Gaja at Deep Discounts; New Arrivals For the Weekend Including: Pierre Peters, Henriot, Bordeaux Old Rivesaltes and More; Saint Damien’s High Scoring Gigondas
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Gaja’s Astounding Wines
At Awe Inspiring Pricing
Gaja is a name that requires no context in discussion—like Latour or DRC, it’s understood which estate is meant and that the wines are epic, change-your-dinner-plans events. Angelo Gaja is one of the primary reasons we care about Barbaresco today and the wines bearing his name remain the most treasured and collectible of the region. Furthermore, the top wines from his Brunello estate, Ca’ Marcanda, have quickly become among top two or three most sought after wines in Tuscany.
The one complaint we might have with Gaja, as with most wines that are full-on collectible, is the pricing. We got lucky (or worked hard, your choice) and snagged a really amazing lineup of some of the top wines in the lineup for some really incredible prices, though (almost $100/bottle less expensive than the next offering on the single vineyard Langhe wines). If you’re a collector (or if you’re looking to try some of these wines for the first time) you should really pay attention to this offer. . Also of note: these wines are directly from the winery, offered through a local distributor—not purchased from a private collection. We were only able to get a limited amount at this sort of tariff (less than 30 bottles each of the 5 wines) so when they’re gone, they’re gone
Arriving November 17th:
Piedmonte Wines:
Gaja Sori San Lorenzo Langhe-Barbaresco, Piedmont 2009 750ML ($449.95) $249 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 96 points “Gaja’s 2009 Sori San Lorenzo, on the other hand, is much more typical in its expression. Layers of juicy dark cherries, menthol, spices, tar, licorice and graphite flow across the palate as this powerful, masculine wine opens up in the glass. Balsamic infused aromas and flavors develop in the glass, adding considerable complexity and the signature of this great terroir, indisputably one of Piemonte’s very finest. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039.”
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 95 points “Silky and gracious on the palate, the 2009 Sorì San Lorenzo looks to be a wine that will drink well with just a few years of cellaring. This is a decidedly floral, lifted yet radiant wine with terrific balance and plenty of the sexiness that defines the very best wines of the year.”
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 95 points “Good full red. Pungent aromas of maraschino cherry, minerals, smoke and camphor; the most Barolo-like of Gaja’s 2009s from the Barbaresco zone. The thickest and most concentrated too, sweet and mouthfilling but very backward. The combination of sheer stuffing and medicinal reserve along with fine-grained, dusty tannins and outstanding persistence suggests that this plump but youthful wine will age slowly and well.”
Falstaff Magazine 97 points “[Translated] Deeply colored, sparkling ruby with a light garnet border. Precise and tight nose showing adundant ripe wild black raspberries, some plum, truffles and spice in the background. Earth and substantial tannin unfolds.”
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “There’s always something magical about Gaja’s Sorì San Lorenzo. It’s the intensity and fullness of the wine that penetrates to the back of the palate and offers many long minutes of persistency on the finish. The bouquet is redolent of black fruit, leather, spice, tar, licorice and dried herb.”
VinopolNote: Depending upon the vintage, this wine is classified either as a Langhe Rosso or as a Barbaresco. From 1996-2012, Gaja decided to blend in a small portion of Barbera into the wines, deliberately eschewing the Barbaresco DOCG. Beginning in 2013, however, the winery is returning to producing the wine from 100% Nebbiolo.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $328
The average price is $426
Gaja Sori Tildin Langhe-Barbaresco, Piedmont 2008 750ML ($499.95) $249 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2008 Sori Tildin is impressive. I confess I wasn’t quite prepared for the assault of fruit and tannins here. Sori Tildin is so often a graceful, elegant wine, but that is not the case in 2008. That’s not to say elegance is missing, but this is a big, big wine with tons of intensity and richness, all woven together beautifully. It’s tough to find a comparison with a previous vintage, as this is a singular Tildin. The flavors are familiar if a touch on the dark side, but the structure is closer than that of Sori San Lorenzo. Flowers, tar, leather and licorice wrap around the palate. This is a fabulous showing and a great wine in the making. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033.”
