In Today’s Newsletter:
The Best Value in Barbaresco?
Weekend Subscriber Special
On the Just Arrived Clos de la Chapelle
Gambero Rosso’s Best Pink Wine of the Year
Staff Pick
Two Syrahs From…The Willamette Valley?
Andre Clouet – A Star Value Champagne
#Trending
Featured New Arrival
The Best Value in Barbaresco?
Collector’s Corner
Weekend Subscriber Special
On the Just Arrived Clos de la Chapelle
The Best Value in Barbaresco?
Weekend Subscriber Special
On the Just Arrived Clos de la Chapelle
Gambero Rosso’s Best Pink Wine of the Year
Staff Pick
Two Syrahs From…The Willamette Valley?
Andre Clouet – A Star Value Champagne
#Trending
Featured New Arrival
The Best Value in Barbaresco?
Since 2010, which Barbaresco has Wine Spectator consistently scored higher: Adriano Barbaresco Basarin or Produttori Barbaresco Normale?
The answer might surprise you—it’s the Adriano.
Since 2010, the Adriano Basarin has scored 94 points twice, 93 points three times and 92 points (once) from Wine Spectator. That’s a better track record (with a higher peak) than the Produttori Barbaresco Normale (which never scored higher than a 93), the generally accepted best-value champ.
That means that Adriano’s Barbaresco Basarin might be the most consistent value in Italian wine. In 2016, as you might expect, the wine is absolutely exceptional—the best version of it we’ve ever seen. This is a cru bottling from Basarin, a vineyard that Antonio Galloni rated as Noteworthy (the same designation given to nearby Rio Sordo and Cotta), not a blend from a number of different sources—and yet the price is lower than Produttori’s entry Barbaresco.
At under $30/btl by the case, this is a wine you’ll want to own in volume. Traditionally made, it’s surprisingly approachable right now with several hours of air, but has the bones to age into something even more profound. Lovers of Piedmontese wines shouldn’t pass this up—at some point the secret is going to get out and we’ll look back on this wine as a glorious buying opportunity. When that day comes, you’ll want to have plenty in your cellar.
Just Arrived, In Stock Now:
#6 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 of 2019
Adriano Marco e Vittorio Basarin, Barbaresco DOCG 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Adriano Marco e Vittorio Basarin, Barbaresco DOCG 2016 750ML ($479.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Spearmint, black-skinned berry, blue flower and new leather aromas lead the way along with a whiff of menthol. Tight and taut, the elegant, structured palate delivers juicy black cherry, crushed raspberry, wild herbs and white pepper alongside assertive, close-grained tannins. Bright acidity provides balance. Best 2024–2036”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Aromas of rose, cherry, strawberry and white pepper draw you in, while vibrant acidity and a lacy texture carry the fruit flavors, adding tobacco and earth details. A solid base of tannins provides support. This should come together nicely. Best from 2022 through 2038.”
Also In Stock Now:
Adriano Marco e Vittorio Basarin, Barbaresco DOCG 2015 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “A streak of cherry bisects the supple texture and sleek structure in this elegant red. Hints of licorice, menthol, leather and tobacco add depth as this plays out on the chewy, resonant finish. Best from 2022 through 2038.”
The answer might surprise you—it’s the Adriano.
Since 2010, the Adriano Basarin has scored 94 points twice, 93 points three times and 92 points (once) from Wine Spectator. That’s a better track record (with a higher peak) than the Produttori Barbaresco Normale (which never scored higher than a 93), the generally accepted best-value champ.
That means that Adriano’s Barbaresco Basarin might be the most consistent value in Italian wine. In 2016, as you might expect, the wine is absolutely exceptional—the best version of it we’ve ever seen. This is a cru bottling from Basarin, a vineyard that Antonio Galloni rated as Noteworthy (the same designation given to nearby Rio Sordo and Cotta), not a blend from a number of different sources—and yet the price is lower than Produttori’s entry Barbaresco.
At under $30/btl by the case, this is a wine you’ll want to own in volume. Traditionally made, it’s surprisingly approachable right now with several hours of air, but has the bones to age into something even more profound. Lovers of Piedmontese wines shouldn’t pass this up—at some point the secret is going to get out and we’ll look back on this wine as a glorious buying opportunity. When that day comes, you’ll want to have plenty in your cellar.
