Midweek VinopolPick 2-11-20

“Cavallotto may very well be the greatest Barolo producer few people have ever heard of, something that continues to mystify me. Truth is, it isn’t just the Barolos here that are impressive, the entry-level wines are every bit as delicious and well-priced…Readers who appreciate a firm, classic style of Barolo will want to spend some time getting to know Cavallotto.” – Antonio Galloni

Cavallotto is a top tier, old school producer of Barolo.  They make wines that are impressively ageworthy and every bit as good as producers whose wines go for twice as much per bottle.  Despite this, Cavallotto somehow manages to stay at the edges of the mainstream Barolo drinker.  We notice that our customers who buy Cavallotto buy a lot of Piemontese wines—they’re very in the know drinkers.

These are incredibly expressive wines and are very true to their vineyard terroirs. Antoni Galloni describes them as “made in a style that offers the fruit density of contemporary Barolos with the structural underpinnings that are found in more traditionally made wines.”


In Stock Now:

Cavallotto Bricco Boschis Vignolo, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2012 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 26 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “This wine will be released next September. The 2012 Barolo Riserva Vignolo shows a darkened and enriched side of the graceful Nebbiolo grape. This effort delivers a bit more weight and power with firm structure and balanced but also slightly dry tannins. The wine’s acidity plays an important role in giving this expression such a sharp and focused personality. This wine ages in large oak casks for five years, thus prompting deep complexity and aromatic layering. The Vignolo vines are a bit lower in altitude (from 250 to 310 meters above sea level) compared to San Giuseppe (at 310 to 340 meters above sea level). That lower positioning favors the immediate richness and succulence you taste here.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Cavallotto Bricco Boschis Vignolo, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($119.95) $89 special, 17 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 94 points “A dark, powerful wine, the 2011 Barolo Riserva Vignolo has nevertheless preserved good freshness for the year. The breadth and amplitude of the vintage comes through, and yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. Readers can look forward to another 20 years of fine drinking. This is very nicely done.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “There are plenty of bass notes in this ripe, broad red, from deep plum and black cherry flavors to licorice and tar notes. An undercurrent of freshness propels the underbrush elements on the finish. Complex and long. Best from 2021 through 2035.”
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 93 points “2011 Barolo Riserva Vignolo is a dark and succulent expression that showcases the characteristics of the warm vintage. The bouquet puts forth a compelling set of dark fruit characteristics with Morello cherry, dried blackberry, mocha and delicate accents of sweet spice. The vineyard team was careful to keep the clusters under the shade of the canopy for as long as possible during the summer months to prevent the grapes from ripening too fast or bleaching their color pigments. The results are very nice indeed.”

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Cavallotto Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2012 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “Here is another excellent rendition of the celebrated Bricco Boschis cru (one of the best performing vineyards in Castiglione Falletto) from the talented Cavallotto family. The 2012 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe sees fruit picked only from the central part of the vineyard parcel. This area suffers less stress during the hottest months of summer because it is more protected and isolated. This wine is the proverbial overachiever among this estate’s new releases. The bouquet shows a highly refined and focused quality with extreme varietal precision. The 2012 vintage stands somewhere in between 2010 for its elegance and 2011 for its power. In fact, I tasted this wine next to the 2011 expression and found that the 2012 vintage plays its cards closer to its chest. It has a lot to give in the future as it continues down its evolutionary path. Patience is required. Savory spice and smoke make for an elegant twist on the finish.”

Cavallotto Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2011 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 95 points “The Cavallotto 2011 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is an exceptional wine that really shows the best of Castiglione Falletto, home to some of Barolo’s most consistent and age-worthy wines. This bottle offers enormous complexity coupled by power and linear, classic lines. Maceration stopped at 20 days, otherwise the winemaking team feared the results would be overdone and too bold. The bouquet opens quickly to reveal dark fruit, spice, anise seed and licorice. The effect is ethereal and lasting. It would be hard to pin this wine down as being from the warm 2011 vintage in a blind tasting. The acidity is fresh and nicely folded into the background.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Balanced and expressive, this Barolo features maturing aromas and flavors of cherry, licorice, tobacco and mineral. Builds to a long, detailed aftertaste. Altogether savory and fresh. Best from 2020 through 2033.”
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Cavallotto’s 2011 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe is powerful and dense. The more roasted, ripe side of the year is very much in evidence. There is no shortage of richness to the black cherry, smoke, tobacco, menthol and licorice flavors. At times, though, the 2011 comes across as a bit heavy. I would have liked to see a little more freshness, although, admittedly, that was hard to come by in 2011.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Cavallotto Bricco Boschis, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 96 points “I had tasted this wine from barrel last year, and the wine was already shaping up beautifully back then. Staying the course, the 2015 Barolo Bricco Boschis shows extreme elegance and finesse. These are the characteristics of what is surely one of the most beautiful vineyard sites in Barolo. The Bricco Boschis cru affords a panoramic view onto much of the Langhe, with snowcapped Alps in the background. Barolo from Castiglione Falletto tends to show characteristics that are very fine, precise and linear. That’s fundamentally what you get here despite the more exuberant and fleshy 2015 vintage. This wine is truly beautiful. Some 27,700 bottles were made.”

