinara DOCG 2011 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2011 Gattinara is surprisingly intense for an entry-level bottling. Dark, powerful and voluptuous – almost unnaturally so for the appellation – the 2011 exudes richness. Dark cherry, plum, smoke, tobacco and menthol are front and center in this super-expressive, inviting Gattinara from Antoniolo. Readers should expect a bold, racy style in 2011.”
Antoniolo Castelle, Gattinara DOCG 2011 750ML ($54.95) $44 special
Wine Spectator 90 points “Enticing aromas of cherry, rose, licorice and tar give way to stony, mineral elements that define this red, which is firm yet long and mouthwatering, with the mineral depths echoing on the lingering finish.”
Antoniolo Osso San Grato, Gattinara DOCG 2011 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Spectator 93 points “An austere, chalky style, whose linear profile binds cherry, tomato leaf, loam and tea flavors together. Aeration coaxes out more fruit and harmony, but this is more reticent than some peers, with a long, mineral finish.”
Doctorwine 94 points “Harvest this year came early due to an alternating climate that saw a hot spring followed by a cool and rainy June, a normal July and a dry and very hot August. Overall the vintage was considered good but the estate did not consider a classic one. The wine has a transparent, ruby-garnet color with particularly luminous fuchsia reflections. The bouquet has finesse with scents of violet, rose, apricot, licorice, mint and a pinch of chalk. The tannins in the mouthfeel are compact yet sweet and perhaps are a bit too settled for a young top Gattinara. The finish is modulated. A wine of the finest quality and unbridled drinkability.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Antoniolo San Francesco, Gattinara DOCG 2011 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Wine Spectator 92 points “With a core of sweet fruit notes, this red combines cherry, berry, tomato leaf and stone aromas and flavors. Remains balanced and long, evolving from cherry to mineral on the long finish.”
Mongeard-Mugneret
New October Sales on 2012s & New Pre-Arrival Offers on 2014s
These are all the lowest listed prices in the USA today!
When a wine estate dates back to the days of the Ancien Régime you can expect tradition and experience. And when the property is based in Vosne-Romanée, one of the world’s greatest wine villages, this lineage matters even more. Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret has passed through the generations since the reign of Louis XIII, and the wines show it. Patience, precision, commitment, and pride nobly guide the winegrowing and winemaking here. Vincent Mongeard, head of the estate for over twenty years now, believes in modest yields, a short cold soak, and a fair amount of new oak (30-40% for the Premier Cru, up to 100% for the Grand Cru). This, plus the domaine’s privileged vineyard holdings which include Vosne Premier Cru, Grands-Echézeaux, and Clos de Vougeot, results in wines of formidable breed: full-bodied, rich in structure and color, and exquisitely concentrated. The 2014 vintage married well with the Mongeard-Mugneret style, creating aromatic, terroir-driven wines for the medium term. If the French still had a king, he’d certainly have a healthy supply of wines from Mr. Mongeard in his castle.
New October Sales!
Available Here Now from Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret:
Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($219.95) Was $189, Now $159, 12 bottles available
John Gilman 96+ points “The 2012 Grands Echézeaux from Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret is a great young wine and a very impressive example of just how special this vintage is in the Côte de Nuits. The exceptional and quite classic bouquet offers up scents of red and black plums, cocoa, duck, woodsmoke, a beautifully complex base of soil tones and a very suave base of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and quite plush and refined on the attack, with a sappy core of fruit, great soil signature, fine-grained tannins and a very long, tangy and utterly seamless finish. A great wine. 2025-2075.” JG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $192
Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($179.95) Was $149, Now $133, 16 bottles available
John Gilman 94+ points “Like the 2012 Echézeaux, the Clos Vougeot from Mongeard-Mugneret is supremely elegant out of the blocks this year. The superb bouquet is a mix of red plums, cocoa, cherries, gamebirds, a touch of nutskin, woodsmoke, a fine base of soil and spicy new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and complex with a sappy core of fruit, excellent focus and balance, velvety tannins and great style and grace on the long and youthfully complex finish. A great bottle of Clos Vougeot in the making. 2025-2075.” JG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $169
New Offers on 2014s Arriving in November:
Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Bourgogne Blanc 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Winery notes: “Average vine age of 25 years; Jurassic soil with broken stones on limeston-clay soils. Hand-sorted and raised in stainless steel. With a beautiful golden colour and a clean, open nose, “Bourgogne Chardonnay” has an astonishingly wide range of aromas. The Chardonnay produces a firm, full wine, elegant, supple and mellow, full-bodied, rich and lingers long on the palate.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Chambolle-Musigny 2014 750ML ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2014 Chambolle-Musigny Village comes from 0.31-hectares of 35-year-old vines. It has a pretty, very pure raspberry and maraschino cherry nose, nicely detailed with good intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, the acidity well judged, rounded in the mouth with a touch of white pepper spicing up the satisfying finish. This comes recommended – a very well-crafted village cru punching above its weight.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $52
Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($179.95) $135 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 91+ points “The 2014 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru comes from the domaine’s 0.63-hectares of 45- to 50-year-old vines located in the lieu dit “Grand Maupertui” and “Quatier des Marei Haut” close to the château. It has a punchy, redcurrant, cranberry and raspberry-scented bouquet with a touch of leather originating from the new oak that will need three or four years to fully integrate. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannin on the entry, good depth, quite muscular for a Clos Vougeot, but with impressive persistence on the finish. I still found myself wanting just a little more to come through, so afford this a few years in bottle.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $152
Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Echezeaux Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2014 Echézeaux Grand Cru comes from the domaine 1.82-hectares of 25- to 60-year-old vines that are located in the lieu-dit “Les Poullailères” (no, I can never pronounce that either). It has a very well defined, detailed bouquet with red cherries, crushed strawberry and wilted rose petal scents that display fine intensity. The palate is medium-bodied, perhaps showing a little too much new oak on the entry and as such, it will need several years in bottle to fully absorb the wood. There is just a touch of bitterness on the aftertaste that nags away, hence my parsimonious score at this point.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $111.04
Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru 2014 750ML ($219.95) $159 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2014 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru comes from 1.44-hectares of 40- to 68-year-old vine and is matured entirely in new oak. It has a clean, pure and quite intense bouquet with dark plum, raspberry and rose petals scents that are beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, good depth, a slight earthiness underneath the dark berry fruit mixed with black pepper and sage, fanning out gently towards the sturdy, truffle-tinged finish. Give this several years in the cellar, because it is a very well crafted and sophisticated Grands-Echézeaux.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $180
Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Plateaux 2014 750ML ($69.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2014 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Plateaux comes from 45-year-old vines located just behind the Boisset winery. It has a clean and quite precise bouquet: raspberry and strawberry fruit, hints of marmalade tucked in just behind. The palate is medium-bodied, perhaps just a little rustic on the entry, but one can appreciate the freshness and the fineness of the tannin here, with tart red cherry and white pepper intermingling towards the bright and quite vivid finish. This is a very sound, well-crafted village cru that should offer a decade of drinking pleasure.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Les Boudots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($99.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2014 Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots comes from 0.39-hectares of 30-year-old vine. It has a timid bouquet at first, one that demands encouragement from the glass. It eventually unfurls to reveal a precise, pretty, almost Vosne-like bouquet. The palate is very refined, again quite Vosne-like (which is no surprise as it is located on the same vein of terroir as Malconsorts), filigree tannin segueing into a precise, minerally finish. This is excellent and it may merit a higher score down the line.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Les Orveaux, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($99.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2014 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Orveaux comes from the domaine’s 1.08-hectare of vines aged between 25 to 52 years that are orientated north to south. It has impressive delineation and terroir expression on the nose, quite feminine and understated at first, but unfurling in the glass to reveal attractive redcurrant, wild strawberry and cold limestone scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite firm tannin, crisp and tensile red berry fruit, and a taut, quite saline finish. This is worth seeking out – a Vosne-Romanée endowed with confidence.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $75
Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Les Cras, Vougeot Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($99.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2014 Vougeot 1er Cru Les Cras comes from the domaine’s 0.32-hectares of 35-year-old vine, which includes partial whole bunch fermentation. It has a very able bouquet with vivid raspberry coulis, wild strawberry and mineral scents; there is a hint of mint developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite tensile in the mouth, plenty of sappy red berry fruit and a long, sustained finish. This would be one of my picks from the domaine in this vintage.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Also Arriving – New 2014 Burgundies