Just Arrived, In Stock Now:
#6 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 of 2019
Adriano Marco e Vittorio Basarin, Barbaresco DOCG 2016 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Adriano Marco e Vittorio Basarin, Barbaresco DOCG 2016 750ML ($479.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Spearmint, black-skinned berry, blue flower and new leather aromas lead the way along with a whiff of menthol. Tight and taut, the elegant, structured palate delivers juicy black cherry, crushed raspberry, wild herbs and white pepper alongside assertive, close-grained tannins. Bright acidity provides balance. Best 2024–2036”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Aromas of rose, cherry, strawberry and white pepper draw you in, while vibrant acidity and a lacy texture carry the fruit flavors, adding tobacco and earth details. A solid base of tannins provides support. This should come together nicely. Best from 2022 through 2038.”
Also In Stock Now:
Adriano Marco e Vittorio Basarin, Barbaresco DOCG 2015 750ML ($34.95) $28 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “A streak of cherry bisects the supple texture and sleek structure in this elegant red. Hints of licorice, menthol, leather and tobacco add depth as this plays out on the chewy, resonant finish. Best from 2022 through 2038.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Collector’s Corner
Weekend Subscriber Special
On the Just Arrived Clos de la Chapelle
We’re excited to announce the arrival of the final round of wines from Clos de Chapelle–one of the most exciting new Burgundy producers in the store. To celebrate their arrival, we’re offering you a 10% discount on five of our favorites from the estate—until the end of the weekend. All their wines are worth trying, but the these five are a nice cross-section of what makes the estate special
These are thrilling wines at prices that don’t yet reflect the quality of the estate, though between impending tariffs and the trajectory of the domaine, we expect that to change over the coming years. Right now, though, these remain an incredible buying opportunities for serious Burgundy drinkers. When you compare Clos de la Chapelle to D’Angerville, Lafarge and Lafon, you realize how great an opportunity these wines are.
When we tasted the wines from Clos de la Chapelle, it was clear that they were Going Places—like the star student in a high school class, it’s painfully obvious that some domaines are driven in a fundamentally different way from their peers. The current incarnation of Clos de la Chapelle is clearly one of those estates—the praise keeps coming and it won’t be long until these are thought of (and priced with) wines like D’Angerville, Lafon and Lafarge as some of the top bottlings in Volnay.
That drive comes down to one person, their (American) owner, Mark O’Connell, who bought the domaine in 2011 and has poured money and time into elevating it from an historic (yet perhaps underperforming) producer with excellent holdings to one of the elite domaines in the Cote de Beaune. The winery now owns land in an array of the top vineyard sites in Volnay, Pommard and Corton and makes truly excellent renditions of each—with moderate whole cluster use, small amounts of new oak and brilliantly balanced ripeness.
This is a domaine that’s only been around in its current incarnation since 2011, and yet has already been a featured winery at La Paulee, with strong reviews from both Burghound and John Gilman. The original incarnation dates back to the middle of the 19th century, run by a member of the Boillot family up until the recent sale. The domaine owns a total of 4 hectares of red and white vineyards, exclusively in Premier and Grand Cru sites and their namesake wine is perhaps the best of them all.
These are thrilling wines at prices that don’t yet reflect the quality of the estate, though between impending tariffs and the trajectory of the domaine, we expect that to change over the coming years. Right now, though, these remain an incredible buying opportunities for serious Burgundy drinkers. When you compare Clos de la Chapelle to D’Angerville, Lafarge and Lafon, you realize how great an opportunity these wines are.
When we tasted the wines from Clos de la Chapelle, it was clear that they were Going Places—like the star student in a high school class, it’s painfully obvious that some domaines are driven in a fundamentally different way from their peers. The current incarnation of Clos de la Chapelle is clearly one of those estates—the praise keeps coming and it won’t be long until these are thought of (and priced with) wines like D’Angerville, Lafon and Lafarge as some of the top bottlings in Volnay.
