In Today’s Newsletter:
Pommery Subscriber Special
Beaux Freres: Arriving Tomorrow
Staff Picks
Two Fantastic Brunellos (and Bonus Rosso)
Collector’s Corner
New Releases from Clos Rougeard
Trending Wines
Clos Apalta: Chile’s First Growth
The Stunning Priorat of Clos Erasmus
Last Chance!
K Vintners Subscriber Special
Pommery Subscriber Special
We’re offering you a Subscriber Special on Pommery excellent bottles—at least until we open on Saturday. Take 5% off 2-4 bottles and 10% off any mix of 5+ bottles from Pommery.
5% Off Any Mix of 2-4 Pommery Champagnes
10% Off Any Mix of 5+ Pommery Champagnes
Offer Ends Saturday, August 15th at 10AM
But the Best Selection is Tonight!
Discount Will Not Display Online or In Your Cart
We will adjust your invoice before processing your credit card
In Stock Now from Pommery:
Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Millesime, Champagne 2002 750ML ($149.95) $128 Displayed Price, that’s $121.60 at 5% off and $115.20 at 10% off!
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “This well-aged wine from a top Champagne vintage is just now ready to drink after 12 years. It has a touch of toast, but it’s the rich, complex texture and fine structure that set it apart. It’s not a dry wine, it feels soft. It is so well integrated, elegant with hints of apples, a layer of minerality and still-fresh final acidity.”
James Suckling 94 points “A beautifully seductive and creamy nose with plenty of honey and clotted cream across lemon and grapefruit. Some white peach too, really alluring. The palate’s nicely orchestrated and balanced; it builds in stages and delivers pithy lemon and grapefruit flavor amid assertive driving acidity, good depth and concentration. Another great ’02. Drink now or in five or more years.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2002 Cuvée Louise Brut is dressed in an intense citrus colored robe and offers – as if it was a Pfalz Riesling – ripe yellow fruit aromas of pineapples, oranges and ripe peaches along with noble yeasty layers in the background. Full-bodied, rich and fresh on the palate, Madame Louise is a firm and almost mineral structured, persistent Champagne of complexity, finishing with a refreshing citric aroma as well as a stimulating salinity and purity. Good length and balance.”
Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Nature, Champagne 2004 750ML ($199.95) $149 Displayed Price, that’ $141.55 at 5% off and $134.10 at 10% off!
James Suckling 97 points “A creamy and refined 2004 with a very reserved and tight palate of ultra fine tannins that lend the wine beautiful creaminess and finesse. Subtly floral, offering lightly cooked apples and lemons. Flavorful, yet always hiding behind the fine bubbles. Drink now.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Cellar Selection. Sourced entirely from grand cru vineyards and aged for 10 years before disgorgement, this wine is beautifully mature. Richness comes from the ripe fruit rather than the dosage, balanced by tangy acidity and a toasty note. It is a finely poised and impressive wine that is ready to drink.”
James Suckling 95 points “The is a new release and shows wonderful finesse and beauty. You know that the moment you see the pale-amber color. It’s medium bodied with freshness and energy and a long, vivid finish. A joy to taste. Drink now.”
The average price is $367
10% Off Any Mix of 5+ Pommery Champagnes
Offer Ends Saturday, August 15th at 10AM
But the Best Selection is Tonight!
Discount Will Not Display Online or In Your Cart
We will adjust your invoice before processing your credit card
Arriving Tomorrow
Beaux Freres
We’ve got our yearly allocation coming tomorrow, at the best prices in the country. Per annual tradition, the winery will complain that our prices are too low and we’ll have to raise them in a few days—so stock up now for the best possible deal.
Arriving Friday August 14th:
Beaux Freres ‘The Beaux Freres Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2018 750ML ($109.95) $84 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 95 points “Brilliant ruby. Intense red and blue fruit, floral and spice qualities on the highly perfumed nose, along with hints of cola and licorice. Juicy and precise, offering concentrated raspberry, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors that take on a five-spice-powder nuance with air. Plays power off delicacy with a sure hand and finishes extremely long and silky, with polished tannins framing lingering red fruit and candied rose notes. 45% new oak.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “A wine of presence and expression, impeccably structured yet elegantly layered, with evocative raspberry, rose petal and brown baking spice notes that pick up richness and tension toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2029. 3,088 cases made.”
