In This Newsletter:
Domaine de la Romanee Conti
New Arrival Special Feature!
Featured New Arrival:
Bruna Grimaldi
New Week – New Arrivals
Collector’s Corner:
New Arrival from Aldo Conterno
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Bruna Grimaldi Badarina, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Bruna Grimaldi Badarina, Barolo DOCG 2016 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special
Kerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 97 points “Woodland-berry, eucalyptus, star anise and new leather aromas are front and center on this radiant red. Firmly structured, the youthfully austere palate shows Marasca cherry, strawberry compote and licorice accompanied by assertive, fine-grained tannins that need a few more years to fully unwind. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced and lends great aging potential. Drink 2026–2056.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “You will be very favorably impressed by the delicate and floral aromas that peel softly off the bouquet in the Bruna Grimaldi 2016 Barolo Badarina. There are distinct notes of wild rose and pressed violets that pop out with playful intensity. Badarina is located in Serralunga d’Alba, known for some of the most powerful expressions of Nebbiolo in the appellation. This estate farms a 1.8-hectare plot at 450 meters above sea level with a mix of white marl and calcareous deposits with layers of sandstone. In the end result, this wine exudes elegance more than it does power per se. I feel the tighter grip of the young tannins on the close, but otherwise, this wine will be remembered for its overall finesse and startling clarity. Like the other wines in this group, this Barolo is fermented with submerged cap and completes its secondary fermentation in cement tanks. It refines in large oak casks for 30 months. Some 6,000 bottles will hit the market in July 2020.”
James Suckling 95 points “A layered, rich young Barolo with dried-strawberry, orange-peel and bark character. It’s full and flavorful with lots of fruit and fine, dusty tannins. Serious red. Try after 2023.”
This is the only listing for the magnum!
Bruna Grimaldi Camilla, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($41.95) $35.75 special
Case-12 Bruna Grimaldi Camilla, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($479.95) $389 special (that’s only $32.42/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Bruna Grimaldi Camilla, Barolo DOCG 2016 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special
Kerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Camphor, pressed rose, truffle and wild red-berry aromas are front and center on this full-bodied red. Juicy and delicious, the taut muscular palate has unexpected finesse, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, black raspberry, vanilla and licorice alongside enveloping, velvety tannins and fresh acidity. Thanks to the ripe, delicious fruit, you can’t detect the declared abv of 15%. Drink 2024–2036.”
James Suckling 94 points “Complex Barolo with crushed berries, walnuts and chocolate that follow through to a medium to full body, round and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Hints of bitter citrus at the end. Needs time to soften. Better after 2023.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93+ points “Bruna Grimaldi’s 2016 Barolo Camilla shows a fine and silky texture with just enough weight and texture to support elegant and fragile aromas. The bouquet reveals a subtle approach, followed by wild berry, violet, spice, tar and smoke that follow with slow and seamless transitions. The tannins are young and tight, but the texture of the wine is fine and silky overall. Fruit for this wine is a blend from the Raviole, Borzone, Roere di Santa Maria, Bricco Ambrogio and Badarina vineyards. It was previously a single-vineyard expression from a plot located behind the Grinzane Cavour castle, but that is no longer the case. Given the more-pronounced structure of the vintage, I have extended the drinking window, allowing for extra lead time for cellar aging. Some 18,000 bottles were produced.”
The average price is $41
Bruna Grimaldi Bricco Ambrogio, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “Roddi is one of the least-traveled areas in the appellation, and Bricco Ambrogio is one of its best growing sites, with clay and Sant’Agata marl soils. Bruna Grimaldi and her family reveal one of the finest interpretations of the site, offering a wine that is sturdy on its feet and compelling in terms of its aromatic offerings and complexity. The 2016 Barolo Bricco Ambrogio plays a strong hand in terms of mouthfeel, where this structured and firm wine grips tightly to the palate. The aromas are fleeting and fluid with a flurry of wild rose, forest berry, tar and black licorice aromas. I found this wine to have a larger disconnect between nose and palate compared to the more seamless Baroli from the estate. The wine is fermented with submerged cap and completes its malolactic fermentation in tank. Both methods play toward the delicate nature of this Barolo. Only 4,500 bottles will be released in July 2020.”
Kerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Mature dark-skinned berry, eucalyptus and rose aromas lead the nose on this full-bodied, enveloping red. On the densely concentrated velvety palate, close-grained tannins surround fleshy black cherry, baked plum and licorice alongside the warmth of alcohol before a clenching finish. Drink 2024–2031.”
Shop all xxxx wines from Piedmont on our web store!
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Bergstrom ‘Old Stones’ Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($44.95) $36 special
No reviews yet for the 2018 vintage. 2017 vintage reviews provided for reference.
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Editor’s Choice. This wine seems to always overdeliver. Here it opens with lovely aromas of white flower, bee pollen and lemon meringue. The plush fruit mingles Key lime and pineapple, showing brisk acidity compiled with refreshing minerality. -Paul Gregutt”
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Chardonnay Old Stones has fresh scents of Red Delicious apples, quince, crushed shell and stone with notes of dried chamomile, saline and a core of white peaches. It’s light to medium-bodied with a slightly rounded texture, mineral-driven fruit, bright acidity and a long, flavorful finish. A delicate style without sacrificing its fruit.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Vincent Chardonnay Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 90 points “Light, bright yellow. Spice-tinged apple and lemon scents pick up a floral nuance with air. Taut and focused on the palate, offering zesty citrus and orchard fruit flavors that flesh out through the midpalate. The spicy note repeats strongly on a persistent finish that leaves yellow apple and peach nuances behind.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Vincent Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($21.95) $19 special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91 points “Limpid yellow. Mineral- and spice-accented citrus and orchard fruit aromas show fine definition and pick up a floral nuance with air. Vibrant and light on its feet, offering juicy pear and Meyer lemon flavors and a deeper suggestion of ripe fig. Finishes long and seamless, with repeating florality and a refreshingly bitter orange pith flourish.”
Winery note “This year’s Blanc shows a bit more richness than ’17, more like the ’16 which was a favorite. Grapes here are now coming from a small plot I lease at Zenith Vineyard in the Eola Hills, vines from the 1990s. As usual, this wine is made just like Chardonnay, naturally fermented in older French oak, on the lees for nearly a year and bottled unfiltered. Bright color, mineral and apple aromas, all variety of apples and citrus flavors, creamy from the lees aging, then fantastic acidity to keep your mouth watering. So good.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Joyful Noise Pinot Noir Pet Nat, Yamhill-Carlton 2019 750ML ($26.95) $19 special
Winery note “Bright, Bubbly and ready to Party! This naturally made sparkling rose comes from the Menefee Vineyard in Yamhill. After 30 mins of skin contact, we bleed off a bit of juice and let it start fermenting in a stainless steel tank. With some sugar still in the juice and fermentation getting close to the end, we then bottle it up and wait to see what happens. Hopefully you enjoy these crisp bubbles as much as we do! Peach gummy rings, lemon, rose and sparkling awesomeness.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Back in stock!
Ross & Bee Maloof Beckenridge Vineyard Gewurztraminer, Willamette Valley 2019 750ML ($34.95) $26 special
Winery note “Black tea, rose petals, and sea salt. Fermented until dry on the skins (20 days) before being pressed off into neutral French oak to rest through the winter. Serve chilled or at cellar temp with bitter greens and alpine cheeses. Or with pizza, serve all our wines with pizza. 100% Gewürztraminer from Beckenridge Vineyard, Willamette Valley AVA. Alcohol 12.5% Crushed and destemmed, fermented with daily pigeage for 20 days. Pressed off into neutral oak barrels. Aged on the lees for 10 months. 145 Cases.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Winery-cellared release!
Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2014 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “Brilliant red. High-pitched raspberry and rose scents are complemented by hints of anise and allspice. Shows very good energy and depth to the red berry and floral pastille flavors, which are given lift by a spine of juicy acidity. Closes smooth, spicy and very long; fine-grained tannins frame the juicy, appealingly sweet red fruit. This wine delivers outstanding value and shows impressive nerve for a warm vintage.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2014 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills is a blend of Maresh, Juliard, Weber, Gehrts and Folie Hill vineyards. It has a fresh and vibrant bouquet with red cherry and wild strawberry fruit, touches of blood orange with fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin – a mixture here of red and black fruit, meaty in style with a Pommard-like finish that lingers in the mouth…”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Bright magenta. Ripe red and blue fruit, licorice, potpourri and exotic spice aromas pick up succulent herb and cola nuances with air. Sappy and broad on the palate, offering juicy boysenberry, cherry compote and spicecake flavors that firm up slowly on the back half. The spicy note repeats on a long, seamless finish framed by supple, late-arriving tannins.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $30
Arterberry Maresh Weber Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, only 3 bottles available
Winery library release. Labels show slight damage. Photos available upon request.
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Brilliant red. Explosive mineral- and spice-laced red berry liqueur and cherry aromas, along with suggestions of incense and musky rhubarb. Sappy, sweet and palate-staining, offering intense raspberry and cherry-cola flavors that tighten up slowly with aeration. Deftly combines power with finesse and finishes spicy and very long, with fine-grained tannins making a late appearance and folding quickly into the wine’s energetic fruit.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
#9 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 of 2020
Beaux Freres ‘The Beaux Freres Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2018 750ML ($109.95) $85 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.”