Thomas Morey Les Greves, Beaune Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Winemaker’s notes: “Here we are in the presence of the most extensive 1er cru of the Beaune appellation (around 31.5 ha). This high-quality red wine with its deep coloration and delicate aromas is mouth-filling, generous and silky and has always been one of Beaune’s most highly thought-of crus.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $49.97
Domaine Vincent & Sophie Morey Santenay Les Hates 2014 750ML ($34.95) $27 pre-arrival special
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Arriving in November:
2015 Rieslings from Heymann- Löwenstein
“Stylistically, I love the deep fruit and elegance that the 2015 wines radiate. But also from a grower’s perspective, 2015 proved positively normal as did 2012, even if the growing conditions were anything but relaxing. The summer proved worryingly hot but in fine did not affect the taste of our wines. We had some rains in mid-September which made me fear for the worst (a scenario like in 2014) for a few days. However, the weather turned out to be very good as of the end of September, and all this meant that we could start our harvest without stress and finish it by the end of October.” –Reinhard Löwenstein
“The 2015 dry Riesling wines combine a delicate touch of complex opulence with bright fruit and presence which will please lovers of delicate yet fuller-bodied wines. The Kirchberg and the Uhlen B are the standouts as well as a hugely promising Uhlen R (if an extrapolation of the tasting of the separate casks are anything to go by). Overall, the wines prove very enjoyable in a style marrying the telltale complex herbal and mineral style that has made the success of the Estate in the past with some of the fresher purity of the last few vintages. Besides the Riesling, the recently released 2013er Spätburgunder is simply astonishing and one of the most elegant expressions of Spätburgunder we have tasted from the Mosel so far!” –Mosel Fine Wines
Newly Reviewed Wines from Heymann-Löwenstein, Arriving in November
Vinopolis Exclusives!
Heymann-Löwenstein Schieferterrassen Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
“The 2015er Trocken Schieferterrassen is made from the Estate’s holdings in Winningen (Domgarten, Brückstück and Hamm) and Kobern (Fahrberg and Weissenberg) as well as from declassified fruit from its “cru” vineyards. It offers a gorgeous nose of marzipan, herbs and spices. The wine is delicately baroque and full of character on the palate as ripe yellow fruits are nicely complemented by spicy herbs and a hint of tartness in the finish. 2018-2025” –Mosel Fine Wines
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Heymann-Loewenstein ‘von Blauem Schiefer’ Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($44.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 89 points “The 2015er Trocken vom blauen Schiefer is made from fruit out of the Koberner Weissenberg, Koberner Fahrberg and Klottener Brauneberg. It offers an inviting nose of spices and herbs as well as mirabelle and some wet slate. The wine proves nicely full-bodied but packed with glorious zesty acidity and minerals on the palate and leaves a long and powerful yet mouth-watering finish. This needs a few years in the bottle to shine. 2017-2023”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Heymann-Loewenstein Stolzenberg Erste Lage Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 90+ points “This offers a gorgeous nose of ripe peach lifted up by a hint of honey, marzipan and dried herbs. The wine is delicately rich yet balanced on the palate and leaves a nicely clean feel of spices in the finish. This delicately full-bodied expression of Stolzenberg delivers great elegance in the finish and could easily exceed our initial expectations. 2017-2025.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Heymann-Loewenstein Uhlen Blaufüsser Lay Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 92+ points “A gorgeously elegant nose of greengage, almond, fresh herbs and spices as well as slate and smoke leads to rich flavors of minerals and good grip on the palate. Spicy herbs come through in the long finish, adding a gorgeously complex and multi-layered side to the wine. This is still quite backward and needs several years to develop its balance. We would not be surprised if it even exceeds our expectations once it reaches its maturity plateau. 2018-2025.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Heymann-Loewenstein Kirchberg Erste Lage Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 92+ points “This wine is rather reduced but offers a gorgeously flowery nose of pear and Provence herbs. It proves superbly elegant on the palate where grip and saltiness define the aromatics. Great multi-layered complexity already comes through in the long and airy finish. This is still very primary and in need of bottle age to balance out but this beauty will easily turn into the most complete and elegant expression of Kirchberg we have taste to date. This is hugely impressive and has even some upside potential. 2018-2025.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Heymann-Loewenstein Uhlen Laubach Lay Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This offers a gorgeously elegant and refined nose of pear, mirabelle, ginger, fresh herbs and spices. The wine proves ostentatious yet loaded with flavors in the finish and leaves a gorgeously multi-layered feel of minerals, herbs and a slight touch of power in the finish at this early stage. The raw material is beautiful and only needs time to integrate and deliver a full-bodied wine with multi-layered complexity. 