James Suckling 96 points “This is a trademark, deeply rich impression with an unctuous, violet-flower layer, together with blueberries, cherries and sweetly toasty woody spices, as well as forest wood and fresh, leafy and sappy nuances. The palate has a very succulent, fresh and lithe, almost tangy feel, delivering such succulent, mouthwatering energy at the finish. Ready now, but better from 2024.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “Polished, rich and impressively structured, with rose petal and raspberry notes that build toward a sleekly dynamic finish and refined tannins. Drink now through 2029. 1,730 cases made.”
James Suckling 94 points “This is a blend of twelve parcels from around Willamette Valley. Rich, dark and deeply intense aromas of spicy red plums and wild cherries with sappy notes, as well as forest wood and pomegranate. The palate has taut tannin texture and a rich array of ripe dark plums and a fine yet firm build on the finish. Long and approachable now. Drink or hold.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Bright ruby-red. Highly expressive aromas of cherry preserves, boysenberry, candied rose and baking spices, plus a hint of vanilla in the background. Coats the palate with intense red and blue fruit and floral pastille fruit flavors that become more energetic with air. The floral and spice qualities resonate strongly on the finish, which lingers with excellent tenacity and sneaky, well-knit tannins. 40% new oak.”
Love Beaux Freres? Check out our stellar selection of wines from Sequitur, the new project from Beaux Freres’ founder, Mike Etzel.
Staff Picks
Two Fantastic Brunellos (and Bonus Rosso)
When diving through Italian wine, finding consistency in any one DOCG has become more and more difficult. This makes it increasingly tough to have a favorite region or varietal that you can reliably grab off the shelf and feel confident that it will drink exactly as you expect it to. Suddenly, the easy-peasy Chianti Classico is overwhelming your Tuesday night pizza and you’re shocked that the old black rooster just ain’t what it used to be. This dilemma seems to be rampant up and down the peninsula with the influx of a new generation of winemakers that are influenced by international style and what the current “fashion” might be. It’s a wonderful problem to have as most producers are making better wines. The on question is: where do you turn to for reliable typicity even with the influx of new winemaking talent? I turn to Montalcino; even though the producers here have their own stamp, you can rely on the consistency in any quality of vintage. You should take time to learn the style of the label and you’ll be able to count on drinking well for a generation.
La Poderina is a label that almost always plays it safe in a delicious way – middle of the fairway with good structure, pencil lead, and dark cherry, blueberry and cocoa. With the 2015 vintage, I can reliably send this home with a customer knowing that it will perform nicely now, or ten years down the road. It is accessible due to the warmth of the vintage adding an extra lushness to the fruit, but will show enough tannins and acidity to hang around for the long haul. The style is neither modern, nor strictly classic – it is simply a very well made wine. I have been enjoying these since the late 90’s and have never been let down. There isn’t a beautiful, grand story behind the winery: it is owned by an insurance company, of all things, yet this might explain the quality and care in crafting a wonderful bottle that always delivers on the dividends.
La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($69.95) $45 special
James Suckling 94 points “This has a lifted, toffee quality to it with hearty Christmas spices, spearmint tea, dried boysenberries and strawberry jam. The full-bodied palate has stocky, robust tannins that coat the mouth in layers of nearly overripe fruit and sweeping alcohol. But a dash of acidity on the finish reins in this powerful Brunello. Drink from 2023.”
Eric Guido-Vinous 92 points “Peppery overtones, cranberry and tart cherries define the bouquet of the 2015 Brunello di Montalcino from La Poderina, as notes of olive, leather, pine resin, cumin and crushed stone develop in the glass. On the palate, notes of herbal-tinged black cherry and crushed violets, along with cooling acids and minerals keep things lively. The finish is remarkably long, resonating on the same peppery top notes found on the bouquet, yet with the added kick of zesty spices, brisk acids, and a hint of youthful tannin that lingers on. This is a singular expression of Brunello, which is hard to place within the region or its terroir, but there’s an attractive quality to its unique profile that I enjoy quite a bit.”