Falstaff Magazine 97 points “[Translated] Bright, intense ruby-garnet. A playful and multi-layered nose shows notes of ripe cherries, some orange peel, cardamom and fresh plums. Presents on the palate as a unified whole showing lots of tightly packed tannins and a rich depth. Builds in many layers. Has plenty of elegance and suppleness on the finish.”
VinopolNote: Depending upon the vintage, this wine is classified either as a Langhe Rosso or as a Barbaresco. From 1996-2012, Gaja decided to blend in a small portion of Barbera into the wines, deliberately eschewing the Barbaresco DOCG. Beginning in 2013, however, the winery is returning to producing the wine from 100% Nebbiolo.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $345
The average price is $401
Tuscan Wines:
Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta Rennina, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2008 750ML ($179.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “In a vintage where so many wines already appear tired, Gaja’s 2008 Brunello di Montalcino Rennina jumps from the glass with vibrant aromas and flavors. Violets, black cherries, tobacco, licorice and menthol all appear later, adding further shades of complexity. The tannins are firm yet beautifully integrated. Pieve Santa Restituta fans know than Rennina can be deceptively medium in body, yet it has a great track record for aging. Today, the wine is simply gorgeous. This is one of the few 2008s I would buy to cellar. There is little doubt the Rennina is one of the standouts in 2008.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $119
The average price is $147
Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta Rennina, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2011 750ML ($149.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino Rennina is made from a blend of fruit from three different vineyard parcels. The sites total 25 hectares, with 15 located next to the church, or the Pieve, after which this estate is named. The sites have southwest exposures and different soil types. That flexibility explains the smooth and seamless bouquet offered by this wine. Compared to the single vineyard Sugarille expression, Rennina is more open and immediate. The wine presents fleshy and beautifully plump aromas of red cherry, dried blackberry and exotic spice with tobacco and chocolate at the back.”
Antonio Galloni – Vinous 93 points “The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino Rennina is strikingly beautiful. Rich, open-knit and alluring, the Rennina captures all the best qualities of the year. Sweet red cherry, plum, tobacco and spice notes are all supported by ripe, silky tannins that give the wine much of its sensual personality. The intensity of the year is very much in evidence, yet the Rennina also retains striking freshness. Historically, the Rennina has aged quite well, but it will be hard to resist, as it is already quite delicious.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $119.95
The average price is $149
Gaja Ca’Marcanda ‘Camarcanda’ Bolgheri, Tuscany 2011 750ML ($179.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2011 Bolgheri Camarcanda opens to plump berry notes with apparent ripeness in the form of sun-drenched blackberry and plum. The fruit element in this Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc blend is dark and compelling, and the mouthfeel follows suit with soft tannins and dark concentration. The 2011 vintage is also characterized by a more evident tannic bite that should soften with time.”
James Suckling 94 points “Very attractive raspberry, currant and chocolate character with hints of nuts. Full body, silky tannins and a juicy finish. This needs time to soften. So gorgeous now, but better in 2016.”
Falstaff Magazine 95 points “Rich, deep dark ruby with a lot of purple. Exciting and dark nose with lots of ripe plums, cassis, blackberry leading into licorice and spice in the background. Wonderfully juicy fruit (blackberry and blackcurrant) on the compact palate that opens with a powerful, velvety core of tannins. Very long, reverberating finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $102.74
The average price is $147
Subscriber Special:
Buy Any Three or More Bottles of Gaja ,
Receive a 5% Discount
Sale Ends Sunday Night at Midnight
Discount Will Not Appear Online,
We Will Apply It Before Finalizing Your Order
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New Weekend – New Arrivals
France – Champagne
Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Base vintage: 2014; Disgorged 4/8/2017
VinopolNote: A perennial favorite NV Champagne at the shop, this wine is 100% Chardonnay from Grand Cru estate vineyards in the Cote des Blancs. The base vintage is 2014, but it also contains perpetual wine from 21 vintages: ’88, ’90, ’93 and ’95-2013 with the exception of ’99 and ’03. The wine is aged in a mix of stainless steel, oak casks and concrete and on the fine lees for 24+ months.