 

 

Paolo Bea is an iconic producer—a virtual one-winery symbol of Umbrian wine and it’s potential.  No winery in the region produces wines as profound, interesting and delicious as the Italian masters (son Giampero is the winemaker these days).

If you’ve had these before, keep scrolling to check out the new releases—if not, pay attention.  These are wines that capture the wildness of Umbrian wine and its signature grape, Sagrantino, in a way that captivates even the most jaded palates.  They’re naturally made, but have classical proportions, with an almost savage ferocity to the flavors (and in the Sagrantino, the tannins as well).  They’ve become quite hard to acquire in recent years (we guess the word’s gotten out), but we have some of the new wines arriving early next month.


Arriving ETA March:

Paolo Bea Arboreus Bianco, Umbria IGT 2013 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “One of the early success stories in the modern-day revival of skin-macerated white wines, Bea’s beloved “Arboreus” originates from exceedingly old Trebbiano vines (up to 150 years of age) in the village of Spoleto, halfway between Bea’s home village of Montefalco and nearby Trevi. A striking instance of non-standard training, these ancient vines wrap themselves around the trunks and branches of trees (hence the wine’s name), growing and ripening high above the ground. Bea picks the fruit quite ripe and conducts an extended skin maceration (in the case of the 2014, 25 days), after which he leaves the wine on its gross lees for the better part of a year—a technique that nourishes the wine and ensures its ultimate expressive depth, but one which requires total confidence in the quality of one’s raw materials. Standing as the only wine Giampiero produced in the arduous, downy-mildew-affected 2013 vintage, this version is a particularly nimble, mineral-driven rendition of “Arboreus,” with notes of quinine, citrus zest, and fresh almonds atop a particularly lithe and delicate frame. The wine certainly does not lack for power, but its overall impression is less juicily tannic than in more typical vintages—and, at the end of the day, it’s a wine only Giampiero Bea could produce. User’s note: “Arboreus” must be served no cooler than cellar temperature to appreciate its full spectrum of aromas and flavors.”

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Paolo Bea ‘Lapideus’ Bianco, Umbria IGT 2016 750ML ($79.95) $69 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “Giampiero acquired a parcel of 80-year-old Trebbiano Spoletino in the town of Pigge di Trevi several years back, and 2016 marks just the third vintage of this exciting new addition to the Bea lineup. Arising from a cooler microclimate than the “Arboreus” above, “Lapideus” spent a month on it skins after pressing, followed by over 200 additional days on the gross lees—a similar vinification to “Arboreus,” yet one that yielded markedly different results. “Lapideus” has a leaner, racier carriage than the broad-shouldered “Arboreus,” with a more precise sense of acidity; it emphasizes drive over density, and its underlying salinity is not a far cry from the spellbinding wines we import from Paolo Vodopivec in the Carso—incidentally, a dear friend of Giampiero and a fellow ViniVeri administrator. A subtle note of honeyed sweetness at the wine’s core speaks of its warm-climate origins, and Bea’s propensity for wildness reveals itself in a fascinating but ephemeral cheese-rind whisper in its aromatics. Only 745 bottles were produced, the vast majority of which are destined for the US market.”