Tenuta Fanti offers a more classic touch on their wines, though recent vintages have shown more influence from daughter Elisa Fanti, incorporating a slightly more modern influence. In both the 2015 Brunello and the 2018 Rosso the floral aromatics are stunning yet they thankfully don’t overpower the exotic spice and leather notes. Juicy with fresh acidity and plenty of dusty earthness, the Brunello is packed full of flavor. Again, the vintage shows its ability to stuff more flavor than should ever be expected in a vessel of this size. It unfolded for four days, and might well have gone longer if I hadn’t finished it off. The 18 Rosso is a simple, guilty pleasure. Not as structured as the Brunello, but with plenty of character to let you know that the wines are from the same family. The Rosso cleans up nicely in the finish and doesn’t linger as long as the Brunello, but leaves you with a nice pucker from the fresh acidity – you’ll want enough dinner to keep up with this one. One plate of pasta isn’t enough. A great sub $20 value.
Tenuta Fanti Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
James Suckling 95 points “There’s a beautiful interplay between bright, primary florals, such as rose petals and tulips and dust, hay bale and dried raspberries. The palate suggests a ripe, powerful persona with chewy, juicy tannins and a fine line of pretty acidity. Best ever. Drink in 2022.”
Tenuta Fanti Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
Eric Guido-Vinous 89 points “The extroverted 2018 Fanti Rosso di Montalcino is showing masses of ripe strawberry, sweet spices and exotic florals with grounding notes of worn leather and hints of undergrowth. Silky textures meld into tart red berries with a peppery-herbal twist, in a soft and easygoing effort that’s energized by bright acids that only come forward toward the finale. A mix of red fruits resonate on the finish, along with wild herbs and florals, punctuating the experience on a Rosso that is very easy to like.”
When you’re ready to pick up, just park in our lot,
give us a call, & we’ll bring your order to your car.
(If another adult is picking up for you,
please let us know their name when placing your order.)
Collector’s Corner
New Releases from Clos Rougeard
Arriving Tomorrow
Collector’s fight for bottles of these impressive wines—making our haul of the legend-in-the-making 2014’s extremely impressive. These new releases arrive tomorrow and we can’t see them sticking around for very long.
You can view all our Rougeard, both current release and impeccably sourced back vintages, in our online store.
Arriving Friday:
Three bottles available
Clos Rougeard Saumur Blanc Breze, Loire 2014 750ML ($299.95) $269 pre-arrival special
Three bottles available
Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg, Loire 2014 750ML ($449.95) $419 pre-arrival special
Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Les Clos, Loire 2014 750ML ($219.95) $199 pre-arrival special
Jason Wilson-Vinous 94 points “Classic and exceptional. A savory nose full of smoke, black pepper, and spice. Lively juicy and complex on the palate, with black cherry, red berries and olives, as well as licorice and green tobacco. It is long, succulent and fresh. The blend of elegance and rusticity one hopes for in Loire reds.”
Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, Champagne NV 750ML ($59.95) $44.50 special
Case-6 Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, Champagne NV 750ML ($359.95) $259 special (that’s only $43.17/bottle!)
Case-12 Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, Champagne NV 750ML ($719.95) $479 special (that’s only $39.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 92+ points “Based on the 2014 vintage, complemented by fully 40% old reserve wines, the new release of Charles Heidsieck’s NV Brut Réserve was disgorged earlier this year. It’s showing very well, opening up in the glass with notes of green apple, dried white flowers, pear, candied peel and walnuts. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a textural attack and a racier, tighter-knit core than either the 2012- or 2010-base renditions, displaying good concentration and underlying richness. This is a bottling that continues to punch above its weight and which both merits and rewards a few years in the cellar before opening.”
Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($53.95) $33 special
Case-6 Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($299.95) $189 special (that’s only $31.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Day Wines Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($599.95) $345 special (that’s only $28.75/bottle!)