That drive comes down to one person, their (American) owner, Mark O’Connell, who bought the domaine in 2011 and has poured money and time into elevating it from an historic (yet perhaps underperforming) producer with excellent holdings to one of the elite domaines in the Cote de Beaune. The winery now owns land in an array of the top vineyard sites in Volnay, Pommard and Corton and makes truly excellent renditions of each—with moderate whole cluster use, small amounts of new oak and brilliantly balanced ripeness.
This is a domaine that’s only been around in its current incarnation since 2011, and yet has already been a featured winery at La Paulee, with strong reviews from both Burghound and John Gilman. The original incarnation dates back to the middle of the 19th century, run by a member of the Boillot family up until the recent sale. The domaine owns a total of 4 hectares of red and white vineyards, exclusively in Premier and Grand Cru sites and their namesake wine is perhaps the best of them all.
Subscriber Special: Save 10% on the selected Clos de la Chapelle wines below
Subscriber Special Pricing Valid Until 6PM Sunday, January 26th
Special Pricing Will Not Display Online,
We Will Manually Adjust Pricing Before Finalizing Your Order
Subscriber Special Pricing Valid Until 6PM Sunday, January 26th
Special Pricing Will Not Display Online,
We Will Manually Adjust Pricing Before Finalizing Your Order
Subscriber Special Wines, In Stock Now:
Domaine Clos de la Chapelle Les Champs Pimont, Beaune Premier Cru 2015 750ML ($89.95) Was $79, Now $71.10 Subscriber Special, 6 bottles in stock now
Burghound 92 points “(this wasn’t produced in 2012, 2013 and 2014 due to hail damage). A cool, pure and attractively fresh nose features notes of red and black cherry along with hints of spice, earth and violet. There is very fine complexity to the more vibrant and mineral-driven flavors that display a saline hint on the admirably persistent finish. Lovely stuff and worth considering.”
John Gilman 90 points “2015 is the first vintage of Champs Pimont produced from Domaine Clos de la Chapelle, despite the parcel having been purchased in 2011! The domaine now owns .63 hectares of nearly fifty year-old vines in this fine premier cru vineyard, which lies mid-slope, just south of les Teurons and les Cras. The domaine’s 2015 Champs Pimont is a ripe and quite pure wine, offering up a sappy nose of plums, black cherries, chocolate, iron-flecked dark soil tones, woodsmoke and a touch of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and plush at the core, with good soil signature, suave, moderate tannins and very good length and grip on the ripe and nascently complex finish. This is a classic, broad-shouldered 2015 that probably comes in close to fourteen percent octane and will give pleasure early, but should also age very nicely. It is the ripest of the range of 2015s from the domaine, but shows no signs of sur maturité and is impressively pure and voluptuous in style. 2020-2050”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Clos de la Chapelle Corton Bressandes Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2014 750ML ($149.95) Was $119, Now $107.10 Subscriber Special, 6 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 95 points “The 2014 Bressandes here also included fifty percent whole clusters and was raised in onethird new casks. The wine is dynamite, soaring from the glass in a blaze of red and black cherries, red currants, a touch of venison, coriander seed, a bit of bonfire, raw cocoa, stony soil tones and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, fullbodied and nascently complex, with a very sappy core of fruit, lovely transparency, finegrained tannins and a very long, tangy and promising finish. Great juice in the making. 20252075”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Leans toward the austere side, offering leafy berry, cherry, earth and spice flavors, with dusty tannins and a compact finish. Give this time to pull together, as there is plenty of ripe, sweet fruit in reserve. Best from 2020 through 2036. 72 cases made.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Clos de la Chapelle Corton Rognet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2013 750ML ($149.95) Was $119, Now $107.10 Subscriber Special, 12 bottles in stock now
Burghound 92 points “A relatively high-toned nose displays no such reductive notes as the fresh and cool red berry fruit aromas are mixed with background hints of earth and the sauvage. There is a lovely sense of energy to the powerful and concentrated broad-shouldered flavors that also possess a velvety mouth feel, all wrapped in a mildly rustic and dusty but clearly riper finish. This beauty should amply repay medium to perhaps even longer-term cellaring.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Domaine Clos de la Chapelle Les Chanlins, Pommard Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $89.10 Subscriber Special, 12 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 92+ points “The domaine’s eighty-plus year-old vines in Chanlins have produced a stellar example of the 2011 vintage, as the wine offers up a superb bouquet of cherries, quince, woodsmoke, lovely minerality, cocoa, herb tones and just a touch of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bdoied, pure and very elegant (particularly for young Pommard), with a very good core of fruit, fine focus, ripe and suave tannins and great transparency on the long and youthful finish. Chanlins seems to often produce one of the most elegant examples of Pommard and this is certainly in evidence in the lovely 2011 from Domaine Clos de la Chapelle. 2020-2050.”