Ayres Perspective Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2019 750ML ($39.95) $29.90 special
Ayres Pioneer Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2018 750ML ($44.95) $39 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Dark crimson. Powerful black raspberry, cherry liqueur and potpourri scents are complemented by suggestions of incense and exotic spices. Fleshy and concentrated but lively as well, offering palate-staining red and blue fruit, floral pastille and spicecake flavors sharpened by a smoky mineral flourish. Finishes smooth, floral and extremely long, with resonating spiciness, harmonious tannins and a lingering cherry note. 20% new oak.”
Bergstrom ‘Cumberland Reserve’ Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2017 750ML ($44.95) $36 special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 points “Medium ruby, the 2017 Pinot Noir Cumberland Reserve opens with scents of warm blackberries and cranberries, blood orange peel, scorched earth, tar, tea leaves and bright red berries with a spicy undercurrent. It’s light to medium-bodied with a great interplay of bright fruits and amaro-like accents, a grainy frame and great freshness with a long, citrusy finish. Josh Bergstrom grabbed 2017 by the horns and made some lovely wines that illuminate the unique character of this vintage.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “Deep red. Fresh cherry and raspberry aromas are complicated by suggestions of candied flowers, baking spices and incense. Palate-coating red fruit flavors show very good depth and clarity and an exotic spice flourish on the back half. Supple and seamless in texture, with a spice-driven, very long, gently tannic finish that echoes the cherry note.”
Bergstrom Gregory Ranch Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2016 750ML ($69.95) $55 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Brilliant magenta color. A deeply perfumed bouquet evokes fresh cherry, dark berries, rose oil and peppery spices, along with subtle earth and savory herb nuances. Round and seamless in texture, offering lively blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that pick up licorice and bitter chocolate notes on the back half. Shows sharp definition and spicy lift on the impressively persistent finish, which is given shape by dusty, slowly building tannins.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $61
Back in stock!
Crowley Entre Nous Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2017 750ML ($39.95) $28 special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91 points “Dark red. Spice-tinged raspberry and cherry aromas are complicated by floral and smoky mineral notes. Gently sweet and focused on the palate, offering energetic red and dark berry flavors and suggestions of rose pastille and blood orange. Vibrant and precise in style, delivering solid finishing cut, fine-grained tannins and strong, spicy persistence.”
VinopolNote: The 2017 Entre Nous is mostly fruit from La Colina vineyard, with a touch of Oracle and Four Winds. It spent 20 months in mostly old oak barrels. This vintage saw no whole cluster and is a blend of Wadensville and Pommard clones.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $32
Back in stock!
Crowley Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($26.95) $21.90 special
VinopolNote: 2018 across the valley is going to be known as a year of concentration and power without over-ripeness and this wine is a prime example. Dark cherry fruits, a hint of a florals and good density, this wine manages to have richness and weight without feeling overly heavy. A real winner.
Winery note “Blend of Tuckwilla Vineyard (21%) Four Winds Vineyard (20%) La Colina Vineyard (26%) Oracle Vineyard (18%), Wind Ridge (15%). All vineyards dry farmed. Graphite, citrus, anise and mushroom round out the nose which is primarily fixed on ripe red cherry. The mouth is high intensity and mouth-watering. Subtle tannin supports a soft and inviting mouthfeel highlighted by ripe cherry again as well as floral accents. This is a complete wine…dark and light, elegant and powerful.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $25
Evesham Wood Pinot Noir Select Cuvee, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
VinopolNote: A special bottling produced for a local restaurant that has since closed during the pandemic. This is a forward-drinking style made mostly with Dundee Hills fruit.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2019 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Winery note “Zesty, powerful, yet beautifully balanced, welcome to the 2018 vintage. Black and red fruits, slight creaminess with bright acid and some chewy tannins. This is always one of our favorite wines to produce as the techniques are all old-school and the wines are very representative of our region and winemaking.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $23.99
Joyful Noise “Was Ist Das” Dornfelder Tukwilla Vineyard, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($39.95) $29 special
Winery note “What is that?!? Hello new wine! This is our first vintage of Dornfelder coming from the Tukwilla Vineyard in the Willamette Valley’s Dundee Hills AVA. Dornfelder is an awesome grape hailing from the same slopes in Germany as Pinot Noir. Once we found out the Miller’s (who own and farm the Tukwilla Vineyard) had a row of it we had to make the wine. Hand picked by the Joyful Noise team (Calli and Deven) these grapes are fermented on their skins and then squeezed into wine using a small hand cranked basket press. Currently there is only one short row of grapes planted which give us about 10 cases of finished wine. Now seeing how delicious this is more will surely be planted in the Valley soon!”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Kelley Fox Wines ‘Mirabai’ Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2019 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Winery note “Oh, I love 2019. The Mirabai 2019 is a light-to-medium, youthful blue-red with brilliant transparency. Like all of my other 2019 bottlings, it is certainly lighter in colour and more nuanced than my 2018. True to the Dundee Hills, this Mirabai begins with a beautiful, fresh strawberry nose with subtle spices and tastes of the same carried by the lightest drape of silk. To me, this luminous Mirabai is both heart-warming and uplifting.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Kelley Fox Wines Weber Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($89.95) $71.90 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Translucent magenta. The 2018 Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard displays highly perfumed red fruit preserve aromas, along with suggestions of incense, exotic spices and candied rose. Lithe and focused on the palate, it offers concentrated raspberry, cherry and floral pastille flavors that become spicier on the back half. Silky, polished tannins build slowly on a very long, floral- and mineral-driven finish that shows fine definition and spicy cut.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Vincent Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley 2019 750ML ($21.95) $19 special
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Vincent Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($47.95) $39 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Deep, glistening crimson. Highly expressive, spice-accented cherry, boysenberry and black raspberry aromas are complicated by floral, musky earth and succulent herb nuances. Sappy, appealingly sweet and broad on entry, then showing more tension on the midpalate, offering juicy, mineral-inflected red and blue fruit flavors that become sweeter as the wine opens up. Shows a suave rose pastille quality on the impressively persistent finish, which is framed by smooth, polished tannins.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Vincent Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 90 points “Dark red. Ripe red fruit, musky earth and floral qualities on the deeply perfumed nose, joined by a spicy nuance that builds in the glass. Supple black raspberry, cherry and spicecake flavors are given spine and focus by a core of juicy acidity. Shows very good clarity and a touch of bitter chocolate on the subtly tannic finish, which leaves cherry and bitter chocolate notes behind. The richness of the vintage is hard to miss here, but the wine’s mitigating spiciness definitely lessens the blow.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
California
“The flagship Winston Hill and Patriarch are more concentrated, sumptuous wines with considerable new oak influence that will appeal most to readers who enjoy flamboyant Cabernets.” –Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
Only twelve bottles available!
Frank Family Vineyards Winston Hill Red, Rutherford 2015 750ML ($179.95) $159 special
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “Similarly inky colored as the 2014, the 2015 Winston Hill Red Wine checks in as a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that spent 21 months in 75% new French oak. It offers more graphite and minerality, with gorgeous notes of blueberries, crushed violets, lead pencil and hints of licorice. Deep, elegant and layered, with a profound textural elegance, it has terrific mid-palate depth, building, fine tannin, and a killer finish that won’t quit. It’s a gorgeous wine any way you look at it. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades or more.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2015 Winston Hill, from Frank’s hillside Rutherford vineyard, is lush, radiant and super-expressive. An array of jammy red berries, mint, rose petal, licorice and sweet spices fleshes out effortless in the glass. The 2015 is rich and unctuous, but not at all heavy or overdone. All the elements are simply in the right place. What a gorgeous wine this is.”
France – Champagne
Christophe Mignon ADN de Meunier Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $49.90 special
Christophe Mignon ADN de Meunier Brut Nature Rose, Champagne NV 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Christophe Mignon Brut, Champagne 2015 750ML ($89.95) $75 special, only 3 bottles available!
100% Pinot Meunier
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Marguet Pere & Fils Ambonnay Grand Cru Extra Brut, Champagne 2015 750ML ($89.95) $75 special
Importer note “Demeter certified. 53% Pinot Noir & 47% Chardonnay.”
Marguet Pere & Fils ‘Shaman’ 17 Grand Cru Extra Brut, Champagne NV 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Savart offers up some of the most impressive, compelling wines in Champagne every year. There’s a house style to them (vinous, textural, mineral) that’s immediately recognizable as Savart wines, but the bottlings show vivid uniqueness that allows for easy differentiation. We’re pleased to offer a broad selection of the Savart wines, from the (delicious) entry-level L’Overture to the profound single vineyard wines—and all at fantastic pricing. These are some of the most stunning wines we offer every year and they always move quickly (especially the single-parcel offerings).
Savart Bulle de Rosé Premier Cru Brut Rosé, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Savart L’Accomplie Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $75
Savart L’Ouverture Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($59.95) $44.50 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $61
Pierre Paillard ‘Les Mottelettes’ Blanc de Blancs Bouzy Grand Cru Extra Brut, Champagne 2014 750ML ($79.95) $64.50 special
No reviews for the 2014.