John Gilman 93 points “The 2016 Momtazi Vineyard bottling of Pinot Noir from Day Wines is the ripest of these 2016s, as it comes in at fourteen percent octane. It is beautifully black fruity on the nose (as all the examples from Momtazi have been that I have been fortunate enough to taste), offering up scents of black plum, sweet dark berry, black tea, balsam bough, a beautiful base of soil tones, chicory, gentle spice tones and a bit of cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and beautifully balanced, with a fine core of fruit, great mineral drive and grip, ripe, well-integrated tannins and a long, tangy and promising finish. While this is the ripest of the 2016 pinots from Brianne Day, it is no less pure or precise and is a great bottle in the making. 2024-2055.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 92 points “Limpid red. A highly aromatic bouquet evokes fresh dark berries and baking spices, along with smoky mineral and musky earth overtones. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering alluringly sweet black raspberry, cherry, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily with air. Delivers a suave blend of power and energy and finishes with finely woven tannins and strong, floral-driven persistence.”
The next best price is $49.50
Celine et Nicolas Hirsch Chenas, Beaujolais 2019 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
VinopolNote: The Hirschs are some of the best under-the-radar producers in Beaujolais. The style is fresh, complex and delicious, with enough structure to reward short term cellaring. All their wines show off old vines and are very true to the various terroirs.
Brovia Villero, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML ($99.95) $88 special
Brovia Villero, Barolo DOCG 2015 1.5L ($249.95) $199 special
Monica Larner – Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2015 Barolo Villero offers richness and darkness with fruit from Castiglione Falletto, and it’s one of the more intense wines I tasted within this selection. The Villero is a balanced and polished Barolo that opens to nicely integrated fruit and spice tones, expertly interwoven and united. The wine has a beautiful entry to the palate. Indeed, this pretty wine presented a united front, with seamless and graceful integration.”
Antonio Galloni 93+ points “The 2015 Barolo Villero is a very pretty, mid-weight wine. Silky tannins and beautifully expressive aromatics give the Villero considerable finesse. On the palate, though, the 2015 is far less expressive. That is not entirely surprising, as the Villero often needs a few years to truly blossom. Sweet floral and spice notes start to open with time in the glass, but the Villero is not an especially forthcoming 2015 Barolo.”
Classic Sangiovese from the owners of Felsina at a killer price
Podere La Berta Sangiovese di Romagna, Emilia-Romagna 2018 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Eric Guido-Vinous 90 points “The 2018 Podere La Berta Romagna Sangiovese shows moist earth notes and minerals, plus hints of young strawberry, bell pepper and dusty florals. It finishes medium in length and remarkably fresh, while still resonating on fruit purity and hints of subtle spice.”
Zlatan Rosé, Island of Hvar 2019 750ML ($19.95) $17 special
Winery Note “Quality dry, clean and fresh rosé made of Plavac Mali grapes grown on the localities of Sv. Nedjelja. The wine is produced from red grapes with processing technology as that of white grapes. Aromas of cherries, ripe and fruity. Fresh on the nose, smooth structure and a pleasant pungent end.”
VinopolNote: This wine is not affiliated in any way, shape, or form with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but it is pretty delicious.
Castello di Verduno Basadone Pelaverga, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Importer Note “Pelaverga is indigenous to the village of Verduno, it produces red wines that are light in color but savory and distinctive on the palate. Reminds me a lot of Grignolino, another geeky Piedmontese variety. This one is aged in stainless steel before bottling without filtration. The winery’s website cannot be improved on for a description: ‘Soft, though bright ruby red. Intense fragrant nose, showing clear spicy overtones of black pepper and nutmeg, as well as fruity sensations reminiscent of cherries in spirit and strawberries. Nicely-balanced, lingering dry flavour.’ Great with salumi. I would drink this at cellar temperature.”