Burghound 92 points “Outstanding. Here too there is a real sense of refinement though as pretty as this is it cannot match its two Volnay stable mates in this regard. There are plenty of earth and underbrush nuances to the mineral-inflected, cool and pure red currant, cherry and spice aromas. There is good power and intensity to the textured, broad-shouldered and mineral-driven flavors that possess a sophisticated mouth feel, all wrapped in a moderately austere but balanced and wonderfully persistent finish. This is definitely Pommard in basic character but refined Pommard.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Clos de la Chapelle Taillepieds, Volnay Premier Cru 2013 750ML ($119.95) Was $99, Now $89.10 Subscriber Special, 12 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93 points “The new addition of Taillepieds in the Clos de la Chapelle cellars hails from a parcel of forty to fifty year-old vines that lie between the rows of Domaines de Montille and Marquis d’Angerville, so very well-placed indeed. With the hail damage, there were only three casks of this wine this year, with one barrel being new oak. The wine is excellent and sappy on both the nose and palate, offering up a deep and complex nose of red and black cherries, gamebird, a complex base of soil, woodsmoke, fresh herbs and a deft framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, elegant and nicely reserved out of the blocks, with a fien core of fruit, ripe tannins and a long, nascently complex and very classy finish. This was one of the 2013s where the malo was late to finish and the wine had only been bottled a month prior to my visit. A superb new source for top flight Taillepieds! 2022-2060.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Subscriber Special: Save 10% on the above selected Clos de la Chapelle wines
Subscriber Special Pricing Valid Until 6PM Sunday, January 26th
Special Pricing Will Not Display Online,
We Will Manually Adjust Pricing Before Finalizing Your Order
Subscriber Special Pricing Valid Until 6PM Sunday, January 26th
Special Pricing Will Not Display Online,
We Will Manually Adjust Pricing Before Finalizing Your Order
Looking for the full list? See the spreadsheets below or check out all the wines in our online store!
Gambero Rosso’s Best Pink Wine of the Year
Within Italy, the Gambero Rosso guide is the most respected wine publication by a wide margin. They (naturally) focus on Italian wine and each year produce a guide to their favorite wines of the year, awarding them one to three “Bicchieri” (glasses) in the manner of Michelin stars. To be awarded a coveted “Tre Bicchieri” is a high honor (on par with a 98-100 point score from the Wine Advocate or Spectator). In the 2020 edition of the guide, they named one of our favorite wines, Torre Beati’s Cerasuolo, as the “Best Pink Wine of the Year”—which we’re very excited about. We’re down to our last thirteen bottles, so you’d do well to grab them now.
In Stock Now:
Tre Bicchieri 2020 “Best Pink Wine of the Year”
Torre dei Beati Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata 91 points “Bright dark pink. Delicate aromas of strawberry and rosehip on the inviting nose. Then richer and tactile on the palate, with juicy acidity lifting and focusing the peppery red fruit flavors on the long finish. The freshness and liveliness is typical of the 2018 vintage. The Montepulciano grapes used to make this wine were planted in 1972.”
In Stock Now:
Tre Bicchieri 2020 “Best Pink Wine of the Year”
Torre dei Beati Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 13 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata 91 points “Bright dark pink. Delicate aromas of strawberry and rosehip on the inviting nose. Then richer and tactile on the palate, with juicy acidity lifting and focusing the peppery red fruit flavors on the long finish. The freshness and liveliness is typical of the 2018 vintage. The Montepulciano grapes used to make this wine were planted in 1972.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Staff Pick
Two Syrahs From…The Willamette Valley?