Review for the 2012 release: Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2012 Les Mottelettes Bouzy Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut is from an old vineyard planted with Chardonnay and roughly 10% Pinot Blanc in 1961. The wine opens very precise and fresh on the nose, where ripe, concentrated and slightly flinty fruit aromas are revealed. Round and generous on the palate yet precise and fresh, with a crispy character, this is a “white” Bouzy with great complexity and length. Still terribly young, this fascinating Blanc de Blancs should be kept for at least a decade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $67
Pierre Paillard ‘Les Terres Roses’ Bouzy XV Grand Cru Brut Rose, Champagne NV750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special
No reviews for the current disgorgement
Review for the 2018 disgorgement: Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The NV Bouzy Grand Cru Rosé Les Terres Roses XIII is a blended rosé based on the 2013 vintage (70%), completed with 2012 and 2011 plus 4% of red wine. The wine has a super pale pink color, one of the brightest I have ever seen in Champagne. The bouquet is very clear, pure, fresh and highly delicate, even with citrus flavors. Light yet intense and persistent on the palate, this is a fascinating rosé that could be enjoyed as a lovely, delicate Extra-Brut with clear focus and straight character. This is an exciting Champagne of great elegance, finesse and expression. Disgorged in July 2017 with three grams of dosage. Tasted in April 2018.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Chartogne-Taillet Cuvee Sainte Anne Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($51.95) $44 special
John Gilman 90+ points “The current release of Alexandre Chartogne’s Cuvée Ste. Anne non-vintage Brut is from the base year of 2017. The vins clairs were raised in a combination of both stainless steel and oak and the wine was not bottled up for secondary fermentation until July of 2018. The cépages is its customary blend of nearly equal parts of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier and the wine was disgorged in February of 2020, with a finishing dosage of just over five grams per liter. The wine offers up a vibrant bouquet of apple, white peach, a fine base of soil tones, brioche, gentle smokiness and a topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a good core, elegant bubbles, fine balance and grip and a long, zesty and quite classy finish. This seems a touch longer on the backend to me than the last couple of iterations of this bottling that I have tasted and is first class, non-vintage Brut. But, this is still a fairly young wine and I would be inclined to give it some bottle age to let it start to blossom properly. 2022-2040.”
Importer note “60% 2017 base, 40% from 2016 & 2015.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
France – Bordeaux
Chateau Mongravey, Margaux 2016 750ML ($49.95) $36 special
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Cellar Selection. Created by its present owners in the last century, this 32-acre property is performing well, as this wine proves. With bold tannins and the lightest hints of wood aging, it shows richness, concentrated black fruits and a firm structure. Drink from 2024. -Roger Voss”
James Suckling 92 points “Attractive, ripe dark and red-berry aromas, dressed in cedary, fresh wood. The palate delivers a superb, succulent array of assertive, dense but ripe tannins. The finish has taut, appealing snap. Try from 2022.”
Drinking beautifully in its youth
Château Mangot, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($37.95) $29 special
James Suckling 93 points “A dense and rich red with driedberry and plum character. Full body, round and chewy tanninsand a flavorful finish. Lots of intensity. Drink in 2020.”
Italy – Tuscany
Cafaggio Basilica Del Cortaccio Cabernet Sauvignon Toscana IGT 2013 750ML ($39.95) $29 special
Wine Spectator 93 points “Cedary and woodsy notes lead off as this red settles into plum, leather and tobacco flavors, though it is still firmly structured and dry on the finish, with a lightly astringent feel. Sweet fruit returns in the end. Best from 2019 through 2032. 2,000 cases made. — BS”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Cafaggio Basilica Del Cortaccio Cabernet Sauvignon Toscana IGT 2015 750ML ($49.95) $33 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “From a special 4.2-hectare plot of Cabernet Sauvignon in Panzano in Chianti, the 2015 Basilica del Cortaccio is very true to this French grape. The wine’s appearance is darkly saturated and rich, with little light breaking through. The bouquet offers full-force black fruit with shadings of spice and cedar. The wine’s Tuscan side is also very apparent thanks to those Mediterranean aromas of summer cherry and Italian rosemary and dried oregano. The tannins are soft and well-integrated into the thick fiber of this medium to full-bodied Tuscan red. Open it alongside a tomato and basil tortellini. Some 25,000 bottles were made. Cafaggio farms 30 hectares of vines in Panzano positioned at an ideal 350 to 420 meters above sea level. The estate completed its conversion to organic farming in 2017.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $46.99
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($89.95) $62.50 special
Case-6 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($539.95) $359 special (that’s only $59.83/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 97 points “The Il Poggione 2015 Brunello di Montalcino shows a darker and more concentrated appearance than many of its peers. The wine is beautifully abundant and fragrant in the most exuberant and expressive manner. You will recognize aromas of moist soil, tobacco and smoke. Candied cherry hovers over the entire bouquet. Fruit is sourced from older vines (all over 25 years old). Il Poggione occupies a special spot within the Montalcino appellation, and the area always produces slightly more concentrated and powerful wines. I find that to be particularly true in this gorgeous 2015 vintage. I am also very attracted to that almost dusty note of crushed mineral that rides long on the full-bodied finish. Il Poggione’s Brunello is also distinguished by firm, youthful tannin that need a few more years to unwind. Luckily, there are quite a few bottles to go around, with some 200,000 made.”
Eric Guido-Vinous 97 points “Il Poggione 2015 Brunello di Montalcino offers up a dark, earthy, almost animal-like expression, showing black soil and undergrowth, giving way to crushed black cherry, dusty spice, and dried florals which lift the experience. On the palate, soft, fleshy textures usher in fresh cherry and strawberry, as brisk acids add energy, with savory herbs and minerals saturating, as the 2015 Il Poggione’s fruit nearly masks its structural core. The finish is long yet fresh, with classic, fine tannins, dried red fruits and pretty inner floral tones lingering throughout this perfectly balanced expression. The 2015 s pure class and built for the cellar.”
James Suckling 96 points “So many sour cherries rise up from the glass, along with orange rind and lemon peel. The full-bodied palate has a very serious and concentrated core of florals and fruit, and the tannins have an iron-fisted, strapping build. Long, chewy and structured. One of the best in years from here. Drink from 2025.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Wild herb and Mediterranean macchia notes mark this expressive red. Though well-endowed with tannins, this is on the sleek side, showing vibrant acidity. Cherry, strawberry, floral and tobacco flavors join the party as this cruises to a long finish. Best from 2023 through 2042. 9,000 cases made, 1,750 cases imported.”
The average price is $79
Collector’s Corner
Aldo Conterno
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $140
Poderi Aldo Conterno Bussia Cicala, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($199.95) $169 special, 2 bottles available
James Suckling 98 points “A really exotic red, showing burnt orange-peel to the dried-strawberry, chocolate-powder and light toasted-oak character. It’s full-bodied and chewy, yet ever so polished. A wild wine. Drink after 2022 and onwards.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2016 Barolo Bussia Cicala offers a ripe fruit profile with layers of menthol and medicinal herb. The finish is beautiful, long and chalky, and you don’t get as much alcohol in the Cicala (compared to Romirasco). The fruit is dried and streamlined, and this wine does show good promise for aging. The tannins are beautiful, coating your teeth and palate with no bitter edge. About 6,000 bottles were made.”
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We have nearly 200 wines from Piedmont currently available.
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Domaine de la Romanee Conti
New Arrival Special Feature!
Featured New Arrival:
Bruna Grimaldi
New Week – New Arrivals
Collector’s Corner:
New Arrival from Aldo Conterno
Domaine de la Romanee Conti
Newly Arrived!
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $1,734
Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($2,499.95) $1,799 special, only 1 bottle available
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2017 Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru is a pretty big step up in this range, both in terms of depth, power and energy. Here the flavors are dark, while there is quite a bit of tannin lurking beneath. Black cherry, graphite, leather, smoke, spice and menthol infuse the 2017 with tons of virile, somber character. Readers will have to be very patient. A whole range of sepia-toned aromas and flavors shrouded in tannin add depth to an imposing Grands-Echézeaux built for cellaring. Harvest was on September 12.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94+ points “More brooding and reserved than the Échézeaux that preceded it in the tasting, the 2017 Grands Échézeaux Grand Cru unwinds in the glass with an enticing bouquet of cassis, blackberries, blood orange, exotic spices and musk. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a more introverted, structured profile than the Échézeaux, its considerable reserves of concentrated fruit framed by an abundance of powdery tannin and succulent acids. Long and penetrating, this will reward sustained bottle age. The Grands Échézeaux was picked on September 12.”
Neal Martin-Vinous 94 points “The 2017 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru was picked at 41hl/ha on September 12 and bottled on May 21 and 23, 2019. Given 10–15 minutes to open, it is clearly richer on the nose compared to its petit frère, revealing hints of kirsch, red currant and orange pith and subtle loamy aromas. The palate is medium-bodied, with suppler tannins than the Echézeaux and hints of wild mint, freshly rolled tobacco and a touch of spice toward the harmonious finish, which fans out effortlessly; it is perhaps less grippy than the 2015. This is an open “G.E.” since it can often be difficult to read just after bottling. It will give enormous pleasure over the next two decades. 1,290 cases produced.”
Allen Meadows-Burghound 94 points “A cooler, more elegant and equally spicy nose of mostly red fruits and Asian-style tea is wonderfully fresh if notably more restrained. As is typically the case there is more size and weight to the broad-shouldered flavors that are shaped by firmer and slightly less fine-grained tannins on the impressively persistent finish. This is not as concentrated or powerful as it usually is but even so, it is going to require at least 10 years or so of patience and should amply reward 15 to 18.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $1,894.99
The average price is $2404
Newly Arrived!
To say DRC is the finest example of Burgundy is an understatement. These are the finest wines produced in the world. Iconic and highly sought after, these are devoted followed and drunk in ecstasy. These are directly from the national importer, Wilson Daniels, through our local distributor.