Clos Apalta
Chile’s First Growth
Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband Cyril de Bournet founded Lapostolle in 1994. The Marnier Lapostolle family, known for founding Grand Marnier liqueur, drew on long, long roots in wine and spirits within France. Their project in Chile, under the name Lapostolle, delivers world-class wines across every tier. Their flagship wine, the Clos Apalta, is a wine spared no expense (as you’d expect given the names involved). This Bordeaux-style blend combines rich, opulent fruit and the structure to age for a long time, and it’s regularly considered one of the top two wines in Chile. Try finding a First Growth Bordeaux for around $100/bottle these days…
Re-Arrived, In Stock Now
Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta, Apalta 2015 750ML ($149.95) $128 special
James Suckling 100 points “There is a subtle complexity on the nose with currant, berry, fresh herb and wet earth aromas. Cut fresh flowers, too. Full body, dense and powerful. Incredible character here with such purity and polish. It goes on for minutes. Formed, sculptured yet soulful. A monumental wine for Chile. Unbelievable. More powerful than the 2014 which was 100 points. A blend of 46% carmenere, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. Made from biodynamically grown grapes. Better in 2022”
Daphne Glorian, who was born in Switzerland, seems an unlikely figure to be a leading winemaker in Priorat. However, she fell in love with the region, moving there to help revive old vines and she’s now a rock star in the region on the level of Palacios and Barbier.
Clos Erasmus represents her finest wine and a truly spectacular example of what the region is capable of. Rich, bold and powerful, the wine is quintessential Priorat through and through and is one of the truly iconic bottlings of Spain. She also produces a second wine, called Laurel, which displays all of the style and panache of the estate at a very approachable price.
In Stock Now:
Clos Erasmus ‘Laurel’, Priorat DOCa, 2017 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Clos Erasmus ‘Laurel’, Priorat DOCa, 2017 1.5L ($149.95) $119 special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2017 Laurel is a blend of the younger vines, some barrels that were declassified from Clos Erasmus and the remaining Cabernet Sauvignon, and in the low-yielding and dry 2017 vintage, it’s 70% Garnacha, 20% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 15% alcohol. The wine fermented mostly in concrete and oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in a combination of oak vats, concrete, used barriques and amphorae for 16 months. They produce this to be approachable from the moment it’s released. The 2017s feel very aromatic, open, expressive and young, quite primary, tender and juicy and surprisingly fresh for a dry, warm year that resulted in a very early harvest. There is a peachy, soft, approachable quality here that I like very much. Surprisingly enough, winemaker and proprietor Daphne Glorian sees reminiscences of the 2013s in the 2017s, and I have to agree. Different from 2016, but at the same quality level. 19,126 bottles were filled in May 2019.-Luis Gutierrez”
Clos Erasmus, Priorat DOCa 2017 750ML ($219.95) $179 special
Wine Advocate 98 points “The just-bottled 2017 Clos Erasmus is a blend of Garnacha with 25% Syrah that fermented with indigenous yeasts in oak vats and matured in 228-liter oak barrels (40% new). It feels very aromatic, expressive and open, floral and elegant and surprisingly fresh for the conditions of the year. It’s still young and undeveloped, with the puppy fat still to be rendered, and right now, it comes through as juicy and elegant, with very good freshness and super fine tannins. It’s very aromatic and floral, really impressive for 2017. It seems like the year was much better in the Mediterranean part of Spain than in the rest of the country. 3,000 bottles produced.-Luis Gutierrez”
K Vintners Subscriber Special
Back By Popular Demand!
We ran a Subscriber Special for the K Vintners wines a few months ago that was a wild success—so much so that we’ve been getting requests to bring it back. It seems as though y’all didn’t adequately stock up last time, so here we go: you have until 10AM on Friday to save 5% on 6-11 bottles of K Vintners wines and 10% off any mix of 12+ bottles of K.
The wines of K Vintners need very little introduction, as the wines Charles Smith makes under this label are some of our most popular year in and out. If you’re unfamiliar with the winery, know that Charles Smith fashions himself a bit of a rock star and he ought to—he used to manage them. Then, one day, on a motorcycle trip, he rode through Walla Walla and was struck by the majesty of the terrain and the vineyards. Within a few years, he had returned to open a winery.