Saul:
At first glance, the Willamette Valley might seem like an odd place to grow Syrah—after all, we think of Syrah as a warmth loving grape. That said, when you look at the historical temperatures in the Northern Rhone combined with the volcanic soils that define both the Valley and areas like Cote Rotie, you start to wonder about the possibilities of the grape here. Cristom has occasionally released them, but we recently tasted one of the finest bottles of Syrah I’ve had from Oregon.
You might know that Marcus Goodfellow makes Syrah from Deux Vert Vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton, but in 2015 he produced a Syrah Reserve bottling—and boy is it fantastic. The Reserve bottling spent longer in barrel (over 30 months) and was selected for structure, savoriness and power. Like most of Marcus’ wines, there’s a lot of whole-cluster fermentation in this bottling and it definitely reads as more “serious” as a result. While the wine is rich and intense, don’t expect over the top fruit here. It reminded me of really high quality St. Joseph, with dark, fresh fruits and a distinct meaty, savory overtone. I’m grabbing some for now and some for the cellar—it’s delicious now but I suspect it’s going to be a stunner in a decade.
In Stock Now:
Goodfellow Family Cellars Syrah Reserve, Yamhill-Carlton 2015 750ML ($47.95) $36 special, 12 bottles in stock now
At first glance, the Willamette Valley might seem like an odd place to grow Syrah—after all, we think of Syrah as a warmth loving grape. That said, when you look at the historical temperatures in the Northern Rhone combined with the volcanic soils that define both the Valley and areas like Cote Rotie, you start to wonder about the possibilities of the grape here. Cristom has occasionally released them, but we recently tasted one of the finest bottles of Syrah I’ve had from Oregon.
You might know that Marcus Goodfellow makes Syrah from Deux Vert Vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton, but in 2015 he produced a Syrah Reserve bottling—and boy is it fantastic. The Reserve bottling spent longer in barrel (over 30 months) and was selected for structure, savoriness and power. Like most of Marcus’ wines, there’s a lot of whole-cluster fermentation in this bottling and it definitely reads as more “serious” as a result. While the wine is rich and intense, don’t expect over the top fruit here. It reminded me of really high quality St. Joseph, with dark, fresh fruits and a distinct meaty, savory overtone. I’m grabbing some for now and some for the cellar—it’s delicious now but I suspect it’s going to be a stunner in a decade.
In Stock Now:
Goodfellow Family Cellars Syrah Reserve, Yamhill-Carlton 2015 750ML ($47.95) $36 special, 12 bottles in stock now
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Looking for a Syrah with a playful, floral side? Check out the “standard” bottling from ’15.
Goodfellow Family Cellars Deux Vert Vineyard Syrah, Yamhill-Carlton 2015 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Andre Clouet
A Star Value Champagne
The wines of Andre Clouet have become our go-to offerings for excellent value Champagne. The wines they’re making are fantastic, from their base non-vintage blend all the way through the ‘Dream Vintage’ cuvees, late-disgorged bottlings available at a tiny fraction the cost of Bollinger’s RD or Dom Perignon’s P2.
Within Bouzy and Ambonnay, Maison Andre Clouet occupies 8 hectares of vines along gentle sloping land. Focusing on Pinot noir Champagnes, Clouet’s wines tend to be of a rich and concentrated style and adorned in rather lavish packaging. Their hyper-ornate labels are reminiscent of the family’s ancestor who was the printer to Louis XV’s royal court at Versailles.
What makes them particularly wonderful (other than that brilliant packaging) is how obviously delicious and extremely high quality each bottlings is. These are wines that seasoned wine geeks can enjoy, but so can your mother in-law who normally only drinks White Star (and she’ll think you’ve given her something much more expensive).
In Stock Now:
The standby—this is the most bang for your buck in Champagne, every year.
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($519.95) $399 special (that’s only $33.25/bottle —the lowest listed price in the country!)
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special, 14 magnums in stock now
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 3L ($319.95) $279 special, 12 double magnums in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90 points “The latest release of André Clouet’s NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is showing well, exhibiting a nicely integrated bouquet of red apple, ripe citrus fruit, honeycomb and blanched almonds, followed by a medium to full-bodied, enveloping palate with a fine mousse, ripe but racy acids and an elegant, understated profile, concluding with a well-defined finish. This is a stylish, harmonious wine that makes for a fine introduction to the Clouet portfolio.” [Reviewed April 2019]
Within Bouzy and Ambonnay, Maison Andre Clouet occupies 8 hectares of vines along gentle sloping land. Focusing on Pinot noir Champagnes, Clouet’s wines tend to be of a rich and concentrated style and adorned in rather lavish packaging. Their hyper-ornate labels are reminiscent of the family’s ancestor who was the printer to Louis XV’s royal court at Versailles.