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Paolo Bea Santa Chiara Bianco, Umbria IGT 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “The second of Bea’s two early and highly influential skin-macerated white wines, “Santa Chiara” hails from the fabled Pagliarocru, and combines roughly equal proportions of five varieties: Garganega, Grechetto, Malvasia, Sauvignon, and Chardonnay. Everything ferments together, without any additions or temperature regulation, in stainless steel, and the wine is given several years of settling before being bottled without fining or filtration. The rich, forward 2017 spent 28 days on its skins, and was bottled in May 2019 after 20 months of aging. Compared to the relatively racy 2013 “Arboreus” and the typically chiseled 2016 “Lapideus,” this vintage of “Santa Chiara” swaggers out of the bottle with macerated peaches, brassy spice notes, a liberal dash of white pepper, and candied citrus. Despite its somewhat explosive and brash personality, it possesses terrific drive and a focused, tannin-derived sense of architecture.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Paolo Bea Pagliaro Secco, Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG 2015 750ML ($149.95) $119 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “Bea produces perhaps his most renowned wine from pure Sagrantino grown on the prized hilltop site of Pagliaro, situated at 1300 feet above sea level in Montefalco proper. Following the example of the “Rosso de Veo” above, this 2015 is absolutely jaw-dropping in its intensity and presence. Bea’s wines at their best offer a panoply of spices so intoxicating, so far-reaching, and so evocative, as to nearly defy belief. The only wines that approach Bea’s in that regard are perhaps the most un-sculpted Syrah-based wines of the Northern Rhône, but even those feel as if they have governors on their accelerators in comparison to top vintages of “Pagliaro.” Similarly large in scale to the “Rosso de Veo,” this actually presents with greater precision and nuance, its overall attack more subtle but ultimately no less impactful—direct evidence of a great terroir translated with consummate skill.”

Paolo Bea Rosso de Veo, Umbria IGT 2015 750ML ($89.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “Since the 2005 vintage, Bea’s “Rosso de Veo” (“Veo” is the way the family’s name is pronounced in the old Umbrian dialect) is pure Sagrantino sourced from younger vines around the property and from parcels that do not quite make Giampiero’s rigorous cut for “Pagliaro,” “Pipparello,” and “Cerrete.” This 2015 is Mike Tyson in his prime: potent, assertive, brazen, and making no concessions to polite society. Monstrous in its tannins, it nonetheless presents them in such a multifaceted way as to almost transcend their viselike grip; the tannins themselves have layers, offering classic sandalwood spice on one level, mineral-saturated depth-charge stoniness on another, and—most thrillingly—a direct, naked evocation of crunching into dripping-ripe berries. Four years of élévage did nothing to blunt this astonishing wine’s unmitigated expression of freshly plucked grapes, and this is a monumental “Rosso de Veo” that should live for a very, very long time.”

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Paolo Bea San Valentino Rosso, Umbria IGT 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Importer Note “The 2014 version of Bea’s beloved “San Valentino” is a bit of an outlier. Given the difficulties of the 2014 growing season—the second in a row in which downy mildew exerted enormous pressure—Giampiero was only able to produce a single red wine, constituting the scant viable bunches from his entire range of vineyard holdings. Composed of 40% Sagrantino, 40% Sangiovese, and 20% Montepulciano, the 2014 “San Valentino” offers a classic Bea nose of subtle balsamic notes, brooding spices, and boisterous black fruits, yet it possesses a less massive structure than usual. Calling a Bea red “elegant” is a stretch, and in fact does a slight disservice to the exuberant wildness that is one of Giampero’s wines’ calling cards, but this version of “San Valentino” is indeed fairly light on its feet without exactly being polite. Like its tough-vintage counterpart “Arboreus” above, this 2014 is both somewhat atypical for its category yet unmistakably Bea at its core, and longtime fans of the estate will revel in its idiosyncratic nature as well as its pure deliciousness.”

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Stunning grand cru Riesling from limestone soils.
Thorle Holle Riesling Trocken, Rheinhessen 2017 750ML ($44.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Thorle Holle Riesling Trocken, Rheinhessen 2017 750ML ($259.95) $219 special (that’s only $36.50/bottle!)
Stuart Pigott – jamessuckling .com 96 points “Still youthful, but this has a complex stone-fruit nose. Concentrated and racy with great energy at the very long, chalky finish. Great aging potential. Drink or hold.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Nothing says romance like Krug.  Especially Krug from one of their best vintages of the decade.
Krug Brut, Champagne 2004 750ML ($299.95) $259 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97+ points “Krug’s 2004 Vintage is absolutely mesmerizing. Layers of bright, chiseled fruit open up effortlessly as the wine fleshes out with time in the glass. Persistent and beautifully focused, with a translucent sense of energy, the 2004 captures all the best qualities of the year. Moreover, the 2004 is clearly superior to the consistently underwhelming 2002 and the best Krug Vintage since 1996. Readers who can find it should not hesitate, as it is a magical bottle.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “Combining subtleness with complexity, the coolish Krug 2004 Brut opens with a highly elegant, fascinatingly clear, bright and refreshing bouquet of ripe (apple) fruits. Dense and round, with a delicate mineral soul, the pure but perfectly balanced 2004 reveals great finesse and weightless elegance with a long and round finish. This is a gorgeous Krug vintage that is 14 years old but still on the rise. Tasted from ID 316034 in New York in November 2018.”-SR
Decanter 97 points “This is the current and latest vintage release from Krug, and is a fitting successor to 2002, though it’s very different in style – unusually, the blend contains more Chardonnay than Pinot Noir. Despite this, it is hallmark Krug with its oxidative profile. It has a luminous freshness and good density without heaviness. There’s a controlled power to this poised, vinous, linear 2004, displaying candied fruits, minerals, gingerbread, white chocolate, caramel and marzipan. This has a long, dry autolytic finish, great balance and lovely bead. Disgorged just after the next, and very different, vintage we tasted, the Krug 2003. Drinking Window 2017-2037.”
John Gilman 97 points “The new release of 2004 Krug is absolutely beautiful and is already quite elegant and open on both the nose and palate and is drinking with great finesse. I had expected this wine to be a bit more steely in structure out of the blocks, but the refinement of the blend this year has produced a wine that is already a joy to drink at age thirteen, though it will continue age gracefully for many, many decades to come… There is marvelous precision here on both the nose and palate, not to mention a sense of harmony and grace that is fairly rare in the 2004 vintage. Chapeau! 2017-2060.”