His first vintage was 1999 and he produced a mere 300 cases of Syrah under his label ‘K Vintners.’ The winery has grown by leaps and bounds since—by our count, K makes well more than 15 wines, most of them single vineyard Syrah, and all of them are consistently excellent.
5% Off Any Mix of 6-11 K Vintners Wines
10% Off Any Mix of 12+ K Vintners Wines
Offer Ends Friday, August 14th at 10AM
But the Best Selection is Tonight!
Discount Will Not Display Online or In Your Cart
We will adjust your invoice before processing your credit card
Some highlights, in stock now:
K Vintners The Beautiful Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2016 750ML ($89.95) $66 Displayed Price, that’s $62.70 at 5% off and $59.40 at 10% off!
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “The 2016 Syrah The Beautiful Powerline Vineyard is stunning and one of the finest Syrahs in the vintage. Coming all from Clone 470, co-fermented with 3-4% Viognier in concrete tanks, and brought up in mostly neutral oak, it’s a rich, meaty, smoky, full-bodied Syrah that has classic Northern Rhône-like aromas of black olives, smoked meats, ground, earth, and dark fruits. With a stacked mid-palate and beautiful balance, it’s going to keep for 10-15 years.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2016 Syrah The Beautiful is rich and lush on the nose with an impressive core of sappy fruit, savory essence, olive tapenade and crushed violets. The full-bodied palate is generous and compelling with a robust yet velvety base that demonstrates elegance with power. The wine glides over the palate, connecting structuring tannins and supporting acidity to carry this wine for more than a decade. The wine ends with a long and drawn-out finish, with mineral tension and lingering spice tones on the aftertaste. Just 1,135 cases were produced.”
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 93 points “Wild, northern Rhône-like aromas of raspberry, game and roasted notes lifted by a note of jasmine that must come from the small Viognier component. Then surprisingly firm on the palate, with juicy but very suave flavors of black raspberry, grilled meat, spices and musky minerality complemented by nuances of flowers, tar and earth. Finishes with substantial dusty, broad tannins and a peppery accent. “A great Rocks vineyard with structure,” is the way winemaker Brennon Leighton describes Powerline. These vines are planted to the 470 Syrah clone from Tablas Creek, which Leighton says is usually more floral and focused than meaty and earthy. (14% alcohol)”
K Vintners The Cattle King Syrah, Snipes Mountain 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 Displayed Price, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off!
Jeb Dunnuck 97+ points “The 2016 Syrah Cattle King Upland Vineyard comes from Snipes Mountain and has a singular, pretty, fresh style with more obvious acidity as well as tannins, yet it still stays in the plush, sexy style of the estate. Blue and black fruits, blood orange, violets, and exotic spice notes all define the bouquet and it’s full-bodied, incredibly pure and seamless on the palate. It’s a beautiful wine that’s going to come together nicely for 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for over a decade.”
James Suckling 95 points “From a sloping plot of deep river rock, this has a fresh array of red and blue berries with a fine, stony edge. The palate has a very sleek, composed feel with such length and composure. The purity of blackberry and blueberry flavors is entrancing. Holds so fresh. Drink this now or hold for a decade or more.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2016 Syrah Cattle King leads with expressive red, black and blue fruits on the nose with a density that can be sensed just by nosing the glass. Black cherry, blackcurrant and boysenberry compote all vie for your attention with savory spices and resinous purple flowers. The full-bodied palate is dense with a pedal-to-metal winemaking approach with chewy tannins and supporting acidity. It continues to linger with spice tones as it changes over a 20-30 second period after the wine has left the palate. Just under 500 cases were produced-AM “
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 94 points “Lively scents of redcurrant, raspberry and dried herbs, plus a whiff of tea leaf. Bright on entry, the pliant but firm in the middle palate, with its dense flavors of red berries and rocky minerality enlivened by penetrating acidity (the pH is actually 3.85). This savory, subtle midweight finishes surprisingly reticent but very long. I never would have guessed the alcohol but it should help this wine age well. Leighton noted that this vineyard was created when “the mountain rose up and pulled the river up the side of the hill”–hence the cobblestones at this altitude. (15% alcohol; from mineral-rich cobblestone soil”
K Vintners The Hidden Syrah, Wahluke Slope 2016 750ML ($99.95) $79 Displayed Price, that’s $75.05 at 5% off and $71.10 at 10% off!