“The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s 2017s are showing brilliantly from bottle, and this tasting with Bertrand de Villaine was one of the absolute high points of my two months of visits along the Côte d’Or… spending an hour or two with full glasses of wines such as these is not merely of immense professional interest but, I admit, a source of great personal pleasure… it is clear that this is a vintage that will give immense pleasure to anyone able to secure a few bottles. Hauntingly aromatic, structurally supple and pungently intense, this vintage will drink well younger than both its 2016 and 2015 predecessors, but it is much closer in quality to those two vintages than I perceived 12 months ago. At the end of our tasting, the group spent some time discussing possible analogies, and the comparison I found the most compelling is with the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s 1985 vintage. Indeed, I had drunk a superb 1985 Grands-Echézeaux from the domaine over dinner with a good friend a few days before my visit, and the similarities in overall balance between the two vintages were strikingly apparent as I tasted through the young 2017s. The domaine’s 2017 Montrachet also merits special comment, as it is a magical wine built for the ages.” William Kelley, Wine Advocate
Newly Arrived from DRC:
Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Corton Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2017 750ML ($1999.95) $1,499 special, only 4 bottles available
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Corton Grand Cru is performing beautifully from bottle, bursting from the glass with a captivating bouquet of peonies, rose hips, sweet red berries, orange rind, spices and subtle soil tones. On the palate, the wine medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety, with succulent acids, good concentration and a long, exquisitely perfumed finish. Indeed, it’s only by comparison with the domaine’s utterly suave wines from Vosne-Romanée later in the tasting that this Corton’s tannins seem comparatively coarse-grained. Picked on September 4th, it is showing appreciably better than it did when I tasted it from tank before bottling last year.”
Allen Meadows-Burghound 93 points “A ripe, fresh and layered nose combines notes of plum, spice, earth and plenty of floral influences. There is fine richness to the relatively supple middle weight flavors that possess a velvety mid-palate mouthfeel along with reasonable if not special density, all wrapped in a youthfully austere, balanced and sneaky long finish where a hints of warmth and sweetness eventually emerge. This minerally effort needs to develop better depth but the potential appears to be present for that to occur.”
“The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s 2017s are showing brilliantly from bottle, and this tasting with Bertrand de Villaine was one of the absolute high points of my two months of visits along the Côte d’Or… spending an hour or two with full glasses of wines such as these is not merely of immense professional interest but, I admit, a source of great personal pleasure… it is clear that this is a vintage that will give immense pleasure to anyone able to secure a few bottles. Hauntingly aromatic, structurally supple and pungently intense, this vintage will drink well younger than both its 2016 and 2015 predecessors, but it is much closer in quality to those two vintages than I perceived 12 months ago. At the end of our tasting, the group spent some time discussing possible analogies, and the comparison I found the most compelling is with the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s 1985 vintage. Indeed, I had drunk a superb 1985 Grands-Echézeaux from the domaine over dinner with a good friend a few days before my visit, and the similarities in overall balance between the two vintages were strikingly apparent as I tasted through the young 2017s. The domaine’s 2017 Montrachet also merits special comment, as it is a magical wine built for the ages.” William Kelley, Wine Advocate
Newly Arrived from DRC:
Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Corton Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune 2017 750ML ($1999.95) $1,499 special, only 4 bottles available
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Corton Grand Cru is performing beautifully from bottle, bursting from the glass with a captivating bouquet of peonies, rose hips, sweet red berries, orange rind, spices and subtle soil tones. On the palate, the wine medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety, with succulent acids, good concentration and a long, exquisitely perfumed finish. Indeed, it’s only by comparison with the domaine’s utterly suave wines from Vosne-Romanée later in the tasting that this Corton’s tannins seem comparatively coarse-grained. Picked on September 4th, it is showing appreciably better than it did when I tasted it from tank before bottling last year.”
Allen Meadows-Burghound 93 points “A ripe, fresh and layered nose combines notes of plum, spice, earth and plenty of floral influences. There is fine richness to the relatively supple middle weight flavors that possess a velvety mid-palate mouthfeel along with reasonable if not special density, all wrapped in a youthfully austere, balanced and sneaky long finish where a hints of warmth and sweetness eventually emerge. This minerally effort needs to develop better depth but the potential appears to be present for that to occur.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $1,734
Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($2,499.95) $1,799 special, only 1 bottle available
Antonio Galloni 96 points “The 2017 Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru is a pretty big step up in this range, both in terms of depth, power and energy. Here the flavors are dark, while there is quite a bit of tannin lurking beneath. Black cherry, graphite, leather, smoke, spice and menthol infuse the 2017 with tons of virile, somber character. Readers will have to be very patient. A whole range of sepia-toned aromas and flavors shrouded in tannin add depth to an imposing Grands-Echézeaux built for cellaring. Harvest was on September 12.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94+ points “More brooding and reserved than the Échézeaux that preceded it in the tasting, the 2017 Grands Échézeaux Grand Cru unwinds in the glass with an enticing bouquet of cassis, blackberries, blood orange, exotic spices and musk. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a more introverted, structured profile than the Échézeaux, its considerable reserves of concentrated fruit framed by an abundance of powdery tannin and succulent acids. Long and penetrating, this will reward sustained bottle age. The Grands Échézeaux was picked on September 12.”
Neal Martin-Vinous 94 points “The 2017 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru was picked at 41hl/ha on September 12 and bottled on May 21 and 23, 2019. Given 10–15 minutes to open, it is clearly richer on the nose compared to its petit frère, revealing hints of kirsch, red currant and orange pith and subtle loamy aromas. The palate is medium-bodied, with suppler tannins than the Echézeaux and hints of wild mint, freshly rolled tobacco and a touch of spice toward the harmonious finish, which fans out effortlessly; it is perhaps less grippy than the 2015. This is an open “G.E.” since it can often be difficult to read just after bottling. It will give enormous pleasure over the next two decades. 1,290 cases produced.”
Allen Meadows-Burghound 94 points “A cooler, more elegant and equally spicy nose of mostly red fruits and Asian-style tea is wonderfully fresh if notably more restrained. As is typically the case there is more size and weight to the broad-shouldered flavors that are shaped by firmer and slightly less fine-grained tannins on the impressively persistent finish. This is not as concentrated or powerful as it usually is but even so, it is going to require at least 10 years or so of patience and should amply reward 15 to 18.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $1,894.99
The average price is $2404
Featured New Arrival:
Bruna Grimaldi
Bruna Grimaldi
The Piedmont is a wonderful region to discover something new. As you wind through the relatively tiny area designated Barolo, each little fold in the hillsides offers a different expression of the beautiful Nebbiolo grape. You also find families that been working their little pocket of land, each generation gathering knowledge and passing it along. In the case of the Grimaldi family, those early beginnings were humble – selling fruit and eventually bulk wine to the big producers while squirrelling away a small amount for the family. Eventually they started bottling and selling small amounts locally, establishing the foundation for the current iteration of the winery.
Bruna Grimaldi and her husband, Franco Fiorino, began to reserve the fruit and wine that was being sold off and started bottling everything. In the 90s their presence grew but they still were not known outside of a few buyers and importers. The quality of the wine continued to improve, the exports started to bring more interest, and winery grew on a slow but steady trajectory making classic, well-structured, delicious Barolo that tends to over perform for the price point. The wines tend to be fairly solid, built primarily for the cellar, but with an early opening, you can find that they’re enjoyable in the near term.
The Barbera d’Alba Scassa is fairly substantial and dark, but maintains good fruitiness that makes it enjoyable now. It is remarkably fresh with good acidity, but still needs a little air to really shine. The darker, spicier characteristics come through in the finish, so having this with some simple richer dishes would be a plus. I always thought of Barbera as a pizza night wine, and I suppose this would fit the bill, but you’d probably want a loaded pie.
The three Baroli that we have available are the Camilla, Ambroggio, and Badarina. All three are distinct and yet delicious. The Camilla is the only one blended from multiple sites, mostly from the ridgelines to the north of La Morra. Limestone is more easily found here, and lends to softer tannins and a more approachable style at an earlier stage. Scents are complex with good cherries, earthy mushrooms, floral notes, and fresh mintiness. It isn’t quite intense enough to call it menthol, and has a snap to it that is appealing. The structure is silky, but solid; cellar time is always appreciated, but this is the one to open early if you must.
Bricco Abroggio is an outlier of a vineyard, and the wine that the Grimaldi family has made is wonderful. This site is predominantly clay and marl and the overall feel of the wine is different. Dark and wild with its aromatics, the wine would be expected to be a tannic powerhouse. I find it to be extremely light on its feet with great freshness and plenty of potential for the cellar. There are tannins that seem to be already well integrated, but will just about disappear with time. This has a little brambliness to go along with an Asian spice note on top of delicious red fruits. Open this a day early, but expect that it will come together well with patience. A great Barolo for rich pasta dishes or game.
Finally the Badarina is the flagship and pride of the family as Bruna’s mother was born there and the family lived in a small brick house on top of the ridge. This is Serralunga; the dominant soil is ancient sandstone, and the wine is built for the long haul. Structured, and tight in its youth, but develops some of the most lovely aromatics with age. This is clearly the classic rose floral, menthol and tar nose you’d expect. Thick skins add plenty of grip to the Badarina fruit, and yet the acidity pulls all of this together in a perfectly wrapped package. Time will be the ultimate judge of this wine, but early attempts to dig in should also expect to find lots to enjoy. As with the Abroggio, decant way ahead of time. A day in the decanter will do wonders for this wine, but I imagine that 4 days open won’t take any of the shine off this apple. I would have this with a braised lamb shank and good egg pasta.