What makes them particularly wonderful (other than that brilliant packaging) is how obviously delicious and extremely high quality each bottlings is. These are wines that seasoned wine geeks can enjoy, but so can your mother in-law who normally only drinks White Star (and she’ll think you’ve given her something much more expensive).
In Stock Now:
The standby—this is the most bang for your buck in Champagne, every year.
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($519.95) $399 special (that’s only $33.25/bottle —the lowest listed price in the country!)
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special, 14 magnums in stock now
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut, Champagne NV 3L ($319.95) $279 special, 12 double magnums in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 90 points “The latest release of André Clouet’s NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is showing well, exhibiting a nicely integrated bouquet of red apple, ripe citrus fruit, honeycomb and blanched almonds, followed by a medium to full-bodied, enveloping palate with a fine mousse, ripe but racy acids and an elegant, understated profile, concluding with a well-defined finish. This is a stylish, harmonious wine that makes for a fine introduction to the Clouet portfolio.” [Reviewed April 2019]
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
This is the Grande Reserve with no dosage—a bright, lean bubbly that’s a perfect food Champers.
Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($519.95) $399 special (that’s only $33.25/bottle!)
Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special, 5 magnums in stock now
Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 3L ($349.95) $289 special, 10 double magnums in stock now
John Gilman 90 points “I believe that this bottle of André Clouet “Silver” Blanc de Noirs non-vintage Brut Nature is from the base year of 2013, as it has a small code printed on the back of the neck label that says “LS13”. In any case, the wine is quite good, showing that lovely structural rounding from a bit of additional aging in the cellars. The bouquet offers up scents of apple, nectarine, bread dough, a good base of soil and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and nicely balanced, with refined mousse, bright, nicely-integrated acids and a long, complex finish. This is a quite good bottle of Brut Nature. 2019-2030+.”
Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) $36 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($519.95) $399 special (that’s only $33.25/bottle!)
Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special, 5 magnums in stock now
Andre Clouet Silver Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature, Champagne NV 3L ($349.95) $289 special, 10 double magnums in stock now
John Gilman 90 points “I believe that this bottle of André Clouet “Silver” Blanc de Noirs non-vintage Brut Nature is from the base year of 2013, as it has a small code printed on the back of the neck label that says “LS13”. In any case, the wine is quite good, showing that lovely structural rounding from a bit of additional aging in the cellars. The bouquet offers up scents of apple, nectarine, bread dough, a good base of soil and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and nicely balanced, with refined mousse, bright, nicely-integrated acids and a long, complex finish. This is a quite good bottle of Brut Nature. 2019-2030+.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
This is the lowest listed price for a magnum in the USA today!
From one of the four walled Clos in Champagne, bottled only in magnum, with the usual value you expect from Clouet.
Andre Clouet ‘Le Clos’ Bouzy Grand Cru Brut, Champagne 2008 1.5L ($379.95) $319 special, 5 magnums in stock now
Decanter 96 points “The flamboyant Jean- François Clouet extracts delicious cuvées from the depths of his historic family vineyards in Bouzy. His clos on the lower edge of town was awaiting a season with the energy of 2008 to capture captivating tension and introverted reticence. Its grand cru complexity has burst out, rising to the rhythm of an exceptional vintage, coaxing out a pronounced chalk mineral texture of glittering definition.”
VinopolNote: Only 250 cases of this rare bottling were produced, all from one of the four walled Grand Cru vineyards in Champagne. 100% Pinot Noir, aged 8 years sur latte, from a great vintage.
The most approachable of the three Clos de Bouzy vintages, ’07’s are open for business right now.
Andre Clouet ‘Le Clos’ Bouzy Grand Cru Brut, Champagne 2007 1.5L ($319.95) $279 special, 13 magnums in stock now
VinopolNote: A limited production bottling, all from one of the four walled Grand Cru vineyards in Champagne. 100% Pinot Noir.