Pax’s homage to Beaujolais via “Napa Gamay” is a crushable, delicious bottle.
Pax Quail Run Vineyard Valdiguie, Solano County 2018 750ML ($31.95) $28 special, 19 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 90-92 points “Another very pretty wine in this range, the 2018 Valdiguie is bright, focused and wonderfully energetic. Rose petal, lavender and sweet dark cherry all grace this exquisite, vibrant Valdiguie from Pax. The 2018 is shaping up to be a gem. I tasted it from tank just prior to bottling.”
Grapelive 90 points “The deeply hued Pax 2018 Valdiguie with its intense purple/magenta color and whole cluster pop on the palate is an all-American rival to Cru Beaujolais with layers of tangy black fruits, spice, fresh cut flowers, exotic tropical elements, racy stems (herbal notes) and juicy acidity. [It] is wonderfully poundable! Pax, besides making some of America’s great Syrah wines, also does a fun selection of wondrous weird goodies including this ultra-fun Valdiguie and a light skin contact Trousseau Gris… This 2018 is a great mix of ripe fruity/grapey flavors along with zingy savory tones that give a balanced contrast in a low alcohol, 12.2% red that enjoys a slight chill. It is perfect for smashing at the beach or a picnic or as I had by a warm fire pit as the sun dipped below the horizon. This is what the French call a Glou-Glou wine: nothing to over think, it is a wine to share and laugh with and impossible not to smile contented with. Its licorice, crushed lilac and snappy peppercorns making it a nice choice with an array of easy simple foods. Just released, you’d better hustle to get some, it looks to be an under the radar hit, it certainly will sell out within days.”

Extra late-harvest Pinot Gris is one of the most thrilling dessert wines out there.
Agathe Bursin Pinot Gris Zinnkoepfle Selection de Grains Nobles, Alsace Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata – Vinous 96 points “Deep golden-tinged yellow. The perfumed nose combines ripe pear, lime blossom and powdered stone, plus hints of spicy botrytis. Sweet but taut, conveying a lovely light-on-its-feet quality and displaying noticeable tang to the citrus and floral flavors; the presence of noble rot adds personality. Closes minerally and very long. This very refined SGN offers noteworthy fragrance and vibrant acidity; in fact, it’s so stony that it’s almost Riesling-like. About 30% of the grapes were hit by noble rot, and this adds complexity to what is a memorable wine (check out these numbers: 5.7 g/L total acidity and 130 g/L total [sugar]).”

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A benchmark Chardonnay that we sold out pre-arrival, until we were able to secure more bottles.
Arnot-Roberts Trout Gulch Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2016 Chardonnay Trout Gulch is wonderfully polished, nuanced and transparent. Lemon peel, white flowers, mint and chalk notes give the Trout Gulch its distinctive, bright flavor profile. In some years, the Trout Gulch has leaned towards the more austere of the Chardonnay spectrum. The 2016 has all the energy of the more tightly wound vintages, but with a bit more textural resonance that is the result of the wine having spent more time on its lees during aging.”

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Roederer’s Cristal is one of the premier bottlings in Champagne—a tete du cuvee that always lives up to the hype.  Even better than Cristal? Cristal Vinotheque—a late released bottling that represents the absolute pinnacle of what Roederer is capable of.

We’re pleased to offer two stunning vintages of Cristal Vinotheque: 1995 and 1996. The pair may represent the best back to back vintages in Champagne’s history—certainly we can’t think of a better duo off the top of our heads (we weren’t around to taste the ’61/’62 combo when they were young, but if you want to argue that, go for it).  Cristal excelled in both years and the newly released Vinotheques are anything you could ever want in Champagne.