Terry Theise note: “Based on 2014, it has a riotously attractive aroma and a richer, more patisserie palate; napped with Satsuma marmalade; more exotic, with a clinging brown-butter finish. I think the “average drinker,” (whoever that person is…) will like it even more. Péters does the “perpetual reserve” with his NV, which means that the current wine is 50% of (the latest vintage) and 50% the previous blend, so today’s wine is half-2014 and half last year’s wine, which was half-2013 and half the previous year’s wine. The wisdom of this approach is manifest and tangible; it assures “house style” without creating uniformity, because vintages differ. Rodolphe continues to clarify his preferences the longer we know each other. For example, he hates the “quince” flavor and wants it nowhere near his wines. And he’s suspicious of the “saffron” descriptor because, he says, it results from botrytis, and he prefers his wine from pristine fruit.”
Henriot Cuvee des Enchanteleurs Brut, Champagne 1996 1.5L ($449.95) $399 special
Wine Spectator 97 points “Tight-grained, with an immediate impression of the sea before forest floor and citrus notes take over. This is bright and fresh, with plenty of spice, toast and candied berry flavors, backed by a firm structure. The finish just keeps going. Best from 2012 through 2040.”
France – Burgundy
Domaine Faiveley Aux Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2005 750ML ($99.95) $79 special
Burghound 88-91 points “Strong wood influence currently dominates the dark berry and black raspberry-infused nose that precedes the somewhat woody medium weight flavors that are round and sweet with fine depth and complexity but the wood is not subtle and it causes me to question whether it will cause the finish to eventually dry out?”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $121.99
Domaine Faiveley Les Porets-Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2002 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 89-91 points “Good deep red. Expressive aromas of black- and redcurrant, licorice and mint. Shapely, intense and fruity, with bright flavors of berries and licorice. Finishes with a firm tannic spine and very good length.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
France – Bordeaux
Le Clementin du Chateau Pape Clement, Pessac-Leognan 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
James Suckling 92-93 points “A firm and silky second wine with blueberry and blackberry aromas and flavors…Full body, bright and fresh. Fine tannins.”
Chateau Meyney, Saint-Estephe 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, smoke, chocolate, licorice and tobacco are some of the signatures in the 2014 Meyney. This is one of the more overt, flamboyant 2014s readers will come across. Although certainly not a shy wine, it is loaded with personality. The late harvest and the generally intense style favored by consulting winemaker Hubert de Boüard are very much in evidence. Tasted two times.”
James Suckling 92 points “This is one of the most immediately appealing 2014s from the appellation thanks to its very ripe black fruits, and there’s still a lot of structure behind it. Reminds me of some of Meyney’s top vintages of the 1960s.”
Chateau Lanessan, Haut-Medoc 2010 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
Case-12 Chateau Lanessan, Haut-Medoc 2010 750ML ($359.95) $279 special (that’s only $23.25/bottle!)
James Suckling 92 points “Aromas of currants, plums, and minerals follow through full body, with chewy tannins and a chewy finish. Needs time to soften. Serious depth to this wine. Better in 2015.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Chateau Calon-Segur, Saint-Estephe 2013 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “This is an impressive wine that transcends the problems of the vintage. It has rich fruit that is sustained by the tannic structure that rests on a bed of fresh blackberry fruits cut with fresh acidity. The wine will certainly age well. Don’t think about drinking it before 2024.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Chateau Coutet, Barsac 2003 750ML ($59.95) $39 special
Wine Spectator 95 points “Honey, apple tart and lemon rind. Full-bodied, medium-sweet and very spicy with intense flavors of mace, apple and honey. Long finish. Thick and powerful. Best after 2010.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
France – Beaujolais
Domaine Jean-Claude Lapalu Brouilly Cuvee des Fous, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($41.95) $36 special
Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2015 Brouilly Cuvée des Fous had been racked the day before my visit to the domaine and I tasted this directly from vat. It has an intense dark cherry, cassis and iodine-scented bouquet with gorgeous raspberry ripple scents lurking just underneath. The palate is very well balanced with fine, very lithe tannin. The acidity here is perfectly judged, as it sashays towards a composed and very pure and long finish. Wow – this is going to turn into one sensual and compelling Beaujolais.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