Andre Clouet ‘Le Clos’ Bouzy Grand Cru Brut, Champagne 2008 1.5L ($379.95) $319 special, 5 magnums in stock now
Decanter 96 points “The flamboyant Jean- François Clouet extracts delicious cuvées from the depths of his historic family vineyards in Bouzy. His clos on the lower edge of town was awaiting a season with the energy of 2008 to capture captivating tension and introverted reticence. Its grand cru complexity has burst out, rising to the rhythm of an exceptional vintage, coaxing out a pronounced chalk mineral texture of glittering definition.”
VinopolNote: Only 250 cases of this rare bottling were produced, all from one of the four walled Grand Cru vineyards in Champagne. 100% Pinot Noir, aged 8 years sur latte, from a great vintage.
The most approachable of the three Clos de Bouzy vintages, ’07’s are open for business right now.
Andre Clouet ‘Le Clos’ Bouzy Grand Cru Brut, Champagne 2007 1.5L ($319.95) $279 special, 13 magnums in stock now
VinopolNote: A limited production bottling, all from one of the four walled Grand Cru vineyards in Champagne. 100% Pinot Noir.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
This is a wine that shows all the nobility of the terroir at a level you don’t always expect from Clouet.
Andre Clouet ‘Le Clos’ Bouzy Grand Cru Brut, Champagne 2006 1.5L ($379.95) $319 special, 2 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2006 is the first release of Clouet’s Clos de Bouzy, a 100% Pinot bottled only in magnum. Considering the year and the richness of Pinot from Bouzy, the Clos de Bouzy is surprisingly bright and floral in its aromas and flavors. The Pinot is mostly felt in the wine’s richness and texture. Dried pears, flowers, spices and anise emerge over time, but the 2006 is first and foremost a wine of subtlety. It will be interesting to see if the 2006 puts on additional weight in bottle. (Magnum only)”
VinopolNote: A limited production bottling, all from one of the four walled Grand Cru vineyards in Champagne. 100% Pinot Noir.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
The ’09 vintage gives this wine outstanding depth and richness.
Andre Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2009 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Andre Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2009 1.5L ($159.95) $149 special, 8 magnums in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2009 Brut Dream Vintage is a very pretty, expressive Champagne. Hazelnut, dried flowers, spices, mint, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes are all wonderfully laced together. Medium in body, radiant and quite open, the 2009 will drink well upon release.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
This is the only listing for a magnum in the USA today!
This is the only listing for a magnum in the USA today!
Bold and rich, with zesty acidity from the Chardonnay.
Andre Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2012 750ML ($69.95) $55 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Andre Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2012 750ML ($399.95) $299 special (that’s only $49.83/bottle!)
100% Chardonnay, bottled one year after harvest. Disgorged to order for the importer.
The most structured and ageworthy of the Dream Vintage bottlings, this is going to be spectacular.
Andre Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2013 750ML ($65.95) $55 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Case-6 Andre Clouet ‘Dream Vintage’ Brut, Champagne 2013 750ML ($399.95) $299 special (that’s only $49.83/bottle —the lowest listed price in the country!)
100% Chardonnay, bottled one year after harvest. Disgorged to order for the importer.
Andre Clouet V6, Champagne 750ML ($59.95) $51.90 special, 17 bottles in stock now
A new cuvee that spent 6 years sur lattes.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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This is an outstanding alternative to Beaujolais at nostalgia-inducing pricing.