2020-2030.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Heymann-Loewenstein Röttgen Erste Lage Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “The wine proves slightly bold at this stage as it delivers ripe scents of canned peach, mirabelle, quince, herbs and spices on the nose and a delicate baroque and toffee-infused side full of grip on the palate. These elements are nicely framed by minerals in the intense finish, leaving one with a complex and very individualistic set of flavors in the after-taste. This wine is nicely made in the richer style that has made the success of Heymann-Löwenstein and, consequently, will need some time find its inner balance. 2018-2025.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Also Arriving in November:
Heymann-Loewenstein Winninger Uhlen Roth Lay Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2010 750ML ($199.95) $149 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 93 points “Lowenstein’s 2010 Winninger Uhlen Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule Roth Lay – destined for auction – displays an almost sweaty aromatic alliance of salinity and musky pungency, along with nose-prickling lemon rind such as one might expect from an Eiswein. Suggestions of marigold and narcissus add to the exotic, pungent muskiness on display here. Fig and peach preserves; pear drops; marzipan and salted caramel intensely mark the palate, while zesty, musky, and saline mineral impingement serve for strikingly persistent stimulation. Despite its lower (7.5%) alcohol, though, this comes off not only as more viscous but also less buoyant (let alone “uncannily” so) than its Rottgen counterpart. That wine is an example of botrytis performing its magic and leaving nary a fingerprint behind, whereas here, prints are quite evident, even if fascinatingly smudge-free. This compellingly complex concentrate will not be everybody’s cup of nobly rotten Riesling, but ought to merit at least the better part of two decades attention.”
This is the only listing of the 750ML in the USA today!
Heymann-Loewenstein Winninger Uhlen Roth Lay Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel, Mosel 2007 375ML ($99.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 96 points “Candied citrus, jujube, sweet spice and quince paste aromas and flavors mark this sweet, bracing Riesling, which is light on its feet and resonates on the finish with a mouthwatering feel and echoes of citrus. Best from 2012 through 2045.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “Lowenstein’s 2007 Winninger Uhlen Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule Roth Lay (as in the corresponding dry wines, the letter “R” is prominent on the label of this A.P.#9) benefits from counterpoint and collaboration among bright citrus, rich pit fruit essences, and the honey of botrytis. For all of its enormous sheer ripeness and concentration, this retains a striking sense of delicacy. A snappy, spicy, pungent streak – taken together with vivid, diverse pit fruits and citrus – serves for exhilaration in a finish of memorable length and energy, with a vivid impression of crushed stone one hardly expects in a wine of such sweetness and prominent botrytization. There seems to be something of a personality role reversal at work this year, because the corresponding Rottgen Auslese is cool and refined whereas this Uhlen displays more of the piquancy and (as French growers might say) nervosite that I associate with Rottgen. But then, botrytis is always something of a wild card, so that a wine like this is profoundly and unpredictably influenced by the precise microclimatic conditions for and differences in the nature of that fungus. No doubt this too will be worth following for two or more decades.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $74.99 for the 375ML
Arriving April 2017
Heymann-Loewenstein Uhlen Roth Lay Riesling, Mosel 2015 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 92-95 points “We tasted the three different casks which will make out the final Uhlen R. While there are differences in structure and mouth-feel between the casks, all casks offers a similarly gorgeous nose of candied grapefruit, yellow peach, wet stones and fine dried spices. The wine is beautifully well balanced on the palate, marrying aromatic precision with silky smoothness and delicately tickly zest as fruit and minerals coat the palate. The finish is beautifully pure and multi-layered. There is huge potential here if the wine’s presence and finesse will make it into the bottle and shine through at maturity. 2020-2030.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
German Auction Wines Arriving January 2017
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!
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.
Late Breaking News
James Suckling Wine of the Year for 2016
Final 10 cases Arriving Mid-November
Opus One Proprietary Red Napa Valley 2013 750ML ($279.95) $259 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 100 points “The greatest Opus ever. Terrific aromas of crushed black currants, blueberries and flowers with hints of sweet tobacco. Roses continue to exude opulence and class. Full body, superb balance of ultra-fine tannins and vibrant acidity. Complex aftertaste of black fruits and citrus fruit. Extremely persistent. So approachable now and enjoyable. But will be even better in 2019 and beyond. 79% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc, 6% merlot, 6% petit verdot, 2% malbec. This will always be beautiful to drink.” (01/2016)