Overall, the quality/price ratio can’t be beaten. These are incredibly well made wines, and not one of them costs more than $50 (unless you want the magnum). These are lovely wines to stash away and start digging into after 5-7 years minimum. The Badarina could go 20+ years easily and your patience will be rewarded on any of these.
Newly Arrived from Bruna Grimaldi:
Bruna Grimaldi ‘Scassa’ Barbera d’Alba Superiore, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
Case-12 Bruna Grimaldi ‘Scassa’ Barbera d’Alba Superiore, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($299.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 92 points “You get fabulous value here. The Bruna Grimaldi 2017 Barbera d’Alba Superiore Scassa is a dark and thickly concentrated red wine that would make a great choice with savory kitchen favorites like fried chicken or pork roast. The natural darkness of the wine is nicely broken up by the acidic freshness and those pure fruit aromas. It ages in tonneaux for one year, but the oak is seamlessly integrated. Bruna Grimaldi and her team have created a fine Barbera, with 25,000 bottles on the market now. “Scassa” comes from the Italian verb “to break apart,” and the name refers to the farming hardships that always result in very low yields. For that reason, this wine is always released as a Barbera d’Alba Superiore, which requires extra months of aging time.”
Bruna Grimaldi and her husband, Franco Fiorino, began to reserve the fruit and wine that was being sold off and started bottling everything. In the 90s their presence grew but they still were not known outside of a few buyers and importers. The quality of the wine continued to improve, the exports started to bring more interest, and winery grew on a slow but steady trajectory making classic, well-structured, delicious Barolo that tends to over perform for the price point. The wines tend to be fairly solid, built primarily for the cellar, but with an early opening, you can find that they’re enjoyable in the near term.
The Barbera d’Alba Scassa is fairly substantial and dark, but maintains good fruitiness that makes it enjoyable now. It is remarkably fresh with good acidity, but still needs a little air to really shine. The darker, spicier characteristics come through in the finish, so having this with some simple richer dishes would be a plus. I always thought of Barbera as a pizza night wine, and I suppose this would fit the bill, but you’d probably want a loaded pie.
The three Baroli that we have available are the Camilla, Ambroggio, and Badarina. All three are distinct and yet delicious. The Camilla is the only one blended from multiple sites, mostly from the ridgelines to the north of La Morra. Limestone is more easily found here, and lends to softer tannins and a more approachable style at an earlier stage. Scents are complex with good cherries, earthy mushrooms, floral notes, and fresh mintiness. It isn’t quite intense enough to call it menthol, and has a snap to it that is appealing. The structure is silky, but solid; cellar time is always appreciated, but this is the one to open early if you must.
Bricco Abroggio is an outlier of a vineyard, and the wine that the Grimaldi family has made is wonderful. This site is predominantly clay and marl and the overall feel of the wine is different. Dark and wild with its aromatics, the wine would be expected to be a tannic powerhouse. I find it to be extremely light on its feet with great freshness and plenty of potential for the cellar. There are tannins that seem to be already well integrated, but will just about disappear with time. This has a little brambliness to go along with an Asian spice note on top of delicious red fruits. Open this a day early, but expect that it will come together well with patience. A great Barolo for rich pasta dishes or game.
Finally the Badarina is the flagship and pride of the family as Bruna’s mother was born there and the family lived in a small brick house on top of the ridge. This is Serralunga; the dominant soil is ancient sandstone, and the wine is built for the long haul. Structured, and tight in its youth, but develops some of the most lovely aromatics with age. This is clearly the classic rose floral, menthol and tar nose you’d expect. Thick skins add plenty of grip to the Badarina fruit, and yet the acidity pulls all of this together in a perfectly wrapped package. Time will be the ultimate judge of this wine, but early attempts to dig in should also expect to find lots to enjoy. As with the Abroggio, decant way ahead of time. A day in the decanter will do wonders for this wine, but I imagine that 4 days open won’t take any of the shine off this apple. I would have this with a braised lamb shank and good egg pasta.
Overall, the quality/price ratio can’t be beaten. These are incredibly well made wines, and not one of them costs more than $50 (unless you want the magnum). These are lovely wines to stash away and start digging into after 5-7 years minimum. The Badarina could go 20+ years easily and your patience will be rewarded on any of these.
Newly Arrived from Bruna Grimaldi:
Bruna Grimaldi ‘Scassa’ Barbera d’Alba Superiore, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
Case-12 Bruna Grimaldi ‘Scassa’ Barbera d’Alba Superiore, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($299.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 92 points “You get fabulous value here. The Bruna Grimaldi 2017 Barbera d’Alba Superiore Scassa is a dark and thickly concentrated red wine that would make a great choice with savory kitchen favorites like fried chicken or pork roast. The natural darkness of the wine is nicely broken up by the acidic freshness and those pure fruit aromas. It ages in tonneaux for one year, but the oak is seamlessly integrated. Bruna Grimaldi and her team have created a fine Barbera, with 25,000 bottles on the market now. “Scassa” comes from the Italian verb “to break apart,” and the name refers to the farming hardships that always result in very low yields. For that reason, this wine is always released as a Barbera d’Alba Superiore, which requires extra months of aging time.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Bruna Grimaldi Badarina, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($69.95) $49 special
Bruna Grimaldi Badarina, Barolo DOCG 2016 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special
Kerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 97 points “Woodland-berry, eucalyptus, star anise and new leather aromas are front and center on this radiant red. Firmly structured, the youthfully austere palate shows Marasca cherry, strawberry compote and licorice accompanied by assertive, fine-grained tannins that need a few more years to fully unwind. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced and lends great aging potential. Drink 2026–2056.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “You will be very favorably impressed by the delicate and floral aromas that peel softly off the bouquet in the Bruna Grimaldi 2016 Barolo Badarina. There are distinct notes of wild rose and pressed violets that pop out with playful intensity. Badarina is located in Serralunga d’Alba, known for some of the most powerful expressions of Nebbiolo in the appellation. This estate farms a 1.8-hectare plot at 450 meters above sea level with a mix of white marl and calcareous deposits with layers of sandstone. In the end result, this wine exudes elegance more than it does power per se. I feel the tighter grip of the young tannins on the close, but otherwise, this wine will be remembered for its overall finesse and startling clarity. Like the other wines in this group, this Barolo is fermented with submerged cap and completes its secondary fermentation in cement tanks. It refines in large oak casks for 30 months. Some 6,000 bottles will hit the market in July 2020.”
James Suckling 95 points “A layered, rich young Barolo with dried-strawberry, orange-peel and bark character. It’s full and flavorful with lots of fruit and fine, dusty tannins. Serious red. Try after 2023.”
This is the only listing for the magnum!
Bruna Grimaldi Camilla, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($41.95) $35.75 special
Case-12 Bruna Grimaldi Camilla, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($479.95) $389 special (that’s only $32.42/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Bruna Grimaldi Camilla, Barolo DOCG 2016 1.5L ($99.95) $79 special
Kerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Camphor, pressed rose, truffle and wild red-berry aromas are front and center on this full-bodied red. Juicy and delicious, the taut muscular palate has unexpected finesse, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, black raspberry, vanilla and licorice alongside enveloping, velvety tannins and fresh acidity. Thanks to the ripe, delicious fruit, you can’t detect the declared abv of 15%. Drink 2024–2036.”
James Suckling 94 points “Complex Barolo with crushed berries, walnuts and chocolate that follow through to a medium to full body, round and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Hints of bitter citrus at the end. Needs time to soften. Better after 2023.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93+ points “Bruna Grimaldi’s 2016 Barolo Camilla shows a fine and silky texture with just enough weight and texture to support elegant and fragile aromas. The bouquet reveals a subtle approach, followed by wild berry, violet, spice, tar and smoke that follow with slow and seamless transitions. The tannins are young and tight, but the texture of the wine is fine and silky overall. Fruit for this wine is a blend from the Raviole, Borzone, Roere di Santa Maria, Bricco Ambrogio and Badarina vineyards. It was previously a single-vineyard expression from a plot located behind the Grinzane Cavour castle, but that is no longer the case. Given the more-pronounced structure of the vintage, I have extended the drinking window, allowing for extra lead time for cellar aging. Some 18,000 bottles were produced.”
The average price is $41
Bruna Grimaldi Bricco Ambrogio, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “Roddi is one of the least-traveled areas in the appellation, and Bricco Ambrogio is one of its best growing sites, with clay and Sant’Agata marl soils. Bruna Grimaldi and her family reveal one of the finest interpretations of the site, offering a wine that is sturdy on its feet and compelling in terms of its aromatic offerings and complexity. The 2016 Barolo Bricco Ambrogio plays a strong hand in terms of mouthfeel, where this structured and firm wine grips tightly to the palate. The aromas are fleeting and fluid with a flurry of wild rose, forest berry, tar and black licorice aromas. I found this wine to have a larger disconnect between nose and palate compared to the more seamless Baroli from the estate. The wine is fermented with submerged cap and completes its malolactic fermentation in tank. Both methods play toward the delicate nature of this Barolo. Only 4,500 bottles will be released in July 2020.”
Kerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Mature dark-skinned berry, eucalyptus and rose aromas lead the nose on this full-bodied, enveloping red. On the densely concentrated velvety palate, close-grained tannins surround fleshy black cherry, baked plum and licorice alongside the warmth of alcohol before a clenching finish. Drink 2024–2031.”
Shop all xxxx wines from Piedmont on our web store!
New Week – New Arrivals
Oregon
We offer over 200 wines from the Willamette Valley in stock now (that’s 2,000+ bottles in the shop). We aim to be the best price in the country, and are matchless in our depth and breadth of in-stock wines. We’re not brokers: we’re invested in our suppliers in that we actually purchase and carry large inventories here now. We put our money where our mouths (and hearts) are to offer you the greatest selection of local and international wines available.
Arterberry Maresh Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($29.95) $19 special
We offer over 200 wines from the Willamette Valley in stock now (that’s 2,000+ bottles in the shop). We aim to be the best price in the country, and are matchless in our depth and breadth of in-stock wines. We’re not brokers: we’re invested in our suppliers in that we actually purchase and carry large inventories here now. We put our money where our mouths (and hearts) are to offer you the greatest selection of local and international wines available.
Arterberry Maresh Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($29.95) $19 special
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Bergstrom ‘Old Stones’ Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($44.95) $36 special
No reviews yet for the 2018 vintage. 2017 vintage reviews provided for reference.
Wine Enthusiast 92 points “Editor’s Choice. This wine seems to always overdeliver. Here it opens with lovely aromas of white flower, bee pollen and lemon meringue. The plush fruit mingles Key lime and pineapple, showing brisk acidity compiled with refreshing minerality. -Paul Gregutt”
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Chardonnay Old Stones has fresh scents of Red Delicious apples, quince, crushed shell and stone with notes of dried chamomile, saline and a core of white peaches. It’s light to medium-bodied with a slightly rounded texture, mineral-driven fruit, bright acidity and a long, flavorful finish. A delicate style without sacrificing its fruit.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Vincent Chardonnay Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 90 points “Light, bright yellow. Spice-tinged apple and lemon scents pick up a floral nuance with air. Taut and focused on the palate, offering zesty citrus and orchard fruit flavors that flesh out through the midpalate. The spicy note repeats strongly on a persistent finish that leaves yellow apple and peach nuances behind.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Vincent Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($21.95) $19 special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91 points “Limpid yellow. Mineral- and spice-accented citrus and orchard fruit aromas show fine definition and pick up a floral nuance with air. Vibrant and light on its feet, offering juicy pear and Meyer lemon flavors and a deeper suggestion of ripe fig. Finishes long and seamless, with repeating florality and a refreshingly bitter orange pith flourish.”
Winery note “This year’s Blanc shows a bit more richness than ’17, more like the ’16 which was a favorite. Grapes here are now coming from a small plot I lease at Zenith Vineyard in the Eola Hills, vines from the 1990s. As usual, this wine is made just like Chardonnay, naturally fermented in older French oak, on the lees for nearly a year and bottled unfiltered. Bright color, mineral and apple aromas, all variety of apples and citrus flavors, creamy from the lees aging, then fantastic acidity to keep your mouth watering. So good.”
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Joyful Noise Pinot Noir Pet Nat, Yamhill-Carlton 2019 750ML ($26.95) $19 special
Winery note “Bright, Bubbly and ready to Party! This naturally made sparkling rose comes from the Menefee Vineyard in Yamhill. After 30 mins of skin contact, we bleed off a bit of juice and let it start fermenting in a stainless steel tank. With some sugar still in the juice and fermentation getting close to the end, we then bottle it up and wait to see what happens. Hopefully you enjoy these crisp bubbles as much as we do! Peach gummy rings, lemon, rose and sparkling awesomeness.”
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Back in stock!
Ross & Bee Maloof Beckenridge Vineyard Gewurztraminer, Willamette Valley 2019 750ML ($34.95) $26 special
Winery note “Black tea, rose petals, and sea salt. Fermented until dry on the skins (20 days) before being pressed off into neutral French oak to rest through the winter. Serve chilled or at cellar temp with bitter greens and alpine cheeses. Or with pizza, serve all our wines with pizza. 100% Gewürztraminer from Beckenridge Vineyard, Willamette Valley AVA. Alcohol 12.5% Crushed and destemmed, fermented with daily pigeage for 20 days. Pressed off into neutral oak barrels. Aged on the lees for 10 months. 145 Cases.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Winery-cellared release!
Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2014 750ML ($29.95) $26 specialJosh Raynolds-Vinous 91 points “Brilliant red. High-pitched raspberry and rose scents are complemented by hints of anise and allspice. Shows very good energy and depth to the red berry and floral pastille flavors, which are given lift by a spine of juicy acidity. Closes smooth, spicy and very long; fine-grained tannins frame the juicy, appealingly sweet red fruit. This wine delivers outstanding value and shows impressive nerve for a warm vintage.”
Neal Martin-Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2014 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills is a blend of Maresh, Juliard, Weber, Gehrts and Folie Hill vineyards. It has a fresh and vibrant bouquet with red cherry and wild strawberry fruit, touches of blood orange with fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin – a mixture here of red and black fruit, meaty in style with a Pommard-like finish that lingers in the mouth…”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
Josh Raynolds 92 points “Bright magenta. Ripe red and blue fruit, licorice, potpourri and exotic spice aromas pick up succulent herb and cola nuances with air. Sappy and broad on the palate, offering juicy boysenberry, cherry compote and spicecake flavors that firm up slowly on the back half. The spicy note repeats on a long, seamless finish framed by supple, late-arriving tannins.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $30
Arterberry Maresh Weber Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2012 750ML ($69.95) $59 special, only 3 bottles available
Winery library release. Labels show slight damage. Photos available upon request.
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Brilliant red. Explosive mineral- and spice-laced red berry liqueur and cherry aromas, along with suggestions of incense and musky rhubarb. Sappy, sweet and palate-staining, offering intense raspberry and cherry-cola flavors that tighten up slowly with aeration. Deftly combines power with finesse and finishes spicy and very long, with fine-grained tannins making a late appearance and folding quickly into the wine’s energetic fruit.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
#9 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 of 2020
Beaux Freres ‘The Beaux Freres Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2018 750ML ($109.95) $85 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.”
Ayres Perspective Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2019 750ML ($39.95) $29.90 special
Ayres Pioneer Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2018 750ML ($44.95) $39 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Dark crimson. Powerful black raspberry, cherry liqueur and potpourri scents are complemented by suggestions of incense and exotic spices. Fleshy and concentrated but lively as well, offering palate-staining red and blue fruit, floral pastille and spicecake flavors sharpened by a smoky mineral flourish. Finishes smooth, floral and extremely long, with resonating spiciness, harmonious tannins and a lingering cherry note. 20% new oak.”
Bergstrom ‘Cumberland Reserve’ Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2017 750ML ($44.95) $36 special
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 93 points “Medium ruby, the 2017 Pinot Noir Cumberland Reserve opens with scents of warm blackberries and cranberries, blood orange peel, scorched earth, tar, tea leaves and bright red berries with a spicy undercurrent. It’s light to medium-bodied with a great interplay of bright fruits and amaro-like accents, a grainy frame and great freshness with a long, citrusy finish. Josh Bergstrom grabbed 2017 by the horns and made some lovely wines that illuminate the unique character of this vintage.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “Deep red. Fresh cherry and raspberry aromas are complicated by suggestions of candied flowers, baking spices and incense. Palate-coating red fruit flavors show very good depth and clarity and an exotic spice flourish on the back half. Supple and seamless in texture, with a spice-driven, very long, gently tannic finish that echoes the cherry note.”
Bergstrom Gregory Ranch Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District 2016 750ML ($69.95) $55 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Brilliant magenta color. A deeply perfumed bouquet evokes fresh cherry, dark berries, rose oil and peppery spices, along with subtle earth and savory herb nuances. Round and seamless in texture, offering lively blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that pick up licorice and bitter chocolate notes on the back half. Shows sharp definition and spicy lift on the impressively persistent finish, which is given shape by dusty, slowly building tannins.”
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The average price nationally is $61
Back in stock!
Crowley Entre Nous Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2017 750ML ($39.95) $28 special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91 points “Dark red. Spice-tinged raspberry and cherry aromas are complicated by floral and smoky mineral notes. Gently sweet and focused on the palate, offering energetic red and dark berry flavors and suggestions of rose pastille and blood orange. Vibrant and precise in style, delivering solid finishing cut, fine-grained tannins and strong, spicy persistence.”
VinopolNote: The 2017 Entre Nous is mostly fruit from La Colina vineyard, with a touch of Oracle and Four Winds. It spent 20 months in mostly old oak barrels. This vintage saw no whole cluster and is a blend of Wadensville and Pommard clones.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $32
Back in stock!
Crowley Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($26.95) $21.90 special
VinopolNote: 2018 across the valley is going to be known as a year of concentration and power without over-ripeness and this wine is a prime example. Dark cherry fruits, a hint of a florals and good density, this wine manages to have richness and weight without feeling overly heavy. A real winner.