France – Rivesaltes
Chateau Las Collas Rivesaltes, Languedoc-Roussillon 1961 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Wine & Spirits 93 points
Chateau Las Collas Rivesaltes, Languedoc-Roussillon 1970 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Wine & Spirits 94 points
Domaine Cazes Rivesaltes, Languedoc-Roussillon 1932 750ML ($279.95) $249 special
Wine Advocate 97 points “The creme of the lineup, the 1932 VDN Rivesaltes Old Collection Ambre (100% Grenache Blanc aged 30 years in cask) is a monumental effort that makes your eyes roll back in your head and has you wondering why you don’t drink more of these. A borderline perfect dessert wine, it thrills on all accounts with fabulous aromas and flavors (toffee, cigar, cedar, sweet spice), full-bodied depth and richness, and yet no weight or heaviness whatsoever. It has serious acidity (and sugar) if you hunt for it, but everything is perfectly balanced, and it hangs on the palate until you either take another sip or do something to physically remove it. Find it if you can.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Cazes Rivesaltes Collections, Languedoc-Roussillon 1933 750ML ($219.95) $189 special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The white grape-based Cazes 1933 Rivesaltes smells gorgeously of creme brulee infused with iris, violet and orange blossom; then comes to the palate at once creamy, texturally caressing and expansive, yet also gushing with juicy and zesty evocations of grapefruit and blood orange that took me by delighted surprise. Toasted nuts and haunting, smoke-tinged liquid floral essences help balance and compliment the sweetness in a profound, protracted, and impeccably balanced finish.”
Domaine Cazes Rivesaltes Collections, Languedoc-Roussillon 1945 750ML ($179.95) $149 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “The white grape-based Cazes 1945 Rivesaltes, smells of smoke-infused dried figs as well as saline, alkaline sea breeze. Dried fig and complexly floral honey engage with smoky, saline mineral nuances in a sustained finishing dialogue.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Cazes Rivesaltes Collections, Languedoc-Roussillon 1949 750ML ($179.95) $149 special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The white grape-based Cazes 1949 Rivesaltes displays spiciness, verve, and remarkable sheer juiciness at the same time as a complex array of dark and decadent elements. Peat, tobacco, black tea, and decadent forest floor confront spiced oranges, mouthwatering salinity, and an almost crystalline sense of shimmering mineral elements such as I would rarely associate with fortified wines. There isn’t one bit of superfluous sweetness in the penetratingly and dynamically persistent finish of this incandescent beauty. What’s more, as the glass stood open, this elixir’s performance become even more impressive.”
Domaine Cazes Rivesaltes Collections, Languedoc-Roussillon 1962 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The black grape-based Cazes 1962 Rivesaltes is pungently scented with candied grapefruit rind, cocoa, cinnamon, and quinine, its palate performance correspondingly mingling the rich torrefactionwith the citric and offering subtly satisfying integration of bitterness to balance its sweetness. Zesty and piquantly nutty, it finishes with impressive grip and simultaneous projection of bright high-tones and toasty low notes as well as alkaline cut and mouthwatering salinity.”
Domaine Cazes Rivesaltes Aime Cazes, Languedoc-Roussillon 1978 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 1978 VDN Rivesaltes Aime Cazes is comprised of 80% Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, and 20% black Grenache, that spent 22 years in cask. Sporting a fabulous light gold color, it burst from the glass with notions of dried plums, fig, toffee and creme brulee. Full-bodied, seamless and incredibly layered and silky, with vibrant acidity keeping it light and downright gulpable, it’s a brilliant Rivesaltes that will probably age forever.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Italy – Piedmont
E. Pira & Figli Chiara Boschis Cannubi, Barolo DOCG 2013 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2013 Barolo Cannubi is a fine and sculpted wine that has benefitted from the cool vintage conditions and the long growing season. The wine shows a very pretty nose with wild berry aromas followed by pressed rose, ash, wild mint, tea and earthy black truffle. It shows fine tannins that are slightly camouflaged by the generosity of the fruit. The Cannubi cru offers extreme elegance and finesse. Despite those svelte contours, this wine is built to last.”