As you’d expect for these stunners, quantities are tiny and prices are high—these are wines that we don’t expect to hit the open market for long.  


Arriving ETA Mid-March

Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Edition Brut, Champagne 1995 750ML ($1,299.95) $1,199 pre-arrival special, 1 bottles remaining
Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Edition Brut, Champagne 1995 1.5L ($2,699.95) $2,499 pre-arrival special, 1 magnum remaining
Decanter 99 points “This Vinothèque version hasn’t moved from Roederer’s cellars in Reims until now. During its long evolution, it has spent ten years on its lees and then another ten on cork. Significantly, it also receives a lower dosage than the original Cristal release. Supremely seductive and endlessly complex, it has a generous, supple texture and intense yet delicate filigree flavours of sweet yellow fruits, quince, nougat, cream, patisserie and savoury hazelnut. Still remarkably young and fresh, this dances across your palate and has a long, savoury, autolytic finish. Charming beyond compare.”
Wine Enthusiast 98 points “This amazing wine is timeless. Just hinting a golden hue, the nose offers layers of toastiness balanced by an impressive amount of fruit and freshness. At 23 years old, it still has some life in it, showing bright citrus and minerality. Let it breathe before drinking to bring out all the subtleties.”
James Suckling 98 points “A very different style to the 1996, this has much more savory, autolytic influence. Fresh, chalky aromas with hazelnuts and grilled lemons, as well as a super fine, toasty thread. There’s roasted coffee, smoky grilled lemons and a big mouthful of fresh white peaches and truffles. Gently nutty. Pulls into chalk at the finish. Eight years sur latte and seven years sur pointe. Disgorged with 7g dosage of the same wine. Drink now to 2025.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96+ points “Disgorged in 2010 and re-launched in September 2017, Roederer’s low dosed 1995 Cristal Vinotheque (dosage: six to seven grams per liter) is very intense on the nose and shows lovely maturity. Due to the vintage, which saw some rain in the summer, the Chardonnay part is a bit higher than usual (43% instead of 40%), with just 57% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ). Five percent of the wine was fermented in oak, and 15% underwent malolactic fermentation (only the Pinot Noir though). The palate is rich and vinous but also pure, straight and fresh, finishing with a tight structure, persistent minerality and a yeasty character. Tasted in Reims in May 2018.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Edition Brut, Champagne 1996 750ML ($1,499.95) $1,349 pre-arrival special, 2 bottles remaining
Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Edition Brut, Champagne 1996 1.5L ($2,999.95) $2,799 pre-arrival special, 1 magnum remaining
Antonio Galloni 100 points “One of the many highlights of the afternoon, the 1996 Cristal Vinothèque (magnum) exudes a level of richness and intensity that is simply breathtaking. That extra kick of richness the 1996 has developed in magnum and over extended time on the lees is pure magic in balancing some of the natural austerity of the year. What comes through is a Champagne of unforgettable profoundness. Smoke, crushed rocks, white flowers, mint and finely sculpted citrus confit/orchard fruit add striking layers of dimensions. The 1996 is so bright and so alive in the glass. A whole range of Chardonnay inflections punctuate the finish…” [Review is for a late disgorgement from 2009]
Wine Enthusiast 100 points “A re-release from one of the legendary vintages of the last 30 years, this Champagne still shows some of the intense acidity that marked that year. It has gained maturity, but it’s an ageless, magnificent wine. Although it is ready to drink, it will hold well through 2029.”
James Suckling 99 points “The wine starts with attractive, reductive, toasty aromas, then freshens with air to offer fresh flowers and very fine lime peel and lemon pith, as well as grapefruit and yellow plums. The palate has an intense, fine and fresh feel with super long, lemon and lime flavors, together with subtle, nutty moments that will build with time on cork. Then, a late, spicy edge and super tart, mouthwatering grapefruit. Seemingly endless length and potential. Kept on the lees for its entire life and disgorged in 2012. Dosage of 7g using 1996 wine – as pure as possible. A must for every collector of great Champagne.”
Decanter 98 points “A blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, this is a truly remarkable champagne offering pure, unalloyed pleasure now and for many years yet. It has a fabulous nose showing freshness and fruit with supple, savoury aromas of brioche and cox’s apple. The acidity is vibrant, light and taut yet somehow also exhibits lovely roundness and a gorgeous satin-like texture. The palate spectrum is mind-boggling, with flavours ranging from cashew, cream, nougat and toast to white pear, citrus and crystallised fruits. Supremely balanced and refined, it finishes with a sumptuously long, savoury-umami finish.”