Winery note “Blend of Tuckwilla Vineyard (21%) Four Winds Vineyard (20%) La Colina Vineyard (26%) Oracle Vineyard (18%), Wind Ridge (15%). All vineyards dry farmed. Graphite, citrus, anise and mushroom round out the nose which is primarily fixed on ripe red cherry. The mouth is high intensity and mouth-watering. Subtle tannin supports a soft and inviting mouthfeel highlighted by ripe cherry again as well as floral accents. This is a complete wine…dark and light, elegant and powerful.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $25
Evesham Wood Pinot Noir Select Cuvee, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
VinopolNote: A special bottling produced for a local restaurant that has since closed during the pandemic. This is a forward-drinking style made mostly with Dundee Hills fruit.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2019 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Winery note “Zesty, powerful, yet beautifully balanced, welcome to the 2018 vintage. Black and red fruits, slight creaminess with bright acid and some chewy tannins. This is always one of our favorite wines to produce as the techniques are all old-school and the wines are very representative of our region and winemaking.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $23.99
Joyful Noise “Was Ist Das” Dornfelder Tukwilla Vineyard, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($39.95) $29 special
Winery note “What is that?!? Hello new wine! This is our first vintage of Dornfelder coming from the Tukwilla Vineyard in the Willamette Valley’s Dundee Hills AVA. Dornfelder is an awesome grape hailing from the same slopes in Germany as Pinot Noir. Once we found out the Miller’s (who own and farm the Tukwilla Vineyard) had a row of it we had to make the wine. Hand picked by the Joyful Noise team (Calli and Deven) these grapes are fermented on their skins and then squeezed into wine using a small hand cranked basket press. Currently there is only one short row of grapes planted which give us about 10 cases of finished wine. Now seeing how delicious this is more will surely be planted in the Valley soon!”
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Kelley Fox Wines ‘Mirabai’ Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2019 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Winery note “Oh, I love 2019. The Mirabai 2019 is a light-to-medium, youthful blue-red with brilliant transparency. Like all of my other 2019 bottlings, it is certainly lighter in colour and more nuanced than my 2018. True to the Dundee Hills, this Mirabai begins with a beautiful, fresh strawberry nose with subtle spices and tastes of the same carried by the lightest drape of silk. To me, this luminous Mirabai is both heart-warming and uplifting.”
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Kelley Fox Wines Weber Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2018 750ML ($89.95) $71.90 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Translucent magenta. The 2018 Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard displays highly perfumed red fruit preserve aromas, along with suggestions of incense, exotic spices and candied rose. Lithe and focused on the palate, it offers concentrated raspberry, cherry and floral pastille flavors that become spicier on the back half. Silky, polished tannins build slowly on a very long, floral- and mineral-driven finish that shows fine definition and spicy cut.”
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Vincent Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley 2019 750ML ($21.95) $19 special
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Vincent Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 750ML ($47.95) $39 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Deep, glistening crimson. Highly expressive, spice-accented cherry, boysenberry and black raspberry aromas are complicated by floral, musky earth and succulent herb nuances. Sappy, appealingly sweet and broad on entry, then showing more tension on the midpalate, offering juicy, mineral-inflected red and blue fruit flavors that become sweeter as the wine opens up. Shows a suave rose pastille quality on the impressively persistent finish, which is framed by smooth, polished tannins.”
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Vincent Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2018 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 90 points “Dark red. Ripe red fruit, musky earth and floral qualities on the deeply perfumed nose, joined by a spicy nuance that builds in the glass. Supple black raspberry, cherry and spicecake flavors are given spine and focus by a core of juicy acidity. Shows very good clarity and a touch of bitter chocolate on the subtly tannic finish, which leaves cherry and bitter chocolate notes behind. The richness of the vintage is hard to miss here, but the wine’s mitigating spiciness definitely lessens the blow.”
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California
“The flagship Winston Hill and Patriarch are more concentrated, sumptuous wines with considerable new oak influence that will appeal most to readers who enjoy flamboyant Cabernets.” –Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
Only twelve bottles available!
Frank Family Vineyards Winston Hill Red, Rutherford 2015 750ML ($179.95) $159 special
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “Similarly inky colored as the 2014, the 2015 Winston Hill Red Wine checks in as a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that spent 21 months in 75% new French oak. It offers more graphite and minerality, with gorgeous notes of blueberries, crushed violets, lead pencil and hints of licorice. Deep, elegant and layered, with a profound textural elegance, it has terrific mid-palate depth, building, fine tannin, and a killer finish that won’t quit. It’s a gorgeous wine any way you look at it. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades or more.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2015 Winston Hill, from Frank’s hillside Rutherford vineyard, is lush, radiant and super-expressive. An array of jammy red berries, mint, rose petal, licorice and sweet spices fleshes out effortless in the glass. The 2015 is rich and unctuous, but not at all heavy or overdone. All the elements are simply in the right place. What a gorgeous wine this is.”
France – Champagne
Christophe Mignon ADN de Meunier Brut Nature, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $49.90 special
Christophe Mignon ADN de Meunier Brut Nature Rose, Champagne NV 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
Christophe Mignon Brut, Champagne 2015 750ML ($89.95) $75 special, only 3 bottles available!
100% Pinot Meunier
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Marguet Pere & Fils Ambonnay Grand Cru Extra Brut, Champagne 2015 750ML ($89.95) $75 special
Importer note “Demeter certified. 53% Pinot Noir & 47% Chardonnay.”
Marguet Pere & Fils ‘Shaman’ 17 Grand Cru Extra Brut, Champagne NV 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special
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Savart offers up some of the most impressive, compelling wines in Champagne every year. There’s a house style to them (vinous, textural, mineral) that’s immediately recognizable as Savart wines, but the bottlings show vivid uniqueness that allows for easy differentiation. We’re pleased to offer a broad selection of the Savart wines, from the (delicious) entry-level L’Overture to the profound single vineyard wines—and all at fantastic pricing. These are some of the most stunning wines we offer every year and they always move quickly (especially the single-parcel offerings).
Savart Bulle de Rosé Premier Cru Brut Rosé, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
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Savart L’Accomplie Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $75
Savart L’Ouverture Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($59.95) $44.50 special
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The average price is $61
Pierre Paillard ‘Les Mottelettes’ Blanc de Blancs Bouzy Grand Cru Extra Brut, Champagne 2014 750ML ($79.95) $64.50 special
No reviews for the 2014.
Review for the 2012 release: Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2012 Les Mottelettes Bouzy Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut is from an old vineyard planted with Chardonnay and roughly 10% Pinot Blanc in 1961. The wine opens very precise and fresh on the nose, where ripe, concentrated and slightly flinty fruit aromas are revealed. Round and generous on the palate yet precise and fresh, with a crispy character, this is a “white” Bouzy with great complexity and length. Still terribly young, this fascinating Blanc de Blancs should be kept for at least a decade.”
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The average price is $67
Pierre Paillard ‘Les Terres Roses’ Bouzy XV Grand Cru Brut Rose, Champagne NV750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special
No reviews for the current disgorgement
Review for the 2018 disgorgement: Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 94 points “The NV Bouzy Grand Cru Rosé Les Terres Roses XIII is a blended rosé based on the 2013 vintage (70%), completed with 2012 and 2011 plus 4% of red wine. The wine has a super pale pink color, one of the brightest I have ever seen in Champagne. The bouquet is very clear, pure, fresh and highly delicate, even with citrus flavors. Light yet intense and persistent on the palate, this is a fascinating rosé that could be enjoyed as a lovely, delicate Extra-Brut with clear focus and straight character. This is an exciting Champagne of great elegance, finesse and expression. Disgorged in July 2017 with three grams of dosage. Tasted in April 2018.”
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Chartogne-Taillet Cuvee Sainte Anne Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($51.95) $44 special
John Gilman 90+ points “The current release of Alexandre Chartogne’s Cuvée Ste. Anne non-vintage Brut is from the base year of 2017. The vins clairs were raised in a combination of both stainless steel and oak and the wine was not bottled up for secondary fermentation until July of 2018. The cépages is its customary blend of nearly equal parts of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier and the wine was disgorged in February of 2020, with a finishing dosage of just over five grams per liter. The wine offers up a vibrant bouquet of apple, white peach, a fine base of soil tones, brioche, gentle smokiness and a topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a good core, elegant bubbles, fine balance and grip and a long, zesty and quite classy finish. This seems a touch longer on the backend to me than the last couple of iterations of this bottling that I have tasted and is first class, non-vintage Brut. But, this is still a fairly young wine and I would be inclined to give it some bottle age to let it start to blossom properly. 2022-2040.”
Importer note “60% 2017 base, 40% from 2016 & 2015.”
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France – Bordeaux
Chateau Mongravey, Margaux 2016 750ML ($49.95) $36 special
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Cellar Selection. Created by its present owners in the last century, this 32-acre property is performing well, as this wine proves. With bold tannins and the lightest hints of wood aging, it shows richness, concentrated black fruits and a firm structure. Drink from 2024. -Roger Voss”
James Suckling 92 points “Attractive, ripe dark and red-berry aromas, dressed in cedary, fresh wood. The palate delivers a superb, succulent array of assertive, dense but ripe tannins. The finish has taut, appealing snap. Try from 2022.”
Drinking beautifully in its youth
Château Mangot, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2015 750ML ($37.95) $29 special
James Suckling 93 points “A dense and rich red with driedberry and plum character. Full body, round and chewy tanninsand a flavorful finish. Lots of intensity. Drink in 2020.”