Italy – Tuscany
Tenuta di Collosorbo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2012 750ML ($59.95) $39 special
James Suckling 95 points “Lots of balsamic and dried-cherry character. Full-bodied, rich and silky with beautiful fruit and intensity. Long and flavorful. Gorgeous wine. One of best from here in a long time.”
Portugal – Port
Taylor Fladgate Very Old Single Harvest Colheita Port 1967 750ML ($279.95) $219 special
Wine Spectator 98 points “This draws you in, with aromas of warm halva and toasted pistachio giving way to a wide range of buckwheat, toasted sesame, walnut husk, menthol and licorice root notes that refuse to break down in the mouth. Exhibits remarkable length, with ample viscosity matched by steely tension, putting this in rarified air. Drink now.”
Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port, Portugal 1977 750ML ($349.95) $299 special
VinopolNote: labels and bottles show wear and tear of 40 years in cellar.
Wine Spectator 97 points “Good ruby color still. The nose is fresh, with lots of crushed berry and plum, with a hint of piecrust. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and a caressing texture. This delivers loads of complex fruit and spiciness. Medium-sweet. A beauty. Will improve for decades, but why wait? ’77/’85/’97 blind Port retrospective. Drink now.”
Robert Parker 96 points “This house must certainly be the Latour of Portugal. Their ports are remarkably backward yet still impressive when young. Of all the vintage ports, those of Taylor need the longest time to mature and even when fully mature seem to have an inner strength and firmness that keep them going for decades. Their tawnys are also among the very best, though somewhat expensive. The 1977 has consistently been at the top of my list of vintage ports in this great vintage, although the Dow, Graham, and Fonseca are equally splendid. It is a mammoth, opaque, statuesque vintage port of remarkable depth and power, but is should not be touched before 2000.”
Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port, Portugal 1985 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Jancis Robinson 18/20 points “Still going very strong from a bottle via a decanter. (The Robertsons served Fonseca 1985 at their dinner that night to celebrate Fonseca’s bicentenary.) Lovely hazelnuts nose and soft, spicy and sweet on the palate. Tannins fully resolved but still vigorous too.” (6/2015)
Neal Martin’s Wine Journal 95 points “A very youthful deep garnet core with ruby rim. This has a much more precocious nose than the -83 with ripe blackberry, raspberry coulis, black olives and a certain minerality to it. Very fresh and well defined, the palate is full-bodied, certainly more structured and complex than the previous two declarations. Notes of black cherry, fig, raisin with a hint of savoury fruit towards the finish that has great length and refinement. Still in its youth, this has great potential…” (05/2008)
Wine Spectator 93 points “Medium ruby. Beautiful aromas of flowers and fresh plum, with hints of stems. Full-bodied and medium-sweet, with gorgeous silky tannins and a long, long finish. This is just starting to come around and offers wonderful flavors. Long life ahead, but ready to try.”
Spain
Bodegas Ismael Arroyo Val Sotillo Gran Reserva, Ribera del Duero 1999 750ML ($99.95) $69 special
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Bright red with a fading rim. Smoky redcurrant and cherry aromas are complemented by notes of black tea, tobacco, vanilla and cedar. Offers sweet, slightly decadent cherry and vanilla flavors that gain richness with air. Succulent herb and dried rose notes add complexity and carry through the silky, sweet finish. I found some tannins on the back end but they’re barely noticeable. This fully mature wine would be great with a braised lamb shank or spicy beef stew.”