Jeb Dunnuck 99 points “Flirting with perfection, the 2016 Syrah The Hidden is a classic example of the old saying “an iron fist in a velvet glove.” Beautiful notes of dark fruits, damp earth, iron, and crushed rocks as well as ground pepper all emerge from this full-bodied effort that has no hard edges, a terrific mid-palate, sweet tannins, and a finish that goes on for over a minute. It’s a brilliant, brilliant Syrah and one of the wines of the vintage.”
Wine Advocate 96+ points “The nose of the 2016 Syrah The Hidden Northridge Vineyard offers a round, open-knit and voluptuous expression of dark red and black fruit characteristics—dusty plum skin, blackberry jus and cherry compote—over a wet rock minerality and savory black spices with hints of sweet oak. Full-bodied, the palate is generous but still has a rigidity to the mid-palate, with a note of bitter espresso and gripping tannic backbone. Ending with a long, spicy finish, the wine is going to go the distance and live for decades if you can just forget about it in your cellar. It will be a lucky day if you add any of the 684-case production to your cellar.”
James Suckling 95 points “Aromas of sweet earth, pepper, espresso, plums and blackberries follow to the palate. This delivers a big, bold hit of ripe, sweet and round fruit with a very encompassing feel, married with a class and breed that really sets it apart. Nothing pedestrian, but a lovingly familiar syrah. Drink from 2023.”
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 94 points “Bright red-ruby. Musky dark raspberry, leather, black pepper and a whiff of shoe polish on the complex nose; yet more evidence of how different all these Syrah cuvées are. A seriously vibrant, fine-grained midweight in the mouth, offering terrific perfumed lift to its nuanced flavors of raspberry, spices, lavender and dried oregano. A hint of almost lemony acidity and a suggestion of orange peel contribute to the overall impression of vibrancy and lift. Smooth tannins saturate the front teeth on the very long, spicy aftertaste. (from broken volcanic soils with a bit of limestone)”
K Vintners ‘King Coal’ Stoneridge Vineyard Cabernet – Syrah, Columbia Valley 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 Displayed Price, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off!
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “Always from the Stoneridge Vineyard, the 2016 Cabernet / Syrah King Coal is a ripe, sexy, yet savory effort that has awesome notes of red and black currants, spice box, graphite, and ground herbs. Deep ruby/purple-colored, full-bodied, beautifully layered, and with a blockbuster finish, it’s one of those powerful yet still ethereal wines that gives up tons of richness and depth yet has no sense of heaviness or weight.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the 2016 King Coal Stoneridge Vineyard starts with the blue fruited tones with stewed plum, boysenberry and Chambord on the nose with inky purple flowers. The palate is full-bodied, rich and generous, with a focused core of bold fruits that are dense and chewy. A high-octane wine, it ends with a long-lasting finish. Only 818 cases were produced in 2016.-AM”
K Vintners ‘Ovide’ Jack’s Vineyard Cabernet – Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 Displayed Price, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off!
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “Named after Smith’s father, the 2016 Ovide comes from the Walla Walla Valley and is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Syrah. This savory, full-bodied, earthy blend offers complex red and black fruits intermixed with notes of dried earth, asphalt, baking chocolate, and spice. It has terrific balance and is going to evolve for 10-15 years.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
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5% Off Any Mix of 6-11 K Vintners Wines
10% Off Any Mix of 12+ K Vintners Wines
Offer Ends Friday, August 14th at 10AM
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Vinopolis is an independent wine shop in Portland that opened in 2004. Our goal has always been to offer the finest, broadest, and largest selection of wines at the best prices to our customers in Portland, in Oregon, across the West Coast, and throughout the United States. Thank you for reading and for continuing to support our team.
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