Italy – Tuscany
Cafaggio Basilica Del Cortaccio Cabernet Sauvignon Toscana IGT 2013 750ML ($39.95) $29 special
Wine Spectator 93 points “Cedary and woodsy notes lead off as this red settles into plum, leather and tobacco flavors, though it is still firmly structured and dry on the finish, with a lightly astringent feel. Sweet fruit returns in the end. Best from 2019 through 2032. 2,000 cases made. — BS”
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Cafaggio Basilica Del Cortaccio Cabernet Sauvignon Toscana IGT 2015 750ML ($49.95) $33 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “From a special 4.2-hectare plot of Cabernet Sauvignon in Panzano in Chianti, the 2015 Basilica del Cortaccio is very true to this French grape. The wine’s appearance is darkly saturated and rich, with little light breaking through. The bouquet offers full-force black fruit with shadings of spice and cedar. The wine’s Tuscan side is also very apparent thanks to those Mediterranean aromas of summer cherry and Italian rosemary and dried oregano. The tannins are soft and well-integrated into the thick fiber of this medium to full-bodied Tuscan red. Open it alongside a tomato and basil tortellini. Some 25,000 bottles were made. Cafaggio farms 30 hectares of vines in Panzano positioned at an ideal 350 to 420 meters above sea level. The estate completed its conversion to organic farming in 2017.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $46.99
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($89.95) $62.50 special
Case-6 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($539.95) $359 special (that’s only $59.83/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 97 points “The Il Poggione 2015 Brunello di Montalcino shows a darker and more concentrated appearance than many of its peers. The wine is beautifully abundant and fragrant in the most exuberant and expressive manner. You will recognize aromas of moist soil, tobacco and smoke. Candied cherry hovers over the entire bouquet. Fruit is sourced from older vines (all over 25 years old). Il Poggione occupies a special spot within the Montalcino appellation, and the area always produces slightly more concentrated and powerful wines. I find that to be particularly true in this gorgeous 2015 vintage. I am also very attracted to that almost dusty note of crushed mineral that rides long on the full-bodied finish. Il Poggione’s Brunello is also distinguished by firm, youthful tannin that need a few more years to unwind. Luckily, there are quite a few bottles to go around, with some 200,000 made.”
Eric Guido-Vinous 97 points “Il Poggione 2015 Brunello di Montalcino offers up a dark, earthy, almost animal-like expression, showing black soil and undergrowth, giving way to crushed black cherry, dusty spice, and dried florals which lift the experience. On the palate, soft, fleshy textures usher in fresh cherry and strawberry, as brisk acids add energy, with savory herbs and minerals saturating, as the 2015 Il Poggione’s fruit nearly masks its structural core. The finish is long yet fresh, with classic, fine tannins, dried red fruits and pretty inner floral tones lingering throughout this perfectly balanced expression. The 2015 s pure class and built for the cellar.”
James Suckling 96 points “So many sour cherries rise up from the glass, along with orange rind and lemon peel. The full-bodied palate has a very serious and concentrated core of florals and fruit, and the tannins have an iron-fisted, strapping build. Long, chewy and structured. One of the best in years from here. Drink from 2025.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Wild herb and Mediterranean macchia notes mark this expressive red. Though well-endowed with tannins, this is on the sleek side, showing vibrant acidity. Cherry, strawberry, floral and tobacco flavors join the party as this cruises to a long finish. Best from 2023 through 2042. 9,000 cases made, 1,750 cases imported.”
The average price is $79
Collector’s Corner
Aldo Conterno
Aldo Conterno is one of Piedmont’s defining modern producers. Based in the Bussia hamlet in Monforte, these wines have always been powerful yet polished, with dark rich fruit. Despite their evident density and power, they maintain a remarkable level of nuance and complexity. Needless to say these wines are epic, and if you like a more modern interpretation of Nebbiolo, you simply won’t find a smarter buy than these modern classics.
Newly Arrived from Aldo Conterno:
Poderi Aldo Conterno Conca Tre Pile Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($37.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Poderi Aldo Conterno Conca Tre Pile Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($219.95) $189 special (that’s only $31.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Poderi Aldo Conterno Conca Tre Pile Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($419.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Barbera d’Alba Conca Tre Pile is piled high with dark fruit intensity, soft tannins and a pinch of fresh acidity that breaks apart the wine’s rich fruit flavors. The hot vintage has taken well to the Barbera grape, accentuating its volume, richness and generosity. The bouquet offers black fruit, dried plum, spice, truffle-infused earth and toasted hazelnut. Some 20,000 bottles were made.”
In Stock Now from Aldo Conterno:
Poderi Aldo Conterno Colonnello, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($219.95) $179 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 96 points “Very fine-grained with pretty berry, spice, roasted-nut and cedar aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied and chewy, yet polished and intense. Very, very long. Try after 2022.”
Wine Advocate 95+ points “The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2016 Barolo Bussia Colonnello shows dark fruit intensity, dried cherry, spice, licorice and tilled earth. The wine delivers its aromas in a direct and immediate manner, with menthol and balsam herb fitting into oaky aromas of sweet spice. For whatever reason, I notice the oak more in Colonnello, but this will relax with time. The wine will be ready to drink after the 10-year mark. Approximately 6,000 bottles were made.”
Poderi Aldo Conterno Bussia Cicala, Barolo DOCG 2009 750ML ($179.95) $119 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “Aromas of fresh cherry, raspberry, licorice and spice fill the glass as this red unfolds. Offers dense tannins and bright acidity, lending definition to the cherry, strawberry, tobacco and spice flavors that persist through the long finish. Best from 2017 through 2030. 300 cases imported.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “An aromatically beguiling wine, the 2009 Barolo Cicala is laced with dark plums, truffles, tar, incense and a host of other balsamic-infused aromas. Today, the fruit lies a bit in the background, while the wine’s aromatics and overall structure are much more in evidence. I imagine the 2009 will require at least a few more years in bottle to flesh out, but it is quite beautiful, even at this stage. There is a weightless tension in the 2009 that is remarkable.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2009 Barolo Cicala reveals the particular dynamic of the vintage with firmly astringent tannins and power coupled with a leaner, more streamlined mouthfeel. You can also feel some of the heat of the 2009 summer with upfront aromas of prune and cassis followed by a visibly darker appearance and sweet spice on the bouquet. The wine has the inherent complexity, structure and acidity for long aging, but it offers less pulp to sink your teeth into. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027.”
Newly Arrived from Aldo Conterno:
Poderi Aldo Conterno Conca Tre Pile Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($37.95) $33 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-6 Poderi Aldo Conterno Conca Tre Pile Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($219.95) $189 special (that’s only $31.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Poderi Aldo Conterno Conca Tre Pile Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($419.95) $359 special (that’s only $29.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2017 Barbera d’Alba Conca Tre Pile is piled high with dark fruit intensity, soft tannins and a pinch of fresh acidity that breaks apart the wine’s rich fruit flavors. The hot vintage has taken well to the Barbera grape, accentuating its volume, richness and generosity. The bouquet offers black fruit, dried plum, spice, truffle-infused earth and toasted hazelnut. Some 20,000 bottles were made.”
In Stock Now from Aldo Conterno:
Poderi Aldo Conterno Colonnello, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($219.95) $179 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 96 points “Very fine-grained with pretty berry, spice, roasted-nut and cedar aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied and chewy, yet polished and intense. Very, very long. Try after 2022.”
Wine Advocate 95+ points “The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2016 Barolo Bussia Colonnello shows dark fruit intensity, dried cherry, spice, licorice and tilled earth. The wine delivers its aromas in a direct and immediate manner, with menthol and balsam herb fitting into oaky aromas of sweet spice. For whatever reason, I notice the oak more in Colonnello, but this will relax with time. The wine will be ready to drink after the 10-year mark. Approximately 6,000 bottles were made.”
Poderi Aldo Conterno Bussia Cicala, Barolo DOCG 2009 750ML ($179.95) $119 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “Aromas of fresh cherry, raspberry, licorice and spice fill the glass as this red unfolds. Offers dense tannins and bright acidity, lending definition to the cherry, strawberry, tobacco and spice flavors that persist through the long finish. Best from 2017 through 2030. 300 cases imported.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “An aromatically beguiling wine, the 2009 Barolo Cicala is laced with dark plums, truffles, tar, incense and a host of other balsamic-infused aromas. Today, the fruit lies a bit in the background, while the wine’s aromatics and overall structure are much more in evidence. I imagine the 2009 will require at least a few more years in bottle to flesh out, but it is quite beautiful, even at this stage. There is a weightless tension in the 2009 that is remarkable.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2009 Barolo Cicala reveals the particular dynamic of the vintage with firmly astringent tannins and power coupled with a leaner, more streamlined mouthfeel. You can also feel some of the heat of the 2009 summer with upfront aromas of prune and cassis followed by a visibly darker appearance and sweet spice on the bouquet. The wine has the inherent complexity, structure and acidity for long aging, but it offers less pulp to sink your teeth into. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $140
Poderi Aldo Conterno Bussia Cicala, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($199.95) $169 special, 2 bottles available
James Suckling 98 points “A really exotic red, showing burnt orange-peel to the dried-strawberry, chocolate-powder and light toasted-oak character. It’s full-bodied and chewy, yet ever so polished. A wild wine. Drink after 2022 and onwards.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2016 Barolo Bussia Cicala offers a ripe fruit profile with layers of menthol and medicinal herb. The finish is beautiful, long and chalky, and you don’t get as much alcohol in the Cicala (compared to Romirasco). The fruit is dried and streamlined, and this wine does show good promise for aging. The tannins are beautiful, coating your teeth and palate with no bitter edge. About 6,000 bottles were made.”
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