VinopolNote: Traditionally styled Ribera imported directly from the winery’s cellar from our Lopez de Heredia importer and Portland local: Phil Smith.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $95.60
Argentina – Mendoza
Terrazas de Los Andes ‘Cheval des Andes’, Mendoza 2009 750ML ($89.95) $59 special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 94 points “(60% malbec and 40% cabernet sauvignon; this wine is a joint venture between Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes): Bright, saturated medium ruby. Black fruits, tobacco, licorice, wild herbs and an intriguing balsamic note on the nose; as much Bordeaux Right Bank as Argentina in style. Plush, concentrated and sweet; full without any heaviness. Utterly seamless flavors of dark berries, herbs, flowers and earth, plus hints of dried fruits. Really urgent, dense fruit here, with terrific definition and energy. Finishes with noble tannins and outstanding rising length. A fully ripe, outstanding vintage for this consistently excellent bottling.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $69.96
The average price is $84
Terrazas de Los Andes ‘Cheval des Andes’, Mendoza 2012 750ML ($89.95) $59 special
James Suckling 97 points “Fabulous aromas of blackberry, spice and flower. Perfumed. Lavender, rose and lilac too. A wine that grows on the palate with extreme finesse and complexity that shows ultra-fine tannins, currants, and flowers. Super length. Mostly mablec with cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Best Cheval des Andes ever? Drink or hold.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “2012 was a warmer vintage but they harvested earlier to preserve freshness. The 2012 Cheval des Andes has more floral notes (that they attribute to the early picking) violets and lilies. While the blackberries and blackcurrants are there, they do not overpower the nose. In this vintage the final blend (which changes every year, they have no rules) was 64% Malbec, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon (a higher percentage to provide freshness in this warmer vintage) and then 8% Petit Verdot. This is a hedonistic Cheval showing the character of the vintage but with better balance and more integrated oak than in the earlier releases. They reduced the percentage of new oak to 30% and also started experimenting with some 500-liter barrels that were widely used in 2014, and the aging was longer at 14 months. The palate is powerful, and to drink at around 15 C. It gets more depth and nuanced with time in the glass. Even if young, this is polished and can be drunk starting now.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $88
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Saint Damien:
Shooting Star Gigondas
“At Domaine Saint Damien, there are four Gigondas cuvées, although the Clovis Saurel isn’t bottled every year. It’s a small, family domaine with the magnificently mustachioed Joël Saurel at the helm, although son Romain is increasingly confident in the winery. This is a reference point for traditional Gigondas, but the family also owns a small portion of Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan de Dieu. We finished up with a handful of older wines, which I noted for readers who may have cellared them.” –Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
Gigondas has become the shooting star of the Southern Rhone—occupying the space that Chateauneuf du-Pape did during the 90’s and early 00’s. This is a region that’s producing electric, thrilling wines at prices that despite recent increases are some of the best deals in the world of the highest quality wines. Saint Damien has emerged as one of the best producers and the recent scores from the Wine Advocate only highlight the quality emerging from their cellar. These are some of the top wines coming out of the Rhone and at prices that make other top producers blush.
Arriving November 17th:
Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas La Louisiane Vieilles Vignes, Rhone 2015 750ML ($41.95) $36 pre-arrival special
Joe Czerwinski – Wine Advocate 95 points “My pick of the cuvées in 2015 is the 2015 Gigondas La Louisiane, a blend of 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and the rest Cinsault and Syrah. From south-facing slopes of red clay and sand, this shows incredible detail in its aromas of garrigue and raspberries, then folds in richer notes of dark chocolate. This is full-bodied and velvety in feel, with just a hint of warmth on the finish. It should drink well for a decade, possibly longer.”
Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas ‘Les Souteyrades Vieilles Vignes’, Rhone 2015 750ML ($41.95) $33 pre-arrival special
Joe Czerwinski – Wine Advocate 94 points “Like the La Louisiane, the 2015 Gigondas les Souteyrades spent a year in foudres prior to bottling. It a similar blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre, but grown on north-facing gray clays. There’s more pepper and herb here, still wonderfully ripe raspberries but less chocolate. Full-bodied, it’s still silky and refined, with tremendous length on the finish.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92-94 points “Full ruby. Ripe black raspberry, violet, incense and peppery spices on the highly fragrant nose. Palate-staining red and blue fruit and floral pastille flavors show impressive energy, and a minerally topnote gains intensity as the wine opens up. Rich yet energetic in style, showing serious closing thrust, harmonious tannins and a suave, lingering floral quality.”
Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas Vieilles Vignes, Rhone 2015 750ML ($37.95) $28 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91-93 points “Dark ruby. Aromas and flavors of ripe red and blue fruits pick up floral and peppery spice nuances as the wine opens up. Smooth and expansive on the palate, showing very good depth as well as energy and spicy back-end lift. The gently gripping, very persistent finish leaves behind hints of candied flowers and licorice.”
Thanks for reading!