Domaine Serol Eclat de Granite Cote Roannaise, Loire 2017 750ML ($21.95) $16.50 special
Grapelive 93 points “Stephane Serol is making compelling wines from his upper Loire [Valley] Cote Roannaise estate [using the] Saint Romain clone of Gamay. These are wines that defy regional landscapes and should be almost considered an iconic individual appellation or maybe a lost Cru Beaujolais on par with Morgon or Cote de Brouilly! Especially this 2017 Eclat de Granite which is plush and expressive much in the same way Dutraive, Lapierre, Sunier, Thivin, Chanrion and Thevenet are with plenty of intense Cote Roannaise mountain tannin and structure. Minerally detailed, this beautifully clear Serol Gamay has a deep sense of varietal, place and remote wildness. Stephane has captured his place in the bottle to near perfection. Vivid purple, magenta and ruby/garnet in the glass the Eclat de Granite is bursting with vibrancy and dark flavors showing flinty spices, herbs, violets and walnut complexities to go along with a core of blackberry, blue plum and bing cherry fruit, adding a touch of grenadine, straw and tart blood orange as well as a faint trace of stony/earthiness in an absolutely balanced wine that really delivers exceptional quality. One of the best vintages from Serol, it combines a lovely and graceful medium bodied palate and a flowing almost seamless stream of Gamay flavors, textural pleasure and a vivacious personality. [It’s] easy to love from start to finish. Serol, whose Domaine sits at high elevation not too far from the Loire’s source at the Massif Central, has some 80 year old vines and is the fifth generation to farm and make wine up here. He and his wife Carine have made this wild almost forgotten land a serious place to search out. Stephane employed partial whole cluster and traditional fermentation with his 2017 Eclat de Granite and raised it in a combination of neutral cask and tank, again to add live, grip and sense of place and while non carbonic it has a pop of juicy fruit and some nervy coil from the limited use of stems. This is almost impossible for Gamay lovers to resist and Burgundy fans will also grudging and maybe secretly adore this stuff as they do with producers like Foillard! Serol works all organic and is almost finished converting to full biodynamic practices in the vineyards and in the cellar uses ultra-low sulfur. Rather than [label] him as a natural winemaker, I’d say he is committed to his land and passionate in everything he does. Drink his 2017 Eclat de Granite over the next 3 to 5 years, if not longer.”
This is “Baby GG” Keller at 1/4th the price of the GG wines.
Weingut Keller ‘Von der Fels Riesling’ Trocken, Rheinhessen 2018 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
John Gilman 93 points “The 2018 von der Fels Riesling Trocken is magnificent this year and is probably the very finest bargain in the universe of dry Rieslings in all of Germany in this vintage! The wine offers up a beautifully pure and vibrant bouquet of pink grapefruit, tart orange, chalky minerality, dried flowers, citrus peel, a dollop of wild yeasts and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, precise and impressive tensile for the vintage, with a great core, superb elegance and focus, outstanding backend mineral drive and a very long, very pure and complex finish. Great juice. 2023-2060+.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
With the price drop, this is now our favorite under $20WV Pinot. Elegant, sophisticated stuff.
Bow & Arrow Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2018 750ML ($24.95) Was $21.90, Now $18 special
Winemaker Note “[W]hile this ethos of “wine for the people” infuses the entire posture at Bow & Arrow, it’s this wine, the Willamette Valley Pinot in particular, that serves as our proof of concept. You can make, in the Willamette Valley, a Pinot Noir sourced from Biodynamic and Organic fruit that is lovingly and naturally tended to form start to finish AND sell it at a price that nearly anyone can glass pour. Assembled mainly from Johan Vineyard, Walnut Ridge and Hughes Hollow fruit, this wine was handled no differently than our single vineyard, top priced Pinot Noir. Tasted blind I imagine it would hang tough with any line-up of Oregon Pinots of any price or pedigree. (“I humbly submit” keeps getting auto-corrected to this hubristic nonsense. I’m sorry.)”
This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!
Now it’s even lower!
Pleasure in a bottle, this hits all the marks we want German Riesling to.
Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2016 750ML ($44.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht – Vinous 93 points “Scents of ripe pear and pineapple garlanded in heliotrope set the stage for a polished, subtly creamy palate performance at once luscious, invigoratingly tangy, and loaded with seductive inner-mouth perfume. I thought the corresponding Kabinett exquisitely delicate, but this Spätlese seems virtually weightless. The lingering finish is almost like an inhalation of flowers and wet stone, save for the tingling impingement of pear skin, a faint tang of pineapple core and a nip of cress. I sense that I may be in the minority, but I perceive 2016 as one of those vintages chez Schaefer where Himmelreich gives Domprobst a very serious run for its money.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2016 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese is clear and precise on the deep and flinty nose that also shows some floral aromas. Round, lush and sweet on the palate, with delicate acidity and lingering salinity, this is an elegant and already very accessible Spätlese with a very fine, aromatic, mineral, piquant and salty finish. A classic.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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